Stu is skipping town for the Holiday weekend, so he asked me to pinch hit for him. It's pretty exciting, since this is the first time I've had the keys to the Full Court Press car since the end of the 'Roman Era'. For those that are new around here the last few months, I'll quickly introduce myself. I'm Ricky O'Donnell, the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential and one of the editors of the Sun-Times' fantasy blog. I'll be here through the week so please continue to check in.
The unofficial halfway mark of the 2009 baseball season is almost here. In two weeks, baseball's finest will head to St. Louis for the All-Star Game. Who from the Cubs and White Sox deserves to participate? Let's take a look at the candidates, after the jump.
Mark DeRosa waits to be introduced at a news conference Sunday in St. Louis.
Take a look at this photo of Mark DeRosa, decked out in Cardinals red, and say hello to the ongoing nightmare that has been the 2009 Cubs season.
Bad enough that the Cubs lost two of three games to the White Sox over the weekend. Even worse that the game they won was overshadowed by Lou PIniella's blowup with volatile outfielder Milton Bradley. The ultimate insult came Saturday night with the acquisition of fan favorite DeRosa by archrival St. Louis, which strengthened its bid to unseat the Cubs as NL Central champions by obtaining the popular player who was banished from the North Side to make way for Bradley.
A smiling Vince Carter shows off his new Orlando Magic jersey Thursday.
Two blockbuster trades overshadowed the NBA draft on Thursday. After the Cleveland Cavaliers finalized their acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal from Phoenix, the Orlando Magic answered by obtaining eight-time All-Star forward Vince Carter from New Jersey.
Both teams served notice that they intend to remain the class of the Eastern Conference, and the deals only served to raise -- to towering heights -- the bar for the up-and-coming Bulls, who were unable to package their two first-round picks in a deal to move up and instead settled for a couple of unspectacular power forwards.
James Johnson celebrates Wake Forest's 70-68 upset of Duke last January.
UPDATED: As projected by Sun-Times NBA beat writer John Jackson in his mock draft in Thursday's paper, the Bulls selected Wake Forest power forward James Johnson with their No. 16 pick. With the 26th pick, the Bulls took another power forward, 6-8 Taj Gibson of Southern California.
Cubs closer Kevin Gregg walks off the field after blowing another save Tuesday.
It was just over a month ago -- May 16 -- that we raised a red flag regarding Kevin Gregg as the Cubs closer ("Closing in on Marmol?" was the blog entry) after Gregg blew a 4-0, ninth-inning lead against Houston. It won't be long, we wrote, before the Cubs realize that Gregg isn't the kind of closer who is going to take them to the World Series.
Curiously, the Cubs' faithful didn't seem too concerned -- we got only three comments on that post, perhaps because the Cubs rallied to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. But that shouldn't have obscured the fact that the Cubs had a festering problem at the back end of the bullpen.
Gerald Henderson works out Monday for Charlotte, the consensus choice to take the former Duke guard with the No. 12 pick in Thursday's draft.
UPDATE: Bulls general manager Gar Forman met the media Monday, and although he deflected questions about whether he will move up in the draft with the standard "all options remain open" response, the Bulls reportedly have their eye on Duke guard Gerald Henderson if they can package their No. 16 and No. 26 picks and move up.
Ohio State center B.J. Mullens is 7-foot-1, but is described as "raw'' and ''a project.''
The NBA draft is Thursday, and although the Bulls reportedly are interested in packaging their two first-round picks and moving up, they will have the No. 16 and No. 26 selections as it stands now. Who might the Bulls take first at No. 16? I did a quick check of a dozen popular online mock drafts and the consensus is -- drum roll, please -- B.J. Mullens!
Derrek Lee is congratulated by Geovany Soto after his game-tying homer in the ninth.
A week ago, we were bemoaning the Cubs' lack of offense and Milton Bradley's clueless defense after a sloppy 7-4 loss to the Twins. The next day, the Cubs were shut out 2-0 for their fourth straight loss, and there was a whiff of panic in Wrigleyville. Now, euphoria reigns after back-to-back comebacks from huge deficits, the latest an improbable 8-7 win Friday over Cleveland after trailing 7-0 against Cy Young winner Cliff Lee.
Plaxico Burress would give the Bears' a big-play receiver -- but at what cost?
Sobering news for Plaxico Burress, the Bears and any other NFL team interested in signing the game-breaking former Giants receiver: Cleveland Browns receiver Donte Stallworth was indefinitely suspended without pay by the NFL on Thursday for driving drunk and killing a pedestrian in Miami.
Commissioner Roger Goodell's punishment came on the heels of Stallworth agreeing to plead guilty to DUI manslaughter charges, receiving a 30-day jail sentence and reaching a financial settlement with the family of Mario Reyes, the 59-year-old construction worker he struck with his car on a Miami highway.
Slump-ridden Alfonso Soriano strikes out again Wednesday against the Sox.
Lou Piniella has seen enough. The exasperated Cubs manager again struggled for words Wednesday to explain his team's inability to hit after a 4-1 loss to John Danks and the White Sox at Wrigley Field. But this time, Piniella hinted that big lineup changes are on the way.
