Boski's Blogopoluza!

I think I have a case of the Monday's. Well it does not help it was damn ass hot while working in the yard. I am now fighting with a toilet in the house, and it may get to hand to hand combat. And to top it the White Sox lost 2 out of three to the Constitutional Monarchs including a Sunday free-for-all. A loss that is going to sting in a couple of ways. One, that loss lead to the Sox slipping out of first, and a possibility of a long suspension of Ozzie Guillen because of this gem. (Yahoo Sports) Hey, you have to appreciate his honesty.

The White Sox somehow are still holding on the AL Central lead, thanks to the Twins falling on their face of late. I have a feeling I should start working on picking out a name for my future ulcer. Even if the White Sox get lucky win the AL Central over the under achieving Ninjas that are the Twins, they will not make easy.

Look I know I should be happy since I expected to ready for football by June 1st, but like usual I am not.

Thank you Mr. Sikahema for doing what a lot of people have always dreamed of doing. (Yahoo Sports)







This is why Vai kicked ass on Special Teams.


Feel the fury of the Sikahema!

I know I have not been chatting about baseball of late.



As a White Sox fan this weekend may be a low point. A point I have not seen since the late 80's. Which were the Dark Ages. Just imagine the world of Theodoric of York. This weekend is being swept by the Cubs bad, but the Red Sox treated us baby harp seals. I think Mr. Tobin puts it best with his recap. (Bugs and Cranks)

But things with baseball have not been a total loss of late.

Tuesday, thanks to my wife, we enjoyed the Anaheim Angels of Los Feliz, by way of Long Beach beat the tar out of the Yankees. The Better Half was beat from work, so we took off before watching Garrett Anderson collect his 10th RBI. But we enjoyed chilling in a Suite, at the Big A of Burbank.

Now I have been fortunate to have watch a NBA game from a Suite. Sadly that was Donald Sterling's Suite at the old Sports Arena which was great, if it was still the 60's and if one liked being as far away from the floor as possible.

I have been in one for a football game, which was alright, but since it was in San Diego I could not enjoy it. One being it was the Chargers, and two was spending most of the 2nd half worrying about when we need to go, so we would not be stuck in the parking lot at the Murph for days. I am sure there are worse parking situation at other stadiums, but San Diego has to be in the top 10. I mean I had trouble getting out of there for Padres game during the Fire Sale years.

Until this past week I had not done it at baseball game. Well that is not entirely true. I have eaten Prime Rib at the Dodgers Stadium Club for a game, which was surreal. And then there was the suites at the Big A. A friend of mine's dad company had a suite for one season, but they never returned the keys. And as we would find out they did not change the locks. So one Sunday afternoon during a Blue Jays/Angels tilt, we ventured to see if it would work. So we snuck to the club level (Oh the days of ticket upgrading, when it use to be a subtle art) Then a couple of us snuck into the section to see if there was anyone in the suite. After our recon, we tried the lock and we were in. Alright this is great we in a suite this is awesome and we are going to live large. Then it hit us. As we rummaged through the suite we realized that it was nearly bare. We did find something. We found condiments. No food, no drink, just condiments. And since we were all broke it began to take a shine off the suite. But we pooled our cash and got popcorn, which was to use on the condiments. A barbaric practice, I know and one I could not be a part of. I am still a little queasy thinking about relish on popcorn. The other item that made the suite more Sweet & Low was the level of paranoia we had that we were going to be rousted. So anytime there was a sound at the door we were all looking for cover like a Bush Appointee when asked a direct question. Thankfully we did not get caught.

We did try it one more time and it was pretty much the same as the first, well expect for the popcorn. We grew tired of it and realized that we should be with the people. Also they finally changed the lock. Even though it was not as cool as we hoped it was still fun since it was like the forbidden doughnut.

All of this leads me to Saturday Night where my wonderful wife obtained tickets for another suite and we were able to find friends and it was a great experience. Even thought the Suite was in the left field corner, it was still a great view of the field. We had decent food and plenty of drink. I got to catch up with some friend and repay others who have scored me tickets in the past. It was nice sitting in AC comfort, eating taquitos, watching the NFL Network, and talking sports with friends. You could not ask for more, you could but they are very strict about shooting fireworks from the suites.

