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4 Ways to Revive Basball
Speed Up Baseball
One of the great things about baseball is that it has no clock, the game can last one hour or nine. It's the only major American sport in which the game isn't affected by time. In this era of instant gratification, fans want to see a more up-tempo game.
One of the great things about baseball is that it has no clock, the game can last one hour or nine. It's the only major American sport in which the game isn't affected by time. In this era of instant gratification, fans want to see a more up-tempo game.
The average MLB game takes 2 hours and 51 minutes. Baseball used to have games under 2 hours consistently before TV and commercials insisted on longer breaks between innings. Every MLB record for shortest games are before 1944.
On August 10, 1944, the Boston Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 in just 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Major League Baseball won't have any games even close that rate, but the average game should be around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Even with a great pitching duel the game might be two and a half hours.
Usually the length of a baseball game is dictated by performance on the field. Short is defensive, long is offensive and really long is competitive drama. But now the Red Sox and Yankees will have a 3 hour and 45 minute game that should be 2 hours and 45 minutes.
The best part of a pitching duel is the rhythm and speed when the hurler sets them up and sits them down. But the length of breaks kills the pace, it's even noticeable on the television broadcast. The TV production crew will show players in the field spitting, fixing their cups or staring at the sky (Starlin Castro).
Baseball has too much wasted time.
3 Speedy Rule Changes:
Enforce 20 second pitch clock
Allow only one timeout to the batter and pitcher per at-bat
One mound visit per pitcher per inning
Make the Designated Hitter Universal
Without rampant steroid use, baseball has lost its offensive firepower and it needs to replenish with a universal designated hitter.
Without rampant steroid use, baseball has lost its offensive firepower and it needs to replenish with a universal designated hitter.
In 2000 there was 5,693 home runs hit in Major League Baseball. In 2012 there was only 4,932 home runs hit. In 2011 there was 4,552 homers, which is the lowest since 1995. Adding a designated hitter to the National League will definitely bloat home run totals and TV ratings.
Sluggers like Greg Luzinski, Harold Baines, Jim Thome and Frank Thomas thrived as DHs later in their careers with the White Sox. Replacing the pitcher with an old masher just helps baseball. It's hard to watch a pitcher hit, even the best hitting pitcher is bad except for Babe Ruth. And pitchers won't get hurt batting or on the basepaths.
The universal DH rule would be an easy transition for the NL given that its been in the AL since 1973. Plus National League teams have been using a DH in interleague play since 1997. This rule change would help out the Cubs, because a 20-year-old thumper Dan Vogelbach who is suited for DH is coming up in the minor leagues.
Improve Instant Replay
Pro baseball cleared one hurdle when instant replay was added in 2008. However the replay system is flawed. The only reviewable plays are home runs and that isn't cutting it.
Pro baseball cleared one hurdle when instant replay was added in 2008. However the replay system is flawed. The only reviewable plays are home runs and that isn't cutting it.
Football has it right, allowing challenges and automatic reviews on scoring plays. Reviews in the NFL can take a long time, however baseball instant replays are confirmed much quicker. Baseball could have the most efficient and effective review system.
3 Replay Changes:
Review all plays except ball and strikes
Allow one challenge for each manager per game
Automatic reviews on scoring plays
Flexible Substitutions
Baseball is the only American sport where a player can't return after being substituted out of the game. What if baseball allowed players to return? It's actually not as crazy as it sounds, softball allows players to return once a game.
Baseball is the only American sport where a player can't return after being substituted out of the game. What if baseball allowed players to return? It's actually not as crazy as it sounds, softball allows players to return once a game.
A manager may remove a starting player for a substitute and then return the starter to the lineup once per game according to the International Softball Federation rules.
The rarely evolutionary sport will probably never adopt softball's substitution rules, but it would be a great twist on an old game.
Chicago's Bandwagon Jumpers
The fans of the Bears, Bulls and Cubs maintain an undying loyalty to those franchises and regardless of the product on the field, they regularly fill the stadiums. However, other Chicago sports franchises aren't shown that same unconditional love. The White Sox and Blackhawks have two very different fan bases that are headed in two very different directions.
The White Sox put a contender on the field almost every year and rarely crack the top 10 in attendance. The Blackhawks used to the the worst sports franchise in Chicago, now it's the hottest ticket in the city.