Sammy Sosa can kiss his Hall of Fame hopes good-bye after Tuesday's revelations.
A week or so ago, we debated whether Sammy Sosa belonged in the Hall of Fame. At issue was the fact that there was no proof the former Cubs slugger ever had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. That apparently is no longer the case.
According to this report in the New York Times, Sosa is among the players who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003. The story cites lawyers with knowledge of the drug-testing results from that year.
Rex Grossman, shown here with the Bears, will wear No. 5 with the Texans.
Interesting stories these last few days about Bears quarterbacks past and present: On Saturday, while Jay Cutler was fielding questions from kids during a hospital visit on the South Side, the Broncos officially anointed Kyle Orton as their starting QB. On Monday, Rex Grossman -- who signed a free-agent deal with the Houston Texans -- went through his first minicamp practice with the team and (surprise, surprise) threw three interceptions.
Wrigley Field is beautiful when you're in your seat, but lacks creature comforts.
Ozzie Guillen is at it again, stirring up trouble before this week's Cubs-Sox series by doing his annual Wrigley Field rip job. Asked about the Cubs' storied ballpark Sunday, the White Sox manager told reporters, ''I puke every time I go there."
Milton Bradley reacts after tossing the ball into the stands with only two outs Friday.
Raul Ibanez was available. So was Adam Dunn. But when the Cubs set their sights on bringing in a big bat this past offseason, GM Jim Hendry only had eyes for Milton Bradley. Never mind that the moody outfielder's baggage included a history of injuries and emotional outbursts, and that he would be going from a low-profile situation with the Texas Rangers to the bright lights and intense scrutiny of Wrigley Field. The Cubs wanted Bradley in spite of all the risks, and so far, it couldn't be going any worse.
Derrick Rose flashes a gang sign in a photo that was widely circulated on the Internet.
Olympic swimming sensation Michael Phelps found out the hard way that in this age of cellphone cameras and the Internet, it's an unwise celebrity indeed who allows himself to be photographed doing something dumb. Now Bulls guard Derrick Rose has learned the same painful lesson.
Managers Lou Piniella and Ozzie Guillen share a laugh before a 2008 game.
Some call it the City Series, others the Crosstown Classic: By any name, it's Cubs vs. White Sox, the annual uncivil war pitting North Siders vs. South Siders for six interleague games. It's sneaking up on us, just five days away and counting: For the first time, the teams will play a regular-season weekday series beginning Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
And whether it's because these games won't take place on a weekend or because both teams are struggling, there's a definite lack of "buzz" about the Chicago showdown this season.
Are there really 19 NFL coaches better than the Bears' Lovie Smith?
Sports fans and media love "list" stories (especially on slow news days). So when The Sporting News Today released a ranking of NFL coaches Monday that listed the Bears' Lovie Smith way down at No. 20, both the Sun-Times and the Tribune naturally pounced on it. Never mind that The Sporting News -- the sports newspaper I grew up devouring each week -- began fading into insignificance even before the dawn of the Internet Age. If there was anybody out there with the audacity to diss Lovie in such a manner, you could be sure they'd be called out on it in Chicago.
Carlos Zambrano gives umpire Mark Carlson an earful after being ejected May 27.
Leave it to Carlos Zambrano to muddle what seemingly was a triumphant return: After beating the Reds 2-1 Friday in his first game back after a Wrigley Field meltdown that cost him a six-game suspension, the Cubs' supposed ace was as petulant as ever, proclaiming that he plans to retire when his five-year contract expires in 2012.
Just the kind of nonsense the Cubs don't need to hear while trying to pull together and make another playoff push.
Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee says Sammy Sosa deserves Hall of Fame induction.
It's bad enough hearing Sammy Sosa declare there's no question he belongs in the Hall of Fame. You would expect that sort of smugness from one of the biggest suspects of the Steroids Era. But it was disappointing to learn of Derrek Lee not only endorsing Sosa's candidacy for enshrinement, but lobbying the Cubs to honor his former teammate with a special day at Wrigley Field.
Dan McNeil is returning to WSCR-AM ("The Score") after nearly a nine-year absence.
The worst-kept secret in local sports-talk radio finally is official: Dan McNeil, cut loose by WSCR-AM (670) back in 2000, is returning to "the Score" after his long and successful run at WMVP-AM (1000) was abruptly ended in January. Starting June 15, McNeil will man the midday shift (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) as part of a lineup revamp that the Score hopes will help it rebound from a poor showing in the most recent ratings book.
Astros ace Roy Oswalt delivers a pitch during a 4-1 win over the Rockies on Monday.
First Jake Peavy, now Roy Oswalt: Two ace pitchers who have made it known they would not waive their no-trade clauses to play for the White Sox. Both pitch for teams that figure to go nowhere this season in the National League, while the Sox are one of baseball's hottest teams, extending their winning streak to four games Monday with a 6-2 victory over Oakland that puts them back at the .500 mark (25-25).
