Top Five Tuesday Mercy!

So the other day my brother stopped by and I had on the MLB Channel talking about the Hall Of Fame ballot. It got us talking about a few of our favorite players and how we would go to the ceremony if they were voted in. I have been thinking about my favorite White Sox players of all time. A few years ago this would have been pretty easy but right now not so much.

Number Five

For so many reason's Chet Lemon will always be on the top of the list. He was the first All-Star I remember for the White Sox he was also the first Home Run I saw in person when I was very young. In fact, it was a doubleheader against the Kanas City Royal's my dad and I were on a bus trip with the rotary club. Then there was this one time I made a one-handed catch in a little league and the coach yelled from the dugout "we do not make Chet Lemon catches!" Made me laugh but I get it use two hands!








Number Four

Any 11-year old growing up in the '80s as a Sox fan you know you had to be a Carlton Fisk fan. Man the day he came to the south side was a big deal, he was the answer to our prayers of winning the world series. Sadly, Fisk, one of the greatest players behind the dish would never get his ring.









Number Three

Haaaaarold, Haaaaaarold! Man Harold Baines was the face of the franchise the first true team captain. He was the nicest guy in the world. Went the to game when they retired his number and the first game I took my wife to was his comeback game in 1996. She never has let me live that game down, It was opening day and it was like 40 degrees out. We sat in the shade while our buddy ate ice cream. It was also one of the first games I had to leave early. What could I do she was cold.







Number Two

Ok so this is where the back and forth comes in, Paul Konerko is by far the greatest White Sox player ever! I could go off on a world wind of words but I will reframe. I could go back and forth with my #1 and #2 pick all day. One of the greatest moments for me was being at game two of the 2005 World Series and watching him blast a Grand Slam. I do not think I have ever felt the stadium shake like that almost like it could fall down and any moment. It was amazing people high fiving strangers hugging me wife jumping for joy it was amazing. A moment in time that I hope never fads as I get older. If for some odd reason he makes it to the Hall Of Fame it will be the day we road trip it just to say we were there. The man is amazing.  But my number one is also amazing...





Number One

"Alexy...yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" the call from Hawk Harelson started with a phone call earlier that day from my dad and all he said was "Turn on the Sox game Buehrle is making history" that day still gives me the chills. Outside of the World Series win and the save in that same series Mark Buehrle was pitching on the White Sox, not the Yankee's or the Giants where he would be a household name superstar.

Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on April 18, 2007, surrendering just one walk to Sammy Sosa who was then picked off at first base. Two seasons later, Buehrle pitched the eighteenth perfect game in baseball history against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23, 2009.

He is the debate in my family will he make the Hall Of Fame? Of course, Sox fans will tell you yes. If he gets the call I will be there for sure. He has always been my favorite Sox to this day. I have seen him pitch more than any player that I have seen. Every time he took the mound I watched the game on the tube every chance I could. I cried when they traded him but I understood and never carried a grudge. I wonder with the new White Sox team that they are building now will crack my top five but these guys are near and dear to my heart. 

Man, is it baseball season yet?

One of the reason's Buehrle's was a golden glove winner.

The Catch

Oh, how I still get tears!

Letterman top ten

Happy Opening Day!

A little Video for your VHS Wednesday.

Ok, I'm not going to lie I get a kick out of this Magisto app on my phone. It will randomly make a video for you and let you know. Sometimes they are fun and sometimes not so much but none the less I like playing with it. Make sure you follow my YouTube page but for now here is a quick hit.

Sorry Twitter Followers

So I blew up a lot of your Twitter feeds today doing my part in getting White Sox player Chris Sale to the All Star Game and for that I'm sorry. But thanks for your patience.

Halfway to St. Patrick's Day

Friday marked the annual White Sox event Halfway to St. Patty's Day. Sure it's not truly half way and baseball is not played in March so its the next best thing for the Irish of the southside. Sox played the Royals in a battle of the bat's. One team would score the other would come back to tie. The Sox took a late inning lead but could not hold on. The final score 7-5 does not tell the tale of a well played game. The Sox did hit 3 home runs that night.

It was a great day for a game upper 60's low 70's with a cool crisp breeze. The uniforms where very cool Irish Music playing all around and special themed Beer and concessions.

Mmmm Irish Nacho's

In fact my goal this year was to dive into the Helmet Nacho craze that I keep hearing about. This was themed as well instead of the black batting helmet you where treated to the Irish Green Helmet. They also offered the Irish Nachos. I was not surprised by the hefty price tag but adding in a soda brought this bad boy meal to a whooping $18.50! Holy crap I could have bought 30 sliders at White Castle.  Well it is part of the fun so what the heck. They where not to bad as well.

We also where treated to fire works after the game. So all in all not a bad night some confusing management calls that had us fans scratching our heads, No Dunn or Yuck that night so that  was a bummer for me, but  never the less a fun time at the ball park.

Beautiful night in Chi-town

Yeah I'm going to eat all of. (With Rusty)

Meeting of the minds 

Firework Night

Chatting with the Score

 I found a copy of the song South Side Irish from the 1950's to share with you so enjoy.

