Bleacher Report - Articles by Geoffrey Clark

Bulls Not Making Predictions Easy

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:49:16 -0400

The last real memory most people have of the Bulls is bowing out to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of a classic first-round playoff series. Although they came up short, fans around the league had new found respect for the team that pushed the defending champs to the limit. A new season is about to get underway, and some people couldn't be more confused on what type of Bulls team they'll see.

The first thing worth noting is that very few changes were made to the roster during the offseason. Besides drafting James Johnson and Taj Gibson and bringing back Jannero Pargo after three years away from the Bulls, no additions were made barring anyone who survived the preseason cut. It makes folks wonder if new general manager Gar Foreman and vice president of basketball operations John Paxson have that much confidence in the team that no significant moves were needed, or maybe they're just waiting for next year's free agent class.

The biggest offseason news for the Bulls was the loss of leading scorer Ben Gordon to Detroit after five years of good service to the team. Some will argue that losing Gordon will be a big hit the Bulls offensively and the lack of of a player who had been their most clutch since his rookie year will lead to few victories. Others say that while their leading scorer is gone, he also shot the ball a lot, stupidly at times. They also say that not having Gordon will force coach Vinny Del Negro to have other players take the final shot in a game, and the Bulls had become very predictable in the final seconds of close contests.

Derrick Rose was last season's Rookie of the Year, and it's his time to lead the Bulls to victory. A lot of players on the team, like John Salmons, Brad Miller, and Tyrus Thomas, can score when they want to. With Salmons and Miller back for a full season, Rose needs to look to them a lot if he wants to prove he ranks up there with the Chris Pauls and Deron Williams of the world. If Luol Deng can stay healthy over the 82-game stretch, you can put him among those options too.

Everyone around the league will keep an eye on Rose, but the player to watch for the Bulls is Joakim Noah. An easy target for fans since he was drafted, Noah grew up during last year's playoffs, and it all culminated with a steal and subsequent dunk on Paul Pierce that helped push the series to a seventh game. If Noah can keep that maturity and hard play up from now until the middle of April, the Bulls will definitely be one of the 16 teams left standing.

The Eastern Conference is very difficult to predict this season. After Cleveland, Orlando, and Boston, most likely in that order, nobody really knows what other five teams will represent the East in the playoffs. In the NBA, no team without a Kobe, LeBron, or D-Wade gets anything handed to them, so the Bulls will have to earn a playoff spot by themselves.

Amazing happened with the Bulls last year. What about this time around?

On-Ice Success Will Put Up-and-Down Blackhawks Offseason Behind

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:49:50 -0400

Normally, hockey doesn't become a roller coaster ride until the games actually begin.

For Blackhawks fans however, that ride carried over from the end of the playoffs to the summer activities. It went from signing high-profile free agents to becoming involved with the law.

Big splashes were made via free agency as the 'Hawks added veteran forward John Madden and Detroit center Tomas Kopecky. But the cream of the crop came with the signing of a 12-year deal by Marian Hossa, who found himself on the losing end of back-to-back Pittsburgh-Detroit Stanley Cup Finals.

While the first two are ready to contribute immediately, Hossa will have to wait until around Thanksgiving or so, as he recovers from shoulder surgery. It was revealed not long after this setback that the 'Hawks knew about his shoulder before he signed the deal.

Of course, the 'Hawks lost some of their high-profile players to free agency.

Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin signed with Edmonton and high-scorer Martin Havlat took off for Minnesota.

They nearly lost a lot more when players like Kris Versteeg and Ben Eager could have been free to roam the market following a fiasco that involved NHL Players Association and the qualifying offers made to those players. This ended up costing Dale Tallon his position as general manager, with Stan Bowman left to fill the gap.

There was also the fiasco involving Patrick Kane, his cousin, and a Buffalo cab driver. But that will be forgotten along with everything else if the 'Hawks can meet the high expectations for this season. Some media outlets have actually picked them to win their first Stanley Cup in 48 years. The pieces are in place to make it happen.

Kane and captain Jonathan Toews have emerged as one of the best forward duos in the NHL ,and they're young enough to be in college. When Hossa returns from his injury, that could make for one heck of a scoring line. Other forwards like Versteeg, Patrick Sharp, and Dave Bolland can also be very dangerous with the puck.

The defensemen also show few weaknesses. Brian Campbell can also score when he wants to, but there have been questions about his performance on the penalty kill. The duo of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook has come a long way since the two were paired together, and there's no denying their value to the team. Their combined +/- last season was an astounding 56.

As for the goaltending, it's Cristobal Huet's job now after splitting time with Khabibulin last season. Many have questioned his ability to perform in the postseason, so whether the 'Hawks hoist the Cup or not will depend largely on him. Backing up Huet will most likely be Antti Niemi as Corey Crawford was placed on waivers.

Despite the vast improvements made to the team, there's one team from a city that is home to the same team that gave the Bulls fits in the years leading up to their dynasty.

That's right folks, it's the Detroit Red Wings.

Although the 'Hawks strengthened their roster in the offseason and even stole a couple of good players from the Motor City, the Wings are still the team to beat in the Western Conference.

With all this in mind, there will be no shortage of the playing of Chelsea Dagger in front of sold-out crowds at the United Center this season. The 'Hawks took everyone by surprise last season by advancing to the conference finals, but now, they're expected to be ready to play every night.

They are that close to achieving that "One Goal."

Chicago Bears Linebackers: Need To Adjust Without Urlacher

Geoffrey Clark — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:47:45 -0400

Fans braced for the worst when word broke out after the Bears' Week One loss to Green Bay that Brian Urlacher would have to have surgery on his wrist the following day.

Their fears were realized when following the procedure, it was announced that Urlacher's season was finished after only one game. Not exactly what they wanted to hear since many were also still fuming at Jay Cutler's sub-par debut.

Those fans who quickly let their emotions get the best of them were already declaring the season over after one game. Perhaps they forgot that football is a team sport that doesn't revolve around one superstar athlete. They must have also forgotten that there were a lot of games left.

Now that they have cooler heads, it's time for them to look at who can fill the gap created by Urlacher's absence.

To help fill that void, the Bears signed linebacker Tim Shaw, who had just been cut by Jacksonville.

An immediate move was needed because Pisa Tinoisamoa had also suffered an injury in the Green Bay game and it wasn't known at the time if he'd be ready for the next game against Pittsburgh. However, Shaw is far from the cure that ails the linebacker corps.

Hunter Hillenmeyer was named to replace Urlacher up the middle for the time being after years of starting on the strong side. When Urlacher went down with an injury in 2004, Hillenmeyer started all seven games in his place. Five years later, he returns to the position as a more seasoned player.

He hasn't been selected to multiple Pro Bowls like the man he's filling in for or fellow corps member Lance Briggs, but if he does just enough, it may not matter whether or not No. 54 is in the game.

Despite the presence of Shaw and Hillenmeyer, that doesn't mean the Bears still aren't looking at other linebackers who are without a team. The most notable example is their drawing interest in Derrick Brooks, a 14-year veteran and 11-time Pro Bowl selection who knows Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo from when all three were with Tampa Bay.

Brooks has just signed on to become an analyst for ESPN, but the Bears are one of several teams trying to pry him away from his new job in Bristol.

Although he's been an outside linebacker during his career, Brooks has said he would have no problem moving to the middle. He's 36 years old and past his prime, so any team that picks him up would be taking somewhat of a risk. As of this writing, Brooks has not signed anywhere yet.

Should any more starting linebackers be shelved at any other time this season, the Bears have other backups willing to step up.

Nick Roach started nine games for the Bears last season, so there's experience with him. Jamar Williams has played most of his career on special teams and made only start on defense, but he needs to be ready in case he is called to be amongst the middle unit again.

Again, even though one of the recognizable names in football has been forced to call it a season, by no means are the Bears a dead team walking. Of course, players have to step up when asked if the team is going to meet the high expectations of this season.

That definitely includes the linebacker corps, which will be depended on largely for success. It's the time for those unknown outside of Chicago, and now, they must seize it.

Jake Peavy Needs to Sit for the Rest of the Season

Geoffrey Clark — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:36:26 -0400

Just when it seemed like Jake Peavy was on the verge of pitching for the Chicago White Sox in 2009, he suffered another setback during a minor league rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte.

While it appears the ankle he broke back in June has healed completely, a new problem has emerged: Tightness near his elbow.

After throwing 68 pitches in 3 1/3 innings on Saturday night, Peavy left following a visit from the Knights' trainer. This has most likely arisen from the line drive he took off the elbow during his last rehab start on Monday, preventing a potential White Sox debut on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

With this new development, and with the White Sox quickly falling out of the AL Central race, the only logical solution is to shut Peavy down now so that he comes back fresh and completely rehabilitated for Spring Training in 2010.

