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Who could have guessed that the Chicago White Sox and Cubs would be playing games of consequence in the last series of the season? Well, probably not anyone who paid attention for the first half of 2013. And yet here we are with the Sox hosting the Kansas City Royals and the Cubs traveling to St. Louis to face the Cardinals in contests whose outcomes are meaningful.
No word whethr the Cubs signed Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman after his ceremonial first pitch at the team’s last home game of 2013 on Sept. 25. Shouldn’t a BTN guy really be tossing a football?
* The Cubs have the opportunity to be spoilers in the National League Central race. Of course, not by actually beating the Cardinals. Rather by something the Cubs (66-93) are more accustomed to: losing. The Cards’ magic number: 1. Which means a Cubs loss would eliminate the Pittsburgh Pirates from division title contention. The key to all this is for the Pirates to win at Cincinnati — or at least to have the game still going on while the St. Louis result is final — to remain in contention long enough for the Cubs scenario to play out.
* As for the Sox, who Thursday lost the first of a four-game home series with Kanas City, there is not postseason positioning involved (although it appears the American League Central could have Detroit as division champion and Cleveland as a wild card in the playoffs). Even though the Sox loss ended any chance of finishing with the same record as the Cubs, the Sox do have a magic number: 3. As in 62-97, which happens to be their record. Meaning if the Royals can sweep the series, the Sox will finish with 100 losses. Not that 99, 98 or 97 is significantly different. But 100 losses would give Chicago teams that lost 100 or more in successive seasons (Cubs lost 102 in 2012, thank you). How many cities can make a claim like that? OK, what cities would want to?
Loop Rock Girl Shannon looks ready for the Hawks season,
* Center Sylvia Fowles (WNBA defensive player of the year), forward Elena Delle Donne (rookie of the year) and guard Courtney Vandersloot (runner-up in most-improved player) of the Chicago Sky are among 33 players invited by USA Basketball to attend the National Team training camp Oct. 4-6 in Las Vegas. “I am very excited and honored to have been invited,” Delle Donne said. “It is an incredible opportunity to have the chance to represent our nation on the basketball court. I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas and get on the court with the best players in our country.” Someone is goingto have to explain how Tulsa Shock rookie Skylar . earned an invitatnion after averaging 8.5 points per game while shooting .363 from the field (.244 on three-pointers); she did have 123 assists but 92 turnovers in 32 game. Something says the WNBA lobbied for her to be invited.
* Comcast SportsNet apparently can’t wait for hockey to start. CSN is set for “Blackhawks Day” Friday (Sept. 27), starting at 12:30 p.m. with “Inside Look” that features Chris Boden interviewihg Hawks general manager Stan Bowman (the program also will air Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.). At 1 p.m., CSN will replay the Hawks’ Stanley Cup-clinching Game 6 victory over the Boston Bruins.
WNBA president Laurel Richie was in Chicago for the Sky’s first postseason game in franchise history and to present award to Fowles, Delle Donne and Swin Cash:
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