Abreu Making His Mark(s) With White Sox

April 28, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Monday meanderings: The Chicago White Sox have a reason to be excited. Other than once again reaching a .500 record (as they did Sunday with a 9-2 victory at home against Tampa Bay). Jose Abreu drove in four runs to set a rookie record for RBI through the end of April. He has 31. Albert Pujols had held the mark with 27 with St. Louis in 2001. The Sox likely will be happy if Abreu turns out to be half the hitter Pujols has been (and especially so if it comes at half the salary — or preferably less — that Pujols enjoys).

Sorry to disappoint anyone looking for a Jose Abreu photo.

* Included in Abreu’s afternoon was his 10th home run, also a rookie record through the end of April. Something says the gears are grinding in the Sox marketing department to figure a way to make the most of Abreu’s early success. Too late to place a bobblehead order for this season?

* Speaking of Sox rookies, Scott Carroll pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) to pick up the victory. At age 29, he might not be part of the Sox future, but he certainly qualifies to be part of their present if he can continue the success of his big-league debut.

* Speaking of baseball futures, Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro hit two bases-empty home runs in a 4-0 victory at Milwaukee to give him four homers for the season. He also committed an error to give him four for the season. Someone might want to explain to him that being a 30-30 player does not mean homers and errors.

* With the Blackhawks eliminating the St. Louis Blues 6-1 at the United Center, it means that building will see at least one second-round postseason series. The likelihood of another tenant advancing seems slim after the Bulls lost to the host Washington Wizards 98-89. The Bulls trail in the series 3-1. And that was with Wizards forward Nene sitting out a game because of a suspension from Game 3. So the Bulls — who have had difficulty winning one in a row — need to win three in a row? Good luck with that.

* Reserve forward Taj Gibson led the Bulls with a career-high 32 points. Too late to sway voters for Sixth Man Award, but definitely early enough to increase his trade value, should the team be so inclined.

* On the bright (?) side for the Bulls, only center Joakim Noah played as many as 40 minutes in Game 4. Meaning the team should be reasonably well-rested for Game 5 Tuesday at the United Center. Then again, a Game 5 loss and everyone on the team will have plenty of time to rest. Or whatever they do in the offseason.

* Speaking of the NBA … yes, there is a question of what — if anything — NBA commissioner Adam Silver will do about Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and the outrage his racist remarks have created. Another question that needs to be answered is why David Stern, the previous commissioner, would not have done something about a man with a documented history of racist views.

* You know you’re in trouble when Michael Jordan speaks out against you. Which is what MJ did regarding Sterling. The Charlotte Bobcats majority owner and former Bulls star apparently is not worried about diminished sales of the products he endorses. The racist, 80-year-old-plus demographic would seem to be pretty much a dying breed.

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