Hurricane WhoDat Rips Through Indy, Baseball Season Is Coming

Like a good mistress, football left us something to remember her by. But, now it's time for my true love.

Baseball.

If you're looking for a traditional Super Bowl post-game blog, then you good friend are in for a treat.

As a Bears fan, this Super Bowl was a reminder of how things have fallen apart in Chicago.  The team the Bears beat to get to the Super Bowl three years ago beat the team the Bears lost to in said Super Bowl.

I'll give you a few minutes to let that sink in.

I'm sure having a real quarterback helped, but the keen Bears fan remembers when Chicago passed on Drew Brees in free agency as it banked on the future of Rex Grossman.  Now, the Bears have Jay Cutler, but I fear that they have no idea what to do with him.

Maybe Mike Martz fixes things.  Maybe he makes things more complicated.  Only time will tell.

Watching Pierre Thomas run wild against the Colts defense reminds me that Thomas is a Chicagoland native who was an elite high school running back at Thornton Fractional South before going on to play for the Fighting Illini during his college years.

Thomas was recruited by former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner, which proves to Bears fans that Turner's failures were not limited to playcalling.

And if you think that the Bears are going in the right direction, think again.  Buried by the coverage of Hurricane WhoDat is the news of Rod Marinelli getting promoted to defensive coordinator. 

For some reason, the Bears think that the tandem that led the Detroit Lions down the path of mass failure will lead Chicago to the promised land.

Reality hits hard, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, we're nine days from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training and 56 days from Opening Day.  I can hear the crack off the lumber, the smack of the leather and the giggles of the oiled bodies of bleacher babes off in the distance.

Even though our beloved Salukis are already out of contention, March Madness will hold us over until baseball season gets into full swing.

And with Valentine's Day coming Sunday, there is no better time for love to be in the air.  Better that than a pitch launched into the stratosphere by Kevin Gregg.

Stat Boy Confirms: 'Juan Pierre Is The Black Scott Podsednik'

The best comment from anyone I've talked to since the White Sox acquired Juan Pierre from the Los Angeles Dodgers was too big for the headline.  So, we shortened it.

"Why did the White Sox trade 2 prospsects for the black Scott Podsednik?"

That's a great question, and Stat Boy has an answer.

When Podsednik has received at least 500 plate appearances in a season he posts the following average numbers:

• .282 batting average
• .345 on-base percentage
• .342 OBP as a lead-off hitter
• .383 OBP when leading off a game
• .356 OBP when leading off an inning
• 48 stolen bases
  

When Pierre has received at least 500 plate appearances in a season he posts the following average numbers:

• .300 batting average
• .347 on-base percentage 
• .347 OBP as a lead-off hitter
• .368 OBP when leading off a game
• .358 OBP when leading off an inning
  
• 54 stolen bases
  

Podsednik made $800,000 last season to post the following line:

•  .304 BA
  
•  .353 OBP
  
•  .412 SLG
• .764 OPS
• 30 stolen bases (43 attempts)
  

Pierre made $10 million last season to post the following line:

• .308 BA
• .365 OBP
• .392 SLG
• .757 OPS
• 30 stolen bases (42 attempts)
  

Oh, and to get tag-teamed by Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier.

Long story short, Kenny Williams traded two prospects for a more expensive version of Scott Podsednik.  The South Siders will pay $8 million over the next two years.  I doubt Podsednik, who has never made more than $2.9 million a season, gets more than that on the open market.

I also doubt signing Podsednik costs two able-bodied pitching prospects.

This Rios guy better get his act together..

I haven't really bashed the waiver claim made a few months ago on incumbent center fielder Alex Rios by Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams and I wasn't really planning on it until I saw what Chone Figgins made on the free agent market.
Figgins recently signed a 4-year deal with the Seattle Mariners worth $36 million.

For those like myself who are bad at quick-math, that would be $9 million per season.

Now let's take a look at Williams' relative signing of "free agent" Rios.

Rios was dumped through waivers and Williams claimed him for a "5-year deal" worth $58.7 million.

Now let's say we're optimists trying to compare the two players and slice the final $12.5 million year in 2014. We're left with a 4-year, $46.2 million contract.

So there we have it: Figgins for 4-years, $36 million or Rios for 4-years, $46.2 million.

In theory it seems like a simple thought. Williams got over excited with this waiver claim because for $10.2 million less we'd have a gold glove third baseman who can lead off and steal bases at will.

Somebody has to be able to explain this to me. It's not like Figgins wouldn't have played in Chicago for the same deal if they didn't already have Rios eating up payroll.

Not so fast...

First off sports fans, we have to consider a few outliers here.

No. 1: Figgins signing with the White Sox would have cost them their 1st round pick in 2010. Because the White Sox weren't particularly good in 2009, that means we'd be giving up a rather high draft pick.

No. 2: Outside of straight cash, Rios didn't cost Chicago a prospect or a draft pick in any round.

No. 3: In 35 career playoff games, Figgins hit .172 (21 for 122) with a .223 on-base percentage, 13 runs, six RBIs, four stolen bases, 35 strikeouts and six walks. Are we sure that Figgins is key to a deep playoff run?

No. 4: Nobody could have expected Rios to perform as poorly as he did after the waiver claim. With average hovering right around the Mendoza-line, Rios was downright horrific down the stretch for the White Sox.

