Red Line Doubleheader Game 2: Yankees at White Sox

After the Cubs game, I went home to let the Cubs fans clear out before taking the red line south to U.S. Cellular Field for game two of the red line doubleheader.

Obtaining Tickets
We needed to buy three tickets for the game. The cheapest price at the box office (which in my opinion makes no sense for the White Sox) was $33 for an upper deck seat. Rather than pay $99 for upper deck seats, we found a fan that had three extra tickets in the 100 level (face value $52 each) that we bought for $100 total.

Rain Delay at the Bullpen Sports Bar
As soon as we entered the stadium, it started to rain. Since the game was delayed, we could either stand in the concourse with all of the other fans, or we could head to the Bullpen Sports Bar. We went to the Bullpen Sports Bar as I would recommend to most fans sitting at U.S. Cellular Field during a rain delay.

The Game
After the game was delayed for about an hour (64 minutes to be exact) due to heavy rains, we headed back to our seats. For the second Thursday in a row, Dewayne Wise was the hero and for the second week in a row he needed help to gain the title. Last Thursday, Wise made a spectacular catch to keep Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in tact.

Last night, with two outs in the top of the 9th, Nick Swisher hit a home run to tie the game at 2 runs apiece. The home run allowed Wise to single in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 9th to lead the White Sox to a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees.

Perfection at U.S. Cellular Field: Rays at White Sox

“Oh well,” I thought as Gabe Kapler connected with Mark Buehrle’s pitch in the top of the 9th inning for an apparent home run – another possible no-hitter (this time a perfect game) lost in a late inning. The main baseball feat I have never witnessed in person.

But out of nowhere came DeWayne Wise. A defensive replacement for the start of the inning, Wise sprinted, in what appeared to be about a dozen strides, to the wall, jumped against the eight foot wall and extended his right arm. I could not believe what happened next – the ball landed in his glove but as Wise hit the wall and headed towards the ground the ball popped out of his glove for a split second and with his bare left hand grabbed the ball, fell to the ground and rolled. He jumped up and displayed the ball to the crowd and everyone was ecstatic. The perfect game was still in tact!

The next two batters – Michael Hernandez and Jason Bartlett stood no chance after that play. Hernandez struck out after getting to a 3-1 count and Bartlett grounded out to Alexei Ramirez for the 27th and final out. Mark Buehrle had just pitched the 18th perfect game in Major League Baseball history and I attended my first perfect game and no-hitter.

Obtaining Tickets
On the train south to U.S. Cellular Field a man got on the train in the loop and asked if anyone needed an extra ticket. I walked over to him and said I did. He wanted $20 for a single but I told him I only wanted to pay $10. He then offered me both tickets for $20. Assuming I could resell the other ticket outside of the ballpark I accepted the man’s offer.

As I got off the train, I resold the ticket to a scalper for $15. I probably should have done better but did not feel like hassling with trying to sell the other ticket. Plus I would never complain about buying a 100 level seat for $5.

The Game
In what was completely overshadowed by Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, Josh Fields hit a grand slam – the fourth straight White Sox game I have attended in which a grand slam was hit.

Possible Foul Ball
On May 21, I caught my first foul ball in a few years at U.S. Cellular Field. Yesterday, in the 5th inning, I dropped an easy foul ball from Paul Konerko as I sat in section 122, row 26, seat 1. In my aggravation over dropping the easy foul ball, I forgot Buehrle was throwing a perfect game and finally realized Buehrle was throwing a perfect game during the seventh inning stretch – probably good luck for Buehrle as usually the next batter gets a hit once I realize a no-hitter is being thrown.

U.S. Cellular Field
For the first time I noticed that U.S. Cellular Field is now selling Amstel Light and Heineken from a beer vendor. Prior to this you could only buy those beers from a concession stand. The price was not too bad either - $7.25 vs. $6.75 for Miller Lite.

Another note for this game was that I was on the Apple Vacations wave came after the 7th inning. Since I normally sit in the upper deck I do not usually get on the jumbotron but yesterday I did.

Post Game
After the game, I stuck around U.S. Cellular Field to watch Buehrle and Ozzie Guillen in the post game press conference. I have seen the White Sox promote the press conference at other White Sox games I have attended but never stuck around to watch it. It was much shorter than I thought it would be but filled up the time between leaving U.S. Cellular Field and getting to Solider Field – especially considering the game only lasted 2 hours and 3 minutes.

As I was walking to the train, I stopped by where the players “supposedly” exit after White Sox games. Little did I know the players actually exit about 50 yards from where they let the fans stand. Kenny Williams did exit by us, but nobody else exited by the fans.

Tripleheader Thursday in Chicago

As I wrote yesterday, one of my favorite sporting event start times are weekday afternoon games. Today I am planning to combine a weekday afternoon baseball game with a Gold Cup soccer doubleheader at Soldier Field. The Chicago White Sox are scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 pm. This is the first time I will have seen the Rays play at U.S. Cellular Field since April 23, 2004.

At 6 pm the United States plays Honduras in the first game of the doubleheader followed by Mexico and Costa Rica in the second game. This morning, my friend, Liam, called and invited me to a luxury box for the Gold Cup doubleheader. Since I was already planning to attend, I, of course, said yes. My original plan was to buy tickets outside of Soldier Field from a fan that had extras or from a scalper. This is another reason not to buy tickets ahead of time – you never know when you might get a last minute invite.

Mullet and Fireworks Night: Orioles at White Sox

With the wife heading to book club on a Friday night, I went to watch the White Sox host the Baltimore Orioles.

Obtaining Tickets
Even though the game was more crowded than usual (it was Mullet Night and Fireworks), I had hoped to find a free ticket. As I got off the train, a scalper had an upper deck ticket (face value $20). I offered him $10, to make my life easier, but he wanted $15 and did not accept my offer.

Next, I went on my “usual” walk past Gate 5 with the plan to continue to the main box office at the front of U.S. Cellular Field. However, as soon as I got to Gate 5, there was a guy with two extra tickets. At that time, another guy who needed a single asked if he had an extra ticket. He said he did and with me also needing a single, he handed us each one ticket. Nothing beats a free ticket to a ballgame.

The Game
In the third straight White Sox game I have attended somebody hit a grand slam. Jim Thome led the White Sox with a grand slam (his first since 2006) and three-run home run to defeat the Orioles 12-8. Thome had a career-high seven RBI, which is also the first time in White Sox history that they had two players have at least two home runs and seven RBI in the same month (Paul Konerko achieved the feat on July 7).