Peavy is under contract through 2012, with a club option for 2013, and general manager Kenny Williams knew this when he acquired Peavy on July 31.

Never mind the former Cy Young Award winner hadn't pitched in almost two months—he had a future to think about.

Some White Sox fans believe their team still has a chance this season, while others have jumped ship. The ship-jumpers will point out that their team has lost seven of nine and has fallen to third place in what is widely considered the worst division in baseball. Add in a record of two games below .500, and one realizes the Sox are who they thought they were: Very mediocre.

That being said, there's no need to rush Peavy in a season that is looking more lost by the day. A team's likely future ace just acquired at the trade deadline that has not suited up in the bigs with them yet cannot be put at risk to save the present team.

In the case of the White Sox, one could have said the same thing about Carlos Quentin two months ago. Quentin himself is not 100 percent healthy, but he has been in the lineup almost every night despite being far off his 2008 pace.

A 2010 rotation of Mark Buehrle, Peavy, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks at the top has potential to be the most dangerous in the American League. We could talk about who the fifth starter could be, but that's another topic.

If Peavy is only back at 90 percent or less and he hurts himself even worse in September, the rotation for next season becomes a liability. That's not what Williams wants, as he proved he is trying to build a winner by claiming Alex Rios off waivers.

On Opening Day next April, everyone starts at 0-0, and no other season's stats matter. Health does matter, though, and fans don't know what a less-than-100-percent Peavy would do for the 2009 Sox.

It's probably best that they don't know however.

The Eight Position Players Who Have Pitched in 2009

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:21:05 -0400

In Thursday night's loss to the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, down by seven runs with two innings to go and wishing to preserve his 'pen for the next series, summoned back-up shortstop Nick Green to take the mound. Green threw two scoreless innings without giving up a hit. Here are seven other non-pitchers who have taken one for the team this season.

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Bears O-Line: Don't Hype Them Yet

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:44:23 -0400

Bears fans who watched the team's preseason victory over the New York Giants will be quick to point out the success Jay Cutler had in his home debut.

One scoring play in which he was not involved was Matt Forte's long touchdown run.

A lot of the credit on that play deservedly goes to the offensive line.

For the rest of that first half though (there's not much to write about the second half), some fans will talk about how great the offensive line was, and therefore, is.

Don't get me wrong when I talk about how good it was, but those fans are basing their projections on one game.

A preseason victory no less.

If you're ready to crown this O-line the best in football, consider this: the Giants were missing six defensive starters on Saturday due to injuries, including two on the D-line.

One of the players out for New York was linebacker Antonio Pierce.

Going back to Forte's run, Frank Omiyale, who is likely to win the starting left guard job, threw a nice block on Pierce's replacement.

A good block by a projected starter on a backup linebacker should be expected.

Forte even made a statement to back up this idea. ''Everybody made some nice blocks on that play; I never got touched," he accounted.

The fact that Giants safety Kenny Phillips was also held out of the game should also be considered when reading Forte's description of his philosophy and what followed once he got an opening: "Once I get to the second level, I am looking for the safeties to see where they are because once you make a safety miss, that's when you make a big play. The safety was already out of position, so I just cut up the field and beat him with speed.''

The Bears' line could well be one of the top ones in the NFC, but once again, this is only the preseason.

How long Orlando Pace will hold up given his recent injury history is anybody's guess.

This is practically Chris Williams' rookie season as he didn't play until the end of last season.

Really, the only constant on the line is Olin Kreutz.

That said, there's no reason to call this O-line top-notch yet.

When the games count, we'll see what it's really made of.

After all, Jay Cutler can't be the QB Bears fans are hoping to get if the line doesn't do its job.

White Sox Hope Baldwin Can Solve Fifth-Starter Problem

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:08 -0400

After being dissatisfied with how 2005 returnee Freddy Garcia performed in Tuesday night's loss to the Kansas City Royals, White Sox GM Kenny Williams decided that since it was too soon to call on any former starting pitchers from last year's division-winning ball club, he would turn to an ace from the 2000 division-winning staff instead. The team announced the re-signing of James Baldwin, the All-Star Game winner of that year. The move also indicated that Williams can no longer wait for Jake Peavy's return to plug up the hole in the rotation.

"I was hoping this wouldn't be necessary," Williams said, "but the fact of the matter is we're trying to win this year and we're trying to pull out all the stops. Someone on the 2000 staff has to have something left. [Mike] Sirotka hasn't pitched since then and [Jim] Parque confessed to using 'roids, so Baldwin proved to be the best option."

Baldwin, 38, last pitched with the Baltimore Orioles in 2005, but White Sox management insists that he has been working out in anticipation of getting another call to the bigs. Specifically, he has kept his arm loose by firing fastballs to the ballplayers at Pinecrest High School in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where he is the manager. Strangely, most of his pitches were hit for what would have been extra bases during a game, but that's not why the Sox gave him a call.

He also joined a summer beer softball league for men ages 35 and up. When facing Baldwin, the wannabe Major Leaguers couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and that's when a team scout spotted him during one of the games. However, there are rumors that Baldwin got the scout to chug a few brewskis after said game and convinced him to sign a contract with the club. Sox officials have denied this claim.

Baldwin could not be reached for comment as he is believed to be pointing and laughing in David Wells' face somewhere for winning a bet the two supposedly had.

Alex Rios Acquired By the White Sox

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:05:03 -0400

Following rumors that the White Sox were the team to make the waiver claim on Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Alex Rios, we learn today that the Sox acquired Rios for nothing. All that was asked in return was that the Sox take on the rest of Rios' 7-year, $69 million contract.

This is the second big deal general manager Kenny Williams has made in 11 days after he landed star pitcher Jake Peavy at the trade deadline.

Among other things, the Sox figure to be a legitimate contender for the next few seasons with the rotation, rookie third baseman Gordon Beckham, and now Rios added to the mix.

As far as this season goes, it is not yet known how the outfield will shape up.

Rios is likely to play center field, but that creates a problem between Scott Podsednik and Carlos Quentin.

To avoid losing their leadoff man on a regular basis, Quentin is most likely to move to the bench in order to nurse the injury he's had for most of the season.

There's plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future on Chicago's South Side.

Pitching Woes Will Leave The Minnesota Twins in the Dust

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:15:45 -0400

When people go to the racetrack, they would rather see three horses in contention turning for home than just two. Right now, the American League Central race is at about the third turn and has those three horses right now. Very soon however, three will become two.

The Minnesota Twins are showing signs of fading. They just lost a series to what's left of the Cleveland Indians. Since July 19, they have gone 6-11 and lost two-and-a-half games in the standings, with three of those wins coming against a White Sox team that always struggles in the Metrodome. There is reason to think they won't be able to stay with Detroit and Chicago.

When hot, the duo of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau is one of the most dangerous in all of baseball. Most of the rest of the offense has hit average and become very respectable in the American League. Other hitters like Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel are realizing what they are truly made of. Young players like Denard Span and Carlos Gomez have serious potential for their careers.

That said, hitting can only carry a team for so long. Pitching is what makes or breaks a team down the stretch. The Twins' rotation has been a mess all year and losing the best of that bunch, Kevin Slowey, isn't helping. Only three bullpen pitchers have ERAs of less than 3.00, including all-star closer Joe Nathan.

Over the last 30 days, the Twins have the second-worst ERA in the AL at 5.25, ahead of only the Kansas City Royals, the perennial doormats of the Central.

Further, only the Baltimore Orioles have struck out fewer hitters in that span. While strikeouts aren't necessary in getting outs, it shows that opposing hitters have been making good contact off their staff. That shouldn't make surprising the fact that Twins pitching also has given up the second-most hits in the AL in the last month.

With the Tigers acquiring Jarrod Washburn and the White Sox getting Jake Peavy at the trade deadline, one would think the Twins would try and get a similar starting pitcher on the same day. Although they did plug up their middle infield problem by landing Orlando Cabrera, nothing was done about that rotation.

Today, they finally did something by acquiring Carl Pavano from the Indians, another move by a rebuilding team. However, a 5.37 ERA should be nothing to be excited about.

The Twins probably wish the All-Star Game didn't come because the second half has not been kind to them. Before losing three of four in Anaheim, they lost two of three in Oakland. After the expected sweeping of Chicago at home, the Angels invaded and swept them before they lost the series to Cleveland on the road.

Their remaining schedule is easy for the most part, but by the time they leave Detroit this weekend, the Tigers could be leaving them as much as seven and a half games behind them. By the time the easy schedule hits, there could be too much ground to overcome.

The division is tight however, so the Tigers and White Sox have as good a chance to struggle as any contender there. On the other hand, the Twins' pitching doesn't match the teams they're looking up at, and that will most likely prove to be their undoing.

