CHICAGO | White Sox fans already bullish on the team's chances to win the American League Central had more to cackle about Friday night -- a trade-deadline deal that landed right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
And there were more region Sox rooters on hand at U.S. Cellular Field to gab about Jackson and watch fill-in rookie starter Lucas Harrell (1-0) defeat the Oakland Athletics 6-1 to notch the 12th straight home victory for the first-place South Siders.
The Sox ran a special promotion for Friday's game -- Northwest Indiana Sox Fans Night. Fans could purchase tickets on the team's website normally priced at $43, $39, $38 and $28 for, respectively, $33, $29, $28 and $14. The team estimated about 800 tickets were sold in the promotion.
Some fans who contacted The Times took advantage of a volume discount to bring a large group to The Cell. Others were undying loyalists who purchased at full price in the offseason.
Almost all believed they've got a good shot at watching the Sox play in October, with the Jackson deal designed by general manager Kenny Williams to bring in a veteran pitcher to round out the starting rotation.
"I think there's a very good chance they'll win the division," said Ed Williamson, of Whiting, who got the discounted $33 tickets for his family of five in Section 102.
"It will be a horse race until the end, but my gut feeling is the Sox will pull it out."
Hobart's Glen Mock, a captain for Southwest Airlines, really went for the discount. He got the half-price $14 tickets for the upper deck to accommodate his party of six.
"I think we'll win," Mock said. "They're on fire. They're looking good. Before the season started, I thought the Sox would win the division."
Bob O'Donnell, of Schererville, who bought his $43 tickets in Box 119 in March, said the season will come down to how the Sox do against archrival Minnesota.
"I'm not too much afraid of Detroit," O'Donnell said. "That will really determine it. My dad said if you beat the poor teams and break even with good teams, you'll will be in or near the playoffs."
One fan who wasn't cheering for the Sox on Friday was Amy Atteberry, of Whiting. She attended with boyfriend Thomas Kidd, also of Whiting. It's a mixed relationship -- Atteberry is a Cubs fan, while Kidd backs the Sox.
"I won't cheer for the Sox unless they get to the World Series," she said.
Nevertheless, Atteberry prefers attending games at The Cell compared to Wrigley Field.
"It's a lot nicer and has good parking," she said. "Good sightlines from the seats."
All the fans were appreciative of discounted tickets. Williamson, whose daughters Charlotte and Rachel play softball at Bishop Noll Institute, called baseball ticket prices "kind of high." He often takes his three kids to see games all over the country while on vacation.
"You take a family of four ... you could wrap up $500 pretty quick," Mock said.
Other region attendees at The Cell included Debra Charleston and Bob Lange, of Crown Point; Eric and Nicole Jakubowski, of Whiting; Joe and Theresa Springer, of Hebron, and Greg Lorenzi, of Cedar Lake.
