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White Sox Pitching Staff Impressing Early

By
Matt Spiewak
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The Marlins are in the market for one of the White Sox' starting pitchers. But his name isn't Chris Sale. (Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports)

We have seen a lot of dominate pitchers in the past. From Freddy Garcia and Mark Buehrle to John Danks and Chris Sale, the White Sox have managed to produce their share top quality pitching. And while the 2017 season doesn’t include any Cy Young award winners, there are some exceptional pitchers on the White Sox roster that are VERY underrated and extremely good. In fact, with the combination of all the White Sox pitchers, they combine to form one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB. That said, Jose Quintana, the rock-solid left hander, has been anything but.

After being predicted by multiple MLB insiders to win the A.L. Cy Young Award, Quintana has decided screw over the White Sox by diminishing his trade value. The White Sox No. 1 pitcher has started off the season 0-3, and backing it up with a 6.75 ERA doesn’t make it look any better. The only way that the White Sox pitching staff can be proved to be one of the best in the league is without Jose Quintana.

The White Sox starting rotation goes something like Quintana, Carlos Rodon (DL), James Shields, Miguel Gonzalez, Derek Holland and Dylan Covey if needed. At first glance, this seemed like at the most an average pitching staff, but looks can be deceiving. Looking at the starting rotation and bullpen without Quintana, it is pretty incredible how dominant these guys have been.

Starting Rotation

Carlos Rodon

Ok, even though he hasn’t pitched yet this year due to his injury, its safe to say that he will continue to improve. His slider is absolute filth, and will be fun to watch once he returns.

James Shields

A lot of fans thought that James Shields would continued to get rocked this year, even though he posted 1.78 ERA last July. Shields is starting this year off in the right direction with a 1-0 record, including pitching in the first win of the year for the White Sox. His change-up is his key pitch, and when that’s on fire, he’s on fire. The White Sox will most likely be looking to trade Shields towards the deadline as well, and if he keeps this up, Rick Hahn could be looking at adding even more talented prospects to Triple-A Charlotte.

Miguel Gonzalez

Probably the most underrated pitchers on the team, Gonzalez has started off the year on the right note. Although his ERA right now is above his a career average, he has been dominating on the mound. At age 32, Gonzalez is continuing to dominate opposing batters. He is tied for 2nd with Shields on the team for strikeouts with 11 on the year.

Derek Holland 

A player who Rick Hahn was hoping to be able to flip towards the end of the summer has shown that he is one of the most dominate pitchers in the Central Division, if not the American League. With a 1.50 ERA and a 1-1 record, Holland has never been this good. Did I mention that he one-hit the defending American League champs the Cleveland Indians?

Dylan Covey

Even though Covey will only be used once in a while, and then most likely never once Rodon returns, he shined in his MLB debut, giving up only one run to the division-leading Minnesota Twins.

Bullpen

David Robertson

The White Sox closer must really want to be traded to a postseason contender this year because he is putting up some great numbers. He has 3 saves in 3 opportunities, along with a team high 0.20 WHIP. He has 10 strikeouts to his impressive 0 walks, which is something that killed him last year.

Nate Jones

Jones is probably the only other White Sox pitcher besides Quintana that has started off a little rough. Fortunately, he has started to get back on track. He has only allowed one home run in 6 1/3 innings pitched, and has dragged down his ERA to 4.26.

Dan Jennings

Another solid pitcher in the White Sox bullpen, Jennings is having a comeback season. At age 30, he is well below his career ERA and has started off the season 1-0. He has appeared in 6 games and has given up only 1 run and 4 hits.

A Dominant Staff

So overall, it is pretty easy to say that the White Sox still have a dominant pitching staff, even though Chris Sale is gone, Quintana has not had his stuff, and Carlos Rodon hasn’t even stepped on the mound yet. The White Sox are currently ranked 2nd best in the MLB with a 2.71 ERA, and 5th in Batting Average Against. This is including Quintana.

