Despite Abreu HR, White Sox Fall to Dodgers

June 3, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts (well, as close as we come to thinking around here) while wondering whether Jose Abreu’s offensive output will be enough to placate Chicago White Sox fans this summer or whether they need for the team to challenge for a postseason berth, too:

Video below of Gia Macool, For those interested (and even for those who are not).

* Abreu returned from the disabled list to the starting lineup for the Sox on Monday. He hit a two-run home run off Clayton Kershaw of the host Los Angeles Dodgers for a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Starter Jose Quintana did not allow an earned run in six innings, and the bullpen followed with scoreless relief. All of which sounds like a good night for the Sox. Well, except for those five unearned runs in the sixth inning that gave L.A. a 5-2 victory.

* A reminder to the Sox defensive coordinator (oh, wait, that’s football). Never mind. Merely a reminder that it becomes difficult to win when you have more errors (the Sox had three vs. the Dodgers) than you do runs.

* On the bright (?) side, Abreu’s homer did come relatively early in the game, so that those watching the game on television could go to sleep with happy thoughts. Well, assuming Sox fans allow themselves happy thoughts about their team.

* On the bright (?) side for Sox fans who did endure the entire contest, the game did end before midnight Central time. Big whoop.

* With the day off Monday, the Chicago Cubs had a chance to take a breath. And fall another half-game behind the Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who defeated the Minnesota Twins at Miller Park.

* If it’s any consolation to Cubs fans (and the guess here is that it is not), they have the smallest negative run differential among last-place teams in the big leagues.

* Speaking of defense (which we are a few paragraphs ago), center Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls was named to the NBA’s all-defensive first time and guard Jimmy Butler was named to the second team. And, yes, the Bulls still need offense if they hope to have a chance to win the Eastern Conference (we will worry about winning an NBA title after they do — well, if they do).

* Speaking of basketball, Elena Delle Donne of the Chicago Sky was on Monday’s episode of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” Not as a contestant but as a basketball player. She joined a group of WNBA players for one of the show’s segments. As compelling as watching Delle Donne, Tamika Catchings, Swin Cash and others can be, I just couldn’t watch the show for more than a few seconds. Just guessing that the overwhelming majority of those who tune in for the show won’t be turned into WNBA fans merely by the players’ presence on the program.

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