Cubs, White Sox Remain on the Skids

June 24, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts (well, what passes for such around here) while wondering whether Chicago’s two big-league baseball teams will be able to combine for 200 losses this season:

Khloe Terae in a bikini rather than a soccer outfit works quite nicely.

* With a 35-42 record, the White Sox are on pace to finish 74-88. With a 31-43 record, the Cubs are on pace to finish 68-94. Meaning the teams combined are on pace to finish 142-182. Further meaning 200 losses combined appears unlikey — until you realize it’s the Cubs and White Sox. Then again, if the current trend (Sox with five consecutive defeats and Cubs with three in a row), we might need to change that 200 target to something larger.

* Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Jeff Samardzija pitches well, but the Cubs lose. Which happened once again Monday night at Wrigley Field. He struck out seven, allowed four hits, two walks and one run in six innings of a 6-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

* Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: First baseman Anthony Rizzo hits a home run, but the Cubs lose. OK, so we ran something to that effect a day or two ago. Yes, it happened again Monday. He hit his 16th of the season in going 2-for-4 and raising his batting average to .281. And you can add to the list of first baseman who might be better candidates as a backup at first for the All-Star Game: St. Louis’ Matt Adams, who is batting .328 (third-best in the NL) and went 3-for-5 with six runs batted in (including his seventh and eighth homers). And whose manager Mike Matheny is the NL skipper for the All-Star Game.

* Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Rookie slugger Jose Abreu hits a home run, but the White Sox lose. Yes, this was mentioned recently, too. And it happened Monday night in Baltimore. He hit his 22nd homer, had a run-scoring double and RBI groundout in a 6-4 defeat.

* Speaking of statistics, Sox catcher Tyler Flowers struck out twice to take over the American League lead in that category from teammate Adam Dunn 84-83.

* Stop me if you’re heard this one before: Sox closer Ronald Belisario blew a save. Yep, happened again (Monday’s was his fourth blown save of the season). To make matters worse (from a Sox perspective), he also took the loss when Chris Davis hit a one-out, three-run homer in the ninth. To make matters better, the Sox likely need to find someone better than a guy with a 3-4 record and a 5.50 earned-run average.

* In reviewing the Orioles-Sox game, one ESPN broadcaster wondered: “Where would the White Sox be without him?” Meaning Abreu. Uh, probably in last place in the American League Central, where they currently reside.

* Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Chicago Bulls are looking to make a major offseason move and have their eyes on a top free agent (or might make a trade). Let me know when the Bulls sign Carmelo Anthony or obtain Kevin Love. Or someone else of a comparable level. And while you’re at it, let me know when someone has a perfect result for the 2014 NBA draft. Or any draft. Holding one’s breath until such an occurrence is not advised.

* Speaking of soccer’s World Cup (OK, so we weren’t; just seeing if you were paying attention), the Netherlands defeated Chile 2-0. Not that it matters a lot around here — other than the victory serves as a reason to run a photo and video of Playboy’s Khloe Terae, who is a Canadian-born supporter of the Dutch team. Not that there needs to be an excuse to run photos and/or video of her. She is in the running for Playmate of the Year in South Africa. To vote, you can click here.

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