Sox Squeak past O's, 3.5 Games Behind Twins

The starting pitching was excellent. The offense was there. The White Sox were in cruise control for eight innings until the last three outs were the hardest to earn in the ballgame.

Gavin Floyd bounced back from two consecutive losses of allowing 13 earned runs and pitched seven strong innings in front of 26,273 at The Cell. Floyd, who notched his ninth win of the season Tuesday, surrendered two earned runs, all coming in the fourth, and one off the bat of Orioles DH Luke Scott.

Meanwhile the Sox's bats started heating up after the O's put up a 2-spot in the fourth.

After consecutive runs in the fourth and fifth innings, the South Siders exploded for four runs in the seventh. Gordon Beckham got everyone out of their seats with a long three-run homer to center. Beckham said after the game "We needed a spark, needed some runs, needed to get a hit...it was nice to come thru." Beckham is hitting .333 since the All-Star break. Paul Konerko and Juan Pierre added RBI's as well in the seventh and eighth innings to further the margin.

With a 7-2 lead in the ninth, Ozzie Guillen went to Sergio Santos to mop up the win. If only it was as clean as it should have been.

Santos, who came in with a 1.78 ERA, failed to record an out. After walking the leadoff man and a single by Josh Bell, Brian Roberts singled to left center to make it 7-3. Santos' wild pitch moved the runners in scoring position and Nick Markakis followed suit with a single of his own to score another run. 7-4.

Restlessness came upon the crowd and Santos was pulled.

Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen would say, "It's always important late in the game to have a bullpen that can go in there and shutdown. Unfortunately we hit a bump and that road has a lot of bumps so far."

JJ Putz left the mound as quickly as he got on. After three straight balls to Ty Wiggington, Putz motioned to the Sox bench and was relieved because of right knee inflammation. Putz, along with reliver Matt Thornton, will be headed to the disabled list. In the meantime, the man to seal the deal was Bobby Jenks.

"The last guy I wanted to use out of the bullpen was Bobby" Guillen said.

Jenks, who tossed three innings of 1-hit ball against the Royals, his longest outing of the season, would inherit two men on base with nobody out. Jenks induced a 1-6-3 doubple play to clear the bases. Luke Scott would fly out to center and the Sox held on for the win.

Gordon Beckham would say, "Bobby, hands down, came in and saved the game for us. It was huge."

With Minnesota losing to Texas 4-3 on Tuesday, the Twins' lead is now down to 3.5 games.

Ozzie Disappointed. Sox Host O's, Start 6 Game Homestand

The White Sox have their hands on the "panic" button. Let's fold over the little glass case and hold off for 6 games before going into that mode. 

After the Sox's 2-4 road trip and coming off a 10-inning loss to the 53-72 Kansas City Royals, Ozzie Guillen displayed his frustration the way he knows best. 

"A very horse(explicit) road trip. Disappointing, my (explicit) ass. Disappointing for (explicit) managers that have patience. Very bad road trip.

"The way it ended was the way we started — very bad. No excuse. I don't give a (explicit) the way we lose, I don't care the way we win, we didn't get it done. This road trip was very important for us, and we played like (explicit)."

Adding to injury, literally, is Sox reliever Matt Thornton. The 6'6 southpaw has not pitched since last Tuesday because of discomfort in his left forearm. General Manager Ken Williams said tests revealed "no structural damage" and he "should be fine in a couple days." 

Without Thornton the club will depend heavily on solid starting pitching to go into the late innings. Scott Linkebrink and Bobby Jenks have tremendous opportunities to silence the nay-sayers and toss shutout baseball when called upon.

Meanwhile, the Sox host Balitmore for a trio of games starting Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. The Orioles should be less considered a 44-81 ball club after the Sox, who had sole possession of first place in the AL Central, dropped three of four at the Camden Yards August 6th-9th. The Sox would fall off the tracks, dropping 11 of the following 16 games. 