How about we take out the White Sox #1 pitcher. Without Quintana, the team shows much improvement. Excluding the ace, the White Sox pitchers who have at least one inning pitched have a combined ERA of 1.57. If you don’t believe me, then go and do the math for yourself.

Still not convinced? Try to argue this one. Together, the 13 White Sox pitchers that have seen action this year have an impressive WHIP of 1.20. As you may have guessed, it will be better without Jose. In fact, it is .12 better at a stellar. 1.08, which would put the White Sox 3rd best in the league in that category.

Now the question comes up, should the White Sox trade Quintana while his trade value is still high? Well, one thing is sure is that this is not the permanent Jose Quintana. Like James Shields last year, Quintana is currently in a slump, it just happens to be in the beginning of the season. Remember, this is the same pitcher who no-hit team America through 5 2/3 innings in the World Baseball Classic.

Before that decision can be made, we have to do what the White Sox have been saying throughout the entire offseason: what does the future look like? Down in Triple-A Charlotte, Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito highlight the pitching prospects, backed up by closer Zack Burdi and potential starting pitcher Michael Kopech down in Double-A

As for now, the future pitching staff looks bright for the White Sox. What Rick Hahn will be looking at is how Quintana continues to pitch until the All-Star break and the success of the prospects in the minors.

In short, the White Sox have one of the best pitching staff’s in the MLB, and they are even better and possibly the best without their starting ace Jose Quintana.

James Shields Looks To Be “Big” Once Again

By
Emmet McClain
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CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 08: James Shields #25 of the Chicago White Sox walks to the dugout before pitching against the Washington Nationals on June 8, 2016 at U. S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

When this White Sox season started, fans pretty much knew what they were in for. Year one of a rebuild for any team is expected to be anywhere from mediocre to downright horrible. With the White Sox sending ace Chris Sale to Boston and highly underrated outfielder Adam Eaton to Washington, the White Sox lost essentially all of their spark. People would go to games to see Sale pitch, regardless of how bad they were. Adam Eaton was a spunky fan favorite. No one wants to spend their money to go watch Avisail Garcia make countless errors in right field an strike out every other at-bat. Or watch James Shields give up four home runs in a game as he struggles to get through 5+ innings. While it is fun to see Jose Abreu slug the occasional dinger, or watch the progression of Tim Anderson, White Sox fans simply were not supposed to have much to cheer for this year.

Except they do.

Avisail Garcia plays every day, so fans by now are for sure aware of his robust MLB leading .465 batting average. One other player that fans should start to take notice to, however, is pitcher James Shields.

Yes, that James Shields. The James Shields that had a 6.77 ERA with the White Sox last year. The James Shields that saw opponents bat .296 against him as he consistently got rocked each start. And yes, the James Shields that gave up 31 home runs in 114.1 innings.

Not exactly ideal numbers.

Before this season started, Shields talked about how he was looking to bounce back. Last year he claimed he was trying too hard after he was traded to the White Sox, but he knew at the end of the day it was just a bad year.

“A lot of emotions were going through my mind at the time. And it was an off year, it was a bad year for me.”

-James Shields On being traded to the white sox

And bounce back he has. So far this season, Shields has started three games for the White Sox. He has a 1.62 ERA and opponents are batting a mild .150 against him so far. For people ready to argue that this is just a fluke (and it very well may be), look at his past seasons. In 2010, Shields has the worst season of his career at the time. He posted career worsts in ERA (5.18), R (128), ER (117), and HR (34). So what did he do in 2011?

He rebounded.

After a forgetful 2010, James Shields came out firing and did not stop. He ended the year with career bests in ERA (2.82), CG (11!), SHO (4), and SO (225). In short, Shields knows what it takes to come back from a bad season.

“I know what I’m capable of doing, and I know what kind of competitor I am. This is a new year and I had a really good offseason, so I’m hoping for big things.”

