"Eaton em' up"

It was a day Bartolo Colon (1-1) didn't need his translator. He knew. After only 63 pitches into the White Sox 6-2 loss at Baltimore, Ozzie Guillen had seen enough. Colon worked three innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits and two walks. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen decided to remove Colon early when it was apparent he didn't have his best stuff. "He was not throwing strikes. The ball was not moving," White Sox Ozzie Guillen said. "You got to throw strikes. Every time he put the ball in the middle of the plate, he got hit." Oriloes starter Adam Eaton (1-2) however, was stellar in his seven inning outing, earning his first victory at Camden Yards. Eaton struck out nine batters, including Jim Thome and Josh Fields three times each. Eaton did not look like the same pitcher who had entered the game with a 9.00 ERA. He had frustrated Sox bats all evening, not allowing back to back base runners. Eaton departed in the eighth inning, following what would be the Sox first batsman to reach base on a extra base-hit. Eaton left the game to a standing ovation of 11,723. "It's been a while since I've been part of an experience like that," Eaton said. "It felt good to be out on the field shaking hands after a something like that." The White Sox now head home to begin a six game home stand which will begin with Toronto this evening. The Sox finished up the 10 game road trip (5-4). They will make up a called game later this season.

Loose Sox: Jim Thome is one RBI shy of the 1500 mark. Thome drove in the Sox only two runs of last night's game.

Gosh Doggit!

The attendance trackers at St. Petersburg counted 28, 927 at last night's Rays, White Sox game. Supposedly. During Tampa Bay's three game home opening series against the Yankees, just over 99,000 tickets were sold. Yankee fans make up a large demographic of the St. Pete's area. Tropicana Field holds 36,973. You figure the rest out. Any qualified baseball fan knows that Tampa Bay isn't a baseball mecca. It's actually more of a retirement community that happens to have a Major League club playing there. Why else would they decide to build a dome in the middle of one of the nation's warmest states? Apparently those over 60 cannot handle humidity too well. Isn't the motto of St. Petersburg: Always in Season? It's no secret that a great contingent of baseball fans in Florida are transplants from cities that are home to some of baseballs more storied franchises. So... Please! For the sake of REAL baseball fans and the Rays ball players, relocate the Devil Rays. And while you're at it, rename them. In the meantime, take those damn cowbells away from Aunt Lois and Uncle Henry. Just because they can't hear them doesn't mean the rest of us have to. It just isn't pure. It's not baseball.

Now, on to why I am really upset. In spite of timely hitting and some good base running, the Sox took a 6-5 knock out punch from the Devil Rays. Even though Bartolo Colon's numbers didn't show it; five runs and six hits in 5 2/3, he struck out four Ray batters and only walked one in the no decision. Matt Thorton came in after Colon loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. Thorton proceeded to give up a grand slam to pinch hitter Ben Zobrist, which put the Devil Rays ahead for good. "He knows I have to come after him and throw strikes. I can't afford to walk guys there," Thornton said. "The situation right there, they're fun to come into. But they're the toughest ones you're going to face." Both Carlos Quentin (5) and Jermain Dye (4) homered in the top of the inning to give the Sox a 5-2 lead. The Sox appeared to threaten in the top of the ninth, but Troy Percivol came in to register the save.

Loose Sox: Mike MacDougal continues to struggle. MacDougal walked the only batter he faced on Friday. Ozzie's Mac experiement may quite possibly be drawing to an end. Soon.