The Top Ten Starting Pitchers in MLB Right Now and Paulie's Honesty

The top ten starting pitchers in the game right now. Let's go!

10.) Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds
2011 stats (24 starts): 9-5, 2.31 ERA, 104 Ks, 1.09 WHIP
Many of you may be surprised to see Cueto at number ten on my list, but if you had the opportunity to watch him last year, he was truly something special. While the rest of the Reds pitching staff regressed considerably from their 2010 highs last year, Cueto was the only starter to take a step forward, and if it wasn't for a strained lat that prematurely ended his season, he could have seriously challenged Clayton Kershaw for the major-league ERA title. His injury also denied him the chance to officially qualify for a "place" among the league leaders in ERA and WHIP, as he fell just six innings shy of officially qualifying for the league title. Make no mistake about it: Cueto is Cincinnati's ace heading into this season, and if he can stay healthy and have an encore performance, he will definitely receive more recognition as one of the National League's best starting pitchers.

9.) Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
2011 stats: 11-9, 3.45 ERA, 191 Ks, 1.26 WHIP, 237.1 innings pitched
Big Chris Carpenter put together another gritty, workman-like performance for the eventual World Champion Cardinals, tossing a National League-high 237.1 innings, while anchoring the rotation in the place of Adam Wainwright, who missed the season due to Tommy John surgery. Carpenter also stepped up big when the Cards needed him most, throwing a complete-game shutout on the season's final day to get St. Louis into the playoffs, then duplicating the feat 10 days later against the Phillies in the Division Series to get them to the NLCS. He also shut down Texas' mighty offense in Game Seven of the World Series, going six strong innings, striking out five while surrendering only two runs. Carpenter will be 37 this season, and as long as he is healthy (he has made a combined 69 regular-season starts the last two seasons), he should continue to be effective.

8.) CC Sabathia, New York Yankees
2011 stats: 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 Ks, 1.23 WHIP, 237.1 innings pitched
The Yankees received a gritty, workman-like performance of their own from ace CC Sabathia, as he equaled Carpenter's innings output while featuring a WHIP that was 30 points lower and an ERA that was 45 points lower. Critics may accuse Sabathia looking good due to the amount of run support he gets from the Yankees, but that would be failing to see the forest for the trees, as he finished second in the AL in strikeouts and ninth in ERA. Considering that he pitches half of his games in homer-friendly Yankee Stadium, a 3.00 ERA is pretty good.

7.) Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
2011 stats: 13-14, 2.74 ERA, 220 Ks, 1.21 WHIP
Surprisingly enough, "The Freak" had a better year in 2011 than he did during the Giants' World Championship season of 2010. Lincecum lowered his ERA by 0.69 and lowered his WHIP by 65 points! As you can see by his won-loss record, he did not receive a great deal of run support from his team like he did in 2010 (when he finished with a 16-10 record in spite of his uncharacteristically high ERA), and considering that they had a bad offense two years ago, you can only imagine how bad they were in 2011. Lincecum's rapid rise to becoming one of baseball's best pitchers also enabled him to earn quite a bit from the Giants in arbitration, as he will get $18 million this year and $22 million next year, according to Baseball Reference.

6.) Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
2011 stats: 17-8, 2.40 ERA, 238 Ks, 1.03 WHIP, 232.2 innings pitched, six shutouts
It must be nice having one of the ten best pitchers in baseball, and he is not even the best pitcher on your team! Cliff Lee returned to Philadelphia last year on a five-year, $120 million deal, and he had the kind of year Philly fans expected from him, finishing first in the NL in shutouts, second in strikeouts, third in WHIP and ERA and fourth in innings pitched. Unfortunately, he could not come through in the postseason last year, surrendering five runs in a Game Two Division Series loss against the Cardinals. Nonetheless, you can still make the argument that Lee is the best pitcher in baseball when he is on the top of his game, especially when you consider that he is also one of baseball's best control artists.

5.) James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays
2011 stats: 16-12, 2.82 ERA, 225 Ks, 1.04 WHIP, 249.1 innings pitched, 11 CGs
Shields took the term "workhorse" to an entirely new level last year, finishing second in the majors in innings while throwing the most complete games in baseball since Randy Johnson's 12 in 1999. In a stacked Rays rotation, Shields was their ace, as you could almost be assured that the bullpen would get the day off whenever he took the mound. Shields also finished third in the AL in ERA and fifth in WHIP.

4.) Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels
2011 stats: 18-8, 2.41 ERA, 198 Ks, 1.01 WHIP, 235.2 innings pitched
During the first half of 2011, you could have made the argument that Weaver was baseball's best pitcher, and if you believed that he could have won the Cy Young at that point, you would not have received much dissent from anyone. Before the All-Star Break, Weaver went 11-4 with a 1.86 ERA, 120 strikeouts and a fantastic WHIP of 0.91. Even AL All-Star manager Ron Washington gave him the nod to start for the Junior Circuit in the Mid-Summer Classic. Weaver's numbers would remain steady during the second-half, but Justin Verlander took his game to another level, leaving Weaver in the dust in the Cy Young race.

3.) Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
2011 stats: 19-6, 2.35 ERA, 220 Ks, 1.04 WHIP, 233.2 innings pitched, 8 CGs
It was just another day at the office for "Doc," finishing first in the Senior Circuit in complete games, second in ERA and innings pitched, and third in WHIP. Not much else to see here, he's still one of baseball's best.

2.) Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
2011 stats: 21-5, 2.28 ERA, 248 Ks, 0.98 WHIP, 233.1 innings pitched
Kershaw, at least for one season, unseated Halladay as the National League's best pitcher. In fact, you could make the argument that he was the best pitcher in the game last year, finishing first in the majors in ERA, second in strikeouts, and second in opponents' batting average (they hit a paltry .207 against him). He also did this while pitching for a mediocre Dodger squad, which makes his season all the more impressive. He was already one of the NL's best starters in 2010; last year simply proved that he is here to stay in that discussion.

1.) Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
2011 stats: 24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 Ks, 0.920 WHIP, 251 innings pitched
What else is there to say about Verlander that has not been mentioned already by the media? He became the first pitcher to win a MVP award since Dennis Eckersley in 1992, the first starter to do it since Roger Clemens in 1986 and the first Tiger pitcher to do it since Willie Hernandez in 1984. He also led the majors in wins, innings, strikeouts, WHIP and opponents' batting average (.192), while finishing in a tie for third in ERA. He fell one win shy of becoming MLB's first 25-game winner since 1990, as he lost to Baltimore in his final start of the regular season. He kept the bullpen fresh as they were practically guaranteed a day off whenever he took the mound, and lets face it, Detroit would have been an average team if he was not in their rotation. He also came through big in the playoffs, as he kept the Tigers from being eliminated at home in Game Five of the ALCS, throwing 133 pitches in 7.1 innings (which kept their battered bullpen fresh), and earning a victory in the process. Let's not forget that he threw his second career no-hitter in Toronto last year as well. He is baseball's best pitcher right now, and unless you are a fan of the Dodgers, Angels or Phillies, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would disagree with that statement.

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Paulie's Honesty

While Spring Training is a refreshing and exciting time for many baseball fans, it can also be the most repetitive time of the season. I mean, we have all heard the same old storylines each spring, right? "Player 'X' reported to camp 'X' pounds lighter and is in the best shape of his life. Manager or player 'X' is optimistic regarding his team's chances and feels that he can have a career year. Every team is in first place, regardless if they stand absolutely no chance entering the season (I'm looking at you, Houston Astros)." Well, that's one particular reason why Paul Konerko's comments just two days ago were so refreshing, even though I do not entirely agree with them.