No. 5: Is there any reason to believe Rios is headed for a dropoff in his career? Yes, he was awful in 2009 but he'll be 29-years-old in Feb., still in the prime of his career. His average season pegs him for 17 home runs, a .282 average, RBIs in the mid-70's range and he stole 32 bases in 2008.

No. 6: Figgins will be 32-years-old in Jan., an age where speedsters start to see regression. Figgins had a career year in 2009 winning the Gold Glove at third base, scoring 114 runs, hitting .298 with 42 steals. His second best season was 2005 when he scored 113 runs with stealing 62 bases. Yeah but can he keep that up going into his mid-30's? Perhaps.

No. 7: Figgins is a left fielder/second baseman/third baseman by trade. Yes, he is certainly versatile and would be a welcomed addition at anyone's hot corner but the White Sox were more desperate for a center fielder and he did not fill that need.

So all seven points considered it's still easy to poke fun at the Rios over Figgins decision but it's not a total wash. It all depends on what Chicago does the rest of the offseason. It is much harder to get a center fielder than a third baseman (filled now by Mark Teahen) and the White Sox wouldn't have had more than a few million to spend on a center fielder in a very thin free agent market for the position.

All that being said, if Rios has a season like his brief stint with the White Sox in 2009, they're doomed. If he gets his act together, it should give them an excellent option both defensively and offensively in center field. In fact, with the infield and bench set, Chicago is sitting in the cat-bird seat waiting to pluck the remaining deep crop of designated hitters and corner outfielders.

But it's all on Rios' plate to make good on his contract and Williams look golden, as opposed to a over-eager dope.

I wouldn't worry about the White Sox just yet...

It was pointed out by a fellow contributor on this site that the Chicago White Sox offseason plan thus far reflects a multi-step plan to acquire a mid-to-late '90s all-star team.

With the additions of shortstop Omar Vizquel and outfielder Andruw Jones, it certainly seems that way.

But many uneducated followers of the White Sox don't realize that these moves aren't critical. In fact, they may have no bearing whatsoever on the 2010 season at all.

And regardless, general manager Ken Williams hasn't been shelling out top-dollar to gain the services of the aformentioned players, nor has he told us that either will be counted on as a possible starting option.

In filling two roster spots on the bench with above-average defense at less than $2 million combined, I'd say that Williams did a fine job fortifying an area of weakness.

Let's break down the 25-man roster briefly with the two new additions and you tell me what the issue is.

LF - Carlos Queintin
CF - Alex Rios
RF -
DH -
3B - Mark Teahen
SS - Alexei Ramirez
2B - Gordon Beckham
1B - Paul Konerko
C - A.J. Pierzynski

Backup C -
Backup IF - Omar Vizquel
Backup IF/OF/Ross Gload - Mark Kotsay
Backup OF - Andruw Jones

SP - Jake Peavy
SP - Mark Buerhle
SP - Gavin Floyd
SP - John Danks
SP - Freddy Garcia

RP - Dan Hudson
RP - D.J. Carrasco
RP - Scott Linebrink
RP - Tony Pena
SU - Matt Thornton
CL - Bobby Jenks

By my count, that's 21 players accounted for. Obviously the White Sox must fill a backup catcher spot, designated hitter and righfield but that will bring the total to 24 players. I would assume the 25th man would be a lefty out of the pen and there's your 2010 Chicago White Sox.

So where in this plan does it figure that either Jones or Vizquel will be relied on upon for anything other than being a better version of Jayson Nix or DeWayne Wise?

Heck, Wise was paid $1 million, which was $500k more than Jones will get paid this season. Wise was downright terrible on offense and only looked borderline average on defense because he was surrounded by two of the worst outfielders in baseball in 2009.

Jones on the other hand has plenty of buy-low value and while he's bat at worst will look like Wise's, he'll at least provide superior defense and a cheaper cost than his predecessor.

Vizquel should be a marketed improvement on Nix, ableit at a higher cost. We know Vizquel like we know Jones, a aging player with plenty of Gold Glove trophys. Like Jones, Vizquel will provide an excellent defensive option at all three infield positions excluding first base. He'll also be able to provide words of wisdom to Ramirez in the way he did with Texas Rangers phenom Elvis Andrus.

So explain to me how this team is not better off with Vizquel over Nix and Jones over Wise. And while we're at it, prove to me that Teahen isn't a better option than Chris Getz.

Teahen isn't a stud in any facet of the game and overall, is the very definition of average.

But in just about every statistical category, Teahen's numbers are better (with the exception being stolen bases).

And don't tell me Getz' upside is better because he's a rookie, either. He'll be 27-years-old next season and Teahen, a five-year-veteran, will be 29-years-old next season.

Neither is a capable leadoff hitter and that's something the White Sox still need. But the way the infield shifted, with Beckham taking over second base, improves the team defense greatly.

Getz always seemed gun-shy turning the double play and Beckham is a natual middle infielder.

The last few things on Williams' checklist this offseason is to acquire an outfielder that can lead off, a second lefty out of the pen, a backup catcher and a designated hitter.

I'm willing to hear arguments about any of this in the comments section.

Making Sense Of Nonsense: White Sox To Turn Back Clock?

If White Sox GM Kenny Williams has a time machine, I want 15 minutes of alone time with it.  Having a time travel device is the only way one could justify signing Omar Vizquel and Andruw Jones.  Right?
Or is my calendar 10 years ahead of its time?

