Still Pluggin' for Wins

(July 15)

Short Take:  Answering the challenge

To hear many of the team's worst critics tell it, the last bit of purpose drained out of the White Sox's season after Keith Foulke got the final out in Saturday's game at Wrigley Field.  Our city bragging rights secured, nothing such a band of "bad guys" and "unprofessionals" could possibly need or want would be available until next spring.  

Even Skip Bayless noted that the Sox were "the perpetual underpublicized underdogs".  Great--can we take this as his mea culpa on the issue?  How simply predictable that Clueless was wrong again as the Sox defeat one of the best young pitchers in the game, 3-2 in Milwaukee.

They scored two runs right out of the chute and Sox Fans' only concern was that they didn't get more.  Ray Durham took six pitches (!) before tripling into the corner to start the game.  Next was Chris Singleton with an rbi single followed by red-hot Carlos Lee with an rbi double.  The Sox were up 2-0 before the Brewers had recorded the game's first out.

With some room to breath, Rocky Biddle finally got the opportunity to win a game.  He made it through the first three innings allowing just one hit.  Could beating the N.L. Central teams be this easy?

As seems to always happen to Biddle, the big inning occurred in the fourth.  A lead-off walk was followed by a homerun by the freak, formerly of Cleveland.  Just like that the game was tied and Sox Fans began fretting over whether the team could get the offense rolling.  Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets hadn't allowed a hit since the first inning.

The challenged was answered the very next inning.  Catcher Sandy Alomar is a shadow of his former self but there is no denying he still comes up big in when the situation calls for heroics.  He took Sheets' 0-1 pitch over the wall in left, staking the Sox to the lead again.  It proved to be the game winner.

Biddle got in trouble again in the sixth, again with a lead-off walk followed by a single.  Mr. Homerun or Nothing was up again and this time politely grounded into a double-play neutering the rally.

The bullpen of course was marvelous.  Even Bob Howry looked decent for two innings.  Keith Foulke picked up his twentieth save, doubtlessly setting the trade rumor mill into overdrive.

Which parts of the team are keepers and which ones are dead wood?  For now the team's heart is alive and well. 

Let Me Hear It!