The Final Day Of Baseball's Regular Season

Yesterday was the final day of baseball's regular season, and my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, finished the season in style, beating the Washington Nationals 8-0, with Shane Smith and several relievers pitching a one-hitter. The Sox finished with a 60-102 record, which is nothing to brag about, but far better than last year, when they set the record for the worst team in the history of baseball, losing 121 games. Happily, there were a number of promising rookies on the team this year, which could mean the Sox might return to the playoffs sooner than many expect. Meanwhile, my adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, finished the season losing to the San Francisco Giants 4-0, with a 43-119 record, three losses shy of taking the title of worst team in history from the White Sox. I was secretly hoping the Rockies might do just that, taking that badge of shame from the Sox, but it was not to be. In any case, considering that Rockies management consists of pals and sons of the owner, with little baseball expertise, the Rockies future does not look quite as rosy. As for the White Sox's North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, they are in the playoffs, finishing with a record of 92-70, and will be playing against the San Diego Padres in the National League Wildcard Series at Wrigley Field starting tomorrow afternoon. And will the Cubs go deep into the playoffs this year? Possibly. But still, on the other hand, they are the Cubs, after all.