As Starter, Santiago Brings Relief for White Sox

September 4, 2012 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while wondering whether the Chicago White Sox will have a set pitching rotation before the season ends (although they can’t complain about the job former reliever Hector Santiago did in beating the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday — Sept. 3):

Michael Clarke Duncan was a Chicago sports fan as well as a talented actor.

* Wondering whether the Sox — if they do win the American League Central — will offer partial postseason shares to the Twins, who have lost 10 of 13 games in their series with the Sox this season.

* Chicago native/actor Michael Clarke Duncan, who died Monday at age 54, narrated the 2005 White Sox World Series DVD. No doubt some Sox fans will take that as an omen. As if they couldn’t find some reason for impending doom.

* The only time I crossed paths with him was when he was in town as part of a celebrity basketball team that played an exhibition game in 2009 against the WNBA Chicago Sky. He seemed like a genuine person, especially for someone who had reached the level of success that he did in Hollywood.

* Speaking of the Sky, the 2012 version will be at the White Sox-Twins game Tuesday (Sept. 4) with center/former Notre Dame star Ruth Riley scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Well, that helps explain why Riley was the only Sky player in uniform not to play in Sunday’s victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. Guess the team wanted to save her arm for baseball.

Wrestling's Lisa Marie Varon reminds us it's almost time for the NFL season.

* In his only at-bat Monday as a pinch-hitter, Chicago Cubs rookie outfielder Brett Jackson was called out on strikes against the Washington Nationals in a 2-1 loss. That gives him 43 stikeouts in 83 at-bats. Too bad he won’t qualify for the league lead. His percentage (with the elliottharris.com statistical analysis department having Labor Day off, the guesstimate is Jackson’s percentage is greater than 50) looks to be No. 1 among non-pitchers. If it’s any consolation to Cubs and/or Sox fans (and the guess here is that it is not), Sox catcher Tyler Flowers does challenge Jackson with 48 strikeouts in 118 at-bats (.407). Honorable (???) mention also has to go to Kelly Shoppach of the New York Mets (74 whiffs in 173 at-bats: .428).

* Purely personal: Congratulations to Sara Kantathavorn and Mark Harris on their engagement. She is a television executive with NBC Universal in Los Angeles. He is an art dealer with Martin Lawrence Galleries in Costa Mesa, Calif. Oh, and he’s also the son of your humble correspondent and Sue Harris.

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