-James Shields On the 2017 season.

White Sox fans may still only remember the 2016 James Shields. That James Shields is not THIS James Shields. This James Shields is talking the talk and walking the walk. So much in fact, that Rick Hahn may have another attractive trade piece sprouting before his very eyes. We have seen Shields rebound from atrocity once. So far, it looks like he is doing his best to to it again.

So White Sox fans, if you are searching for a pitcher who is currently dominating his competition after everyone had written him off, look to James Shields. They used to call him “Big Game James.” While the games he is pitching in now might not necessarily be classified as “big”, his work ethic and the example he sets for younger players certainly is.

For now at least, that is enough.

Ian Happ’s Trade Value At All-Time High For The Cubs

By
Sean Sears
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While the Chicago White Sox top prospects have been the main talk of promising talent in the minor leagues, the Cubs No. 2 prospect Ian Happ has been steadily picking up where he left off after being designated to Triple A Iowa almost three weeks ago.

Currently, the infielder is slashing .311/.367/.733 with six home runs, 11 RBI, and a stupidly impossible .422 ISO. Happ is absolutely obliterating minor league pitching, just like he was doing while with the Cubs spring training club. While it may be tempting for fans to grow attached to Happ and his budding potential at the plate, the switch-hitting 2nd baseman/corner outfielder is the most enticing trade piece the Cubs have right now.

The Cubs are in need of young, impact arms in their farm system and have been since Theo Epstein took over in 2012. While adding a switching slugger in Happ to the Cubs lineup would be great, the club is already juggling playing time between Javier Baez and Ben Zobrist at second base. And both Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber are entrenched in corners of the outfield, so Happ is blocked entirely if he were to stay on the Cubs.

I sat down with Jared Wyllys, the Editor-In-Chief of Baseball Prospectus’ Cubs affiliated blog BP Wrigleyville, and grilled him on whether or not he thought Happ was a trade piece. (You can listen to the entire interview on the 312 podcast here.)

“I think Ian Happ gets packaged for sure. Happ’s gonna get traded, and I think it’s this summer. He’s gonna be the guy that probably gets flipped somewhere for a pitcher in July.”

Wyllys was confident that Happ’s days as a Chicago Cubs prospect were numbered, however after talking to a few scouts and a source close to I-Cubs, the feeling seems to be that the Cubs are planning on keeping Happ – for the time being. With the Des Moines Register’s Tommy Birch reporting that the I-Cubs plan on giving him time at 3rd base, he seems to think the Cubs have committed to developing the versatile 22-year-old. I’ve also heard the Cubs have had a lot of coaches bouncing back and forth from Chicago to Iowa, as the Cubs want to get a better look at Happ and another Cubs top prospect Jeimer Candelario.

This makes me think the Cubs see Happ more as a potential replacement to both Matt Szczur and Tommy La Stella. Happ’s ability to play the infield and corner outfield spots, along with being a switch hitter, he could make both of those players expendable. But, what do Szczur and La Stella bring back to the Cubs in a deal? Hard to believe that either of those players could net the Cubs the type of pitching they are currently hunting for.

Moving Happ is one of the few moves that could net the Cubs the young pitcher their farm system has been lacking, teams like the Tampa Bay Rays have showed a great interest in Happ this off-season, a deal involving those two clubs would make sense. It’s far too early for a trade of that magnitude to happen, but if the Cubs feel the right deal is in place, expect Happ to be the main piece that brings them their next young pitcher of the future.


Bryzzo Dominates List Of The Longest Cubs Home Runs

By
Gus
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Anthony-Rizzo-Kris-Bryant-Chicago-Cubs

After Kris Bryant hit a goddamn moonshot off the video board during Saturday’s 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh, the people at ESPN released a pretty interesting statistic as it relates to the Cubs and hitting the long ball.

Bryant’s 465-foot shot was the fifth longest home run hit by a Cubs player since 2009. Who are the other four players you ask?