It's Not the Dome's Fault the Sox are Bad in Minnesota

Geoffrey Clark — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:54:34 -0400

Every time the White Sox go to Minnesota to play the Twins at the Metrodome, everybody associated with the organization, even the fans, expects the worst. This is exactly why the worst happens every single time the Sox play there. Further, it's why they've only won two games in Minnesota over the past two seasons.

It's as if it's all part of a formula. If the Sox don't beat themselves in games there right away, they eventually do so during a critical point. A consistently-good team wouldn't wet the bed everytime they travel to a certain destination.

The 2009 White Sox are consistently-good, but rather incredibly streaky. In my 13 years of being a White Sox fan, I have never seen a team that after going into a long slump will break out of it and become incredibly hot only to fall back into the slump they previously have. One could write a whole article about why the Sox have been so mediocre this season, but that's for another article.

What White Sox fans love to do is blame the Metrodome itself for why their team has played so poorly there, particularly this decade. The artificial turf, the baggie, the white roof, the speakers, and the air ventilation system have all been listed as reasons as to why the Metrodome is a shoddy place for an outdoor team.

In fact, this perception has been felt all around baseball since the Dome opened in 1982. However, it's White Sox fans who are most happy that the Twins will be moving into an outdoor stadium in 2010.

Although there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the Sox and their fans, they are still not short on words about how poorly things go when they play there. Once again, this mentality has cost them many a game in that stadium. Blaming the stadium itself is just making excuses despite the place's complete lack of anything resembling a decent ballpark.

Good teams learn to the elements regardless of where they're playing. Although the White Sox have had considerable success this half-decade, the Dome has been their kryptonite nearly every season. There is little doubt that had last year's one-game playoff been played there, we would have seen an all-dome ALDS featuring the Twins and Rays. It's all because of the loser's mentality this organization possesses in Minnesota: if you expect the worst to happen, it will.

The Sox may be saying "good riddance" to the Dome after this season, but they're not doing themselves any favors in the division race by making stupid plays there during games. Although first place is up for grabs and the Sox could easily have it right now, they have not seized the opportunity. In addition to losing three of four in Detroit, the same thing that has plagued them for some time now is biting them, and they need to adjust quickly, or they'll be playing golf when the playoffs begin.

Why Frank Thomas Deserves Redemption from the Fans of Chicago

Geoffrey Clark — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:55:32 -0400

Reports have finally come out that Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids in 2003. The confirmation only proves what I have known for so long, which is that there was no way Sosa could have gained a bunch of muscle in the off season between the 1997 and 1998 seasons. He probably kept up his steroid usage throughout the early part of this decade.

That said, general Chicago baseball fans who flocked to see Sosa like he was a god (remember those two guys who ran onto the field at Wrigley to bow before Sosa in the spring of '99?), need to apologize to the man who slugged homers cleanly during the same era. That man is Frank Thomas.

Although I am a Sox fan, I must confess to being awed by Sosa myself, when he was hitting homers like there was no tomorrow, and I feel ashamed for it. Then again, I may have been engulfed by all the media hype surrounding him, both local and national.

When I first started following baseball midway through the 1996 season, Frank Thomas was the best-known hitter in town. The Cubs had Sosa, but he was nowhere near the slugger Thomas was. As a new Sox fan, I was happy to know Thomas was the one people knew and respected more, not to mention he had one or two video games.

However, like most baseball fans, I was awed with the home run chase. I thought it was the greatest thing the game had ever seen. Then again, it was at a time when I had a rooting interest in both Chicago teams. Now, I can't even look at my books or watch my videos about them, without cringing.

Sosa quickly replaced Thomas as the face of Chicago baseball, something I could never quite figure out. Wasn't there enough room in town for two sluggers who just so happened to play on opposite sides of town? Apparently, the answer was no, so Thomas slipped into the background for everybody but Sox' fans.

The most ignorant Cubs' fans will claim that Thomas was also on steroids, thinking the two players' careers somehow parallel each other just because they played on opposite ends of Chicago. However, Thomas had the body of a football player from the beginning of his big-league career. In his younger days, he accepted a scholarship to play football at Auburn. Further more, he has been one of the most outspoken critics of steroids in baseball since the issue arose.

Sadly, while Thomas had his time in the sun for most of the '90s, hitters such as him, Jim Thome, and Jeff Bagwell lost the spotlight to mashers who were hitting fifty plus homers every year. He even lost a third MVP award in 2000 to a 'roided-up Jason Giambi. Though he's likely to be elected to the Hall of Fame anyway, it would have been nice to add one more MVP award to his resume.

There's no more reason for local fans and media members to defend Sosa. After years of speculation, the truth has finally come out about him. I could go on about why the positive steroid test was kept from the public for so long, but that's another question.

One thing that can finally be confirmed is that Frank Thomas was the only clean slugger of the two who dominated Chicago baseball in the 1990s and first half of the current decade.

Most people instead chose to worship a fraud, a liar, and a headcase.

For that, they owe the real Chicago baseball hero of his era an apology for the lack of respect he got in the later half of his playing days on the south side.

Chicago Baseball: This Summer May Not Be as Pretty

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:54:25 -0400

Maybe the Cubs and White Sox are already looking forward to football season to see the Jay Cutler-led Bears, or maybe it's just too early to tell. Perhaps the injury bug has bitten them once too often this season.

Whatever the reason, the two Chicago baseball teams are not giving their fans much to cheer about right now.

After going on an eight-game losing streak, the Cubs are just trying to keep their record above .500.

Rather than repeating the success of last season, they are sitting in fourth place in the NL Central.

It's a far cry from what the local and national media predicted this team to do at the start the season, though no local writers picked them to win the pennant while several national writers did. Those who follow the team predicted success, but at the same time lowered their expectations and likely chose not to buy into the "Cubs are due" hype.

The White Sox had a bad stretch of their own, losing 12 of 15, before winning their next three series. Despite having a record below .500, they find themselves locked in a three-team battle for second place in the AL Central with Kansas City and Minnesota.

They are about where most baseball writers picked them to finish at the start of the year, but in a tight division, that could change very quickly.

Health has been an issue for both clubs this season. Carlos Zambrano returned last Friday night after spending time on the DL, but he swapped places with Rich Harden, who joined Aramis Ramirez on the disabled list. Randy Wells has filled the hole in the rotation nicely.

The rotation, which could be described as slightly above average at best, has been turning games over to a less than impressive bullpen.

Ramirez's absence has done nothing to help an offense that has one of the worst team batting averages in the league.

For the White Sox, outfielders have been unable to stay healthy for the first couple of months. DeWayne Wise separated his shoulder diving for a fly ball in the team's seventh game and hasn't played since.

Brian Anderson just recently came off the DL, and Carlos Quentin could be heading there very soon. This has hampered an offense that, until very recently, had the lowest run production in the Majors.

Things may be looking bleak right now, but the performances by some of the players may give baseball fans in the Windy City cause for hope.

For the Cubs, Alfonso Soriano continues to hit for power. Kosuke Fukudome has one of the higher batting averages in baseball. Ryan Theriot is a legitimate threat on the basepaths. Ted Lilly has picked up where he left off last season.

Veterans Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Mark Buehrle have all stepped up for the White Sox. Sophomore Alexei Ramirez has done well at swiping bags.

While it's true that Chicago sports fans can't wait to see Jay Cutler in action come September, they want to see some good things in between.

It's up to their boys of the summer to make that happen.

Experts May Have Made Accurate Ugly Predictions For White Sox

Geoffrey Clark — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:34:55 -0400

Fresh off an AL Central division championship and an offseason that showed underachievers and liabilities like Javier Vazquez, Nick Swisher, and Joe Crede the door, the Chicago White Sox thought they had a 2009 club young and balanced enough to repeat the success of last season.

National media outlets were not impressed though, as they saw this team of having done little in the offseason to improve the parent club.

Sure, they had signed Bartolo Colon, but he had been a liability over the past few seasons and was past his prime.

Most outlets predicted the Sox to finish from third to fifth in the AL Central. In the minds of White Sox fans however, they just scoffed at this given the recent history of predicting their team.

They felt it was their division to lose.

As it turns out, the national media may not have been so inaccurate about the 2009 White Sox.

After a 1-6 road trip that consisted of losing two of three to last place Cleveland and a four-game sweep at the hands of American League-leading Toronto, the Sox had lost 12 of 15, and it was becoming clear that this year's team was following in the footsteps of the 2007 club that finished 72-90.

The No. 1 issue has unquestionably been the offense. On May 19, the Sox had the second worst team batting average in the American League.

To make matters worse, they were next to last in the AL in hits, last in the AL in RBIs, and tied for dead last in all of baseball in runs scored.

The team that led the bigs in home runs last year has now flirted with the lower third among all Major League teams in that category. In short, the team that was once home-run-or-nothing is now just nothing.

The rotation has been an issue as well. Aside from Mark Buehrle and John Danks, the holes on the starting staff that were a concern at the start of the year are starting to be exposed.