Fireworks Night
One of the most popular promotions for families is fireworks night at the ballpark. The White Sox drew 32,013 people last night which is ahead of their average attendance of 26,265 through 44 home games.

Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox

I arrived at the White Sox game Thursday afternoon early and with the only restaurant within a reasonable walk I knew of (Jimbo’s) now closed I had to choose another place to eat before the game.

Pre Game Dining
I decided to eat at 35th Street Red Hot – located on the corner of 35 St. and Normal Ave. Most hot dog stands in Chicago sell other items besides hot dogs so I was surprised to discover that 35th Street Red Hot only sells hot dogs. I ordered the double hot dog with fries.

Obtaining Tickets
35th Street Red Hot used to be the main spot for ticket brokers outside of U.S. Cellular Field. However, as was the case with the Cubs at White Sox game I attended on June 27, no brokers were to be found on the corner – there were a few Chicago police though.

I ended up buying a $36 ticket (face value) for $10 outside the main box office of U.S. Cellular Field.

The Game
In one of the longer games I have attended this season (time of game was 3:43) the Indians defeated the White Sox 10-8. The Indians took an early 9-2 lead behind a Kelly Shoppach second inning grand slam. The White Sox made a comeback but were shut down by Kerry Wood who earned the first four out save of his career.

Three Home Run Night: Indians at White Sox

For the first time ever, I went to a Chicago White Sox game over a Chicago Cubs game. My friend, Jamie Trecker, invited the Ultimate Sports Wife and me over to his house for a BBQ and wanted to attend the White Sox game last night. For the only day this season, the Cubs and White Sox were playing a home game at the same time.

Obtaining Tickets
Since the Cubs were playing at the same time as the White Sox, my usual scalpers were not at U.S. Cellular Field but outside Wrigley Field instead. Also, we needed to buy three tickets. The one scalper I found only had single tickets and they were on the lower level (if you buy 500 level seats at U.S. Cellular Field you cannot go to the 100 level). Thus, we bought tickets upper deck seats at the box office for $23 each.

The Game
I was rewarded for my decision to attend the White Sox game instead of the Cubs game. Paul Konerko hit three home runs – a solo shot in the 2nd inning, a grand slam in the 6th inning and a two-run homer in the 7th inning. He is only the third player this season to hit three home runs in the same game and the first White Sox three home run game since July 30, 2003.

I have seen a player hit three home runs in one game four times before:

1) June 23, 1997: Steve Finley – San Diego at San Francisco
2) June 15, 1998: Sammy Sosa – Chicago vs. Milwaukee
3) August 9, 2001: Sammy Sosa – Chicago vs. Colorado
4) July 4, 2003: Moises Alou – Chicago vs. St. Louis

Crosstown Classic on the Southside: Cubs at White Sox

On Saturday I had planned on a doubleheader day. First up was the Crosstown Classic at U.S. Cellular Field. Second was the SuperLiga match between the Chicago Fire and Tigres UANL (a Mexican club team) at Toyota Park.

However, since the first pitch of the Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox game was scheduled for 3:10 pm and kickoff for the soccer match was at 7 pm, I could not afford much of a delay in the baseball game. Thus, I had to drive since Interstate-55 basically connected both stadiums.

Parking & Tailgating at U.S. Cellular Field
On Saturday morning, my neighbor told me he was planning to tailgate with a few of his friends before the game. Since I was already planning to drive I told him I would meet him around 2 pm. I wanted to arrive at the ballpark early anyway, since last year, when I attended the Cubs at White Sox game on Friday afternoon I had to park 5 blocks away from the ballpark and still pay $22. This time I arrived at U.S. Cellular Field around 1:45 pm and paid the normal $23 to park in Parking Lot L – much closer.

My friend was tailgating in Parking Lot G which is on the corner of 35 St. and Normal Ave. – a decent walk from where I parked but would allow me to check out the secondary ticket market while I walked over there. I did not see many scalpers with tickets on my walk and the box office had just sold out. Ticket Buying Tip: Even though a game may be sold out ahead of time, sometimes the box office will have tickets available before the game. If ticket prices are too high on the street be sure to check out the box office before purchasing tickets from a scalper.

This was the first time I tailgated at U.S. Cellular Field since last season at the the American League Central one-game tiebreaker. I hardly ever tailgate outside of U.S. Cellular Field since 1) I normally take the train and 2) I do not know anyone who tailgates on the Southside. There is nothing special to tailgating at U.S. Cellular Field.

Obtaining Tickets
Historically, the main scalping area around U.S. Cellular Field is on the corner of 35 St. and Normal Ave. at the 35th Street Red Hot (a hot dog stand). Since we were also tailgating on this corner, I left the tailgate to find an extra ticket (after, of course, asking the fans around our tailgate if they had an extra ticket). Chicago Police were swarming the corner so there were no scalpers in front of the stand. However, I walked another block or two west and found a few scalpers. The first guy wanted $80 each for his upper deck reserved tickets. I said no. A second guy wanted $50 once I told them I wanted to pay face value. We eventually agreed on $40 for a $33 ticket – around the same price I would have paid if buying from Ticketmaster months before the game.

The Game
With Friday afternoon’s Crosstown Classic only lasting 2 hours and 26 minutes, I was hoping today’s game would end by 6 pm – allowing me time to get to Toyota Park for the SuperLiga match. This proved not to be the case though. The game featured six lead changes and six ties in what had to have been one of the most back and forth games I have attended this season.

Bullpen Sports Bar
With the game tied at seven runs apiece after the eighth inning, I decided to walk down to the Bullpen Sports Bar for two reasons. First and foremost, the Bullpen Sports Bar was on the side of the stadium where I had parked my car. It was approaching 6:30 pm and the only way I could make it to the Chicago Fire game was if the game ended in the ninth inning and I could run to my car beating traffic out of the U.S. Cellular Field parking lots.

Second, if the game was tied after nine innings, I could buy beer from the bar and watch extra innings as I would no longer be attending the Fire game.

I got to the sports bar in time for the bottom of the 9th inning as the Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th. With two outs, Josh Fields on second base, Jayson Nix at the plate and Gordon Beckham on deck, I was convinced I would be settling in for an evening of extra inning baseball. I even told Nicole I would be home earlier than I thought. Even after Nix walked, I still thought I would be watching extra innings.

