Late on Wednesday night, the Chicago Bulls’ season officially came to an end when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 116-100. The Chicago Bulls finished the season with a record of 46-36 with just one playoff win to show for it.
Yet, when you take a deeper look into the preseason expectations and how the Bulls performed, this was overall a very successful season for them.
The NFL Draft is officially here! While the Chicago Bears won’t be on the clock until Friday night barring a trade, that hasn’t stopped analysts everywhere from predicting who GM Ryan Poles may take. Here’s a look at what some national and local analysts are saying the Bears should do with their picks this weekend.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
3rd Round, Pick 71: Darian Kinnard, OL, Kentucky
5th Round, Pick 148: Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
5th Round, Pick 150: CorDale Flott, CB, LSU
6th Round, Pick 186: Smoke Monday, S, Auburn
Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, ESPN.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M
2nd Round, Pick 48: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
3rd Round, Pick 71: Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky
Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune
2nd Round, Pick 39: Logan Hall, DL, Houston
2nd Round, Pick 48: Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic
2nd Round, Pick 45 (TRADE WITH ATL): Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
2nd Round, Pick 48: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
3rd Round, Pick 71: Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
4th Round, Pick 114 (TRADE WITH ATL): Luke Fortner, OG, Kentucky
5th Round, Pick 148: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
5th Round, Pick 150: Jesse Luketa, EDGE, Penn State
6th Round, Pick 186: Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
7th Round, Pick 236 (TRADE WITH LAC): Kalia Davis, DT, Central Florida
Adam Jahns, The Athletic
2nd Round, Pick 45 (TRADE WITH ATL): Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
2nd Round, Pick 48: Logan Hall, DL, Houston
3rd Round, Pick 71: Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
4th Round, Pick 114 (TRADE WITH ATL): Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
5th Round, Pick 148: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
5th Round, Pick 150: Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
6th Round, Pick 186: Dane Belton, S, Iowa
7th Round, Pick 236 (TRADE WITH LAC): Chasen Hynes, OG, LSU
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
2nd Round, Pick 48: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
3rd Round, Pick 71: Tariq Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio
5th Round, Pick 148: Tycen Anderson, S, Toledo
5th Round, Pick 150: Spencer Burford, OG, Texas-San Antonio
6th Round, Pick 186: Lecitus Smith, OG, Virginia Tech
Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: David Ojabo, DE/OLB, Michigan
2nd Round, Pick 48: Wan’Dale Robinson , WR, Kentucky
3rd Round, Pick 71: Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
5th Round, Pick 148: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
5th Round, Pick 150: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
6th Round, Pick 186: Daniel Hardy, DE, Montana State
Mark Schofield, USA Today
2nd Round, Pick 39: Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
2nd Round, Pick 48: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
3rd Round, Pick 71: Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
Alex Shapiro, NBC Sports Chicago
2nd Round, Pick 39: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
2nd Round, Pick 48: Logan Hall, DL, Houston
3rd Round, Pick 71: Jamaree Salyer, OT, Georgia
5th Round, Pick 148: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
5th Round, Pick 150: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama
6th Round, Pick 186: Joshua Ezeudu, OG, North Carolina
Matt Miller, ESPN.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
3rd Round, Pick 71: Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State
5th Round, Pick 148: Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
5th Round, Pick 150: Kyle Philips, WR, UCLA
6th Round, Pick 186: Christopher Hinton, DT, Michigan
Stephen Johnson, ChiCitySports
2nd Round, Pick 39: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
2nd Round, Pick 48: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
3rd Round, Pick 71: Sam Williams, EDGE, Mississippi
5th Round, Pick 148: Mario Goodrich, CB, Clemson
5th Round, Pick 150: Justin Shaffer, OG, Georgia
6th Round, Pick 186: Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
Chris Trapasso, CBSSports.com
1st Round, Pick 18 (TRADE WITH PHI): Trevor Penning, OL, Northern Iowa
3rd Round, Pick 74 (TRADE WITH ATL): Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
5th Round, Pick 148: Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri
5th Round, Pick 150: Cole Turner, TE, Nevada
6th Round, Pick 190: Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami
6th Round, Pick 208 (TRADE WITH PIT): Jean Delance, OT, Florida
7th Round, Pick 241 (TRADE WITH PIT): Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
Luke Easterling, USA Today
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
