Running Diary: Chicago White Sox @ Chicago Cubs, ESPN Sunday Night Baseball

One of the most captivating rivalries in baseball concludes its first go-around of the 2008 season tonight on ESPN's nationally televised Sunday Night Baseball. The Cubs and White Sox are playing each other this weekend for the first time in history when both storied franchises are in first place in their respective divisions at the same time. The Cubbies have prevailed in the first two games of this series, one a close affair that was capped by a walk-off homer by Aramis Ramirez, and the other a prototypical Wrigley Field slugfest that saw the Cubs hit four home runs in one inning, two of them slugged by center fielder Jim Edmonds.

But tonight the White Sox look to get out of town by salvaging the third and final game of the series and keep pushing towards an American League Central Crown. The White Sox are sending veteran Javier Vazquez to the mound, a strikeout pitcher who should fare better in Wrigley than Jose Contreras did on Saturday. The Cubs will oppose Vazquez with Ryan Dempster, Chicago's most consistent starter this season and their ace by default as Carlos Zambrano heads to the DL to rest a strained shoulder.

The White Sox bring baseball's best ERA (3.44) into tonight's ball game, and the Cubs bring a highly-powered, efficiently-balanced offense that leads the National League in team batting average (.283) and packs a punch that can go 15 rounds with vintage-Tyson. Something will give, some norm must be interrupted. The Chicago Cubs (48-27) bring a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central into tonight's scuffle and the Chicago White Sox (41-33) try to protect a 2.5 game lead in the AL Central with the Minnesota Twins already winning earlier today. Lou may erupt, Ozzie may rant, regardless, we are in for a treat tonight as the Windy City is divided into North and South one more time... until next weekend.


*** All Times Pacific, All Times PM


5:00- White Sox/Cubs live from Wrigley Field! It may just be me, but one of my favorite parts of the Sunday Night telecast is the opening minute with Jon Miller setting the scene, followed by the short introductory story on the ball game. Tonight's happened to be a Cubs fan reliving the 2003 post season, a run so promising on the arm of Mark Prior, only to be derailed and unfairly place on Steve Bartman. Poor, poor man. This particular fan talked about a World Series run and what it would mean for him, his family, and the experience he would share with his son. See how much this means to Chicago? Love this stuff.

5:10- ESPN has really gotten high-tech this year with these pregame segments they do, particular with Peter Gammons. We now have a slideshow/soundtrack to go along with the voice of Gammons, who dissects one of the main issues for the game or one of the teams. Gammons is the best journalist in baseball, and that is no disrespect to any of the others, that is just how well he is at his job, the respect he gets from players and other media members, and his passion for baseball that drips from his veins. It is apparent he is relentless in his pursuit of baseball mystique.

Gammon's intro regarded the track White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has taken this season, the ups and downs and all the words in between. Ozzie will be Ozzie just as much as Manny will be Manny, and I don't really find a problem with it because for the circus that he causes in the clubhouse sometimes, he provides an equally good distraction when the team isn't playing well, which allows the players to get back on track. Plus, Ozzie backs his players, he just is known for his unusual way of motivating, based on his personality. In my opinion, Ozzie catches too much of a bad rap sometimes, but other times he does need to quiet down. It is a relationship of good and evil, the frustrations and the laughs wrapped in one.

5:17- Ryan Dempster and the Cubs take the field, threatening skies have parted and scattered showers have passed. Time for baseball. Dempster brings and 8-2 record to the mound with a 2.76 ERA. Dempster, who ranks fifth in wins in the NL in 2008, is 8-0 at Wrigley Field this year and has a career 3.66 ERA at the Friendly Confines.

5:23- It took us four pitches before the first discussion regarding A.J. Pierzynski, the nemesis and the teammate. This is always a story line since it appears as Pierzynski is the most hated player next to Barry Bonds. Fans and opposing players find him annoying and he often rubs people the wrong way. Joe Morgan is quick to point out that his teammates aren't bothered by him, and that is what truly matters. Personally, I can see how Pierzynski rubs people the wrong way, and I can see how fits well into a clubhouse. He is an aggressive player, who makes a lot of savvy decisions on the field and is not afraid to take chances and stick up for his ball club. Many people view some of the plays he is involved in as controversial-- one happened the other day when he tagged Jason Marquis after he touched first base because he thought he had mad a move towards second base, and the umpire agreed with A.J.-- when in reality they are just heads up. It is not his fault he is more aware than the opponent. That is what people need to realize. There is nothing cheap obnoxious about trying to gain every inch in the game, which is what every team is ultimately trying to do.