Tuesday's Probables: Jeremy Guthrie (7-12, 3.97 ERA) vs. Gavin Floyd (8-10, 3.97 ERA)

Wednesday's Probables: Brian Matusz (5-12, 4.97 ERA) vs. Mark Buehrle (12-9, 3.87 ERA)

Thursday's Probables: Jake Arrieta (4-5, 4.90 ERA) vs. Edwin Jackson (7-10, 4.67 ERA)

4.5 games separate Minnesota and the South Siders. 35 games remain for the Sox.

Brandon Marshall in the NBA?

With a possible NFL lockout looming, Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall believes he can be a two-sport athlete.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, Marshall, who played shooting guard at Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, Florida, said he would try-out for the Denver Nuggets, his first choice, and the Miami Heat as his second.

Brandon Marshall

"I'm going to be on an NBA team. Seriously." Marshall said. 

Optimism has continued to grow that no football will be played in 2011. In an ESPN.com report published in February, executive director of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith said that, "on a scale of 1 to 10...it's a 14" that a lockout will occur next season. 

Marshall, who lettered in basketball and track in high school, followed suit. 

"There's not going to be any football. If there's a lockout, I have to find a job. I figure the Nuggets will be a better choice because of the welcome home cheer I'll get -- a couple of boos at first. I'm gonna get with a basketball coach and get to work, prepare for the lockout."

The 6-4, 230 pound receiver, nicknamed "The Freak," inked a four-year, $47.5 million contract extension following a trade from the Broncos to the Dolphins this offseason.

Sox Lose 12-6, Twins Lead Division

Freddy Garcia surrendered 6 earned runs in 2.1 innings Tuesday.

On a warm night in Chicago, White Sox starter Freddy Garcia was cold and the Twins took advantage of not just the Sox’s pitching, but sole possession of first place in the AL Central.

"It was a very, very bad game from the beginning," Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen said.

Joe Mauer went 3 for 5
with 3 RBI's Tuesday.

Garcia could not get through the third inning surrendering six earned runs on eight hits. Joe Mauer’s hot bat was as sizzling as the Chicago humidity, recording three RBI’s in the first two innings. Jim Thome and JJ Hardy went yard along with Mauer as the Twins built a 5-0 lead and sent Garcia to the showers.

Tony Pena came in but could not put the Twins’ bats at bay. Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer doubled to deep right scoring a pair and also sent one into the bleachers in the 6^th after Carlos Quentin countered an inning before with a three-run homer, his twenty-third of the year. Twins led 10-3 halfway through the sixth.

Guillen was not pleased and understands these Twins are no pushovers. "It was so boring, I was checking the scoreboard for no reason, and I see the Twins are 14 games over .500 against the Central (30-16)…That's the reason they're in first place right now."

Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in a 12-6 loss.

Sox catcher Ramon Castro took a more proactive approach to tonight’s beating, "(It) was one of those days where nothing worked for us. They were hitting everything. Tomorrow is another day."

Whenever the Sox got close, the Twins added insurance and made the game that much more out of reach. When the Sox put up three runs in the second, the Twins progressively answered with five runs over the next four innings. When the Sox scrapped two runs together in the sixth, the Twins responded with a Jason Kubel homer in the eighth. 

With eight games remaining against a tough ball club in Minnesota, it is no time to get down. Paul Konerko, who had two hits and an RBI, said afterwards "You keep battling. There's a lot of battling left. You want to win a series and we can still do that."

John Danks (11-8) will try to get the Sox back to their winning ways tomorrow against the Twins’ Glenn Perkins. Perkins has not pitched since August 8^th of last year.

Kravitz Lights Up Midwestern Suburban League

With ex-minor leaguers and high school greats around him, Adam Kravitz has put a whole new feel to the MSL.


Kravitz, a University of Kansas alum and an employee at Benefit Express, has always had a love for baseball. Ever since his T-Ball days, he has always played the game with heart and toughness.

But he is always his biggest critic. "I should be doing a lot better" he says.

Kravitz had played throughout high school and made the varsity team his junior year at Stevenson High School in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Unfortunately, his talents were only seen in one area and Kravitz was used as a base stealer more than an every-day player. Although he always felt he played at a high level, Kravitz stayed out of the spotlight of stirring up drama and always put the letters on the front of the jersey before the one's on the back. When asked if he addressed his coaches about the matter, he simply said, "Nope. Any opportunity I got I took full advantage of." Like a true team player would.


