Quick Shots: Oh Yeah. Thome Is Going To The Hall
- Minnesota Twins DH Jim Thome hit his 600th home run the other night, becoming only the eighth player in history to accomplish that feat. Although some think not, I have no doubt that Thome will be a first ballot hall of famer for far more reasons than you would think. In Thome's case, it's not just about the stats but two very important thing that factor into hall of fame balloting: Thome is beloved by everyone and he is totally clean. There has never been anything tainted about Jim Thome. You don't link him with steroids or bad behavior, in fact, I don't think he's ever gotten a parking ticket (and if he has gotten one, he's paid it immediately.) There are no stories of whoring around, no stories of him snorting coke off stripers backsides or no tantrums or fights with teammates, fans or the media. He is simply a decent, hard working man who loves baseball. And in this era, that's something very, very rare.
- One down, two to go for the Chicago White Sox against the Cleveland Indians. Last night's hard fought, fourteen inning victory put the Sox above .500 for the first time since tax day. The Sox are still 3½ behind the Tigers, but only ½ behind the Indians. Sweeping this series is key if they really want to win the division.
- A.J. Pierzynski is on the DL for the first time in his career, leaving the catching duties squarely on the shoulders of Tyler Flowers. The good news is, Pierzynski says he will spend time with Flowers getting him up to speed on the pitching staff and opposing hitters. That's awfully big on A.J.'s part and it shows that despite all the crap you read about him, he is a good teammate. BTW, if you saw A.J. on MLB Network's "Intentional Talk" yesterday afternoon, you can pretty much bet that after he's done playing, A.J. has a career in broadcasting.
- Although White Sox GM Kenny Williams failed to elaborate (under tampering penalties) he intimated that the White Sox have zero interest in suspended Cub starter Carlos Zambrano. Kenny said "he didn't see a fit" which is code for "one wacky Venezuelan is all I can deal with at a time".
- The Bears seem to be making a concerted effort to get embattled Quarterback Jay Cutler out in front of media. The logic is the more he's out there, the better relationship he has with the media which translates to better press and more fan support. Still, Cutler, who is pretty laid back, seems uncomfortable under the spot light.
- The Bears have this weekend off, so their offensive line will get in a lot of practice reps before playing the New York Giants. The big question is if they continue to fail at protecting the quarterback, will Lovie Smith demand that Mike Martz dial the offense back like they did last year after the bye week? And, if Lovie has to ask again, does that mean that the Mike Martz experience is over?
- The NCAA investigation into Miami is stunning, especially since former Miami AD Paul Dees chaired the infraction committee and led the charge against USC a few years ago. Now it appears that Dees, like Jimmy Swaggart, is getting caught with his pants around his ankles. How you could not know that a wealthy benefactor is helping your players? If the NCAA really wanted to get their members attention, Miami football should get the death penalty. But it won't because the politics and TV revenue are too great these days. Without Miami, the ACC is very, very unsexy and the member schools will not allow that to happen. The problem with NCCA enforcement is that it is like the parent that keeps wagging a finger and shouting "one more time, if you do that one more time." None of the schools live in fear and maybe nuking Miami back to the stone age would be a reminder that if you cheat, you don't get to play.
- Since I don't get many White Sox games on TV this season, I've watched the Milwaukee Brewers a lot and I really enjoy watching them play. That said, giving out "Tony Plush" towels is a bad idea. This Nyger Morgan alter ego thing is fun, but giving out towels only distracts him and his teammates from focusing on winning. Don;t give him a big head and don't validate it, because you need Morgan's head screwed on right for the stretch drive. Now, "Tony LaRussa Blackout Night", that's a good idea.
Posted by Chip Ramsey at 8/17/2011 8:55 AM 
Categories: Chicago Bears, Media, Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox, College Football, Pro Football, Baseball
Tags: Big Z Buzz Lightyear Cry Baby Cutler Kenny Williams Life Behind The Cheese Curtain Mike Martz Lovie The Genius Twits Who Tweet
Categories: Chicago Bears, Media, Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox, College Football, Pro Football, Baseball
Tags: Big Z Buzz Lightyear Cry Baby Cutler Kenny Williams Life Behind The Cheese Curtain Mike Martz Lovie The Genius Twits Who Tweet
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