I now have to get back to work and try to forget about the mess that is Chicago White Sox Baseball.

this is something I have wanted to do for the longest time.



I would love to take batting practice on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. Set up home plate on the Corner of S. Casino Center Drive and Fremont right at Binions. For some reason I have a the great desire to hit baseballs and watch them hit off





Found on Flickr from this guys collection


Maybe it some deep seeded resentment of how the Irish are characterized, maybe it's some self hate. Who really knows. I just know that I have always wanted to hit baseballs there and watch them bounce off the hotel and the overhang, if I could even hit that far.


I could never hit for power. Hell I do not think I have ever really pulled a ball, baseball or softball. Everything is up the middle and to the right side. I blame Charlie Lau and Walt Hriniak for that.


I know, I know I should be committed.

Those bastards from What If Sports have me hooked on the crack they peddle.

Sure I have dabbled with their game simulator. Hey, I have always wanted to see an epic battle between the 1978 Brewers and the 1937 Pirates. So till I get a time machine, can you tell me a better way?

I thought so.

So I got sucked into a baseball league. Sure they said it was free, but they always say that the first taste free.

I have assembled a team of White Sox greats and not so greats, to play in this simulated league. Think of a geekier version of fantasy baseball. It simulates 3 games a day, against other disturbed individuals like myself.

I am so hooked. When I come in to work, it is the first thing I check. When I get back from lunch. I check. When I am walking out the door I check. I tinker with the roster kicking myself for taking Scott Radinsky circa 1992. Should have sucked it up and got the 1991 model.

I am blaming the 2007 White Sox and their putridity this season for all of this. They have been playing god-awful it hurts to watch. I do not want to totally ditch baseball yet, but since the Sox are floating near the to top of the tank and only about 45% of the football preview mags have been released, I need something to hold me till football.

So in short I need professional help.

The White Sox handed the Yankees another loss. YEAH!

A nice homestand, they took two out of three from the Constitutional Monarchs (Royals) and now 2 of three from the very expensive dog with expensive fleas (Louis Vuitton fleas to be exact).

Hey George, do you still have a receipt for that mess?

(Boski types knowing that he will provoke the baseball gods in lifting the totally ungrateful Yankees to yet another postseason, all the while the White Sox implode)

I will say, that somehow by the grace of the man or woman upstairs, and some great pitching, the Sox have drug themselves above .500. Last year the Sox bludgeoned their way through 3/4 of the season to have it go up in flames. Now if they can just get some find the medium they found in 2005, this team may have just a chance at the postseason. Now they must travel to Wrigley to battle all that is evil, the Cubs. Which leads me to my annual " the White Sox must beat the Cubs or civilization as we know it will end" tirades,. I know it is a bit much, but don't be scratching your head when there is a plague of locus upon the land.

I loathe the Cubs, sure I am not from Chicago and I really should not care, but I hate the Cubs. They are pompous, arrogant blowhards. Sure Wrigley has history and it is quaint but I am tired of being told how great the stadium and those fans are. I refuse to accept it. Look binge drinking and lazy grounds keeping does not equal great baseball. It is what is done inside the lines that matters.

This year, if the Sox can beat on the Cubs it will please me even more, since it will piss off the "genius" that is Lou Pinella.

And that it was Sammy "Watch me forget how to speak English when I am asked about steroids" Sosa who broke it up, but it was rewarding to see Sammy getting picked off for having a brain fade.

Suck it Sammy!

So let us give Mark Buehrle a nice hand for the No-No he tossed last night.

Let us hope that this kick the White Sox in ass, and gets them going on doing what must be done. And that is to overtake the Politically Incorrect's, Twinkees and the Pitty Kittys.

