There is no doubt among Chicago White Sox fans that the highly anticipated pairing of long time TV play by play man Hawk Harrelson and former Cubs analyst Steve Stone has been an enjoyable and refreshing break from the God awful Sox broadcasts of the last two years.  As I pointed out earlier in the week, Stone has raised Hawk's game several notches while providing much needed analysis and some pretty forthright comments.  In addition, Hawk is getting Stone to talk about his playing days, something Stone never did while a member of the Cubs' broadcast team. 

What you've heard here is Hawk actually raising Stone's game a notch or two as well.

However, before you write your congressman or whomever, here is the reality of the situation. 

The Sox have been notoriously cheap and insensitive to their fans when it comes to broadcasters.  John Rooney is one of the best local voices in the game, yet the Sox let him go two years ago because he demanded that he get piad like one.  With Rooney gone, the Sox went out and got novice Chris Singleton and paired him with Ed Farmer who couldn't do play by play with a gun held to his head.  Both farmer and Hawk Harrelson are personal favorites of the Chairman.

On the TV side, when the popular Tom Paciorek left, he was replaced in the TV booth by novice Darrin Jackson who has not improved a bit since he started eight years ago.  In fact, Singleton hs improved more in the two years he's been on radio than Jackson has on TV.  In any case, the Sox are all about the savings on their broadcasts.

Enter Stone, who is a Chicago favorite, partially because he worked with Harry and a generation of Cub fans grew up with him.  These are people who have no idea who Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau were and never knew harry not only worked for the Sox at one time but also for the Cardinals.  He's also a darling among the print media for his familiarity and for the way he was unceremoniously dumped after the 2004 season (okay, he refused an extension, but there was no doubt he could no longer co-exist with Johnny B. Baker and Jim Hendry.)

Here's where the reality sets in: The odds of Stone joining the White Sox broadcasting team are very slim.  Why? Stone, as I have said before, would like to run a team, preferably one that plays on the north side of Chicago.  Should he be involved in a group that purchases the Cubs, I believe that is the direction he will go in. If that doesn't happen, I believe his next consideration would be Cubs TV, if Bob Brenley takes another crack at being a major league manager (although Bob was pretty good in Arizona, I get the feeling he's got limited choices and may be preferring the TV work right now.)  So, that leaves the White Sox.

I cannot believe that Stone would do radio.  He's a far more effective and well known TV guy.  He is also far better with Hawk than he could be with Ed Farmer, who honestly, should be an analyst again.  So, if the Sox want to hire Stone, and they will have to pay dearly for the privilege, odds are he would do TV and Jackson would move to radio.  Singleton, who is up for renewal at years end, would probably be let go.

The big questions are how much is Stone worth to the White Sox in potential ad revenue and how much are they willing to pay to upgrade their TV broadcasts.  I honestly beleive that the Chairman's attitude on this one is that people who love the team would sit through anybody simply because they love the team.  The part he's missing is that if people enjoy the broadcasts they are more willing to watch longer and while the team is out of contention, thus making ad revenues higher. 

While most Sox fans agree Stone would be a hit, as in most matters with the Sox under the Chairman's leadership, what the fans think is not a consideration.  Budgets, revenue and the willingness to employ a former Cub icon are.  Good luck with that, Sox fans.

Lightning Round

• I wish this were April.  The same two teams tonight at US Commiskey Park as Pink Floyd tries to put together two quality starts in a row (don't hold your breath.)
  
• 
  Bobby Jenks is mowing down opposing hitters like he mows down Big Macs.
• This whole Pods to the Cubs thing is being blown way out of proportion.  The Sox can certainly suggest a deal that will send the Cubs running away from the table screaming.  If the Sox do let him go for nothing, then it is a clear indicator that they are cutting their losses for this year and saving their money to the bottom line.  That is, to steal a phrase from the master, so Sox.
• The Cubs remain ½ game out after beating the Rockies, but seeing Ricky Weeks help the Brewers to a win.,
• Your starting line up for the road race at Watkins Glen.  Jeff Gordon, who is pretty good at road races, takes the poll after qualifying was rained out.  Gordon has always said that beginning track position in a road race is critical, so let's see how he backs that up on Sunday.
  
• Why is it all these sports leagues demand that cable companies carry their programming on the basic tier? There are a lot of people who don;t watch sports and some of us that do are not really interested in "E" list football games, water polo and volleyball.  The reality is, if they become part of a sports tier and people are asked to purchase it in addition to what they are spending, most of us, including me, would not.  And, I'd rather not have my cable rates increased simply because Jim Delaney promised his advertisers that they would be on basic.  BTW, don't ever dis the Food Network again, Jim.  At least they know the difference between ten and eleven.
• The Titans ask a judge to end Pacman's wrestling fever.
• 
  Baroid hits 758.  Yawn.
• The guys who robbed Employee #8 and Eddie Curray have been apprehended by detectives Belker and LaRue.
• Former alleged NFL Quarterback Jack Trudeau has been offered a plea bargain after he allowed teenagers to drink at a graduation party for his daughter.  Trudeau's lawyers contend the warrant was obtained based on hearsay evidence and therefore the arrest was illegal.  Be careful what you put in those blogs, kids because private eyes are watching you.
• Congrats to one of my favorites, hall of famer Marty Brennaman  for extending his brilliance through at least 2010.
• If you play  baseball in Japan, best wear a hairpiece.
• In Chicago, it's Vienna hot dogs.  Da Mayor doesn't take very kindly to other brands.
• It's amazing the things you read on the internet.
• I've heard from making lemons out of lemonade, but here's a plan to make dollars out of dookie.
• If you got milk, you paid through the nose for it.  Still think using Ethanol is cool?
  
• Space suit, $5,000  Ticket for training, lodging and three day trip, $4 milllion dollars.  Being able to do the nasty in zero g, priceless.