Gavin Floyd, who just signed a contract extension, has returned to his pre-2008 days of just being awful. After a poor start in Toronto, his ERA ballooned to 7.71.

Bartolo Colon has been average at best and pitched at least six innings only twice this season.

Jose Contreras was even worse than Floyd, as his ERA skyrocketed to 8.19 before being sent down to AAA Charlotte, where he just threw a one-hitter, to work on his control.

With the bullpen being very impressive thus far, they can't be counted on to close out games if the starters don't come around soon.

The 2007 Sox were plagued by injuries, and this year's club is having those problems as well. After Dewayne Wise won the starting job in center field, he separated his shoulder on a diving play in Detroit and was placed on the DL.

Brian Anderson was also lost for a period of time after straining his right oblique muscle.

Even worse, their young power hitter, Carlos Quentin, has recently been bothered by a bad heel and returned to Chicago prematurely during the Toronto series to get checked out.

If a team isn't healthy, it can't compete, and the Sox are walking a fine line in that area.

The good news for the Sox is that it's still early in the season, and the AL Central is not a strong division this year. If their current struggles continue, however, it won't matter because they'll battling just to stay out of the cellar.

Game 4: The Bulls' Best Playoff Win This Decade

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:25:28 -0400

If you don't believe what Chicago Bulls fans say about yesterday's game, just turn on ESPN Classic at 4 p.m. CDT this afternoon. Game 4 between the Bulls and the Boston Celtics was far and away the best postseason game for the team in the post-Jordan era.

It had everything a passionate basketball fan could ask for: clutch shots, heart-wrenching moments, neither team giving in easily, and a great final few possessions. Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr undoubtedly stood up in their graves and applauded this valiant Bulls effort to make this a best-of-three series.

Most post-Jordan playoff games for the Bulls have either been anti-climatic or not worked in the team's favor when they were climatic (Gilbert Arenas, anyone?). Here are a few recent Bulls playoff victories that came close to being more dramatic.

Keep in mind all of these games were in the First Round:

2005: Games 1 and 2 vs. Washington - While the United Center was electric down the stretches of these games and chanting Andres Nocioni's name, the team was already up by a comfortable margin in the final seconds in both. Yeah, they were the team's first postseason victories since the last championship, but there was more excitement than drama.

2006: Game 4 vs. Miami - With the Bulls fighting for their playoff lives, Kirk Hinrich drilled a long three-pointer in the final minute that sealed the win and a deadlocked series. It was marred however when Tyson Chandler sprained his ankle soon after and was not completely healthy in the two losses that followed. Again, this was exciting, but it didn't come down to the final possession.

2007: Game 1 vs. Miami - The Bulls were nursing a one-point lead with less than a minute to play when the Heat blew an easy layup and the Bulls sank free throws to pull out a close win. This had drama, but not your classic playoff drama.

2009: Game 1 at Boston - This was the game that proved Derrick Rose can compete with any team in the league, even the defending champions. He had fouled out by the end of the game, however. With Rose on the bench and the Bulls up by two in the closing seconds of overtime, Ray Allen missed a jump shot that Hinrich rebounded to give the Bulls their first-ever postseason win over Boston.

In what is already shaping up to be a classic series, the Bulls have been given new life and still have a chance at knocking off the short-handed Celtics. It'll be tough, but everyone now knows they're a team to be reckoned with in the East.

Jay Cutler Acquired by Chicago Bears

Geoffrey Clark — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:38:06 -0400

In a surprise move, the Chicago Bears have emerged as the winner of the Jay Cutler sweepstakes, trouncing the thought of several doubters and second-guessers.

In exchange for Cutler and a third-round draft pick, the Bears will send two first-round picks and QB Kyle Orton to the Denver Broncos.

Since the Bears have a history of poor first-round drafting, this will assure Jerry Angelo's drafting takes a backseat. Orton will have a good offense to run. Both sides will win here.

Detroit Hoops City: A Final Four Preview

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:42:23 -0400

Tough times may have hit the Motor City, but this coming weekend college basketball will reign supreme as the Final Four is slated to be held at Ford Field.

Fans and students from North Carolina, Connecticut, Villanova, and especially Michigan St. will be out in full swing.

Three of the four coaches, Jim Calhoun, Roy Williams, and Tom Izzo have found success on college basketball's top stage before. This is completely new for Villanova coach Jay Wright, but he, like the other coaches, should feel confident with the team that brought him here.

The Tar Heels and led into battle by Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson. Though Hansbrough has been the bigger name during his career, Lawson is the bigger reason the team has made it this far. After missing all of the ACC Tournament and the first game of the NCAA Tournament, Lawson was back on the floor and the Tar Heels seemed more explosive than ever.

They have won all tournament games by double-digits. Without Lawson, they'd probably be back in Chapel Hill right now. Provided he stays healthy, the Heels appear to be the favorite to win the championship. Look for Wayne Ellington and Danny Green to also be key factors.

The UConn Huskies have nothing short of an impressive roster. Already looked at highly by NBA scouts at the start of the season, Hasheem Thabeet is now in a position where he looks to be one of the first few players off the board at the draft in June.

Should UConn win the national championship, he'll be the guy everyone says was responsible for that victory. Thabeet is surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast, including All-West Region Team members A.J. Price and Kemba Walker. Add Jeff Adrien and Stanley Robinson in the frontcourt and you've got a team that's tough to stop.

Each player is special in their own way and if North Carolina doesn't win it all, the Huskies most likely will.

With the Final Four being in their home state, the Spartans will have the most crowd support. Ford Field could be the loudest it has ever been. The Big Ten regular-season champions have been able to brag about their guard play as Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, and Chris Allen have all made the key plays for them in the tournament.

Goran Suton has also been terrific as the man in the middle. For the Spartans to have any further success, the players mentioned will need to continue to come through when needed and the team, as a whole, must limit turnovers—a season-long problem for them, which they were able to control against Louisville.

It's not an impossible task, but all-around team play is what got them here, and it must keep up.

Without Scottie Reynolds' last-second shot, the Wildcats would not be in their first Final Four since winning it all back in 1985. As the lowest remaining seed in the tournament, they have the most pressure of any of the other three teams.

Reynolds and Dante Cunningham are the two players the country is most familiar with, the latter of which is Nova's top scorer.

It was defense that got the Wildcats here in the first place, and that must keep up in order to pull off upsets. Cunningham must also stay out of foul trouble because the team is more beatable with him on the bench.

Defense wins championships, and that'll definitely hold true if they can pull off the improbable.

Prediction: Sorry, Spartan fans, but your dreams of seeing your team clinch it at home will not be realized. Villanova will not have the same defense against these big bodied teams. North Carolina and UConn will meet up in the final, where the Tar Heels will celebrate their second national title in five years.

A Public Service Announcement Regarding March Madness

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:42:57 -0400

This is the time of year when many women worry about the states of their husbands and boyfriends. There is a bug that goes around in this season, and millions of ladies go to bed at night worrying what their significant others will be like the next day.

The culprit is a virus known as March Madness.

Those who are most prone to the disease are men who like basketball in any way, shape, or form; this means quite a few are affected.

The virus begins to rear its ugly head on the second or third Sunday of the titular month and continues until the third Monday following.

Symptoms of March Madness include, but are not limited to: talk of brackets and Dick Vitale, being glued to CBS by way of TV or the Internet, worrying about money they've put at stake, ignoring phone calls from all female companions, leaving the house for an extended period of time, and unhealthy heart rates while watching college basketball.

The virus has its greatest effect Thursday through Sunday during the first two weeks that it exists.

There is no treatment or cure for March Madness. Fortunately for females across the land, the virus is only temporary, so they'll get attention again in just a few weeks.

However, if the male shows any signs of depression during the defined period, their attention may shift to their better halves sooner than expected.

So ladies, before you start filing the divorce papers, remember that this blight lasts only a short period of time, and you'll be happy once again. Your man may even come home with a large sum of money when it ends; think of the possibilities!

Loss of Van Lier, Kerr Tough For Bulls Fans To Take

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:15:11 -0500

When I got back from class late this afternoon, I heard the news that former Chicago Bulls player and broadcaster Norm Van Lier was found dead in his apartment at age 61.

It was a big blow, considering he died so suddenly. I began to think about the times I saw him in the studio before and after Bulls games on cable. The first time I saw him was over a decade ago when he appeared on a TV station promo regarding Bulls tickets.

He played for the Bulls in the '70s, before my time, but I knew he was significant in team history. He was part of those defensive-minded squads that brought the Bulls the most success in the pre-Jordan era, which included a division championship in 1975.

Movie fans may have seen his cameo in the 2002 flick Barbershop. The studios at Comcast SportsNet won't be the same without him.