Hello teens, sorry I have been away, it has been hectic at work and at home. Last weekend and until Midnight Tuesday Team Boski was prepping the house for a house guest and since we had a lot of stuff to move. But enough of that and lets talk some baseball.

Ah yes it is Opening Day and I am excited, not at the fevered pitch I use to be as young lad, when Opening Day was the one day the White Sox were not eliminated from playoff contention. This year it is more trepidation since the White Sox had a scintillating Spring Training where they went 10 - 22 - 1. Most of those beating where at the hands of D'Backs and Rockies. Since those and two and '27 Yanks are mirror images I really should not be worried.

Right now I am both angered and scared by many of the preseason projections. Sure there were a couple that have the Sox winning, but most say 4th, including Baseball Prospectus that has the Sox going 70 - 92. Which would be great news for the Broncos, since it will mean more time getting excited about them. The other scary thing is this team may have a good season and still finish 3rd, since the AL Central has four teams that can make a case for the title and I hate it.

This years Sox team has so many questions:

1. Have Buehrle and Contreras hit the wall? Mark has no velocity and Jose looked awful in the second half. I pray that they can forget 2006.

2. Is it Podsednik or Podsedsuck? Last year was a disaster, sure he drove in some runs, but that is not his job. His job is to be a pest, get on base and help manufacture run. They were 24-6 in games he swiped a bag, but too many nights you could find his name next CS. Also Scott, I love you but you D last year was so bad that Jose Canseco squirmed.

3. Speaking of D - Mr. Mackowiak you are going to get yourself killed out there either by the ball, Ozzie or a rabid Sox fan, so please, please use your glove for good. That goes for everyone else, please.

4. Building a bridge - Hopefully this team can get back to getting starters getting throw Complete games, but since that won't happen I will settle for getting to the 7th. Because what killed this team was the bullpen was awful. Too many guys pitching too many inning and pitching them terribly. Jenks had to do too many Inning plus appearances and he ran out of gas. So this year we will see if power arms Kenny has brought in will work. The key to me is the two lefties. If Sisco and Thornton can be effective that will be huge. Cotts could not never get out of Jury Duty. McDougal will be the Set-up man and Bobby will close it. Ozzie and Don, make this work since I do not want to see the Charlotte Shuffle this season.

5. Javy, just throw %$#*ing strikes, have confidence in your stuff and also you have people playing defense behind you so let me work for you. You got an extension and a live arm, so use it!

6. Manufacutre Runs - The Sox got too comfy with the big inning. Look this team beat the World Champs silly last season and it got us no where. This team O is still potentially potent, but we need to create runs when guys are not hitting. Which leads me to.

7. Get back to winning the close ones. The Sox won it all in 2005 because it played playoff baseball as soon as they broke camp. This goes back to pitching, defense and get runs when the hits are scare.

8. Toby we hardly knew ye - The Sox brought in someone to spell A.J. (Please hold your boos to the end) but that possibly ended with his shoulder popping out. So to start the season the Sox will have to roll with Gustavo Molina. No he is not a part of the Catching Molina's. So if everything works out Toby will be back by May. If not the dreaded call for the Zombie Sandy Alomar Jr. will be made and nobody wants that.

9. Ozzie - I love Ozzie, I don't love everything that comes out of his mouth, but he is what this organization needed when he was brought in. Ozzie please get this team to focus and back to playing that brand of ball we all know and love. It does not have to be pretty, just get the W's. Also Ozzie, let Brian Anderson play, the kid plays D and he will hit, have faith.

10. Darin Erstad is still alive? Look guys I love grinder ball, but Darin is busted up. I will be happy if he can be the new Ross Gload.

11. Is it wrong to hope that all the AL Central other than the Sox suffer from bad soup all year?

So the time has come for the questions to be answered. Oh wait as I type the Sox are already down to the Casino Owners. Great.

Well here is my lame-ass baseball predictions. If I had done this a couple weeks back it would have been better when I was prepping for my baseball draft, but I have been neck deep in NFL Draft stuff. Ask me who the Broncos should take I can answer that, but we are hear to talk baseball.

