Que up the Frank Sinatra Music....

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

"And now, the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain. Well, almost! The fat lady ain't singing yet but we can sure hear her warming up here on the southside of the ole Windy City. I will be attending the wake tomorrow night at the Cell to watch Buehrle get his lunch handed to him by Kenny Rogers and the Kitties. At least, that's what it looks like so far.

I won't throw the first shovel of dirt on my boys yet. It seems like the only chance will be to pass up the Kitties who seem to be running on fumes right now. We get them for three and need to take all three to have any kind of a chance.

Oh well, now I need to shift songs and start singing....

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS!!! How bout DA BEARS. Looks like a showdown of the undefeated is brewing next week, though I think the two Bear victories are much more impressive than the Queens but a win is a win and they are both 2-0. Any predictions out there in Twinkie-ville or are all you concentrating on the Twinks? Time to dump the ole Hawk-a-Roo saying and switch to BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS!!! Windy

[buzzsaw]

My first reply would be to say, it takes a big person to say when his squad is not gonna win it all (even though those are not exactly your words, it's your tone) The Sox season is not over yet as they can still make a final push and derail the Kitties and maybe the Twins, but I doubt that very much. I hope you sweep the Tigers and we continue to roll on towards a division title and home, I mean DOMEfield advantage in the playoffs.... the playoffs that nobody picked us to be in... remember it was the White Sox would roll everybody at the beginning of the year?! What happened? Thats really all I want to know brother Windy? What happened?? Was it that the tigers and Twins were just plain better or was it something else?

Now onto football...

Quote:

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think the two Bear victories are much more impressive than the Queens but a win is a win and they are both 2-0.

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first thought here is don't go getting too excited about beating a team that everybody says is one of the worst two in the league (Packers) and then following it up against another Detroit team that is bound to choke on expectations... I'll give you this much, your defense is as advertised, but don't think for a minute that you can score 30 points on Minnesota as our defense ain't too shabby itself. I was at the game today (season ticket holder finally) and thought at times we outplayed as well as outgained Carolina (super Bowl pick by all the so-called experts) and we did in the opening game what we haven't been able to do in the past which is win on the road on grass!! Oh and did I mention that was also against a playoff team from last year? To re-cap for our handicapped readers.... Vikes 2-0 against 2 playoff teams from last year, with one win against everybodys Super Bowl choice from the NFC for this year.... Bears are 2-0 against two bad teams PERIOD!!! You must figure in strength of schedule my friend and weigh that vs that inflated point spread you've compiled against rugrats. Fair enough right? I'll be thinking of you at the game next week, why don't you fly on up and join me for some cocktails and take in a good game between two good teams.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Buzz,

Thanks for the invite, I have a wedding I have to go to next week for somebody from my wife's work. It wouldn't sit too well to fly up to the Twin Cities though I can guarantee it would be a much better time than attending a wedding that I know exactly one person at, and I live with her! Anyway, back to the Sox. In all honesty, and you may think I'm crazy, I still think they are a better team, with better hitters, better starting pitchers (sans Yo-Han) but the chemistry or something just didn't click this year. On paper, I loved the moves Kenny Williams made. Thome over Big Hurt, no brainer. Picking up Vasquez, great move. Adding McDougal for nobody, great move. I just don't know what didn't click this year but they did not go on any prolonged win streak or losing streak for that matter. Just kinda went along. They will probably end up with a record that most teams would take in a heartbeat. Probably around 93-95 wins. All their starters are at or over .500 with double digit wins. I just think they were a little satisfied after last year and thought it would come a little easier than it did and they got passed by some teams that were a little more hungry. They may come back next year and blow everybody away. I look for them to dump Buehrle and may make a move for Zito. I don't think they are done spending since there is a waiting list for tix next year already. Who knows? I think the Sox were the best team in our division, Kitties second but I think the Twinks played the best, way over their heads or what they should have with the injuries etc they have had this year.

As for the Bears, any port in a storm and right now they are the flavor of the month. Should be a good game, I will be watching, probably with a huge hangover from one too many, or two too many Southern Comforts on the rocks at the wedding.

Windy

[soldoncass]

Interesting what happens when they actually PLAY THE GAMES isn't it?? You take one team with NO expectations, add some speed and great defense, a little power in the middle, and what have you got? The Minnesota Twins!!!

OR you take another team with HIGH expectations, because of ONE LUCKY year, add some salary, and keep the average pitchers--- who have you got? The Chicago white sux. Just think where they would have been without Thome! I predict they will make More changes next year than this year. Center fielder, about 4 pitchers, some SPEED somewhere, and try to keep their power in the middle of the lineup intact. Ozzie likes the PIRAHNAS, and understands their value.

