Chicago Sports Fan Blog

If you happened to be visiting the bathroom at the most inopportune time Monday or if you were bent over searching for a contact lens or if for some deeply held yet tragically misguided reason you have sworn off TV sports, let me tell you about Mark Buehrle’s fielding play.

I’m not sure I’ll do it justice. I’m not sure replays do it justice.

This was the fifth inning of the White Sox’ 6-0 Opening Day victory over Cleveland, and their pitcher was rolling along, smooth as fresh pavement. Indians catcher Lou Marson hit a hard grounder back at Buehrle, who instinctively made like Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi and kicked at the ball with his left leg. Big save.

The ball caromed toward the first-base line, and Buehrle gave chase. It looked futile, but somebody forgot to tell the Sox ace this. When he arrived at the intersection of Forget It and Dude, You Have No Chance, Buehrle scooped up the ball with his glove and, without looking, flipped it in one motion between his legs to first baseman Paul Konerko, who caught it barehanded.

Click here to read the full article – By RICK MORRISSEY of Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago White Sox Sports Memorabilia
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Below are links to memorabilia available for Mark Buerhle.

The Kansas City Royals announced Friday they traded utility player Mark Teahen to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for infielders Chris Getz and Josh Fields.


Additionally, the White Sox received cash considerations from the Royals.

Teahen, 28, who has spent his entire five-year career with the Royals, has played every position other than pitcher and catcher. In 2009, he batted. 271 with 12 homers and 50 runs batted in for Kansas City in 144 games.

In 676 career games, Teahen, who was originally dealt to the Royals from Oakland in a three-team deal that sent Carlos Beltran to Houston, has a .269 batting average, 59 homers and 293 RBI. It’s possible that Teahen could play right field next year for Chicago, as the White Sox bought out Jermaine Dye’s contract Friday.

Teahen is eligible for arbitration this offseason.

Click here to read the full article – By of The Sports Network

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During Detroit’s three-game stay at U.S. Cellular Field this weekend, the White Sox figure to be mathematically eliminated from the American League Central title race.

That harsh reality won’t prevent the White Sox from playing as if the season just started or as if a playoff berth is on the line with every pitch. At least, the 2009 finality better not change the team’s attitude, according to general manager Ken Williams.

“They better not quit. I don’t want to see any quit,” said Williams, during his 28-minute meeting with the media prior to Wednesday’s 8-6 loss to the Twins. “I won’t have people around me that quit, whether it be anybody in uniform or anyone in the front office, anyone around the organization that I hear even talking about it. I can’t be around people that quit.


Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

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John Danks knows he’s getting close to reaching his target number.


Just how close the White Sox left-hander actually winds up getting to his personal goal of 200 innings pitched this season, however, is solely up to him. But Danks, in his third big league year, certainly is going to give it his best shot.

“Oh yeah,” Danks said. “That’s been a goal of mine since I’ve got to this level. I came within five innings last year. It’s just one of those things. It’s kind of a [high] watermark for a pitcher, and I’m going to try to do my best to get here.”


Click here to read the full article – By Jesse Temple of MLB.com

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A.J. Pierzynski caught all nine innings of the White Sox 6-3 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday night at Safeco Field. Pierzynski actually delivered the game-winning, two-run single in the top of the seventh of that particular contest.


And the veteran catcher was back in the starting lineup for Wednesday night’s contest, once again staying the entire evening in the Pacific Northwest. Working consecutive night games does not stand as especially unusual for an accomplished catcher, even at this latter stage of the 162-game season when the bumps and bruises start to add up.

Playing almost every day has been the norm for Pierzynski, though, since he joined the White Sox. Wednesday night’s contest marked the fifth straight season Pierzynski has reached 1,000 innings caught, setting a franchise record in that category. Pierzynski actually has a streak of eight straight such seasons, factoring in his time in Minnesota and the one season spent in San Francisco.


Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

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Over a decade of offensive excellence, the 2009 season just might be A.J. Pierzynski’s most consistent with the bat.

But the durable White Sox catcher politely disagrees with such an assessment.

“This year I’m kind of disappointed with where I’m at right now,” Pierzynski said. “I’m having a good year, but look at my RBI total and they are way down this year. It’s been very frustrating.


Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

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Thome’s two homers, four RBI help Sox, Floyd pick up big win vs. Angels

Another victory against an elite American League team was nice, but White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has set the bar.

A .500 record won’t get it done in the AL Central, and neither will a handful of wins above .500.

“Right now, the way our division plays, you don’t know how many games you have to be over .500, but .500 is not going to win it,” Guillen said Wednesday. “Five games over .500 is not going to win it. You’ve got to be better than that. I truly believe that.”

Click here to read the full article – By JOE COWLEY of The Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago White Sox Sports Memorabilia
and other Chicago White Sox Autographs
Below are links to memorabilia available for Jim Thome.

The White Sox highlight reel from Tuesday’s 5-4 victory over the Angels before 30,228 at U.S. Cellular Field will start with Scott Podsednik’s third walk-off hit of the 2009 campaign.

And rightfully so. Podsednik’s drive lashed into right-center off of Kevin Jepsen (3-3) scored Jayson Nix, who had doubled with two outs to start the ninth-inning rally, and moved the White Sox (55-52) within one game of first-place Detroit (55-50) in the American League Central.

That tape of Tuesday’s top moments then might move to Gordon Beckham, who launched his sixth home run of the season off of Los Angeles starter John Lackey in the opening inning and singled home Podsednik with the tying run in the seventh.

Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

Chicago White Sox Sports Memorabilia
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Below are links to memorabilia available for Scott Podsednik.

The 105th pitch of Mark Buehrle’s day broke in toward Gabe Kapler, who turned on it and connected. Buehrle looked up and knew — his perfect game was in jeopardy.

Just in as a defensive replacement, Chicago White Sox center fielder DeWayne Wise sprinted toward the fence in left-center, a dozen strides. What happened next would be either a moment of baseball magic or the ninth-inning end of Buehrle’s bid for perfection against the Tampa Bay Rays. Wise jumped and extended his right arm above the top of the 8-foot wall. The ball landed in his glove’s webbing but then popped out for a split second as he was caroming off the wall and stumbling on the warning track. Wise grabbed it with his bare left hand, fell to the ground and rolled. He bounced.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Chicago White Sox Sports Memorabilia
and other Chicago White Sox Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for Mark Buehrle.

Closer leaves bases loaded; catcher throws out two runners.

For those keeping score of the games within the game during Monday’s 4-3 White Sox victory over the Rays before the fifth 2009 sellout at U.S. Cellular Field, it was Tampa Bay, which emerged with a two-dinger advantage in aggregate home run differential. The truly most important statistics during the White Sox third victory in four home games to start the second half centered on the numbers two and one. Two, as in the runners A.J. Pierzynski threw out, after the White Sox catcher had previously been successful on just 4-of-59 attempts.

Click here to read the full article – By Scott Merkin of MLB.com

Chicago White Sox Sports Memorabilia
and other Chicago White Sox Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for Bobby Jenks.