Here's what Konerko said, courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times:

“I hope I don’t throw anybody off with this, but this can be a very successful year without making the playoffs." -Paul Konerko

Considering the heightened expectations Chicago had last year, that is a surprising comment, right? Well, Konerko obviously provided more context to his comments, even using last year's Indians as an example of a team that had a "successful" season despite missing the playoffs. He essentially believes that if the Sox lay the framework for something that is sustainable (i.e. receive great production from youngsters such as Dayan Viciedo, Gordon Beckham, Addison Reed and Chris Sale, among others), they will have a better idea of where they stand in 2013, and they can build off of that. Konerko's example of the Indians personified that idea, as they surprisingly hung tough with Detroit for most of the summer before the Tigers kicked things into overdrive in September and ran away with the division.

However, here is the reason why I do not entirely agree with Konerko. Even though the Sox are fielding a few younger players entering this season, they are not a team like the Nationals, Royals, or even last year's Indians, where they are young and talented with little to no expectations. A year in which they do not make the playoffs, but finish with a winning record, would be looked upon as a successful season for those teams. The White Sox, on the other hand, still have a fairly large payroll, and high expectations for many of their key players, including, but not limited to, Adam Dunn, Alex Rios, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, and yes, even Konerko (even though he's carried the team for the last several seasons).

This is a team that is only two years removed from winning 88 games, and last year, many prognosticators expected them to win the division (myself included). How can they return most of their key players (sans Buehrle and Quentin, of course) and have such low expectations heading into this season? That is why I have such a difficult time stomaching Konerko's comments. Perhaps I am in a bit of denial, or even worse, a state of confusion as to what to expect from this year's team. I feel like a losing season, or even an 82-83 win season would be somewhat disappointing, but if they do make the playoffs, I will be completely surprised. Really, I am not certain what to expect from this year's team. I just hope that they can return to being a fun team to watch. The White Sox of 2001-2004 were not the best teams ever constructed, but they were fun to watch, only because you could tell they were giving their best effort night in and night out. The teams from 2005-2010 (2007 excluded) were simply a blast to watch, at least from this Sox fan's point of view, because they entered each season with a chance to win the division. Last year, they looked apathetic, and honestly, they were absolutely miserable to watch. Maybe I have been spoiled watching them contend for so long that I just do not want to come to terms that I might be witnessing them on the decline.


Either way, Konerko's honesty is such a refreshing thing to hear during a time where you see the same old tired lines spit out over and over again by managers, players and coaches. Hopefully, this year's team can catch people off-guard again, much like they did in 2000 and 2005.

The End of an Era

We all knew this was going to come sooner or later.

The Chicago White Sox, after much speculation, decided to release Ozzie from his contract yesterday, which means that he will more than likely become the next Florida (Miami) Marlins manager. Fittingly enough, Guillen ended his run with a 4-3 Sox victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In his managerial career on the South Side, Ozzie went 678-617, placing him third on the team's all-time managerial wins list, trailing only Al Lopez (840-650) and Jimmie Dykes (894-933). Among Sox managers with at least 400 or more wins, Ozzie is third in winning percentage (.524), trailing only Paul Richards (.529) and Al Lopez (.564). Guillen is also the only manager in Sox history to reach the postseason twice (2005 and 2008).

Even though this year wasn't entirely Guillen's fault, the aura surrounding the team was becoming toxic enough to the point where someone had to go, and that usually falls on the manager. I'll miss the fact that he was exactly what the team needed following the disastrous end to the Jerry Manuel era in 2003, when I started to believe for the first time that I would never see a White Sox world championship. Ozzie was brash, loud, opinionated and on top of all of that, he was a former Sox player who knew the franchise in and out. Jerry Manuel was a nice guy, but he was too laid back and too quiet for Chicago, and he was an outsider when he came in. Ozzie brought fire, energy and more importantly, attention to a franchise that was sorely lacking it. Not only that, he achieved something that no Sox fan ever imagined witnessing: a World Championship in 2005. Wire-to-wire regular season, 11-1 postseason, including a World Series sweep.

Throughout the long history of the White Sox, there have been plenty of great managers that have come through the South Side. However, Ozzie was able to do something that Al Lopez, Paul Richards, Jimmie Dykes, Gene Lamont, Jerry Manuel or Tony LaRussa couldn't do: bring a World Series trophy to Chicago.

Thanks for everything Ozzie, and best of luck to you in Miami! On a side note, let the speculation commence as to who will become the next White Sox manager. Personally, I'd rather not go the route of Tony LaRussa version 2.0.

White Sox and Reds 2012 schedule highlights

Billy the Marlin looks forward to his new home for next year.

Seeing the release of the new MLB schedule is always an interesting moment. Mind you, it is not quite on par with the release of the NFL schedules, but it is always an interesting day nonetheless. Most of the intrigue lies with the scheduled interleague matchups and how they become more bizarre and disjointed year after year. However it is also a time for baseball fans to circle dates on their calendars in anticipation of seeing their favorite team on the road, myself included.

Usually when it comes to taking a gander at the new schedules, I look to see who the Sox are playing, along with the Reds. Unfortunately, the two do not meet each other at all next year, so here are some of the highlights from both teams. First, the Sox.

White Sox:

Paul Konerko could inch closer to Frank Thomas
on the all-time White Sox home run list next year.

Friday, April 6: Sox open with a three-game series on the road in Texas. They will head to Cleveland for another three-game series afterwards.

Friday, April 13: Sox host their home-opener against the reigning division champion Tigers.

Friday, May 18- Sunday, May 20: Sox @ Cubs. The Sox own a 45-39 all-time record against the Cubs (excluding the 1906 World Series) but unfortunately, they are just 20-22 at The Friendly Confines. Time to change that next year!

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Astros @ Sox. This will mark the first time the Astros have visited U.S. Cellular Field since 2007. Chicago lost two out of three to Houston that year, with Mark Buehrle winning the series finale to avoid the sweep. Chicago is 10-8 against Houston all-time (not counting the '05 World Series). Excluding the World Series, the Sox have not visited Houston for a regular-season series since 2000.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Sox @ Cardinals. This will mark the first time the Sox have visited St. Louis since 2001, when the Redbirds swept them out of town. The Sox are 8-10 all-time against the Cardinals, and they own a dreadful 2-7 record in St. Louis.

Friday, June 15- Sunday, June 17: Sox @ Dodgers. For some inexplicable reason, this will mark the fourth time in the last five years the White Sox will play the Dodgers. Anyway, this will be the Sox's first visit to Dodger Stadium since 2008, where they took two of three from the playoff-bound Dodgers. The Pale Hose are 11-4 all-time against the Dodgers, including 4-2 in L.A.

Monday June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Cubs @ Sox. Nice move here by the schedule-makers placing this at the beginning of the week. Guaranteed sellouts on Monday through Wednesday are always a good thing to have. The Sox own the Cubs at home, with a 25-17 all-time record against them at U.S. Cellular.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Brewers @ Sox. Chicago closes out their interleague schedule by hosting the Brewers for the first time since 2000. The Sox demolished the Brew Crew that year, sweeping them out of town and outscoring them 29-12 in the process. Since Milwaukee moved to the National League in 1998, the Sox are 10-5 against them, including a 4-2 mark at home.

Thursday, September 27- Sunday, September 30: Indians @ Sox, Rays @ Sox. Chicago wraps up the year with a seven-game homestand, featuring three with Cleveland before finishing things out with four against Joe Maddon's crew.

Perhaps the only thing that is puzzling about the Sox's schedule is why the schedule-makers continue to have them face the Dodgers. Is there something I'm missing here, other than it will mark 53 years since they last met in the World Series?

On another note, why do the schedule-makers have the Sox avoid the Mets like the plague? I know it's a random thought, but next year will be the 15th season of Interleague Play, and the Sox and Mets have squared off against each other just once, all the way back in 2002. The Mets visited the South Side that year and lost two of three to the Sox. The Pale Hose have yet to go to New York to play against the Mets in a series.

