First Impressions

I’ll open with the bad news from yesterday’s Cactus League opener for the White Sox, a 7-2 loss in six innings to the Brewers. Not the score so much as the TV broadcasting duo of Jason Benetti and Steve Stone. Unfortunately, they were in midseason form. These guys aren’t nearly as clever as they think they are; the same goes for their inside jokes. If it’s too hard to do their job in March, either quit or call in sick. I don’t recall spring training ever being a bother for Ed Farmer. In his heart of hearts, I bet Stone thinks he’s twice the player and announcer Farmer ever was. In that case, show it. As for Benetti, a question—why do you sound so much better when Stone’s out of the booth? Calling Tom Paciorek, calling Tom... As for the game itself, Milwaukee’s non-roster pitchers were better than our non-roster pitchers. As for new/old Sox manager Tony La Russa, he sounded spot-on, provided you read what he said. La Russa thinks winning is a good thing, even in spring training, a habit to get into before the season starts. Who could disagree with that? Right now, La Russa works for me as long as I don’t see him; then it becomes a case of “Oh, my God! What’s wrong with him?” Plus, I have to try and forget how La Russa spent his post-Sox managerial career with his head in the sand when it came to likely PEDs’ use by his players. So, in a way, it’s spring training for me as well as La Russa. Now, onto the good news, starting with Adam Engel; he hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat. With luck, we’re talking about a really productive platoon in right field with Engel and Adam Eaton (oh, and to have three center fielders out there in the ninth inning). Then, after the game, Clare texted another bit of good news. Matt Davidson hit the Dodgers’ first homer of spring training. Who says good things don’t happen to those deserving?