Bullpen Bomb

(May 16)

Short Take:  Is there anything positive here?

Did anybody in Chicago stay awake to watch the end of this game?  Did anybody in the Sox dugout?  You have to wonder whether anybody in the silver and black much gives a damn after they sleepwalked their way through the final innings of Wednesday's game, 7-2 big fat losers to Seattle.

These aren't Jerry's Kids.  They're Jerry's Corpses.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, the Chicago White Sox had a lead in this game.  Magglio Ordonez doubled home Jose Valentin to give the Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning.  A sacrifice fly by Sandy Alomar gave the Sox a 2-0 lead in the second inning.  Sox starter Rocky Biddle managed to kick away that lead and then some in the next half-inning and the snooze-fest began.

Paul Konerko struck out to end an inning not once, not twice, not even thrice!  Four times he took the walk of shame from the batter's box back to the Sox bench.   Konerko, Jeff Liefer, and Herbert Perry ( the #5 through #7 hitters) were a combined 0 for 9 with eight strikeouts.  Seattle piled up twelve strikeouts on a Sox line up that spent most of the game wondering what the caterer was serving on the deli plate in the post-game clubhouse.

Still it was a close 3-2 game until the seventh inning when relievers Kelly Wunsch and Lorenzo Barcelo allowed the roof to cave in.  Sean Lowe, fresh from his brief stint in Charlotte, fared hardly better allowing two runs himself in the eighth.  By then everyone including Jerry Manuel was calling the hotel for turn down service and ordering extra mints for the pillow.  Jerry's team has never looked more lethargic.

The Sox return to Safeco Thursday for the final game trying to avoid the embarrassment of another sweep.  Judging by tonight's effort, fat chance they'll succeed.

At least Boomer is pitching.