The Blackhawks never ranked higher than 23rd in attendance from 2000-2007, bottoming out in '05-'06 and '06-'07 where they ranked 29th each season. The last five regular seasons Chicago has led the NHL in attendance.
The reason most people, especially Chicago natives, viewed the Blackhawks as irrelevant in the 90's and the early 2000's was in large part due to the decisions made by the team's former owner, Bill Wirtz. He refused to allow home games to be televised in the Chicago area, trying to sell more season tickets. The product Wirtz put on the ice was worse, Chicago missed the playoffs nine times from 1997-2008.
Considering the Blackhawks weren't on TV for the most part and had one of the worst teams in the league, it's no surprise that the they struggled to have a loyal fan base for several years. Since the Blackhawks 2008 playoff run and 2010 Stanley Cup victory, most Chicago sports fans have conveniently 'got back into hockey.' In 2013, the Blackhawks were deemed by Sports Illustrated as "the franchise that brought hockey back,following their historic 24 game point streak.
Since 2008, the Blackhawks have captivated the city and established Chicago as a hockey town once again. The franchise has come a long way since ESPN referred to the Blackhawks as the worst franchise in professional sports in 2003.
If you were to ask any Chicago sports fan to rank all five professional sports teams in the city, there would be no doubt that the Bears would be at the top and the White Sox would be at the bottom. The Sox bandwagon has a lot of room on it, but even when the team is winning, it rarely filled up.
No matter how good the White Sox are, they will never be a big time draw in Chicago. Last season the White Sox were in 1st place in the AL Central for almost all of the season, they ranked 24th out of 30 teams in attendance. They drew a total of 1,965,955 fans in all of 2012 according to baseball-almanac.com, the AL average was 2,384,555. Even the 2005 World Series victory year only earned the Sox a 17 out of 30 attendance ranking.
One could look at the Sox recent attendance problems, and draw the conclusion that most of their fans are bandwagon jumpers. Since the White Sox have to compete with the Cubs in terms of attendance on a yearly basis, it takes a great deal of success to fill U.S. Cellular Field on a regular basis.
The closest the Sox have come to rivaling the Cubs in attendance in recent years came in 2006, the year after the Sox World Series run. The White Sox won 90 games and ranked 9th in attendance, while the Cubs won 66 games and ranked 6th in attendance. Since 2006, the White Sox have not ranked higher than 15th in overall attendance.
You would think the White Sox would lower ticket prices to compete with the Cubs, but they don't. The Sox's average ticket price is $40.67, which is the fourth highest in MLB according to Team Marketing Report. But it's not like the guys in black have been bad, they had nine winning seasons since 2000.
Either there isn't many White Sox fans, a lot of bandwagon jumpers, tickets are too expensive, White Sox fans are cheap or people don't want to go to U.S. Cellular Field. There are many reasons the White Sox don't draw.
Being a bandwagon fan isn't necessarily a bad thing, and it's not like Chicago teams are winning championships all of the time, quite the contrary. We are fortunate enough to live in a city where our teams merit a bandwagon every now and then. People like to be associated with winning which starts it initially, but a lot of times that bandwagon ride turns those people into die hard followers of that team.
Chicago fans also want a reason to attend a game, whether it's the atmosphere of Wrigley Field, the singing of the national anthem at Blackhawks games or the jet fly-overs at Soldier Field. Chicago is one of the greatest sports city in America and that is large part due to the fans, bandwagon or not.
Written Mike Regan
Bears 2013 Draft Analysis
1st Round, Pick 20
Oregon Guard Kyle Long
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 313 lbs
40-yard dash: 5.09 seconds
Games Started: 4
ESPN's Grade: 89 - NFL.com Grade: 77
Weight: 313 lbs
40-yard dash: 5.09 seconds
Games Started: 4
ESPN's Grade: 89 - NFL.com Grade: 77
Kyle "Caveman" Long, 23, has played only two years at OL. He played a season at junior college and 11 games at Oregon with four starts.
Offensive linemen usually transition well to the NFL even without great awareness. Long could start for Chicago at either tackle or guard in 2013 since it's an open competition on the Bears o-line. He should also transition nicely into new head coach Marc Trestman's up-tempo offense since Oregon is a notoriously speedy offense.