The TWINS have at least 4 mvp candidates, but they won't get the recognition they deserve. Morneau, Mauer, Punto, Bartlet, Cuddeyer......GOOD GREIF I can't stop there... it's a T-E-A-M effort. Very refreshing change from so many of the boughten talent teams I can think of. WHATEVER HAPPENS from here on it has been a great year, and fun to watch them play.

[Willy]

Windy, good call. I think it's will be pretty tough sleddin for the Sox to move past the Twins now. Honestly, I do think you will have a chance to pass the Tigers though, they are reeling.

As far as who has a better team? Sox on paper look better, but you can even compare numbers this year, the Twins are getting it done.

Pitch - Twins have a better bullpen for sure and their patchwork rotation is getting it done when they need to.

C - Mauer for sure - although I'll take A.J. anyday

1B - Morneau is an MVP - even though Konerko is a top 1B in the league

2B - Castillo - Guch - Pretty close one - lots of K's for your guy though.

3B - Crede - but Punto has really filled a gap and done WAY more than expected for us.

SS - Bartlett - Uribe's .258 OBP is pitiful

LF - whoever the Twins have out there is better than Pods

CF - Hunter by a long shot - he has been great at the plate lately too.

RF - No doubt Dye is better, but Cuddyer is no slouch

DH - Thome by a landslide

I guess that's my take on who is better. People don't give these Twins all that much credit as individual players, but there are some stars on this team, whether people want to admit it or not.

P.S. - We lead the AL in team BA and 2 out hits.

[genegodawa]

WOW - I had so much fun watching the WSox this weekend I didn't even realize it was BroomTime. Manager of the Year my eye. Pitch to Frank?

"What was Ozzie thinking?"

Quite the concession speech Windy. But you must be smokin' something. Thome over Frank? Yeah right, Thome did so much this weekend to help his team and Frank couldn't even get any RBI's, right? They are both invaluable - and I admit going into the season that Frank was a big ? mark, but right now all that matters is who is your choice to go with into the playoffs.

Oh yeah, you won't have that choice to make.

[buzzsaw]

I'd say cue up the Doors song: THE END!

The Twins have a nice four game lead on the Sox with 13 games remaining... that means if the Twins were to go 7-6, the White Sox would have to go 12-1 to pass the Twins..... hmmmmm

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm saying cue up a little RUSH for Windy.

Fly By Night

A Passage to Bankok

In other words, if Windy thinks the Sux have a shot, I'll have what Windy's smokin.

[fishyguy]

I would suggest the Talking Heads "Road to Nowhere".

[genegodawa]

The most appropriate song is their home-theme by none other than Steam: Na-na-na-na (kiss him goodbye)

Let me just say that I will give Harrelson and DJ credit for admitting the WSox have been stinkin' it up. The funniest line I heard was when Harrelson says "I never said this about no team before, but I don't want our guys to get the lead".....I about fell outta my recliner. And did anybody else see the post-game? Harrelson wearing his dark shades --- probably trying to hide all his "liquid prayers".

Meanwhile, on the NSide, my Cubbies were spoiling the Reds' chances for good. So for 2 days in a row now, my favorite teams (in baseball) have won -- BEEEEEEYOOTIFUL!

You were right Windy - it IS a rollercoaster.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

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But you must be smokin' something. Thome over Frank? Yeah right, Thome did so much this weekend to help his team and Frank couldn't even get any RBI's, right?

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Geno, he meant on paper before the season. Obviously if the SOX or Windy knew The Big Hurt was going to have the kinda year he's having for $500,000 they would have kept him and used the $15,000,000 there paying Thome this year elsewhere.

I sure wish he "big hurt" would have been our DH this year we'd be Leading the Central with the best record in baseball IMO....

[SledNeck]

Thome makes 15 million? tsk tsk tsk.

[genegodawa]

Pier,

Yes, after posting, I realized he stated "on paper" and I almost withdrew the post. Then I decided that it was typical Windy in denial not to admit that Frank was going "pretty good". If I used "on paper" hindsight in discussing the Cubbies, you think he would let me off easy?

As Soldon alluded to earlier, when the GAME IS ACTUALLY PLAYED, the outcome means a whole lot more than how it looks beforehand "on paper".

Sled,

C'mon, go easy on him. After all, Thome did a great job for 3/4 of a season to make the WSox fans forget the BigHurt. Unfortunately, the memory of it all was wiped out in one weekend - and that is how it is now detailed in the history books "on paper".

This race is not over yet. At least not "on paper".

Who to root for/against tonight? Hmmmmmm...

"What was Geno thinking?"

Guess I better stay with my favorit team: whoever is playing the WSox.