I Am a Traveler of Both Time and Space

Today is another day I hate.  It’s an off day.  I know that they’re needed, and I know the guys are traveling to Texas today, but I HATE OFF DAYS!  Another day of “Guess the Lyrics in the Title.”  I can tell how excited you are.  You know you want the shout out. 

Padres-Rockies Debate
I’m still enjoying this immensely.  Kaybee’s written me very detailed essays in, like, every post since I first mentioned it.  She’s very determined to win this battle.  But on the other hand, Tom has given me baseball butts and reminded me how good I look in purple and black by mentioning that they’re more flattering colors than sand and camo.  And I’m ridiculously girly, so those are huge positives.

Of course, this will all be a moot point if I don’t end up going to the game.  I still haven’t decided.  Depends on how much studying I get done this weekend since my first final is on Wednesday.  Until then, keep arguing and recruit your friends.  This could entertain me for hours. 

White Sox Injuries
Why are the White Sox so good at injuring themselves?  As you may recall, Dewayne Wise has been on the DL with a separated shoulder since we visited the Tigers.  Recently Chris Getz and Jim Thome have gotten injured.  Getz fractured his finger during batting practice or something recently, and he’s been out for a while.  He should be back in the lineup tomorrow, but you never know.  Thome has a bruised heel or something.  There’s something wrong with his heel, and if he doesn’t think he can play tomorrow, Ozzie’s putting him on the DL, retroactive to April 26.  Then as I mentioned yesterday, Brian Anderson tweaked his right oblique, so he’s day-to-day.

What’s up with the injuries?  How do they manage to keep hurting themselves?  It’s April, guys.  I know it’s early, but really?  It’ll be very easy for us to lose games with all these injuries and whatnot, especially with the general lack of hitting.  I know the cold weather doesn’t help matters much, but you HAVE to start hitting in order to make up for the injuries that are afflicting guys who are ACTUALLY hitting.  OK, so maybe it’s one guy that’s hitting (Getz).  But still.  He has a .340 average, and his fielding has been absolutely wonderful.  I NEED HIM BACK NOW!  Getz can obviously get on base since he IS hitting .340, and he’s fast.  Fast means he can steal bases.  Stealing bases can lead to more runs.  And that’s definitely what the White Sox need because more runs equal more wins.  More wins equals division title and the playoffs.  Which as we all know is the ultimate goal.  Injuries and the lack of hitting do not lead to stolen bases, runs, etc.

Ozzie doesn’t think Brian Anderson’s oblique injury will land him on the DL, but apparently there’s something going down with our outfielders.  Sun Times beat reporter said on his Twitter yesterday that Jerry Owens was seen packing his stuff and saying goodbye.  Now we haven’t seen a whoooooole lot of Jerry since D-Wise went down, but what we have seen hasn’t been truly impressive.  As you know, I’m the antithesis of a Jerry Owens fan.  I don’t think he’s a good baseball player.  He’s probably a REALLY nice guy.  He looks like a really nice guy.  I wouldn’t mind being friends with him.  But I still don’t think he can play baseball well.  If Jerry Owens is leaving, who’s coming up?  More rumors from Joe and now ESPNChicago.com say Scott Podsednik.  I’m a HUGE Scottie Pods fan.  I ADORE him to no end.  I was so upset that he was kinda, well, bad in 2006.  And as much as I hated to see him go after that season, I knew it was for the best.  But obviously Scottie has something back or Kenny wouldn’t have brought him back.  I need the White Sox to release an official statement so I can feel better knowing what my outfield situation is.  I wanna know for sure who’s backing up Brian.  Pods or Owens?  I vote Pods.

Major League Standings
I know it’s only been a month, but there are some surprises, at least to me.  I mean, did anyone other than Blue Jays fans think Toronto would be second in the AL East?  And Kansas City is currently sitting on top of the AL Central, half a game above my beloved White Sox and the Tigers.  Did you pick the Angels to be in third in the AL West?  Other than Marlins fans, who said that Florida would lead the NL East at the end of April and New York would be in fourth?  Who had the Cubs sitting at .500 and fifth in the NL Central?  And other than Padres fans, who had them sitting second in the NL West?

I know, I know.  It’s April and these stats aren’t indicative of the rest of the season.  But just looking at what’s “supposed to” happen with these teams, it’s surprising.  The Blue Jays aren’t “supposed to” be ahead of the Yankees, especially with all the money the Yankees spent this off season.  The Royals aren’t “supposed to” be anywhere near the top of the AL Central.  The Angels aren’t “supposed to” be third.  The Marlins aren’t “supposed to” be leading their division.  The Cubs are “supposed to” be leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else in the NL Central.  And, well…I honestly don’t think there’s any kind of “supposed to” in the NL West other than what’s actually happening with the Dodgers being on top.  With what they paid for Manny, they’re “supposed to” be on top of the West.

This is what I love about baseball.  Anything can happen!  It’s April and by the time May ends, the Nationals could pull something out of their butts and be on top of the NL East.  The Yankees and Red Sox could be tied at the bottom of the AL East.  (Personally, I think both of these scenarios are pretty improbable, but you never know.)  By May’s end, all of the “supposed to” scenarios could be over, and things could be “back to normal” for the standings.  The Yankees and Red Sox could be battling it out at the top of the AL East, the Royals could be back in the cellar of the AL Central, and the Angels could be back on top.  The Marlins could be back hovering near the bottom of the NL East, with the Phillies and Mets battling for the top spot again, the Cubs could climb back and battle it out with the Cards, and with t
he NL West, who knows!

Random Musings

• Today was my last day of classes!  WOO!  Now I have finals on the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th.  Yay, I guess.  Whatever, I get to go home for a month. 

• I just saw a commercial for those new Domino’s bread bowl pastas.  If their bread bowls taste at all like their pizza crust, I think I’ll pass since eating cardboard isn’t high on my list of priorities.

• If you missed Kris Allen’s performance of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” on Idol on Tuesday, you should feel really sad.  I pretty much loved it, and I spent the 99 cents to get the song. 

• Sometimes I think the Bulls are TRYING to lose all of these playoff games, but they’ve managed to force a Game Seven in Boston.  GO BULLS!!!!  It only took them three freaing overtimes tonight.  And I have to mention that I love when Joakim Noah screams.  I find it hilarious.  Probably because of the poofy hair.  I also have to mention that Rajon Rondo is a punk for throwing Kirk Hinrich into the bench in the first quarter.  For reals, dude?

• Blackhawks lost.    But I guess I missed most of an uneventful (for the Hawks) game.  So I don’t feel too bad.  I saw all the good stuff…minus the loss.

Photo credits: wikipedia.org, sixfourthreeblog.files.wordpress.com, gearupforsports.com, Photobucket