5:28- The White Sox take the field after a couple hits in the first inning, but a Jermain Dye 4-6-3 double play ended the threat. Javier Vaquez is on the mound for the White Sox. Vazquez is 7-5 with a 4.13 ERA in 2008. Vazquez is a power pitcher who has the ability to strike guys out, but he is downfall is command. The walks will haunt him, and he promptly puts Kosuke Fukudome on base with the first four pitches of the game.

5:33- Big Bopper number 1, Derek Lee, singles up the middle to drive in the first run of the game, getting the already vigor crowd to open up even more. Orlando Cabrera muffs the throw back to the infield, allowing Corey Patterson to come in with the Cubs second run. The biggest story of the ball game will be the crowd, as the first two days at Wrigley have been like Mardi Gras, Chicago-style. There are plenty of fans from both teams, and that is what makes these games so special. The Wrigley crowd is a cross between a fantasy baseball draft and a college fraternity party. They surely know their baseball, and they aren't afraid to crank up the volume and let you know about it.

5:40- The Cubs get two in the first inning, and so far Vazquez's command issues have trumped his stuff. He walked the first two batters of the game, which prompted a quick visit from Ozzie. Can you imagine what Guillen says during that visit? Talk about taking simplicity and colorful language to a new level. But it is not just the walks that are telling; Vazquez's pitches that have been called strikes have been primarily up in the zone and the Cubs hitters so far are looking like the Senator's who questioned Roger Clemens a few months ago: Just swingin' away!

5:50- Dempster is looking sharp in the second inning, and this allows us to take a quick moment away to discuss something I left out of a previous post regarding C.C. Sabathia and his trade market. I broke down the some possible buyers and sellers, but I failed to mention the Cubs, mainly because I thought they look so good and are so well put together that it wouldn't make sense to break their system and their bank to bring him in with no guarantee of signing him long term. Not to mention that the Cubs have spent mega-dollars recently on Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Zambrano, etc.

But with Zambrano on the DL, many people believe that the Cubs who be the hottest pursuer of Sabathia if and when he is put on the trade market. I like the idea of getting him for the Cubs because he provides insurance in case Zambrano's shoulder issues actually do end up to be something more than minor, and also a Sabathia/Zambrano tandem will bode well if the Cubs have to face the Webb/Haren tandem from Arizona in the playoffs. But, then again, who wouldn't like to have Sabathia? Yes, it would be a great boost, but that isn't news. I think the Cubs have enough pieces in place when Zambrano is healthy, and all signs point towards he will be. They should keep their prospects, and if they feel they have the resources to afford Sabathia, then they may make a run at him during free agency. If a sensible trade proposal is in the works, then by all means, make the deal. Any contender would do that. But my point is that the Cubs seem to be one of the contending teams that can win with or without Sabathia.

6:00- Kosuke Fukudome, the most fun name to say in baseball by the way, has been the biggest addition to the Cubs lineup this season. At a quick glance, you would see him as just a quality player to round out a lineup, which he is, but he is more than just the fifth threat in the lineup. He has proven to be much more important for the Cubs than I originally thought. He is a poor man's Kevin Youkilis with less pop, but his role his skill set fits the Cubs perfectly.

Fukudome has scored 49 runs this season, and his .405 OBP ranks seventh in the National League. Fukudome walked to lead of the game, and then came around to score on Lee's single. That was played exactly to Lou Pinella's playbook. Even though he struck out in his second at-bat, he worked the count to 3-2 and was caught looking by a nasty two-seam fastball on the inside corner from Vazquez. Fukudome doesn't need to hit home runs, and the fact that he knows that makes him a perfect fit for the Cubs. He is a great catalyst, and by getting on base in front of Lee and Ramirez, provides the Cubs with ample scoring opportunities. His play is imperative while Soriano is out, and Chicago will be that much dangerous when Soriano returns from his broken hand. 2-0 Cubs after two.

6:12- More screen time for Peter Gammons means another one of his "video-stories". This one covered Dempster's transition from closer to starter, and how reliable he has been for a club and a city that is so reliant on the arm and energy of Carlos Zambrano. Dempster may only be a seat warmer for the "ace" title of the rotation while Zambrano is out, but in a sense he certainly has become the legs and backrest of a rotation that will be counted on to lift the Cubs through the post season. How is this for Dempster's first year back in the starting rotation (National League rankings): 4th in ERA, 3rd in WHIP, 2nd in hits per nine innings, and has averaged more than 6 innings per start for 15 stars in 2008. Lets just say he is making himself a lot of money and is substantially reducing the number of Fatal Heart Attacks That Happen in Chicago Due To Cubs Games.

