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Grandal is vote-worthy and Moncada tops his position, but Abreu, Anderson and Madrigal all face opponents with better numbers.

Fans are back in ballparks, the White Sox and Cubs are among baseball’s hottest teams and All-Star voting is upon us.

Balloting began last week, opening the annual question: Should you choose the best players or vote, vote, vote for the home team?

Is the game to honor players or to entertain fans?

For a middle ground, you could favor the home team but focus on those with numbers near the top of their position.

This week, let’s zero in on Sox who fill that bill (through games Sunday), using Fangraphs’ wins above replacement and weighted runs created plus as guides — fWAR for a player’s total game, wRC+ for offense-first voters.

Jose Abreu, first base

The reigning MVP is second in the American League with 49 RBI. Abreu’s 125 wRC+ signifies offense at 125% of the league average, and his 1.4 fWAR puts him on pace for 3.5.

The fWAR and wRC+ aren’t superstar level, but they’ll do for fans who find comfort in voting for an established star.

Problem is, baseball’s best player in 2021 plays Abreu’s position. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads MLB with a 4.1 fWAR and incredible 203 wRC+, not to mention in home runs, RBI, times on base, OPS, OPS+, runs created and more.

Nick Madrigal, second base

For old-schoolers who love batting average, Madrigal’s .305 leads AL second basemen. His 1.4 fWAR and 117 OPS+ put him in the “very good” category.

But Madrigal’s two home runs and 11 walks aren’t enough to compete with league leaders Marcus Semien (2.7 fWAR, 142 wRC+, 15 homers, 26 walks) and Jose Altuve (2.1, 132, 12, 26). Of course, Madrigal wouldn’t be able to play anyway because of a hamstring injury that has him on the 60-day injured list.

Tim Anderson, shortstop

Like Abreu and Madrigal, Anderson has been good but not league best.

With a .299 BA after .322 last season and .335 in 2019, Anderson is at 1.7 fWAR and 115 wRC+. Xander Bogaerts (3.1 fWAR, 153 wRC+) and Carlos Correa (2.5, 144) are the leaders, partially because of Bogaerts’ 12 homers and Correa’s 11 to Anderson’s six.

Yoan Moncada, third base

It’s a close call with the Indians’ Jose Ramirez, but Moncada has been at the top of the AL third-base class.

Moncada has homered only five times, but his .402 OPB has fueled a 134 wRC+ that’s a near match for Ramirez (136), Rafael Devers (135) and Joey Wendle (135). Add 5.0 Fangraphs defensive runs, and Moncada tops AL third basemen with 2.6 fWAR to 2.4 for Ramirez and 1.9 each for Devers and Wendle.

Yasmani Grandal, catcher

Can a .157 hitter be an All-Star?

Despite the low BA, Grandal leads AL catchers with a .398 OPB. Fifty-one walks in 182 plate appearances will do that. Toss in 10 home runs, and Grandal’s 135 wRC+ leads Mitch Garver (129), Salvador Perez (127) and Mike Zunino (121) among AL catchers.

With defense considered, Grandal and Zunino are tied for the lead with 1.6 fWAR.

Grandal is vote-worthy and Moncada tops his position, but Abreu, Anderson and Madrigal all face opponents with better numbers.

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Former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen is releasing his own bourbon titled “Digits.”

The post Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen is launching his own Bourbon first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

The fire at the Chemtool plant near the Illinois-Wisconsin border sent huge black plumes of smoke into the air and forced residents to evacuate.

A massive chemical plant fire that sent black plumes of smoke into the air near the Illinois-Wisconsin border is expected to continue burning for several days as firefighters retreat and residents were ordered to evacuate.

Fire broke out around 7 a.m. at the Chemtool Inc. plant, which makes oil-based lubricants, at 1165 Prairie Hill Road in Rockton, about 10 miles north or Rockford, Rockton Fire Protection District Chief Kirk Wilson said.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and no significant injuries were reported.

“We do not yet know what caused this incident, but we will be working with local authorities and with our own risk management team to determine what happened and identify any corrective actions,” Chemtool said in a statement.

Firefighters stopped spraying the fire with water to reduce the risk of runoff and contamination of waterways.

“We don’t want an environmental nightmare to occur,” Wilson said in a news conference Monday. “At this time, it’s in our best interest to let this product burn off. … We’re thinking this will be a several-day event.”

As a precaution, residents were evacuated within a mile of the plant, he said. So far, air quality tests show the air is OK at ground level, Wilson said.

An employee of the plant told a reporter with WTVO that he was at work for less than an hour when someone yelled “fire” and alarms went off. The employee said the fire was possibly caused by the failure of a pipe that moved hot grease within the plant, WTVO reported.

