Tribune Chomping at Bit for Sox Elimination

The lords in the Dark Tower can't wait for the White Sox to be eliminated from the playoffs so they can finally give up their flimsy pretense of Sox coverage and devote all their abundant resources to the company team. Check out the headline today:

Sox comeback delays inevitable
Record-setting win staves off elimination

The Associated Press story on last night's game doesn't mention elimination, while the Tribune mentions it twice in the headline, before we even get to the story. Similar machinations are at work in the story itself.

AP: After Thome was intentionally walked, Scott Podsednik hit a grounder to second baseman Nick Punto, who flipped to Jason Bartlett covering the bag. But Bartlett never got his foot on the bag. Punto was charged with a throwing error and Pierzynski followed with an RBI single to end the 4 hours and 29 minute marathon.

Tribune's Mark Gonzales: Pierzynski's single came one play after second-base umpire Joe West ruled that second baseman Nick Punto's throw pulled shortstop Jason Bartlett off the bag on a force play.

Notice how Gonzo leaves room for doubt over Joe West's call, which the AP reports cleanly. Maybe Gonzo had his elimination story pre-written so he could concentrate on his nachos during the game, and this way he didn't have to revise too much. Yeah, either that or the Tribune has a big countdown to Sox elimination board in the newsroom, waiting for the day they can finally pretend they own the whole town.