As you can see, the pair that is better known as Bryzzo hold a firm grasp on the five longest home runs hit by a Cubs player since 2009. Please note: this is a list since 2009, not the entirety of Cubs history. I don’t think it’s fair to compare Bryzzo’s shots to the roided up Sammy Sosa or Glenallen Hill. Sure, those two hit the ball farther but they also allegedly were doped up so let’s keep it in perspective here.

It’s wild to think about it but when I saw this statistic, I immediately thought about two of Kyle Schwarber’s bombs that he hit in 2015: the Wild Card home run against the Pirates and the score board shot at Wrigley against the Cardinals.

One of the two of those had to crack the top five right? I mean, one landed in a river and the other bounced on top of the damn video board at Wrigley.

Surprisingly, the Wild Card home run off Gerrit Cole went 450-feet and the video board shot “only” went 419-feet. As you can see, the War Bear is still about 15 feet from claiming one of the top five spots from Bryzzo.

So, I thought I’d dig into the archives and re-visit the top 5 longest home runs by a Cub since 2009 (spoiler alert: it’s Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant)

The Deshaun Watson Factor In Chicago Nobody Wants To Talk About

By
Erik Lambert
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adam schefter

The Deshaun Watson to Chicago rumor is one of the draft’s hottest with less than two weeks before the big day. The Bears hold the #3 pick. Most experts agree they need an answer at quarterback. Naturally the faith is lacking in recent free agent signing Mike Glennon, who was benched after two years as a starter in Tampa Bay. Watson represents the young, hopeful talent this fan base wants to get behind.

The last time they did anything like this was back in 2003. Stop and think about that for a moment. That was 14 years ago. Their choice was Rex Grossman, who isn’t even playing anymore. Adding to it is the fact he was the 22nd overall pick. Not even a top five guy. The last one to go that high in Chicago? None other than Jim McMahon in 1982. Everybody knows how that turned out.

Several insiders with close ties to the team believe GM Ryan Pace is aiming to take a QB early. The debate is over who it will be. North Carolina standout Mitch Trubisky is a big name. However, the consensus is building that Watson is their target of choice.

The Deshaun Watson factor is no joke

John Mullin (CSN)

“…the Bears have conducted some of the most exhaustive research and evaluations in recent memory not of one quarterback but multiple quarterback prospects, in particular Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, Texas Tech’s Pat Mahomes and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.

And the expectation here is that Watson will be the Bears’ selection.”

Greg Gabriel (CBS Chicago)

“Figuring all that into the equation, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Bears select a quarterback at No. 3. Who will that player be? My guess right now is Watson, who closely fits the profile that Pace has established for a quarterback. He has been a winner and a leader in taking his team to the last two national championship games, including winning a title this past season.”

Why would Pace make him the pick? As usual everything must start from a football perspective. Watson features good size at 6’2″ with above-average speed and athleticism for the position. He can take off and run for first downs when he chooses. This of course overshadows the fact he’s got a decent arm that can make most of the throws in a playbook. It’s not Cutler level by any means, but good enough.

His greatest traits though lay with the intangibles. Teammates and coaches alike rave about Watson as a leader and competitor. His work ethic and preparation are elite, and he has that natural charisma that makes it easy for people to follow him. It’s certainly evident in the success Clemson had with him as the starter. In 2015 and 2016 they played a total of 30 games. Over that span they went 28-2 with both losses being by a combined six points.

The Tigers reached the national championship game both years and just knocked off Alabama for the title. A game in which Watson was magnificent in the clutch.

People can nitpick his game to death but facts are facts. Watson dominated college football and did everything there is to do. It offers enough reason to think he can accomplish more of the same in the NFL. That being said there is added layers to this scenario. A certain subject many people these days don’t wish to talk about. Especially in the wake of an ugly presidential race.