NL West

1. Dodgers - Love their pitching now if they can scrap enough runs together they win the division and maybe do some damage in October
2. Padres - Great pitching, but Wells and Maddux are not going to do it.
3. Rockies - I have been hearing the buzz and I think they are do to at least stay in the hunt till Sept.
4. D'Backs - Moving in the right direction, they are putting together some good young players.
5. Giants - Sorry Silly, but this team is too old. Love Bochy as manager, but they need to get Barry to 756 and then start building.

NL Central

1. Milwaukee - No I have not been drinking, I am just trying to be cool. If Shield can stay healthy they will make the post season for the first since Pete Ladd walked the earth.
2. "Gulp" - Chicago Cubs - I hope I am wrong. I would love nothing more than see the Cubs finish 0-162.
3. St. Louis - Showing that getting hot at the right time can go a long way. But I think they may not have enough arms.
4. Houston - Carlos Lee $100 Million. Really? I hope you kept your receipt
5. Cincinnati - I am curious to see if they can stay in the hunt with only two starter, no real closer and about 15 middle relief guys. Also Ken Griffy Jr. has been injured twice since I started this entry.
6. Pittsburgh - Arrrrrr it tough being a Pirate.

NL East

1. New York Mets - We will see what this team is made of after losing the NLCS. I think they will spring back
2. Philadelphia - Again will knock on the door, but will they get in?
3. Atlanta - They made some nice moves, but not enough to get by Philly or New York
4. Florida - great young talent, but they are down this far because I loath the MIL from the Bay Area is a fan.
5. Washington - Cue the Comic Store Guy - "Worst National League team ever!"

AL

East

1. Yankees - Will hit but can they get the pitching. They might be able to if Carl Pavano is monitored.
2. Red Sox - Loaded as well, but the key will be Schilling and not Dice-K. He has to hold up. They did make the right call moving Pappelbon to the pen.
3. Toronto - The Jays are a starter away, that and if Halladay can stay healthy. Could be a very dark horse.
4. Baltimore - Mr. Angelos please sell the team, hell sell it to Marlow. He knows how to run an operation. I would have suggested Stringer and Avon, but Stringer is dead and Avon is in lockup.
5. Devil Rays - Two words that could really help this team - Insurance Fire.

Central

1. Twinkee - Santana will pitch 140 games this year and I will spend a miserable summer as the Twins celebrate and annoy the crap out of me.
2. Pitty Kitty's - Screw the whole lot of you. May Gary be the biggest locker room cancer of all times.
3. The Casino Owners - Jacobs Park this. I hate you as well
Tie 4. The Constitutional Monarch & the White Sox - Right now the 70 - 92 that was predicted may be what we get. It is 9 - 2 already and it is not even the bottom of the third. So with that and probably an improved Royals. I see a basement in the future. Damn, damn, damn, damn it!

AL West

1 Anaheim - If they can find some hitting then they would be scary. Still they will win this division.
2. Oakland - They will miss Barry come September and October.
3. Texas - Until I see them get pitching past July 4th I will never believe in these guys.
4. Seattle - No not even the Dr's as Seattle's Grace Memorial Hospital can save this team.

Playoffs

NL

Phillies (Wild Card) over Brewers
Dodgers over Mets

Dodgers over Phillies

AL

Anaheim over Boston (Wild Card)
Minnesota over New York

Anaheim over Minnesota


World Series

Anaheim over Los Angeles

A Freeway Series or another World Series America will tune out since it will not have Yankee, Mets, Red Sox or Cubs in it. Also most of America will not care and since every game will end after 1 AM.


So please feel free to make fun of those picks, I know I will. Excuse me I have to get back to crying under my desk as the White Sox get Little Big Horned today.

I am wondering if Met fans from the 80's who have kids, command those kids to boo Daryl Strawberry's kids who plays for Maryland?

Just curious.

My favorite Darryl Strawberry moment. Me and a friend of mine went down to see the Padres opening day in 1994. We would have gone to see the Angles play, but some moron could not read a newspaper, and yes that moron was me.

