You're not actually happy they won, are you? I hope they get swept, and after the Series, they all get busted for throwing the Series. And for steroids. And for framing Fred Smoot. And for discovering #*@#!%* Tobey Maguire and forcing us to watch him in summer blockbusters. My dislike for the Bitch Sox could be made complete if they would only sign Rivas, Lohse, and Romero.

I'm very surly at the moment, and I'm quite angry at every team that hails from Minnesota. Particularly the Gophers' special teams. And the Vikings' "special sex party" teams. Except for the Wild. Yay hockey.

Classy move Batgirl. Thanks for the congrats and look forward to another great season in the AL Central in 2006!

Gotta love AJ. He's more of a character than Ozzie, and maybe crazier than Carl.

Regarding his catcher's interfence on Steve Finley's swing, from ESPN:

"'Yeah, I felt it, but I couldn't really hear it,'" Pierzynski said after Chicago's 8-2 win over the Angels moved the White Sox within one victory of the club's first World Series since 1959. 'I mean, the only two people that knew it hit me was me and Steve. You know, we got a break. He hit it right at the guy and they turned a double play. It was a lucky break, what can you say?'

When asked if he had ever been called for catcher's interference before, Pierzynski responded 'No. And I still haven't.'"

CLASSSSSSSSSSY! Classy all the way. And talented. Kinda like Batgirl, really. Why did the Twins ever trade him? The guy's got more moxie than he knows what to do with.

Hey, now that I'm thinking about it, the Twins aren't thinking of trading Batgirl to the Gigantes, are they? Never.

If they could get Liriano and Nathan in return again, though...

And speaking of Pierzynki's overstock of moxie, check out some of his creative uses for it off the field...say, at a wild party?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/BostonFaninMichigan/pierzynskinaasty.jpg

Hope he's not hungover for the World Series!

Ah yes, and the AL central in 2006? Let's be realistic, the Sox aren't winning 99 again. It's anyone's division...as long as they don't play for that team in Kansas City or Dmitri's Kittens in Detroit.

Who couldn't root for Buehrle the friendliest ghost?

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/Pander18/mark.jpg

Not much to say really except "Yaaaaaaaaaaay".

My reply to anyone who says that it's all because of the umps? Simple.

If Vlad did anything but go 1-fer the series? Might have a case. If Chone "Choke" Figgins did anything but turn into a veritable Jose "KO" Hernandez throughout the LCS? Maybe. If their hitters didn't bat in the Christian Guzman power AND average range? Maybe there'd be a case for blaming the umps.

Calls help. Hitting against tough pitching helps more. It took the Angels timely-bad pitching (I've NEVER seen as many 0-2 hits over 5 games as the Sox had this series) coupled with overall bad hitting and shakey defense (Vlad should teach FedEx how to airmail after missing Kennedy and Cabrera with regularity) to lose this series. If anything, bad ump calls should provide an impetus and renewed focus to win the games.

The Sox dominated, plain and simple. The Angels did not deserve this series in any way.

4 games to go...an I-57 showdown would be fun.

And sorry Minnesota, I was pulling for the gophers out of habit (as a rabid illini fan, I'm used to the greater enemies being Michigan, Michigan St., and Wisconsin), and sucked that the kicker completely forgot what to do at the end. Ah well. Not sorry about the Bears winning, the Vikings should pretty much be suspended for the season for being terrible in EVERY SINGLE CONCEIVABLE DEFINITION OF THE WORD.

Ah well.

Nice touch, BG! Thanks for such a cool blog!

And your enormous wealth of creativity!

Cheers!

Sorry but at this time I have to say GO NL TEAM! Though I actually have no preference between the two. They're both good teams and we are guaranteed to have a mid-country champion for the first time since the TWINS in '91. Here's to the fall of the costal dynasties and the rise of baseball in the Central.

Congrats to the White Sox. Go show the rest of the country what a team from a "weak division" plays like.

I am very excited for the White Sox and their fans. Yes, I normally dislike the White Sox and their fans, but when it comes down to the playoffs (which we aren't in), I really like that the Central Division is showing we aren't as weak as they like to think we are.