3rd Round, Pick 71: Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
5th Round, Pick 148: Isaiah Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
5th Round, Pick 150: Thomas Booker, DL, Stanford
6th Round, Pick 186: D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State
Vinnie Iyer, SportingNews.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
2nd Round, Pick 48: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
3rd Round, Pick 71: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
5th Round, Pick 148: Dominique Robinson, EDGE, Miami (Ohio)
5th Round, Pick 150: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
6th Round, Pick 186: Kyle Phillips, WR, UCLA
Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network
2nd Round, Pick 39: Luke Goedeke, OL, Central Michigan
2nd Round, Pick 48: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
3rd Round, Pick 71: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
Josh Edwards, CBSSports.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Darian Kinnard, OG, Kentucky
3rd Round, Pick 71: Dylan Parham, OG, Memphis
Seth Galina, Pro Football Focus
2nd Round, Pick 39: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
2nd Round, Pick 48: Logan Hall, DL, Houston
3rd Round, Pick 71: Jamaree Salyer, OT, Georgia
Tankathon.com
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
3rd Round, Pick 71: Cole Strange, IOL, Chattanooga
Gene Chamberlain, SI’s Bear Digest
2nd Round, Pick 39: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
2nd Round, Pick 48: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
3rd Round, Pick 71: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
5th Round, Pick 148: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama
5th Round, Pick 150: Lecitus Smith, OG, Virginia Tech
6th Round, Pick 186: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
Bears Wire Staff
2nd Round, Pick 39: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
2nd Round, Pick 48: Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
3rd Round, Pick 71: Sam Williams, EDGE, Mississippi
5th Round, Pick 148: Danny Gray, WR, SMU
5th Round, Pick 150: Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Maryland
6th Round, Pick 186: Logan Bruss, OL, Wisconsin
The NFL Draft kicks off Thursday April 28th at 7 p.m. with TV coverage on ABC and ESPN.
The post On The Clock: 20 analysts mock drafts for Chicago Bears first appeared on CHICITYSPORTS – Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Rumors – Fans.Read More
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Cook County prosecutors rejected felony charges against a man who allegedly admitted he was involved in a Near North Side shootout in which dozens of shots were fired Sunday evening.
Anthony D. Newman, 20, of Old Town, was charged only with a misdemeanor for having a gun without a valid FOID card, Cook County court records show. The Cook County state’s attorney’s office rejected more serious felony counts of gun possession and aggravated discharge, leading police to file the misdemeanor charge directly.
Officers initially responded to a call of shots fired at 6:10 p.m. in the 300 block of West Chestnut Street, where a witness reported seeing the occupants of two vehicles firing at each other, according to a police report. The witness also had surveillance footage allegedly showing Newman and another person running from the scene.
A law enforcement source said police recovered 68 shell casings near the intersection of Sedgwick and Locust streets, some of which were rounds from an assault rifle that caused damage as far as two blocks away.
A woman who lives nearby said she was hanging out with a friend on her balcony when she heard the “rapid gunfire,” which she initially thought could’ve been firecrackers. Her friend then suggested that an AK-47 was being fired, she said.
“It’s unnerving,” said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous. “Because if it was an AK-47, those have a range of a mile.”
The police report shows the glass windows of a parking garage were shot out. Three drivers reported their vehicles also sustained damage, two of whom were inside their cars when the gunfire erupted. One of their windshields was pierced by a bullet, according to the report.
Cops then reviewed surveillance footage provided by a property manager that showed someone shooting at a Toyota Camry from a Chevrolet Equinox, according to police records. The Camry took off, and the Equinox was found unoccupied with multiple bullet holes through the windshield.
Employees at a coffee shop in the 300 block of West Chestnut then alerted police that Newman and another person had run into a women’s restroom shortly after the shooting, an arrest report shows. They were both detained, and an empty Glock handgun was found in a trashcan Newman was standing beside.
He was identified by a witness and then taken to the Near North police district, where he told an arresting officer that “he was shooting at the other vehicle to protect himself and his wife,” according to the arrest report. He claimed he ran into the bathroom “to check if he had been shot” and stash the gun.
“He also stated that he keeps a gun on him for protection and that if he did not shoot back he’d have been dead,” according to the report.
