Posted on Monday, October 10, 2005 12:25 PM
Well, my beloved White Sox just won their first post-season series since 1917 by sweeping the defending champion Boston Red Sox. These sore eyes of mine haven’t seen a sight more beautiful than White Sox pitching coach, Don Cooper, cracking a Miller's Lite during the post-game celebration in the locker room at Fenway Park. I would have pegged him as a Dragon man myself, but hey, to each his own.
This White Sox season continues to feel too good to be true, but I remain cautiously optimistic and can't wait to see what happens next. They're playing good ball, and despite Ozzie's best efforts to lose game 3 by bringing in walk specialist and professional buzz-kill, Damaso Marte, with the way El Duque saved his ass, I like our chances.
I can't decide what I'm happier with...the first round sweep, or the chance that Chris Berman won't be in the booth to do the play-by-play for the next round. You have to expect to play second fiddle to ESPN's perpetual boner over the east coast, but come on, Berman is just plain bad. And then, when he finally gets off his knees from servicing Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, or "Batman and Robin" as they were so affectionately dubbed during the series, we're swiftly treated to a dose of ESPN's resident hussy, Erin Andrews, bringing us something extra special worthless from on or around the field.
When Mike Piazza and Rick Sutcliffe actually got the chance to talk, like during the silence Berman provided as Paul Konerko took a Wakefield knuckle ball deep over the monster, I really enjoyed what they had to say. It was a nice break from the tiring and overdramatic prize fighting references given by Berman about how the "challenging" White Sox were hoping to land an "uppercut" on the "champs" from Boston who had found themselves "on the ropes" in a late round of the heavyweight bout.
Piazza and Sutcliffe brought an interesting pitcher/catcher combo to the booth and I really liked Piazza describing the game calling aspects of catching a game. People often underestimate the role of the catcher, and Piazza brought light to the importance of good game calling catchers like A.J. Pierzynski and Jason Varitek and what a difference they can make.
It was apparent this was the first time the ESPN crew had really paid attention to the White Sox this year. To be expected of ESPN, but still funny at times. Somewhere between the 22nd replay of Boston's home runs and a close-up shot of a "Big Papi For President" sign, Sutcliffe calling Marte a "resilient" middle reliever didn't sit very well with me as he's basically the human equivalent to a forfeit. Thank God Ozzie has kept him on the second round playoff roster.
The Sox finished with the best record in the American League, one win short of 100, yet are still cast as the underdogs in this season's playoffs. I think they play better in that role, so I'm hoping we face the Yankees. In my opinion, the Angels are the best team in the AL, but the Yankees are the Yankees and we'll see what happens tonight.
Go Go White Sox,
schrags