White Sox Lose 6-2 to Tampa Bay in Game Two
Well, I’m just getting back from BJs Sports Bar where I watched tonight’s White Sox-Rays Game Two of the ALDS. And obviously, I’m not really all that pleased. Not only are my beloved White Sox now down 0-2 in the ALDS, but Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye, and Paul Konerko were not able to back up the faith that expressed in them with my Game Two preview post last night.
I’ve had a few beverages (BJ’s monthly microbrew this month is Octoberfest…it’s good. I have a lot of them, I should know.) so I am probably not in any state to provide any type of objective or coherent analysis on the game. No, I’ll leave that up to the experts. If you want a recap of tonight’s game, here are some links:
Chicago Tribune Game Two Recap
Here are my quick-hit thoughts from tonight’s game:
1 – Scott Kazmir outdueled Mark Buehrle. Look, I gained some respect for Scott Kazmir tonight. He gave up two runs in the first inning and it could have been much worse. And he found himself in trouble on more than one occasion after the first. But he made pitches and got outs against experienced and talented hitters. Scott Kazmir made a few more pitches than Mark Buehrle did tonight, and it led his team to a 2-0 victory. Well done Scott Kazmir. You proved me wrong.
2 – Our station-to-station offense has not been productive through two games. And I don’t think we are magically going to turn into a run-manufacturing, small ball team for games 3-5. Our boppers need to get hot and crank a few out of the ball park or our 2008 playoff experience will be a short one. The White Sox without Carlos Quentin are only as good as Jermaine Dye-Paul Konerko-Jim Thome are in the heart of the order. They need to step up once we go home. I don’t doubt that they will.
3 – Tampa Bay’s young guys are stepping up to the plate in pressure situations. They are hitting in the clutch, pitching in the clutch, and proving that “experience” is probably overrated. What I forgot in my last post was that most of the White Sox key players in 2005 were playing in their first postseason games. What do you want from me? I’m a die hard White Sox fan who supports my team to the last out and never will be apathetic about our chance to win (the complete opposite of a Cubs fan, as this year’s playoffs have proven). I was hoping our experience would give us a huge advantage. So far, it has not.
4 – This series is going back to Tampa. I have no official prediction right now for Game 5. But I do think there will be a game 5. John Danks and Gavin Floyd have already proven their mettle in true “must-win-or-the-season-is-literally-over” games. I trust them in Games 3 and 4 and I think our hitters will be more comfortable at the U.S. Cellular launching pad in front of a crazed and supportive Blacked Out crowd.
That’s it for tonight. I will have more coherent thoughts tomorrow. I have not stopped believing and none of the Wrigley Apathy has washed over me. I will support the White Sox until the final out, and if pressed to place money on the subject, I would place my dollars on the final out being Bobby Jenks striking someone out in the World Series. As long as we have Ozzie Guillen, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, AJ Pierzynski, Mark Buehrle, and Bobby Jenks, I will not lose faith in the White Sox until their season is officially over.
Our backs are now firmly against the wall. The problem for Tampa Bay is that the White Sox play their best baseball in their most desperate times. I already can’t wait until Sunday.
[tags]chicago white sox, tampa bay rays, baseball, mlb, mlb playoffs[/tags]
Tags: baseball, Chicago White Sox, MLB, mlb playoffs, tampa bay rays
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