Results tagged “chicagowhitesox”

U.S. Cellular Field may be getting a makeover sometime soon. The state agency that owns the field said on Friday that it's in the early stages of planning a new development across the street from the ballpark on 35th Street, including new restaurants, stores, and other attractions. The development would replace the parking lots that were built on the site where Comiskey Park used to be, potentially expanding upon the ballpark's Gate 5 entrance, with an atrium leading to a walkway over 35th Street. "Economic conditions are dictating what will happen and when," said Mike Alvarez, spokesman for the The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Last season, both our baseball teams reached the playoffs. This time around, both the Cubs and White Sox cleaned out their lockers. This was not unexpected for the Sox, but many truly thought this was going to be the Cubs' year. And yet fans on both sides of town are left to "wait until next year."

In the long, mostly disappointing history of Chicago baseball one of its lowest moments came when members of the 1919 White Sox threw the World Series. Among the "Black Sox" permanently banned from the game was the team's biggest star, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Ninety years later, two Chicago lawyers involved with the start-up Chicago Baseball Museum are taking another stab at clearing Shoeless Joe's name. Paul Duffy and Daniel Voelker take exception with assertions made about Jackson in the 1963 book by Eliot Asinof, Eight Men Out. They are plowing through Asinof's research, which is now part of the Chicago History Museum's collection. With research consisting of primarily newspaper recount, the pair was surprised that the notes included no interviews with any of the events' principals.

Having lost eight of their last nine games, and currently sitting six games back of the Detroit Tigers entering September, the White Sox have waved the white flag. Ahead of Monday night's deadline for players to be traded and eligible for the postseason with their new teams, White Sox GM Kenny Williams sent a memo to other teams that a number of veterans were available. As the deadline approached, the Sox announced that they had traded DH Jim Thome and pitcher Jose Contreras.

In his third minor league rehab start, White Sox starter Jake Peavy pitched five innings of shutout baseball and looks ready to join the Sox rotation. While Peavy allowed base runners in each of his five innings, none reached home plate during his 80-pitch outing. In three minor league starts, the former Cy Young winner is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA. His progress toward returning to the big leagues comes none too soon -- Jose Contreras had another horrific outing against the Red Sox on Monday night, and appears headed to the bullpen. Peavy could take Contreras' spot in the rotation and make his White Sox debut against the Yankees on Saturday. We'll know more about Peavy's return date after he and team officials meet on Tuesday.

When the White Sox take the field against the Royals on tonight, an old familiar face will take the mound for the White Sox. Freddy Garcia, signed by the Sox to a minor league deal in June, makes his 2009 debut for the White Sox after rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder.

Making his first rehab start since going on the DL in June, newly acquired White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy pitched three scoreless innings for the Sox Triple-A affiliate Thursday night. Taking the mound for the Charlotte Knights, Peavy allowed one hit and walked one in his three-innings of work. After a successful first outing, Peavy is expected to make two additional appearances for Charlotte before joining the major league roster toward the end of the month.

While in Seattle with the team, White Sox GM Kenny Williams was cited for jaywalking on Monday afternoon outside Safeco Field. On his phone -- finalizing the Rios acquisition? -- while crossing outside a crosswalk, a Seattle traffic-control officer slapped Williams with a $56 ticket. Given the spending he did earlier in the day, we have a feeling this won't be getting submitted for reimbursement on his expense report.

Kenny Williams, what did you do? We really thought you were smarter than this. We agreed with you when you traded for Jake Peavy, but we aren't so sure about your latest move. On Monday, the White Sox acquired Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays after making a waivers claim for the 28 year old outfielder late last week. The Sox gave up nothing to the Jays, but assume the balance of Rios' 7-year, $69.8 million contract signed before the 2008 season.

Kenny Williams is always full of surprises. More often than not, they're the good kind -- like when he pulled Jake Peavy out of a hat at the trading deadline. But the latest rumors involving the Sox seems like a head-scratcher at first glance.

After garnering national attention for his recent perfect game, the White Sox's Mark Buehrle was invited to participate in David Letterman's famous "Top Ten" list on Monday's show. Taped from the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the Sox ace was assisted by teammates Josh Fields and Dewayne Wise -- just like during Thursday's gem. For those who missed his appearance on late night TV, check out the video below and the full list after the jump.

Remember Jim Parque? While not exactly a household name, we Sox fans do remember the pitcher who won 13 games for the 2000 team that won the AL Central crown, before his career derailed due to injury. After his 13-6 campaign, he pitched just 13 more games for the Sox over the next two season and just five more with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before his career ended for good in 2003.

When we previewed the season back in April, we didn't foresee the White Sox running away with the division crown. We also didn't see them bringing up the rear either -- even if Nate Silver did. In fact, through the first half of the season, the Sox have pretty much defined average by MLB's standards. With a 45-43 record, the Sox hover just above the .500 mark on account of a hot streak that saw them win 10 of their last 15 heading into the All-Star Break. Two games above .500 puts them in second place in the weak AL Central, 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers --so they're still alive for the postseason. But with a couple weeks before the non-waivers trading deadline, it's still too early to know whether the Sox will be buyers or sellers come July 31.

One negative consequence of being a Sox fan means having to endure Hawk Harrelson when watching our beloved team on TV. While Steve Stone's addition to he booth makes the broadcast tolerable, Hawk's ever expanding repertoire of catch phrases has become increasingly hard on our ears. There's only so much "can of corn" and "he gone!" we can bear. And yet Hawk keep on adding to his list and becoming a parody of himself. Or, as he put it, "'With this club, what I've noticed as I've gotten older is that my emotions get a little higher."