The game was done and we were sitting in the parking lot at the Murph (it will always be the Murph). These were the days before they put in the red car line. Back in the day when it took you about three and a half days to get out of the parking lot. So we were listening to Sports Talk. It was an L.A. Station and they were talking about Darryl going into rehab, after missing a Freeway Series game to score some blow at one of the many motor lodges near Disneyland. I forget the name of the place, but it may have been the Ivanhoe Motel, the same place Tony Phillips got some Colombian Marching powder.

The host of the show had Tommy Lasorda (I don't hate Tommy, but I always love that scene) on. And Tommy is trying to explain that he feels bad for Straw and that he is glad to get help and what the Dodgers were going to do. Tommy being the positive person he is (Tommy never liked to put anyone down, even opponents. . .okay most times) But a call comes in and it is from a transplant from NY and the guys starts yelling,

"Daryl is a dog Tommy, he's a dog!"

So him and Tommy go back and forth and the host is just laughing. Me and my friend were rolling as well. To this day we anytime still yell that each other. Oh memories.

I am still sleepy from this weekend. This weekend was not wild and crazy, but still tiring.

Here are the highlights:


Friday


- The Better Half's Mom showed up to take us to the airport. As we prepared to ventured out, we nearly had a home invasion by this fellow.




At first he just sauntered up to hang with the Better Half and her mom, as they were opening up the car. All was fine until the Better Half came back to the house and opened the door. As soon as the wife opened the door. He bolted to it and made his attempt. It was an orange and white streak to the door. He nearly made it in, but was stopped, this time.

Damn him and his adorableness.


- Land at Sky Harbor and we saw NFL Hall of Famer the Minister of Defense himself, Deacon Jones. We made a halfass effort to say hello, but he seemed out of it and he still may be a little bummed with the passing of one of his fellow Fearsome Foursome.

- Got picked up by our friends and traveled to that bustling metropolis Tuscon and made it to Tuscon Electrical Ballpark for that all important White Sox/Diamondback Spring Training Battle.

- The White Sox came out and established their dominance. A dominance that lasted till half way through the bottom of the first.

- Even though the Sox, Offense, Defense and pitching looked listless it was still a great time.

- I got my first bit of sunburn of the season. That along with windburn. Man it was cold.

- Friday was the start of using and overusing the phrase for anything that did not go as planned, "well it is spring training for (insert proper noun here) them as well". It was used for the concession stand, the parking attendants, the umps, the organ player, the hotel workers and so on and so on.


- It is hard to have a bad day after a day at the yard.

- The hotel we stayed at was the home for the Colorado Rockies minor league players. I know that these were not in the big clubs camp. I don't think Todd Helton is camping at this hotel for spring. Now this place was not horrible, but not worth what was paid.

- It seems to be law that to be in the Rockies farm system that you have to walk around with your luggage or your shaving kits. I don't know why they were doing this. It was driving us all crazy, we wanted to know what was up. My guess was that they were using the shaving kit bags and suitcases to hoard food or hotel towels. Probably not, but I going to believe it.


- Attention Future Rockies, or at this point Pebbles, if you want to make the bigs, shag more grounders and spend less time on your myspace pages/looking at porn. It seemed like the players were in the "Visitor Business Center" (A small room with a computer in it) the whole time. I was tempted to bang on the door and yell "hand check", but my Spanish is lousy.


- I think Mexican food is catching on in Tuscon.


Saturday

- Another glorious day, but thankfully with less wind.


- Team Boski got Joe Crede's autograph, which was nice, but I also think it lead to him committing an error when the ball got into his jersey.

- Gavin Floyd made a bid for the fifth spot in the rotation with a couple of solid innings, but Gavin, I need to ask are you part Werewolf because there is something going on with your neck?



- Along with the good pitching it was good to see the Sox move runners, get some key hits and play better defense, especially Juan "Don't Touch My Jeep" Uribe. Who snuffed out many a D-Back rally. Which helped the White Sox finally get their first win of the Spring, even though the White Sox did a great Bad News Bears impression as they let the D-Back get back into the game, thankfully the Sox prevented an embarrassing let down with a collision at home plate resulting in the final out.