Watson is black and it matters

Might as well just come out and say it. Deshaun Watson is African-American. He was born that way out of Gainesville, Georgia in 1995. The same hometown of one Dexter Fowler for Cubs fans to note. To say it doesn’t matter in the context of this draft would be wrong.

From the perspective of the Bears, it could mean so much. Not just on the field, but off it too. Think of it this way. How insane would the city get if there were a successful quarterback in Chicago? Given the rabid loyalty some have to Jay Cutler, who went 52-52 in his career for them, it’s a pretty fair assumption that things would get apoplectic. Now take it a step further.

How crazy would it get with a successful black quarterback?

The thing to remember about the NFL and all of professional sports is it’s a business. Sure, they’re games that entertain but money still drives everything. Nothing rakes in the cash faster than superstar players. Particularly ones who are able to market to the majority demographic of the teams they represent.

As of 2010, there are 2,695,598 people considered part of the Chicago population. According to the 2000 Census data, 32.4% of that population is African-American. That shakes out to 873,373 people being black within the city limits and immediate surrounding suburbs.

Part of being a sports fan at a young age is being able to project yourself into the image of your favorite players. Like it or not, skin color plays a role in that.

History backs it up

This is not to say white, Latino, or Asian athletes can’t have success in Chicago sports. Far from it. However, history does show that black athletes tend to gain the loftier superstar status in this city. Think about it. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have had infinitely more career success than Derrick Rose. Yet at his peak Rose was far more popular in the city. Not even close.

The most revered Chicago sports icons of all-time are Michael Jordan and Walter Payton. Of course they earned every bit of their accolades, but one can’t say playing in a city that features a majority black population didn’t help fuel their immense popularity. Ask Michael Vick about his peak years with the Atlanta Falcons, another city with a majority black population.

Deshaun Watson would become an instant hero to every young African-American boy who lives in Chicago if he were to succeed here. The financial impact in jersey sales alone would be off the charts. Not only would they want to wear his number. They’d find out what shoe brand he laces up as well. They’d find out what kind of cereal he eats. He’d be a role model.

Superstars who appeal to the demographic of their city is great for business. The Chicago Bears first and foremost want a successful quarterback. That’s the primary goal. Still, if they could get one in Watson, somebody who appeals to the deep African-American heritage in the city, then it could be so much bigger.

The McCaskey family loves money. That’s no secret. Anyone with savvy business sense can see Watson is a potential gold mine if he were to play for the Bears.

Chicago Bears Mock Draft – Forecasting Multiple Scenarios

By
Dhruv Koul
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The 2015 NFL Draft was Ryan Pace's first as the general amanger of the Bears. He did add a few nice pieces, but he missed on some big time play-makers.(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

The 2017 NFL Draft is approaching. And right now, the Internet is littered with mock drafts from every sports news outlet known to mankind.

Nobody actually has any idea about what teams are really going to do come draft night, but it is pretty fun to read about what different people think will happen and why. No matter how ludicrous the theory.

The Chicago Bears pick third overall, and they’re probably close to finalizing their draft board, if they haven’t already done so. Rumors are flying that GM Ryan Pace loves all of the quarterbacks, all of the defensive backs, all of the defensive linemen, and basically any other football player with a pulse that’s entered the draft.

Because Pace’s intentions are a secret, I took the liberty of mocking a few first round scenarios and taking a stab at guessing whom the Bears might pick in each one. This did not include a potential trade down.

Pick a scenario you like and feel free to add your take on it in the comments section of whichever social media platform you’re reading this on!

A Draft Day Trade Rumor Surfaces That Bears Fans Are Going To Love

By
Sports Mockery
-

The predictions for the Chicago Bears and the third overall pick have been all over the board for the last few months. All the “experts” have several different versions of their mocks and almost each of them has Chicago selecting a different player.

Some of the most recent information that has surfaced….

That’s about as clear as mud.

