Friday in Chicago

Photo by sittingstill.net
Just a note on last night's game: PAPI!! That guy continues to astound - most nights, I'm standing, mouth agape, cheering his antics. Two home runs last night - one for 2 runs, the other a 9th inning grand slam. Just awesome. A close game was quickly widened into the final 12-5 margin. I just hope that the momentum carries over into tonight's game.

So, tonight we go into Chicago, and take on the 2005 World Champion White Sox. I have to admit, once the Sox were out of the playoffs last year, I didn't really watch. "I had no dog in that fight," as the locals here would say. But I have quickly overdosed on "Ozzie". The guy is a total blowhard, who's using his bully pulpit for, well, nothing. Maybe I thought him charming and amusing for a few minutes last year, but I'm totally over that. I'm no fan of Jay Mariotti, but Ozzie's remarks were inexcusible. He needs to shut up and do his job. He forces the spotlight on himself. Perhaps that is by design - as long as the press focuses on him, they don't put his players under the spotlight. But aren't those players the reason people come to the stadium?(Well not for Pierzynski - can you believe he's an All Star??)

And dont' get me started on the White Sox/All-Star team. Amazing - his own players don't get voted in, so Ozzie simply appoints them. His response? To his peers: if you don't like it, play better and replace me as manager next year. It's especially upsetting to RS fans, because Francona was given no such leeway last year. What's changed?? Or is it that Ozzie is simply more "assertive" than Tito?

I can't believe Ozzie's egotism will be tolerated for long. The "Ozzie Show" will continue to be tolerated as long as he continues to manage a winning team. But as soon as the team starts losing, I imagine Ozzie will find himself as a third base coach in Kansas City or Tampa Bay. And baseball will be better off.

Rant ended - go RED Sox!