The employee also told WTVO that staff have been evacuated in the past for small emergencies, but nothing on this scale.

“This is the worst it’s ever, ever been,” he told the station.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Gov. J.B. Pritzker deployed the Illinois National Guard and activated the state’s emergency center to the fire.

“I am monitoring this situation closely and will make all resources available to the surrounding communities as we work to keep people safe,” Pritzker said in a statement.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it responded to the site to conduct air monitoring and sampling. Officials recommended people within a three-mile radius wear masks as a precaution.

Smoke from the fire drifted south and southeast past Rockford, which warned residents to stay indoors, close windows and turn off air conditioners. South of Rockford, the Ogle County sheriff’s office said smoke covered a third of the county.

The fire was fast-moving, partially aided by strong wind, and was shooting through the plant’s roof by the time firefighters arrived, Wilson said. The plumes became so big they were being picked up on weather radar.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

About 70 employees evacuated the plant by themselves and were unharmed, he said. One firefighter suffered a minor, unspecified injury. About 175 personnel from over 40 local fire agencies were called to assist, he said.

The fire department also has reconnaissance crews roaming the town looking for fires caused by falling burning debris, Wilson said. Any debris falling from the sky was thought to be non-toxic, he said.

In all, about 150 homes were evacuated in Rockton. Trisha Diduch, the planning and development administrator for Rockton, said she estimates about 1,000 people were affected by the evacuation order. The Salvation Army said it was aiding in the response.

Chemtool Inc. is the largest manufacturer of grease in the United States. It has a plant in northwest suburban Crystal Lake, too.

Contributing: Brett Chase, AP

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Donald Turner, of Porter, Indiana, was swimming with his girlfriend Sunday in Lake Michigan when she began to struggle, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

A man drowned after saving his girlfriend Sunday in Michigan City, Indiana.

Donald Turner, of Porter, Indiana, was swimming with his girlfriend about 4:40 p.m. in Lake Michigan when she began to struggle, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Turner, 28, was able to get her to safety before he went underwater and didn’t resurface, officials said.

Another swimmer found Turner’s body near from where he was last seen, officials said. Michigan City firefighters pulled the body from the water and performed life saving measures.

He was transported to Franciscan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

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Taxpayers in those towns will have to bear the brunt. That’s a shame, but it pales in comparison to the dire consequences of turning our back on climate change.

I read the June 4 article about how an Illinois energy bill has stalled over the demand from some legislators to close the Prairie State coal plant, Illinois’ biggest source of carbon pollution.

Our state, our country and our world have run out of time to confront climate change. There are only two paths ahead of us now: start ramping down fossil fuels at once, or hand our children a world where they will face unfathomable environmental and economic calamities. Of course, closing one power plant in Illinois will not solve global warming on its own. That’s the diabolical nature of this challenge: it takes concerted efforts by nations and states, most of whom want to blame each other. But if we have any chance to avoid a worldwide economic calamity, no excuses or finger-pointing can be tolerated.

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.

Of course, none of the Chicago area municipalities who signed onto a bad deal with Prairie State years ago want to admit their mistake. That’s human nature, especially for politicians. But when I read that the debate was not over closing Prairie State tomorrow, next year or the year after that, but in 14 years, I could scarcely believe it. Fourteen years!

And the plant doesn’t even guarantee cheap electricity for the ratepayers. The four towns who signed the deal are on the hook for the debt associated with the plant’s construction. That was a devil’s bargain. Private investors who make bad bets are generally forced to accept the consequences. Now electricity consumers or taxpayers in those towns whose elected officials signed onto the deal will have to bear the brunt of that error. That’s a shame, but it pales in comparison to the dire consequences of turning our back on climate change. The Prairie State plant should, indeed must, be closed.

Rick Knight, research coordinator at Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Brookfield

Maskless Anthony Rizzo

I honestly can’t believe that Anthony Rizzo is not vaccinated and allowed in the dugout without a mask.

And then he has a press conference and tells the world that he has not been vaccinated. How is this right on any level? Is it because he is a famous baseball player that it seems to be OK? Millions of people who are still on the fence about being vaccinated are avid fans of Rizzo and will follow his lead.

The COVID guideline is simple. If you are not vaccinated, wear a mask. I would think that the Chicago Cubs organization would have any unvaccinated players follow the very simple rule.

Aleta Bruettig, Tinley Park

Republican popularity

Here’s a thought: If Republicans had popular policy ideas, they wouldn’t have to block people from voting.

