The "Rap" .......

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by Tom Cole
© 2005


October 27, 2005


Dye-ing for Redemption
Jermaine Jolts the Astros

With his game-winning hit in Game 4 off Houston closer Brad Lidge, Jermaine Dye finished the World Series at 7-for-16 (.438) with a home run and three RBIs.

Signed as a free agent, cast off from the A's who decided to embrace MoneyBall and go young with Nick Swisher, Jermaine Dye signed for a mere bargain, ONLY $5 million for the year. After having played for twice that amount with the A's, some considered it a big step down for the player who was once regarded as a future superstar when he signed with the Atlanta Braves, drafted in the 17 round out of Consummes Jr. College in Sacramento, CA. But soon after he broke into the Braves line up, he was traded, exiled to anonymity in Kansas City where he excelled, before landing in Oakland and helping to propel the A's into the playoffs, with 59 rbis in the final 61 games of the 2001 season.

Suffering a horrific injury in the 2002 playoffs, fouling a ball off his leg and snapping the bone, he hobbled through the 2003 season, a shadow of the player for whom there had been high hopes. Proving his worth, both to himself and he thought to the A's, he bounced back in 2004, only be to cast adrift by Billy Beane, deemed as too expensive for the less than impressive .329 on base percentage, deemed an essential ingredient of the MoneyBall equation.

The thrill is gone, as was the magic. Garner rarely pushed the right buttons in the Chicago series, after he could do no wrong against the Braves and Cardinals.

Dye started off this season rather slowly, hitting near .200 much of the first half of the year, but he did hit a few home runs early, padding his stats in the “meaningless” games of April and early May. Mired in the 7th spot in the batting order, he appeared to be headed for another mediocre season, justifying the absence of faith exhibited by the Oakland management.

But manager Ozzie Guillen believed in Dye, his defense (he has a great arm and covers right field well) and his bat. Without the pressure of batting higher in the order, Dye eventually found himself, at just the right time, and resumed his familiar position of batting 3rd in the order, a spot traditionally reserved for the best hitter on the team. He did not disappoint, neither himself, the Chicago fans, nor more importantly, his teammates.

Shortstop Juan Uribe reached into the stands to make a clutch catch on Chris Burke's popup in the ninth inning. Uribe, a former prospect in the A's much heralded farm system showed exactly why he had been tabbed for stardom from the very beginning

ESPN radio announcer Joe Morgan consistently pointed out the approach that all the Chicago hitters had taken in this series, providing “tough at bats”, taking pitches and extending the count, fouling off two strike gems served up by Oswalt, Pettite and Backe, and eventually getting a pitch to handle and doing something with it. On the other hand, the Astros were impatient, continually behind in the count, swinging and missing at 'pitcher's pitches' and fouling off mistakes, pitches that should have been struck solidly. They say good pitching will always prevail over good hitting, and the White Sox pitchers did just that

throughout their nearly flawless romp through the playoffs. With 11 wins and only one defeat, they seemed on cruise control as they had been throughout the first five months of the season, making the game seem easier than it really is. It is not that easy of a game, and the mastery with which they navigated the tumultuous waters of a losing streak in late August/early September, seeing a 15 game lead evaporate to a paltry three games must be attributed not only to the players, but the attitude of Ozzie Guillen.

An ebullient Jermaine Dye holds aloft the World Series trophy awarded to the best team in baseball, this year the Chicago White Sox

Guillen found himself under fire from all sides when things were going bad, after being the media darling of baseball earlier on. The fickle fans and press forgot nearly as quickly as they had embraced this unlikely group of players as real contenders. And now, they are the toast of the town, feted throughout the South side, at the very least, while north side residents must be rubbing their voodoo fetishes, sticking pins in Bartman dolls, conjuring up whatever magic they can in order to be the next cursed franchise to emerge from the dark shadows of mediocrity and shine in the glow of the midnight lights under which these World Series games are played these days (thanks to FOX and the power of the almighty dollar).

Another sweep. Another ratings disaster. But some great baseball, closely contested games with the clearly superior team prevailing. Craig Biggio, the long suffering catcher/2b/centerfield returned to 2b 18 year veteran, summed it up in a post game interview, the best team won but it was close and perhaps with an additional player or two, another run at a World Series would be possible. Hope springs eternal, even in the fading light of late October with the traditional 'hot stove' league to start soon.