I also like to watch my ex-boyfriend AJ on national tv (in fact last night I broke out my AJ Pierzynski jersey just for fun).

I'm also a big fan of amazing starting pitching and boy do they have it.

Curses be damned! Rivalries be damned!(at least until next year)

Go White Sox!

You're all very nice and forgiving, but I get a childlike delight out of watching the White Sox lose, so I'm going to ride that and see where it takes me. Childish? Stubborn? Selfish? Yeah, I know, and I'm ok with it.

There are certain truths in this life that we hold to be self-evident: Tom Brunansky was all sorts of cool. Bert should be in the damn Hall. Ron Gant's momentum pulled him off the bag. The Packers are sucky. So are the White Sox. The Stars can pretty much go ahead and suck it (except for anyone who actually played for the North Stars, like Modano and Derian Hatcher, who will forever be totally awesome). Rules are rules, Ladies and Gents.

You see, White Sox fans? Really, I'm respecting you. I dislike your team SO much that I'd root for Roger Clemens and something out of Texas over rooting for you. Which is really saying something. Hey, at least I care whether you win or lose, unlike the North Side of Chicago.

Remember this - it's the Chicago NL team making (and possibly winning) the World Series that is a sign of the Apocalypse. So be thankful for that.

Thanks for the props, BG. And thanks for an always entertaining website, even if it IS for the Twinkies. See you guys in '06.

That's a cheapshot, Chris. I mean, if it's childish hatred of the White Sox you are after, why alienate your biggest non-MN support group?

As one of the Sox fans that never misses reading your blog, it was nice to read the kind words. With most of the media still trying to trash the Sox, at least in one corner there was something nice.

I always cheer for the Central, and if it couldn't be the Sox, I'd have wished it was the Twins.

Next season will be interesting with a three, possibly four team race. It will only make the Central teams better.

Go Astros!

Thanks BG and all of you! Without the Twins, we wouldn't be here today. Here's a headline from the Chicago Sun-Times today:

"Sox follow Twins' path to World Series"

The key quote from the article, IMO is:

"No matter what happens from this point on, the White Sox have shown that the remodeling job manager Ozzie Guillen begged general manager Ken Williams to commission worked perfectly. The idea was to follow the successful blueprint of the Minnesota Twins, who had won three consecutive AL Central titles.

The 2005 Sox were built around strong pitching, better defense and a speed-oriented lineup -- a handful of pages torn right out of the Twins' playbook.

''We had a great tutor the last couple of years with the Minnesota Twins kicking our [butts] with that style of baseball,'' Williams said."

And AJ totally rocks!

Just wanted to add that on the field last night, Kenny Williams said (paraphrasing):

"We were kicked in the teeth a bunch by the Minnesota Twins over the past couple of years, and if you don't learn something from that, well.....you're an idiot".

Central Division rules.

Go Sox!!!

"it's the end of the world as we know it" -

That's it - I'm done till next season or at least till Twins Fest - or Spring Training -

If the Cards can't pull it out - I'm painfully rooting for the Astros - since Bagwell and Biggio - are such awesome guys - then poor Mr.Bagwell can retire - he's very broken -

Nope cannot and will not ever cheer for the White Sox

Have a fabulous off season - everyone

Much Love
Wonder Woman

I must admit that I rooted for the Angels to win this series. But after watching the games, I found myself becoming captivated by the White Sox play (crazy umpiring calls notwithstanding), especially their pitching.

Congratulations Sox fans.

If the Cardinals win the NLCS, I'll be rooting for them in the World Series. However, that's only because the Cards have been my NL team for a long time. But if not, go Sox!

k-bro

Thank you BG!!!

I'm not sure if you guys up north got much of the post game last night, but on more than one occasion Kenny Wiliams mentioned having our butts kicked by the Twins for three years as motivation for rebuilding our team (I admit watching the Sox wet themselves in Minnesota in 2003 was frustrating). Have a good (not too good!!!) off season and see ya'll next year.

GO SOX!!!