And if this day wasn't bad enough for Bulls fans, we learned just after midnight last night that we had also lost Johnny "Red" Kerr, the Bulls' first head coach and a team broadcaster for many years.

Kerr was hired for the coaching job fresh off his playing days and led the team to 33 wins, still a record for an expansion franchise. The Bulls made the playoffs and he won Coach of the Year honors. A few years later, he moved on to coach the Phoenix Suns and, not too long after, he moved to the Bulls' broadcasting team, where he stayed until 2008 and where many Bulls fans grew to love him.

Johnny was more than a broadcaster, though. He was the master of ceremonies for all six Bulls championship rallies as well as the ring ceremonies. At a free scrimmage during the preseason, he would introduce the players competing for roster spots. Maybe most of all, I remember Michael Jordan dusting chalk off on him before games.

Jordan even brought some along during the Bulls' ceremony honoring Johnny on Feb.10. Originally scheduled for the end of the season, the ceremony may have been moved up due to Johnny's battle with prostate cancer. Though wheelchair-bound, he was able to address the crowd and thank everybody. The fact that he was doing so just 16 days ago is just spooky. In a way, he was the Chicago Bulls.

What do these men have in common? In addition to being among the greatest figures in Bulls history, they connected with the fans even more thanks to their broadcasting. I've been watching Bulls games on TV since I was seven, so it's obvious that a part of my childhood just died.

No, two parts just died. On the same day.

It's so hard to believe that two icons of the team I grew up idolizing could be gone so quickly. Every Bulls fan is in mourning. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf will want to pay tribute to them in some way, so we'll have to see what's in store.

May Norm and Red rest in peace and play endless pickup basketball where they are now.

Funniest Moments in Sports: Botched National Anthems

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:41:01 -0500

The "Star-Spangled Banner" can be a difficult song to master. Those that do perform it beautifully. When Francis Scott Key penned the words in 1814, he probably didn't think that people would perform it in public so awfully. Here are my top-three favorite such instances in sports history.

3) Carl Lewis - Just because he could run well didn't mean he could sing well. He apparently thought he could, so he performed the anthem before a New Jersey Nets-Chicago Bulls game in 1993. After cracking the line "and the rockets red glare," it was all downhill from there.

When you've disgusted Michael Jordan, you know you've done something wrong. This prompted one of my favorite lines from Charley Steiner: "written by Francis Scott Off-Key."

2) Roseanne Barr - Okay, whoever hired Roseanne Barr to sing the anthem before a San Diego Padres game in 1990 better have lost their job after this incident. Not only did she botch it, she absolutely destroyed it and deserved every boo that was coming to her as she finished up. You don't screech the anthem on notes you can't hit.

1) Girl before USA-Canada hockey game - Since I don't know her name, I'll leave it at that. Anyway, the girl was Canadian and since the U.S. was the visiting country, our anthem was performed first...sort of. After messing up on the third line, she uttered "I'm sorry," and walked off the ice to get the lyrics from the hallway leading to the dressing room.

As she returned with them though, she lost her footing, slipped on the ice, fell and hit her head on the edge. You hear that? That's the Founding Fathers laughing at you for the karma you received.

Until next time, don't screw up any songs you sing in public, especially our national anthem.

Red Rising: Arizona Cardinals Will Win It All

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:08:08 -0500

In 1948, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Chicago Cardinals in the NFL Championship Game by a final of 7-0.

60 years, two Cardinals re-locations, and one merged league later, these teams met again for the conference championship.

This time the team, once located in Chicago and St. Louis but now representing the Arizona desert, defeated the Eagles to earn its first-ever Super Bowl berth.

Come February 1, this franchise will be ridiculed no more as they will be crowned world champions over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

First off, what more can one say about Kurt Warner? Here's a quarterback who seemed to have seen better days by the time he joined Arizona. Even going into this year's playoffs, surely a 9-7 team led by a passer who hadn't been a household name in some time couldn't accomplish anything.

Yeah, he had shown improvement—but come on, this is the Arizona Cardinals we're talking about here.

All that skepticism went away against Philadelphia. On Super Bowl Sunday, he will be the third-oldest quarterback to ever start the Big Game. History is on his side, though. The two players in front of him, John Elway and Johnny Unitas, both won their starts.

Warner does have a big target, and his name is Larry Fitzgerald. With 152 receiving yards against Philadelphia, he set an NFL record for the most reception yards in one postseason, passing Jerry Rice in 1988. He also caught three of Warner's four touchdown passes.

This duo most demonstrated its effectiveness in the second quarter of the NFC Championship Game during a flea-flicker when Warner connected with Fitzgerald for a 62-yard touchdown. Warner still has his arm and Fitzgerald continues to impress.

Besides the flea-flicker though, the play-action has proven to be just as dangerous. On Sunday, Warner was a perfect 4-4 when running it, and it was responsible for two of his touchdown passes.

Defensively, the MVP for the Cardinals this season is their longest tenured member: strong safety Adrian Wilson, who will be heading to the Pro Bowl along with Warner. After a bad 2007, he bounced right back in 2008 with 75 regular-season tackles.

If the Cardinals are to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy, they're going to have to do a couple things correctly.

Kurt Warner has been consistent thus far, but a tough Steelers defense is definitely going to give him fits. That tough Pittsburgh secondary will do everything in its power to cover Larry Fitzgerald and every other target out there, but Fitzgerald has created opportunities for himself the entire postseason and would love a challenge from someone like Troy Polamalu.

The Cardinals also need to do a better job holding the lead if they get it. Remember, the Eagles rebounded from a 24-6 halftime deficit for 19 unanswered points. Kurt Warner can't do it all, so he needs help on the other side of the ball. Karlos Dansby and Adrian Wilson will be counted on the most to prevent an impressive Steeler offense from reaching the end zone.

That said, it should be a great game. Like Peyton Manning did with the Bears two years ago, Warner should be able to find holes in Pittsburgh's defense. When he does, he'll have his second Super Bowl ring.

Final Score: Arizona 16, Pittsburgh 13

Bartolo Colon, Chicago White Sox Agree to Terms

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:24:36 -0500

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the White Sox have agreed to terms with pitcher Bartolo Colon regarding a one-year deal, pending a physical.

Colon, who spent 2003 with the White Sox, won four of seven starts with Boston last season with a 3.92 ERA. Apparently, he was upset about pitching out of the bullpen. As a result, the Red Sox sent him home.

Last season, he injured his back after taking violent swings at Cole Hamels. Injuries could be an issue. He should battle pitchers like Jeff Marquez and Aaron Poreda for a rotation spot during Spring Training.

Colon will give the White Sox a veteran presence on a pitching staff that lost Javier Vazquez via a trade to Atlanta.

Major League Baseball: Where the Very Best Head Off to the Biggest Markets

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:35:05 -0500

Any true baseball fan knows that many players get paid ridiculous salaries. If you're at least an above-average player in the league, you're bound to get paid big, and it'll likely be more than you're truly worth. Why more than you're truly worth? In the world of free agency, it's all about outbidding other teams in order to get your services. It shows that a team wants you, and wants you bad. In the end, you're one lucky son-of-a-gun to get the salary you earned.

There's no beating around the bush. While some teams this offseason are being more conservative with their spending, a few are still spending as much money as ever, and that's not good for the game or the other teams in the league.

How to begin this argument is easy, and it begins with the outrageous spending of the New York Yankees. While they have given tremendous salaries to big-name free agents in the past, what's gone down this offseason appears to be nowhere near what they have spent before. he three new big-name players that will help christen the new Yankee Stadium on Opening Day are C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. The three combine to be paid a salary of $423.5 million. In addition, the Yanks are paying a combined 20 years for these players' services.

However, the spending goes beyond the Evil Empire also known as the Yankees. Their inner-city rivals, the Mets, have signed Francisco Rodriguez, now baseball's all-time single-season saves leader, to a three-year, $37 million contract. Here's one that really struck me: Thirty-six-year-old Raul Ibanez signed a three-year deal with the Phillies worth $31.5 million. Ibanez is good, but he's aging and not as great as the deal suggests. More recently, the Cubs signed Milton Bradley, a Type B player who has a reputation of being one of the biggest clubhouse cancers in baseball, to a three-year, $30 million contract. There's no way a Type B player should be earning that much.

As you're reading this, you might be thinking, "Geoffrey, that's the business of baseball. You even explained this at the beginning."

I did say that, but lost in the argument is that this type of spending is not fair to the teams that don't have quite as big a payroll. When you take a look at the players I just mentioned, they came from teams like Milwaukee, Toronto, Seattle, and Texas. Out of those four teams, only Seattle had one of the top ten payrolls in baseball in 2008. Three of the new teams these players signed with (both New York teams and the Cubs) were in the top ten and out of that group, none finished below seventh in the rankings.

