The last visit of the year to "The Cell". I always hate this game - no matter the outcome. This game signifies the end of the season for me. Most people would think of the last game of the season, or the last game of the World Series, but to me - this is the game. Why? There are no more games for me to go to. Everything else will happen away from Chicago. Oh, then there's the realization that another year has passed without a playoff game, let alone a World Series game. Today, I am filled with melancholy.

The weather is gorgeous, but on the chilly side. It's fan appreciation day (though Carol & I were not officially "Appreciated" as we didn't win any giveaways). The crowd is pretty thin - 18,949.

The game was interesting. Jon Garland pitched one of his better games this year - by the end of the 8th, he had only thrown 88 pitches. Unfortunately, when he came out to start the 9th, he didn't have it any longer and Damaso Marte had to finish (and finish he did - FOR A CHANGE). We had 4 homeruns (by Ross Gload, Wilson Valdez (his first one), Jose Valentin (his last in a Sox uniform at home?), and whipping-boy Joe Borchard).

The team ends the season 46-35 at home with 145 homers at U.S. Cellular Field, short of the record set by the Colorado Rockies in 1996. The team fell short of drawing 2,000,000 fans this season, but we had 10 sellouts, the most in the 14-year history of U.S. Cellular Field.

After the game, we sat and watched Ozzie's news conference on the big screen and then quietly left the park.

See you next year - you will be missed.

(Boxscore)