Chicago has selected three offensive linemen with their last four first round picks, Chris Williams in 2008 and Gabe Carimi in 2011. Long is the polar opposite of Williams and Carimi. Long has huge upside, little experience and no major injury problems. Carimi and Williams had a ton of experience, some upside and major injury concerns.
Emery was reaching for Long. Although he had no choice, o-lineman were flying off the board and Long was their prospect. It all depends if Emery reached for the right OL.
Long could turn out to be a steal or bust just like last year's first round pick Shea McClellin, who had 2.5 sacks in 2012. Emery is making bold decisions that won't impact the team immediately because he signed 18 veterans to one year deals to cover all the holes in Chicago.
Long had some off-the-field issues four years ago, seems to have matured. In 2008, he was also drafted by the White Sox in the 23rd round.
2nd Round, Pick 50 - Florida Inside Linebacker Jonathan Bostic
Height: 6'1" - Weight: 245 lbs - 40-yard dash: 4.61 seconds,
Bench press: 22 reps of 225 - ESPN's Grade: 73 - NFL.com Grade: 62
Bench press: 22 reps of 225 - ESPN's Grade: 73 - NFL.com Grade: 62
Chicago passed on Arthur Brown from KSU for Florida's Jonathan Bostic, a bigger reach than Long. NFL.com had Bostic graded lower than any other Bears draft pick, even 7th round pick Marquess Wilson has a higher grade.
Bostic, 22, was a three year starter at Florida in the SEC, the most talented conference in college football. He was second-team All-SEC in 2012. He ran the third fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers in 2013. Bostic is an inside linebacker but many scouts think he is better fit for outside linebacker. He is a stout tackler and good in coverage. He has no prior injury problems and has some upside.
Drafting Bostic shows that Chicago is not confidant in new MLB D.J. Williams. He could be a starter at MLB or OLB and contribute on special teams.
4th Round, Pick 117Rutgers Outside Linebacker Khaseem Greene
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 241 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.71 seconds
Bench press: 17 reps of 225
ESPN's Grade: 79 - NFL.com Grade: 78
Khaseem "Mean Machine" Greene, 24, was selected to ESPN's 2012 All-American team. He won back-to-back Big East defensive player of the year.
Greene could be the steal of the draft. He was overlooked for playing in the Big East, but he was the best defensive player in the conference for two years.
Greene is a converted safety, who will fit into the Bears scheme that seems to be turning into a multiple D using both 4-3 and 3-4 looks. It'll be interesting to see who turns out to be the better player, Bostic or Greene.
5th Round, Pick 163Louisiana Tech Tackle Jordan Mills
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 316 lbs
40-yard dash: 5.37 seconds
Bench press: 20 reps of 225
Weight: 316 lbs
40-yard dash: 5.37 seconds
Bench press: 20 reps of 225
ESPN's Grade: 57 - NFL.com Grade: 67
Mills, 22, is a bit of unknown commodity. Most scouts say he is very weak against the speed rush and tends to hold. However, Mills' run blocking is superior to many in the draft.
He started at guard his freshman year and right tackle as a sophomore, junior and senior. His coaches at Louisiana Tech tried to red shirt Mills after his freshman season because he needed the extra coaching. He still needs more refining but could be a good guard or tackle.
6th Round, Pick 188Georgia Defensive End Cornelius Washington
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 265 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.75 seconds
Bench press: 36 reps of 225
ESPN's Grade: 71 - NFL.com Grade: 70
Cornelius Washington, 23, has the size and athletic ability of a first rounder but his production is not worth a draft pick.
He had five sacks in 2011 but only .5 in 2012. Washington could be a 4-3 defensive end or 3-4 rush outside linebacker.
Washington has a ton of upside but is unlikely to have any impact in 2013.
7th Round, Pick 236Washington St. Wide Receiver Marquess Wilson
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 194 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.53 seconds
Bench press: 7 reps of 225
ESPN's Grade: 50 - NFL.com Grade: 67
Wilson, 20, has first round talent and production but a heated departure from Washington State made his stock free fall. WSU head coach Mike Leach led Wilson to quit the team, when Wilson refused to participate in conditioning drills. Leach has had problems with player abuse in the past.
