Elvis leaves the building 

(August 17)

Short take:  That wasn't Texas out there

Back to .500 and worse, two more games with an opponent that won't remind any Sox Fan of Milwaukee or Texas.  The Sox get clubbed like baby harp seals by the Oakland Athletics 9-2 at Comiskey.

Can't you just imagine big mean Jason Giambi beating the crap out of Jerry Manuel's #7, #8, and #9 hitters?  What defenseless pups we are!

An Elvis Night crowd of 33,000 was doubtlessly more entertained by the impersonators than our Sox.  This one was over early.  Starter Dan Wright was beat for three runs and three hits before our Pale Hose got their first at-bats.  

Guess what top-clubber Jason Giambi did to contribute to this decisive game rally?  He walked.  Let's hope Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez were paying attention.  It's probably hoping for too much hitting coach Gary Ward may have noticed.

Oakland added two more runs to make it 5-0 before the feeble Sox managed to answer in the fifth inning, a solo shot dinger by Magglio Ordonez.  Yep, just like Gary Ward drew it up on the clubhouse chalkboard.  The man wouldn't know situational hitting if it bit him in the seat of his pants.

The parade of pops and taps continued unabated for the remainder of the game.  The only notable exception was an rbi groundout by Mark Johnson.  They were probably snickering at him back in the dugout for having taken three of the five pitches offered.  Jerry Manuel's team really knows the game of baseball.

Matt Ginter looked better than Wright in his 2.2 innings work until a ninth inning meltdown led to four more Oakland runs.  Kudos to Alan Embree for throwing three whole pitches before serving up the 3-run fat pitch Eric Chavez.  Hey, two of the three runs were charged to Ginter.

Next thing you know GM Kenny Williams will sign Alan to a two-year deal and proclaim him "part of the core".  

More Sox high jinks tomorrow!