Chicago fans are supposed to be discerning sports purists.
This is the City of Broad Shoulders, right? The city where lunchbucket, blue collar athletes are appreciated for their hard work, not their fame.
How many times have we heard “We just want players who play hard”?
Blah blah blah! Phonies, all of you! On Chicago’s South Side sits Magglio Ordonez, a player who fits the description. And over the last week Sox fans have fiendishly tried to trade him for the glitz and glamor of a national superstar, Nomar Garciaparra. It’s shameful.
Yes, I’m calling Sox fans out because it’s despicable how East Coast bias has infiltrated the brain cells of people who should know better. As the commercial mantra goes, “Mags is White Sox baseball!” Or at least what it should be.
He plays hard, never complains and most importantly, produces. He is a career .307 hitter who has compiled almost 200 home runs in a little more than six seasons.
But maybe that’s not good enough.
You see, everyone knows Nomar! His presence in a Sox uniform would give them greater recognition, including locally. I say: Phooey! Yeah, I said it.
In Boston, No-mah is a god! There’s no disputing Garciaparra is a fine player, but he’s no better than Mags. It’s unfortunate that Sox fans are so easily blinded by star power.
Yes, Garciaparra’s been on the cover of Sports Illustrated and he’s married to Mia Hamm, but bringing him here doesn’t automatically make the Sox a contender in the putrid A.L. Central. He’s one man and unless the one man you add is named Bonds, it doesn’t change a thing.
In fact, it might make things worse. Let’s compare:
Mags had more homers (29), doubles (46) and walks (57) than Garciaparra (28-37-39) did in 2003. Nomar did have more RBIs (105-99), but he also had a better team around him.
Other than catcher, shortstop is the most important position on the field, where Nomar committed 20 errors. Welcome to Jose Valentin country. Mags had another great year in right (sure, not the hardest position), only committing two errors for .994 fielding percentage.
Mags never causes problems in the clubhouse. He never fights for the spotlight. He never pouts and he lets his play on the field speak for him.
And speaking of speaking for Mags, could we so lack in depth that we don’t
truly appreciate Mags because he doesn’t speak English fluently? Eso es loco!
Don’t be so quick to cheer a trade that would ship Ordonez out of town. You should want more than a matinee idol.
In a perfect world, the White Sox would be more proactive, like the Red Sox. In a perfect world, Ken Williams would be trying to figure out a way to keep Mags and add Nomar.
But baseball economics and small-market thinking precludes that fantasy. Think long and hard about giving up on a player of Ordonez’s timber. Mags may not be the face of this team, but he’s definitely the heart.
SUNDAY’S WEATHER: Are you starting to notice that Jillian Barberie’s act (and other parts) are getting old? Can’t Fox teach Leeann Tweeden to do the forecast? She’s not as annoying and much easier on the eyes. (Editor’s note: Please direct your letters to Laurence at lwh6@hotmail.com.)
HOOD REPORT: Dick Jauron is now 4-1 in the hoodie. Why didn’t he get urban quicker?
THE REAL DEAL: Rex Grossman made all the throws Sunday: short, deep with touch and with steam. It’s Christmas time. Hope you saved for a new No. 8 jersey.
SH-OOOOPS: Last week’s “Inside the NFL” on HBO chronicled Grossman’s first NFL start. The piece was exceptionally well done except for the part when they misidentified QB guru Greg Olson as “the O.C.” John Shoop. Not once, but twice!
THE BARTMAN PROPHECY: Big up to local restaurateur Grant DePorter. He dropped $106,000 to buy the infamous ball that silly people think cost the Cubs Game 6 of the NLCS. With that kind of scratch, Grant could’ve re-signed Augie Ojeda to play shortstop.
PILING ON: Unfortunately, Ojeda will take his career .196 average to Minnesota and start terrorizing the Sox.
MARKETING 101: Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Scottie Pippen all hurt. Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall gone. Bill Cartwright fired and Jamal Crawford sharing the rock. … I guess everything can change in the blink of an eye.
The truth
Magglio Ordonez has averaged 118 RBIs over the last five seasons.