Don't get me wrong.  I completely understand why Williams would want to make this move.  Kind of.  Vizquel is a nice middle infield insurance policy.  And I'm under the assumption that Vizquel has been brought in to mentor young Alexei Ramirez on the finer points of defense.

Vizquel will be 43 in 2010 ... 11 years removed from his best offensive season ever.  As a member of the 1999 Cleveland Indians, Vizquel posted a .333/.397/.436/.833 line, made the American League all-star team, won one of his 11 Gold Gloves and garnered enough votes (from Keith Law?) to get 16th in the AL MVP.


In 2010, Vizquel will be asked to be the Latino version of what Lindsey Hunter is to Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.

Then there's Andruw Jones, whose star has fallen faster than a fat chick that sat down to fast (HT: Eminem).  Jones was an elite center fielder from 1997 through 2007 and has 10 Gold Gloves and countless highlight-reel catches to prove it.

But like Vizquel, his best days seem to be behind him.  It is conceivable that Jones, who turns 33 in April, could find his swing and become a valuable role player for the White Sox.  But the days of him slugging dingers and snatching them away from the opposition will be few and far between.  Jones' addition further muddies an already messy outfield situation, and all but puts an end to Scott Podsednik's time on the South Side.

But for a team that has gone on the record saying that it always wants to get younger and faster, signing Vizquel and Jones makes no sense.


Unless Kenny knows something about the fountain of youth that we don't.  And if he does, it means Barack Obama is probably behind all of this.

Crank That Offseason Plan: Chicago White Sox

I'll try to keep this short and sweet, highlighting areas of question for each team. I'll start with the Chicago White Sox.

MUST-MAKE DECISIONS

1) Octavio Dotel: Arbitration, or not?

Dotel – Walk

2) Jermaine Dye: Mutual option, arbitration, or not?

Dye – Buyout

FLEXIBLE DECISIONS

3) One-year contract for John Danks? If not, what would you pay to extend him?

I think a multi-year offer similar to the one Jon Lester got would be fair. I can't think of a more comparable pitcher to Danks than Lester. If he doesn't go for that then go to year-to-year with him.

4) One-year contract for Bobby Jenks, extension or trade?

Jenks – You have to keep Jenks but under no cirumstance should they offer him a multi-year deal. The problem with trading Jenks is that it moves everybody in the bullpen up one job. So, while Matt Thorton would probably make a solid closer (see Brian Fuentes) it moves both Tony Pena and Scott Linebrink into roles they should not be in on a contender.

FREE AGENCY

5) Which positions are in most dire need of an upgrade?

One of the corner outfield spots are in dire need of an upgrade more than anything else on this team. It would be nice to have at the spot filled by an athletic player not named Scott Podsednik. I simply don't think he'll be cheap enough to make sense nor do I think he can duplicate his career year in 2009.

6) Name three (or more) free agents you’d consider, at a price.

Sign Bobby Abreu to a 2 year $20 million dollar contract. (I don't expect the Angels to be able to sign him along with Chone Figgins and John Lackey)

Sign Joe Beimel or Will Ohman for a 1 year deal around $2.5 million

Sign J.J. Putz to an incentive laden deal.

TRADES

7) Name three (or more) realistic trades that could improve the Sox team.

I don't see any trade as a likely scenario unless we're getting a superstar outfielder for Jenks but he didn't have the season that would warrant something like that. I'm thinking we should stand pat till the trade deadline if we need an extra piece (see Chris Getz getting bit by the injury bug).

SUMMARY

Obviously, the White Sox need to replace Dye at the very least and I assume they'll need to replace Scott Podsednik as well. All in all the White Sox need a backup catcher to replace Ramon Castro, two corner outfielders, a lefty out of the pen to replace Randy Williams and a designated hitter. Kenny Williams isn't a guy that spends big bucks in the free agent market and most of his moves are made through trades.

The White Sox don't have a ton of money to spend due to the trades and waiver claims made for Jake Peavy and Alex Rios, respectively. My key to the offseason is getting Bobby Abreu to fill one of the corner outfield spots and beyond that, one buy low right-handed option out of the pen and a semi-reliable second lefty would be lovely.

Getting a backup catcher isn't critical because no matter who it is they'll probably be terrible. They always are. Cole Armstrong makes sense in the short term but he's essentially a bad version of A.J. Pierzynski (throws righty, bats lefty). I'm fine with rotating the designated hitter spot especially if either Tyler Flowers or Dayan Viciedo can make the club.

Will Claiming Alex Rios Cost The White Sox Chone Figgins?

In short, yes.

Just like the remaining two-years and $21 million remaining on Milton Bradley's contract will likely handcuff the Cubs this offseason, Alex Rios' bulky contract in which he is scheduled to make $58.7 million through the 2014 campaign will hamper the White Sox.

For years, Kenny Williams and the South Siders have coveted Chone Figgins of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  The versatile Figgins would be a perfect fit at The Cell where he would lead off and play third base for Ozzie Guillen, one of the few American League managers that itches to play a National League style of ball.  The move would likely shift Gordon Beckham to his natural position, shortstop, while moving Alexei Ramirez back to second base.

In a story by the Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley, Guillen said he believes Figgins' price won't be right.

''[T]his kid is going to cost you a lot of money. If we figure out this guy is going to solve our problem, then [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] will take a shot because Jerry wants to win."

