Crazy Long Absence and Crazy Sox Feelings

I know it's been a while since I've posted.  But with school starting up and whatnot, I didn't really have time to post anything.  School update, then baseball.  I promise.

School Update
I got readmitted and I got some classes.  Monday was the first day of classes, and all was going well.  Until Citibank decided my debt-to-income ratio was too high.  And my dad's credit rating (almost 700) was too low to support my debt.  So they refused to give me a student loan.  So Sunday morning, I dropped out of Loyola.  When I met with the dean on the 17th, she asked me why I wasn't getting a master's in journalism.  I was unaware you could do that without having a bachelor's in journalism.  Apparently you can.  So that's what I was gonna do after this year since all the master's programs start in the fall, and I have to take the GRE.  Well, now I have no school to worry about, and I can devote more time to studying for the GRE.  And I'll be working full-time for a year, once I get a job.  I was gonna apply the stuff I was learning in school and change my format again, but we'll see what I decide to do now that I'm not in school anymore.  I'm keeping my textbooks, so maybe I'll read some stuff and possibly change things up a bit.

Sox Rant
The last time I posted, the Sox were getting ready for a rubber match with the Mariners (which they lost).  This team has slowly but surely been underperforming.  And it makes me a combination of incredibly sad and incredibly angry.

There is a boatload of talent on this team.  But no one seems to be doing anything with their talent.  AJ Pierzynski has the highest batting average on the team at .315.  He's performing...well.  I felt the need to put the ellipses because there are times when he comes up to bat with runners in scoring position and he can't advance them or bring them home.  But for the most part, AJ is doing what he's supposed to do.  He even threw out a baserunner tonight.

The Sox had a...crappy...record in August.  11-17.  Since Mark Buehrle's perfect game, they have a 13-23 record.  This is looking to be another 2007-esque end.  In 2007, the White Sox had several amazing individual accomplishments.  Mark Buehrle threw a no-hitter against the Rangers.  Jim Thome hit his 500th home run.  Bobby Jenks tied the record for consecutive batters retired.  The team as a whole was pretty bad, finishing at 72-90.  This season is looking to be more of the same.  Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game against the Rays.  He also set a new record for consecutive batters retired.  Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko hit their 300th home runs...in the same game...back-to-back.  Yet this team as a whole is grossly underperforming in the second half.

We acquired two (expensive) players who are supposed to be awesome.  There is no timetable for Jake Peavy's return after he was hit in the elbow in a rehab start.  His elbow is structurally sound (thank you for that phrasing, Scott Merkin), but it's still sore.  We traded young players, good players for him in order to help us now, but if he can't throw, he can't help us.  Alex Rios is supposed to be a good player, but he hasn't really done much since joining the White Sox.  I'm all for giving him a chance, but we got him because we want to win, and we want to win now.  We're not doing that.  He's not hitting much of anything.

Our bullpen is even crapping on themselves.  They have been a huge plus for a significant portion of the season, but now Ozzie is putting in people like Scott Linebrink and Tony Pena, and balls just seem to launch out of the park with runners in scoring position when they come out.  We can't put Matt Thornton and DJ Carrasco out every night.  We'll wear them out.  Bobby Jenks is getting almost no work because the Sox are never in a save situation for him.

I know this team can win games.  They've done it.  They have been able to hang with the big boys.  They've beaten the big boys.  Why are they falling apart now, when it's so close to the end?  We're six games behind Detroit, and two and a half behind Minnesota.  Thirteen back in the wild card.  It's still possible to win the division.  Highly unlikely, but still possible.  All I ask is for this team to try.  When I watch some of them, it doesn't look like they're trying.  It hurts to see them falter when I know how talented they are.  I know they can win.  I believe they can win.  But when they don't try, why should I keep believing?  AJ Pierzynski, Joe Crede, and Aaron Rowand were the driving force behind adopting "Don't Stop Believing" as the unofficial theme song in 2005.  I still sing that song when I know the Sox are doing well and I believe in them.  But when you don't give me a reason to believe, why should I keep doing it?

I will never abandon this team.  They are forever inked to me (literally, with that tattoo on my ankle).  But I'm allowed to criticize them.  I'm allowed to give up on the season.  I haven't yet, but they're pushing me to the edge.  I don't know what to do with them anymore.  I don't want to watch them lose.  I don't want to suffer.  But at the same time, they're like a drug: very addicting and hard to quite, despite the wear and tear on my body.

I Cried
Jim Thome is no longer a member of the White Sox.  He was traded to the Dodgers in exchange for cash and infielder Justin Fuller.  I don't think I can adequately express how upset I am that Jim is gone.  He is one of the greats, and he deserves a ring.  This goes against the Giants fan in me, but if the Dodgers make it to the World Series, I want them to win it so Jim gets his ring.  He is so classy, he is so humble.  He is everything a baseball player should be.  I wish him the best.  Writing this paragraph has been hard because it's not easy to type when your eyes are full of tears.  I wish we could have gotten you a ring, Jimmy.  Thank you so much for the last four seasons on the Southside.  Thank you for launching that bomb in Game 163.  I'll miss you, Mr. Incredible.

Jose Contreras is also no longer a White Sox.  He was traded to the Rockies in exchange for cash and pitcher Brandon Hynick.  While I'll always be incredibly thankful for his performance in 2005, Jose hasn't been on top of his game since he ruptured his Achilles last August.  He had some good moments, but most of this season hasn't been good for him.  I hope Colorado and the change of scenery is good for him because he can be a great pitcher.  Good luck, Jose.

Los Angeles
I am incredibly excited.  My dad is taking me to Anaheim to see the Sox play the Angels next month.  JOY AND HAPPINESS!!!  Sooooooo excited!  I've never seen the Sox play out of town, so I'm super excited about this.  We're gonna see two games, and I was thinking if the Dodgers were in town, we could see them too.  But alas, that weekend they'll be up in San Francisco.  I wish the Giants were gonna be in LA that weekend cuz I'd get seats in center field so I can attempt to talk to Aaron Rowand.  But alas, it cannot be.  So I get two Sox games instead.  WOO!

True or false: it'll be easier for me to get Sox autographs since it's an away game.

I don't have an answer.  I need one before I get there.  So let me know if that's true or false.  If it's true, you can best believe I'll be sitting at that dugout with my baseballs asking kindly for AJ Pierzynski and John Danks and Gordon Beckham for their autographs for two days.  And everyone else I don't have, of course.  But mainly those three.  Yes, I do already have AJ's autograph, but if I can get the autograph, I'm gonna try for a picture too.  :)  If I get it, my profile picture will NEVER change.

Final Musing
I told you guys in my last entry, like, two weeks ago that I got a Trailblazer.  Here's the link for the photo album.  I need help naming it.  The only suggestions I've gotten thus far are "Bertha," "Pete Rose" (with the explanation "cuz, you know...Big Red Machine"), and "Gas Guzzler Eco-Unfriendly Big Red" (that one made me laugh).

Photo credits: Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images; AP; unknown