Charging records obtained by the Sun-Times show the state’s attorney’s office rejected the felony charges on Monday night. Hours later, police filed the single misdemeanor count.
“After a thorough review of the information presented to us by police, we concluded that the evidence — including video, and eyewitness accounts — was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to file felony criminal charges related to this incident,” said Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney’s office. “As prosecutors, we have both an ethical and legal obligation to make charging decisions based on the evidence, facts, and the law.”
Last October, Foxx feuded with Mayor Lori Lightfoot over her decision to reject charges in a deadly gunfight in Austin. In February, the two ultimately came together to announce that 20-year-old Thomas Dean had been charged with a felony gun charge in connection to the shootout.
Prior to Sunday’s shooting, Newman was charged with felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle in June 2020, but the case was later dropped. On Tuesday, he was ordered held on $10,000 bail during his initial court hearing in the new case, court records show.
He was released on bond the following day.
The Chicago Cubs couldn’t hold a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning but won 6-3 in extra innings in Game 2 of the series with the Atlanta Braves. There are four major takeaways from the contest:
Going from Tuesday’s series opener into Game 2 on Wednesday, the Cubs flipped the script in terms of their approach at the plate. In Game 1, the Cubs drew zero walks and had just one at-bat go to a 3-2 count.
Could Wordle become even more pervasive, more viral., more annoying? Yes indeed. The New York Times, the proud owner of my morning headache, has given me one more reason to reach for the Advil bottle. With Wordle Bot, I can now compare my successes with players from, well I guess from everywhere.
And not only does Wordle Bot tell me if my score is better or worse than the average of everyone in the galaxy (I assume it is played on the International Space Station, and probably on Alpha Centauri too) it rates every guess I make — rates them for skill and for luck.
In typical NYT fashion, comments that accompany the ratings are usually gentle and friendly, with remarks such as “Great Job, Honey” or “Oh, that wasn’t correct, but I know you will solve this puzzle on your next try.”
I would like to improve those comments. Here are ten that would be more inspirational on my daily Wordle.
Did your late grandmother (of blessed memory) help you on that one?Hey Bozo, you already know there aren’t any Z’s so IT CAN”T BE “ZEBRA.”Are you high???If you screw up again you will be canceled.Guess “PORNO” for a quick surprise.Dumb, dumb, dumb.Maybe you should give up Wordle for Lent?I could help you, but then I would definitely have to kill you.It’s all a Big Lie.Elon Musk has bought the rights to the word you have chosen. You may not use it.
But in the end, no matter what the comments are, my frustration is –Wordle, I can’t quit you!
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Wordle Bot–Words Rated Daily Read More »
James Triantos and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Photo by Stephanie Lynn)
AAA
Game Recap
The Iowa pitchers were not overpowering on the radar gun, but starter Caleb Kilian mixed in his full repertoire to keep hitters off balance, and then the trio of Brandon Hughes, Erich Uelmen, and Eric Stout did a good job working their low-90s fastball on the edges of the zone and then attacking with really good sliders inside and outside the zone.
I have some concern regarding Kilian because he wasn’t throwing with his normal velo, most of his fastballs were in the 91-93 range (T95 early, not sure we saw it after 2nd) and too many ended up in the middle of the plate. His velo also seemed to decline as game went on. He was getting good movement on most 2S and used his cutter a lot, so I wonder if the game plan was to not use the 4S much this outing after doing so frequently in early outings. Worth monitoring.
The bullpen trio was more impressive. Hughes barely broke a sweat during his two inning AAA debut. Hitters just don;t pick up his pitches well. Uelmen got a little wild for a couple of batters and allowed an unearned run, but he continued his impressive run with not allowing an earned run to open the season (10.2 IP).
Stout also extended his scoreless streak (10.1 IP). He’s been absolute death to lefties this year thanks to his crossfire delivery, 3/4 arm slot and sweeping breaker. Righties don’t seem to pick up the breaking ball well either. His fastball looks fairly straight and in the 90-93 range, but thus far he’s commanded it and its been effective against hitters from both sides.
Stout has faced 11 LHB, not hits allowed, 3 BB, 6 K
Only 6 of 29 RHB have reached against him (12 K) as well.