Figgins made $5.7 million in 2009 and will be looking squarely at a hefty raise once the World Series is over and the market opens up.  And the White Sox, a team that in the past has been reluctant to shell out big money for free agents, will be in competition with any team looking for a speedy infielder with a high on-base percentage, including the crosstown Cubs.

While Rios' addition clears up what has been a clusterf*ck of failure in center field since Aaron Rowand was traded away, Rios will need to improve on the .199/.299/.301/.530 line he posted since joining the White Sox.  If not, his presence in the outfield might as well have created a hole in the infield that could have been filled by Figgins.

Ten Random Things Floating Around My Head

Ten things I'm thinking about ... other than whoever that girl is .. after the jump.


1.  Comparisons to Ryne Sandberg need to stop.  Phil Rogers had the audacity to write this line, read it and think it was OK to be publishable.  "(Baker) entered the weekend hitting .311 with an .819 OPS. Ryne Sandberg's career OPS is .795."  Baker has done it since July 2.  Sandberg did it over a 16-year career.  A little difference there.


2.  So do suggestions of the Cubs re-acquiring Mark DeRosa.  For a long time, I wondered if I would ever live to see the day America elected a black president.  Now, I long for a day in which Chicago baseball fans do not let their emotions dictate whether or not a player should be signed while completely disregarding said player's statistics over the course of a season and a career.


3.  Portraying the idea that Micah Hoffpauir as a starting first baseman as a good one.  Rogers strikes again.  "It's a shame the Cubs don't have anywhere to play (Jake) Fox and Micah Hoffpauir. They could be a platoon combination at first base, but it would take a huge return to justify trading (Derrek) Lee."  It's a shame that Micah Hoffpauir posted an OPS of .674 after May 31st.  I think I can live with Fox and Hoffpauir being my power-hitting bench boppers, but the only way Hoffpauir should start is if every other player on the team breaks out in hives and has a near-death experience any time they are asked to play the position.  Even then, I'd rather have the pitcher cover first on every play.

4.  Jay Cutler is not Tom Brady.  Tom Brady has Super Bowl rings and a supermodel wife.  Jay Cutler has yet to even make a playoff appearance.  And this is no knock on Jay, for he has all the intangibles that a Super Bowl winning quarterback needs.  A strong arm, strong head and a little bit of bravado should take Cutler a long way.  But it is waaaay too early to be throwing out those comparisons.  Who knows, Cutler could be even better than Brady one day...


5.  Take a side, stick with it and shut the f*** up.  "Ozzie Guillen is too hard on his players, always throwing them under the bus," one writer will write.  "Lou Piniella has gone too soft, he needs to go nuts on his guys," writes another.  Then, these same guys will come back and say "Ozzie's being Ozzie is really helping the team come together" or "The old Lou showed up today and really sparked this bunch."  Take a stand and don't waver.  You either like batsh*t crazy managers or you don't.


6.  Same thing for Lovie Smith.  "The Bears need a guy like Ditka to run the show."  Or.  "Lovie Smith's cool, calm demeaner is exactly what they need."  Apparently, they need a guy who is willing to snipe a deer in front of a child's eyes then caress the child who will be wounded for life.


7.  Michael Jordan didn't to be there for the Chicago Olympic bid.  Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player to ever lace 'em up, is a Brooklyn, N.Y., native.  He spent his formative years in the state of North Carolina.  Jordan played basketball and baseball during his Chicago years -- and in the offseason he went home to North Carolina.  When he wasn't gambling of course.  You know where he resides now?  North Carolina.  He also works in Charlotte, N.C., just to make things clear that Jordan's ties to the city are really only connected to the House He Built, Reinsdorf Paid For and Rose Rents.

Chicago needed to be less in debt and less violent than Rio.  Not to mention, have a public trans system that was as efficient as a team led by JaMarcus Russell.  But hey, they've go until 2020 to figure all of that out.


8.  Why are Chicago's Blackhawks and Florida's Panthers playing in Finland?  OK, maybe I'm the only one thinking this, so hear me out.  For the first time in my lifetime, Chicago Blackhawks hockey is relevant throughout the city.  The combination of young talent and home games that are accessible through my television set have got me hooked.  So, why no outrage about the Hawks opening in Finland.  FINLAND!  It's like finding the love of your life, then voluntarily moving away.


9.  "Michigan is back."  News flash: Michigan never left.  Yeah, Rich Rodriguez has turned the program around only one year after a self-inflicted year that included more sucking than room full of pacifiers.  But it's not as if Michigan went anywhere.  Two seasons ago, the Wolverines ended Lloyd Carr's run with an impressive win over Heisman winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators.  Three seasons ago, Big Blue entered the final week of the regular season as the nation's No. 2 team.  So, where did Michigan go again?  That's what I thought.

10.  Pretty girls.  Lots of love for the Lucy Pinder pic from yesterday.  If you're not a fan, see this post and become one.  If that doesn't do it for you, this will.

Maybe We Should Just Call Them The FAILsox

I think I might have to check in with a counselor if I find myself agreeing with one more Phil Rogers column.  But only after Crazy Uncle Milton agrees to get himself some help first.

Rogers conveniently points out that Kenny Williams made some offseason deals that look questionable now.  And while Williams' cross-town counterpart gets railroaded on a daily basis, Williams skates away untouched.

How?  Why?  Where is the outrage?