Anyway, let's take a look at some of the Reds' 2012 schedule highlights, shall we?

Cincinnati Reds:
Friday, April 6: Opening Day in Cincinnati against the Miami Marlins (yes, that will be the new name for the Fish upon moving into their new ballpark next year). What will be more odd for the Marlins is that they will open at home against the Cardinals for one game on April 4 before heading north to Cincinnati.

Monday, April 9- Wednesday, April 11: The Reds take on the hated St. Louis Cardinals for three at GABP. Will Pujols still be at first base for the Redbirds? We shall see.

Wednesday, May 16- Sunday, May 20: Reds @ Mets, Reds @ Yankees. In a neat little scheduling quirk, the Reds will spend five days in the Big Apple in May, taking on the Mets for two in Queens before heading to the Bronx to square off against the Yankees for a weekend series. The Reds are 5-4 in the regular-season against the Yankees all-time, and this will be their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. Cincinnati managed to take two of three from the Yankees in their last trip to the Bronx in 2008.

Friday, June 8- Sunday, June 10: Tigers @ Reds. This will be the first trip to Great American Ballpark for the Tigers. Their last visit to Cincinnati was in 2001, when the Reds lost two of three to Detroit at Cinergy Field. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Tigers (excluding the 1940 World Series) and are 2-4 at home against them. Another neat tidbit about the Tigers' visit to GABP: they will join the Yankees and White Sox as the only American League teams to ever face the Reds at Redland/Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field and Great American Ballpark.

Tuesday, June 12- Thursday, June 14: Indians @ Reds. Cincinnati is 36-39 all-time against Cleveland, and are 18-18 at home against them.

Monday, June 18- Wednesday, June 20: Reds @ Indians. The Reds own an 18-21 road record against the Tribe.

All signs point to Johnny Cueto emerging
as the Reds' next ace, should he stay healthy.

Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24: Twins @ Reds. For the first time since 2000, the Twins will finally stop in Cincinnati. This will be their first visit to Great American Ballpark, leaving only the Mariners and A's as the only American League teams that have yet to play a series there (Seattle and Oakland each visited Cinergy Field in 2002, however). Surprisingly enough, this will also be the first time Ron Gardenhire has managed against the Reds in his 11 year career at the helm of the Twins. The last time Minnesota faced the Reds was at the Metrodome in 2001, with Tom Kelly still leading the way for the Twins. The Reds are 7-8 all-time against the Twins, but own a 5-1 record at home, including sweeping them during their last visit over a decade ago.

Friday, September 14- Sunday, September 16: Reds @ Marlins. The Reds will make their first trip to the Marlins' new ballpark. Cincinnati owns a 39-35 all-time mark at Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Landshark/Dolphin/Whatever the hell it's called Stadium.

Tuesday, September 25- Sunday, September 30: Brewers @ Reds, Reds @ Pirates. The Reds finish out their 2012 home schedule with three against the Brewers before closing out the season for three in Pittsburgh.

The 2012 season could also potentially mark the end of an era. With all of the talk and rumors swirling about the Astros moving to the American League and an expanded postseason, this could be the last time we see the AL and NL as somewhat mutually exclusive leagues. Should the Astros move to the AL, we will have interleague play year-round, along with two extra teams added to the playoffs. Who knows, the Astros move could also usher in major realignment as well.

Make sure to take it all in next year, because 2013 could be radically different.

Mercy...

Blowing a seven run lead on Saturday. Losing 18-2 yesterday. Having your GM and hitting coach go at each other. Having your manager plead for a contract extension near the end of a disappointing, lackluster season. Although Ozzie's plea occurred before the Detroit series, the 2011 season reached its nadir over the weekend, when the Sox could not muster a single win against the division-leading Tigers. What was more disappointing was how the Sox lost the last two games, in perhaps the most disappointing series I have witnessed since the 2003 season.

It goes without saying that blowing a seven run lead is inexcusable during any point in the season. However, you would expect a team fighting for survival to come back and put up a good fight in the next game. That didn't happen, as the Sox just rolled over and were pronounced dead at the scene following last night's game.

Now that this season is effectively over, the biggest question is no longer whether or not Ozzie Guillen stays. He's good as gone now. I am wondering if the entire coaching staff will be axed along with Ozzie. Since Walker was nearly fired on Friday, I cannot imagine him sticking around for too long, and the only people I see that would have a remote chance of returning would be first-base coach Harold Baines and possibly pitching coach Don Cooper. "Coop" is one of the more underrated pitching coaches in the game, and it would be a real shame if the Sox were to lose him. Nonetheless, he may be an unfortunate loss if the Sox go through a full cleansing of the the coaching staff.

Another person I am curious about is bench coach Joey Cora. He interviewed for the Brewers managerial position last year, and he will eventually get scooped up by a big-league club looking for a new manager. I wonder if that club is right there in the South Side? I do not know if he will have the same approach as Ozzie, but he will certainly be a lot quieter (and sadly, less entertaining).

All I know is that the Sox on the field are no longer worth following this season. They are listless, apathetic and honestly, only a handful of players look like they actually give a damn on the team right now. The real drama will unfold after the final out is made on September 28. Stay tuned.

Time to help vote your favorite broadcasters into Cooperstown

September is here again, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame is allowing fans to help get their favorite broadcaster one step closer to Cooperstown. Voting is taking place on the Hall of Fame's Facebook page now through September 30, with the finalists being announced on October 5 (the top three fan-voted selections, plus seven more selected by an exclusive panel). The winner will be announced during the Winter Meetings on December 6, "based on popularity, longevity and past voting results in the online fan balloting," according to the website. Each franchise has two candidates, along with a list of at-large candidates. Here they all are, with each current and former Sox broadcaster emphasized (courtesy of the Baseball Hall of Fame Website):

• Arizona Diamondbacks: Greg Schulte, Daron Sutton
• Atlanta Braves: Skip Caray, Pete Van Wieren
• Baltimore Orioles: Joe Angel, Jim Hunter
• Boston Red Sox: Joe Castiglione, Jerry Remy
• Chicago Cubs: Pat Hughes, Ron Santo
• Chicago White Sox: Ed Farmer, Ken Harrelson
• Cincinnati Reds: Waite Hoyt, Joe Nuxhall
• Cleveland Indians: Mike Hegan, Herb Score
• Colorado Rockies: Jack Corrigan, Wayne Hagin
• Detroit Tigers: George Kell, Jim Price
• Florida Marlins: Tommy Hutton, Rick Waltz
• Houston Astros: Bill Brown, Larry Dierker
• Kansas City Royals: Ryan Lefebrve, Paul Splittorff
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Dick Enberg, Jose Mota
• Los Angeles Dodgers: Rick Monday, Ross Porter
• Milwaukee Brewers: Merle Harmon, Bill Schroeder
• Minnesota Twins: Dick Bremer, John Gordon
• New York Mets: Gary Cohen, Ralph Kiner
• New York Yankees: Michael Kay, John Sterling
• Oakland Athletics: Ray Fosse, Bill King
• Philadelphia Phillies: Richie Ashburn, Chris Wheeler
• Pittsburgh Pirates: Steve Blass, Lanny Frattare
• San Diego Padres: Ted Leitner, Eduardo Ortega
• San Francisco Giants: Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper
• Seattle Mariners: Ron Fairly, Rick Rizzs
• St. Louis Cardinals: Al Hrabosky, Mike Shannon
• Tampa Bay Rays: Todd Kalas, Dewayne Staats
• Texas Rangers: Mark Holtz, Eric Nadel
•  Toronto Blue Jays: Tom Cheek, Jerry Howarth
• Washington Nationals: Bob Carpenter, Charlie Slowes

At-large candidates: Thom Brennaman, Joe Buck, Ken Coleman, Jacques Doucet, Ernie Johnson Sr., Ned Martin, Buck Martinez, Tim McCarver, Al Michaels, Joe Morgan, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, Phil Rizzuto, John Rooney, Steve Stone, Gary Thorne

Most of us who follow the Sox already know by this point Hawk has lost a bit off his fastball, so to speak. However, he is one of the most recognizable voices in the game, and has been the voice of Sox baseball for 26 seasons (1982-1985, 1990-present). Chicago has a long history of over-the-top "homer" announcers (see Harry Caray and Jack Brickhouse), and Hawk simply fits right in with both of them. Since you can only select one broadcaster now, do yourself a favor and vote for the ol' Hawkeroo. Remember, you can only vote once per day.