Bob Chimis, Elmwood Park

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He was on the sidewalk about 4:30 p.m. in the 200 block of North Leclaire Avenue when someone opened fire, striking him multiple times, Chicago police said.

A man was killed in a shooting Monday in Austin on the West Side.

He was on the sidewalk about 4:30 p.m. in the 200 block of North Leclaire Avenue when someone opened fire, striking him multiple times, Chicago police said.

The 25-year-old took himself to Loretto Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

No arrests have been reported. Area Four detectives are investigating.

The incident was the second fatal shooting to take place in broad daylight Monday afternoon.

About 1:25 p.m., a person was shot and killed in the 11000 block of South Wentworth Avenue in Roseland on the South Side, police said.

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The veteran linebacker, and not the former firebrand Bears receiver, worked out at Halas Hall, sources confirmed.

The Bears took a look at Brandon Marshall — but not that Brandon Marshall — on Monday.

The veteran linebacker, and not the former firebrand Bears receiver, worked out at Halas Hall, sources confirmed. A former Super Bowl champion with the Broncos, where he played alongside Danny Trevathan, Marshall hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2018. Marshall spent 2019 with the Raiders but did not enter a game.

Marshall, who is now 31, was a fifth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2012 but cut him a year later. He joined the Broncos, where he started 63 games over six years, totaling 416 tackles and 6 ¹⁄₂ sacks. After recovering from a knee injury, Marshall prepared this spring for a return after sitting out the 2020 season.

The Bears have an open roster spot after cutting tight end Darion Clark on Sunday, but it’s unclear how interested they are in Marshall. They begin mandatory veteran minicamp Tuesday.

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They were near a vacant lot in the 3400 block of West Monroe Street when someone fired shots.

Three men were hurt in a shooting Monday afternoon in East Garfield Park.

They were near a vacant lot about 4:10 p.m. in the 3400 block of West Monroe Street when someone fired shots, Chicago police said.

One man, 21, was shot in the groin and was taken in good condition to Stroger Hospital, police said. Another, also 21, was struck in the leg and was taken in good condition to the same hospital.

The third man, 25, was also shot in the leg and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.

No one is in custody as area detectives investigate.

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A dog named Georgia died while in the custody of K9 University Chicago after a worker didn’t realize the furry animal was left inside a transport van as the temperature climbed to 90 degrees.

A West Side animal boarding business is under fire after a dog died in their care when it was left inside a vehicle last week as temperatures climbed to 90 degrees.

Last Thursday, a dog named Georgia was checked into K9 University Chicago, located at 2945 W. Lake St., in East Garfield Park, for a boarding stay, according to a Facebook post from the business. The dog arrived at the facility in a transport vehicle, but the driver didn’t see Georgia when the other animals inside the van were taken into the facility, according to the post.

Workers eventually found Georgia inside the van and attempted CPR, according to the post. The dog was taken to a veterinarian, according to the business. It was unclear how long it had taken workers to figure out Georgia had been left in the van. The dog was later pronounced dead.

Ruby Madrigal, the owner of the business, declined to further comment when reached by phone Monday afternoon.

The business wrote about the incident on their Facebook page, leading to an onslaught of backlash on social media that included a petition to shutter K9 University Chicago. The incident was first reported by NBC5 Chicago.

The West Side business is licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which was investigating the incident, said Krista Lisser, a spokesperson for the agency, in an email.

By Monday afternoon, the business had taken down their social media pages.

Mo Vela, 28, of Chicago, started the petition after seeing a social media post about the death from a dog walking service she has used in the past. She later saw other social media posts from past workers who were speaking out about prior problems at the business.

“Seeing that, it instantly clicked this place needs to be shut down,” Vela said. “If we go through the investigation, gather all the videos, that takes awhile. If we start a petition, if we get enough signatures, maybe it will pressure the local politicians to do something faster.”

The death happened as the area was experiencing consecutive days of 90-degree weather. Temperatures in Chicago had reached 90 degrees by Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service’s website.

The Humane Society of the United States recommends pets never be left inside a parked vehicle, noting temperatures can quickly reach dangerous levels. Signs of a pet having heatstroke include difficulty breathing, glazed eyes and lack of coordination, according to the Humane Society.

The organization recommends taking an animal suffering from heatstroke to the veterinarian while also applying ice packs or cold towels to the animal’s head, neck and chest and giving the pet small amounts of water or ice cubes.

Because of Georgia’s death, K9 University Chicago plans to change check-in procedures, search for interior vehicle technology and provide canine CPR training for staff, according to the Facebook post.

Elvia Malagón’s reporting on social justice and income inequality is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.

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