However, the next thing I knew Gordon Beckham hit a ball that headed towards the sports bar, dropped in for a single and allowed Josh Fields to score the winning run. I looked at the time – 6:40 pm. Could I make it to Toyota Park in 25 minutes (soccer matches usually start a few minutes late)? I decided yes and ran out of the Bullpen Sports Bar and through the parking lot to my car.

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago White Sox

Once again, I attended a weekday afternoon Chicago White Sox game. This time the Dodgers were in town and the White Sox were wearing uniforms from the 1959 season to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the World Series team that lost the 1959 World Series to the Dodgers.

Obtaining Tickets
I bought a ticket seven rows from the field for $15. The ticket was a season ticket (meaning the face value printed was cheaper than the seat would have cost at the box office) with a face value of $46 ($52 if I bought the ticket from the box office). The guy I bought the ticket from wanted $20 – up-selling me on the fact that it was an “amazing” seat. He was right, but with the sun beating down, I told him I would probably not even sit in the seat – which I did not, until the 5th inning, when the clouds began to cross the sun’s path.

The Game
Chad Billingsley gave up a 4-0 lead and the White Sox eventually defeated the Dodgers 6-5 in 13 innings. It was my second 13 inning game in six days and the eighth longest game I have ever attended (77 total outs).

U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field offers a pizza meal deal if you are looking to save $1 off the cost of a pizza and souvenir soda. LaRussa’s Pizza sells a pizza meal deal for $11.50 (personal pizza) or $8.25 (slice).
For the first time, I used the shower in left field to cool off. The shower, called Plumbing Council Old Comiskey Park Shower, started at Old Comiskey Park and was moved over to the new Comiskey Park.

Three Hour Rain Delay: Tigers at White Sox

Once again, I decided to attend a weekday afternoon baseball game. However, this time it rained most of the morning and throughout the afternoon. Since the White Sox were only traveling to Milwaukee for their weekend series and the Tigers were heading to Pittsburgh for their next series, I figured the teams would wait out a lengthy rain delay and play the game in the late afternoon.

Rather than sit in the ballpark for the rain delay, I chose to wait in my house. Usually it takes the grounds crew about 25-30 minutes to prepare the field after a rain delay. Thus, once the tarp was removed from the field, I could leave the house and still make the game on time. I called the White Sox periodically to see when the game would start and each time they had a bad estimate until they said the tarp was being pulled off the field around 3:20 pm.

Obtaining Tickets
I thought I would have to buy tickets from the box office since I was arriving at U.S. Cellular Field three hours after the scheduled first pitch. I had planned to buy a $19.50 upper deck seat since scalpers will not hang around that long. However, as I got off the train, a scalper was standing on 35th St. with three extra tickets. At first I offered him $5 for a $38 ticket, but ended up paying $10 (realizing my other option was to pay $19.50 at the box office).

The Game
With the White Sox taking a 3-1 lead into the 9th inning, it appeared the game would end a long day at the ballpark. However, Curtis Granderson extended the game by hitting a two-run homer in the top of the 9th inning to tie the game 3-3. The White Sox managed to win the game in the bottom of the 9th after Scott Podsednik singled with the bases loaded.

Day Part of Day-Night Doubleheader: Tigers at White Sox

The White Sox scheduled a day-night doubleheader yesterday in order to makeup the Tigers and White Sox that was postponed on Wednesday, May 6.

Obtaining Tickets
I bought a ticket from the May 6 game for $10 outside of U.S. Cellular Field. Since the ticket was a “season ticket,” the face value price was $32 but would have cost me $38 at the ticket window.

Note: If you are planning to buy tickets from a scalper for a makeup game, be sure you know the date of the original game that was supposed to be played. Generally the tickets from the postponed game will be valid for the makeup game and you do not want to end up buying a ticket from the wrong day.

The Game
One thing I rarely do at games (because I normally do not walk by the stand) is sign up for the designated driver program. By doing so, you receive a free soda from any concession stand. If you are looking to save a little money at the park, I recommend signing up (if you can find it).

Even though the White Sox managed to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th at 4 runs apiece, the Tigers scored the winning run in the top of the 9th inning. The game ended around 4 pm. If the game had gone to extra innings, I had considered waiting for the night game of the doubleheader. However, with a three hour wait in between games, I chose to go home for the evening.

Doubleheader Day: Oakland Athletics at Chicago White Sox

Yesterday was an interesting doubleheader day. With a meeting for work scheduled from at 5-7 pm I had time to attend the White Sox game Thursday afternoon.

Parking
Since the game started at 1:05 pm, I figured it would end around 4 pm (the typical three hour baseball game). Thus, in order to get to my 5 pm meeting on time in Rosemont, IL I needed to drive and pay for parking. Parking at U.S. Cellular Field is a steep $23.

Obtaining Tickets
After looking for a free ticket for about 10 minutes, I ended up paying $10 for a lower reserved ticket (face value $34 if bought from the box office).

The Game
The A’s shut out the White Sox 7-0 in a game that only lasted two hours and 15 minutes – so much for my need to rush to my 5 pm meeting.

It was the 5th time the White Sox have been shut out at home this season. Brett Anderson pitched for Oakland – the fourth consecutive rookie pitcher to start the series. This was the first time the A’s have started four consecutive rookies since June of 1996.

The big news of the day was Gordon Beckham making his major league debut. He was drafted by the White Sox last summer and is the fastest White Sox to make the majors (364 days) since Alex Fernandez (58 days) in 1990. He received a standing ovation prior to his first at-bat, but ended up going 0 for 3.

A Free Ticket, A Foul Ball and 20 Runs

I had scheduled a doctor’s appointment specifically for Thursday morning so I would have an excuse to “work from home” – aka attend the Chicago White Sox game after my doctor’s appointment. My doctor’s appointment ended around 11:30 am so I took the train from downtown Chicago to U.S. Cellular Field and arrived at noon.

Pre Game Dining
I had planned to eat lunch at Jimbo’s – the only bar/restaurant within a two block walk of U.S. Cellular Field. But to my dismay the place was boarded up. At first I thought the economy took them down, but then remembered reading an article from 2006 stating that the owner of the building was not going to renew the restaurant’s lease after the 2006 season. Since we ate their last August 8, they must have come to an agreement but I guess not this time.

Instead I ate at the Parkside Café – located at 308 W. 33rd St. This café is similar to any hot dog stand in Chicago except it does not have indoor seating – only outdoor, which makes it only a walkup during lousy weather.