Let's get the Hawk one step closer to the Hall!

Also, for your pleasure, here are the past Ford C. Frick Award winners*, along with their primary team(s) where they became famous.

1978: Mel Allen (New York Yankees)
1978: Red Barber (Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees)
1979: Bob Elson (Chicago White Sox)
1980: Russ Hodges (New York/San Francisco Giants)
1981: Ernie Harwell (Detroit Tigers)
1982: Vin Scully (Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers)
1983: Jack Brickhouse (Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs)
1984: Curt Gowdy (Boston Red Sox, NBC Sports)
1985: Buck Canel (New York Mets, New York Yankees)
1986: Bob Prince (Pittsburgh Pirates)
1987: Jack Buck (St. Louis Cardinals)
1988: Lindsey Nelson (New York Mets)
1989: Harry Caray (St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs)
1990: By Saam (Philadelphia A's, Philadelphia Phillies)
1991: Joe Garagiola, Sr. (NBC Sports)
1992: Milo Hamilton (Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros)
1993: Chuck Thompson (Baltimore Orioles)
1994: Bob Murphy (New York Mets)
1995: Bob Wolff (Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins)
1996: Herb Carneal (Minnesota Twins)
1997: Jimmy Dudley (Cleveland Indians)
1998: Jaime Jarrin (Los Angeles Dodgers)
1999: Arch McDonald (Washington Senators)
2000: Marty Brennaman (Cincinnati Reds)
2001: Felo Ramirez (Florida Marlins)
2002: Harry Kalas (Philadelphia Phillies)
2003: Bob Uecker (Milwaukee Brewers)
2004: Lon Simmons (San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's)
2005: Jerry Coleman (San Diego Padres)
2006: Gene Elston (Houston Astros)
2007: Denny Matthews (Kansas City Royals)
2008: Dave Niehaus (Seattle Mariners)
2009: Tony Kubek (NBC Sports, Toronto Blue Jays)
2010: Jon Miller (Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, ESPN)
2011: Dave Van Horne (Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins)

*The name of the award given to each broadcaster who is selected to the Hall of Fame.

The Strange Case of Ozzie Guillen: Should he stay or should he go?

Dealing with the question of whether or not a franchise icon should stick around is always difficult to approach. Often times, it's because objectivity is thrown out the window, and emotions begin to take control of the decision-making process. You want to show him the door, but how do you do it? After everything he has done for the franchise? Another side of you will think that "ah, it was just a mediocre year, many other teams/players would love to trade places with us. He's worth keeping around." However, where do you draw the line for accountability?

It has reached that point for Ozzie Guillen. Before I get into whether or not he should stick around, keep in mind that Guillen is a major figure in Sox history. He played shortstop for the them from 1985-1997, garnering a Rookie of the Year award in '85, along with a Gold Glove in 1990 and three All-Star appearances. His blue-collar work ethic endeared him to many fans on the South Side, and his temperament seemed like the perfect solution for the Sox's problems following the disappointing 2003 season, when the team parted ways with the laid-back Jerry Manuel. Ozzie was the perfect choice to manage the Sox because the team needed a fiery, aggressive manager and because he was a Sox guy, through-and-through. He understood the mindset of the fanbase and he knew Chicago.

His first season saw injuries to Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez, the major catalysts in their offense, and the team limped to an 83-79 finish. However, the Sox did the improbable in 2005, going wire-to-wire and sweeping the World Series, something only two other teams had ever accomplished in major-league history (the 1927 Yankees and the 1990 Reds were the others). The 2006 season began with a considerable amount of promise, as the team stormed to a 57-31 mark by the All-Star break. Unfortunately, the pitching staff was gassed by that point, and the team crumbled to a disappointing 33-41 second half record, finishing 90-72. They would miss the postseason.

Since then, the Sox have been largely mediocre, save for a miserable 2007 campaign in which they lost 90 games. They reached the postseason again in 2008, but nobody was mistaking that team for the 2005 Sox or even the 2000 team.

The accountability that a manager should have for his team's success (or lack thereof) is always tricky to ascertain. Really, the players are the ones who make the manager look smart. Do you think Tony LaRussa has all of the wins he does because he's an exponentially better manager than say, Bruce Bochy? No. It's because Tony always seems to have top-notch talent on his teams (i.e. Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Bob Welch, Dave Stewart, Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Jim Edmonds, etc.). If you go back to Tony's Chicago years, you will find that they are largely unimpressive (except for 1983) because...wait for it....many of his players flat out stunk.

Which brings us back to the dilemma with Ozzie this year. It's easy for people to get on him for the team's lack of success this year. However, can Ozzie make Adam Dunn bat .300? Can Ozzie make Alex Rios hit they way he did last year? Could Ozzie have made his bullpen pitch better than it did to start the season, which is a major contributor to where the team is at now in the standings? A manager cannot go out there and make his players play out of their minds, and really, he is at the mercy of their performances. Ozzie is a great manager, and an even better motivator. Do you believe that the White Sox could have made the comeback they did in 2010 had Ozzie not been a good motivator and had given up on the team?

The Sox have also played decently since the middle of May, fighting back from what could have been the start to an awful year. Unfortunately, the team has not been able to get on an extended hot streak like they did last year to move into first. Is that Ozzie's fault? While I still believe he is a great motivator, you almost have to wonder if he is still getting through to his players. Was he simply dealt a bad hand with the group he has?

Despite his puzzling lineup decisions (Dunn hitting in the middle of the order?!), if the people who were expected to be key contributors actually came through, this wouldn't be an issue. If Dunn were on pace to hit at his career norms (.244 average, 38 homers, 96 RBIs according to Baseball Reference) and if Rios were to have a similar year as last year (.284 average, 21 homers, 88 RBIs, 34 steals) the Sox wouldn't just be in first, they would be running away with the division. Instead Dunn is having a historically bad season, and Rios is reverting to his apathetic style of play he had in his final years in Toronto. Also, the bullpen has a combined 17 blown saves this season, with many of them coming in the first two months of the season (see table below). You think if that number were cut in half, things wouldn't be considerably different with the state of this team? Thankfully, the bullpen stabilized itself after the first couple of months, and they have been nailing it down since.

	BSv 6
Jesse Crain	5
Sergio Santos	4
Matt Thornton*	4
Tony Pena	2
Will Ohman*	1
Chris Sale*	1
Brian Bruney	0
Gavin Floyd	0
Jason Frasor	0
Jeff Gray	0
Lucas Harrell	0
Philip Humber	0
Josh Kinney	0
Jake Peavy	0
Hector Santiago*	0
Zach Stewart	0
League Average
Team Total	17

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/1/2011.

Nonetheless, the combination of these unfortunate events has likely led Ozzie to lose his patience, which is probably further straining his relationship with GM Kenny Williams. Ozzie is already pressuring the team into extending him beyond 2012, threatening to leave if his wish isn't granted. A public plea for an extension with the team six games back in September will not earn you many supporters. The situation appears that's Ozzie's good as gone, but I'm not so sure another manager could do a better job. The decision to get rid of him is not as easy as some think it is, nor is it a cut-and-dry issue. However, if Ozzie stays or goes, I'm fine either way.