Simply stated: White Sox fans don't care about the White Sox.

This poll on Dave Kaplan's blog (screen grab taken Thursday) is only the tip of the iceberg.  How telling is it about a fan base that can claim the most recent major championship getting out-voted by a team that hasn't won a title since 1998 and a franchise that just became relevant over the last year in a half?

Chicago is a Bears town.  There isn't a doubt in my mind.  It's the only franchise in this city everyone in the area can wrap their arms around.  The White Sox had their chance, but passed on the opportunity because they found it to be easier to just take shots at North Siders rather than using the ultimate prize to build up its fandom.

The problem with a healthy chunk of White Sox fans is that they treat the Cubs like the jilted lover they claim to not care about, but secretly stalk via social networking sites just to keep tabs.

Speaking of which, I've seen more Facebook status updates, tweets, texts and other sorts of messages about the Cubs' failures from White Sox fans than I have from Cubs fans.  True story.  They'll say "hey, it's a rivalry thing" despite the fact that the only rivalry happens to be an inter-city ordeal that only counts six games in the standings per year.  At this stage of the game, White Sox fans are acting like the anti-establishment high schooler who acts a-fool only because one of his popular buddies is the lunatic that happens to lead the asylum.

The lunatic that leads this asylum is clearly Steve Stone.  Via his (protected) Twitter, Stone has ridden Jim Hendry's moves harder than a Brokeback Mountain joke.  Yet, it must be as if he is wearing Hawk Harrelson's eye patch because all he'd have to do is look outside of his own announcing booth and see that Williams has made similar moves.

Where are the outraged tweets about losing a starting pitcher who is 14-9 with a 2.91 earned run average in Atlanta?  Or the ones about an outfielder with 27 homers and 79 ribbies?  I'm not sure, but I'm still waiting for the Stone Pony to speak his "truth" via a Twitter update any minute now.

When the deal first happened, M.J. Hartwig noted that the White Sox sold Swisher too soon.  Finding room for Dirty 30 would have been difficult, but because of his versatility, he could have been used all over the field, which would have benefited the team over the course of a 162 game season.  He's seen his homers, ribbies and OPS skyrocket since joining the Yanks and a good chunk of that has to do with hitting in a ballpark that rivals the size of a little league field.  But with Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome off the books starting in 2010, one would have to think the White Sox could have used Swisher somewhere in the order.

As for Vazquez, he was the White Sox's version of Jason Marquis.  Good, not great, but always reliable.  Little Game Javy has thrown at least 200 innings in nine of his last 10 years.  The one year in which he didn't reach the 200-inning plateau was in 2004 where he threw 198 innings.  Vazquez has been a strikeout artist, reaching 200 punch outs in five different years, including each of the past three seasons.  Has his game hit another level because he plays in the National League?  Certainly.  But it's not like the White Sox are going up against the 1975 Reds, 1927 Yankees or one of those vintage Colorado Rockies teams for a division crown.  It's the American League Central, where the Royals and Indians battle it out for gagging rights.

Like it or not, Vazquez could have been an integral part of a winner.  Proof of it is the fact that he has thrived under baseball's best manager Tony La Russa Bobby Cox.

Just for fun, imagine this starting rotation in 2010:

• Mark Buehrle
• John Danks
• Gavin Floyd
• Jake Peavy
• Javier Vazquez

OK, the dream sequence is now over.  It is very likely that Tyler Flowers pans out to be a productive catcher.  And pitchers Jhonny Nunez and Jeff Marquez could turn out to be fine ball players down the line as well.  But Williams made the same mistakes Hendry did.

By subtracting valuable pieces from the team's 2008 division championship run, Williams failed to add pieces for 2009.

I know the classic response to this blog will be something to the extent of "blah, blah, blah, 2005, blah, blah, cubs suck, blah" -- but judging by this poll -- the only people that cared about the 2005 White Sox happened to be the handful of die-hards that have been rollin' with the South Siders since it was called Comiskey Park.

Bye-Bye Bobby Jenks?

For the longest time, I thought Bobby Jenks would always be remembered as the guy who saved the 2005 Chicago White Sox.

Sure, the South Side championship squad's offense was led by the speedy Scott Podsednik and sluggers such as Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and Joe Crede.  And its pitching staff was led by Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland.  But it was Jenks' presence at the back end of the bullpen that saved the Pale Hose from having to use Dustin Hermanson or **gasp** Shingo Takatsu -- the guy who started that season in the closer's role before disappearing into the Chicago night -- in a pressure situation.

Fast forward to 2009 and Jenks is a shell of his former self.  He's blown six saves this season , which is not a good thing for a team eight games out of a pennant race.  Jenks owns a 3.71 earned run average in 2009, which is more than one run higher than his '08 ERA of 2.63.

The biggest decline, as far as Jenks is concerned, is in his power game.  He struck out 50 batters in 39.1 innings as he exploded onto the scene in 2005.  However, turn the clock forward four years and note Jenks has punched out only 49 batters in 53.1 innings of work.  When he was dominant, he posted WHIPs of 0.892 and 1.103 in 2007 and 2008.  And while a 1.275 WHIP is respectable, it is clear that the intimidation factor Jenks once held over opposing hitters has dissipated.


Jenks popped his calf muscle and the White Sox announced Tuesday that he would be shut down for the season.

