Cubs 17-5 Winners; Sox’ Abreu Hits 14th HR

May 13, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while wondering whether the 2014 Chicago Cubs could be the most potent team in baseball. Minor leagues, that is. The Cubs clobbered the Cardinals 17-5 Monday night in St. Louis. Cards starter Tyler Lyons — who at best should be considered the team’s No. 7 starter (meaning he should be in the minor leagues) — allowed nine runs in four innings. But a victory is a victory, and when you have 13 of those in 37 games, you’ll take anything you can get.

Look for video of Angela Martini below. Well, only if you’re so inclined.

* Games like Mondays are what keep Cubs fans going. If the team can do what it did against the reigning National League champs, then this rebuilding process (or whatever season after season of futility is) is working. Right? Uh, whatever you say.

* With a season-high 20 hits and season-high 17 runs, the Cubs next face Cards pitchers Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha and Lance Lynn. A split of the four-game series would seem easily within the Cubs’ reach. Anything more should sustain the faithful for a while, while a sweep should satisfy Cubs diehards through at least the All-Star break.

* Speaking of 17 runs, those were two more than the Cubs have scored in Jeff Samardzija’s eight starts. If the Cubs score 17 runs in the next three games, they likely will be quite happy — and successful.

* Speaking of successful, the White Sox were not in Oakland, as they lost 5-4 to the A’s. A ninth-inning, three-run rally made it interesting for the Sox, who should have felt at home on the road with a crowd of 10,120 watching. On the bright (?) side for Sox fans, the game did last less than three hours (2:57).

* Rookie first baseman Jose Abreu hit his big-league-leading 14th home run for the Sox. He also has an American League-leading 38 runs batted in. Abreu is averaging a homer every 11.3 at-bats and an RBI every 4.2 at-bats. Meaning if he can sustain that pace and have 550 at-bats, he would end up with 49 homers and 131 RBI. Which would be some consolation for some Sox fans. And, hey, remember the 2005 World Series title?

* The Chicago Sky, which plays its last exhbition game of the preseason Tuesday at the University of Delaware (where the Sky’s Elena Delle Donne starred before becoming the 2013 WNBA rookie of the year) will receive some exposure on Comcast SportsNet. The cable channel’s “Inside Look” will feature Delle Donne being interviewed by Aiyana Cristal at 8 p.m. CSNChicago.com also will have additional interview content The program also will air May 15 at 4 p.m., May 18 at noon, May 21 at 5 p.m., May 27 at 7:30 p.m. and June 6 at 1 p.m. (subject to change). The Sky opens its 2014 season Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Allstate Arena in Rosemont against the Indiana Fever.

* Ex-Cub of the night: New York Yankees right fielder Alfonso Soriano went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in a 9-7 loss to the visiting New York Mets. In doing so, Soriano became the first player to record at least 1,000 hits, 100 home runs, 500 runs batted in, 500 runs and 100 stolen bases in both the American and National Leagues. And, yes, the Cubs still are paying a large part of his contract.

* The sooner Donald Sterling goes away the better. And he can take his estranged wife Shelly with him.

* In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Los Angeles Clippers owner (soon to be ex-owner now that the NBA has deemed Sterling’s recent racist remarks no longer tolerable), Sterling said, former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson – who has been a successful businessman in his post-playing life — is not “a good example for the children of Los Angeles.” Then again, Sterling is not a good example for the adults of Los Angeles. Or for anyone else. Or for anywhere else.

* Sterling’s interview was so scintillating that NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement after it: “I just read a transcript of Donald Sterling’s interview with Anderson Cooper and while Magic Johnson doesn’t need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack. The NBA Board of Governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible.”

* As for Shelly Sterling? She thinks she should be allowed to retain her 50 percent ownership. Despite what the NBA’s constitution might say. Why does she thinks she is entitled to hold onto her share? Because she’s Shelly Sterling, and she’s entitled. Something says the NBA’s divorce from the Sterlings will be accomplished much quicker than Shelly from Donald. In no small part because the Sterlings have not divorced, even though she says she has been seeing divorce attorneys for 20 years.

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