Today on 35th Street has been brought to you by the number 4.
4 is the number of White Sox opening days Jim Thome has hit a homer, breaking his own team record today when he sent an errant Kyle Farnsworth heater into center field to take the lead 4-2 in the 8th. Some, observing 2009’s first Thome-trot around the bases likened his form to a guy moving a refrigerator by himself. Others, a couch. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that power may play a role in the Chisox season.
4 is the number of strikeouts reliever Octavio Dotel delivered in the 7th inning. The customary three Ks weren’t enough since Pierzinski’s dropped third strike allowed Olivo to reach. Nonetheless, OD persevered against Aviles mere seconds later. The binary hurler’s magnificent inning will need to be cherished like a family snapshot when he senselessly gives up his next two jacks, which is penciled in for…oh, probably Friday.
4 is the number of times Dewayne Wise failed to reach, suggesting that as a leadoff hitter, he makes a pretty good center fielder. Also, Carlos Quentin went Q for 4. While no panic buttons are yet being pressed about Wise, Ozzie’s intent to platoon the leadoff slot with Brian Anderson already looked pretty grim. More outings like this hopefully means Alexei Ramirez in the leadoff spot, protecting those 100+ extra at-bats from rampant whiffery.
And 4 is the number of opening days since the last Chicago baseball championship. Three ringless seasons – it’s a shame really. What if, one day, Chicago got a second ball club to pitch in with the work hunting down the laurels? Well, a guy can dream.
Terrific as always, Rob, but I think if we’re rejiggering the lineup based on yesterday it’s more likely we’ll see Getz leading off – probably followed up by Fields. Wise/BA moves down to the nine, or possibly 13, hole.
So the Sox are playing this year? I take that as a sign the economy is getting better.