It would not surprise me if the big boy was the subject of a lot of trade talks.  Despite his struggles, Jenks could be in line for a raise if it goes to an arbitration hearing.  According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, Jenks earned $5.6 million in 2009.  And after adding Jake Peavy and Alex Rios, who will combine to earn $24.7 million in 2010, the South Side closer might have to be moved to make ends meet.

The problem with trading Jenks is the lack of an adequate replacement.  The Sox sent several prospects to San Diego in exchange for Peavy, including Aaron Poreda, whose plus fastball would make him an ideal candidate to close if things didn't work out as a starter.

The gift and the curse for the White Sox is in the upcoming free agent market.  Jose Valverde leads the bunch with Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner possibly being more affordable options. 

(And yes, I left Kevin Gregg out for a reason.  But if the Sox wanted him, I'd pay for his CTA fare and send him on the next Red Line train headed south.)

The good news for the ChiSox is that they can replace Jenks through the free agent market.  The bad news is that teams not willing to trade prospects for Jenks could go down that road as well.

In the end, Kenny Williams has quite a task ahead of him this winter as he will attempt to re-tool a team that is one season removed from an AL Central Division championship.

Happy Jake Peavy Day!

Photo via 

Had it not been for a text message that inspired this blog post's title, I would have forgotten Jake Peavy ever existed.  He had been out since June 8, and at that time he was with the San Diego Padres.  I had dropped him from my fantasy league a week ago, citing his prolonged absence from the rotation and the fact that the White Sox are the only team falling faster than the Cubs.

But finally, Peavy made his debut Saturday night and picked up the win throwing 73 pitches, striking out five and walking two in the South Sider's 13-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals.

A healthy Peavy fortifies a strong starting rotation at 35th & Shields as he would join Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd.  It's a fearsome foursome very few rotations in baseball could match on a game-by-game basis.  And despite the team's 13-3 rout of the Royals, the team's offensive woes should still be Kenny Williams' top priority.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is the only player from the team's opening day roster to have a batting average over .300.  Carlos Quentin has struggled to find his stroke in one injury plagued season after tearing up the American League in his first go-around.  Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko are aging again, and Scott Podsednik is being squeezed out of the line-up by the presence of Alex Rios and his .159/.173/.224/.397 line.

The Sox could have a productive double-play duo if they dare move Gordon Beckham to his natural shortstop position and shift Alexei Ramirez back to second base, where he would be less of a defensive liability.  That would create a gaping hole at third base, and if Williams really wants to stick it to Cubs fans, he would sign Mark DeRosa to fill that void.

Then there's the bullpen, where Bobby Jenks has turned in his best Kevin Gregg impersonation to the tune of six blown saves.

Chicago's baseball teams have a lot of work to do in order to return to 2008 form.  And if Peavy can stay off the trainer's table, it would look as if the White Sox have a bit of a head start.

Sources: Chicago Baseball Pronounced Dead

Sources tell The Big Dead Sidebar that the Chicago baseball scene was found dead at approximately 12:01 p.m. today.
Those close to the situation confirm the death of both Chicago baseball teams' 2009 seasons shortly after the NFL season kicked off.

A source familiar with the case informed The Big Dead Sidebar that while there are minimal signs of life, Chicago baseball fans are ready to pull the plug on the season and prepare for the upcoming season for their fantasy football teams, and their real football team, the Chicago Bears.

Stay with here with TBDS as more developments of this story come forth.

And, oh yeah, Go Bears!

(image via)

Cubs, White Sox Prepare For Meaningless Game

MLB slogan for today's Cubs-Sox showdown: This Time It's Meaningless.

The City of Big Shoulders can just brush this one off.  The Cubs and White Sox square off one last time, but at this point of the season, it is nothing more than a glorified audition for next year's game.

Once upon a time, both of these team's were contenders for their respective division championships.  Had each team held up its own end of the bargain, today's game at Wrigley Field would have turned into some over-hyped game-for-the-ages spectacle featuring two teams fighting for a playoff spot.  And even though they don't play in the same division, let alone the same league, it would not have stopped anyone from playing the "my team's gonna knock your team out of playoff contention" game.

The only bragging rights here are as follows:

• If the Cubs win, it means the series is tied up at 36-36.
• If the White Sox win, it gives them a 37-35 lead and will go into the winter with something for White Sox Nation (really, is that what they call themselves?) to hang its inferiority-complex ridden hat on.

Couple that with its win in the Jake Peavy sweepstakes and the fact that the Cubs will need to rely on the smarts (bursts out in laughter) of Jim Hendry to re-tool this team in the offseason, it looks to me that White Sox fans already have a lot to brag about.

Then they'd look at their 65-69 record and hang their head in shame.  If only they could read, of course.

Follow The Sox? I'd Rather Follow The Blind

If following the Reinsdorfian Model of Success includes making out with Mark Buehrle and jizzing on his head, then you can count me out!

South Siders got it right? Well, not quite.

Chicago Sun-Times columnist is no P.J. Franklin, by any means. So I guess maybe I should take it easy on her in regards to her latest column fodder in which she suggests new Cubs owner Tom Ricketts follows the game plan of the South Side White Sox.

The column reads as if the White Sox were run like a well-oiled machine drowning in a sea of championship trophies.  A little bit of research shows that Carol Slezak obviously didn't do hers.