1991 White Sox/A's skirmish at Comiskey Park, La Russa Erupts

Ah, the joys of Youtube. Sometimes you will get to see a classic video clip of something you have never seen before, or it may be something that you have not seen in years. Well, this highlight certainly falls into the former for me, as somehow this has evaded the countless amount of "blow up" lists that you will usually see on sports networks all across the country.

The video here is from 1991, and it features the Chicago White Sox taking on the reigning three-time American League champion Oakland Athletics at Comiskey Park. A's catcher Terry Steinbach is unfortunately hit in the head by an errant pitch from Bobby Thigpen, and some of the A's players took exception to the beaning. A skirmish between the two teams was ignited, and at one point you can see 43-year-old Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and 46-year-old A's manager Tony La Russa exchange words in the heat of the battle.

However, that was not the end of it, at least for La Russa. Tony took exception to some of the questions being asked to him by a reporter, and one of the more underrated post-game blowups in sports would follow (Language alert: Some of the things said here are not safe for work):



While the A's still won the game, the 1991 season would not be kind to La Russa's bunch, as the A's finished fourth in the A.L. West with an 84-78 record, 11 games behind the eventual World Champion Minnesota Twins. The White Sox would only finish three games better than Oakland in the West that year, finishing at 87-75.

Last Night's Loss a Truly Painful One

After witnessing this team pull off their improbable World Series victory six years ago, there are not too many games (regular season or otherwise) that will have me feeling badly after defeat. However, last night's game tested my patience considerably.

There are not too many games where you will see a team comeback three times after the 8th inning to tie the game, but that's what the White Sox did last night. They trailed Washington 3-0 entering the bottom of the 9th inning, when pinch-hitter Mark Teahen hit a game-tying, three-run homer off of Drew Storen. Making things even more improbable, the homer was only his second of the season.

The euphoria that came with that homer unfortunately did not last, as Lance Nix broke the tie in the top of the 10th with a solo homer to give the Nats a 4-3 lead. Undeterred, the Sox tied the game again in the bottom half of that frame on a Todd Coffey wild pitch. One of the more aggravating parts of this game came in Brent Lillibridge's at-bat following wild pitch. Not only did Lillibridge miss the most epic hanging breaking ball of all-time during his at-bat, Coffey threw a pitch far enough inside to Lillibridge where it could have hit him and won the game. However, Lillibridge jumped out of the way of the pitch. The pitch was waist-high on the inner-half, you have to take one for the team, Brent! Nonetheless, he struck out, which effectively killed that inning's rally. Teahen would fly out to end the inning and send the game deeper into the night.

The Nats took a 5-4 lead in the 12th inning, and were one strike away from ending the game when A.J. Pierzynski tied it with a solo home run. I thought to myself afterwards: "Good fortune has to fall the Sox's way tonight, right?"

Well, no. They were one out away from getting out of a sticky situation in the top of the 14th, when Alexei Ramirez's throwing error ended up plating another go-ahead run for the Nationals. Washington would tack on three more runs after that, and would win the game 9-5 in 14 tense, agonizing innings.

The Sox currently sit at 37-40, just 4.5 games out of first. However, if you have watched the Sox all year, 4.5 games almost feels like 8.5. They can never show any signs of consistency. Everytime they have a golden opportunity to make up some ground in the division, it seems like they squander it. Last night, Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota each lost, which would have put the Sox in a great situation to make up ground in the division, while widening the gulf between them and Minnesota. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass.

With the Sox only four games away from the mathematical half-way point in the season (81 games), you almost wonder if this is who they are, a team that will be lucky to finish with 83 wins. The way they have played up until this point of the season has not exactly filled me with dreams of seeing them play in October.

Oh well. Here's to hoping the Sox can win the next two against the Nasty Nats.

At long last, I'm finished with school! Now, some thoughts on realignment, the DH and interleague play

Folks, I am proud to say that I am officially finished with college! I graduated last week with a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Cincinnati, and I am more than relieved that my five-year journey of obtaining a college education is finally over.

Now, back to business here on the "South Side Hit Parade." Recently, there have been some rumblings that MLB may consider some form of realignment. Nobody is really sure how the teams will be realigned at this point, but some suggestions have been offered. The one that appears to have the most talk surrounding it right now would be to move the Houston Astros to the American League West, and have interleague play year-round. Some other suggestions include moving either the Colorado Rockies or the Arizona Diamondbacks to the American League West, if only for the reason that they are two of the newer NL teams, and because they would each give the Rangers a time zone buffer (Texas is a Central Time Zone team, while the A's, Angels and Mariners are all in Pacific Time. Ouch.).

While some old-school folks may have a problem with year-round interleague play and realignment, I actually look forward to seeing something like this happen. I have always enjoyed interleague play, and it always seemed a bit bizarre to me to sequester this to just one portion of the season. If you have it year-round, it would solve the problem of "unfair" scheduling, such the Cardinals playing the Royals six times, while the Reds play the Indians six times (Never mind the fact the Reds are 1-5 against K.C. in their last six games against them, including losing two of three to them at home last year).

Another benefit to having year-round interleague play would likely mean that the National League will finally get with the times and adopt the Designated Hitter. Listen, I do not mind the differences between the leagues at the moment. However, I am starting to prefer the American League style of play. I do not care about losing the "strategy" of the game by having the pitcher in the batting lineup. There is still plenty of strategy in American League baseball, as there is in any baseball game, DH or no DH. However, I prefer to watch Vladimir Guerrero hit than to watch Tony Larussa think. There is a lot more excitement with watching Paul Konerko step to the plate in a big situation as opposed to watching Dusty Baker using the double-switch late in a game. Change can be good in the game of baseball sometimes, and it would be for the better if the National League finally adopted the DH. There would be more balance between both leagues, and you could easily have interleague play year-round.

One more thought for the evening: Even if realignment and year-round interleague play never happens, what in the hell is wrong with interleague play right now? People love to complain about it, citing the scheduling inequities teams have. It is not that big of a deal. It is just 16-18 games out of 162. Over the course of 162 games, the cream is going to rise to the top. There are no flukes; any team that makes the playoffs has earned it. If you miss the playoffs by one or two games, you can point your finger at several reasons why you failed to make it other than your interleague record. If you miss by five or six games, then you just were not good enough to make it, even if you do have a better record than a postseason team in another division. I was very upset when the White Sox missed the 2006 postseason with 90 wins, despite the fact they would have won the sad-sack NL Central by 7.5 games over the Cardinals. However, baseball, like life, is not always fair.

That's all I have for you now, talk to you soon!

That throw looked like something outta Star Wars!

Links to news around MLB right here.

Hall of Fame Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton criticized Lance Berkman (MSNBC)

New York Mets are $625 million in debt (Sports Illustrated)

Charlie Sheen bailing former MLB star Lenny Dykstra out of jail? You betcha. (Big League Stew)

Omar Vizquel still humming along at age 44 (Chicago Tribune)

Former Sox player Carl Everett arrested on charges of aggravated assault (USA Today)

Toronto Blue Jays three up and three down (Tao of Stieb)

Carlos Quentin is finally smiling! (ESPN)

Marlins interested in Mark DeRosa? (Marlins.com)

Some of the best ballpark pictures you will ever see are right here on this website. You feel as if you are actually stepping into yesteryear looking at these (Ballparks, Arenas and Stadiums)

The Sox through the first 12 games

Even though that dreaded evil known as school has kept me away for a month or so, I have managed to escape it for a bit. So let's talk some Sox baseball!

