Who knew at the start of this Major League Baseball (MLB) season that the first Chicago City Series game would find the two teams, host Cubs and visiting White Sox, starting Tuesday evening’s two-game series each with a 9-13 won-loss record? Or, even close to 9-13, especially in the case of the White Sox?
It was the case this week. The two teams will play four games in the City Series. Later this month, Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, the teams will play a two-game series at the White Sox. Ironically, to make the season schedule work, each team will have an off-day the Friday prior to the weekend series at the end of the month. The Sox will be off Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, and be in Toronto Tuesday, May 31. The Cubs will move Sunday, May 29 from the White Sox and be at home against Milwaukee Memorial Day through Wednesday, June 1.
The White Sox stated the season with significant defensive lapses, uncommonly. The pitching for each team has shown improvement. It is a good thing that the season contains 162 games. Both teams must go into recovery stages, and quickly, or they will find themselves moored in sub.-500 seasons.
• Doug Kramer will test the hometown theory in professional sports. Often expectations play havoc with players seek to build careers in their hometowns. Likely it is a 50-50 proposition these days. The Hinsdale Central High product was a team captain as the center at the University of Illinois the last three seasons. He is happy to be with the Chicago Bears as a sixth round draft pick. Often centers are captain material because of involvement in every offensive play directly. He could be on the positive side with his leadership and poise. He is considered small at 6-2 and right at 300 pounds.
• Many of the Chicago sports teams are floundering in mediocrity, some of them at the best, however expectations are high for the Chicago Sky, the Women’s National Basketball Association defending champion. The Sky was not the favorite to win the league championship at the start of the playoffs last season, however, a combination of desire, teamwork, good passing, good defense, and motivation led to the championship. Other Chicago teams should take a page from the experience to earn success. The Sky season starts this week.
One of the top players and most heralded is Candace Parker, the veteran from Naperville Central High School. She came home and succeeded, significantly. It was obvious from her freshman season at Naperville Central she was a special player.