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Monday meanderings: Not sure which is more surprising — the official scorer giving Paul Konerko an infield hit on what could (should??) have been an error to end Jeremy Guthrie’s no-hit bid in the seventh inning at Kansas City or the Royals having five consecutive triumphs vs. the Sox after a 5-2 victory Sunday (Aug. 19).
Nicole and Brianna Garcia -- formerly the Bella Twins -- brighten up today's effort. Here they are at WIzard World Chicago Comic Con 2012.
* Speaking of Sox streaks, the New York Yankees — whom the Sox play in a series beginning Monday at U.S. Cellular Field — have won six in a row at the Sox’ home park. If there’s any consolation for Sox fans (and the guess here is there is very little, if any) is the Yankees actually have a winning record, while the Royals have eight of their 54 victories this season vs. the Sox. Then again, thanks to their three-game sweep of the Sox, the Royals (54-66) are in third place in the American League Central.
* Speaking the Sox-Yankees series, Loop Rock Girl Trish is to toss out the first pitch at the game Aug. 20. Which means somewhere you should find her photo if you scroll down.
* Sox slugger Adam Dunn struck out three times Sunday to reach 175 for the season. The big-league record is 223 by Mark Reynolds in 2009. Meaning Dunn needs 48 strikeouts in the Sox’ 42 remaining games to tie the mark. In that Dunn is averaging 1.46 strikeouts per game, he is precisely on pace to reach that number. Of course, manager Robin Ventura could rest Dunn to avoid breaking the record — provided the Sox have that luxury down the stretch in their postseason quest. Then again, 16 more three-strikeout games would do the trick.
* Speaking of strikeouts, Bryan LaHair struck out twice Sunday to tie Alfonso Soriano for the Chicago Cubs team lead at 110. LaHair has done so in 299 at-bats to 411 for Soriano.
* Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s checklist for spring training 2013 likely will include baserunning. Just as his 2012 checklist did. Not that it seems to have had much of an impact on the team’s performance — or lack thereof — on the basepaths.
* Does anyone else think San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera (.346 batting average) was suspended last week so he wouldn’t have qualified for eligibility to win the batting title? He has 459 at-bats. Players need 502 to qualify. Cabrera, who received a 50-game ban for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, trails only Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen (.352) in the National League batting race. Or maybe commissioner Bud Selig’s timing was coincidental. Sure it was.
As promised, here is more video from the recent Wizard World Chicago Comic Con at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. Today’s offering is the Garcia Twins (formerly known in WWE circles — or rings — as the Bella Twins). Brianna and Nicole were kind enough to take time from signing autographs and posing for photos for a little chat.
Some NFL odds from the fine folks at Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV):
Loop Rock Girl Trish (shown in Chicago Bliss uniform) is to toss out the first pitch at the Aug. 20 White Sox game. Not in this outfit.
2012 NFL MVP – Odds to Win
Aaron Rodgers (GB) QB 11/2
Tom Brady (NE) QB 13/2
Drew Brees (NO) QB 9/1
Michael Vick (PHI) QB 10/1
Peyton Maninng (IND) QB 10/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) QB 12/1
Arian Foster (HOU) RB 15/1
Calvin Johnson (DET) WR 15/1
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) QB 18/1
Eli Manning (NYG) QB 18/1
Cam Newton (CAR) QB 22/1
Matt Ryan (ATL) QB 22/1
Tony Romo (DAL) QB 22/1
Alex Smith (SF) QB 25/1
Chris Johnson (TEN) RB 25/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) RB 25/1
Ray Rice (BAL) RB 25/1
Jay Cutler (CHI) QB 30/1
Jimmy Graham (NO) TE 35/1
Matt Forte (CHI) RB 40/1
Rob Gronkowski (NE) TE 40/1
Andre Johnson (HOU) WR 50/1
Andrew Luck (IND) QB 50/1
Andy Dalton (CIN) QB 50/1
Jared Allen (MIN) DE 50/1
Robert Griffin III (WSH) QB 50/1
Wes Welker (NE) WR 50/1
Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) WR 75/1
Tim Tebow (NYJ) QB 100/1
2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year – Odds to Win
Andrew Luck (IND) QB 5/2
Robert Griffin III (WSH) QB 9/2
Trent Richardson (CLE) RB 11/2
Brandon Weeden (CLE) QB 15/2
Justin Blackmon (JAC) WR 15/2
Ryan Tannehill (MIA) QB 10/1
Michael Floyd (ARI) WR 12/1
Doug Martin (TB) RB 15/1
Alshon Jeffery (CHI) WR 20/1
David Wilson (NYG) RB 25/1
LaMichael James (SF) RB 25/1
Rueben Randle (NYG) WR 25/1
Ryan Broyles (DET) WR 25/1
Coby Fleener (IND) TE 30/1
Kendall Wright (TEN) WR 30/1
Stephen Hill (NYJ) WR 30/1
A.J. Jenkins (SF) WR 35/1
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year – Odds to Win
Luke Kuechly (CAR) LB 4/1
Morris Claiborne (DAL) DB 6/1
Chandler Jones (NE) DE 9/1
Melvin Ingram (SD) DE 10/1
Mark Barron (TB) DB 10/1
Fletcher Cox (PHI) DT 10/1
Courtney Upshaw (BAL) LB 12/1
Dont’a Hightower (NE) LB 12/1
Dre Kirkpatrick (CIN) DB 12/1
Harrison Smith (MIN) DB 12/1
Mychal Kendricks (PHI) LB 14/1
Jackie Bob is back for 2012 with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Who will lead the league in Passing Yards?