- Have I mentioned I like baseball?


- If you have not done it, and you love baseball, then you do need to go to Spring Training. You get good seats without paying an arm and a leg.


- My only complaint with the Tuscon stadium, other than no media guides, is that please tell the Air Force base not to have planes doing tricks during the games. I was got distracted multiple times watching a couple of F-4's, some F-16's and others doing some fancy turns. I just had visions of getting domed by a foul ball when I am looking at the sky.


Sunday

- I know Tuscon is not a large city, and I know a lot of things are closed on Sunday, but it was so quiet. Almost to the point of eerie.


- How did Clint Eastwood not win an Oscar for "Any Which Way You Can? The finest illegal street fighter with an Orangutan sequel ever made.


- We had not planned to see the Sox on Sunday, but wished we had as they beat the Cubs like the filthy curr's they are. But I did enjoy looking at the dejected faces of Cub fans at the airport.


- Sadly we had to say goodbye to our friends who joined us on this journey. They are great people and it was great they had time to see us and go down to Tuscon. We also enjoyed seeing their daughter who got to see her first baseball game. Out of this weekend we might have been able to talk them into coming out to see the Dodgers this August. If we don't see them


- Sky Harbor not too bad of a place to kill time.


- Saw NBA Analyst and former NBAer Mark Jackson walking through the Airport, but too scared to say anything.


So it finally came time to get on our plane and end our weekend, but Boski was able to spot one more former Athlete. Our flight had current NBA ref, former NBAer, a 1984 Gold medal winner, and a former Cal State Fullerton Titan, Leon Wood. I know, but I find it exciting. Well he is very nice guys who took time to talk to me from the plane to luggage claim. I have a VHS tape somewhere with me doing an "interview" with him when I was at a broadcasting camp back in 1996.

Okay this nonsense will cease, must get back to napping at work.

Okay I am not off to make my fortune like the Earp brothers, or to piss off dudes in red scarfs. I am off to Tuscon for some Spring Training goodness. I know I have gone on about this, but the Better Half and I are excited, since we will be with friends.

I so psyched to be watching the White Sox as they tune up for the 2007. So ready that I am in mid-season form. The Sox have played three spring training games and have lost all three, so I am ready to pulling my hair and panic.

So please help your self to the gin and the Hamburger Helper.

I would now like to add the CVS that is next to the JuiceItUp.

Last week I got over a cold that hit me hard Monday and Tuesday. I feel better but since Wednesday, but all the crud and crap of my cold decided to find shelter in my lungs so I have been coughing and hacking. I have been hacking so much I may change my name to:





I miss you Hackman, in fact in honor of you I am going to go one flap down to the copier.

But I have been having coughing fits and it is driving me up the wall. It just seems what is ever in there does not want to loosen up and get out. So at time I sound just lovely, between coughing and wheezing like a broken accordion. I don't feel bad, well expect when the coughing make my head hurt. The coughing hits me when I get up, when I got to sleep, when I finish my walk and when right before I get ready for bed.

So you asking what does the CVS have to do with this. Well the Better Half went out and got me something for my cough. We followed Mr. Chris Rock advise, it was time to get some Tussin on it. So when she gets to the CVS, which is supposed to open at 7:00 AM it is still closed. She waits and now it is about 7:15 AM. So it looks like they are taking a cue from JuiceItUp. So I am adding them to the list of firebombing. So CVS "you are on notice!"

Now that was bad enough, here is the topper. At 7:15 as my wife waited, here comes Suzy Snoozebutton from the JuiceItUp. She had abandoned her post, to come over and get $1's from the CVS, which I can understand, but then these pearls dropped from her mouth,

"Wow I thought they were supposed to be open at 7:00AM."

I don't know how my wife did not hit her with a rake or any blunt object near by. I on the other hand would have gone across the street to the equipment supply company, and run her down with one of those Bobcats.