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Random thoughts while wondering whether a person can win Executive of the Year when his/her team fails to reach the postseason, fails to have a .500 or better record but is successful is unloading veteran players (and their salaries — or most of their salaries):
Happy birthday to lovely Lariyah Daniels.
* Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer might merit consideration for postseason honors if he can unload left fielder Alfonso Soriano (reports have him going to the New York Yankees for whom he once starred).
* With the Cubs dealing pitcher Matt Garza to the Texas Rangers for five players (it might be overstating things to call them all prospects, especially when a couple of the players have not yet been named), the Cubs are acquiring assets — although if the newly obtained players are not as splendid as advertised, there might be some ass sitting instead.
* Speaking of ballplayers sitting, Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun was suspended without pay for the rest of the season for “violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.” So said Major League Baseball in a statement. Said Braun in a statement: “As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect. “I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it … has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed — all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love.”
* Here’s what Braun should have said: “I cheated, I lied, I got caught. And I am sorry.” Meaning sorry for his actions and not merely for being caught. Let me know the day when an athlete makes that admission. Or when Braun gives up the Most Valuable Player trophy he won over Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
* Speaking of suspensions, it will be interesting to see what players — if any — on postseason contenders (the Brewers are last in the National League Central, in case you didn’t know) will suffer a fate similar to Braun’s.
* Speaking of postseason possibilities, the Chicago White Sox have a 0.1 percent likelihood, according to the fine folks at coolstandings.com. Well, at least the 7-3 loss to the division-leading Detroit Tigers apparently didn’t lessen the Sox’ playoff hopes very much.
Brittney Griner (left) and Skylar Diggins rank 1-2 in WNBA jersey sales.
The WNBA is cashing in on its “3 to See” campaign. Well, at the cash register at WNBAStore.com, if not totally on the court. Rookies Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins and Elena Delle Donne are the top three in jersey sales on the store site since the start of the season. Griner was the No. 1 pick in the draft, Delle Donne No. 2 and Diggins No. 3. Of the three, Diggins has been the least impressive.
For those who think Chicago Sky forward Delle Donne was slighted in the sales, imagine how Maya Moore (No. 1 the last two seasons) or Candace Parker (second in all-star votes to Delle Donne) might feel. Diggins was not voted an all-star starter, while the others were.
Chicago Sky forward Elena Delle Donne ranks No. 3 in WNBA jersey sales.
1. Brittney Griner – Phoenix Mercury
2. Skylar Diggins – Tulsa Shock
3. Elena Delle Donne – Chicago Sky
4. Maya Moore – Minnesota Lynx
5. Candace Parker – Los Angeles Sparks
6. Diana Taurasi – Phoenix Mercury
7. Seimone Augustus – Minnesota Lynx
8. Tamika Catchings – Indiana Fever
9. Nneka Ogwumlke – Los Angeles Sparks
10. Becky Hammon – San Antonio Silver Stars
And here is where we go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the efforts of the editorial and video departments at elliottharris.com and their broad-minded definition of “gratuitous”):
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