Leach is probably in the wrong and Wilson is most likely the best value pick by Chicago. He was considered a top 5 receiver before the controversy.
Chicago Bears Draft Grade: B
It is hard to judge this class because many of the players are projects. However, Greene and Wilson can make an immediate impact. This could be the worst Chicago draft class of all time or the best. Emery has rolled the dice the last two drafts, only Alshon Jeffery made an impact.
Chicago Bears Draft Grade: B
It is hard to judge this class because many of the players are projects. However, Greene and Wilson can make an immediate impact. This could be the worst Chicago draft class of all time or the best. Emery has rolled the dice the last two drafts, only Alshon Jeffery made an impact.
The 1983 Draft Class - 'Elway to Marino'
The latest 30 for 30, "Elway to Marino" brilliantly shows why drafts are interesting. With the right storylines, a draft can be the greatest reality show.
It covers the famous first round of the 1983 NFL draft, where a record six quarterbacks were taken. John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly are three superstar QBs that emerged from that class. The 1983 first round was made up of 28 picks, it included 15 Pro Bowlers and six Hall of Famers.
Director Kenny Rodgers uses the QBs as a vocal point, but does not ignore the other talent in this class.
However Elway, Marino and Kelly had the juiciest storylines. Elway said he'd play for the Yankees rather than the Baltimore Colts. Kelly would rather play in the USFL than the NFL. Marino had a poor senior season for many reasons and 26 teams passed on him.
Elway took center stage, he received $150,000 to train with the New York Yankees. He was not going to play for Baltimore. The whole draft trade scenarios were being floated about Elway. Even a Joe Montana for Elway trade was talked about.
The film perfectly moves like a draft. There are weeks of build up and controversy before draft day, it goes by quickly and repercussions last for months even years.
The Bears first round picks were in play and for sale. But in Chicago fashion, politics got in the way of any deal. Chicago selected Jimbo Covert and Willie Gault.
Rating: B+
This is a great representation of the 1983 class, it felt like you were reliving that draft. It's not for everyone, but every draft fan will love it.
5 Friday Bulls Questions
Can the Bulls beat the Nets?Answer: Yes
Chicago hasn't been full strength most of the season, they had 26 games without Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. Role players such as Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich and RIP Hamilton missed 71 games. Not to mention Derrick Rose missed the entire regular season.
With Noah playing, the Bulls could be favored in this matchup, but Noah will not play huge minutes in the series. However, the Bulls are pretty healthy heading into Brooklyn. Every player is expected to play except for Rose.
This series will no doubt go to six or seven games. Chicago is too good defensively to get destroyed. If Noah can play a reasonable amount, the Bulls will win the series.
But if Deron Williams is back to his old ways, Chicago is in trouble.
If Chicago advances will Rose return?
Answer: He should but won't
Rose has a clouded future like Anakin Skywalker.
If the Bulls win the Brooklyn series, the second round of the NBA playoffs would be the one year anniversary of Rose's knee surgery. His recovery would take a maximum of 12 months without setbacks. No Derrick Rose injury setback has been reported, so he should come back for the second round.
Although it's probably a bad idea to throw him into the fire with his "fragile" knee. If Rose returned in the second round and led the Bulls to a championship, that's epic.
Rose won't come back.
Should Jimmy Butler start?
Answer: No
Butler is essential to the bench mob's success.
Thibadeau needs a defensive stopper on the court to stop each team's scoring swing man. Marco Bellineli and Hamilton are defensive liabilities and should not be on the court at the same time. Which means Deng and Butler can't be on the court together unless it's crunch time.
In the future this could change, but this team is not built for Butler in the starting lineup.
Does Chicago need another superstar?
Answer: Yes
Without Michael Jordan in 1994, the Bulls finished third in the East, fifth overall and two games out of first because Scottie Pippen is a superstar. Without Rose in 2013, the Bulls finished fifth in the East, eleventh overall and 21 games out of first.
If Deng and Noah were great, Chicago should be way closer to the top of the East. Although the Bulls might have a superstar coming, but not by free agency.
Are the Bulls waiting for 2014-2015 season?