The trend? You won't see Manny Ramirez sign with a team like Minnesota, Milwaukee, or Tampa Bay when someone finally picks him up because their entire payrolls last season were less than Manny is likely to demand. Recent rumors suggest that he could go to the Giants, but don't count on it. Chances are he'll likely re-sign with the Dodgers or another team with a bigger market than San Francisco.

The same goes for remaining free agents such as Adam Dunn, Orlando Hudson, and Ben Sheets. Don't look for either to re-sign to with their respective teams. To do so, they'd have to have a payroll like that of the Cubs, who spent $52 million to keep Ryan Dempster around for another four years.

The bottom line: Championships aren't won by dishing out money like it grows on trees. Since the Yankees developed that attitude, they haven't won a World Series. Yes, they landed C.C. Sabathia, one of the top-three starting pitchers in the game, but is that really enough? Teams in smaller markets are trying to win as well, and they can't sign a player like Sabathia if they don't have the dough.

The team from the Bronx is becoming a monopoly, and it's proof enough that baseball needs to have a salary cap to keep this from happening again. Sadly though, I don't think one will be put into place.

Bob Babich Won't Change a Thing...and Change Is What the Chicago Bears Need

Geoffrey Clark — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:22:42 -0500

Stop me if this surprises you.

The Bears have just relieved Lloyd Lee of his duties as linebackers coach. That marks the third defensive coach to leave the Bears this offseason along with line coach Brick Haley and defensive backs coach Steve Wilks. Every Bears fan knows that all three of the mentioned units underachieved in some way in 2008.

However, the man in charge of the entire defense remains on the staff: Coordinator Bob Babich.

Okay, I guess it doesn't surprise you.

The sad thing about the Bears' organization is that everybody is way too loyal to each other. It's time for loyalties to break. The coaching staff needs to be revamped, and Babich is the next name that needs to go. The facts are there.

The current defense has been together for a few years now. They finished in the top five in the league in defense in 2005 and 2006. There was a difference though. Ron Rivera was their defensive coordinator. Following the Bears' loss in Super Bowl XLI, Rivera moved on to San Diego after his contract wasn't renewed. Babich was hired during the offseason.

Here's where loyalties come into play. Babich worked with head coach Lovie Smith when the two were in St. Louis. Coincidence? I think not.

For the last two seasons, the defense, once seen as the best for the Bears since the '85 unit, has ranked 28th and 21st respectively. After ranking in the top 10 in the league in sacks for the last three years, the Bears plummeted into a three-way tie for 22nd.

One could make the argument that the defense is just getting old. That's not why Babich needs to be fired though. He needs to be fired because of his inability to make adjustments week after week. He also clearly hasn't recognized that the rest of the league has figured out the Cover Two.

The Bears need to make a decision: Find a new defensive scheme or a new defensive coordinator. They had a whole offseason to make adjustments and bounce back from a rather poor 2007 showing. Maybe they won two more games this year, but there was little difference in strategy. Defense wins championships, and it can't work without a proper scheme.

We've seen that the coordinator isn't going to just change things up like magic. Why he hasn't done it is anyone guess. It's enough cause though to show him the door.

Top Ten Things Milton Bradley Is Likely to Do With The Chicago Cubs

Geoffrey Clark — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:06:06 -0500

The Chicago Cubs have just signed outfielder Milton Bradley to a three-year, $30 million contract.

What do you get when you cross a head case like Bradley with a franchise that hasn't won a World Series in 101 years?

The answer is simple—a top ten list about what the head case is likely to do in the coming seasons.

10) Order a hit on Kosuke Fukudome by the Japanese mafia.

9) Try to prove he's better than Mark DeRosa by playing all nine positions simultaneously.

8) Take out his frustration by taking a bat to the plumbing in the Cubs' clubhouse at Wrigley Field.

7) Demand he be the headline on the sports section of every paper in town every day.

6) Mistake Wrigley's ivy for loads of cash just for him.

5) Replace the 'W' flag with a flag imprinted with his head shot.

4) Yell to Bleacher Bum hecklers "Get a job, you hacks!"

3) Get into a graphic insult contest with Lou Piniella.

2) Face off with Carlos Zambrano in a cage match to the death.

1) Admit that he made a mistake when he signed.

Dear Barry Bonds, Please Just Go Away

Geoffrey Clark — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:17:15 -0500

Author's note: The following editorial will be given in the style of a Keith Olbermann special comment.

This day, Jan. 1, 2009, will be remembered by baseball fans for the launch of the MLB Network. Like all cable news and sports channels, tickers will be used to keep viewers up to date on the latest stories of interest.

Here was the first-ever story to come across the MLB Network's ticker: Barry Bonds has just had hip surgery with the intention of returning to baseball in 2009.

(Cut to camera B)

My take on this? Barry, you need to go away and never return to the game you so very much disgraced. The reasons are clearly there.

Even if you didn't take steroids, and it's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that you bought and used them, your age and health alone would make any team unlikely to even spark interest in you.

For example, you've just come off hip surgery and a source familiar with the story has said that you won't be 100 percent ready until Opening Day at the earliest. That makes it even more difficult for a legitimate shot at even a designated hitter spot in the American League.

Also, are you sure you still want to play? You're 44 years old. Even if you do return, having taken a full year off, your offensive numbers will be nowhere near what they once were. Regardless of whether a player has ever juiced up, there's no arguing that a 44-year-old ballplayer may have a respectable batting average, but power numbers leave something to be desired.

(Cut to camera C)

There are the legal issues. In November 2007, you were indicted on charges of perjury that you committed when you testified in front of a grand jury in 2003 regarding your BALCO ties. Your trial is set to begin on March 2, which would be during Spring Training.

Let's be clear on that. This is a trial, not like the Congressional hearing in March 2005, which only lasted one day. How can you go to trial while at the same time try to make a Major League roster you have a long shot of making anyway?

True that every club has players involved with legal issues, but yours blow any DUI out of the water.

(Cut to camera B)

There's the sentiment around baseball felt by players, managers, GMs, owners, and fans alike that you are perhaps the biggest clubhouse cancer in the history of the game. A player with a "me-first" attitude is not what any team needs or wants to have.

A player who was jealous of all the attention Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa received during the '98 home-run chase to the point where he felt the only way to keep up was to resort to the same tactics those two acted on.

A player who is just an all-around arrogant jerk whose sometimes dangerous actions have been recorded time and again. Imagine that issue rising with whatever team that may sign you in the thick of a pennant race.

Any club with an already fragile clubhouse chemistry that signs you just might be the breaking point for said club. I can only imagine the consequences and moves that might be made to rebuild it.

(Cut to camera A)

Finally, your mere presence on any team would just give said team a bad name. Heck, you still playing anywhere would be a black eye for the game of baseball. I have heard fans say that if you signed with their favorite team, they would stop attending games, cancel their season tickets, etc.

Additionally, TV and radio ratings would probably also go down. Such actions would put a team in some sort of financial turmoil and result in God knows what. Really, what owners want that for their team? Personally, I don't want you anywhere near my White Sox. I love baseball, but I don't want to give up my favorite team.

(Cut to camera C)

Outside of San Francisco, where they still treat you as if you were the Bambino himself, I don't see a place for you anywhere. I can't think of many teams who would want to have you.

I'm sure most fans don't want to hear from you ever again. You cheated your way to the top of the two most revered home-run lists. In my book, Hank Aaron is still the all-time champion. I could go on about who the true single-season champion is, but that's another argument.

ESPN and San Francisco can make you seem like Babe Ruth all they want, but in the end, you're nothing but a liar, a cheater, and a poor clubhouse presence. That's why a Major League team cannot and should not sign you ever again.

Good night, and good luck.

Chicago Bulls Infuriated By Early Flight Landing

Geoffrey Clark — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:36:05 -0500

After falling flat in the fourth quarter of a 90-77 road loss to the Miami Heat and upset over a late timeout called by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the Chicago Bulls didn't think Friday night could get any worse. As it turns out, it did.

Following the game, the Bulls players, coaches, and training staff boarded a charter flight that would take them to Atlanta for the following night's game against the Hawks. Everything was going fine until the flight crew did something that would upset the Bulls even more.

As the plane was about to exit the Florida skies, the pilot suddenly realized how important his co-pilot was and didn't want him to do something that would cause him to miss future flights.

The pilot, who wished to remain anonymous, was later quoted as saying "this is actually a very common practice in flying a plane. I wanted to get him off the flight just in case something crazy happened and give another co-pilot who doesn't have as much experience a chance to experience the cockpit."

Consequently, the plane diverted west and landed at Tallahassee Municipal Airport. The move was not well received by the Bulls. Head coach Vinny Del Negro shouted insults from his chair, which was closest to the cockpit. The crew did claim they heard him. 71-year-old assistant coach Del Harris had to be restrained by fellow assistant Bernie Bickerstaff after he came close to several flight attendants.

