By Phil RogersTalking baseball while saying good morning to Justin Leonard, one of the many good guys on the PGA Tour:
1. Ernie Banks knows the one qualification he wants in Richard Daley's replacement as mayor -- that he or she's a Cubs fan.
"The White Sox have more political people following them than the Cubs,'' Banks lamented during an appearance at the Highland Park library last week. "I couldn't get Mayor Richard J. Daley to come to Wrigley Field.''
Banks said he's known Barack Obama since he "was a civil rights lawyer at the University of Chicago,'' and that it pains him to see the president so frequently in his trademark White Sox lid. He says he has pleaded with him to mix in a Cubs game every now and then.
"I've been talking to him, working with his staff
and all
that,'' Banks said. "Before he decided to run, I was telling him you have to be neutral, you
have to
pull for both teams. All he did was smile. Then he'd put on his White
Sox cap.
I saw him throw out balls in St. Louis, Washington ... he is just so
committed
to the White Sox. What is it about the White Sox when people are so
committed
to them? What is it? And why do they get all the politicians from Chicago?''
The moderator of the event -- me -- then told Banks that the Cubs recently had been the team of choice for one prominent Chicago politician: Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
2. If the playoffs started tomorrow, these would be the matchups: Rangers at Yankees, Rays at Twins, Reds at Phillies and Braves at Padres. This would not delight fans in Texas, as the Rangers have never played anyone else in October. They're 1-9 against the Pinstripes, losing nine in a row since winning Game 1 of the 1996 Division Series.
The best matchup of the four current first-round series is Rays-Twins, and right now you'd probably pick the Twins to end their streak of four consecutive first-round exits. They're playing better than the Rays, who suddenly have pitching questions behind ace David Price.
The NL playoff field is about as balanced as you can get. If the four teams set to go were in the same division, here's how the standings would look at the moment: 1) Phillies, 2. Padres, half-game back, 3. Braves, half-game back, 4. Reds, 1 game back. In winning 11 of their last 14, the Phillies have gone from probably missing the playoffs to positioning themselves as the slightest of favorites to win a third consecutive pennant. Cole Hamels has thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings in this stretch, allowing only 11 hits. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Hamels are now the best trio of starters in the majors, with Joe Blanton a solid No. 4.
3. Props to Brewers manager Ken Macha for giving Trevor Hoffman a chance to reach the 600-save plateau despite losing the closer's job to John Axford in June. The Brewers handled a delicate situation well, and with saves on Aug. 7, Aug. 18 and Aug. 29 Hoffman moved into position to get No. 600 on Tuesday. Earlier this season, Macho had said privately he'd like to help Hoffman get to 600 but wanted to keep his job too. It remains to be seen if he has done both, as owner Mark Attanasio will review the Brewers' entire management after a disappointing season. But Macha's team has finished about where you'd expect one with second-division pitching to finish.
Complete collapse seemed possible after a 16-27 start, but the Brewers are playing better in the second half than the first, which will complicate the decision-making process for Attanasio and, unless he's sacked for the lack of pitching, GM Doug Melvin. Working against Macha is that there will be a number of interesting managerial candidates available after the season. Could Melvin lure Joe Torre or Bobby Valentine to Milwaukee? Maybe Ryne Sandberg if he's bypassed by the Cubs? It's an interesting call no matter what.
The moderator of the event -- me -- then told Banks that the Cubs recently had been the team of choice for one prominent Chicago politician: Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
2. If the playoffs started tomorrow, these would be the matchups: Rangers at Yankees, Rays at Twins, Reds at Phillies and Braves at Padres. This would not delight fans in Texas, as the Rangers have never played anyone else in October. They're 1-9 against the Pinstripes, losing nine in a row since winning Game 1 of the 1996 Division Series.
The best matchup of the four current first-round series is Rays-Twins, and right now you'd probably pick the Twins to end their streak of four consecutive first-round exits. They're playing better than the Rays, who suddenly have pitching questions behind ace David Price.
The NL playoff field is about as balanced as you can get. If the four teams set to go were in the same division, here's how the standings would look at the moment: 1) Phillies, 2. Padres, half-game back, 3. Braves, half-game back, 4. Reds, 1 game back. In winning 11 of their last 14, the Phillies have gone from probably missing the playoffs to positioning themselves as the slightest of favorites to win a third consecutive pennant. Cole Hamels has thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings in this stretch, allowing only 11 hits. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Hamels are now the best trio of starters in the majors, with Joe Blanton a solid No. 4.
3. Props to Brewers manager Ken Macha for giving Trevor Hoffman a chance to reach the 600-save plateau despite losing the closer's job to John Axford in June. The Brewers handled a delicate situation well, and with saves on Aug. 7, Aug. 18 and Aug. 29 Hoffman moved into position to get No. 600 on Tuesday. Earlier this season, Macho had said privately he'd like to help Hoffman get to 600 but wanted to keep his job too. It remains to be seen if he has done both, as owner Mark Attanasio will review the Brewers' entire management after a disappointing season. But Macha's team has finished about where you'd expect one with second-division pitching to finish.
Complete collapse seemed possible after a 16-27 start, but the Brewers are playing better in the second half than the first, which will complicate the decision-making process for Attanasio and, unless he's sacked for the lack of pitching, GM Doug Melvin. Working against Macha is that there will be a number of interesting managerial candidates available after the season. Could Melvin lure Joe Torre or Bobby Valentine to Milwaukee? Maybe Ryne Sandberg if he's bypassed by the Cubs? It's an interesting call no matter what.
Most people of importance have to be of sound mind. Any other foolish questions?
What about new statues for former greats Jose Cardinal, Milt Pappas and Joe Pepitone. Those are just a few of the great players in Cubbies history.
Ernie Banks, "What is it about the White Sox when people are so committed to them? What is it?"
Does that question really need to be asked?
The cubs don't need another 100 years of bad luck...BArry should can stay a sux fan.
Jeez, it's not enough that the cubs are the media darlings of chicago, that they get the lions share of the attention for doing absolutely nothing. Now the new mayor MUST be a cubs fan too? Paleeze!!!!