When asked if it was frustrating, he said, "Imagine being told your senior year that your services would be better put to use running track when all your life you play baseball." So Kravitz did what coach told him to do; pinch-run for the pitcher and catcher his junior year, and give up on his longtime sport to run track his senior year.


The 6'0, 190 pound outfielder considers base stealing an art, however. "(It's) the thrill of taking what most can't. You have to beat two people in order to get it; the pitcher and the catcher. And it becomes an intimidation factor and you start getting in the pitcher's head...Its a good laugh when you know you've gotten into a pitcher's and catcher's head."

Kravitz is currently hitting .388 with a slugging percentage of .592. He leads the National League in stolen bases with 24, ten more than the next behind him. He has cracked the top ten in doubles, triples, and walks as well.


So how could all the benching and being put into games in such a minor role have such a little impact on a young high school athlete? Didn't it motivate you at all? "No" he said.


Then what is your motivation? He answered, "I hate losing. And I love playing the game."

The Running of the Bulls in 2010

In an off season where LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade were all free agents, the Chicago Bulls saw the summer of 2010 as a major opportunity to rebuild and ressurect the golden years of Jordan, Pippen and Jackson. With the signing of James and another maximum salary contract player, the sorrow of players such as Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jay Williams and Marcus Fizer would be long forgotten.

To the people of Chicago, it inspired hope in a city that is thirsting for their Bulls to strive for an NBA championship.

Speculation grew day after day that the Bulls were front runners to land the most coveted free agent in NBA history. The majority of analyst’s from media outlets such as ESPN and NBA-TV, along with newspapers delivered to doorsteps and columnists at the click of a mouse, pitched their argument for why the Bulls had the most ready core of players to win a championship.

When the dominoes of Wade and Bosh fell, LeBron made his selection. In front of a national audience, “The King” announced his “Decision” to form a monstrous trio in South Beach. Video from New York, New Jersey, Cleveland, and Chicago displayed faces of disappointment. In Miami however, there were signs of the best party on Earth.

Maybe it was the jumping-for-joy that Heat fans possessed. Maybe it was the meetings Bulls management had with the three superstars that went south. Whatever the case may be, the Bulls did not sleep and let the hangover of James’ decision affect their plan. General Manager Gar Forman and Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson wiped money off their books to go all-in this summer. If they could not finish number one, was number two that far out of sight?

First things first, upgrade the frontcourt. Forman and Paxson tried to lure LeBron James by signing former Cavalier teammate and Utah Jazz big man Carlos Boozer, a 6’9, 266 pound workhorse that has averaged a double-double in five of eight seasons in the pros. Most notably, Boozer put up 32 points and 20 boards on January 20^th of the 2003-2004 season with Cleveland. Unfortunately, just one day after signing Boozer to 5 years/$80 million, James signed with Miami.

What Boozer Brings: Picture a better mans Drew Gooden. He can hit the deep jumpers Gooden took with more consistency. Boozer possesses a will to go hard in the paint and has developed a nice soft jumper that extends beyond the free throw line. Look for big numbers.

Maximum salary players such as Amar’e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, and David Lee all fell into place with other teams. Time was not running out for Chicago, nor was the money. With a need for shooting guards and a small forward to take some of the burden off of an injury-plagued and underachieving Luol Deng, Chicago made another splash in free agency.

Tuesday, July 13^th. Chicago inks sharpshooter and three-point wiz Kyle Korver for 3 years/$15 million. It seemed like a no-brainer teaming up with former Jazz teammate Carlos Boozer and staying near his family, who reside in Pella, Iowa. Korver, 29, is coming off a career year shooting 53% from long range during the regular season and 47.8% in the postseason.

What Korver Brings: The signing of Korver can only better the team if he lives up to his 3-point hype. Boozer has said, “When he is on, he’s on.” This could only do better for a team that struggled from 3 at times in regular and postseason playoff. If Korver can provide consistency from downtown, defenses will have to adjust on the double-teaming of Derrick Rose. Another plus, Korver fits new Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau’s offensive scheme of drive-and-kick basketball that is his main emphasis.