Answer: Yes
Chicago will have young talented players to mix with a solid group of veterans. Rose will be two years removed from knee surgery and Boozer will be on his way out.
Nikola Mirotic, 2011 23rd overall draft pick by the Bulls, will join the team during the 2014-2015 season. He is a 22-year-old, 6'10" power forward who draws comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki. In 2015 Rose, Butler, Boozer, Deng, Mirotic, Noah and Marcus Teague will be under contract. Chicago should have enough cap room to build a championship team.
The Bulls also have the Charlotte Bobcats first draft pick from the Tyrus Thomas trade in 2010. The pick is top 10 protected in 2014, top 8 protected in 2015 and unprotected in 2016. Chicago's front office has set this team up to be good for a long time.
TUF 17: Best Ultimate Fighter
The hyped 17th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" lived up to expectations with one of the most talented and competitive seasons ever.
The opposing coaches were an interesting duo. Chael Sonnen is the ultimate character and Jonny "Bones" Jones is the ultimate champion. There relaitonship started with a Twitter beef in August 2012 that Sonnen started by saying "I could go up to 205 and snatch his little belt away. He's a little punk kid." Jones responded, ""You disrespected Anderson Silva and his country but fought like a child. If you're going to disrespect me out of nowhere, at least disrespect me to my face like a man. And you call me a punk, I'm more man than you'll ever be."
When Dan Henderson got hurt before his fight with Jones in September 2012, Sonnen stepped up and took the fight with Jones. Then the hype started, Jones turned down the fight with Sonnen and took a fight against Vitor Belfort.
UFC president Dana White saw a good reality TV opportunity. After the Belfort fight, White announced that Sonnen and Jones would be the next "Ultimate Fighter" coaches. Everyone assumed that Sonnen would antagonize Jones but the opposite happened.
The teams and coaches became pretty close, they even had Thanksgiving dinner together. Jones and Sonnen are almost became friends.
"Sonnen is a guy I do respect," said Jones. "Do I want to say I respect Chael? I don't know if I want to say if I respect Chael but I don't dislike him." They have a weird relationship because they're friendly but still have to fight each other on April 27th.
It's almost a MMA version of the Bird vs Magic rivalry. Both likable and one is white and one is black. Although Sonnen isn't as talented as Bird and will probably get murdered by Jones.
"The Ultimate Fighter" competition was an epic and fierce battle, only three fights were decided by judges. The quarterfinals and semifinals were all stoppages with 4 KOs and 2 tapouts.
In the finale, 22-year-old Kelvin Gastelum finished his Cinderella story by beating heavy favorite Uriah Hall. Although Gastelum won "The Ultimate Fighter," Hall has the highest ceiling with championship potential.
Hall looks like Anderson Silva, both of his knockouts on TUF were scary. The fighters were hurt bad, they couldn't get up. "The way Hall knocks people out, you don't even want to clap, you feel bad clapping," said Dana White. "It's vicious, quick and nasty."
Clint Hester, Josh Samman and Collin Hart are other TUF competitors that could be contenders. No one really knows how talented this season is until a couple years later. It's like draft classes in normal sports, the true potential of a class is shown about five years later.
TUF seasons 1 and 2 might have been more talented but this was a greater representation of the sport. It wasn't a reality show, it was a true competition with all-access.
FX also upgraded its production by changing TUF's cinematography, it's shot more like HBO's famous "24/7" series. The next season of "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano as the first women coaches. It will probably be good TV and bad competition, it could be an epic failure.
Top 10 Chicago White Sox
1. Frank Thomas (1990-2005)
Thomas' legacy with the White Sox is unrivaled. He was an All-Star five-time, a four-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time AL MVP.
Thomas was one of the best hitters of any generation. He is one of only three first baseman to win consecutive MVP awards along with Jimmy Foxx and Albert Pujols. Thomas is one of five players in the history of baseball to bat .300 with more than 20 home runs, 100 RBI, 100 runs and 100 walks in at least three straight seasons. Only Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx and Ted Williams accomplished that feat, which makes it even more impressive.
During his best statistical season in 1996, he batted a bolstering .349, 40 home runs, 134 RBIs, 109 walks, .626 SLG% and 1.085 OPS. Thomas followed his monstrous 1996 season by winning a batting title the following year. In that 1997 season Thomas hit .347, 35 home runs, 125 RBIs, 109 walks, .611 SLG%, and 1.067 OPS.
