Chicago -
By Steve Rhodes
On Monday morning, DNAinfo Chicago published this puff piece on Sports Mockery.
What was missing? Only the actual real story about Sports Mockery right now, which is how its staff and audience seem to align perfectly with Donald Trump supporters.
To wit:
Posted on August 11, 2015
By Marty Gangler
What a freaking week.
The Cubs haven’t been this hot since sweet Lou was in charge.
But there is something that still just doesn’t sit right with me.
Posted on August 10, 2015
By Roger Wallenstein
The differences weren’t huge, but they were to readily apparent. They defined a ballclub that knows how to execute just well enough to win against a team that finds a myriad of ways to manufacture frustration and failure.
It all added up to three one-run ballgames in Kansas City last weekend as the high-flying, talented Royals edged the fading White Sox 3-2, 7-6 and 5-4.
We can begin with key hits as Kansas City, the division-leaders with an American League-best record of 66-44, came through seven times in 20 opportunities with runners in scoring position. The Sox were 6-for-24 in the same department. Go no further, and you can explain in three tight games how our local club was swept.
Posted on August 10, 2015
By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes
Cubs manager moves in mysterious ways. Plus: Mediocre Media Moralizers; White Sox SNAFU; Bears’ Foxhole; The Chicago Fire Did Something This Week; Jimmy Butler > Derrick Rose; The Return Of Epiphanny Prince; A Beer Note; and We Already Miss You, Junior Lake.
Posted on August 7, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Junior Lake burst on the scene in 2013 like no other Cub this side of Tuffy Rhodes and Emilio Bonifacio. While his red-hot start cooled to an eventual .284 with a .332 OBP over 64 games in that rookie campaign, he proved Theo Epstein prescient in his warning to then-manager Dave Sveum that Lake would do some things that would amaze – for both better and worse. Now he’s in the Baltimore organization, having been traded for reliever Tommy Hunter. We here at the Beachwood loved Junior Lake; he provided multiple moments of happiness and made our lives better because of it. Let’s take a look.
1. Rookie Year Highlights.
Posted on August 6, 2015
In an increasingly pass-happy league, the depth chart for fantasy QBs looks deeper than ever.
1. Andrew Luck, IND.
In his prime, and an upgrade from a hobbled Reggie Wayne to a less hobbled Andre Johnson (and from a gaping hole at RB to reliable old Frank Gore) could push him over the 5,000 yard mark. If he cuts down on turnovers, could we expect a 50 TD season?
Posted on August 5, 2015
By Steve Rhodes
Thank God for Russ in Los Angeles!
Russ wrote to the Tribune’s Mark Gonzales for his mailbag feature and asked:
I watched the All-Star lineup introductions, and who is the National League starting second baseman but DJ LeMahieu. I looked up who the Cubs got when he was traded in 2011: Casey Weathers and Ian Stewart. What a horrible trade – who is responsible for that?
Maybe because Russ is in Los Angeles, he doesn’t know you aren’t allowed to question Theo Epstein. Every word he utters is the gospel – the Theospel. And he’s infallible!
Posted on August 3, 2015
By Roger Wallenstein
In the week that former Sox pitching legend Billy Pierce died at age 88, it was fitting that the Yankees were in town.
When “Little” Billy Pierce, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound lefty, led the White Sox staff throughout the 1950s, it was a big deal when the New Yorkers invaded. Between 1949 and 1964, the distasteful, despised, agitating Yanks were American League champions all but two seasons. Cleveland interrupted the streak in 1954 but had to win 111 games to do it. And, of course, in 1959 the White Sox went to the World Series while the Yankees finished third.
But throughout the decade the White Sox fought to remain in contention, which created high expectations and anticipation and huge crowds almost every time Casey Stengel led his crew to the South Side.
Posted on August 2, 2015
By Jim Coffman, Roger Wallenstein and Steve Rhodes
Post-trade deadline edition. Plus: The Starlin Castro Saga; Len Kasper, Company Man; Bill Veeck, TV Bartender; The Journesia Of Training Camp Narratives; The Chicago Fire Continue To Disgust Us; and Eleane Delle Donne Emerges As The Face Of The WNBA.
Posted on August 1, 2015