Here’s a few other things recently said:

  • The 49ers also want to trade down from #2, one selection ahead of the Bears.
  • Watson is expected to fall in this draft.
  • The Jets have been rumored to want the first quarterback off the board, and it would be Mitchell Trubisky.

Taking all of that recent information into consideration, ESPN released a “fascinating” trade proposal. The reason “fascinating” is in quotation marks is because Sports Mockery predicted roughly the exact same thing a month ago. The trade centers around the Jets’ need for a quarterback and Chicago’s rumored interest to move down.

Here is ESPN’s version of it:

Jets get: 1-3
Bears get: 1-6, 3-107, DE Sheldon Richardson

Here is Sports Mockery’s written on March 20th by our Bears insider Erik Lambert:

TRADE:  #3 pick to the New York Jets for #6 pick and DE Sheldon Richardson

The only extra addition was the 107th overall pick Chicago would hypothetically receive in the third round making it an even better deal for the Bears.

Why Would The Jets Trade Richardson?

A pro bowl defensive tackle in 2014, and the defensive rookie of the year in 2013, Richardson is in desperate need of a new beginning. In April of 2016, the Jets picked up Richardson’s fifth year option worth $8 million after rumors flooded the Internet claiming he would be traded.

After serving a one-game suspension for his arrest the previous season, Richardson turned in a very sub-par year recording a career low 1.5 sacks in 14 games. Jets fans have now labeled him “overpaid.” That’s why rumors are now flying everywhere that Richardson will be traded… once again. His contract is up at the end of the 2017 season.

As recent as today, articles have been written about scenarios where the draft could bring Richardson to a new home. Including ESPN’s trade scenario bringing him to Chicago.

Why Would The Bears Want Richardson?

Well, for the same reasons they would draft Jonathan Allen at #3. The Bears have a very talented front seven, but DT is currently a hole being filled by Mitch Unrein. If Chicago could add a very talented, and assuming motivated, player like Richardson it would fill a big need. Moving down just three spots in the draft would make selecting a safety or even a quarterback much more viable than trying to justify taking a player like Watson with the third overall pick. In addition to all of that, the Bears would get the 107th overall pick in a very deep draft year. Nick Kwiatkoski, a talented linebacker with potential, was selected with the 113th overall pick last season to give you an idea of how valuable that pick could be. 

The only real downside to Richardson is the money he will need to be paid. If he bounces back in 2017, Chicago would immediately have to re-sign him to prevent him from hitting the free agent market and that could be expensive. Kawann Short just got $80 million from Carolina.

Summing It Up

This specific trade scenario would appear to be ideal for only the Bears. The Jets would shed cap space trading Richardson and get their targeted QB, presumably, at #3 but who’s to say that same player won’t be available when they select at #6? For those reasons, Bears fans would love this trade and Jets fans would likely wonder why so much was given up to move up just three spots.

Something that plays another role in this is New York’s failed attempts with less talented quarterbacks in past years. They took Christian Hackenberg in the second round last year and Bryce Petty in the fourth round in 2015, here we sit in 2017 and they still don’t have an answer at the position. The Jets organization could be battling the Browns to take the first quarterback off the board meaning if Myles Garrett goes number one and Solomon Thomas goes second, that’s why some think Gang Green could swoop in at number three to prevent Jacksonville from taking their guy.

The trade makes a lot of sense, more so from the Bears’ perspective, but it has a lot of moving parts. Interesting proposal to consider if you are Ryan Pace though.

Kris Bryant’s Mindset Completely Destroys Traditional Superstar Thinking

By
Gus
-

When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to have parents that believed in using sports to help teach me life lessons the only way that sports could. Overcoming adversity, being part of a team, winning respectfully and losing humbly, and putting the team ahead of your individual goals were all lessons I learned that helped shape me into the man that I am today.

Unfortunately, my generation and the current generation of athletes couldn’t be any more different.

And if you’re curious what “my generation” is — I graduate high school in 2001.

