AL CENTRAL, NBA DRAFT AND NHL FREE AGENCY

Before we get into the meat of things, let me pass along a great buy this weekend. Remember those great chicken sandwiches at Burger King?  This weekend the burger giant is offering a return to yester-year. For $1.04 you can get your hands on perhaps their best product in the house.  No sure why B.K. is not having the promotion extend through Wednesday, but never the less, grab one.  Are you salivating yet?

Speaking of salivating, as most of you know, I am a huge Chicago White Sox fan.  If, and I say that loosely, if, the Sox continue to improve each and every game, then they'll need to be put into the category of teams to reckon with.  First-year manager, Robin Ventura has been a steading influence. Ventura's demeanor and calmness has made a big difference in the entire team.  Since acquiring third baseman Kevin Youkilis from the Boston Red Sox this week, the White Sox are 4-1.  Last night's 14-7 win over the New York Yankees should make people wake up and begin including the ChiSox as a true pennant contender.  Friday, rookie pitcher Jose Quintana showed guts and grit as he overcame a disastrous start.  Quintana entered the game with a 16 plus inning scoreless streak and had not walked a batter in the last 100 plate appearances.  Remarkable for any pitcher, let alone a rookie.  Those nice plaudits went up in "smoke" in the first inning when the Yankees scored 4 times and Quintana walked a batter.  No doubt, Quintana, a former Yankee farmhand, was wanting to show his former mates his worth.  Somehow, despite not having anywhere near his best stuff, Quintana was able to work through six innings and turn it over to the bullpen for nine outs rather than taking an early exit.  The bullpen is going to be a key for any serious contender this season. A solution? Chicago needs to look at acquiring a veteran arm like lefthander Darren Oliver from Toronto.  Oliver is enjoying a standout season and he would provide instant strength to a young, but beat up relief corp.  Jesse Crain's injury issues and Brian Bruney's recent addition to the disabled list are two examples.

Today's matinee against New York could enable the Sox to win the four-game series (they've won the first two).  White Sox hurler Jake Peavy takes the mound hoping to continue a Yankee downslide since losing pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettite on Wednesday.  Currently, Chicago enjoys a 3.5 game lead over Cleveland and 5.0 over Detroit.  Both the Indians and Tigers are struggling with their pitching at the present time.  Unless they get things righted, both might be looking up at another team SOON.  The new threat?  The Kansas City Royals.  Kansas City overcame a disastrous start to the season and have scratched back into the conversation.  The Royals are 1/2 game back of Detroit and closing quickly.  The return of catcher Salvador Perez from injury boosts the K.C. chances.  The young Royals could pose big problems down the stretch.

A new star on the horizon?

The NBA Draft was held Thursday night.  Yawn.  Frankly, I found the proceedings rather boring.  And Commissioner David Stern's antics were far from professional.  Stern felt he needed to throw a few barbs (hand signaling his ears to hear more boos) at an audience that was less than appreciative of his appearance.
Once Charlotte decided to keep the number two choice and select Michael Kidd-Gilchrist it meant any big trade or first round scurry was out the window.  After the Bobcats selected Gilchrist, the Washington Wizards got the guard they so desperately needed in Bradley Beal from Florida.  Beal could be a big-time scorer for a team that sorely lacks an outside threat. Beal and point guard John Wall in the same Wizards backcourt will be young and exciting.  At least the Wizards are seeking to change their team personna.  Perhaps the knucklehead days are past and a new culture emerges.  Washington has been a sorry example of team management, coaching and team stability for some time now.  The surprise to me was the 4th selection of the draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Cleveland selected Syracuse guard Dion Waiters.  For days it appeared the Cavaliers were trying to trade up to take Beal, but instead opted for a player that has never started a collegiate game.  And that's in over 70 games played.  Not one.  To say this is a tough league to figure out is an understatement.  Unfortunatley, we'll probably see the count continue for LeBron this season.  "Not one, not two".....  

There could be some big names changing hats in the National Hockey League come Sunday.  Free agency begins July 1st and the name of Ryan Suter heads the list.  The Nashville Predator defenseman will be making some big dollars soon, but the location is somewhat murky.  Minnesota, Detroit and Chicago head the list.  Look for a flurry of trades and player movement.  Bobby Ryan, Rich Nash and Alexander Semin are a few names to keep your eyes on.  A name to remember is defenseman Matt Carle of Philadelphia.  He might turn out to be one of the better bargains.  One things is sure about the NHL...teams are not afraid to deal.

Don't forget the chicken sandwich!!!

Thanks for reading,

John  

YOUKILIS COULD BE SPIRALLING EFFECT FOR SOX

If you're a Chicago White Sox fan, you might want to mark down the date, June 24th.  That's almost five weeks before the non-waiver deadline date of July 31st.....and it's a date Sox fans can look at when the Southsiders acquired  Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis.    

