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Monday meanderings: The Miami Marlins ended the Chicago Cubs’ winning streak at five with a 4-3 victory Sunday at Wrigley Field. The Los Angeles Angels swept their three-game series with the Chicago White Sox by winning 4-2 in Anaheim, Calif. So which losing team’s fan base is feeling worse to start off the work week (also for those who do not work)?
Video below of Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez. Not a bad way to start the week.
* Cubs starter Jake Arietta threw six scoreless innings before the bullpen allowed the Marlins to overcome 2-0 and 3-2 deficits. A reminder to Cubs fans: Every team’s bullpen falters (read on in a few paragraphs for other examples).
* The first two Cubs runs scored on a Nate Schierholtz triple. He has three triples this season. Meaning he has one more of those than he does home runs in 2014. Also meaning it would appear the Cubs have an opening for a power-hitting outfielder.
* A reminder to the White Sox: It is advisable to have more runs than errors, if you hope to win (they had two of each in Sunday’s loss).
* Sox slugger Jose Abreu, who struck out all four at-bats Saturday, did not strike out at all in four at-bats Sunday. Which would be considered an improvement — except he grounded into two double plays. Sometimes striking out can be under-rated.
* Speaking of grounding into double plays, Texas Rangers outfielder Alex Rios leads the AL with 15. Of course, he also leads the league in hitting at .332. And a friendly reminder: Hitting into double plays is partly a function of having runners on base.
* For what it’s worth, Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez leads the American League with a .381 home batting average. And the Sox open a four-game series at home against division-leading Detroit on Monday.
* If it’s any consolation to Sox fans (and the guess here is that it just might be), the Tigers lost at home to Boston 5-3 Sunday night on a three-run, ninth-inning homer by David Ortiz. So the White Sox-Tigers series could be quite the battle of the bullpens. And another reminder: Every team’s bullpen blows leads and loses games. Well, that ought to make everyone feel better, no? Oh.
* If Miami Heat star LeBron James ends up with as many NBA titles as Michael Jordan (who had six), will MJ supporters come up with some other way to say His Airness was the superior player?
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