It's All (EXTREMELY!) Good

Cubsfan,

I know, I know, it was cheap, but I just couldn't resist. My sister just married a huge Cubs fan (so huge that the rehearsal dinner was brats and beer at a Cubs-Rockies game at Coors Field), and all the Cubs fans I know have always had lots of disdain for the White Sox and their fans, but they stop short of outright hatred because the White Sox are the White Sox, and they don't really matter. But hey, if I'm wrong and you totally hate them as I do, then I sincerely apologize for marginalizing your fervent loathing. I know I'd be upset if someone suggested that I didn't really dislike the White Sox. Oh, and Ernie Banks is my all-time favorite baseball player. So, yay Cubs.

And yes, I appreciate them acknowledging that they followed our blueprint. And I would have been ticked it they hadn't. That's just not a good enough reason to stop rooting against them, though. Wonder Woman, you're right. They don't stop being The Enemy because they come from our division, or because they said a nice thing, or because they have a former boyfriend who was gracious about being traded to make room for The Second Coming. Evil is evil, and if we must form a temporary alliance with unsavory Texans or some Missourians to fight it, then so be it.

Sigh.

And I thought there was no crying in baseball.

Turns out there can be.

GO ASTROS!

Sorry White Sox fans, there has been too much negativity from fans, players, and even your TV announcers for me to ever root for you guys.

When the majority of White Sox fans behave like the WS fans here I will consider it. When WS players stop going to the media and saying things like what Burhle has said when the Twins have won the division I will consider it. I know, I know you guys don't care that I'm not rooting for the White Sox anyways. I wish I could show some AL Central solidarity but I can't. Too much bad blood.

For the record I don't care if the Stros win either.

It's hockey season now. Go Gophers, Go Wild.

This is even better than our 2003 Pythagorean Division title!!! ;)

Was it you, Batgirl, who said life is like the Bitch Sox?

love 'em or hate 'em, the sox know how to play an exciting game. since it's not the twins, i'm all for exciting games. congrats to the sox.

i hope the cardinals can crank it up and beat the astros. i generally root for the underdog but i'm tired of roger clemens. retire already.

a sox/cards series would be fun. i hope they go 7 games. woo hoo!

For all of you who won't be cheering for the Sox, I understand completely. It's just not possible for many people to turn around like that.

For all of you who are pulling for the Sox for the next seven games, thank you for a little AL Central solidarity.

For all of you who had kind words for your hated rivals, you've earned my most sincere gratitude.

Here's hoping the Twins can turn it around in 2006 and can continue our fun rivalry for years to come. Until then, sorry to say this here, but GO GO WHITE SOX!

As much as I'll be cheering for whoever the national league team will be, I just have one thing to ask:

If the Bitch Sox do end up winning the WS, can they make sure that the last out is a strikeout, with AJ catching? That way AJ can keep the ball and he and Dougie will have something else in common...

Thank you, Batgirl!

The article quoted above hit the nail right on the head. The White Sox wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for the Twins showing them, most unpleasantly over the past few years, how to play hard-nosed, fundamental baseball.

This is all still sinking in over here. It's so surreal. I hope the White Sox make the other teams of the AL Central proud, and I hope that they continue to comport themselves in a way that (should) earn your respect, to the point where you cease to use the "Bitch Sox" moniker.

Classy again, BG. Thanks for the props. We in Chi-town salute you.

I'd like to reiterate that this team was built to compete with... The Twins. Your team, manager and players created this iteration of the White Stockings.

And you've gotta love AJ.

Now on to book a WS title for for Al Central!

mjm (and the rest of the South Side),

it pains me to say this, but you guys are good. this year, you played our game better than we ever did (well, your end of the season wasn't so good, but that hardly matters now). You did what we've been doing, except you guys actually have learned situational hitting (and power isn't a foreign concept to you). I hope you'll understand that despite the fact that you're good and you play smart baseball, I still really really want you to lose. Is that so wrong?

Though the calls went the pale hose way for the series and pretty much the whole year, I gotta give credit where credit is due.

The Sox pitching staff was primo. 4 complete game wins in a row. Are you kidding me? What is this, 1930 or something. Did 3 fingers Brown just pitch games 1 and 3?

Good luck to the Sox, but to be honest I'd like to see the killer B's get their rings in Houston.