Speaking of the Sox, if you've been following the mystery surrounding Sox hurler Bartolo Colon's whereabouts this week, you might be curious about whether he ever turned up and took the mound last night. Colon did eventually surface in Charlotte to pitch for the Knights against Norfolk, and pitched and impressive game. Going five innings, he allowed just two hits and one run while earning the win in the Knights' 7-1 victory. For the Sox front office, it must be a relief that Colon seems to be on track to return to the active roster soon -- after Clayton Richard's one-inning, six-earned run outing last night his days in the rotation may be numbered.

White Sox GM Kenny Williams wants to know if you've seen his Colon. Bartolo, that is. It may seem unlikely to lose sight of the rotund pitcher, but that's exactly what's happened. Scheduled to make a rehab start with their Triple-A team in Charlotte on Thursday after a stint in Arizona, the White Sox have been unable to get in touch with Colon. Said Williams, "Efforts to contact his agent have been successful. Their efforts to contact their client have not been so successful."

Having just returned to .500 with last night's win against Cleveland, it's not yet clear whether the White Sox will be buyers or sellers when teams begin positioning themselves for the post season. For much of the season, it looked like the year was lost and that the organization would trade off highly paid veterans while letting their younger players develop. But as we approach the midway point, the Sox have begun to play better and look like the could compete in the AL Central - they're now just four games back of first place Detroit.

Our two beloved baseball teams face off this week for the first time this season, and as usual the hoopla and hype over the series begins well in advance of the first pitch. Never one to shy away from taking the first shot, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen let his true feelings for the Friendly Confines be known on Sunday: "One thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there." He continued, "That's just to be honest. And if Cub fans don't like the way I talk about Wrigley Field, it's just Wrigley Field. I don't say anything about the fans or anything now. But Wrigley Field, they got to respect my opinion. That's the way I feel."

Sure, we Sox fans hang onto 2005 almost as much as Bears fans do 1985. And sure, Scotty Pods seems to be reborn in his second tour of duty on the South Side. So is GM Kenny Williams trying to round up the whole gang again?

Following yet another horrid start by Jose Contreras on Saturday (5 runs in 3.2 innings), White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has decided to make a change to his pitching rotation. When the Sox take the field in Cleveland on Wednesday, Clayton Richard will be on the mound.

According to reports, former White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik will be rejoining the club's major league roster after being called up from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. Apparently, he's already on his way to meet up with the Sox, but the team will not be announcing any roster moves on their off day.

We're only two games into the 2009 season, and already White Sox fans are getting restless for a change at the top of the batting order. Never really sold on manager Ozzie Guillen's selection of Dewayne Wise to bat lead off, the fans have quickly grown frustrated with the lack of production from the journeyman center fielder. Fans booed him at the Cell during Wednesday's game. But Ozzie's sticking with his man... for now.

Despite prior beliefs that baseball season would bring with it rainbows and clear skies and flocks of birds and 60+ temps and spring cleavage and all the majesty and glory that goes along with baseball, here we sit in dismal Chicago greyness and chill. No matter! The Chicagoist Podcast Series has the joy of springtime in its heart, and you can hear it in our voices as we sing zip-a-dee freaking doo-dah into today's (and tomorrow's) games.

The White Sox were supposed to crack open their 2009 season Monday afternoon at U.S. Cellular field, but due to the forecast cold, snow and high winds, the team announced on Sunday that their Opening Day will be pushed back to Tuesday. Not that the weather's going to be all that much better on Tuesday -- sub-40 temps and flurries are called for.

The Sox surpassed most people's expectations during their 2008 campaign, winning the AL Central with a 89-74 record in 2008 -- well above Nate Silver's prediction of 77 wins. We didn't have much higher expectations for them. But the South Siders closed out the regular season in exciting fashion, beating three different teams in three days -- including a rain out make-up and a tie-breaker -- to make the playoffs. The surprising upstart Tampa Bay Rays knocked the Sox out of the postseason in the ALDS 3-1. We Sox fans, however, could take solace in the fact our team won more playoff games in '08 than the Cubs did.

When the White Sox opened camp last month, there were a number of positions that remained unfilled, with numerous players to compete for the starting jobs in center field, at second base and in the starting rotation.

Baseball fans across the city look forward to when out North Side and South Side teams square off each summer. This year, collegiate baseball fans can get in on the rivalry action, too. The White Sox and U.S. Cellular Field -- still Comiskey Park to true Sox fans -- will host a baseball game between Northwestern and Notre Dame on April 15 at 7:00 pm. While both universities are better know for their academic rigor and football prowess, the strong Wildcats and Fighting Irish ties to Chicago and the big time stage should add a festive atmosphere to the game for players and fans alike, even if the mid-April weather still winds up more appropriate for football. Tickets are $10 and are available at the U.S. Cellular box office and at whitesox.com starting the week of March 16, with proceeds supporting White Sox Charities.

This past weekend, Sox fans saw Joe Crede -- one of the stars from their 2005 World Series team -- sign with the rival Minnesota Twins after management decided to move on without him. Could another one of that team's heroes also find himself in a new uniform before the season is through?

We don't care what that rodent in Pennsylvania says, spring starts as soon as pitchers and catchers report. That means spring is here because the Cubs pitchers and catchers arrive in camp later today, while the White Sox battery mates arrive on Sunday.

While there was no mention of Bobby Abreu at this past weekend's SoxFest -- and in fact a player of his caliber would seem to be the antithesis of what GM Kenny Williams claimed he was trying to do -- rumors persist that the White Sox are negotiating with the free agent Abreu on a one year, eight million dollar deal. Neither side is denying the talks.