The offense has been scuffling for Iowa of late, but a couple of guys may be breaking out. Robel García in particular looks like he’s comfortable and starting to take aggressive hacks. He hit a 475 homer the other day and a few hard line drives today. He can put an offense on his back for stretches when he gets hot. And with the way most guys are swinging the bat, the team may need him to do that.
Brennen Davis is really caught in between right now. Behind the fastball, lots of defensive swings against breaking ball. Been a rough past few games.
Meanwhile, it looks like Robel García is getting locked in, and when he does that…a string of bombs tends to follow.
The game winning runs came off the I-Cubs coldest bat to begin the year. Veteran Esteban Quiroz was just 4-for-36 and without a base hit entering yesterday’s game. Hopefully, his two run bomb to RF gets him going, because Iowa needs it. He’s a career .283/.396/.469 hitter at the AAA level.
A shoutout to John Hicks too. He flailed badly at some good curveballs his first couple of times up, but the veteran catcher made a veteran play when he dropped down a surprise bunt to open the 7th inning. He beat the throw to first, then displayed some savvy baserunning throughout the inning to get himself to 3rd on a pair of groundouts, and then eventually scored on a wild pitch. Not easy to score a run in an inning on nothing but a bunt single, but he pulled it off, as a 32-year old catcher too.
Top Performers
Caleb Kilian: 4 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BB, 4 K (1.72)Brandon Hughes: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K (0.00)Erich Uelmen: 2.0: H, R, 0 ER, BB, 0 K (W, 2-0, 0.00)Eric Stout: IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K (S, 1, 0.00)Esteban Quiroz: 1-3, HR (1), R, 2 RBI (.128)Robel García: 2-3, R (.279)John Hicks: 1-3, R (.143)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
With Brandon Hughes and Nelson Maldonado now in Iowa, Levi Jordan was sent down to Tennessee to make room.
AA
Game Recap
Normally there isn’t much to talk about in a 6-2 loss, but when the two runs come off back-to-back homers in the 1st by a couple of top 20 prospects in the system, it is of note:
Christopher Morel starts off the scoring with a solo HR. Not the best of video feeds in Chattanooga. pic.twitter.com/9grihW9jPX
Nelson Velazquez gets in on the action for back-to-back homers with Morel. pic.twitter.com/tHyE4QjeY5
Also, Cam Sanders had perhaps his best outing of the season in this one. Sanders is highly unlikely to stick in the rotation in the Majors, but there is a good chance he earns a spot on the 40-man roster in the 2nd half of the season or offseason at latest. In this modern era of 2-3 inning bullpen appearances being so valuable, Sanders is a prime candidate to fill such a role. He’s still got work to do, his control and consistency can still be spotty, and LHBs get to him a little too much, but some of those concerns likely lessen a bit once he’s going max effort once through a batting order as opposed to working as a starter.
I love Cam Sanders day. pic.twitter.com/5WDyMyFxJJ
Nice outing from Cam Sanders tonight. 6 Ks through 4.2 IP pic.twitter.com/XaPWsaIuIe
Cam Sanders’ 5th K to end the 4th. pic.twitter.com/Ddt0tf5ujx
Top Performers
Cam Sanders: 5 IP, H, R, 3 BB, 6 K (4.40)Nelson Velazquez: 1-3, HR (7), R, RBI, BB, SB (1) (.279)Chris Morel: 2-4, HR (4), R, RBI, CS (1) (.274)Andy Weber: 2-3, 2B, BB, SB (1) (.259)Bryce Ball: 2-4 (.254)
High-A
Game Recap
South Bend got off to a good start. Yohendrick Piñango jacked a two-run shot to RF in the 1st (always good to see him turn on one). In the 3rd, back-to-back singles by Alexander Canario and Matt Mervis brought home Bradlee Beesley and Piñango. D.J. Herz struggled with his control through three innings, but remained difficult enough to hit that he worked through it relatively unscathed.
Unfortunately, piggybacker Didier Vargas got lit up in his 3.2 innings, and the Cubs offense couldn’t keep pace.