Let's take a look at the White Sox since 1986, which is a fair point to start from in my case because it marks the first year of my existence.  The South Siders have notched four playoff appearances since the result of my mother and father's mistake I was born.  The first coming in 1993 and the most recent coming in 2008.  From 1987 (my first full year of birth) to 1993, the Sox averaged a little more than 80 wins per year, thanks in part to 267 wins from 1990-92, which helped balance out a .448 winning percentage from 1987-89the.  And unless you're breeding mediocrity, this is not how you want a franchise to be won.

Slezak suggests following the Reinsdorfian model?  Really?  Why would Ricketts want to follow a management group that hired Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson as its general manager, who ended up firing Tony LaRussa?  Sounds almost as silly as handing LaRussa your keys after a night on the town.

Truth be told, the Cubs haven't been much better, making five playoff appearances since being born as they clinched four division titles and a Wild Card spot, too.  As Sleezebag Slezak points out, the Cubs have built an outfield full of losers with Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome and Milton Bradley.

Again, it's easy to ride on Soriano this year, but not a peep was heard from April through September the last two years.  Then, adding Bradley, who led the American league with a .999 OPS last season, should have made the outfield better based on stats alone.  But it's easier to take blinded swipes than it is to log onto baseball-reference.com, I guess.

The only thing the White Sox have on the Cubs, of course, is the most important thing in baseball: A World Series ring.  I could go the route of ignorance and note that the White Sox still play jealous little brother with a snotty (yet, ballsy) GM who pokes more jabs at the Cubs than he does at teams in his own division, a broadcast booth that feeds into a fan-base that acts like a jilted former lover by spewing Cub-flavored Haterade on a daily basis and a Twittering fool (account protected) who had more posts about a team he used to cover than the team he currently covers. This, of course, the same Twittering fool that Steve Rosenbloom wants to anoint as team president despite the fact that he has as much experience in that role as, say, the other celebs he names in his blogcolumn.

All that despite the team's 2005 championship.

Heck, if Ricketts wanted to follow a Reinsdorfian model of success, it should be the Chicago Bulls from 1987 to 1998.  Yes, Reinsdorf and the Bulls lucked into Michael Jordan, but it was what Reinsdorf and the organization's ability to draft and build around His Airness with role players such as Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, among others.

Acquire. Develop. Win. Profit.

That was the recipe when the Yankees were winning their championships. The Braves used that same methodology to win a bazillion straight division titles. It's the same recipe Ricketts should use when he finally digs into the mess left behind by Sam Zell, Jim Hendry and the preceding ownership group.

However, that looks doubtful amidst this report.  So, how long until Cubs fans will be clamoring for a new owner?

Better yet.

How long until Cubs fans again start clamoring for Mark Cuban?

The Buried Lead: Jerry Reinsdorf Cares More About His Baseball Team Than He Does His Basketball Team

Ben Gordon hides his laughter after learning the White Sox had acquired Alex Rios, and his nearly $60 million remaining contract.

Kenny Williams is getting a lot of praise these days. Sure, he's engineered a pair of deals to bring in Jake Peavy and Alex Rios to the White Sox. And while he deserves that praise, it re-affirms something that Chicago sports fans know all too well.

Jerry Reinsdorf doesn't care about his basketball team.

Money was one of the big issues when it came down to letting Ben Gordon, the Bulls' leading scorer, sign with Detroit via free agency this offseason. However, I am not sure how Reinsdorf could spin this injustice.

There is no way I can justify not extending the contract the only guy who has proven to hit a big shot since M. Jeff skipped town in the same summer he added the $60 million paycheck of a guy currently hitting .264 with a .317 on-base percentage.

Even Jim Hendry thinks throwing a shade under $60 million at a fourth outfielder is laughable.

Taking a brief look at the 2010 free agent class and you'll notice guys like Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero litter the outfield market. There's no way you can justify Rios at $12 million per year when legit All-Stars will be coming to the market place.

As for the Peavy acquisition, I still contend that was a good move. But in the end, a little bit of simple math unearths the buried lead in the recent praise the White Sox's GM has earned.

The White Sox have obtained more than $100 million worth of remaining contracts. Meanwhile, the Bulls refuse to dabble in the free agent market and hesitant to dip their toe in trade market.

Bulls fans, prepare yourselves for a winter of mediocrity followed by a summer that will feature more teases than amateur night.

White Sox and Buehrle Taking Away from Politics!

Just a thought as the economy and other issues surround our great country, and this is not to take away from any of our politicians, but....

President Barack Obama heads to the All-Star game in St. Louis, wearing a White Sox jacket, which puts him center stage among the baseball world. There was plenty of talk surrounding Obama's wardrobe choice, including the jeans, but more on the jacket.

I am sure Mark Buehrle loved it, and he thanked Obama by pitching a perfect game last week. Obama was even headed to Chi-Town the night of the milestone for a conference, and he called to congratulate the left-hander.

And today, two nights after Buehrle completed a record of 45 consecutive batters retired, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn proclaims July 30, 2009 as Mark Buehrle Day in the state. He even says Buehrle should join the state legislature when he is done pitching. The Sox thank Quinn by going out and hitting a walk-off single in the ninth to beat the Yankees. Dewayne Wise got the hit, and Wise made the great catch to preserve perfection last week.

There is a state budget crisis, the nation's economy is trying to get back into shape, health care is an issue, meetings at the White House are being held today with beer, and so many other issues to be resolved.