Forward Andres Nocioni reportedly said afterward that the flight crew clearly didn't respect the Bulls or the fact that they had a morning workout before Saturday night's game.

The switching of the co-pilots was made successfully, but the plane arrived in Atlanta a half hour late. It is not known whether this was a factor in the Bulls' loss to the Hawks earlier tonight.

Chicago Blackhawks: A Turnaround Worth Remembering

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:44:49 -0500

It was around this time last year when the Chicago Blackhawks were starting to draw attention in their hometown for the first time in years. This happened for at least two reasons: a few home games were starting to be put on TV, and this young team was starting to win these games.

One year later, the Hawks are setting team records and sparking more interest than ever before. This was emphasized tonight by a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in front of a record-breaking home crowd of 22,712 at the United Center.

They also tied a franchise record by winning their eighth straight game, a feat also accomplished in 1971 and 1981. With that, I feel the time is right to look back at why the Blackhawks are feeling a vibe not felt since perhaps the 1980s.

The Owner's Dead and the Son's in Charge

It all began on Sept. 26, 2007, when the team's longtime owner Bill Wirtz, the Ebenezer Scrooge of sports owners, died after a brief battle with cancer. Some may have joked at the time that it would mean new things for the Blackhawks without knowing that it would soon be true.

The day after Wirtz's death, his son Peter was named the new owner. Peter then passed the team on to his brother, Rocky, who according to a team source "believes in spending money to make money." This meant that once Rocky took over, changes were going to come and come quickly.

The Hawks on TV

One of the longtime complaints of the Hawks was that ownership refused to televise home games, save for a select few throughout the year, for fear that doing so would cut into ticket sales. Let's face it, though, over the last several years under the old regime, fans still weren't coming out.

The hometown Wolves of the AHL even outdrew them on some nights. If not for the recent string of events, an entire generation of Hawks fans might have been lost.

The string began nearly a month after Bill's death when Rocky announced that the team was negotiating with Chicago's Comcast SportsNet affiliate to televise some home games. Preexisting conditions disallowed the remaining home games to be televised.

Still, it allowed Chicago sports fans to see how exciting the Hawks were. This season, longtime announcer Pat Foley is back after a two-year absence, games are also being shown for free on WGN, and most importantly, all games are now on TV.

A New President

Perhaps the best thing Rocky has done since taking over the organization is hiring former Chicago Cubs president John McDonough to the same position. As the club has improved, so has its marketing.

McDonough is the genius behind it. The Blackhawks fan convention he created was a huge success in the off-season. At that event, 20-year-old center Jonathan Toews was named as the newest team captain, the third-youngest in NHL history.

Not only was McDonough also behind the team's decision to broadcast all games on TV for the first time in history, but he also moved the radio broadcasts to WGN radio.

It was likely his Cubs connection that influenced the decision to hold this year's Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Both the Cubs and White Sox also now have partnerships with the Blackhawks.

McDonough was at Game 7 of last year's AHL West Division Finals between the Wolves and the Hawks' affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. My dad recognized him in the stands and during the first intermission, he went up to him and thanked him for bringing hockey back to Chicago.

Of course, the Wolves have won four championships over the last 11 seasons, but since they're a minor-league team, they've never been the main story on the sports page.

The Legends Are Back

Blackhawk legends Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita may have had their numbers retired by the team back when they played at the old Chicago Stadium, but up until Bill Wirtz's death, they were not on good terms with him and thus disassociated themselves with the organization.

That all changed last March 7 when the two were invited back to be honored on a night when they were welcomed back as goodwill ambassadors.

Twelve days later, former goaltender Tony Esposito was also honored and brought back to the team in the same way. Further, former player Steve Larmer was honored before a game earlier this month and the No. 3 jersey was recently retired for Pierre Pilote and the late Keith Magnuson.

It's hard to imagine all these legends being welcomed back with such warm arms in less than one calendar year (though Magnuson was never on bad terms with the team), but it's happened.

Success on the Ice

Of course, all of the above means nothing if the product isn't producing on the ice. Despite missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season in 2007-08, the Hawks had their first winning season in six years.

All they've done so far this year is improve on that in a big way. It began on the first day of free agency when they signed goaltender Cristobal Huet and defenseman Brian Campbell, whose $57.12 million contract is the largest in team history.

Firing head coach Denis Savard just four games into the season and replacing him with Joel Quenneville was confusing to many and met with mixed reactions. Still, the team is just three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for first place in the Central Division, which could make the Winter Classic that much more important.

We'll never know if Savard would have produced the same results, but I don't think Hawks fans are going to argue with what they've seen thus far.

The results are feeling their effects throughout the league. 2007's top draft pick Patrick Kane, last season's Calder Trophy winner, is tied for fourth in the league with 41 points, lighting the lamp himself 16 times. Center Patrick Sharp is ranked fifth with 19 goals and has an impressive 19% shooting percentage.

In between the pipes, Huet and Nikolai Khabibulin have both proven they could start at any time for any team, so Quenneville could probably draw straws to determine who gets the start if he wants to.

Oh Yeah, the Fans Have Noticed

The fans have rewarded Kane and Toews by making him them the top two vote-getters for the Western Conference in All-Star Game voting. Campbell is second in voting for Western Conference defensemen.

The last Blackhawk to start an All-Star Game was Chris Chelios in 1997. It looks like the team will be well-represented this year.

As someone who really only votes for the MLB All-Star Game, I know that the players elected to start are usually the players who are marketed the best. There's no way what's happened in All-Star voting thus far was not mostly fueled by Hawks fans.

That shouldn't be surprising, considering the team is leading the NHL in home attendance. In overall attendance, they are second to the Montreal Canadiens, who also look to be well-represented in the All-Star Game due to players receiving high voting numbers.

Conclusion

We're not even halfway through the hockey season and the Blackhawks have done everything mentioned above. This means things are only going to get better until the regular season ends.

A division championship would do wonders, since no championship banners have been added to the rafters since they moved to the United Center. The Winter Classic will likely beat out every college bowl game in the Chicago market on New Year's Day and even be competitive amongst the bowl games nationwide.

The team's first playoff berth since 2002 looks to be a lock. Whatever they do in the postseason is anyone's guess.

What doesn't need guessing though is that the Hawks are for real and with what they have, they are going to be a threat in the NHL for quite some time. Then one day, hopefully soon, the Cup will be hoisted once again.

"Here come the Hawks, the mighty...Blaaa-aaackhawks..."

The Champions of 2008

Geoffrey Clark — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:21:17 -0500

Now that 2008 is drawing to a close, what better way to salute it than to pay tribute to those who conquered all this year? Not just the teams, but those who accomplished individual success as well as one sports fan who achieved the highest office in the land. We had champions that were expected, champions that weren't so expected, and those who proved they have to courage to go out and play regardless of the circumstances. People in the world of sports also redeemed themselves in going as high as they could possibly go, thus erasing what they had or had not done in the past. Also included in this slideshow are the top Olympic performers. This only happens every four years, so hey, why not? Enjoy a look back at the winners in one of the most exciting sports seasons in recent memory.

Begin Slideshow

AL West: Midseason Report

Geoffrey Clark — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:23:31 -0400

The reason the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in first place in the West this season is indeed their pitching in both departments.

Let's start with the rotation. You're not going to find many weak spots in this five-man setup, that is if any weak spots exist. Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana are the ringleaders, with respective record/ERA lines of 12-5/3.07 and 11-3/3.34.

Saunders' 12 wins are tied for the lead in the AL, and Santana has 112 punchouts on the year. Don't forget about Jon Garland and Jered Weaver in the mix too. Like Santana, Weaver is a strikeout pitcher, as proved by having 88 of those in 2008.

Then of course, what more can one say about closer Francisco Rodriguez. The guy's leading the bigs with 37 saves. As long as he's there to close out games, the Angels will be the team to beat in their division.

The Halos don't hit for a lot of power, despite Vladimir Guerrero's 15 home runs on the year. They are more likely to wreck havoc on the basepaths. Chone Figgins and Torii Hunter have respective totals of 16 and 10 stolen bases. As long as the hitters give their pitching staff a chance to win, they will stay in first place for the rest of the season.

What is it about the Oakland Athletics? They were supposed to be in a rebuilding phase this year. Yet they find themselves alive and well in the AL West. It appears that GM Billy Beane's "Moneyball" philosophy is working once again.

What's the best evidence for that claim? How about the pitching staff's ERA of 3.39, the best in the game? The leader of the rotation is none other than Justin Duchscherer, who has a 10-5 record and an unbelievable ERA of 1.78.

Rookie Greg Smith and Dana Eveland both have ERAs that are less than 3.50. The loss of Rich Harden might hurt the team this year, but one can't help but be impressed by the young guns A's fans have become accustomed to watching.

While the pitchers have been doing their jobs however, the hitters have not. The team's .250 batting average is second worst in the American League, and is also in a three-way tie for the second fewest home runs in the AL.