6:22- Sometimes I get caught up in the details of the game, the minute happenings that many don't see, or I just have too much appreciation for some of the simpler things. Whatever the case, this is one of those times, as I marvel at how elegantly Derek Lee plays first base. Keep in mind that Lee is 6'6" tall, and yet he has some of the best feet around the bag in baseball and he has the hands of a middle infielder-- well I guess I should say the hands of a first baseman since it is they job to pick balls out of the dirt. Lee saved Aramis Ramirez like a defender in basketball who shifts over to help on weak-side defense or to pick up a screen. Lee dug out a horrible throw from Ramirez in the fourth inning, and it wasn't one of those easy ones that bounce three inches in front of the glove and seep into the pocket like their is a baseball-attracting magnet in there. This was a full-fledged in-between hop that Lee hung with and showed exactly why he is a Gold Glove defender. These are the little things that so magnificently complete the beauty of the game, much like a handkerchief on the outside of the jacket completes a suit. Just have to look for the details. Great stuff goes missing.

6:35- One of the better things about Joe Morgan is his impartialness to a subject. Every man holds his opinion, but Joe, as a Hall of Famer, has the baseball savvy and knowledge to analyze a game, but he also possesses the creativity to bring out the good in a story. Rarely will you see Joe, or any member of this Sunday Night Crew, harp on a negative or thoroughly ridicule a player. Criticism is fine, but ridicule just isn't necessary. There is enough of that in the world that we don't need to import antagonistic thought into the safe haven that is our world of sports.

The reason this came to mind is that Miller and Morgan were talking about one of Guillen's famous rants, and the mainstream media really made it out to be that Ozzie was ripping everybody in the organization and wasn't taking any responsibility, and that simply wasn't the case. Yes, Ozzie ripped his players, his GM, and everyone else he may see on a daily basis. Yes, it was profanity-laced, discordant, and intemperate. But it was honest and heart-felt, even if it was tied with a thick bow of brashness. But Guillen did indeed include himself in the reasons why the White Sox weren't playing as well as they should have been, and Joe made the extra effort to paint the picture with its proper colors.

6:42- Coming into tonight's game, Vazquez had a career record of 2-2 at Wrigley Field and a 4.80 ERA, and we have already passed that. Vazquez is starting to get blown out of the water. First a two-run home run by Eric Patterson made it 4-0 Cubs, then a solo shot two batters later by Aramis Ramirez makes it 5-0 Cubs in the fifth inning. That was Ramirez's fourth home run of the series, and he is ripping through White Sox pitchers like New York City goes through taxis. Like Tiger goes through major championship. Like the Boston Celtics went through the Lakers defense in the Finals. Like the New England Patriots go through video cameras. Please, stop the analogies!

6:50- Just a quick, cheap tangent about the air at Wrigley Field. A lot of these home runs this weekend have been struck well. Truly, they have. But others have been rather weak swings that should produce fly outs, not homers. I mean, seriously, Coors Field gets the bad rap for thin air, Houston and Philadelphia are just simply known as launching pads, but do you ever really hear a whole lot about Wrigley Field? I guess the combination of the wind and heat will make the ball fly, but have you been seeing the same thing I have been seeing on some of these home runs? Guys out on their front foot, waving at pitches like Eva Mendes waves when she walks down the red carpet. The end result is a pretty sight, certainly, but the act itself is rather mundane. Maybe its just me, or maybe this is just a pitcher speaking. Anyways, moving on...

6:57- Tonight is certainly an anomaly for the White Sox offense through six innings, but the credit goes to Ryan Dempster, who has been outstanding. This is six scoreless now for Dempster, and his command and execution has been superb. He is commanding his fastball, throwing his breaking stuff for strikes, and inducing some of the weakest swings I have seen on his change up. This would be an impressive performance on any given night, but the fact that he is doing it against the creme de la creme of baseball's offensives is special. The White Sox rank 6th in the American League in team batting average, 1st in home runs, and 3rd in runs scored. A powerhouse, indeed.

7:05- Carlos Quentin has one of the five White Sox hits through six innings tonight, is one of the most exciting young players in baseball today. He is the prime example of a guy who simply needs a change of scenery to break through. Quentin was a great prospect and promising young star the last couple of seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and then leg injuries put him on the back burner while Chris Young and Justing Upton emerged as the new Youth Movement in the desert. But there was never a question of whether or not Quentin had the talent or ability, he simply needed another avenue where he would be appreciated and given the chance to play every day.

White sox GM Kenny Williams made his best decision by acquiring Quentin in the off season and instilling him as the every day left fielder. Quentin so far has hit .281 with a .393 OBP, a .538 SLG, and is ranked second in the American League in homers with 17 and fourth in RBI with 56. Not to mention he plays a pretty good left field. Discovering Quentin's true abilities is like the scene in The Sandlot when Benny makes the effort to show Smalls how to catch and throw a baseball, and then the rest of the guys come around and see that he does have talent and that he is a perfect piece to round out their squad. Hey, this guy can play!