Yet, the focus has also been on a 52-51 team from the South Side of Chicago. Again, all the love in the world goes out to our leaders. Yet, if problems continue in our country, you may want to thank the White Sox for bringing the attention on themselves.

For those in Illinois, I hope you had a wonderful Mark Buehrle Day. I wonder when Dewayne Wise Day will be.

So, Tell Me Again Why Does Josh Fields Want To Get Traded?

Rumors floated around yesterday not involving Roy Halladay involved Chicago White Sox third baseman Josh Fields, proving to me there are other players on the trading block. It wasn't too long ago when Fields' name being tossed around the rumor mill in association with a blockbuster trade.

And maybe, it still could be.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Fields has asked to be traded. And while the once-prized prospect who was supposed to make South Side fans forget about Joe Crede has been usurped by Gordon Beckham, I am hardpressed to find a reason to want out of Chicago.

(Well, other than having to drive through the South Side at night, of course.)

His numbers are disappointingly underwhelming, batting .220 with a .301 on-base percentage while slugging .354. It looks like the Louisville Slugger he once carried to the plate in 2007, when he hit 23 home runs, drove in 67 runs and slugged .480, has turned into a wet newspaper overnight.

(And no, I'm not going to make a "nobody reads newspapers anymore" joke.)

Had Fields played his cards right, he could have re-emerged as an option at third base if manager Ozzie Guillen shifted Alexei Ramirez to second base and moved Beckham to shortstop.

Could the former prospect need a change of scenery, perhaps? It's possible. But to me, it looks like he needs a change in plate discipline (71 strikeouts in 71 games/251 plate appearances) more than anything.

Buehrle Keeps on Chugging Along; Hall of Fame Not Out of Question

A World Series title in 2005 where he became the first pitcher to start and save consecutive fall classic games, a no-hitter in 2007, the 18th perfect game in MLB history today, a four-time all star, 133 wins and counting.

The White Sox' Mark Buehrle is a crafty left-hander whose fastball tops off at about 90 mph. He has a cutter and a change-up that move pretty well, but he is in no means a strike-out pitcher. This can be still a quality arm in the big leagues, but Buehrle has turned this into a historic career.

If he stays healthy, which he has about his whole career, the 30-year-old should have about another ten years left. He his in his ninth full year now and still acts like a kid enjoying every minute of the game. The guy does not get tired due to his smooth delivery, and he is a workhorse, good for at least six innings about every night. There is no reason he cannot continue doing that for about another decade. I see him getting about 10 wins a season the next six years, which would give him 200 for a career.

When you mix all the other accomplishments with at least 200 wins, I see nothing that would take him away from the hall-of-fame. The all-star has done everything this season including hit a home run. It is hard to call Buehrle a hall-of-fame pitcher because you would not classify him as being dominating. Yet he still baffles hitters and is on pace for the best season of his career this year.

The Rays did not have any hard-hit balls today until the crazy catch by Dewayne Wise in centerfield. By the way, manager Ozzie Guillen knows what he is doing, putting Wise in for the 9th inning. Buehrle hardly had any reaction, on the outside, following that catch and just went about his business. He had a three-ball count on the batter after the ultimate web gem and found a way to make the clutch pitch.

Buehrle was born in the "Gateway to the West." The Chicago White Sox may become his "Gateway to Cooperstown."

Mark Buehrle Is Perfect (No Homo)

27 up. 27 down. 1 "no homo" reference.

It's a good day to be a South Sider. More insight to come later.

Daily Dosage: The Windy City Blows

Ozzie loooooves his White Sox fans! (via Photobucket)

The White Sox took two of three from the Cubs this weekend in the battle of whack Windy City baseball. These teams might play a make-up game at Wrigley in September, setting up a situation where one team could theoretically serve a blow to each other's playoff chances. But we won't talk about that until both teams are over .500.

Ozzie Guillen continues to live in bizarro world. First, he welcomed the Cubs to the world class facilities of the South Side, which included meth labs, crack spots and the ever so popular 35th Street underpass. Then he goes on to say Sox fans are not stupid like Cubs fans. (Remembers the Ligue's jumping Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa. Then other fans jumping umpire Laz Diaz. Then other fans harassing Craig Biggio's wife at teh 2005 World Series.) You're right Ozzie, White Sox fans aren't stupid. They're just embarrassing. [Chicago Tribune, Paul Sullivan]

Phil Rogers' stupidity continues. "Get Carlos Zambrano out of here, even if the Cubs have to give him away. He's not the guy you want as the ace of a curse-busting team, and at this point, it's wishful thinking that he'll ever mature into that guy. Proving that I did not attend Kellogg, Wharton or even the Acme School of Business, I offer this proposition for Jim Hendry: First thing Monday morning, put Zambrano on waivers. If anyone claims him and the $62.75 million left on his contract, which runs through 2012, immediately trade him for whatever is being offered, from a bag of balls to a 32-year-old minor-leaguer."

I won't even justify that with a witty response. [Chicago Tribune, That One Idiot]

Random Thought: This tidbit in the Trib suggests Aaron Miles could go on the disabled list soon. The former Cardinal is batting .203 this season with the Cubs, which begs the question: When was he ever able? Just cut bait.

Random Thought II: In theory, the Cubs traded Mark DeRosa for Aaron Miles and three minor leaguers. And unless those minor leaguers become Hall of Famers, Cubs fans will never live this down.