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The dog days of August — in fact, any days of August — are coming to a close. Any day now. OK, actually today (provided that you are reading this on Aug. 31). Which means football (college, pro, high school — take your pick, any and all) are upon us.
Wrestling’s Bella Twins always are welcome around here — with or without football jerseys.
Of course, for those of us who grew up with baseball as the sport, the final month of the season (regular rather than “post”) is about to begin. Which means the Chicago Cubs and White Sox will be beginning spring training early. Or, if you prefer, the Arizona Fall League — a gathering of leading prospects from various organizations — will have its own Chicago version with both teams taking long looks at some players (regardless of age) with a future.
On Friday afternoon, right-hander Jeff Samardzija was on the mound for the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He had a 5-0 lead. And then he didn’t. The Cubs lost 6-5 to the Philadlphia Phillies. The consolation prize for Samardzija was that he didn’t suffer the loss. That indignity belonged to closer Kevin Gregg (does any other team — contending or not — want him?) gave up a bloop single that scored the Phils’ winning run. Th consolation prize for Cubs fans was they either were sufficiently overserved so that they didn’t even notice and/or care or that the winning manager was Ryne Sandberg.
As in Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg. As in former Cubs standout Ryne Sandberg. He is the interim manager of the Phillies after serving most of his apprenticeship as a minor-league manager in the Cubs organization before being told by the Theo Epstein regime: Thanks but we are going to go with Dale Sveum as manager of the Cubs.
Probably the best thing that could have happened to Sandberg, who went to the Phillies organization where he originally began his pro playing career. After managing in the Philadelphia minor-league system, he became a coach on Charlie Manuel’s staff. And when Manuel was dismissed recently, Sandberg was selected to replace him.
“It’s a good one to get,” Sandberg said of his first game managing at Wrigley. “The guys battled back. … But yeah, extra special.”
And then there were the White Sox.
On Friday night, left-hander Hector Santiago was on the moud at Fenway Park in Boston. On the bright side? He didn’t blow a 5-0 lead. On the not-so-bright side: He did give up four runs — including the first on a bases-loaded walk —
in 3 2/3 innings in a 4-3 loss with former Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster picking up the victory.
“It’s just one of those days you go out and stink,” Santiago said. “If you can’t throw strikes, you can’t succeed.”
OK, cue the marching bands and cheerleaders. It just might be time for a little football.
Even on a Labor Day weekend, here is the place to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the efforts of the editorial and video departments at elliottharris.com and their amazing assessment of what qualifies as “gratuitous”):
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