Thomas is the White Sox all-time leader in home runs (448), runs scored (1,327), doubles (447), RBIs (1,465), extra base hits (906), walks (1,466), SLG% (.568), and OBP (.427).
"Shoeless" Joe left a resounding impact on the game of baseball, both on the field and off. Jackson was banned from baseball after the 1920 season for his participation in the "Black Sox" scandal the year prior.
The left fielder played six seasons with the White Sox and 12 total. During his time with the Sox, he batted an outstanding .340, while recording a .906 OPS. Jackson is still the White Sox all-time leader in batting average (.340) triples in a season (21), and triples in a career (79).
Jackson was a crucial part of the White Sox 1917 World Series victory. He batted .307 in that series, going 7 for 23 with 4 runs, and 2 RBIs.
Despite batting .408 with Cleveland in 1911, Jackson's best season was his last in 1920. He ended that season with a .382 batting average, 12 home runs, 121 RBIs, 20 triples, 1.033 OPS and only 14 strikeouts. Jackson's .356 career batting average is third all-time in MLB history behind Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby.
Cicotte is one of eight players forever banished from baseball for his role in the 'Black Sox" scandal, where he participated to 'fix' the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Prior to the scandal, Cicotte had an incredible impact with the White Sox.
In 1917, Cicotte led the American League with a 28-12 record and an even more impressive 1.53 ERA. That same year Cicotte pitched a total of 346.2 innings, recording 29 complete games, 7 shut-outs and 4 saves. The Sox went on to win the 1917 World Series, in which Cicotte pitched in three games and recorded a 1.96 ERA.
He helped lead the Sox back to the aforementioned 1919 World Series. In that season, he led the AL again in wins with a 29-7 record while keeping his ERA incredibly low at 1.82.
Cicotte's had a career ERA of 2.25 with the Sox, which ranks third all-time. Cicotte is also eighth winningest pitcher in White Sox history and seventh all-time in WHIP with 1.11.
4. Luis Aparicio (1956-1962, 1968-1970)
Aparicio was one of the most dominant shortstops of his era.
He made an immediate impact by winning AL Rookie of the Year in 1956. He played in eight All Star games with the White Sox as well as winning five Gold Gloves. Aparicio's specialty was his supreme fielding and base-running. He led the AL in stolen bases nine consecutive seasons. Aparicio also had an amazing .962 career fielding percentage.
But perhaps his most impressive statistic is his 16 straight seasons with at least 500 plate appearances, a category where he ranks fifth all-time. Aparicio was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 receiving 84.62 percent of the vote.
Aparicio was one of the most dominant shortstops of his era.
He made an immediate impact by winning AL Rookie of the Year in 1956. He played in eight All Star games with the White Sox as well as winning five Gold Gloves. Aparicio's specialty was his supreme fielding and base-running. He led the AL in stolen bases nine consecutive seasons. Aparicio also had an amazing .962 career fielding percentage.
But perhaps his most impressive statistic is his 16 straight seasons with at least 500 plate appearances, a category where he ranks fifth all-time. Aparicio was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 receiving 84.62 percent of the vote.
Fox left a legacy behind with the White Sox that earns him a spot in the top 5.
Fox played in 12 All Star games at second base with the Sox over 12 seasons. He won the 1959 AL MVP, as well as Gold Gloves in 1957, 1959 and 1960.
Fox was known for his at-bat IQ, speed, and exceptional fielding. He was also well known at the time for being almost impossible to strike out. He averaged a ridiculous one strike out per 42.7 at bats, which ranks him third all-time.
Although Fox will never be remembered for his power, hitting only 35 home runs in his career. He did leave his mark as a terrific contact hitter, batting over .300 in a season six times. Fox is third all-time in runs scored with the Sox (1,187) second in hits (2,470) and second in at-bats (8,486).
Fox was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 by the Veterans Committee.
Konerko has played the majority of his career with the White Sox and has been the team captain since 2006.
Even though he is still establishing his legacy, his accomplishments thus far secures him a spot at six. The first baseman has been an All-Star six times with the Sox. Konerko is also the Southside's second all-time leader in home runs (422) as well as second in RBI (1,336).
