White Sox’ Sale 3rd in AL Cy Young Voting

November 13, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Thursday thoughts: Wednesday brought reason (OK, reasons) for Chicago White Sox fans to be disappointed, distraught and/or depressed (as if they don’t generally exist in such a state). Sox left-hander Chris Sale finished third in American League Cy Young Award balloting. Let the Sox outrage begin (as if it generally ever subsides). And furthermore, Victor Martinez — a played whom the Sox had sought to sign in free agency — re-signed with the Detroit Tigers.

Video below of Kate Bock, among others.

* If it’s any consolation to Sox fans (and the guess here is that it likely won’t be) … OK, I can’t think of any consolation for them off the top of my head or any other location inside or outside my head. Wait till … next week maybe?

* Oh, wait. You want some consolation, Sox fans? Well, you could be Seattle Mariners fans with their hero Felix Hernandez finishing second to Cleveland’s Corey Kluber for the Cy Young Award. Kluber had 169 points (17 first-place votes) to Hernandez’ 159 points (13 first-place votes). Sale had 78 points. OK, not much consolation, if any, but it’s the best we could do.

* Speaking of pitchers, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw was a unanimous choice for National League Cy Young Award. Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto was second and St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright third. If it’s any consolation to Cubs fans (and the guess here is that it actually is to some fans), Jake Arrieta received a fifth-place vote good for three points and a tie for ninth.

* Speaking of Cubs pitching, free-agent left-hander Jon Lester is expected to meet with the Cubs next week. Traded from Boston to Oakland during the season, he also is expected to meet with the Red Sox. Meaning his visit with the Cubs might serve merely to reconnect with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, who was general manager at Boston part of the time Lester was there. Well, the visit also might serve to help drive up the price of his contract (which is expected to be in the range of $20 million per season).

* Speaking of moves, in a move that should surprise no one Derrick Rose’s Chicago Bulls teammates said his remarks Tuesday about dealing with long-term health concerns by sitting out games is no indication of his level of commitment to the team. They say Rose is fully committed. To expect a teammate to say otherwise, you’d have to be committed — to some sort of mental facility.

* Speaking of Rose, he did not talk to the media after practice Wednesday. Presumably his prerogative and/or following the advice of folks trying to downplay his comments. Of all the things that Rose can handle in the wonderful world of basketball, dealing with the media can give him problems. Maybe he can work on that in the offseason.

* Once again it is Thursday (provided that you are reading this Nov. 13, 2014, or subsequent Thursday). Which means it is time once again for “Sports & Torts” at noon Central time with co-hosts David Spada and Elliott Harris on Talkzone.com. The guest of the highly regarded interview show (well, held in such esteen in the Spada and Harris households as well as reportedly elsewhere) are former NFL player and coach Dan Reeves and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. The 60-minute show also will be available later Thursday on the Talkzone.com web site.

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Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the ecstatic efforts of the editorial and video departments at ElliottHarris.com):