Obtaining Tickets
After eating, I was back at the ballpark at 12:30 pm and had my mind set on a free ticket – even though it was 82 degrees outside, it was still a Thursday afternoon on the Southside. I stood outside the main box office where I have had luck before. Remember, in order to get a free ticket you always have to be willing to offer something. I offered $5 for a $19.50 ticket and $10 for a $40 ticket, but both offers were rejected.

As it approached 12:50 pm, I thought I might have to pay a reasonable price for a ticket. But then, I saw a man handing someone else a ticket and saw no money exchanged. I asked the same guy if he still had an extra (which I knew he did) and he gave me his second extra ticket - $40 face value, 14 rows behind home plate. He also gave me a pass to The Stadium Club.

The Foul Ball
Since I do not like to sit in the sun, I chose to sit in row 28 (14 rows behind my seat) in order to sit in the shade – my Chicago blood has not adjusted to 82 degree sunny days just yet. I sat there for the first four innings and went to the Stadium Club for the 5th inning to check it out (I have not had Stadium Club passes since April 23, 2004).

I got back to Section 129 in the top of the 6th inning and the shade was now covering my seat in row 14. I sat in my “given” seat as Nick Punto came to the plate. On the first pitch to Punto, Nick hit a towering foul ball above our heads. I knew the ball would not land in our section, but did not realize it would fall just two rows back right across the aisle. Based on the fans that were standing to try and catch the ball, I stepped into the aisle and waited for the ricochet (I’m no expert on catching balls at games but I do know a major league pop-up is nearly impossible to catch with a bare hand). It landed on the group as I expected, bounced off another guys hand and caromed towards me. The only risk was that I would not be able to snag the ball with my own bare hands. I did and grabbed my 7th game ball off the bat of Nick Punto (and only the second ball that did not touch the ground first). The other six game balls I got were:

#1: April 13, 1993 (in San Diego): Jay Bell hit a foul ball by first base that hit the ground in our row.
#2: April 18, 1993 (in San Francisco): Matt Williams hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 11th inning. The ball fell beneath the bleachers so I quickly ran underneath the bleachers to claim the ball.
#3: 1994 (in Oakland): Stan Javier hit a ball that caromed off the façade and I caught the ball on my shoulder.
#4: June 21, 1995 (in Oakland): Craig Paquette hit a home run that fell underneath the Oakland Coliseum bleachers which I ran and found before another fan.
#5: September 12, 1996 (in Montreal): Darren Fletcher hit a foul ball by third base that landed in the aisle and I was able to grab out of a group of hands reaching for the ball.
#6: July 9, 2004 (in San Juan): The Ultimate Sports Wife and I were sitting in the front row by the Pittsburgh Pirates dugout. A ball was foul tipped and rolled over to the wall. I leaned over and picked it up.

The Game
For the third time in the 802 regular season MLB games I have attended, one team scored 20 runs in the game. The irony being that the last time I saw a team score 20 runs, the Twins defeated the White Sox 20-14 on July 6, 2007 (in the first game of a day-night doubleheader) – also at U.S. Cellular Field. The other game occurred on May 6, 2001 when the Cubs defeated the Dodgers 20-1 at Wrigley Field.

Other milestones that were achieved during this game were:
1) First time since July 6, 2007 that either team scored or gave up 20 runs.
2) The 10th time in team history the Twins scored 20 runs.
3) The 13th time in team history the White Sox game up 20 runs.
4) Biggest defeat in White Sox history matching a 19-0 loss in Anaheim during the 2002 season.
5) The White Sox streak of hitting a home run in every home game versus the Twins was snapped. They had done so since the second game of the doubleheader on July 6, 2007.

100th Chicago White Sox Home Game

Last night I attended my 100th Chicago White Sox home game. The first White Sox game I ever attended was on July 27, 1990 at “Old Comiskey Park” with my grandparents and brother. Every other game has been at U.S. Cellular Field (or “New Comiskey Park”). The White Sox are the 4th Major League Baseball team I have seen play 100 games at home. The other three are:

1) San Francisco Giants – attended my 100th game during the 1997 season
2) Oakland Athletics – attended my 100th game during the 2001 season
3) Chicago Cubs – attended my 100th game during the 2002 season

Pre Game Dining
When I was at the White Sox doubleheader last Tuesday, I noticed an advertisement for Buffalo Wings & Rings. The ad stated that they had free parking and a free shuttle. My friend and I decided to try the restaurant last night.

Buffalo Rings & Wings is similar to BW3 but not as good. However, they made good on their promise of free parking and a free shuttle (saving the $23 it costs to park in the official White Sox parking lots) and the ride was hassle free. The shuttle waited for us before the game so we could go to our car first and was waiting for us after the game. We will definitely be eating here before White Sox games later this season.

Obtaining Tickets
I had hoped we could get free tickets for a half full White Sox game, but with my friend with me I decided not to wait for a freebie. Instead we paid $10 each for upper reserved seats ($23 face value). The White Sox labeled last night’s game as a Prime game. I’m not 100% sure why the Texas Rangers are “prime,” but the White Sox categorized every weekend game (except for April) as prime or premier.

The Game
The Texas Rangers made quick work of the White Sox scoring 3 runs in the first two innings and never looked back. Matt Harrison, of the Rangers, threw a 4-hit complete game shutout.

In the seventh inning we decided to go to the Bullpen Sports Bar located at field level behind the right field fence. Usually, the outside seating at the sports bar fills up before the start of the game. However, last night, when we arrived two people left so we were able to sit at the patio tables. It was the first time I sat at the tables outside.

Straight Doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field

My original sporting event plan for Tuesday was to attend the noon start between the Beloit Snappers and Kane County Cougars in Geneva, IL. However, when Monday night’s game between the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox was postponed and rescheduled as a straight doubleheader beginning at 4:05 pm Tuesday afternoon, I changed my plans – the first doubleheader (straight or split) I have attended since September 10, 2004.

Monday night was the 35th postponed game in the 19 year history of U.S. Cellular Field making Tuesday night’s doubleheader the seventh doubleheader played between the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox – obviously all played in Chicago.

Parking
Since I was driving from work, I had to pay to park. The White Sox are charging $23 to park in their lot this year – up from $1 last season.

Obtaining Tickets
Monday night’s game was half-price night. Thus, the official ticket exchange policy stated that fans could trade in the value of their Monday night ticket for any future game. However, it seemed as though most fans chose to trade in Monday’s tickets for Tuesday’s doubleheader. I parked in the lot as the first game was starting and realized that lines, about 100 people deep, were waiting outside each ticket window. The White Sox had not opened enough windows – obviously not expecting such a large walkup crowd.