Konerko was a critical part of the Sox '05 World Series victory.
He won the ALCS MVP batting .286 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs, while boasting a .619 SLG% and .937 OPS. In Game 2 of the '05 World Series, Konerko hit a go-ahead grand slam to put the Sox up 2 runs. This would be the first World Series grand slam ever hit in White Sox history.
His best statistical season came in 2010 when he batted .312, 39 home runs, 111 RBIs, .584 SLG percentage and .977 OPS.
Collins is arguably the greatest second baseman of all time.
He ranks tenth on the MLB all-time hit list with 3,315 and eighth on the MLB all-time stolen bases list with 744. Collins is also the MLB's all-time leader in sacrifice hits with 512 and still shares the record of 6 steals in a game.
Although he also played with the Philadelphia Athletics for over half of his career, winning three World Series titles. His White Sox years definitely earn him a spot on this list.
Collins batted a very impressive .333 for his career and was a key component in the Sox 1917 World Series victory. Collins also played a crucial role in helping the Sox win the 1919 AL Pennant.
The team fell short of a World Series that year due to the infamous 'Black Sox' scandal, which Collins is credited with not participating in. Collins was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 receiving 77.74% of the vote.
Appling played his entire professional career with the White Sox, and it was as lengthy as it was illustrious.
He is the Sox all-time hits leader with 2,749, third all-time RBI leader with 1,116 and second in runs scored with 1,319. Appling played in seven All Star games with the White Sox.
He was never seen as a great power hitter but he excelled at hitting in the lead off spot and later in the 3 hole.
Appling had over .400 OBP eight times and drew over 100 walks three times in his career. In 1936, Appling batted .388 with 124 RBIs with a 27 game hit streak, winning him a batting title, the first ever won by a short stop in the American League.
Appling was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964 with 84.0% of the vote.
Buehrle's career numbers wouldn't necessarily blow you away, but he is perhaps the most accomplished White Sox pitchers ever.
Buehrle played 12 seasons with the Sox. Along the way he won four straight Gold Gloves between 2009 and 2012 and made four All Star appearances. Buehrle won a World Series with the White Sox in 2005.
In that World Series year, he became the first pitcher in White Sox history to start and save consecutive games.
In the 2005 ALCS against the Angels, Buehrle pitched in one game, throwing all 9 innings while allowing only one run and five hits. Then in 2007, Buehrle threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers. In 2009 against the Tampa Bay Rays, Buehrle threw the 18th perfect game in MLB history.
Although he wasn't a consistent high velocity pitcher, he was mainly known for his efficiency during games, taking only 1 hour and 39 minutes and 106 pitches to beat the Mariners in April 2005. Buehrle ranks seventh all-time in innings pitched with the White Sox with 2,476 and fourth all-time in games started with 365.
Minoso was one of the premier left fielders of his time, and one of the most iconic figures in White Sox history.
Although Minoso played with the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Senators, the majority of his awards came while in a White Sox uniform.
He was a six time All-Star while with the Sox and also won a Gold Glove with them in '57. Minoso's best year with the Sox was 1951 when he batted a season-career high .324, while leading the AL in triples and stolen bases.
He went on to lead the league in stolen bases the next two years, and then led the league in doubles in 1957. In Minoso's first game as a member of the Sox, he hit a home run off the fist pitch thrown in his first at bat.
Any White Sox Top 10 list would be incomplete without an appearance by Minoso, even though he ranks higher on others lists, there is no doubt he has cemented his legacy in a Sox uniform.
Written by Mike Regan
2013 Cubs Preview: The Last Rebuilding Year
In only two offseasons, Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have turned the Cubs organization in the right direction. Although the 2013 Cubs aren't very good, there is a strong optimism among Cubs fans.
Wrigley field is a cash cow so the Cubs can waste money on players they have no intention of keeping. The players are low risk investments that last one or two years with potential for younger talent. Since the dynasty duo has arrived, they have turned the Cubs farm system from one of the worst to top 15.
They are even doing it economically, spending $10 million less than the White Sox.