Drew Brees (NO) QB 9/2
Tom Brady (NE) QB 5/1
Aaron Rodgers (GB) QB 11/2
Matthew Stafford (DET) QB 13/2
Philip Rivers (SD) QB 10/1
Peyton Maninng (IND) QB 10/1
Eli Manning (NYG) QB 12/1
Tony Romo (DAL) QB 18/1
Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) QB 18/1
Jay Cutler (CHI) QB 20/1
Matt Ryan (ATL) QB 20/1
Matt Schaub (HOU) QB 20/1
Carson Palmer (CIN) QB 25/1
Cam Newton (CAR) QB 25/1
Andrew Luck (IND) QB 30/1
Michael Vick (PHI) QB 30/1
Joe Flacco (BAL) QB 40/1
Andy Dalton (CIN) QB 40/1
Robert Griffin III (WAS) QB 50/1
Josh Freeman (TB) QB 50/1
Sam Bradford (STL) QB 66/1
Matt Cassel (KC) QB 66/1
Who will lead the league in Rushing Yards?
Arian Foster (HOU) RB 9/2
Ray Rice (BAL) RB 13/2
Maurice Jones-Drew (JAC) RB 15/2
Chris Johnson (TEN) RB 15/2
LeSean McCoy (PHI) RB 12/1
Jamaal Charles (KC) RB 12/1
Darren McFadden (OAK) RB 14/1
Matt Forte (CHI) RB 15/1
Marshawn Lynch (BUF) RB 15/1
Adrian Peterson (MIN) RB 18/1
Ryan Mathews (SD) RB 18/1
Michael Turner (ATL) RB 18/1
DeMarco Murray (DAL) RB 18/1
Frank Gore (SF) RB 20/1
Trent Richardson (CLE) RB 20/1
Steven Jackson (STL) RB 20/1
Shonn Greene (NYJ) RB 25/1
Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) RB 30/1
Fred Jackson (BUF) RB 35/1
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (CIN) RB 50/1
Who will lead the league in Receiving Yards?
Calvin Johnson (DET) WR 7/2
Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) WR 15/2
Andre Johnson (HOU) WR 10/1
Julio Jones (WR) ATL 12/1
Victor Cruz (NYG) WR 12/1
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) WR 14/1
A.J. Green (CIN) WR 15/1
Roddy White (ATL) WR 15/1
Brandon Marshall (CHI) WR 15/1
Jimmy Graham (NO) TE 16/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) WR 16/1
Rob Gronkowski (NE) TE 18/1
Wes Welker (NE) WR 18/1
Greg Jennings (GB) WR 20/1
Steve Smith (CAR) WR 20/1
Jordy Nelson (GB) WR 22/1
Vincent Jackson (TB) WR 25/1
Demaryius Thomas (DEN) WR 28/1
Eric Decker (DEN) WR 28/1
Miles Austin (DAL) WR 30/1
Marques Colston (NO) WR 30/1
Dez Bryant (DAL) WR 30/1
DeSean Jackson (PHI) WR 35/1
Randy Moss (SF) WR 100/1
Terrell Owens (SEA) WR 100/1
Keeping with the football theme, how about some cheerleader video? Bears fans can only dream about the return of the Honey Bears, but some of us still have hope that day will come.
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