7:15- Dempster's armor is finally chinked in the seventh inning, as the White Sox cross the plate once. This is breaking news in Chicago.

7:22- Aramis Ramirez wanted to be a professional basketball player growing up, who knew? The people of the Dominican Republic told him that the way to get off the island is by playing baseball, so to the diamond it was. You may be wondering what this has to do with the game, with baseball, with anything relevant in life, and that is a valid question. So my valid answer is that this little fun tidbit spurred a conversation between Jon Miller and Joe Morgan with them trying to figure out if any NBA players have come from the island. Funny is the root of the story? Not so much. But comical is the byproduct? Of course. Oh, and Ramirez promptly doubles in another run, making it 6-1 Cubs in the seventh inning, giving Ramirez 8 RBIs in the series. Baseball was a good choice, my man, a good choice indeed.

7:30- Ozzie Guillen's comical candor is what keeps us coming back for more. A lot has been made this weekend about Guillen's comments when he said that his least favorite ballpark is Wrigley Field. Whether or not it was meant to pour a little fuel onto the rivalry fire means little, if nothing, in the eyes of Cubs fans, as they have come out in droves to stick it back in his face. Peter Gammons had to ask Ozzie to clarify his words, and this was his response:

"I don't like Wrigley because of the huge sewer rats and because they are all about celebrities over there. We aren't about celebrities at U.S. Cellular [ home of the White Sox ]. We only have politicians because politicians give you money to help you build ballparks."

Gotta love him.

7:42- Jim Thome makes his appearance for the evening, pinch hitting for Octavio Dotel in the bottom of the eighth and leading off the inning with a double into the right field corner. That was all the offense the White Sox would sniff though, like a blind dog relentlessly searching for the phantom bone. Just ain't there tonight. Dempster got a ground ball, a pop up, and then struck out Carlos Quentin to end the inning and send Wrigley Field into eruption. I wonder if Lou will let him finish off his own game, capturing his ninth win of the season and second complete game. The bullpen was busy in the eighth inning and Pinella jogged out the mound, yes, I used "Pinella" and "jogged" in the same sentence, and Dempster persuaded him to finish the inning. In memory of the old days where pitch counts didn't exist and starters were their own closers, let him complete the game Lou. (All together) Let him finish! Let him finish!

7:48- Looks like the question has been answered for us... Dempster lead off the ninth inning and looks like he will be back out to finish it in the ninth. This is what I like to see.

7:54- There's that beautiful stroke of Derek Lee's again. Lee slammed an RBI double off of the wall in right center to make it 7-1 Cubs. This came off of Bobby Jenks, and I think that pretty much completes the demolition of every arm on the White Sox staff. The Cubs hitters have treated them like a cheap pinata this weekend, and I can't imagine how Ozzie is going to respond to reporters after this one. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, they get these guys again next weekend at home.

8:02- After a ripped single by Jermain Dye to lead off the inning and an infield single by Nick Swisher, it appears as if Dempster's luck is running out and, subsequently, Lou Pinella comes to get him. Standing ovation from the packed house at Wrigley for Dempster, just the type of performance that the Cubs need while Zambrano is gone, and more importantly, down the stretch and into the post season regardless of the status of Zambrano. With two horses in these guys, and God forbid they make a play at Sabathia, the Cubs have the makings of a championship pitching staff, complemented by an extraordinary bullpen. This is 2008, not 1908. We speak the facts, not bruising memories of disdaining clubs.

8:09- Alexi Ramirez grounds into a 5-4 force out to end the game, or rather the misery for the White Sox, and begin the celebration at Wrigley. This feud is taking on a new level of intensity, one which will grow white-hot if these two teams happen to match up in the World Series. Talk about some serious baseball fun.

But for now, we have to settle with a clean sweep this weekend by the Cubs, who continue their surge towards National League dominance, and the White Sox head to play a three game series against the Dodgers before these two clubs meet again next week at U.S. Cellular Field. This is not a catastrophe for the White Sox, it only hurts a little more because it comes at the hands of Chicago's Chose One. This is merely a speed bump for the White Sox, but it is important for them to find their winning ways in Los Angeles and gain a little positive momentum that they can take into next weekend's Round 2 of Baseball's Best Kept Secret in Major Rivalries. Red Sox/Yankees, Cubs/Cardinals, Dodgers/Giants, and Yankees/Mets all have their own worthy pungency, but soon we will see more of these games, and rightfully so, as they are worthy of prime time because the passion is second to none.

Time to put this one to bed from Chicago, cheers to a great weekend of thrilling baseball, and a toast to do it again next weekend.