Jed and Theo are using the new age of statistics against the competition. They are signing the veteran money ball players that playoff teams need. So when the trade deadline comes around teams are offering Chicago plenty of prospects for these veterans. The Cubs are giving decent money to veterans so they can trade them for prospects. They're pretty much using free agency to get prospects from other organizations.
Some free agents like playing on a team with low expectations and no pressure. This gives them the opportunity to fine tune their skills before being traded to a contender. Veteran free agents sometimes need a playoff atmosphere to drive their stock up for free agency.
Chicago's newest additions Nate Schierholtz, Scott Feldman and Scott Baker could return some prospects. Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson went for two pitching prospects under 25-years-old. The Cubs could get more prospects and clear $35 million in contracts if they trade Alfonso Soriano, Matt Garza and Carlos Marmol.
The Cubs have three surprising players that might be on the move. Starlin Castro, prospects 1B Dan Vogelbach and 3B Christian Villanueva.
Shortstop Javier Baez is coming up eventually, the Cubs will have to decide if they want Castro or Villanueva. Either Castro will move to third and trade Villanueva or trade Castro and bring up Villanueva. Vogelbach will either be traded or he'll play first and Rizzo will move to the outfield. Chicago is more likely to trade Vogelbach. There is a chance the Cubs trade the 23-year-old Castro for a more powerful and defensive 3B.
It's a make or break season for Darwin Barney, if he gets better at the plate he could be an All-Star. If not he is a valuable asset to trade but not a long term solution at second base.
Cubs tried to get Dan Haren and Anibel Sanchez, they settled on Edwin Jackson. This move was to replace Garza when he gets traded. Kyuji Fujikawa was also signed to replace the erratic Marmol.
If the Cubs somehow hang around .500 in 2013, you could expect a playoff run in 2014 if Chicago chooses to sign any big free agents. It's more likely the Cubs will be ready for a playoff push in 2015, probably World Series dreams in 2016. 
A day at the Beach
Every golfer's dream is to play America's greatest public course, Pebble Beach, and the Windy City Critic got the opportunity to chase the little white ball for a round with Rich and Katie Hyland.
The storied links has hosted five U.S. Opens, five amateur U.S. Championships and 67 PGA events. It's character is unmatched by any other course, it is the only public course to be ranked number one on Golf Digest's "100 Greatest Golf Courses."
The northern California resort is set along the rough coastline of Carmel Bay, sitting almost on top of the Pacific Ocean. It is like playing golf at the Cliffs of Moher, just unbelievable scenery.
Compared to courses in the Midwest, Pebble is jaw-dropping. Even courses on the Great Lakes can't touch the majestic beauty of the historic trek. The weather in that area makes fog a normal occurrence, but the way it moved throughout the course was almost magical.
When the round started the course seemed the fog bowl. But throughout the day the fog would roll out onto the ocean and back onto the course as if the Pacific was breathing.
Most courses have a signature hole, but the great ones have many. All seven of the holes on the Pacific are signature holes, all are beautiful and terrifying. The famous number 7 is a 100 yard par 3 surrounded by sand and water, yours truly put it directly in the drink.
Number six is something out of "Lord of the Rings," it's a long par 5 on a peninsula. If you hit to the left you're fine, hit it to the right and you have to hit over a three-story high cliff. Yours truly hit it right, got rejected by the cliff and put it in the drink.
Pebble is tough but playable. There is a lot of sand and water, I had trouble with the water. Another person in our group was in the sand on almost every hole, maybe even twice a hole.
The course would have been much harder without our caddie Nick Brovia, who has walked Pebble's fairways for 13 years. Nick was a friendly character being a firefighter, surfer and a caddie at Pebble Beach. He was very knowledgeable about the game and course. Nick told us that people have lost Rolexes, money clips and other ridiculous valuables to the birds.
Then it happened to us on different occasions, birds stole a large cookie, bag of chips and half a sandwich. Those bastards would just fly away carrying our food with a cocky swagger. Food is valuables to our group.
Besides the birds, the entire round was surreal. Pebble Beach has a hefty $500 green fee, but if you like golf it is worth it.
The greens were aerated, so everyone in our group got a $75 gift certificate to be used on anything at the resort. So if your looking to get the most bang for your buck at an expensive resort, March would be a good time to go to Pebble.
WCC Final Score: 111