First, let's point out the things that have gone well for the South Siders. Their 7-5 record is no slouch, especially when you consider they're only a game behind Cleveland and Kansas City, two teams that certainly won't keep up this kind of play for long. Chicago's offense has been nothing short of terrific, as their 73 runs rank second in MLB to Cincinnati. Paul Konerko's been tearing the cover off the ball so far, hitting .362 with three homers and 12 RBIs, and he's been getting on base at a fantastic .436 clip. Alexei Ramirez is avoiding his usual slow start as well, as he has three home runs himself. Gordon Beckham and Carlos Quentin are both doing well offensively, and once Adam Dunn settles back in from his emergency appendectomy, this offense will arguably be the most formidable one in baseball.

There is one little concern I have with this team so far however, and that has been their bullpen. They have already blown six saves through these first 12 games, with four of them coming from the arm of Matt Thornton, the designated "closer." Is this just a bad start, or a sign of things to come? This bullpen appears to be way too talented to be performing this way. Things especially look worse when your four of your key relievers (Chris Sale, Thornton, Tony Pena and Will Ohman) all have ERAs north of seven right now.

While this is certainly cause for concern, this is not a time for panic, mostly because I believe the starting pitching and offense can carry this team in spite of their bullpen. However, late inning losses can really begin to take their toll after a while, even during the first month of the season. The Sox can win blowout games all they want, but eventually the bullpen needs to start getting their act together and finishing ballgames. Hopefully that begins tonight against the Angels, a team they have played well against during the last few seasons.

My wildly outrageous 2011 MLB Predictions

• With Opening Day quickly approaching, it's always fun to predict how the season will play itself out. Here's how I think the 2011 season will go down. It'll be more fun seeing how wrong I am at the end of the season, too. Let's go!
  
  Division Predictions (asterisk denotes Wild Card winner)
  
  AL East:
  
  1. Boston Red Sox (97-65). The new acquisitions of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and left fielder Carl Crawford will pay huge dividends to a team that is already very talented. Should everybody stay healthy, a division title is a certain lock for the Carmines.
  2. New York Yankees (88-74). Their lineup will still mash, but will their pitching be deep enough behind C.C. Sabathia to keep pace with the rest of the AL? My guess is that it won't be.
  3. Toronto Blue Jays (86-76). Much like the Yankees, the Jays will have a very formidable lineup, but there are still several question marks regarding their pitching. Also, will Jose Bautista have an encore performance at the plate this year? Chances are that he won't hit 54 home runs again, but he'll still be a very intimidating presence in their lineup.
  4. Tampa Bay Rays (79-83). The Rays may say that their pitching will still be good, but the losses of Carl Crawford, Rafael Soriano, Carlos Pena, Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza will just be too much for them to overcome.
  5. Baltimore Orioles (69-93). Their lineup looks better, and they have some young pitchers with the potential to be good, but I still think they're a year or two away from moving out of the AL East basement.
  
  
  AL Central:
  
  1. Chicago White Sox (93-69). With the new acquisition of 1B/DH Adam Dunn, Chicago's lineup will easily be the toughest in the division. Their pitching, while not overwhelming, will be good enough for them to capture their fourth division title since 2000.
  2. *Minnesota Twins (91-71). Even though they did not do much to improve themselves in the off-season, the Twins usually still find a way to get things done, and this year won't be any different, as they will capture the American League Wild Card.
  3. Detroit Tigers (87-75). They will certainly improve on last year's mediocre performance, but will their starting rotation be deep enough behind Verlander to propel them to the postseason. My guess is that they will be good, but not good enough.
  4. Kansas City Royals (68-94). Apparently they have the best farm system in baseball, so their days of misery may not last for too much longer. However, they won't be good at all this year.
  5. Cleveland Indians (61-101). Their bullpen improved last year, but that still doesn't make up for a dreadful starting rotation, and a lineup that has a steep talent drop off once you look past Shin Soo-Choo and Grady Sizemore.
  
  
  AL West:
  
  1. Texas Rangers (88-74). A strong lineup coupled with some solid pitching will vault the defending American League Champions back into the playoffs.
  2. Oakland A's (87-75). Oakland will put up a fight, as they will boast the best starting rotation in the American League for the second year in a row. However, their lack of offense will get the best of them.
  3. Los Angeles Angels (78-84). Losing out in the free agent sweepstakes will definitely cost the Angels this year, as their lineup continues to age.
  4. Seattle Mariners (65-97). At least they have Ichiro and Felix Hernandez to keep people interested.
  
  
  NL East:
  
  1. Philadelphia Phillies (102-60). The Phillies will roll to a fifth consecutive division crown behind the best rotation in baseball and a very strong lineup.
  2. Atlanta Braves (86-76). The Braves will be solid, but will they be good enough to reach the postseason again? With the multitude of deep teams in the NL, I don't think Atlanta quite stacks up to the rest of the pack. Besides, if it wasn't for San Diego's September collapse last year, the Braves would not have reached the postseason.
  3. Florida Marlins (81-81). They always seem to be stuck in gear. They are the MLB poster-child for "average."
  4. New York Mets (77-85). They could potentially be better, but we've been saying that for the last couple of years. I'll let them prove it to me before I put them ahead of the Marlins.
  5. Washington Nationals (67-95). DC's lineup should be okay, but their pitching will be wretched, especially without Strasburg.
  
  
  NL Central:
  
  1. Milwaukee Brewers (95-67). The Brew Crew are going "all in" this year, and with the additions of Zack Greinke and Shawn Marcum to their starting rotation, the Crew will have their best season since 1982.
  2. *Cincinnati Reds (93-69). Their lineup will be great again, but their pitching should be even better than last year, as their young arms will certainly improve.
  3. St. Louis Cardinals (84-78). Losing Adam Wainwright for the season will really, really hurt the Cards. Plus, an erratic lineup behind Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday certainly won't help matters.
  4. Chicago Cubs (82-80). They won't be as dreadful as they were last year, but any improvements they make this year will be only marginal.
  5. Houston Astros (70-92). Not much to say about the Astros, other than they aren't all that great.
  6. Pittsburgh Pirates (65-97). The Bucs will be dreadful, but they won't lose 100 games again. Their lineup will be stronger than most people expect, but their pitching will easily be the worst in baseball.
  
  
  NL West:
  
  1. Colorado Rockies (91-71). In a very competitive division, the Rockies will march to their first division title in team history behind a strong lineup and some solid pitching.
  2. Los Angeles Dodgers (90-72). LA will narrowly miss the playoffs, but they will hang tough into the final week of the season behind a decent offense and a deep rotation.
  3. San Francisco Giants (80-82). The defending World Champions will experience a lay over, as their offense won't be nearly as clutch as they were last year.
  4. San Diego Padres (73-89). Last year was a fluke, trust me. They'll get a good year out of Mat Latos however, as he will settle in even more to become the unquestioned staff ace.
  5. Arizona Diamondbacks (68-94). They'll improve marginally, but they still won't be that good.
  
  
  Postseason
  
  American League Division Series:
  Boston Red Sox over Minnesota Twins 3-2. The Twins will finally win a playoff game, and not only that, they'll push Boston to a fifth and deciding game before the Red Sox take care of business at home.
  
  Chicago White Sox over Texas Rangers 3-0. Chicago will make easy work of the defending American League Champions, sweeping them out of the playoffs.
  
  National League Division Series:
  Philadelphia Phillies over Cincinnati Reds 3-1. Bad luck will strike the Reds again in the form of facing the formidable Philadelphia Phillies, but they won't get swept this time though.
  
  Milwaukee Brewers over Colorado Rockies 3-1. Milwaukee will finish off the Rockies in an easy four games.
  
  American League Championship Series:
  Chicago White Sox over Boston Red Sox 4-3. The White Sox, in shocking fashion, will take down the heavily-favored Boston Red Sox in seven games.
  
  National League Championship Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers 4-2. The Phillies will reach the World Series again for the third time in four years, but not without a fight, as Milwaukee will give them fits.
  
  World Series
  Philadelphia Phillies over Chicago White Sox 4-1. The Phillies are just too strong for Chicago, dispatching them in a quick and easy five games to take home their third title in team history. I'm not completely drinking the kool-aid right now.
  
