Dan Gould

Time to wallpaper Amazon with some reviews!

What a difference a couple of weeks makes. September 25, the White Sox are in free fall, the lead just 1 1/2 games. Then the Indian centerfielder loses the ball in the sun, the Indians lose and start an epic collapse, the White Sox right the ship and now by the time this night is over could be in the World Series.

The USC-Notre Dame and Michigan-Penn State games were some of the most exciting endings I've ever seen. Unfortunately, my Seminoles couldn't duplicate the last minute heroics.

Renteria's errors were indeed surprising, if not shocking. It did come out after the season was over that he played with lower back pain for at least the last month, and had tweaked his groin with two or so weeks to go. This coincides with a comment reported in September by some NL scouts that he "looks hurt". But that doesn't explain the earlier problems. Another disappointment was his inconsistent bat which started very slowly, picked up and then dropped off again. I believe his BA was about 8 points below his last year in St Louis and his power numbers were down too. So yes, Renteria was definitely less than advertised, this year. Nevertheless, I expect that he will bounce back next year and perform much better. The biggest reason why the Sox did not want Cabrera back was his approach at the plate. For a "moneyball" team that preaches patience, working counts, taking walks, and most of all, getting on base, Cabrera is completely unacceptable. The vast majority of the time, he is a rally killer, Mark Bellhorn without the compensatory ability to draw walks. Yes, he can get hot and come up with some very big hits. But over the course of a season, the cumulative impact of his batting style would have hurt the team far more often than it helped. But no question, defensively, I dreamed many a day of Cabrera's smooth glove as I watched Renteria butcher a play that he used to make in his sleep. My only fear is that the rumors may be true, and Renteria is actually 42, not 32. Here are the stats, offensively: BA: Renteria .276 Cabrera .257 OBP: Renteria .335 Cabrera .309 Slugging: Renteria .385 Cabrera .365 Career OPS Renteria .743 Cabrera .718 Career BA: Renteria .288 Cabrera .267 The choice was obvious - even Cabrera acknowledged that Renteria is the superior shortstop. He just wasn't, defensively, this year!

My, we're a tad paranoid, aren't we? What I have yet to hear is an explanation for why the umpire kept his call to himself. No one has said that he said anything like "no catch" and its as if, because the hitter ran to first, he decides then that it was a trap and the putout has to be made. As Jim Caple writes on ESPN, the umpire is guilty of the most basic failure: The failure to state, for all to hear, what his call is. And on top of that, the umpires are simply covering for themselves in claiming that there is any "change in direction" or that the video doesn't show they fucked up, because that is what it undoubtedly shows. They ought to take a lesson from Don Denkinger (oops, now I've pissed off St. Louis fans) and not only fess up to their moment of failure, but frame a picture of that moment and hang it in their den, like Denkinger had the guts and integrity to do. In the end, I agree that the game wasn't lost on that call. Heck, in an extra inning game at home, you have to favor the White Sox especially since they hadn't used the bullpen yet. But as mentioned above, it simply sucks that the game came down to a blown call on the field instead of being won/lost fair and square.

And what was this from the umps about the tape being "inconclusive"??? The view from behind and to the right was absolutely unmistakeable: The ball went straight down into the glove.

That umpire crew - or at least the home plate ump - better never, EVER work a post-season game again. WTF is right!

Mine arrived today. Hope to listen and post by the weekend.

I kind of figured them to be the "reverse lock" and I was right. It will be tough without Colon but I don't think the White Sox will have it easy either.

Ok, I'm probably one of the bigger Sco fans on this forum, but isn't this a little over the top?? ← No more over the top than that inspiring call to arms

Yes, I often watch where you sit and when you bend down.

Mike, I'm alarmed that you have not heard the sonic pleasures that are offered by that famous organization called: ANAL CUNT. ← But if you go to see them, remember:

Yeah, me who lives twenty minutes from Marty Jazz.

Why? Number one, Steinbrenner doesn't have to fire him, his contract expires at the end of the month. But more importantly, Cashman deserves more credit than Torre for the team's return from the near-dead, cuz he was the one who had Wang, Chacon and Small to save the team. Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, it was the idiots in Tampa who said "sign Tony Womack!" Cashman has been in an impossible position for a long time: He's hardly in full control of the team, he has to battle the Tampa morons every day, yet he's the public face as the GM, he has to act as if every personnel decision was his even if he fought it from the start. Add to that the way Steinbrenner treats him, its time for Cashman to say "screw you, George" and finally get out of there. And anyway, he won't get fired. This man will get fired: So that George can bring this man back: After all, he's got fire.

Yeah, you gotta love it when the old "neighborhood play" isn't called. That one was so obvious - and yet I think if he had been making the pivot and threw to first, he gets the call. But its a simple force play so you better make damn sure your foot is on the base.

LIFE IS GOOD- THE CURSE OF A-ROD CONTINUES!!

I'm offended. She's spreading her legs. ← But she's not a repellent skank.

From the first article posted above: The byline says 10/4/2000 which means that if this is accurate, Dorn's rights to produce those tapes just expired, with what? Maybe six issued concerts?

I'm nearly certain that Dorn said in one of those goofy liner notes that he has the Left Bank tapes and that more would be forthcoming. Of course that was before he went belly up yet again.

You'd have a better chance with Small on the hill than Chacon. The Sox pounded Chacon and I won't be at all surprised if the Angels do the same. Halos in four, and the Yankee drought goes another year longer. Between that and having the Division Championship streak snapped (do NOT tell me you're "champions" based on some silly tie-breaker, the records were exactly even and because of a stupid MLB rule, it wasn't decided on the field. That makes you co-champions) I'd say a Steinbrenner eruption might still be on the way.

Well, then y'all are just about due for another one, doncha think? That said, I'm far from counting y'all out either. Boston's a proven post season contender, and I'm sure that you guys are all drooling over the idea of a rematch of last year's ALCS. So, I have to hope that Freddy works his magic on the road again today. Either Dan or I will be talking shit in about 2.5 hours or so, methinks... ← As promised, my hat's off to you and your team. Good luck the rest of the way.

I got no problem with a show that cast Joely Fisher as her best friend:

I figure that's gotta be big in getting folks there for a one-off with a new band.

No, he's not happy but he's not that unhappy yet either. We've come back twice in four years from this very same situation ... so don't count us out yet. ← I don't want to count us out either. My emotions during that fifth inning Wednesday woke the kids and made the dog incontinent. Sure the Beaners came back but if I recall correctly they had a pitcher that is sitting it out in the DR with a banana daquiri right about now. ← True. But keep in mind that the weather looks pretty bad right now ... its possible that a fifth game could have Wells going on regular rest on Monday ... and that was part of how we made it through against the Yankees last year: rain allowed them to bring Pedro back for Game 5 on regular rest. BTW, the Sox have lost three straight only twice this season, and not since July 18.