#takejake

Well Jake I tried sorry brother! And to all my Twitter followers I'm truley sorry for blowing up your twitter accounts. And to those that helped re tweet thank you.

Perfect!

Perfect

"The best part was seeing my teammates excited." said Philip Humber. After nine strike outs and only 96 pitches Philip Humber became the 21st  Major League player to be perfect! That' 27 up 27 down no hits walks or errors. 

Mind you Humber is the fifth starter in the rotation. The little guy to fill in the crack's. Written off my Oakland Kansas City and Cleveland due to Tommy John surgery.  And one tough cookie.

Baseball has been around for 140 plus years. More people have orbited the moon than have pitched a major league perfect game. Five are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame: Cy Young, Addie Joss, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, and Catfish Hunter. Two other White Sox make the elite list Charlie Roberston on April 30, 1922 in just his fifth career start, against the Detroit Tigers. He became the first picher in major league history to do it on the road.

On July 23,2009 Mark Buehrle threw his perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the eighteenth perfect game. Every White Sox's fan will always have "The Catch" etched it to their heads for ever in the 9th inning when DeWayne Wise robbed Gabe Kapler of a home run.

So Humber's 21st perfect game is the first since Roy Halloaday. Its is the sox 18th no hitter and Humber's first career complete game.

 Humber as he approached history

The final out by Humber was recorded on a check-swing strikeout of Brendan Ryan. The ball went past catcher A. J. Pierzynski, but Ryan was unsure whether he had checked his swing or not (which would have made the pitch a ball, and given him a walk), and stayed at home plate long enough for Pierzynski to pick up the ball and throw it to first to end the game. Humber finished the game with 9 strikeouts. The other batters were retired with five groundouts and 13 flyouts. Humber threw only 96 pitches, making this the first perfect game thrown in under 100 pitches since David Cone's perfect game on July 18, 1999. Humber only started 29 Major League games prior to throwing his perfect game, making him the pitcher with the second fewest starts prior to throwing a perfect game, behind fellow White Sox pitcher Charlie Robertson.He is the seventh former member of the New York Mets to go on to throw a no-hitter for another team. The Mets have never had a no-hitter thrown in their history.

So I tip my hat to you Philip Humber and I thank you. I was at a school event and was not able to watch this game. But on a dying cell phone I was able to share this magic moment with my dad as he gave me a play by play. That is a memory that will last a long time. I have been blessed to share White Sox history with the man how bought me my first glove. We watched Buehrle pitch perfection with goosebumps and silence. But most of all I lived out a childhood dream watching the last out of the World Series with my dad next to me. So again thank you Phil Humber you have no idea what you have done for your fans!

Is it Baseball season yet?

Well did my first mock draft today I need to get better at this Fantasy Baseball thing I play the guys at work. Finished 3rd last year missing a chance at the tile by a run!

From Yahoo:
Hello,


Thank you for participating in our Live Mock Draft.


Mock draft results for Shoestring Catch 2210448 are listed by round below.



Your Team
1. Matt Kemp (LAD - OF)
2. Ian Kinsler (Tex - 2B)
3. Jose Reyes (Mia - SS)
4. Ryan Zimmerman (Was - 3B)
5. Cole Hamels (Phi - SP)
6. Mike Napoli (Tex - C,1B)
7. Michael Young (Tex - 1B,2B,3B)
8. Ian Kennedy (Ari - SP)
9. Alex Gordon (KC - OF)
10. Jonathan Papelbon (Phi - RP)
11. Drew Stubbs (Cin - OF)
12. Carlos Beltran (StL - OF)
13. Daniel Hudson (Ari - SP)
14. Ichiro Suzuki (Sea - OF)
15. Joel Hanrahan (Pit - RP)
16. Max Scherzer (Det - SP)
17. Chris Carpenter (StL - SP)
18. Freddie Freeman (Atl - 1B)
19. Ervin Santana (LAA - SP)
20. J.P. Arencibia (Tor - C)
21. Jeff Francoeur (KC - OF)
22. Mark Trumbo (LAA - 1B,OF)
23. Lucas Duda (NYM - 1B,OF)

I'm proud of my self I did not draft any White Sox this time around and that has been one of my downfalls.

Good Luck and Thank You

Wow did last night come as a shock? Sure there has been a lot of talks to let Ozzie  Guillen go but I still ask why? For the past 8 years, he has put the White Sox in a much better place with two American League Central titles and  one World Series championship.

 Sure everybody loves to get down on him for his loony and wild antics but that's what made him so great. You watch he will take his next team to the world series within the next few years. Guillen is a great manager and I wish him the best its been a great run.

If you ask me what made this team fall apart its was getting rid of the 2005 brotherhood. When they traded Scott Rolen and Joe Credi the team was never the same. This sure was not Ozzie's fault. 

Here is a long cold winter of wondering. And to Ozzie as a fan of yours from the '80 til now, I thank you! And maybe Kenny should be next.