  Awards
  
  AL MVP: Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox.
  
  NL MVP: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers.
  
  AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers.
  
  NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies.
  
  AL Rookie of the Year: Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays.
  
  NL Rookie of the Year: Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds.
  
  AL Manager of the Year: Bob Geren, Oakland A's.
  
  NL Manager of the Year: Ron Roenicke, Milwaukee Brewers.
  
  Other wild and ridiculous predictions:


• Joey Votto will not repeat as a MVP winner, but he'll become the first Reds player in 38 years to win a batting title, hitting .347.


• Adam Dunn will have a field day in Chicago, becoming the first player in White Sox history to hit over 50 home runs. He'll finish with 53.
  


• There will be four 20-game winners in baseball this year, with two of them coming from the Phillies (Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee). John Danks of the White Sox and Justin Verlander of the Tigers will be the others.
  


• Verlander will have the best year of his career by far, as he will become the first pitcher since 2002 to strike out 300 batters in a season.
  


• The National League will win the All-Star Game once again, securing home field advantage in the World Series for the second year in a row.
  


• After 32 years of managing and after a disappointing third-place finish, the Cardinals' Tony LaRussa will announce his retirement at season's end.
  


• Even though the Nationals insist that this won't happen, star prospect Bryce Harper will be called up to the big leagues in September.

As I already mentioned at the beginning of this post, I may be completely wrong at the end of the year when I go back and look at this. However, it's always fun to make predictions on how the year will turn out, then looking back to see how right or how wrong you are!

Get your coffee for Two Bits...

Random news bits and links from the White Sox and the world of baseball:

Gene Wojciechowski analyzes the balance of power in Chicago. (ESPN)

Jackie Robinson's home in Montreal to receive plaque. (ESPN)

Joe Torre to become Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. (Sports Illustrated)

What's Bobby Cox like? Umpire Angel Hernandez tells us via twitter what he really thinks of him. (Bugs and Cranks)

Rockies and Diamondbacks impressed with their new Spring Training digs. (Big League Stew)

Chase Utley sidelined with tendinitis. (Big League Stew)

Well, that didn't take long...

Ozzie has responded this time to Jenks, and it was with the fury of an erupting volcano. With all that Ozzie and the organization has done for Bobby, I don't think Ozzie's comments were out of line at all. Hopefully this feud dies out during Spring Training for the sake of both parties, much like the Ozzie/Magglio Ordonez feud back in 2005.

Just let it go already.

Well, it seems as if someone just can't let bygones be bygones. Former Sox closer Bobby Jenks is continuing to disparage his former employer, saying that "a lot of the stuff with Ozzie and the front office gets old," among other things.

I've remained silent on this topic for a while, as Jenks made a statement earlier in the offseason about how he was "looking forward to playing for a manager who knows how to run a bullpen." For all of the times that Ozzie has made cringe-worthy, foot-in-mouth statements, does anybody find it interesting that he's the one who is looking better in this situation?

While I know Ozzie's son Oney called Jenks a "punk" after making his comments, Oney is no longer employed by the team, so it really shouldn't matter at this point what someone in Ozzie's family thinks about a player who is no longer on the team. However, I do not recall Ozzie even wasting all that much time to lash back at Jenks for his comments. Can you believe that Ozzie is actually taking the high road for once, and he's just trying to move on?

Jenks needs to seriously let go of whatever grudges he had with the Sox organization, and just concentrate on playing for the Red Sox. Besides, I don't necessarily agree with him criticizing the Sox, especially after Ozzie was loyal to a fault with him last year, in spite of his struggles closing out ballgames. Ozzie had plenty of other options he could have used to close out games, but he still stuck with Jenks, much to the consternation of many, myself included.

I'm not going to pretend to know what goes on inside of the clubhouse, but I can analyze and evaluate what I see Ozzie and the team doing on the field on a nightly basis. Judging from what I've seen and read since late 2005, Jenks should really be thanking the Sox organization for giving him the chance to succeed in the majors, rather than throwing barbs at them for the way they do things. Besides, if the drama with Ozzie and Kenny Williams is such a distraction, why isn't it affecting guys like Konerko, Buehrle and Pierzynski? If they are such a distraction, then why were the Sox able to lure Adam Dunn to Chicago, when he could have just as easily signed somewhere else? Why did reliever Jesse Crain leave the two-time reigning division champion Twins to join the Sox?

My point is that in spite of all of the drama surrounding this team, there is a measure of accountability that each player must live up to in the organization. If they aren't up to the task, they will easily find someone who is up to it, and they really don't care if they are hurting someone's feelings in the process. The demand for excellence is high within the Sox organization, and Jenks unfortunately was no longer living up to the standard of excellence the team has come to expect from him. It's strictly a business decision, but there's no need to criticize the organization who gave you the chance to succeed at the major league level.

White Sox report on Thursday!

Well, it's that time of year again, when you begin to hear about pitchers and catchers reporting to sun-drenched fields in Arizona and Florida to kick off the baseball season. Even though it's unseasonably warm here in Cincinnati right now, I'm still jealous that I am not there (as any good baseball fan north of Atlanta should be).

Even though most springs are reason for optimism as a Sox fan (at least since 2001 anyway), I have not felt this excited about any Sox team heading into Spring Training since 2006. Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has opened up his wallet again, pouring money into the team by signing Adam Dunn and Jesse Crain, while re-signing Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski. Even better is the fact that they improved themselves by not only adding talent, but by shedding dead weight in letting Manny Ramirez, Andruw Jones, Mark Kotsay and Bobby Jenks walk.

Taking a gander at their position players and starting rotation gives me reason to hope that they can not only de-throne Minnesota, but go far into the postseason. Here's how they look heading into this spring:

1B: Paul Konerko
2B: Gordon Beckham
SS: Alexei Ramirez
3B: Brent Morel/Mark Teahen/Omar Vizquel
LF: Juan Pierre
CF: Alex Rios
RF: Carlos Quentin
C: A.J. Pierzynski

Starting Rotation:
Mark Buehrle
John Danks
Gavin Floyd
Edwin Jackson
Chris Sale?
Jake Peavy?

There's obviously question marks regarding the last two because of the health status of Jake Peavy. Although it seems as if Peavy won't be starting the season with the team, he will be back with them sometime during the first couple of months. Perhaps the biggest question though, will be how he performs once he returns from shoulder surgery. Recovery from shoulder issues are typically more difficult for pitchers to return from, and in Peavy's case, he's returning from a shoulder injury in which the muscle detached from the bone. I'm sure the Sox are holding their collective breaths on this one.

Another thing that comes with a raised payroll is raised expectations. Even though manager Ozzie Guillen has been extended through the 2012 season, the team is in a "win now" position more than ever before. I love Ozzie to death, but if the team cannot come through with the amount of talent they have on their roster, it may be time to explore other options. Here's to hoping that scenario never happens!

As a whole, I will confidently put that roster up against anybody else's in the American League. I know that Texas is still strong heading into this year, Minnesota and Detroit will still be tough, and that the Red Sox are poised to be monsters. However, if everybody plays up to their capabilities, the Sox can stand toe-to-toe with anyone. Remember Boston may look good, but they aren't invincible.

Interview with White Sox beat writer Mark Gonzales

Steve Bohné and myself talk to Chicago Tribune White Sox beat writer Mark Gonzales on "Breakfast and Baseball."

Air date: 11/18/10

Podcast Powered By Podbean

The 30 Team/30 Day Report Cards: Day 20- Chicago White Sox

Now I present to you perhaps the easiest report card for me to write, the one on my beloved South Siders!

