Categories: Chicago Sports

On Bulls-Bucks, White Sox struggles and Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki

Long, long ago — before the Bucks crushed the Bulls in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series — we wondered aloud which team will make it to Round 2 if Bucks star Khris Middleton is to miss the rest of the series with a knee injury.

The expectation is that Middleton will miss at least that much time after an awkward slip in Game 2. And the expectation among voters in this week’s “Polling Place” — your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — is that the Bulls are going to take advantage of this development and advance.

“Hey, Milwaukee, your next celebration is Summerfest,” @RonaldVoigt4 commented. “Going down!”

Only a small majority, though — about 55% — picked the Bulls to upset the champs.

“A week from now, the Bulls will be making tee times,” @JohnDou62217055 wrote. “Go Bucks!”

We also had polls on White Sox sluggers and their quiet early-season bats and — you know you love him — Cubs newcomer Seiya Suzuki and his exciting potential. On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: If Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton is unable to play against the Bulls, which team will win this best-of-seven first-round series?

Upshot: One week ago, only 15.3% of voters picked the Bulls in this series. A clutch win in Game 2 and some bad luck for Middleton added up to a dramatic swing. But do the Bulls really have enough in their arsenal to offset the greatness of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo? He’s still playing, in case you didn’t know.

Poll No. 2: Which slow-starting White Sox slugger will heat up first?

Upshot: “Fernando Tatis,” @RVictory2020 cracked, because some jokes never get old. We all assume the Sox are going to have plenty of offense that season, but we’ve seen early on just how nonexistent the attack can be when this enormously talented trio isn’t powering it. Of course, Sox fans have to worry about injuries, too. It’s never too soon for that.

Poll No. 3: Pick four words to describe Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki:

Upshot: Suzuki is the arly betting favorite for National League Rookie of the Year. Oh, and he’s also the best player Willson Contreras has ever played with. Wait, what? That’s what Contreras said the other day. Let’s face it: Everyone who has been watching the Cubs has some degree of Suzuki fever. As @KurtisArndt put it: “Glove. Speed. Patience. Power. Seiya is the too-early MVP!”