I too am pulling for Astros--Bagwell and Biggio deserve a WS title!! I know that means one more for the Rocket but...it would also be ironic to win the series AFTER not resigning Kent and Beltran.

Besides, if the Bitch Sox win--then the Hawk will be even more insufferable and obnoxious next year and us out-of-towners have to listen to him on MLB Extra Innings to see Twins/Sox battles.

I've got a secret crush on steadfast kafumbly, but don't nobody tell nobody, okay?

Back to back to back to back, all aces. We're at T minus four to Ozzie is a genius liftoff. What a ball club.

It still hasn't sunk in yet...well, it's sunk in more today than it did last night, but it won't reallyt have sunk in until game one at US Cellular Saturday night.

Thanks for the good wishes.

BITCH SOX PRIDE!

Ilk

Congrats and Props to Chicago. Go Astros!!

Thanks for the kind words for the White Sox, BG.
It's been a long time coming and I can hardly believe that the Sox actually made it to the World Series. I'm ecstatic. I hope AJ and Guillen have enough tricks (or magic pixie dust) up their sleeves to pull this thing out.
For everyone out there in reader land, root for whomever you want. It doesn't matter to me. For all I care, you guys could not tune in (although you'd probably miss some excellent baseball). You must admit, though, that it's nice not to hear incessant Red Sux and yankee babble this year (although it seems as though every announcer tries to work them into their conversation). Keep loving, keep hating, keep whining, whatever. It's all for the love of the game. Here's to an entertaining World Series.
GO SOX!

Call me a sentimentalist, but I still love A.J., I like to see a great city represented in the Series for the first time since the '50s, it warms my heart to imagine Bill Veeck smiling somewhere, and I carry a strong grudge against the state of Texas. Anyway, I never rooted for Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte before; I'm not about to start now. Cheers to Chicago. Go Sox!

Just a side note...
The two best signs that I've seen at baseball games this year:
In Oakland, a group of people in Halloween costumes (a dinosaur, tooth fairy, astronaut, and Santa Claus) were holding a sign about two rows in front of me, near the left field foul pole (Carl was playing in left), that read "We Don't Believe in Carl Everett". They made the Jumbtron and even got a mention on the Chicago Tribune's sports page. What made this even funnier was that when people were heckling him (which, I recognize, is every opposing fan's duty), they couldn't pronounce Everett correctly. I mean really, how hard is it? For a group of people (possibly 40-50) to get it wrong is simply amazing. The A's fans I was with started heckling the people that couldn't say Everett. That just goes to show how ridiculous these people were (and how intelligent some A's fans are).
The second one (and possibly better) is a sign in Anaheim during game 3 that read "The Chicago White Sox, Fixing Games Since 1919" or something to that effect. Yet another excellent sign. What can I say, I'm a sucker for creativity. Anyways, thought I would share.
GO SOX!!

Flitcraft - aren't we at T-minus-4 to Ozzie is retired? Or did he back down from his words?

Chris,

Of course it's not wrong. The way these things break down is threefold: first, "I'll never cheer for my rivals." Second, "Hell, I'll cheer for my division guys." Third, "I'm not gonna watch."

I don't know many Sox fans who would cheer for the Cubs, myself included.

Oh, BTW, Chris, I am a Southsider. South Minneapolis, that is.

Dino,

Haven't you ever heard of broken campaign promises?

Sorry White Sox fans, there has been too much negativity from fans, players, and even your TV announcers for me to ever root for you guys."

This coming from a guy posting to a Twinkies blog which describes the White Sox as the Bitch Sox ever opportunity it gets. I love this blog, but I never get the ability of some of its readers to blindly ignore the fact that they do the same thing every damn baseball fan does--rip on their rivals. Please. You choose to hate the Sox because you choose to hate them. Same reason I hate all of the Minnesota teams. Just be honest.

In all honesty, I believe the best rivalries are those where you cheer for your rival when your season is over. I'm not sure where our rivalry is at this point; I don't think I'll be upset if the white sox continue to win (this year).

My favorite moment in this series was Paul Konerko's home run off Ervin 'You're not Johan' Santana. I mean, did he really have a chance in that game? Doesn't the very sound of 'Santana' make sox hitters want to get hits that much more? Only a legovision move could've saved Ervin: "I have news for you. I am not right handed."