As I assess this A's team, they remind me a lot of the 2005 Chicago Bears, who had the NFL's best defense but one of the worst offenses. That is exactly what is going on in Oakland.

The only difference between football and baseball is that a baseball team can't score runs when it's in the field. If I were an Oakland fan, I would be happy on how the rotation gives the team a chance to win, but frustrated that the team could probably be in first place if the bats were warmer.

The area where the Texas Rangers play is hot, and that's also what the team's offense is this year. The Rangers are in a three-way tie for the league's best batting average, and have the league's best slugging percentage. They have also driven in the most runs of anybody so far this season.

The answer to the question of who's the catalyst of this offense is easy: Josh Hamilton. His .314 average, 21 homers, and league-leading 95 RBIs gave the fans cause to reward him with a starting spot for the AL in the outfield of this year's All-Star Game.

Ian Kinsler, Milton Bradley, and Michael Young boast respective averages of .333, .314, and .304. Bradley also has 18 homers and 55 RBI, and will start at DH for the AL on Tuesday in place of the injured David Ortiz.

Outfielder David Murphy has been another surprise, as he has driven in 60 runs of his own. These bats should give the fans in Arlington reason to cheer all summer long.

What isn't giving the fans reason to cheer is the pitching staff. Their 5.04 ERA is the worst in the American League. They are also near the bottom in strikeouts, with 539. Vicente Padilla has 10 wins to lead the team, but that's the only good thing that can be said.

Even if you have all the offensive weapons in the world, you're not going to win many ballgames with dud pitching. That's why the Rangers won't be anywhere near playoff contention come the final month of the season.

Last and definitely least are the Seattle Mariners. They are the first team in baseball this season to be 20 games out of first place in any division. Is there any good in the Pacific Northwest however? Let's take a look.

Ichiro Suzuki's .305 batting average and 34 stolen bases obviously gave the fans enough reason to vote him into the starting outfield for the AL in the All-Star Game.

Or maybe it was just because he's Ichiro. Whatever the reason, he's in. Second baseman Jose Lopez is having a career year batting .299, and Adrian Beltre has clubbed 16 homers.

However the Mariners have struggled at the plate this year, as they are in last place in the American League in RBIs. They just got rid of some deadwood by releasing the struggling Richie Sexson. That's not going to change things in Seattle right away though.

Pitching has only been about average this year and has taken some hits. The most recent case is Erik Bedard, who was just placed on the DL. Contending teams won't go after him at the deadline if he doesn't prove he can stay healthy.

If there's anything positive to say about the pitching, it's about Felix Hernandez. He's having another great year with a 2.95 ERA and 101 strikeouts. Really though, with the pitching not making much noise and the offense beyond rotten, don't expect this team to contend anywhere anytime soon.

Prediction: This one's a no-brainer. While both the Angels and A's have strong pitching, Oakland is not going anywhere with their offense. The Halos will win the West once again.

Listen to me talk about all my midseason reports this Sunday on WONC, FM 89.1 from 6-8 PM on "From the Upper Deck." To hear best on a regular radio, you'll need to live within a 30-mile radius of Naperville, IL. Everyone else can listen online at WONC.org.

AL Central: Midseason Report

Geoffrey Clark — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:52:13 -0400

As a White Sox fan, you'd probably expect me to start this report off with my first-place team. Before I do that, however, there's another team in the division I want to touch upon first.

Remember during baseball's Winter Meetings when the Detroit Tigers traded pretty much their entire farm system to the Marlins for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis?

That's when people thought the Tigers, who were one year removed from a World Series berth, now had the lineup to be considered one of the most feared in the history of the game.

A couple of things went wrong, however. The team started poorly and was soon in last place in the Central. Dontrelle Willis pitched so poorly after a stint on the DL that he was sent all the way down to Single-A Lakeland on June 10. He hasn't even won a game with the big-league club yet.

If you want to talk about a waste of money, take the three-year, $29 million contract extension the Tigers signed Willis to on Dec. 20. It's been quite a drop off from a pitcher who helped lead the Marlins to a World Series title just a few years ago.

Things have improved in the Motor City since then, as the Tigers have moved up to third place and put themselves back in contention. The offense features one of the top batting averages in the league, and Cabrera has been worth the hype.

The other top hitters in the lineup are Placido Polanco, Curtis Granderson, and Marcus Thames, who has 17 homers.

Rookie Armando Galarraga has proven to be the best pitcher in the rotation with a 7-3 record and a 3.27 ERA. Justin Verlander, thought to be the ace of the staff at the beginning of the year, has a less-than-stellar record but has recorded 88 strikeouts.

The rest of the staff however has not done so well, which is why the Tigers rank dead last in the league in strikeouts.

A team ERA in the lower third of all of baseball has been a sure sign that the Tigers have been hurting, especially in the bullpen. That 'pen will have to be healthy in the second half if the Tigers want to make a playoff run.

The reason the Chicago White Sox are in first place is because of their pitching. Their ERA ranks second in all of baseball; yet that staff will not be represented in this year's All-Star Game. The biggest snub has to be sophomore John Danks, whose 2.52 ERA is third in the American League.

Danks was a question mark at the start of the season, as was Gavin Floyd, who boasts a 10-5 record and a 3.63 ERA. Mark Buehrle struggled at first, but has brought his ERA down to 3.68. Javier Vazquez has gotten the job done in the strikeout category with 117. Without question, this rotation is stellar from top to bottom.

The traditionally homer-happy White Sox are clubbing the ball out of the park again this year. Their 125 dingers are the most in the American League.

The surprise of the offense is undoubtedly Carlos Quentin, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Arizona. Quentin's 21 homers and 66 RBIs have earned him a trip to New York for his first All-Star Game.

Just as deserving of an All-Star spot is Jermaine Dye, who lost out in the final vote. If a .297 average, 20 homers, and 53 RBIs are not enough to get someone into the game, then the whole system is flawed.

Jim Thome and Joe Crede have also led the way for the Pale Hose by hitting 'em out of the park. There's no reason this team can't be considered legitimate.

Nipping at the heels of the White Sox, however, are the Minnesota Twins. One might think the losses of Johan Santana and Torii Hunter would hurt this team. Not quite.

The M&M duo of Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer have respective batting averages of .324 and .323. Morneau has also chipped in with 68 RBIs. Young outfielder Carlos Gomez, acquired in the Santana deal, has stolen 21 bases.

The Twins as a whole have batted .279 and driven in 436 runs, third-best in the AL in both categories. They've also hit the fewest home runs on the junior circuit with 63, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for this team.

Nick Blackburn has a 7-4 record and a 3.72 ERA. Livan Hernandez has the most wins in the rotation with nine. The pitching staff may not be the best, but Joe Nathan has 26 saves.

To stay in the race for the Central, the Twins will need more stellar pitching and have to feed off the hot-hitting duo of Morneau and Mauer.

The Kansas City Royals are on their way to another disappointing finish, but they can still avoid the cellar, which they have kept warm over the last few years. Here are a few reasons why.

Mark Grudzielanek and David DeJesus are both hitting over .305. That's helped the Royals as a team hit for the eighth-best average in the league.

Brian Bannister and Zach Greinke both have seven wins on the year, with Greinke pushing 104 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.48. Joakim Soria is one of the top closers in the game with 25 saves and a 1.50 ERA.

Of course, there are the reasons they might finish in last once again. They are next-to-last in the AL in RBIs, on-base percentage, and team ERA. They're not ready to compete in the division just yet, but there is still cause for hope for the future in Kansas City.

Honestly, has there been a bigger disappointment in all of baseball this year than the Cleveland Indians? Sure, Grady Sizemore continues to be the best young outfielder in the game, and Cliff Lee has put up numbers that should make him the starter for the American League in this year's All-Star Game.

Overall however, the Indians have been a downright disappointment. Picked by many as the team to challenge the Tigers for the AL Central crown, they have instead fallen off the map and into last in their division.

The trade of C.C. Sabathia signaled that they were throwing in the towel for the 2008 season. After winning the first game of a series against state rival Cincinnati, they lost the next two and then got swept by the top three teams in the Central to complete a 10-game losing streak and a dive into the cellar.

One could make the argument that the Tribe has been hampered by injuries all year. They definitely have a case there.

Jake Westbrook is out for the year and Victor Martinez and Josh Barfield are on the DL for quite a period of time. They also just released closer Joe Borowski after having a disappointing season. Borowski's struggles are likely the reason the Indians have the fewest saves in the American League.

There's little doubt in my mind that people in Ohio are calling it quits on this season and have turned talk to the Buckeyes and Browns.

Prediction: The White Sox and Twins will battle it out all the way to the last week of the season, during which Chicago's pitching staff will prove itself superior to Minnesota's and give their team the AL Central crown.

On Deck: AL West