Rumors are a part of big-time sports with the possibility of trades, contract expiration, and dashed hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.
Likely it is more true for Major League Baseball. The discussion is possible movement, new contract, trades. Stuff which used to be called Hot Stove League talk. Now it is 12 months in a year.
More than one fan of the Chicago White Sox has offered a desire to take Kris Bryant off of the hands of the Chicago Cubs.
Bryant, who plays four positions well, third base, left field, right field, first base, was the 2016 National Most Valuable Player Award winner in his second year with the Cubs in a season which produced a World Series championship, has a contract which will expire at the end of the season. The Cubs are paying him $19.5 million. Rumors prevail that the Cubs will not want to increase his contract, and, at the same time we hear that Bryant may look to another team which might pay him more money. Rumors run rampant.
On the field, the Cubs’ pitching has been less effective overall, except for professor, Kyle Hendricks, than earlier in the season, and a climb above .500 is the immediate challenge.
The Cubs are working with the Major League Baseball trade deadline of July 30 and the team is expected to be in the mood to sell and trade players, not acquire talent for an ill-fated pennant run.
The Chicago White Sox are on cruise, however, baseball is the most unpredictable professional game. Change is the name of the game. Pitching has been the cornerstone of the Sox rise to the top of the American League Central Division.
• Even though it will be somewhat artificial because portable stands will be brought in to accommodate more than 20,000 in attendance to watch the game between the host White Sox and the New York Yankees at the Field of Dreams Thursday, Aug. 12, the unusual situation will be interesting. The game will count in the American League standings. The two teams will not play the next day, Friday, however, resume Saturday and Sunday in Chicago. The Field of Dreams is a short drive southwest of Dubuque, and will provide the first official Major League Baseball game in Iowa. Des Moines, of course is home to the Iowa Cubs, the Class 3A team in the Chicago Cubs’ organization.
• The Illinois High School Association has been delayed in providing football schedules because many of the schools’ schedules are not complete. Games will begin Friday, Aug. 20. It will be good to see a return to sports played in their usual times, Fall sports in the Fall, Winter sports in the Winter and Spring sports in the Spring. Because of the COVID-19 the high school athletes, coaches, and fans, were just happy to play any games at any time. If the Delta variant does not change the rhythm of the games and the seasons, the out-of-sync schedules would become a distant memory.
• In spite of problems, complications, and possible disappointments, we must enjoy the Olympic Games on television without fans in the stands.