White Sox sure pick bad time to be bad
The White Sox arrived in Minnesota a couple of days ago needing just 1 victory to effectively end the Twins' hopes of catching the Sox.
And they're still searching for it.
In order of preference, the first game on Tuesday would have been top choice, and Wednesday night would have been somewhere around second.
That leaves tonight in Minneapolis, and if the third time's not the charm, there's going to be full-blown panic on the South Side, if not outright calls for a government bailout.
The Twins climbed to within a half-game of the Sox for the Central Division lead with a 3-2 victory Wednesday, so the task falls in the series finale to 25-year-old Gavin Floyd, after veterans Javier Vazquez and Mark Buehrle couldn't get it done.
The good news is Floyd leads the club in victories and has been brilliant in 4 starts against the Twins this year, going 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA.
The Sox also have pasted Twins starter Kevin Slowey for a 5.82 ERA in 3 starts, but all those numbers mean little after the odd fashion in which the Sox lost Wednesday.
Facing Nick Blackburn, who had all of 1 victory in his last 8 starts, and with Buehrle 3-0 in September (2.13 ERA), it should have been a cakewalk.
But a blown call by an umpire cost Buehrle 1 run, and Blackburn saved another with a behind-the-back knockdown of a certain basehit up the middle.
That doesn't explain being unable to hit Blackburn, but the Sox haven't hit much at all on the current trip, looking much like they did early in the season, and that was in evidence again Wednesday.
It also doesn't explain Buehrle walking 3 batters in the first 2 innings, when the Twins got all their runs.
Buehrle was great after that, and he pitched well enough to win, but the Sox' offense has come to a grinding halt at the worst of times, and that's the overwhelming reason the Sox lost Wednesday.
Still, despite an ugly loss, the Sox still lead the division, and with a victory tonight they'd be up 2 in the loss column on the Twins with 3 to play, and that would just about do it.
They've just picked a bad time to play some bad baseball, losing the most important game of the year Wednesday, after they lost the most important game of the year Tuesday.
Until tonight's contest, which becomes the most important game of the 2008 season.
They really only needed 1 victory in Minnesota, and if they wake up tonight and get it, especially if they hit, all will be well again and Sox fans can relax and think about playoff opponents.
That's all it'll take to get back on track. One victory.
If they can't manage one of three, well, that might be all she wrote.
All three rings
The only surprise when Carlos Zambrano behaves as he has in his last two outings is that his circus act still surprises people.
The shock should be when Zambrano is an adult for an entire start and remembers that the Cubs handed him $91 million last summer.
They hoped he might become a true professional, might stop bellowing at umpires, showing up teammates and screaming at shadows.
That obviously hasn't occurred.
Is he capable of throwing a no-hitter his next time out in the postseason? Absolutely.
You've also seen dozens and dozens and dozens of times that he's capable of completely losing his mind on the mound and costing the Cubs a game.
Scary thought entering the playoffs.
UnBearable
From e-mailer The Last Bear Fan: "Instead of Mark Bradley, the Bears want to watch Rashied Davis have crushing lapses in concentration at the most inopportune times, while Marty Booker couldn't run past George Costanza on a Rascal Scooter.
"The addition of another cornerback is even more confounding when you consider that Chuck Tillman and Nate Vasher re-upped last year for around $33 million guaranteed, and now we're watching Vasher split time with Corey Graham.
"Looks to me like they're rearranging deck chairs.''
Beam him out
From e-mailer Sanjay H., my favorite GM not working in baseball today and bidding to become my second-favorite GM not working in basketball today, behind Mark from Atokad Park:
"Kirk Hinrich to Golden State for Al Harrington. The money works, the Bulls are still looking for low-post scoring, and the Warriors still need a point guard.
"Harrington only has two years left on his deal, so his salary would be off the books during the summer of 2010 when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Amare Stoudemire are potential free agents.''
Roger Dorn-ing
E-mailer Frank Baron: "You are the first to state the obvious about (Lou) Piniella, that if the Cubs are World Series champs, he's gone. Nothing left to do. He did what he was hired to do, bring a championship.
"I wrote you when 'Busty' left town that the Cubs needed 'Lou Brown' to manage this team. I'd say we got him.''
Best headline
Sportspickle. com: "Nick Faldo ripped in European sporting press for not pinch putting for Sergio Garcia.''
And finally -
Comedian Alex Kaseberg: "O.J. Simpson isn't getting any younger. Now when he's in a slow-speed Bronco chase, he leaves his left turn signal on the entire time.''
brozner@dailyherald.com