Texsox

She's getting kids to read 700 and 900 pages books. That is awesome. I've read the books and find them to be rather light in the literature department but for their target audience are very good. I try and encourage kids to read The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings after the finish Harry Potter. Nice intro to better writing.

Which pitchers will win and which will lose? Earned vs. Unearned Runs? Biggest Inning? Hit by most pitches (great for Minny series)

Yes, you are right. So it's either a current winning team (Mariners) tradition of winning (Yankees) or popular player (Cards with Mac) that drive fan popularity. We've never sustained any of the three. We also don't have the greatest graphics (unlike the Blackhawks jersey which is awesome IMHO). Bottom line is until we have fans in all corners of the world we're going to be overlooked. Players with less ability but better marketability will be publicized better than E-Lo. It sucks but it's true. I also believe if E-Lo was 24 and not 31 he would be garnering more attention. If we were leading our division or really competing it would make a better story. We would be reading headlines like Surprise E-Lo Leading Sox to Pennant instead of E-Lo Lone Bright Spot as Sox get Eliminated Props are hard to come by on a losing team that hasn't won a playoff game in a long time.

Doesn't matter to me. Would the b****ing about MB be any different if he had signed the contract? I would prefer not to know it just annoys me. When I go to a movie I don't worry if the actors made $X for the movie. I especially don't worry if the &*^%^% players who just dropped a pop up was making $1,000 a game or $10,000 I boo just the same. I do however feel bad that going to a game has gotten so damn expensive. I remember when my beer cost was higher than parking and a ticket.

All good choices and most were overshadowed by guys on the other side of town. Perhaps we could also blame the Tribune Co.? Once I moved from the Chicago market I realize how little respect there is for WS baseball. I will see exactly two Sox games on my cable system this season and we were expected to contend. I will see the Yakees, Bo Sox, Mariners, A's a dozen times at least. I agree with the programmers, who wants to televise a game from a half empty stadium? If Chicago fans don't fill the stadium as the audience, we aren't going to receive much publicity and then guys like E-Lo get overlooked. I hate to say it but if Frank was a media darling this all would be different. Frank has to be Frank and I respect him for being himself. However, if he had half the charisma of Shamey or Michael Jordan the Sox wouldn't be near the basement in fan popularity as defined by sales of licensed merchandise. You don't see kids in Omaha with Sox jerseys.

You could also explain it as luck. One thing Mark has going for him is he has the talent to lose 15 games this season. With less talent, he would be missing opportunities to start. You have to keep pitching him because you know the next start could be the beginning of a 10 game personal win streak.

I think have the time he orders alphabet soup for lunch and deciphers the noodles. If your suggesting he actually thinks about it I'm scared

There probably should be a few standard questions like Who wins the series? Total Sox runs? Total Sox errors? Will JM still be the Mgr? If half are standard it will make running it and playing it simpler and easier. Perhaps if two or three people join together the question writing could be rotated and make it easier on the volunteer. I'd be willing to help.

DJ

Lee

Cluth Cargo, I loved the moving lips. I tried explaining them to my kids but they would just burst out laughing, figuring I was nuts again.

welcome, ribbierhubarb - Great avatar, great sig.

It's the other way around, she may be close to Halle Berry

Another big game I'm thinking we are past big games and need big weeks. If we don't go on a 8 out of 10 surge soon we'll be sinking in quicksand. I believe KC is for real and we'll have to beat them AND Minny if we want to see postseason on Chicago's south side.

Ouch the three or four Cubs will really annoy me.

I was amazed here in south Texas that the forst game mentioned after the Rangers and Astros was the Sox. Then I realized it was because we played the Red Sox. I guess you play a winner or are a winner you get more press. The next game mentioned was Mariners. On a national basis cover the teams in 1st and 2nd then worry about the rest. We've been "the rest" for so long we get relegated to bottom of the coverage. Also, what players have we had that had the skills and personality to be promoted on a national basis? Frank? Fisk?

No ... But I remember growing watching "Garfield Goose and Friends" on WGN with Frazier Thomas. Frazier Thomas how cool and don't forget Captain Kangaroo and Ray Rayner. Suzy Snowflake was so hot!

Carlos Lee with three (rbi and hits)

OMG this all made sense. What has happened to me?

It becomes a nasty circle, somewhat like a toilet flushing. E-Lo is on the mound and you *know* you have a chance to win. You're pumped and ready. You play just a bit better and go home thinking I knew it! Mark gets on the mound and you're either 1. Pressing to help this guy because you really want to help him or 2. Thinking WTF is going to bite us in the ass tonight Someone makes an error and you think "damn, I knew it was going to happen" Players play better when they have confidence. Looking up to see Mark on the mound probably doesn't instill much confidence in this team. Of course that is my guess, no insider information.

Duh

I'm beginning to wonder if PK is going to be in this league by the end of the season. It's becoming sad to watch him bat.

It really wasn't that long ago that he made history. There must have been a huge lump in his throat when he said yes to play in mlb. I agree his number should be hanging in every stadium, at least in the A.L.

I sent her a very original plot line for the final book. Harry returns to Hogwarts as a professor and to Gryffindor as their advisor. He is dismayed to learn that Gryffindor has been regulated to the 4th best house at Hogwarts and populated with all the dorks, and non-pure bloods. I call it Welcome Back Potter