Tom Petty and baseball...it doesn't get much better.

The White Sox better enjoy this run because I think they "Don't Come Around Here No More."

Bittner was acquired in the Schoeneweis deal with the White Sox that also brought over Scott Dunn and Gary Glover. The Angels released Bittner a few months ago. He was never traded away.

You might be thinking of how the aforementioned Wil Nieves was dealt for Bret Prinz (sandly enough, in order to acquire a 'fireballing reliever'), who was subsequently released after struggling with injuries all year.

Aside from alleged steroid use and immaturity issues, Turnbow (broken right forearm, 01) and Jenks (fractured elbow, 04) both experienced career threatening injuries during their minor league careers that has them pitching with pins. Their vicious motions don't forcast a long and prosperous future. Still no excuse to keep Josh Paul around instead.

Pujols' home run was very dramatic but it wasn't a walkoff.

You're right, Daryl and Dan. The Angels released Bittner on September 3 and Albert hit that three-run blast in Houston. The latter just felt like a walk-off HR.

"You can have whatever it is the White Sox do so well. I'll take Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen or Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, thank you."

Ok then, I'll take the World Series and you can have the early hot stove. What the White Sox do so well is called pitching.

I understand that the strength of the White Sox is pitching, but many members of the media have framed it in such a way as if their style of offense has had a large part in the team's success. I was just saying that I'd take the more high-powered offenses, like the Red Sox and Cardinals of 2004, any day.

The Red Sox and Cardinals had pretty good pitching last year, too.

According to Monday's New York Times:

(http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/sports/baseball/24curry.html)

When Graig Nettles heard the television announcers compare Crede's defense to the plays he made for the Yankees in the 1978 World Series, he was flattered. But Nettles also felt the comparison was unfair.

"He made some nice plays," he said in a telephone interview Sunday. "They were nice plays, but they weren't anything spectacular."

Nettles was implying that the plays he had made were spectacular and, of course, they were. He made four superb plays in Game 3, plays that Tommy Lasorda, the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, considered paramount in helping transform a series that his team had been dominating.

Nettles has always been confident about his defensive abilities, so it was no surprise that he was adamant about separating what Crede did and what he had done.

"He made all the plays he needed to make," Nettles said. "It was nothing extraordinary."

Rich, just to let you know, Birmingham is "AA" for the White Sox.

Great article, though.

Re: Angels. I know they've had some good years lately and they have a good team now, but I really think that the way they are run and their organizational philosophies, especially re: hitting, are going to make the wheels come off sooner or later, and when they do, it's going to make things a lot worse rather than only a little worse. The Angels are a serious injury to Vladimir Guerrero away from 3rd place in the AL West, and that plus Colon's weight problems catching up to him from being authentically worse than Seattle.

NBarnes: could you elaborate on how the wheels coming off would be worsened by their hitting philosophy? About the only thing I think they're going to have a problem with offensively is the lack of plate discipline throughout the minors. It's systemic and not a small problem.

Thanks, Keith, on both fronts.

Was there a bit of bitterness for our World Series Champs? Bad calls have to be taken advantage of or they?re meaningless. The White Sox did just that. In the ALCS, Paul's controversial dropped third strike that allowed AJ to reach 1st didn't score the winning run. Crede's shot off the left field wall won that game. And,... the ball hit the dirt - it was a good call (I know its more fun to pretend it was a bad call, but we all watched the slow-mo replay, the ball changed direction and went up.) In Game 2 of the WS, Konerko?s grand slam wasn?t hit off a tee. The pressure was on, freezing rain was falling, the air was dense, and somehow Paulie came through. Besides, why isn?t anyone clamoring about Jason Lane?s double off the wall, which was ruled a homer (WS Game 3). I was up until 1:30 am because of that call.

As for Graig Nettles, I loved watching Nettles at 3rd; he'll always be a favorite. But, Crede went horizontal a few times. Those were great plays. And why would Graig feel it necessary to belittle Crede. Let Crede have his day in the spotlight. Nettles had his days of glory, and no one went of their way to take away any of his accomplishments. Robinson could have - no one was better than he.