Don't rip the tags off that Griffey Jersey!

Sorry to all you White Sox fans that bought Griffey gear this season, and to all of you that were so excited to have him around. According to an SI.com report, the White Sox will not try to re-sign the 38-year-old outfielder.

Griffey's run with the Sox lasted 41 games. The move was pretty much expected, as Griffey was going to look around in the free agent signing period anyway.

Also for the Sox, there are rumblings about a Konerko for Figgins trade with the Angels. With Konerko's no-trade clause, this deal would have a long way to go, but he has shown interest in LA before.

Today's Links

• Who's to blame for the late-game meltdown by the Bears? How about special teams coach Taub?
  
• Magic Johnson does not want to hear about how you think he faked AIDS.
• Chi-Ball reports that Mariotti is still in talks with the Tribune to be a print sportswriter. Eww. Whatever, Chi-Ball reports every rumor as news.
• A Kenyan won the Chicago Marathon in 2 hours 6 minutes. That's roughly a 4:50 mile. How do those guys do that?
• Some picture of MJ with a Cigar in his hand looking like the stud that he is.
• Illinois BLEW it. This is one of those sports weekends that really pisses me off.
• I'm so sorry about these annoying Cubs and Sox rumors, but I wouldn't be doing my job not to report them (what's my job exactly?). Apparently the Giants are interested in D-Lee or Paul Konerko.
• Come on Wildcats! You can't go down 17-0 and expect to come back! Even at home. Northwestern loses its first game.
• If Thabo can hit his jumpers, he may be a very valuable piece of the puzzle.
  

Today's Links

• Kosuke has been relegated to defensive replacement. He wasn't even in the lefty heavy lineup on Monday.
• Top ten Chicago baseball surprises. This is a great top ten list. Also top ten Chicago no-hitters. That one is a little obscure for most of the list, but still interesting.
  
• Cubs win. Magic number is down to 4. "We are on the cusp of history every single night". A little dramatic, but it is an exciting time to be a Cubs fan. Oh, and C.C. Sabathia takes his first loss in the NL. Boo-hoo.
  
• So how badly is Hester injured? Will he play next week? In two weeks? Ever? We'll find out at the press conference today.
• Do some Cubs want to have a new ballpark? It was a good time at Miller, that's for sure.
• Konerko's return was a huge boost for the White Sox. This guy is great. White Sox won by the way.
• More Bears post-game notes. Kevin Payne had a great game.
  
• Pinella and Hendry in line for extensions? They definitely look like they've earned it right now.
• As Ron Santo always says in those Cubs commercials: "This is the year!!". Could it be the year for him to get into the Hall of Fame? Statistically he is better than half of the third basemen that are already in. We'll see.
  

Sox Fans Infatuation With Paulie Finally Makes Sense

As anyone who reads this site knows, I'm a north sider through and through. I don't hate the Sox, I just think of them as some sort of small market team that somehow weaseled its way into my city. That being said, I have never felt strongly about Paul Konerko. Until this year, I generally liked to call him "half-man, half-a-season" for his tendency to have one great half season every year. He always seemed like a good enough guy personally, and someone who works hard. As my friend Andrew would say, "he's a ballplayer" (a player that goes out everyday and gives 100% no matter the situation, sort of like a grinder). Regardless of all that, I never understood south siders' patience with the guy until he got hurt:

"If this happened in April or May, you might wait until there was no pain," Konerko said Wednesday after an MRI confirmed a sprain of the medial collateral ligament of his right knee. "But I'll just wait until it can function. And if there's some pain, that's fine. It's that time of year when you have to get back in there. We're fighting for a spot in the playoffs. But it has to be able to function."

Love that Theriot-esque spirit. Good luck Paulie.