Top Performers
Yohendrick Piñango: 2-4, HR (2), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB (.286)Matt Mervis: 3-5, 2B, RBI (.286)Alexander Canario: 3-5, RBI (.286)Luis Verdugo: 2-4, 2B (.289)Bradlee Beesley: 2-5, 2 R, SB (2) (.227)D.J. Herz: 3 IP, 4 H, R, 3 BB, 6 K (1.29)Jeremiah Estrada: 1.1 IP, H, 0 R< BB, 4 K (1.42)
Low-A
Myrtle Beach 5, Columbia 4 (Game 1)
Myrtle Beach 3, Columbia 1 (Game 2)
Game Recap
Myrtle Beach took both halves of the doubleheader to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Leading the way on offense was a pair of red hot hitters and top prospects, James Triantos and Pete Crow-Armstrong. One of the two seemed to be involved in every scoring play throughout both games.
In game two, they had to share the spotlight with big lefthanded starter Luke Little. He faced 9 batters, and sat all 9 down, 6 via strikeout. Can’t get much better than that. Coming from his 6’8″ frame, his uper-90s heat and sweeping breaker can’t be a comfortable for hitters, especially fellow lefties. If he can throw enough strikes, he’s got a big league future, take a look:
Luke Little you’re nasty! pic.twitter.com/9skHFKZTeD
Luke Little up to 5 Ks pic.twitter.com/hlRXRhPN3s
Lol. Luke Little is a cheat code! pic.twitter.com/W1CgCnSPLc
Jacob Wetzel secured the win in the second game with a flourish:
We think this was #SCTop10 worthy…
Jacob Wetzel with an incredible diving catch to end the game!#MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/I0NFFjZRGb
Top Performers
James Triantos: 5-6, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB (.283)Pete Crow-Armstrong: 4-7, 3 R, CS (2) (.360)Juan Mora: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, SF, SAC, BB (.308)B.J. Murray Jr.: 1-3, R (.133)Luke Little: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (3.86)Jake Reindl: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (S, 1, 0.00)Jose Gonzalez: 3 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K (W, 2-0, 3.97)
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After eight straight losses, the Chicago White Sox were desperate for a win on Wednesday. The second game of the series against the Kansas City Royals ended up making fans nervous late but the team pulled away and won their seventh game of the season 7-3.
The White Sox needed a strong start and that’s exactly what they received from Dylan Cease. Cease has quietly emerged as the best starting pitcher for the White Sox this season, allowing only eight runs and 16 hits in four starts while tossing 28 strikeouts. The right-handed starter not only gave the team a strong start, helping snap the losing streak but provided a reminder of why he is becoming an elite pitcher.
Cease’s pitch breakdown vs. the Royals (99 pitches): 44 fastballs. 35 sliders. 20 knuckle curves.
Cease was electric to start the game, controlling his three pitches and forcing the Royals to chase pitches. After allowing four runs in the previous start, Cease was determined to bounce back but also provide the White Sox with longevity in the start, something the team hasn’t seen from its starters this season.
Through the first five innings, Cease pitched no-hit ball. Granted, contact and runs are down throughout the league but the outing was still remarkable early on. Cease pitched five innings with six strikeouts, eventually striking out the side in the sixth to finish the game with a season-high nine strikeouts.
9 strikeouts for Dylan Cease. 😤 https://t.co/cbWwKTr8z0
Moreover, it was how Cease was pitching that made the game unique. Notably, how he integrated a new pitch into his arsenal and located his two favorite pitches.
The fastball-slider combination has been Cease’s bread and butter throughout the season. The recent start was no exception. However, what makes the two pitches from Cease unique is his ability to locate both of them. The fastball tends to be up in the strike zone if not a high ball, which Royals’ sluggers were quick to swing at. The slider meanwhile dips into the lower half of the zone, unlike some pitchers who will bounce the off-speed pitch.
Against the Royals, you can see how Cease drops the slider. However, it’s worth noting that the pitch is still caught by catcher Reese McGuire and isn’t hitting the dirt.
Dylan Cease, Filthy Sliders. 😷
8th and 9th Ks. https://t.co/Ttccj0DP1c
Ideally, pitchers want to have their sliders hit the dirt but for Cease, this isn’t an issue. Moreover, with the fastball still powering through the strike zone, the Royals batters are forced to swing at both pitches, oftentimes resulting in quick plate appearances.
What also stood out from the start against the Royals was the addition of a knuckle curve. Cease threw the pitch 20 times and only half of them ended up in the strike zone. However, the pitch added another dimension to the start and forced the Royals batters to guess on another unpredictable pitch. Cease’s knuckle-curve particularly has a varied moment and a steep drop so when it lands in the zone, it’s a filthy pitch.