To provide more depth, Bulls management recognized another opportunity to improve their field goal percentage (45%; 23^rd overall) and perimeter shooting (33%; 28^th overall) by adding JJ Redick. The offer: 3 years/$19 million. Because Redick was a restricted free agent, the Bulls could only make an offer to the 6’4 two-guard. His former club, the Orlando Magic, had seven days to either match the offer and retain Redick or let the Bulls sign him to their respective offer. Orlando decided to retain the former College Player of the Year and leave the Bulls to fish around for other shooting guards.

Enter Ronnie Brewer. At 25, he is not considered the most talented player in the NBA. He does not possess the best touch with the basketball, nor the best dribbling. So what does he possess? How about putting the team first instead of a me-first mentality that many of these highly touted free agents maintain.

“I feel I can elevate my game to whatever coach (Tom) Thibodeau needs…If he wants me to rebound and push the ball, I’m comfortable in that role. I can initiate offense as I did in Arkansas and a little in Utah…I let the game come to me. I don’t try to force things.”

What Brewer Brings: Brewer provides length at 6’7 and has guarded some of the toughest players to take the court. He is bigger than the franchise’s best defender the past seven years in Kirk Hinrich (6’3) and hustles. He is a player that is very coachable and will dive for loose balls. Not a flashy player, but certainly loves to throw it down on the fast break.

Basketball is a game conducted by five generals on the wooden floor playing as one sound, cohesive unit. The patience of a long season and the trials and tribulations of every game supply a team with chemistry to get not only their bodies through eighty-two competitions, but their minds as well. The goal is to win a championship for the city of Chicago. The bus is in motion towards the right direction.

Cubs Put Bats on Display, Win 15-3

Lou Piniella applauds his team's efforts as the Cubs won 15-3.

Put all thoughts behind.

Put the 47-61 record behind.

Put the 13.5 games back in the National League Central behind.

Put the seven game skid behind.

For one night, the Cubs razzled and dazzled the crowd of 38,401 at Wrigley Field and tapped the Brewers 15-3 in the most impressive victory of a season full of disappointments than triumphs.

Tyler Colvin led off the scoring with two outs in the third with a solo shot to the right field bleachers. Colvin, who hit 16 Home Runs in 2006-2007 with two minor league ballclub’s, hit his career-high 17^th. 

Aramis Ramirez is greeted with handshakes after his

pinch-hit Home Run Wednesday, his first since July 20th

After the Brewers put up a three-spot in the fifth, the North Siders stormed back putting up six runs just an inning later. Cubs manager Lou Piniella would say “that was a big inning for us.” With Starlin Castro and Marlon Byrd on board, Geovany Soto continued his hot hitting from July where he hit .315 to score Castro and move Byrd to third. Newcomer Blake DeWitt added an RBI of his own and Jeff Baker capped off Brewers starter Manny Parra’s outing to score Soto and give the Cubs the upper hand 4-3. Aramis Ramirez followed with a pinch-hit 3-run homer to center, his first since July 20^th when he slugged a trio of homers in one game.

With two on in the bottom of the eighth, Soto’s hot bat did not let up as he belted his fifteenth long ball to increase the Cubs’ advantage 10-3 off of former teammate LaTroy Hawkins. Hawkins then proceeded to plunk Alfonso Soriano and home plate umpire Tom Hallion sent him to the showers early. Brewers skipper Ken Macha would be next to get ejected for arguing.

Carlos Zambrano’s made an appearance in relief throwing a scoreless seventh. He is scheduled to start Monday in San Francisco.

After a commanding 12-3 lead, DeWitt, whose lone Home Run on the year came June 4^th, knocked one into the right field bleachers and made it 15-3.

The offense was astounding and completely overshadowed the pitching of Ryan Dempster. The 33-year old righty went six strong innings with three unearned runs on three hits while fanning five. Dempster received his 9^th win of the season, his first since July 15^th against Philadelphia.

At the postgame press conference Piniella said, “It’s good to win a ballgame…It’s been a while.”

Yes, it certainly does.