Loss to Knicks May Help Bulls in Long (Playoff) Run

April 14, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Monday meanderings: The Chicago Bulls lost 100-89 to the New York Knicks on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Fortunately for the Bulls, the Knicks are not a playoff team.

There is video below of Ramona Valerie Alb. If you are interested. Even if you’re not.

* The Bulls’ loss is a bit befuddling. After all, the Knicks were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night and figured not to be much of a challenge. Even conspiracy theorists pondering the result may be perplexed regarding how it will impact the Bulls’ postseason possibilities. The loss could mean the Bulls would not meet the defending NBA champion Heat until the Eastern Conference finals (well, provided that the Bulls could advance that far).

* On the bright (?) side for the Bulls, they do finish their regular-season home schedule Monday against the Orlando Magic and the road schedule Wednesday at Charlotte. And then the real season begins. If they play the way they did vs. the Knicks, their postseason will be even shorter than coach Tom Thibodeau’s temper after games like that.

* The Cubs lost 6-4 to the Cardinals in St. Louis. The Cubs have not won a series this season. The statistical-analysis department around here spent much of Sunday calculating that they will have an incredibly difficult time posting a .500 or better record if that situation does not change. Upon further review, they will have an incredibly difficult time posting a .334 or better record if that situation does not change.

* The slow start by the Cubs (4-8) and the fast start by Starlin Castro (.300 batting average even after going 0-for-4 Sunday) means any clamoring to promote Javier Baez from the minors should be minimal at most. Especially considering Baez sprained his left ankle during infield practice Friday at Class AAA Iowa and has landed on the seven-day disabled list. Well, there’s that and the fact that his is batting .154 (4-for-26). Hey, two of those hits were home runs, if that’s any consolation.

* * Ex-Cub of the day: Milwaukee third baseman Aramis Ramirez broke a 1-1 tie with a run-scoring single as the Brewers beat the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 for their ninth consecutive victory. Ramirez, who was 1-for-3, also walked and scored a run. He is batting .380

* Speaking of shortstops, Alexei Ramirez hit a walkoff, two-run homer to give the White Sox a 4-3 victory vs. the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field. In four at-bats, Ramirez — who went 2-for-4 — saw a total of four pitches. When you’re hitting an American League-leading .420 as he is, they call that aggressive. when you’re hitting .220, they call that impatient.

* The Sox have scored more runs this season (80) than any other big-league ballclub. They have more runs than the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers (40) and last-place Kansas City Royals (32) combined.

* Ex-White Sox player of the day: Toronto left-hander Mark Buehrle allowed five hits and one run in seven innings to improve to 3-0, as the Blue Jays defeated the host Baltimore Orioles. Buerhle’s earned-run average skyrockets to 0.86.

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