Dylan Cease, Beautiful 79mph Knuckle Curve. 😍
67″ of drop. https://t.co/J5NfTI705B
Cease adding the knuckle-curve only adds to his ability to dominate on the mound. A fastball-slider combination can make any pitcher great but Cease continuing to work on the third pitch can turn him into an elite pitcher in the MLB this season.
The start was exceptional through the first five innings, highlighted by the possibility of throwing a no-hitter. The bad inning started with a weak grounder to third baseman Jake Burger, giving the Royals their first hit of the game. Then things started to rapidly decline for Cease.
With two runners on and one out, the Royals had their ideal hitter at the plate in contact-happy Whit Merrifield. A slider to the lower outside corner of the strike zone was sliced into the right field for a base hit. Cease isn’t missing the strike zone with his slider and late in the game, it finally cost him.
Bloop, there it is.
#TogetherRoyal https://t.co/WbxoYCF51o
The next run could be blamed on fielding and the weather. Cease went back to the fastball and forced a pop-up to shallow left field. Unfortunately, with Eloy Jimenez out of the lineup, the White Sox had Andrew Vaughn in the outfield, who couldn’t get the blooper in time.
Fortunately, Cease went back to the slider, closing out the inning and preserving the lead. White the Royals tied the game in the top of the seventh, the strong start from Cease that also gave the bullpen a much-needed night off, helped fuel the victory for the White Sox. The lineup ended up taking over the game in the final few innings, scoring four runs in the final two frames, but the strong start what exactly what this team needed.
It’s early on in the season and there are a lot of starts left in the White Sox season. Lucas Giolito has proven he is still a dominant starter on the mound, albeit, in short bursts this season. Meanwhile, Lance Lynn has yet to pitch this season and after finishing last year as a Cy Young finalist. Lynn looks to eventually return to form when he is back in the rotation.
However, in four starts, Cease has been the most reliable and best pitcher in the White Sox rotation. The consistency on the mound and strong starts have made Cease the number one starter through the first month of the season. Moreover, the 27-year-old pitcher has proven he can command both the fastball and slider while recently, integrating the knuckle-curve into his arsenal. Through a rough start to the season, the White Sox might have found their star on the mound.
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On vacation in Ireland I stood atop the ancient ruin of Ballinskelligs Castle overlooking a lake of sublime beauty, a teardrop from God in the pristine stillness of Killarney National Park. But it was not the trumpet of the Whooper Swan that rang out as I closed my eye and drifted back a thousand years into history, it was the screams of seven thousand men dying in the battle for that crumbling fortress.
A weathered plaque described the war between ruling families with reigns existent in decaying parchment. As to why the conflict, who won and what were the spoils, a millennium later the answers are lost in the dust of moldering ramparts. The ruins are a testament to the cosmic senselessness of war as the arbitrator of discord.
But war, for all its futility when measured by inexorable time, remains a constant in the blood stained chronology of man from cave to condominium.
I was born during the Manchurian War of the early 1930s, the atrocities imposed on the Chinese by Japan’s burgeoning war machine barely registering in the west despite 60,000 lives slaughtered. In my lifetime 180 wars have been fought, the deadliest including Vietnam (2,048,050 killed), the Korean War (995,025), and World War II (an astounding 50-million dead and buried!).
There is numbing sadness in a Google Search of recorded history, an unimaginable report of humans on this planet existing entirely at peace on a paltry average of eight years per century. The estimate of the total number killed in wars throughout all human history ranges as high as one billion! Let me line up the gravestones: 1,000,000,000 in rows circling the embattled globe.
Wars are not fought in sporting stadiums, three quarters of the casualties are innocent men, women and children gutted, gassed, shot, bombed, raped, starved and driven from their homes. It’ baffling. We live in a benevolent world, with enough arable land, enough food grown to feed very person on the planet 2,800 calories a day if only it were divvied up equally.
Our societies have never shared resources equally. To the contrary, despots continue to seek no alternative other than taking up arms to “get what we don’t have.”
I’m poking this beehive because my role as an Elder is to remind you of what I have seen and to warn you of what I see.