Chicago White Sox

Record: 88-74 (Second place in AL Central, six games behind Minnesota)

Batting Leaders

Batting Average: Paul Konerko (.312)

Home Runs: Paul Konerko (39)

RBIs: Paul Konerko (111)

On-base Percentage: Paul Konerko (.393)

Pitching Leaders

Wins: John Danks (15)

Strikeouts: John Danks (162)

Innings Pitched: John Danks (213)

ERA: John Danks (3.72). Bullpen- Matt Thornton (2.67)

WHIP: John Danks (1.22). Bullpen- Matt Thornton (1.01)

Saves: Bobby Jenks (27)

Highlight of the Year: An 11-game win streak from June 15 through June 26, which vaulted the team back into contention. The streak was the team’s longest since 1961, and by the time it was over, the Sox went from 7.5 games behind the Twins to just a game and a half. They would eventually move into first place by the All-Star break.

Lowlight of the Year: A horrific 3-10 record against the Twins after the All-Star break, which essentially decided the division.

The Lowdown:

The 2010 season was quite the rollercoaster ride for the White Sox and their fans, as it seemed that there was never a dull moment during any point of the season. The year featured plenty of fireworks, drama and surprises; between the team starting 22-28, Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams nearly coming to blows, their 11-game win streak and bringing on the controversial Manny Ramirez for the final weeks of the season, 2010 was packed full of enough drama to be a good subject of a reality show.

In fact, the Sox were a subject of a reality show, as MLB Network aired “The Club” during the course of the season that detailed the inner workings of the Sox’s front office between GM Kenny Williams, owner Jerry Reinsdorf and the ever-loquacious Ozzie Guillen. The show was not only entertaining, but also informative, as viewers were treated to how decisions are made in a MLB front office during the season.

Perhaps the decision the team suffered from the most was the one to not bring back the popular Jim Thome as DH for the season, as the Sox shuffled between three DHs throughout the year. Neither Mark Kotsay, Andruw Jones or Manny Ramirez were able to pull their weight enough to efficiently support the lineup, and Thome’s resurgent 2010 campaign certainly did not make the Sox’s decision look any better. However, they did receive some outstanding performances at the plate from Paul Konerko, Alex Rios, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Pierre, as well as some rock-solid pitching from John Danks and the rest of the rotation. The 2010 season may have ended on a disappointing note, but with the way the team started the year, their admirable finish was something to be proud of.

Offense:

Chicago’s offense was essentially led by the aforementioned Paul Konerko, Alex Rios, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Pierre in 2010, as all four of them put together outstanding years at the plate. Konerko nearly made a case for winning the AL MVP, finishing second in the AL in homers (39), eighth in batting average (.312), sixth in RBIs (111) and tied for fifth in on-base percentage (.393). Konerko’s performance was perhaps the best all-around one of his career, and while Josh Hamilton was fantastic for Texas, a strong case could have been made for Konerko winning the MVP had the Sox made the playoffs.

Behind Konerko was center fielder Alex Rios, who put together a fantastic comeback season, hitting .284, with 21 home runs and 88 RBIs in 147 games. Even though Rios cooled off a bit in the second-half, he was white-hot in the first half, hitting .305 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs. Interestingly enough, he was left off of the American League All-Star team, perhaps the only real snub on either side.

Even though Juan Pierre did not make the All-Star team, he put together a season that made people remember why he’s such a dangerous lead-off hitter. While his average does not seem impressive (he hit only .275 this year), he was a force to be reckoned with once he reached base, stealing a MLB-best 68 bases.

Rounding out this quartet of hitters is Alexei Ramirez, who captured the first AL Silver Slugger award of his career at shortstop, hitting .282 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs. His consistent bat at short should make him a mainstay in the Sox infield for the next few seasons. The performances of these four were good enough to mask some of the warts in this lineup, including sub-par seasons from the DHs, as well as Carlos Quentin, who hit only .243 despite his 26 home runs and 87 RBIs.

Overall, the White Sox finished 10^th in runs (752), seventh in batting average (.268), 12^th in on-base percentage (.332), eighth in slugging (.420) and seventh in home runs (177). Their lineup may have started off slowly, but once June arrived, they collectively performed up to their standard, for the most part.

Final Grade: B+

Pitching:

While Buehrle has been considered the staff ace for the better part of eight years, a strong case can be made for lefty John Danks assuming that role very soon. Danks led the team in virtually all of the major pitching categories (seen above in “Pitching Leaders”), and he has begun to display the mentality of a staff ace by going deeper into ballgames this year. Ozzie Guillen and the coaching staff have managed Danks’ innings quite efficiently throughout his brief three year career, and the time may have arrived to where they can let him loose without worry of overwork.

The rest of the staff was decent throughout the season, as many of the starters battled back from slow starts to finish with solid numbers. Gavin Floyd started the season horrifically before finding his rhythm just before the All-Star break, finishing with a 10-13 record with a 4.08 ERA. Mark Buehrle was an innings eater once again, tossing in 213 of them, but his 13-13 record with a 4.28 ERA leaves something to be desired. Freddy Garcia was up-and-down for the most part, finishing 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA, while Peavy wasn’t much better, going 7-6 with a 4.63 ERA before succumbing to a shoulder injury on July 6. The injury was unfortunate, as Peavy appeared to be bouncing back from an awful start, recording a 1.75 ERA over five starts in June.

In order to make up for Peavy’s absence, the Sox traded a promising hurler by the name of Daniel Hudson to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for starting pitcher Edwin Jackson. Even though the trade seemed puzzling at first (Jackson had a 5.16 ERA in 21 starts with Arizona), Jackson seemed to benefit from returning to the American League, recording a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts with Chicago.

While their starting pitching seemed to hold steady after recovering from a terrible start, their bullpen did not experience too many issues, finishing 10^th in MLB with a 3.73 ERA. Set-up man (and occasional closer) Matt Thornton was the best reliever in the Sox’s bullpen this year, finishing with a WHIP of 1.01 and an ERA of 2.67 in a team-high 61 appearances. Righty J.J. Putz nearly matched his numbers, recording a WHIP of 1.04 with an ERA of 2.83 in 60 appearances. Righty and converted shortstop Sergio Santos was also very effective out of the ‘pen, recording a 2.96 ERA in 56 appearances.

The most disappointing performer out of the bullpen however was Bobby Jenks. Even though he still recorded 27 saves, his ERA was an unsightly 4.44. While there were a myriad of reasons why the Sox failed to win the division, Jenks was certainly one of them, as he blew three crucial saves in the second-half, including losing a critical must-win game against the Twins on July 18. While Guillen’s decision to continue to stick with Jenks was admirable, the manager must have felt conflicted as to how to resolve the issue of the closer’s role.

Collectively the staff finished 18^th in ERA (4.09), sixth in quality starts (94), 16^th in WHIP (1.36), 22^nd in “batting average against” (.264) and 24^th in home runs allowed (136). It was a mediocre performance overall, one that could have been remedied with a better April and May.

Final Grade: C+

Wild Card: Team Speed and Omar Vizquel

The Sox finished second in the American League and in MLB in steals with 160, trailing only Tampa Bay’s 172. Four players reached double-digit figures in steals, including Juan Pierre (68), Alex Rios (34), Alexei Ramirez (13) and the 43-year-old Omar Vizquel (11).

Vizquel’s importance to this team should not go without mention, either. He filled in capably at third once Mark Teahen went down to an injury, hitting .290 against righties while playing outstanding defense, as usual. Having second baseman Gordon Beckham and shortstop Ramirez under his tutelage should bode well for their defense, as well.

Final Grade: A

Overall:

The Sox finished with an okay record, but if you were to pinpoint two reasons why they missed the playoffs, it would be their dismal start, along with a dreadful 5-13 overall record against the Twins. The Sox have the pieces in place to go to the playoffs, but they simply need to execute better and play more consistently.

Final Grade: B

Check back soon for the report card on the Boston Red Sox!