I found a group of fans who actually had complimentary tickets for both Monday and Tuesday night’s games. They gave me tickets for Monday night’s game but I realized I would have to “trade” these tickets at the box office and was not willing to wait in line. Thus, I took the tickets and walked the other direction in search of actual Tuesday night tickets. As I was walking, the next box office had a window open with nobody waiting in line. I sprinted to the window and the window had just opened! I traded the ticket I received for a ticket to Tuesday night’s game and was on my way into the ballpark before the hundreds of people waiting at each gate.

Game 1
In the first game of the doubleheader, the White Sox managed to defeat the Mariners 2-1 with only two hits. It was the first time since June 22, 2006 that the White Sox won a game with only two hits and the first time since June 23, 2001 that the Mariners lost a game when only giving up two hits.

Game 1 was the second shortest game (in time) I have ever attended. The game lasted a total of 112 minutes. The shortest game I ever attended (109 minutes) was on June 21, 2002 when the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals by the same score 2-1. The only other game I attended that was under two hours (114 minutes) was April 6, 1994 when the San Francisco Giants hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Between Games
Since Game 1 took so little time, Game 2 started at 7:11 pm rather than starting the customary 30 minutes after Game 1. After Game 1, I decided to walk to the Gate 5 ramp to see if people were still waiting in line for tickets. There were no longer any lines (it was 90 minutes later). As I was walking across the bridge, I noticed an advertisement hanging along the railroad tracks that cross over 35th St.

The ad was for Buffalo Wings & Rings, located at 3434 S. Halsted St, which is 4 blocks west of U.S. Cellular Field. The ad stated that the restaurant has free parking and a free shuttle to the ballpark (something I have not heard of at U.S. Cellular Field) – which would save the $23 it costs to park at U.S. Cellular Field. I will probably try to restaurant when driving to future White Sox games.

Game 2
The Mariners broke out their bats in Game 2 as they defeated the White Sox 9-1. Russell Branyan went 5-5 and Yunieky Betancourt drove in 5 runs as the temperature seemed to decrease over the remaining innings.

Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox

I attended my first Major League Baseball game of the season on Saturday. The White Sox defeated the Twins 8-0 as Bartolo Colon pitched 6 shutout innings.

Obtaining Tickets
I bought a $34 face value ticket for $10. However, the price for my ticket would have been $38 from the box office. The White Sox discount their ticket prices for season ticket holders.

Black Out at U.S. Cellular Field

The Chicago White Sox asked for all fans to wear black to U.S. Cellular Field for last night’s one-game tiebreaker versus the Minnesota Twins. The fans complied and the stands appeared to be completely black.

In the first AL one-game tiebreaker game since 1995, the White Sox defeated the Twins 1-0. It was the first 1-0 clinching game since 1987 when the Detroit Tigers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Twins could only produce two hits in a game that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. It was the first 1-0 game I attended all season. The game came down to two major plays – Jim Thome’s 7th inning home run and Ken Griffey Jr.’s strong throw to home plate to throw out Michael Cuddyer tagging up in the 5th inning.

The game marked the first time since 1906 that both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox qualified for the same postseason. The game also marked the first time in MLB history that one team defeated three different teams on three consecutive days to end the season.

U.S. Cellular Field Drink Tip: At the end of the 7th inning, the beer lines were long. Plus, you are limited to two beers per person. Instead, I discovered the margarita line. Not only was there nobody in line (where the beer line was 5 deep), but you could buy 4 margaritas per person.

The Eighth One-Game Tiebreaker in MLB History

With the Minnesota Twins sitting ½ games ahead of the Chicago White Sox before last night’s game, a White Sox loss would have sent the Twins to the playoffs and the White Sox home for the winter. However, last night’s White Sox victory over the Detroit Tigers forced the eighth one-game tiebreaker in MLB history.

Tonight will be the second one-game tiebreaker I attend as the White Sox host the Twins in a 6:30 pm start at U.S. Cellular Field. The last one-game tiebreaker I attended was September 28, 1998. The Chicago Cubs hosted the San Francisco Giants that night at Wrigley Field. Knowing that tie-breaker games generally have high demand for tickets, I bought my tickets as soon as they went on sale after last night’s game was officially over.

A Rainy Day for a Rain Delayed Makeup Game: Tigers at White Sox

Normally only one-game tiebreaker games take place on the Monday after MLB’s regular season ends. However, each year there are always some possibilities of a game that was rained out earlier in the season that will need to be made up on Monday if the 1st and 2nd place teams are only ½ games apart in the standings. Yesterday was that exception.

For the first time in 27 years, a team needed to make up a rained out game after the conclusion of the season. In 1981, the Royals and Indians made up a game on October 5. However, this game was to win the “second half championship” after the two month players’ strike. The true parallel to yesterday’s game took place 35 years ago when the Mets, Pirates and Cardinals all reached the end of the 1973 season which a chance for 1st place in the NL East. According to Jason Stark’s column on espn.com yesterday – “The Mets -- who were 1½ games up on the Pirates and a game up on St. Louis -- had just had three straight games rained out in Chicago on the final weekend but had only managed to make up one. Meanwhile, the Pirates still had to make up a rained out game from April against San Diego. So, it was the Pirates who were in roughly the same situation as the White Sox are this year. Pittsburgh needed to win its game at home, and hope the Mets got swept in an emergency makeup doubleheader in Chicago. But the Pirates lost to San Diego 4-3 while the Mets were winning Game 1. And that was that.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Grand Slams at U.S. Cellular Field

The Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox 11-8 last night. Ryan Garko hit a grand slam in top of the 5th inning to give the Indians the lead which they never gave up.

