Yumcha

This is the ChiSox's year. I believe!

jayhawk815

I was just giving him shit because a) It sounded as if he was having an alcoholic drink. b) He's not even old enough to purchase cigarettes.

synth19

I forgot we like to perpetually make fun of lameTL.err.. gayTL. my bad.

JSuppi

Just glad that the Stros' are finally going to the big one! Biggio & Bag's are definetly deserving of this.

I think the series can go either way depending on how consistent the stros' are and how the offense does. I think the pitching is completely capable of taking the series, but the Offense has to be consistent. Very likely that if we can take the first two in Chicago, we can close it out back in Htown

Go Stros'!

CrockPot

bagwell as DH..sweet!

as long as doug eddings doesn't ump this series, astros take it all the way.

Scott, care to make a semi-friendly wager?

sleeper

damnit! i'm leaving houston when the series starts. i'm still gonna be rooting for them, though. kinda sucks because i like ozzie and i'd normally root for the sox, especially if they were playing a team like atlanta.

Black CL-S 4-Life

Not a big baseball fan but go Astros!

phipark

Go Sox!

Anybody with a gay field shouldn't when the World Series.

Time to change the avatar.

Nugs3

Go ASTROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yumcha

From a Cubs fan to a Cards fan...Na na na na hey hey hey, goodbye!





But, glad to see you're rooting for the ChiSox as I have too...

ccannizz11

Was anybody else tired of watching the Albert Pujols biography last night? For the first half of the game, every chance they got, fox cut to a shot of Albert standing at first base, Albert sitting in the dugout, Albert hitting a home run, Albert playing with his glove, a split screen of Albert and the pitcher's ass that he saved on Monday.

I think they managed to slip some commercials in there, and a pitch or two. Then the programming eventually switched to game 6 of the NLCS.

Black CL-S 4-Life

You talked alot of shit about a Cards sweep. I love it, we closed down that dump of a ballpark Busch. How does that taste?

Nicky Pass

I have tickets to game 6!!!!

phipark

I never said anything about a sweep or even predicted the series at all.
I didn't talk shit because I knew it would probably bite me in the ass, just like last year.

At least the new Busch won't be built for the women homerun hitters and not have a gay hill in center field.

Dfreder2

BEFORE Houston wrapped things up, one savvy Chicago resident scored world series tickets in chicago by calling ticketmaster in Houston, thereby avoiding the logjam in Chicago.

Pretty smart. Heard this on the radio today.

The sportswriters here are predicting Chicago in six games.

Yumcha

Yep. Phil Rogers of the Tribune has the ChiSox in 6. ESPN thinks the Stros will take it in 7.



I'm calling the ChiSox in 6.

Black CL-S 4-Life

My bad it wasn't you, it was Hobo.

evilstorm

i do as well! and you are about the 10th person i know who does! edit: and im hoping that its chisox in 6!

msbesq

As a long suffering Astros fan of 25 years last night was fantastic. ASTROS!!! in 7 with Roy O on the hill in Chicago.

Always Dirty

Sox in 5. Sorry Houston.

phipark

I've done too much shit talking in my life to know not to, especially when I have no control. They choked last year and I could see it happening again.

spiroh

Go Chi-town!!

CrockPot

Attention CLpower!!!

Yumcha

Ow, my ears.

CL Platano

Sox in 7

kurt_bradley

Your ears? More like, my eyes.

yunginTL

Dare_IL

Do I hear the Yankees crying, Wha Wha Wha.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nypost/20051...utofpinstripes

Mokos23

White Sox in 6

I'm just worried about Oswalt, that guy will be tough to hit off of.

eve

msbesq

Those of you who follow the White Sox can you tell me how Clemens and Petitte did against the team in 2002 and 2003? TIA

ccannizz11

why? 02/03 has little, if any, relevancy to this year


I think the Chisox will take it, Houston can't score enough.


EDIT - http://www.baseball-almanac.com/play...ns_2000s.shtml

CrockPot

don't forget, houston will have a DH for chi-sox home games, and the bitches in black won't have one at "enron" field.

ccannizz11

Who? Bagwell? He's a big question mark at this point, no?

I'll be rooting for Houston, hoping the bottom of their order can produce the same way they did in the Cardinals series.

Yumcha

S'alright. Houston can't hit anyhow in their own hitter-friendly park (please see their stats for the season)...So, it balances itself out.


So, ChiSox should be fine.

msbesq

The stats are very misleading. The team didn't really start playing quality baseball until mid-June/early July when Berkman finally came back and got his stroke back. The only anomaly to that is when Clemens pitched--the team did somewhat poorly in his starts. The park is not nearly as hitter friendly as everyone thinks and when the roof is closed. There were 3 "cheap" homeruns in the 5 playoff games played in Minute Maid park this year. The others hit were homers anywhere else. It's a very deep centerfield and a pretty standard rightfield making the alleys tough to drive in. There is no doubt that the Astros can win but only if Ensberg starts hitting again and Everett gets a handful of singles. It looks like Lane is getting his stroke back.

msbesq

Thanks for the link. It's of importance and relevant because generally the pitchers have an advantage over hitters they have seen only a few times. Konerko, Crede, Everett and Rowand were there. The Astros have faced Piersyznski and Podsednik a number of times. They've handled AJ but Podsednik has worn them out. He will be the difference maker for the White Sox if the Astros don't get a better book on him. Watch game 4 with Garcia(ex-Astro) and Backe. Garcia had electric stuff at one time but he's thrown a lot of innings and he's much more hittable now. Backe is very young and he can be incredible or just average. This will be the key game in the Series because Roy O will win twice if it goes 7 games and Pettitte and Clemens will probably go 2 and 2 if my predictions are right.

evilstorm

you underestimate the white sox pitching staff.

msbesq

Not at all. Buerhle is fantastic and Contreras had a great second half. I think the Astros will have a much better chance against him based on the fact that Pettitte and Clemens were his teammates and a forkball is hittable if you're not too anxious. The Angels seemed to be 1st and 2d ball hackers and refused to show patience with him. I'm not sold on Garland or Garcia. I think the bullpens are a wash with even quality and depth going to the Sox. Thus my prediction pitcher by pitcher is Contreras 1-1, Buerhle 2-0 and Garland and Garcia 0-1 and 0-1.

msbesq

I forgot 2 things. I think the weather will affect Clemens and Contreras in different but important ways. I think Clemens' hamstring will tighten up early and the bullpen will have to take an early role and I think the forkball won't have as much movement on it. It takes little strength to throw one but it seems to turn and drop better in warmer weather due to its slight rotation. It's still a very tough pitch to hit, since it acts like a fast knuckler with better control. A coach taught it to me once but I stunk and couldn't get the hang of it.