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Midweek musings: First baseman Anthony Rizzo homered, had two doubles and drove in three runs as the Chicago Cubs defeated the host Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 Tuesday night. He raised his batting average to .284 and also raised the possibility he could become one of those All-Star Game candidates whom fans can vote into the game.
Adriana Lima is a soccer fan (in case anyone was wondering). Credit: Getty Images
* Speaking of Cubs hitting prowess (loosely defined), second baseman Darwin Barney went 1-for-4 to boost his batting average to .200. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well, it generally hasn’t for Barney this season.
* Still speaking of Cubs hitting prowess (OK, more like ow-wess — if that’s a word and even if it isn’t), third baseman Mike Olt struck out twice in his only at-bats. He is hitting (loosely defined) .151. He has struck out 57 times in 139 at-bats, Meaning he is striking out 41 percent of the time. And the reason he is on the big-league roster? Oh, that’s right; the Cubs barely qualify as a big-league ballclub.
* The Cubs released reliever Jose Veras — because he wasn’t very good (0-2, 8.10 earned-run average 12 relief appearances with two blown saves in two opportunities). Because he was so ineffective, the Cubs’ front office was unable to make a trade. Apparently the price of a bag of used baseballs was too high for another team to part with.
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* Get-well wishes to Chicago Sky star Elena Delle Donne. The 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year sat out Tuesday’s 80-76 home loss to the Seattle Storm because of a flareup of Lyme disease. “I just feel exhausted, kind of like how you feel when you have a fever,” she said. “I’ve had my better days but I’m all right. It’s nothing I haven’t gone through before.” All of which makes her success even more impressive.”
* If it’s Wednesday (and the chances seem reasonably good that it is (based primarily on the fact that yesterday was Tuesday), then we are fast approaching that weekly wonder known as “Sports & Torts.” The 60-minute interview show co-hosted by David Spada and Elliott Harris on Thursdays at noon Central time on Talkzone.com has three guests scheduled to appear on the June 12, 2014 edition are Playboy Playmate Jessica Ashley (Miss June), baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson and veteran multi-media threat Alison Moran. The program also will be available on podcast later Thursday.
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