White Sox Tidbits

The White Sox are off to their best start since 1935 and with a win tonight, they would be off to their best start ever. Yet the White Sox have not made many believers out of the "experts" on ESPN, namely Jeff Brantley, who said this morning on Sportscenter, "I don't care how hot of a start the Sox get off to, they will not make the playoffs." You have to wonder if these guys on TV think before they speak. Let's say the Sox continue this hot play and are 52-29 after 81 games. You're telling me that they have no shot at making the playoffs. The Sox would then only have to go 43-38 in the second half to win 95 games which would be more than enough to make the playoffs. I know the all the analysts at ESPN are drinking the Twins Kool-Aid, including some like Peter Gammons picking them to win it all, but if the Sox continue to get the great starting pitching they're getting right now (2.89 ERA), no one including the vaunted Twins will touch the Sox. Not to mention, that many of the ifs that I discussed in my White Sox preview are going the White Sox's way. Scott Podsednik is hitting close to .300 and has 9 SB in 12 games. Tadahito Iguchi is hitting over .300 and has been steady at second base. Jose Contreras has been fairly consistent so far. In fact, about the only thing that is not going the Sox's way is the struggles of their closer Shingo Takatsu, but with their bullpen depth of Marte, Vizcaino and Hermanson, the Sox can weather it. The season is still young, but the Sox have looked outstanding so far.

On to a humorous Sox story. Ex-White Sox player, Magglio Ordonez, said the following about Ozzie Guillen, "I don't consider him my friend. I have nothing to say. I don't want to see him or talk to him. He's my enemy. If he comes to me and wants to apologize, I wouldn't accept it." Well, Ozzie being a guy who won't take crap from anyone said the following in response:

He's a piece of [bleep]. He's a [bleep], that's what he is. He's another Venezuelan [bleep]. [Bleep] him. He has an enemy. Now he has a big one. He knows I can[bleep] him a lot of different ways. He better shut the [bleep] up and play for the Detroit Tigers.

And this is why I love Ozzie. He refuses to put up with any bs, which leads to comedic gold like this. However, not everyone is laughing about this; namely, local columnist Jay Mariotti, who says, "If someone in charge doesn't muzzle Ozzie Guillen with duct tape, inject him with a horse tranquilizer or simply order him to shut the [bleep] up -- his favorite expression, not mine -- the man is going to talk himself out of a job and shame the city and ballclub he represents. " Oh lighten up Jay. This is a Major League clubhouse, not a church. As long as the Sox keep winning who cares what nutty things come out of Ozzie's mouth. I say, keep it coming Ozzie.