White Sox vs. Cubs: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
I admit, my pick to click yesterday was Nick Swisher. And, I also admit, that I called his grand slam home run (I have witnesses!) It was that obvious a day for the White Sox, with hopefully more fun to come today.Here's some notes from the game:
The Good
- Orlando Cabrera's ability to get on base and torture both pitchers and corner outfielders.
- Fourteen his from six players including multiple hits from Cabrera, Piersynski, Quentin, Dye, and Swisher. Every player in the starting line up got on base at least once.
- Seven run third
- Timely hitting
- Holding Lee, Ramirez and Ward hitless and enticing Lee to ground into two double plays.
- Great at bats, like Carlos Quentin in the first inning.
- Carlos Quentin seems like he's starting to come out of the slump.
- Jermaine Dye's crashing, tumbling catch to end the game, which let's face it, with a seven run lead, a lot of guys wouldn't have made.
- Jose Contreras being awful again but this time pitching out of it.
- Boone Logan, Octavio Dotel and Nick Masset.
- Beating a quality team without Paul Konerko and Alexi Ramirez.
- The aggressive base running, especially Cabrera.
- Knocking out the Cubs ace decisively in the first game of the series. Momentum Sox!
- Making the Cubs go deep into their pen for a second straight day while the Sox got some rest for Linebrink, Jenks and Thornton.
The Bad
- Jose Contreras is going to drive Ozzie nuts.
- Jim Thome and Joe Crede are still struggling badly.
- Three Cub homers (thankfully all solo shots).
The Ugly
- Watching Eric Patterson play left field was painful even for a Sox fan. The first inning looked like a little league game
- The Milwaukee Brewers bullpen couldn't hold their butts with their left hands.
- Some idiot who called The Score after the game and demanded the Sox trade Jim Thome for a center fielder. I felt bad for Ranger at that point. Ranger to his credit was polite. He may have a future working with the mentally challenged. Also, the two guys on ESPN 1000 who talked about how when Contreras struggles, he pouts and slows down the ball game. Nicely played, guys.
- Hawk calling Nick Swisher "Steve" not once, but at least two or three times. I'll give Hawk the benefit of the doubt and say he did it because he was excited.
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