Why is this acquisition so important?   First, is gives the Sox a much needed boost at a position that has been a big black hole all year.  Chicago third baseman had collectively hit only one home run this season and their batting average was a league low.  So that will be an upgrade......as will the on-base percentage.  Youkilis has an outstanding on base percentage...or had.  Hopefully he can return to a partial form of his past numbers.

He just needs to "grind" to show the way....

But the real reason for optimism, I feel, is how it sets the lineup in a 1-9 order.  Youkilis is penciled into second in the batting order tonight against Minnesota...just before major league home run leader Adam Dunn.  Think Dunn isn't excited to have someone batting before him that forces the opposing pitcher to show his full allotment of pitches?  For the young hitters in the White Sox lineup....the plate discipline of not only Paul Konerko, but now Kevin Youkilis will be something they can see the importance of.  But more than anything, the presence of Youkilis, will enable General Manager to work on one other item of concern, the bench.

Orlando Hudson, Tyler Flowers, Jordan Danks and Eduardo Escobar are not names you'd consider as bench strength.....yet there could be some answers there.  Danks has shown some ability in his early since since joining the team several weeks ago.  He has base stealing ability and is known to be a superior defender.  Catcher Flowers is probably set.  So the question is, do you keep Hudson or Escobar?  I'd dump Hudson and call up infielder/outfielder/DH Dan Johnson from Charlotte.  Johnson is a left-handed threat off the bench and has hit 18 homers in his minor league action this season.  Not to mention, he's played post-season ball.  Case in point, the home run he hit last year for Tampa Bay in the bottom of the ninth against the New York Yankees.  At least with Johnson on the pine, there would always be an opportunity for the long ball.  Escobar is a good-looking youngster with great up.  I question if we see injured 3B Brent Morel at all this season

With an upgraded bench, the only concern then would be how the pitching staff lines up.  Jake Peavy, Chris Sale, surprise Jose Quintana and Gavin Floyd should be able to keep the ship afloat until John Danks returns in mid-to-late July.  And then there's Philip Humber.  He will return sometime soon, too, perhaps in long relief....but whatever the role, you have arms and numbers.  The bullpen is a mixture of experience and youth.  But they can all bring HEAT.  Was the acquisition of Youkilis the right one?  I think so.  Should they have gone after a pitcher instead?  I say "no".  Mainly because they have little if anything to give up in their minor league system to trade.  So let the spiralling begin.  

Sit back, relax and strap it down.  You might have fallen into one delirious fun time, ChiSox fans.

Thanks for reading,

John

NOT SO ROSY TIME IN THE SPORTS WORLD

As preparations for the 2012 NHL Draft reach their final hours before tonight's 1st round selections begin,  there should be a excited buzz in the sports world.  And let's not forget the NCAA Baseball Championships going on in Omaha, Nebraska.  Defending Champion South Carolina faces off with Arkansas, the winner getting the automatic bid into the finals against Arizona.  Yes, these should be great times.  Should be.

But look what's taking a great majority of the headlines.  The Jerry Sandusky trial and LeBron James winning his first of his so called 8 NBA Championships.

Let's take the Sandusky thing first.  As jurors deliberated into the evening last night, one of Sandusky's adopted sons came forward for the first time to say his father abused him.  Matt Sandusky, 33, was prepared to testify for prosecutors at the trial, his attorneys said in a statement.  The statement didn't specify the alleged abuse. Strange how this comes out after the jury hears closing arguments and head into deliberation.

The elder Sandusky, who faces life in prison if convicted of 48 counts of abuse of 10 boys over 15 years, was smiling and chuckling to himself as prosecutors wrapped up closing arguments.  His wife, Dottie, leaned forward in her seat with a concerned look, resting her chin in her hands.

I smell some bad cheese here.  I just don't like the way things are going considering the jury has asked to have the testimony read of Mike McQueary and a doctor who challenged the testimony of McQueary, family friend, Dr. Jonathan Dranov, who said that McQueary told him a different version of the story that didn't include the then-graduate assistant seeing sexual conduct.  However, McQueary testified that he hadn't told Dranov all that he saw.

Three charges were dropped the other day by the presiding judge lowering the count total to 48.  If this man, and I use the term loosely, wiggles out of  this legal matter, we all need to have our collective minds reset.  This is downright child abuse in its largest dose.

UPDATE:  9:37 P.M. 6/22/12  Jerry Sandusky was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse.

 And then there is LeBron.  First off, I must say, I marvel at his athletic ability.  He is unique in his total dominance of the game of basketball.  There might be not another like him....ever.  Yet, I found myself turning the game off early in the fourth quarter when I became evident Oklahoma City was not going to rally and LeBron would win that elusive first title.

For some reason.....probably the "Decision" reason, I can not get myself to embrace this great athlete.  It's his arrogance, his attitude and his demeanor.  I just don't like it.  Fans in Miami are ecstatic today.  They have their Championship.  But I can't help wondering what James will do next.  Stay tuned for the sequel, "The Next Decision"..

 Thanks for reading,

 John