Free Fall Costly to Cubs, White Sox

September 30, 2012 @ admin → No Comments

Weekend wonderings: Which would be worse — the Chicago Cubs losing 100 games this season or the Chicago White Sox losing their late-season lead and the American League Central title to the Detroit Tigers?

Bikini winner Nathalia Melo (left) and fitness champ Adela Garcia.

* Wondering what are the chances of the Sox winning four in a row and the Tigers going 1-3 or 0-4 so the Sox win the AL East without having to play a game 163.

* Wondering whether the Cubs will win four games in a row to avoid 100 losses or whether the Pittsburgh Pirates will win four games in a row to finish at .500 (or better) for the first time since 1992. OK, wondering how close either team will come closest to winning four.

* Wondering whether there’s a shortstop-second baseman combination with worse on-base percentages than the Sox’ Alexei Ramirez (.290) and Gordon Beckham (.299). For those wondering, Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro’s on-base percentage is .323 and second baseman Darwin Barney’s is .305.

* Wondering whether anyone realizes Ramirez and catcher A.J. Pierzynski have the same number of strikeouts (76) — with Ramirez having 580 at-bats and Pierzynski 472.

* Wondering whether Adam Dunn will have a big game or two in the final four to garner the six runs batted in that he needs for 100 this season.

* Wondering how many times the Sox have struck out 16 batters in a game and lose (as they did Saturday 10-4 to Tampa Bay at U.S. Cellular Field).

* Wondering if fatigue wasn’t a problem for Chris Sale (who struck out seven in 3.1 innings), what was. Possibly inconsistency — which has been fairly consistent, especially late in the season with the Sox starters.

* Wondering who the Cubs manager will be when they have a winning record (current skipper Dale Sveum is a possibility, I suppose) — and also how long that might be.

* Wonder whether both Theo Epstein’s current team (Cubs) and his previous employer (Boston Red Sox) both will finish with 100 or more victories — both franchises having 99 losses as this is being typed.

* Wondering whether anyone is surprised that Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte is questionable for Monday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys after he said last week he thought he would be able to play. As if anything a player or coach has to say leading to a game is worth listening to.

* Wondering whether the Ryder Cup would be more interesting if they played miniature golf.

* Wondering whether NFL game officials will feel out of place if they are cheered at Sunday’s games.

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The Olympia in Las Vegas crowned Phil Heath Mr. Olympia for the second year in a row. Iris Kyle captured Ms. Olympia. Adela Garcia took the fitness category.

Some video from this year’s event: