KenWo's Corner- Seeing Stars

I was at the White Sox vs. Indians tilt on Wednesday evening, and aside from a great Jake Peavy performance, I got my first chance to vote for the All Star Game.  As a kid, I always loved filling out my all star ballot.  Something about it being available online kind of ruins the experience in my eyes.  You should have to go to the game to cast your vote!  

Alas, thats not how we do things now a days.  So I figured I'd jump on board.  Each week, I am going to put out a position to vote for until we fill out the South Side Sox official All Star starters.  It should be interesting to see how different we end up (if at all) from the general public.  

This week we are going to start with the first basemen.  Here is the official south side sox ballot.  In true Chicago form, you can vote as many times as you want.  Please only pick one guy from each league.  The starting first basemen will be announced next week in the Corner.

So it finally happened.  Sergio Santos gave up a run and blew a game.  It had to happen sooner or later.  He has been perfect all season long and obviously he wasn't going to remain that way.  The most important part is how will he respond?  After the homer, he closed out the 9th without any further damage, but hits were aplenty for the Dodgers in the 10th.  I fully expect him to dominate in his next outing.

I am bummed about Juan Uribe's injury last night.  I was looking forward to giving him a nice ovation when he strode up to the plate this afternoon.  It looks like I'll have to wait for that though as Uribe tweaked his hip flexor.  I still think the Sox should have kept him.  In 2009, he would have saved us from the Chris Getz/Josh Fields mess. In 2010, Kenny wouldn't have had to trade and extend Mark Teahen.  In 2011, we wouldn't have to see 34 different men take a shot at 3rd like we have this year.  Uribe could have just hit 20 homers and knocked in 75 runs out of the 9 spot each of those years.  

Jon Garland gets the call for the Dodgers later this afternoon.  It should be a fun pitching matchup as Mark Buehrle is going for the Sox.  Garland is the forgotten man in the 2005 White Sox rotation.  Jose Contreras was on such a roll heading into the playoffs.  Freddy Garcia got the win in the AL Central clincher and the win in the World Series winner.  Mark Buehrle is the most popular White Sox of the era.  Garland, however, racked up 92 wins in his White Sox career, including an impressive 18-10 with a 3.50 in that magical 2005 season.  When things were going poorly, people said he had an aloof attitude.  When things were going well, he was a bulldog.  One thing is for certain though, he would take the ball.  I always liked Garland, and will be happy when he gets his well deserved ovation Saturday.

Philip Humber continues to pitch well, no matter what Colin and his Cronies say.  There is talk about ending the 6 man rotation, but I don't see how you can take Humber out.  He's done a remarkable job and should be given the opportunity to continue.  It seems like everyone is waiting for him to fail, so they can just put him out in the pen until the next injury.  Humber isn't failing though.  He continues to throw good game after good game.  Stick with this rotation for awhile.

I don't believe in the Cleveland Indians.  I know they have a great record and are supposedly a great offense.  I don't think there is any way they finish the season in first place.  The Tigers are the team that we have to look out for.  In the long run, Detroit will be there.  Cleveland will be back where they belong- just ahead of the Royals.

It would be really superb if Alex Rios, Gordon Beckham and Adam Dunn got off their collective cabooses and got something done with the stick.  We keep on waiting for these guys to start to do something and sometimes one of them will give you a glimpse, but then they turn back to the dump they have been the rest of the season.  Its unfortunate, because if these guys were playing to their capabilities the White Sox would have an unbelievably exciting offense.

When I took a look at the schedule at the beginning of the year, this upcoming road trip worried me the most.  Texas, Toronto and Boston.  Three places we haven't fared well.  I would be alright with a 4-6 record on that trip.  First thing is first though, we have to handle the Dodgers these next two games.  I figured the Hiroki Kuroda game would be the tough one, but we used up our one loss in extras last night.  So we have to edge one out vs. Garland and give Kuroda a rude welcome to the South Side.  Hopefully Buehrle and Edwin Jackson are up for the challenge.