It is early May and already the warning signs are here.  No lead is safe in the 9th inning for the White Sox.  If the Cubs strings hits together, they might win a game.  The Cubs have the pitching that the Sox don't.  Meanwhile Paul Konerko is leading the majors in the early going with 13 homers.  And Alex Rios is living up to his contract, batting .320 and hitting for power. 

If only Beckham and Carlos Quinton would start to hit, the Sox might be a little more competitive.  But blowing a 7-5 lead in the 9th is not the answer.  The White Sox had the game in the bag vs. the Blue Jays the other day, but Bobby Jenks, who pitches like a daredevil on a tightrope, finally got hammered and gave up 4 runs in the top of the 9th.  That's a blown save and a loss.  You can say it is early.  But that is a tough loss period.

Continue reading "Baseball's a Bust in Chitown"

The big news in Chicago sports is not the Bears, or Cubs nor White Sox.  It is not the Bulls either.  No, here we are in May and the Chicago Blackhawks are on the verge of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals.  The last time was in 1992 and the Penguins came away with the Cup. 

Here is hoping the Hawks can do it this year.  They have a 3-0 lead vs. San Jose, who despite being down in the series, has played well.  But the Hawks are moving forward and Chicago is excited to have a team in the Finals of something.

This team is well rounded and has scoring and very good defense. Goalie Niemi has answered the bell in goal, and has been very good in the playoffs.  Just what the Hawks need at this point.  Jonathan Toews is the real deal and has played at times, spectacularly.  Dave Bolland has scored key goals as well as Dustin Byfugliin.  Patrick Kane has put togther a solid series, assisting on goals.  Kane and Toews are the stars of the team and have broken through this season.  No one can dispute their talents.  Duncan Keith is also having a great playoffs on defense. 

Continue reading "Here Come the 'Hawks"

It's been a long time, since 1961, that the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, one of the most revered trophies in all of sport.  You start out in the late summer in training camp, go to pre-season in late September and start playing by mid October.  The season ends in April.  Then it's a second season of breathless, fast-paced, high energy hockey, the playoffs, which runs for eight weeks.  If your team wins the Stanley Cup, you truly earn it.

Chicago has a shot again.  The last time they were this close was in 1992.  But "Super Mario" played for Pittsburgh, and his will and play picked up the Penguins. 

The Hawks won yesterday's game 4-2.  They scored four straight goals to blow by a stubborn and pesky San Jose Sharks team.  They swept the Sharks in 4 games, but they were not easy wins.  Last year the Blackhawks lost to Detroit in the Conference Finals.  That playoff series gave this team a learning lesson that it took to heart.  And, it is paying off now.

Continue reading "Blackhawks Reach For the Cup"

The Chicago Cubs may not be that bad afterall.  The Cubs beat the hot Dodgers 3-0 Tuesday night behind the pitching of Rick Dempster and the hitting of Derrick Lee.  Lee whose bat has been in hiberation since the start of the season had 3 hits including a 2 run HR to back Dempster's solid effort.

Dempster 3-4 for the year pitched like he's 8-0.  He has the stuff and he showed it last night, giving up only 3 hits, before leaving late in the game.  If Chicago wants to be in the Central Division race they will need more productlion from Lee and Amaris Ramirez who has been dogged by injuries this season.  Lee is hitting .231, far below his average.  He is bound to hit soon.  This clubs has more hits in them.  Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez are capable of producing home runs and rbi"s.

Continue reading "Cubs Beat Dodgers 3-0, Close In On .500"

We know the Chicago Blackhawkss will open the Stanley Finals at home.  But will they be able to win and hoist the Cup on home ice?  That remains to be seen.  The series starts Saturday night and it will be a rollicking finals.  Both teams will bang the boards and each other.  We may see some fights.  We will certainly see goals. 

The question is can Antti Niemi continue his great playoff run for another ten days?  Whoever has the hot goalie will win the Finals.  Defense always wins it.  The Blackhawks have a great defensive corps and the guys need to step up now.

There is plenty of talent to go around.  The Hawks have four solid lines and are deep defensively.  Niemi has been terrific down the stretch. 

Continue reading "Hawks To Hoist Cup?"

If the Chicago Cubs are thinking of making any noise this summer they need to beat their rival, the St. Louis Cards, today and tomorrow.  The Cubs are five games behind the Cincy Reds, the surprise of the Division, so far.  But St. Louis, is right in the hunt and they are loaded once again with talent.  Albert Pujols, perhaps the dangerous hitter in the league, anchors their lineup.  When he is on, you simply don't pitch to him.  The starting rotaton with Chris Carpenter poised to have another fine year, is solid.  The Cards find a way to get it done.  Something the Cubs haven't managed to do.

When you talk about the Cubs you always have to add "if" as in "if" it rains, there may be a rainout.  If the middle of the order starts hitting, the Cubs will be in some games, "if" the pitching can hold up, that will be a factor.  One thing for sure, it will be a hot summer.  Maybe Aramis Ramirez will bond with the heat, and start cracking out hits and homers.

Continue reading "Cubs Need To Win Games vs. Cards"

The Chicago Blackhawks won a 2-1 thriller to take a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Antti Niemi, the Blackhawks goalie was simply awesome in net as he made one great save after another to lead Chicago in a pulsating win.  The Finals resume with Game 3 back in Philadelphia.

As pourous as the Chicago defense was in their 6-5 win in Game one, Niemi and the defense was terrific in holding off a desperate Flyers effort.  Niemi made 32 saves, some of those defied description.  He was all over the crease and net, and cut off angles and made hard saves look easy coming up with some amazing blocks.  He was on his game.

The Hawks broke through for 2 quick goals and held on as fans gasped at the frenetic end to end action.  Earlier I wrote that Chicago would have to play well because the Flyers would push them.  In this game Philadephia pushed the Hawks to a high level, perhaps the best game we've seen them play in the playoffs thus far.  The Hawks played smart, and didn't take stupid penalties, and the score might have been higher except that Leighton made equally stellar saves for Philly.

Continue reading "Niemi Sparkles in 2-1 'Hawks Win"