In the ten White Sox games I have attended at U.S. Cellular Field this season, I have witnessed 6 grand slams in 5 of those games. In addition, a player has had at least four RBI in seven of the games I attended. I’m not sure how many grand slams I have witnessed in total but I am pretty sure this is the most I have seen at one park in one season. Below is the list of players who have had more than 4 RBI at U.S. Cellular Field this season (players who hit a grand slam are in bold):

September 26, 2008: Ryan Garko (5 RBI)
June 30, 2008: Nick Swisher (5 RBI)
June 27, 2008: Nick Swisher (4 RBI)
June 8, 2008: Nick Swisher (4 RBI)
May 7, 2008: Nick Punto (5 RBI), Carlos Gomez hits for the cycle
April 22, 2008: Bobby Abreu (4 RBI)
April 13, 2008: Joe Crede (4 RBI), Paul Konerko (5 RBI)

Obtaining Tickets
I took the “red line” to U.S. Cellular Field. There are always scalpers lining 35th St. as you walk to the park. The scalpers did not have any $10 tickets which was the highest I was willing to pay. I found a fan with a $42 face value ticket and offered him $10. He declined the offer. Next I found a fan with some extras in the upper deck. He handed me a single for free. With some effort, you can find free tickets around the stadium. However, you should be willing to pay something just in case you cannot find the freebies.

Soxing it on the Southside: Red Sox at White Sox

With Friday night plans to listen to Grieg’s Piano Concerto at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park, it was hard to imagine that we would be heading to US Cellular Field to watch the Chicago White Sox host the Boston Red Sox. But that is what happened last night, after a major assist from Nicole’s fellow Ph.D. student Christine Wood.

Christine’s girlfriend Katie contacted me stating the Red Sox were in town (Christine’s favorite team) and that we should go with them to one of the games (the Red Sox are in Chicago through Monday, August 11). Last night’s game made the most sense to attend since it was Christine’s birthday. Christine then called Nicole and asked her if we would go to the game with them. Nicole said yes, wanting to hang out with her friends rather than at the concert, and the plans were changed.

Obtaining Tickets
The three women left getting tickets up to me. Far away tickets were still available through Ticketmaster ($31 face value) and tickets on craigslist.org were hovering a little above face value. Katie had commented they would like better seats in the upper deck for face value. Since I have no idea where tickets will be when I buy from scalpers outside the stadium, I figured I should lock in the price and location before hopping on the train.

A few hours before the game was to start, I found a craigslist ad – 4 tickets for $30 each. I called the guy and asked if he would take $100 for the 4 tickets. He said yes. We exchanged info and agreed to meet at the ballpark. The tickets were in the 7th row of the upper deck, right behind home plate. Mission accomplished. Everyone was happy with the seat location and price.

Pre Game Dining
Katie asked if we should eat around Wrigley Field before heading south. Since the Cubs had just finished their Friday afternoon game, I suggested we eat at Jimbo’s Lounge (2 blocks North of US Cellular Field). Jimbo’s Lounge located at 3258 S. Princeton Ave. is the only restaurant within “safe” walking distance of US Cellular Field. The menu is typical bar food – hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. Drinks seemed a little more expensive than I expected ($4 cans, $5 bottles), but it was a game day.

The Game
The White Sox beat the Red Sox 5-3. The Red Sox made a brief comeback in the top of the 8th inning after Dustin Pedroia hit a 3-run home run. Last night was fireworks night at US Cellular Field. The fireworks started almost immediately after the game ended. I remember prior fireworks nights at Comiskey Park taking longer to setup.

Cheap Tickets, Plus Milestones at US Cellular Field

As expected, I arrived at US Cellular Field and bought an upper deck ticket from the box office for $8.50. I talked to one scalper who wanted $15 for a “better” upper deck ticket but I declined. The surprising part was that my seat was “Limited View” – meaning I was behind one of the poles atop the stadium. Obviously, other fans agreed with my thoughts that it was better to watch the Indians and White Sox play for an $8.50 upper deck seat than the Cubs and White Sox for $100 for the same seat. Every seat was sold for last night’s game. The White Sox ended up selling Standing Room Only tickets.

There were actually a few milestones achieved in last night’s game. Most were achieved by the White Sox’s Nick Swisher. Swisher hit a grand slam in last night’s game. I was also at the White Sox game on Friday vs. the Cubs, in which Swisher also hit a grand slam. That made him the first player since Carlos Beltran in 2006 to hit two grand slams in 4 games.

Also, Swisher became the first White Sox’s player ever to hit a home run from both sides of the plate twice in the same season. He hit home runs from both side of the plate last night and on June 9 vs. the Minnesota Twins. I had planned to attend the game on June 9th but decided not to at the last minute. Too bad, I could have seen a White Sox first.

In another rare occurrence, Jhonny Peralta went 5-for-5. Alfonso Soriano batted 5-for-5 vs. the Pirates on May 17, 2008 in a game I was at. However, Scott Rolen was the only player I saw hit safely 5 times in one game in 2007. He went 5-for-6 on April 22, 2007 vs. the Cubs.

To spend $8 or $100 for a Chicago White Sox game

Yesterday, the Chicago Machine game ended before 6 pm. I had hoped to drive straight to US Cellular Field to watch the White Sox host the Cubs in Sunday Night Baseball which started at 7:10 pm. However, my rational side took over.

On Sunday morning, I had researched ticket prices for the Sunday night game. Posts on craigslist.org were ranging around $100 per ticket for upper deck seats and stubhub.com and ticketsnow.com were a little higher.

Then I thought the following:
1) By attending the game last night, that would all but rule out attending any of the remaining White Sox games this week.
2) I remembered that Monday nights at US Cellular Field are half-price. Meaning I can sit in the upper deck tonight for a measly $8.50 vs. negotiating with scalpers for the right to pay around $100 for last night’s game.

In my opinion, watching the Indians play the White Sox and saving $90 was the better option so I will be at US Cellular Field tonight. In addition, parking is more available and concession lines will be shorter.

However, my opinion is in the minority since fans were willing to pay top dollar for the game last night. Or then again, maybe they get caught up in the hype of the Crosstown Classic and fail to realize there are still seats available for the remainder of the White Sox homestand (which ends Sunday, July 7) at a fraction of the cost. Obviously, Cubs fans would not necessarily attend a game at US Cellular Field, but I am wondering where do all the White Sox fans go?

Sold out at US Cellular Field? Don’t Drive

I never drive to US Cellular Field, especially for a sold out game. I always take the train (unless I am going with my grandfather who uses his old man tricks to park close to the ballpark). I believe the last time I drove to US Cellular Field for a sold out game was the 2003 Futures Game. Yesterday, I decided to attend the Cubs at White Sox game. Since I was working in the northwest suburbs of Chicago I had no choice but to drive.

The drive to the ballpark was relatively easy. It was trying to park which was the pain. Oh, and I also did not have a ticket yet. I arrived in the area around 2:35 pm – 30 minutes until game time. Signs heading to the ballpark said “Cash Parking: Take 39th St.” – 4 blocks south of the ballpark. Next thing I knew, all the lots were full and I was parking on 30th and State St. (5 blocks north and over one mile to US Cellular Field - http://www.mapquest.com/mq/3-34Vc4FMGjPWvHlzi).