I’m concerned that here in America the end of the national draft in 1973 created an attitude of complacency among the post war generations following the Boomers of WWII. ‘War’ has become a moment of sensationalism when a Navy Seal Special Forces team creates headlines with a dramatic rescue in a country with an unpronounceable name.
The bloodshed simply doesn’t affect us. Why should it when the nation’s taxpayers pony up the cost for a million and a quarter US military personnel paid to mop up the messes.
At this very moment, using a definition of ‘war’ as “more than a thousand killed,” there are 40 armed conflicts raging around the globe. The number of those killed in Afghanistan surpassed two million; Syria a half million; Iraq just under three hundred thousand.
And now the brutal invasion of Ukraine is the headline story
Which leads me to the November mid-term elections and the influence we seniors still possess as the country’s largest voting bloc. Place your abhorrence of war ahead of self-interest and support the candidates that understand we must defend the fortresses of democracy in defiance of the despots bent on tearing them down.
Filed under:
Aging, Elections, Grief, Politicsd, Uncategorized
Meet The Blogger
Howard is the author of “Cheating Death: How to Add Years of Joy and Meaning to Life,” an inspiring series of essays that describe how reframing his attitude toward growing older – the inevitable losses in physicality and social influence – added personal fulfillment to his senior years. The book is available at the Amazon.com/Books web site.
He is the co-author of The In-Sourcing Handbook: Where and How to Find the Happiness You Deserve, a practical guide and instruction manual offering hands-on exercises to help guide readers to experience the transformative shift from simply tolerating life to celebrating life.
Fiction includes “73,” a collection of short stories exposing the social-media culture that regards people in their seventies as if they were old cars ready for the junk heap. The stories are about men and women running the gamut of emotions as they struggle to resist becoming irrelevant in a youth-oriented society.
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Rage against the madness of war. (One billion killed!) Read More »
Jump ahead: Game of the night | Picks and props | Analytics edge
All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.
It’s A Numbers Game: CJ McCollum is important to the Pelicans and capable of scoring in bunches. But the Suns have proven to be a difficult matchup for New Orleans, and that figures to continue in Game 6 tonight. When trying to project big scoring nights, pace and efficiency come into play and McCollum does not benefit from either. The pace of this series has been 4.7% below what the Pelicans have played at over the final month of the regular season. McCollum has shot under 39% from the field in four of his past five games. However, he did make six free throws in Game 5, but didn’t get to the stripe a single time in 36 minutes the last time these two teams played in New Orleans.
Volume Over Everything: The best way to pay off in DFS or cash overs in the prop market is to be on the court, and the Raptors tend to ride with their core rotation. Four players logged at least 39 minutes in Game 5, consistent with how Toronto operated during the regular season. Given Fred VanVleet‘s status, there’s no reason to think the Raptors will pivot from that strategy. Gary Trent Jr. was more involved in Game 5 with VanVleet sidelined. He led the Raptors with six shots in the first quarter, and it’s reasonable to assume more of the same tonight. While Matisse Thybulle‘s role has declined this postseason, him being off the court only helps Toronto.
Close Out Chris: Chris Paul has shown a killer instinct as of late, and the Suns will count on Paul to help them close out the series with the Pelicans tonight. Paul has averaged 33.3 PPG on 61.3% shooting over the past three games to go along with 7.7 APG. Nothing CP3 does jumps off the screen, and he hasn’t exactly been an analytics dream as of late, but his efficiency and experience makes his prop market interesting and makes him a strong DFS option tonight.
Point Pascal: Pascal Siakam paces the Raptors with 12.2 potential assists per game, and yet, his assist prop sits at a 5.5 for Game 6. It’s worth considering the value that Siakam and Scottie Barnes will bring to the court in this must-win contest.
Doncic Dimes: It’s rare to find Luka Doncic‘s assist prop at 7.5, but such is the case heading into a pivotal Game 6 in Utah this evening. Doncic led Dallas with 12 potential assists in Game 5 and should lead the team again in Game 6. Expect Doncic to play nearly 35 minutes with an opportunity to close out the series.