Playing sports literally changed my life and left such a mark on me that I decided that I wanted to “payback” all of the lessons I’ve learned by becoming a coach. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to instill some of those same life lessons that I learned playing high school sports to the thousands of kids I’ve coached in the past 11 years. However, I quickly came to realize that the kids I was coaching had a very different mindset then what I had when I was their age.

This generation of athletes are being raised in a “me first” society that places individual accomplishment over team success. Society doesn’t want kids to go through failure so the participation ribbon has completely destroyed teaching kids that losing is unacceptable because even kids that lose still get a ribbon for their “effort.” So if everyone gets a trophy or ribbon, why work hard?

I could continue to write another 3,000 words on the reasons this has happened (*cough parenting *cough) and the dangers that it presents but I think I’d just be beating a dead horse.

Furthermore, it doesn’t help that kids today are looking up to athletes that are more concerned with the name on the back of the jersey than they are with the name on the front. The athletes I looked up to (Jordan, Bird, Walter Payton, Sandberg, etc.) were some of the most competitive, yet selfless, athletes of their time. They played hurt, sick, and tired because they knew their teammates were relying on them to help the team win. Today’s role models will “rest” when they are completely healthy, get carried off the court from cramps, and flop around like a dead fish when they are barely touched (you know who you are.)

Times have changed. Professional sports have become more about the brand then about the game. Endorsements, huge contracts, and money have become the driving force behind most of the athletes that kids look up to today so the value of  a “team first” has slowly been fading away.

Then a guy like Kris Bryant bursts on the scene and completely destroys that mentality.

VIDEO: F-Bomb By Young Celtics Fan Sums Up Bulls Upset Perfectly

By
Erik Lambert
-

The Boston Celtics were 30-11 at home this 2016-2017 NBA season. It was really hard to beat them in their building. So it’s natural that every old and young Celtics fan felt supremely confident going into the playoff opener against the Chicago Bulls. After all, their team had beaten the 41-41 team twice at home during the regular season. Everything said that it should’ve been their night in Game 1.

Then the action started. Chicago came out aggressive, playing some of the best defense it had all year. By the time the Celtic were able to shake off the surprise they were way behind. They managed to cut the lead down late in the fourth quarter but some timely baskets by Jimmy Butler and Bobby Portis helped seal the victory.

Nothing summed up how stunned and frustrated Boston fans were than after Butler hit the final free throw to put the score at 106-102 than this kid at court-side. Anybody with a common understanding of the English language can clearly see what he’s saying.

Maybe a little crude for somebody his age but not untrue. This loss could be significant in a major way. The Bulls now hold home court advantage in the series. Even if they lose in Game 2, they would go home to the United Center. A place where the Celtics haven’t won since November of 2014. Chicago won both meetings there this season.

The Bulls always seem to give Boston headaches in the playoffs. Their iconic 2009 playoff war remains the stuff of legends. However, the Celtics do have history on their side. In four previous postseason meetings, they are a perfect 4-0. Odds are that streak will grow over the next week or so.

Still, this game proves it would be most unwise to overlook the Bulls. If nothing else, they are a battle-tested group.

Avi Garcia’s 4th Hit Of The Game Comes In The Form Of A Game Winning Bomb

By
Emmet McClain
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Avisail Garcia, Chicago White Sox

Eleven games into the 2017 season and Avisail Garcia is still raking at the plate. The American League batting leader went 4-4 today, saving his best for last in the form of a 2-run moon shot to give the White Sox the lead for good in the 10th inning.

The White Sox now sit at 6-5, in large part due to two very unlikely heroes: Garcia, and James Shields, who threw another gem this afternoon. Avi now owns a season slash line of .465/.511/.674. Shields now has a season ERA of 1.62 through 3 starts. Both players look like polar opposites of last year. Who knows if the production from either will keep up, but for now we can all just enjoy the show.

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