You Twins fans deserve a better owner than Pohlad. if Terry Ryan had more money to work with, they'd win 95 games EVERY year.

In the meantime, thanks for the love for the 2005 American League Champions, your Chicago White Sox.

By the way, I agree; Hawk is a putz!

My favorite moment in this series was Paul Konerko's home run off Ervin 'You're not Johan' Santana. I mean, did he really have a chance in that game? Doesn't the very sound of 'Santana' make sox hitters want to get hits that much more? Only a legovision move could've saved Ervin: "I have news for you. I am not right handed."

Bob, I may be the only one to catch the reference, but it's genius. And I would say that's it's 'inconceivable' that the White Sox not take down that Cardinals/Astros.

What you do not smell is the hope for a World Series...odorless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in water.

Rob,

There's a difference between calling a team the 'Bitch Sox' on a Twins blog, and the bitching and negativity that was referred to earlier. Hawk, all the complaining in the past 3 years from the White Sox about being the better team but losing, etc... That's in public, for everyone to see and hear. Big Difference.

Shane, I was just going to say the exact same thing. thank you. :)

You are a better person than me in congraulating the White Sox, Bat-Girl. Me? Screw the White Sox. Eff em. Man I am really pissed. I hate those a-holes. I can't stand anyone on that team. I am going to church and pray like hell that the Astros find a way to beat those jackasses. I will be attending Novenas and just pray like hell. Seeing those assholes win a WS would be my nightmare and experience in hell.

Memo to White Sox fans. DOn't you folks have better things to do than post here?

[LESLIE, EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE AS LONG AS THEY ARE RESPECTFUL OF OTHER POSTERS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT.--BG]

Come on now, Leslie...As a fellow Twins fan I can sympathize with your disdain at the thought of the White Sox winning the World Series, especially after the utter lack of respect they've shown us the last few years. But you can't help but admire the way they've played this year (that's supposed to be our game!). And I don't see any problem with their fans posting here, especially when the majority who do so are kind and courteous...As long as they're not jerks about sharing their opinions, WHY NOT hear them out? The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned!

Memo to White Sox Fans: You're team is awesome! I'm totally jealous. I hope they lose :)

p.s. We're proud of our Batgirl...Please, continue to share her with us!

Somehow this is not a public forum? I hate to break it to you, but this is one of the biggest baseball blogs out there. It certainly is the best. Perhaps you feel this is a Twins blog and you should be able to rip on the Sox. I agree. But Hawk is our announcer. He is a Sox homer, through and through. He's not announcing on your station. He owes you nothing. He should be able to announce to Chicago White Sox fans in the way that they want to be announced to. And I want him to keep announcing the way he has for so long. If Hawk got on the Twin Cities newscast and ripped all over the Twins, I might get your point, but he isn't doing that. If you want to hear positive stuff about your team, watch it on your channel. Don't tune to ours and then bitch about the fact that our announcers don't like you.

Fact is we didn't get the respect we deserved. Now we will.

Funny thing about announcers. When I'm listening to Dick and Bert they act excited for any team making a great play. I don't think I have ever heard them refering to the Twins as the "good guys" as they go to break. And maybe Hawk can't read but it says "Twins" across the jersey not Twinkies. Instead of being a fan, they should do their job and just announce the game.

It's great that us outta area fans can still root for the teams we love. MLB TV and Gameday Audio are great things except when announcers, become fans. Its no longer as simple as saying just watch it on your own channel. If I did that I wouldn't get to see the Twins at all.

Going by what they say in the media the Sox have little class. I'm glad that the decent WS fans who have posted here have helped my view of the Sox if just a little.

If the Sox think they will get respect now I think sports writers think differently. If they agreed they wouldn't write stories like "These Sox have No Nation." I think even if the Sox win it all they will get the respect the Diamondbacks got after winning it all. Ummm...what year was that again????

i'm sorry, I was out of town. Everyone is welcome here as long as they are respectful of other posters. The Sox fans who come to this site have been terrific sports over these last two years, and I will not have them berated.