— Jim McCormick & Kyle Soppe
Philadelphia 76ers at Toronto Raptors
7 p.m. ET, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, CA
Line: 76ers (-1.5)
Money line: 76ers (-125), Raptors (+105)
Total: 210.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 214.8 points
BPI Win%: 76ers (55.2%)
Key players ruled out: Matisse Thybulle
Questionable: Fred VanVleet (hip)
Compete for $40,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks
Notable: The Raptors failed to cover their first four games as home underdogs this season, but they’ve covered five of six since.
Best bet: Joel Embiid under 42.5 points + assists + rebounds. Embiid has struggled by his standards since suffering a thumb injury on his right hand. He has still averaged 20.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 3.5 APG over the past two games, but he has stated it’s been more difficult for him to rebound, shoot and pass. While his numbers are way down, I expect him to have a relatively strong game as the 76ers look to close out the series with the Raptors. But hitting 42.5 PAR would require a pretty dramatic improvement across the board, and it’s not clear he can physically reach that level right now. — Andre Snellings
Best bet: Joel Embiid over 11.5 rebounds. Embiid’s rebounds fluctuates depending on the Raptors’ field goal percentage. Despite that, he has still averaged 11.6 RPG in this series and 13 RPG over the past 24 games. The 76ers will aim to keep the Raptors out of the paint, which will allow Embiid plenty of rebound opportunities. — Eric Moody
Best bet: Pascal Siakam over 5.5 assists. Siakam gets into the zone when he is completely pass-first. If Barnes or OG Anunoby get going, they tend to drive-then-score. Siakam, on the other hand, has stretches like the fourth quarter of Game 4, where he drives to break down the defense and kicks it out to open teammates to set up the 3-pointer. If VanVleet sits, Siakam is the most natural point guard and will lead the team in assists on the night. — Snellings
Best bet: James Harden over 20.5 points. In his postgame quotes, Embiid challenged Harden and Doc Rivers. Embiid wants Harden to be more aggressive on offense. I would be surprised if he doesn’t deliver tonight. Harden averaged 13.6 FGA and 21 PPG over 14 regular season games in Philadelphia. Harden has been defended well by the Raptors in this series, but star players like him look to overcome those obstacles and not get stifled by them. — Moody
Phoenix Suns at New Orleans Pelicans
7:30 p.m. ET, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Line: Suns (-2.0)
Money line: Suns (-135), Pelicans (+115)
Total: 214 points
BPI Projected Total: 215.2 points
BPI Win%: Suns (64.9%)
Key players ruled out: none
Questionable: Devin Booker
Notable: The Suns covered their final five games of January when they were road favorites, but since then, they are just 5-8 ATS in such spots.
Best bet: Chris Paul over 31.5 points + assists. Paul had his 31st playoff game with 20 points and 10 assists on Tuesday night, ranking third all-time behind Magic Johnson (60) and LeBron James (43). He could have his 32nd tonight. Paul understands how significant it is to close out a series, and he is ready to seize the moment. — Moody
Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
10 p.m ET, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Line: (-1.5)
Money line: Mavericks (-110), Jazz (-110)
Total: 209.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 216.8
BPI Win%: Mavericks (54.9%)
Key players ruled out: none
Notable: Overs are 7-2 in Dallas’ past nine road games (including four straight wins).
Best bet: Jalen Brunson over 28.5 points + assists + rebounds. Brunson continues to dominate the Jazz. He has scored 20 points or more in five consecutive games. He has averaged 28.6 PPG, 4.6 APG and 5.2 RPG in this series. That trend should continue in Game 6. — Moody
1 Related
Best bet: Mavericks (-1.5).The Mavericks annihilated the Jazz by 25 points in Game 5 despite shooting 43% from the field and 27.9% from deep. The Jazz have looked out of sorts this month, and to make matters worse, Donovan Mitchell is nowhere close to 100 percent, dealing hamstring and quad issues. With a long vacation on the horizon, I think Utah waves the white flag in the second half and Dallas brings down the curtain. — Joe Fortenbaugh
1. Phoenix Suns (109.7 points)
2. Dallas Mavericks (109.1 points)
3. Philadelphia 76ers (108.1 points)
1. New Orleans Pelicans (105.5 points)
2. Toronto Raptors (106.7 points)
3. Utah Jazz (107.7 points)
1. Phoenix Suns (64.9%)
2. Philadelphia 76ers (55.2%)
3. Dallas Mavericks (54.9%)
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