Hickey A True Chicago Type Of Guy

Kevin Hickey is a Chicago kid made good. For a guy to have pitched in the Major Leagues and he never played high school baseball- that is one heck of an underdog story. Hickey was signed out of 250 other dreamers at a White Sox tryout day at old Comiskey Park. Hickey told me when he was trying out as a pitcher when one of his pitches went thru the catchers glove. Now that's fast. I guess when you see that for a left hander it would be hard not to sign him to a minor league contract. For a kid that was working at a factory in Melrose Park and playing 16 inch softball he figured what the heck I will try out for the Chicago White Sox. Well the rest is history. He has been part of the Sox family ever since.

http://youtu.be/pfN2CCE8YRc

Kevin passed away on May 16, 2012. He was 56. He fell into a coma on April 5 and never came out. Hickey will be missed by many. He loved people and baseball and they both loved him back.

Ventura Getting Advice From Old Coaches

Robin Ventura shows class as he brings back retired coaches Joe Nossek and Art Kusnyer as spring training advisers. Ventura doesn't forget the people that have helped his career. Nossek and Kusnyer were White Sox coaches when Robin played in the 1990's. Both Nossek and Kusnyer are great guys to have around.
It's great to see that Ventura is going about it the right way. He isn't saying he knows everything and doesn't need any help. The well grounded Ventura is preparing to succeed by getting as much knowledge as possible from those that can help the cause.  Below is a little background to what kind of guy Art Kusnyer is.

http://youtu.be/7EdWjjkx9yA

Sox May Look At Steve Dahl to Sell Tickets

Robin Ventura will be thrown to the wolves the first month of April. Having to make his managerial debut in Texas. Ouch. John Danks gets the start for the first game. Do you think he said to himself, "can't I start in Cleveland instead?"  Either way Danks, Ventura and the rest of the 2012 Sox will have a tough April schedule. With Cleveland on the road following the 3 games in Arlington they come home to the big, bad , they won't ever be beat Detroit Tigers. The Sox home opener will have Jake Peavy on the mound. Chances are the Sox may be 1-5 before their first home game. If Brook Boyer is having trouble selling tickets now just wait until the Sox are swept in Texas. Boyer may be calling Steve Dahl for another Disco Demolition night to get the fans to come out. After they have 3 with the Tigers, Baltimore comes in for a four game series. Then off to the west coast to face Seattle and Oakland. The west coast trip is always a hard one. After those 6 games on the road, they take on the always strong Boston Red Sox at home for four.

White Sox Pitching Not That Bad

Questions are plentiful concerning the 2012 White Sox pitching staff. For some of us anyway. A few of us already have all the answers. So they think. I have a few. But what I do know is this. Danks, Peavy, Floyd and Sale. Should be better then average. I know a couple thousands of you think Peavy is finished. Well he might be. But he will be sent out to the mound every 5 days until his arm falls off. That is what I do know. As far as Chris Sale is concern. It will most likely take him a couple months as a starter before he settles in. Lets hope Don Copper and Robin Ventura give him the time to settle in. For a yound skinny kid like Sale he will have a whole lot of learning to do this summer. With the Sox not expected to do anything this year I see no reason why you also wouldn't send Sale out to the mound every 5th day too. Phil Humber will be good for the first few months anyway. After that who knows. Maybe Kenny picks up another young pitcher or gives someone like Axlerod a chance. I know Kenny likes Drabek so maybe he will on the south side this year.

One thing WE all know is that Danks and Floyd is what you see is what you get. I don't see them getting any better or any worse in 2012. I wouldn't mind seeing Kenny Williams trade Floyd and A.J. for some prospects.

As far as the bullpen goes it looks good. Can Addison Reed be the full time closer? I think he too will take some time  getting use to that role.  So look for Crain and Thornton to close when needed depending on the batters that they face.

The Sox defense will be better this year so that will help the pitching staff. With De Aza in CF and the Tank in rightfield not everything will be caught but with Rios in LF it can't be all that bad. Can it? Okay Rios seems like the kind of player that may be jittery near the foul line and the stands when going for a foul ball. Look for a few pitchers to get upset when Rios slows up and is unable to catch a foul ball near the stands this year.

Other then that lets wish Bobby Jenks a quick recovery from spinal fluid leaking out of his spinal column last month. He almost lost his life.  Anyway go White Sox.

I Like The 2012 White Sox. So Should You!

I can see the confusion that is befalling on White Sox fans. The confusion begins with the smoke signals coming from 35 street.  One day its rebuilding the next day its retooling. Call it what you want but I call it messing with the fans.  I know the real fans understand that this team really hasn't changed that much from last year. The only thing that's changed really is what is coming out of the marketing department. Thank goodness for that. The slogan last year of "All In" was just flat out bad. Talk about putting undo and unnecessary pressure on people. Wow. This year so far we have not heard or seen anything coming from the marketing people.

Meanwhile on the field we have the same CF, 1B, 2B, DH, 3B, SS and catcher. Like Adam Dunn said at Soxfest this weekend the best moves the Sox made so far is that Rios and Dunn are coming back. As strange as that sounds its the truth. If Dunn can go back to what he did before he choked with the huge contract he will be one heck of an off season keep by Kenny. Lets just play lets make a wish. Lets say Dunn hits 30 HR this year. Nice right. Lets say Rios hits .275  and 20 HR. Not bad right. Maybe he will even run and throw like an average CF. We will take that right? Ok say Beckman goes back to his rookie year stats and hits .270 and 14 dingers. Huh? Not bad. Yes its wishful thinking but its not out of the question for these three guys to do just that. Ok lets pretend that Brent Morrel gets better at the plate. Ok not bad then. Lets say Alexi gets just a little bit better or stays the same. That's a good shortstop right there. So what about the new guys. Yes. Tank and De Aza. Bam. They will be the other pieces to this puzzle. De Aza in CF? Rios in LF? Tank in RF. Hmm. Ok. Tank hits .265 and 22 bombs. Not bad. De Aza hits .288 and steals 30 bases. Hmm. I think this team can contend all summer long. Come back next week and hear my take on the 2012 pitchers.

Kenny Williams is not home can I take a message?

After hearing about the man breaking into Kenny Williams house last week it made me wonder if this man was in his home last year when Adam Dunn's agent called. Maybe it was this man that broke into Williams house that answered the phone and said yes to the big contract for Dunn. Either way the real Kenny Williams is on a mission from God (or Jerry Reinsdorf) to cut the payroll. Or is he? Sure Kenny is shopping Matt Thornton and his 12 million per year contract. Which we all understand. Even though it was Kenny who just signed him to that last year. ??? Yes why? Or was it the intruder to his house that signed him? 2011 showed thatThornton could not handle the closer spot. Santos the former infielder solidfied that position.  The trouble area is the fact that the White Sox are shopping John Danks. Danks is a young strong kid. If they do trade him I hope they get a ton for him. Another starting pitcher  at  least. I would rather seem them trade Gavil Floyd before Danks.
With Mark Buehrle certain to sign with another team the second city Sox team will be competing with the Joliet Jackhammers for customers in 2012.

If the mission is to cut payroll how soon until A.J. is shipped off for a box of balls?  It seems like they will give Gordon Beckham at least another 3 months before they send his butt some where  else if he continues to hit in the .230 range. Number 23 Ventura will have a long summer if Dunn and Rios don't hit in 2012. Ventura and Williams might be at each others throats before the All-Star game.

Moose tells us about the 1956 World Series

http://youtu.be/iaq3BD-oTe4

Moose talks about his 1956 World Series grand slam.