Of course, somehow this was an “official” White Sox parking lot so the cost was the same as parking in the main lots - $22. While sitting in traffic, I used my blackberry to check chicago.craigslist.org. I realized I was going to be late and thought the scalpers may sell all of their tickets if there were enough buyers. I found a post stating "Still need Cubs vs Sox Today on Location for pickup! - $50 (Uppers and Lowers!)". The price was in the range of what I researched in the morning so I told them I would buy an upper deck single.

After parking and picking up my ticket, there were a few more scalpers who still had extra tickets so I may have paid too much but as with any ticket purchase, I paid a little more to ensure I had a ticket.

I sat down as the Cubs were batting in the top of the 2nd inning. In the top of the 3rd inning, Jose Contreras got Derrek Lee to ground into a bases loaded double play to end the inning. In the bottom of the 3rd, Nick Swisher hit a grand slam to top off a 7 run inning which the Cubs could not come back from.

As with any rivalry game, the fans were fighting in the stands adding to the entertainment of a blow out game. After the game, I still had the one mile walk back to the car. I had hoped I would find a new restaurant or bar on the walk back, but had no luck. Jimbo’s is still the main local establishment I know about.

Chicago Baseball in the Rain: Wait in the house if you can

The first game of the day started off slowly yesterday. I was ready to leave the house when a classic Chicago thunderstorm rolled through the city. I turned on the TV and the White Sox announcers stated the game would not start at 1:05 pm CT because of the rain and no time had been set for the first pitch. Instead of sitting at US Cellular Field for an undetermined amount of time, I decided to wait in the house and leave as soon as they knew the first pitch time. This turned out to be the correct decision as the first pitch was announced for 2:35 pm shortly after 2 pm.

Once the first pitch time was set, I was on my way to the ballpark. I arrived at the game a few minutes late, but very late based on the original start time. Thus, the scalpers had already sold all of their tickets. I did see the woman scalper who recognized me at a Northwestern basketball game this past winter and said she had had some cheap tickets but not anymore. I bought a $21 ticket from the White Sox box office and walked in the stadium.

The White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 12-2. They scored 10 or more runs in three consecutive games for the first time since July 2000 and gathered 15 hits in three consecutive games for the first time since July 1932.

I did realize one interesting personal fact when watching the Twins. Before yesterday, my record when seeing the Twins play as the visiting team was 18-4 (now 18-5). By far, my best record when watching any team.

After the game, I took the red line back to Roosevelt and waited for the Ultimate Sports Wife at Grace O’Malley’s – an Irish pub located at 1416 S. Michigan Ave – a good place to meet before a game at Soldier Field.

Doubleheader Day: Chicago White Sox and International Soccer

For the first time since 2004, I am planning to attend a Chicago White Sox game and a soccer match at Solder Field in the same day. Today, the White Sox are hosting the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 pm and Mexico is playing Peru at Soldier Field at 7 pm.

The Ultimate Sports Wife, who is only attending the soccer match, is planning to meet me at Weather Mark Tavern located at 1503 N. Michigan Ave. in between games.

Chicago White Sox Sunday Night Baseball

Last night, I went to the Chicago White Sox Sunday night baseball game – the first event of nine sporting events in the next eight days. The Chicago White Sox hosted Sunday night baseball for the first time since April 2, 2006 (I went to Wrestlemania 22 that night).

We arrived at US Cellular Field about 2 ½ hours early since Ultimate Dodger Fan Will was going to the ballpark for the 1st time. First, we checked out home plate from the old Comiskey Park which is in the parking lot outside of Gate 5.

Next, we went to look at the one bar I knew about in the neighborhood – Jimbo’s. Jimbo’s is similar to the dive bar that I like to go to before Cubs games. However, this is the only bar in the area surrounding US Cellular Field. Wrigley, of course, has about 30 other bars and restaurants to choose from.

Rather than eat there we ate at 35th Street Red Hots – a Chicago hot dog joint. The menu is very short. You can order 1) hot dog, 2) double hot dog, 3) polish sausage or 4) a bucket of fried shrimp. The hot dog and a drink is only $4 so a good deal compared to buying the same items in the ballpark.

Another plus of eating at 35th Street Red Hots is that most of the scalpers congregate there to buy and sell tickets. Yesterday, however, we only found one scalper who had a pair of tickets. We thought the price was too high at the time.

Instead we went to find our own extra tickets. However, there were a limited amount of extra tickets due to one main factor – we were really early. Also, the game was going to be pretty full. We started looking for tickets about an hour and 40 minutes before the game started. We did find a few extras but the scalpers were holding out for fans who wanted to pay more.

Ticket Buying Tip #6: Ticket scalpers will try to hold out to see if other fans will pay more money. There is no reason for them to sell at a low price early. Thus, if you want to save money buying tickets from a scalper you should arrive at the ballpark no earlier than 20-30 minutes before the first pitch.

We ended up buying Upper Deck tickets from the ticket window for $25 each. Since Will only had one chance to see US Cellular Field, he wanted to ensure his seat location and get into the park at least an hour early.

A cycle of cycles…and scalpers

The last time Gavin Floyd almost threw a no-hitter this season, the White Sox hit two grand slams in the same game the next day. Tonight, the day after Gavin Floyd almost through another no-hitter, it was Carlos Gomez of the Twins, not someone from the White Sox, who set a milestone hitting. He is only the second player to hit for a reverse cycle (hitting a HR, triple, double and single in that order) since MLB expanded to divisions in 1969. It is also:

1) The Twins’ first cycle in 22 years. Kirby Puckett hit for the last cycle in 1986.
2) The first player to hit a cycle versus the White Sox since Mike Blowers hit one 10 years ago on May 18, 1998 – a game the Ultimate Sports Wife and I witnessed.
3) The 3rd cycle I have seen. The 2nd occurring last spring on June 4, 2007

Tonight’s game was delayed by rain for over 90 minutes. I arrived “on time” for the game and paid $5 to a kid I actually recognized as a US Cellular Field scalper. He tried to sell me a fake ticket 4 years ago to the Cubs at White Sox series. He is probably 17 or 18 years old now. You know you are getting old when you can see scalpers “grow up.”

