Ha, ha! You got owned!

Might want to try catching with your hands…not your head. I’ve watched this several times and still can’t even comprehend how he even did this. Don’t you think this guy could help sell more baseball tickets? I think MLB might be willing to try anything. Except letting bloggers post their videos!

h/t: Windy Citizen

Ken Williams can’t get mo money from Mr. Jerry Reinsdorf, so he’s partying like it’s 1999. How so? By signing 2 players that were in their prime back then: Omar Vizquel and Andruw Jones. Those 2 also both played in the infamous “tie game” in 2002 All-Star Game. Is Kenny getting all nostalgic?  Here are a few more All-Star players from back then that Williams might call.

1999: Kenny Lofton and Roberto Alomar

They both played here for the Sox already. Alomar was awful. Lofton is probably still better than the leadoff hitters on either side of town.

2000: James Baldwin, Jim Edmonds, Carl Everett

Everett was a Williams favorite, Edmonds would probably be better than Rios and Baldwin could have a coming home party.

2001: Sammy Sosa

Really, I just want him to bring him back for Spring Training so we can keep a firm update on his “skin rejuvenation” plan.

2002: Eddie Guardado, Kaz Sasaki, Mike Remlinger

Those 3 instantly upgrade the Sox bullpen. This is where we all go cry.

2003: Vernon Wells, Keith Foulke

We need at least one more overpaid Toronto outfielder, and Keith Foulke was awesome.

Geovany Soto

After a spectacular rookie season, Soto took Sophomore slump to a whole new level. His numbers went from 23 86 .285 .364 .504 to 11 47 .218 .321 .381.

Alex Rios

Rios was a ballyhooed acquisition coming over from Toronto. He played some nice defense. But in 41 games on the Sox, Rios hit .199, walked 6 times and had an OPS of .530. He will be the target of all boobirds unless he starts hot next year.

Kevin Gregg

Gregg was simply brutal as the Cubs closer. He lost 6 games, blew 7 saves, had an ERA close to 5 and gave up 13 homers in less than 70 innings. The good news is that Gregg is a free agent and he will undoubtedly be playing elsewhere come 2010.

Carlos Quentin

Quentin turned it on some in the second half but it was too little, too late. He couldn’t stay healthy and had no power in the first half. If last year Ken Williams had the steal of the year in getting Quentin, this year is indicative of why Arizona let him go.

Milton Bradley

He played terrible defense, got hurt, didn’t hit for power, didn’t hit for average, made little league-like mental mistakes, didn’t like his teammates, his teammates didn’t like him, called an entire fanbase racist and ended up suspended for the remainder of the season. Other than that, how’d you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?

Josh Fields

Fields was supposed to be a big bat on the White Sox for years to come. Instead, he showed minimal power, hit .222 and struck out 76 times in just 239 at-bats. Inevitably the Sox took his job away from him and sent him to the minors. My best guess is he’s traded for a project arm/low-level prospect this winter.

Alfonso Soriano

Soriano comes in at #10 on the list of most lucrative contracts in baseball. Call me crazy, but I think for that kind of iron we should get more than 117 games, 20 homers, an OPS of .726 and heinous defense. Remember how it was thought that Soriano would come in and be 30-30 or even 40-40 every year? This year he had more errors (11) than steals (9). With no Milty next year, Soriano is sure to hear it if he keeps this up.

Alexei Ramirez

Another guy who was expected to take the next step but tripped and fell instead. Ramirez gave Ozzie Guillen fits with his lackadaisical play in the field. He also had a steep decline in power, failing to slug .400. Ramirez may be one of those guys that will excite the fans from time to time but annoy them on a daily basis.

Carlos Marmol

Marmol was supposed to be the next stud in the Cubs bullpen after his amazing 2008. Instead he went all Ankiel and couldn’t find the plate. He’d get a ton of votes in the “Most Aggravating Player to Watch” poll. You still couldn’t hit Marmol in 2009, but you didn’t need to. He walked almost a batter an inning.

Rich Harden

Like some of the players on this list, Harden was not a complete flop. But relative to his level of skill and talent — I recall Jim Hendry calling it “World-class stuff” — Harden can only be viewed as a disappointment. He had an ERA over 4, gave up 23 homers in just 141 innings and regularly had trouble making it past 6 innings. Add in the inevitable trip to the DL and I’d say 2009 was a flop for Harden.

Dishonorable mentions: Bobby Jenks, Scott Linebrink, Jose Contreras, Aaron Miles, Aaron Heilman, Jeff Samardzija, Mike Fontenot, Jim Hendry

The Sox are only 2 over but just 2.5 out of first place. Major improvements with Rios and Peavy. Will that push them over the hump? Because it seemed like something was missing from this team. 60-58 will make you feel that way. But Detroit isn’t exactly killing the league and you have got to like the way the Sox finished strong last year. Can they do it again?

I think the Sox will make it and the Cubs will be sitting at home. Piniella gets the axe, warranted or not after the season.

Discuss!

Rios finally gives the Sox an everyday centerfielder that can field his position and hit. He does a little of everything. His numbers will likely go up at the Cell, but he is having a pretty lousy year.  And he makes a ton of cash:

• 7 years/$69.835M (2008-14), plus 2015 club option
  
  • signed extension with Toronto 4/4/08, re-working 2008 deal signed 2/5/08 ($3.5M signing bonus remains, 2008 salary reduced from $1.335M to $0.735M)
    
  • 08:$0.735M, 09:$5.9M, 10:$9.7M, 11:$12M, 12:$12M, 13:$12.5M, 14:$12.5M, 15:$13.5M club option ($1M buyout)
    
  • full no-trade clause, 2009-10
  • may block trades to 6 clubs from 2011 to end of deal

He certainly improves the roster. But will his huge contract prevent the Sox from getting a true power hitter when Dye, Konerko and Thome all leave at some point? Could Williams have done better for that kind of money?

One thing I think is for sure: Either Jake Peavy and Alex Rios make Williams a genius, or they will be his undoing. Sox fans have to like the Rios move now. Later? We’ll see.

You got it man. I was there. I was able to enjoy Mark Buehrle’s perfect game live and in person. And I can admit one thing: when it was 3-1 to Fields with the bages packed, I said to my buddy, “I sure hope he takes here.” Oops. Fields crushed the next pitch for a grand slam. I did almost call the time though. I was off by 13 minutes:

It was the 5th inning before we started talking about it. And I have to say that I didn’t think it was going to happen. Buehrle already had a no-hitter in 2007 and the Rays have a lot of good hitters in their lineup.

By far the most exciting play of the game was Wise’s catch. Guillen had just put him into the game as a defensive sub. I think you can say that was a good move by Ozzie, huh?

That was just insane. As it came off the bat I was sure it was gone and that what would have been a historical game was now just a very good win.

We hung around for a while after the game, exchanged high-fives and fist bumps with other fans, hooted and hollered and soaked it in. As I waited on the ramp for my friend who was taking a post-game wizz, it was cool to watch all the fans leaving the park and their different expressions. My favorite was the guy with the goofy grin on his face who just kept shaking his head. Because I was doing the same thing.