The Verdict: Chicago Fire

I did not end up going to either White Sox game today. I could not cancel my prior engagement to get to the first White Sox game that started at noon – a concern I stated would be the case for most Friday night ticket holders.

So instead of heading to Game 2, I will be going to the Chicago Fire game out at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL tonight. I rarely have the chance to attend a Fire game, so I chose them over the White Sox.

Chicago White Sox Rain Out leads to Day-Night Doubleheader

What happened to the old fashioned doubleheader? You know – the one where you could buy one ticket and they would play two games – the second game starting about 30 minutes after the first game ends. The last time I attended one was September 10, 2004 when the Chicago Cubs hosted the Florida Marlins.

After deciding not to go to the White Sox game last night because of the chance (ok, guaranteed chance) of rain, because a trucker slammed into the el station one stop North of the US Cellular Field stop and I wanted to see the wife’s annual ice show (she’s an instructor), the White Sox game was eventually postponed due to the rain around 9:40 pm CT.

Knowing that this was Baltimore’s only visit to Chicago this season, I was excited about the possibility of attending the old fashioned doubleheader on either Saturday or Sunday. However, the White Sox scheduled a day-night doubleheader – meaning fans wanting to attend both games must:

1) Buy a ticket for the first game. The White Sox screwed all Friday night ticket holders by making their tickets only usable for today’s game at noon or weekday games the week of 5/5 (upper level only!). From the Ticketmaster website -->

“This game has been rescheduled from Friday, 4/25 7:11pm to Saturday, 4/26 12:05pm due to weather. Fans should retain their 4/25 tickets and parking passes and use them for this rescheduled contest on 4/26 at 12:05pm. Customers may exchange their 4/25 tickets at the US Cellular Field Box Office for best available Upper Level seating for the 5/6, 5/7 or 5/8 games only. No refunds or exchanges other than those mentioned here.”

I doubt anyone will be at this game. How many people can plan to attend a White Sox game Friday night only to cancel their Saturday afternoon plans in order to come back? Come on White Sox – we know you want the extra revenue from the game, but since fans cannot get any refund you will get most of it anyway when they exchange their tickets for games that will not sell out.

2) Exit the ballpark after Game 1 and linger around the area for an hour or two until the gates are re-opened for Game 2 (time between the final out of Game 1 and the first pitch of game 2 is most likely 3 hours).

3) Buy a ticket for the second game.

Now the day-night doubleheader can be fun around some ballparks such as Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and AT&T Park, but US Cellular Field is not the best area to hang around. The only bar / restaurant I have been to around US Cellular Field is Jimbo’s – a dive bar that is similar to my suggested dive bar around Wrigley Field.

I have not decided if I will go for both games today. If I do, I might find out there are other restaurants around US Cellular Field in my 3 hours between games.

New York at Chicago (AL) – Game 2

I wanted to write that I went to three games in three ballparks in 27 hours. However, that changed to 28 hours when the second New York at Chicago game of the day lasted 3 hours and 44 minutes.

When I arrived at US Cellular Field, you could tell the team and city felt that with the Yankees in town they needed to have a police “presence.” There were cops on horseback and lots of security. However, based on the crowd inside (25,012), the White Sox overestimated the policing needed.

Bobby Abreu hit a grand slam to give the Yankees the lead, the second grand slam hit during the “red line” doubleheader.

Random Ticket Buying Experience: While I was looking for a ticket, I saw a guy that looked familiar. I asked if I knew him. He said no, but I explained that I met him at a Champagne tasting back in December. He remembered the meeting and sold me his $28 ticket for $20.

White Sox Ticket Buying Tip: As most teams are doing now, the White Sox give season ticket holders a discount off of single game ticket prices (the Cubs do not implement this policy). Thus, if you are looking for extra tickets around US Cellular Field, the face value on a “season ticket” ticket is less than what you will pay at the Box Office – so you’ll save money buying a ticket from a season ticket holder.

Two Grand Slams in the same game

A day after the pitchers tried to make history; the batters took center stage. Paul Konerko and Joe Crede each hit a grand slam – only the third time the White Sox had hit two grand slams in the same game. Also, according to baseball-reference.com, only 6 games in 2007 and only 3 games in 2006 had two grand slams hit in the same game. In addition, Paul Konerko’s grand slam catapulted Kenny Rogers into the “I’ve given up 10 career grand slams” club. He joined Nolan Ryan and Mike Jackson in the not so-elite club.

I bought a $28 face value ticket for $5 outside the stadium. It was kids costume party day. But that did not stop these guys from dressing up as batman and bat boy.

A No-No on the No-No: Rainy disappointment

While Gavin Floyd was concentrating on pitching, I was concentrating on staying dry and warm in dismal, rainy baseball conditions. Floyd found out about his no-hitter in the 5th inning when some fan yelled it to him. What’s the #1 rule about a no-hitter – you never talk about the no-hitter.

I failed to realize Floyd was throwing a no-hitter until the seventh inning stretch. So in the bottom of the 7th, I started to get nervous. Did the fact I had not noticed the no-hitter cause Floyd to pitch one through 7 innings? Now that I know about it would he blow it in the top of the 8th? If it keeps raining like this will they postpone the game – meaning Floyd won’t pitch any longer? If my wife calls should I ignore her because of the possibility of jinxing the no-no? I kept thinking I was like the pitcher in the dugout that nobody could sit around. Nobody could talk or bother me about the no-hitter but all I could think about was the no-hitter. Then the Tigers came up to bat.

Batter #1: Jacque Jones – Strike (foul), Ball, Ball, Ball, Strike (swinging), Strike (swinging) – strike out! Sorry Frenchie this day’s not for you.

Batter #2: Edgar Renteria – Ball, Strike (foul)…..single to right! And with that Floyd’s no-hit bid came and went with a whimper. And to add insult to injury, Ozzie pulled him from the game immediately.

Oh well. I have waited this long to see a no-hitter (760 games since 1990 but who’s counting); I can wait a little longer.

As for my ticket, I bought a $38 face value ticket for $10 from 4 kids who had one extra seat. The ticket was 5 rows up from the White Sox dugout, but since it was raining I sat under the overhang.

Until the next flirtation!

Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox

After not attending an event for 5 days, I am going to the White Sox game today at 12:05 pm CT. The White Sox rarely have Saturday afternoon games (unless they are on national television), but play a Saturday matinee on the first home stand of the season because of the cold Chicago weather.

From experience, my budget for today’s game is $10. We’ll see how it goes.