Jerry's Kids

The two Chicago sports franchises that Jerry Reinsdorf mis-owns both played in town last night. Did I mention they both lost? The Bulls stunk up the United Center from the get-go during their play-in rematch with the Heat. Down by eleven after one quarter, the home team managed to dig an even deeper hole by halftime, trailing Miami, 71-47. It was, as the saying goes, a team effort. Billy Donovan either did not or could not elevate his team, which shouldn’t have been hard given that they were playing at home in front of a full-house ready to go crazy, if only given the chance. Didn’t happen. The Heat kept going after Josh Giddey, who obliged every time. In what qualified as the biggest game of his career, Coby White came up beyond short, scoring a mere seventeen points on 5-of-20 shooting. White also committed a team-high seven turnovers. Did I mention the Bulls managed seventeen on the night? There is where I also mention the team enters its offseason trying to figure out what’s next. Arturas Karnisovas in possession of a clue? Good luck with that. Me, I’d sign Giddey to an extension—at least he scored 25 points to go with ten rebounds and four rebounds—and trade just about everyone else to get a real center under the age of 100. Ok, 28, then. As for my beloved White Sox, another game, another loss, this time 3-1 to the A’s. As long as they keep thinking Jordan Leasure is a major-league reliever, they’ll get the same results. No better way to kill a season than by giving up a two-out, two-run triple in the sixth inning. But, hark, do I spy a glimmer of hope through acts of subtraction and addition? First, the subtraction—Mike Clevinger was DFA’d yesterday. My daughter is ecstatic beyond belief. “What does it say about your organization when you have somebody like him on your roster?” Clare asked this morning. Nothing good, was the only right answer. Next, addition—catching prospect Edgar Quero was called up and will start today’s game behind the plate. Hallelujah. Too bad Omar Narvaez has to go, but he should have enough left in the tank to catch on with another team. Oh, and Andrew Benintendi was activated. Wow. Prospects Chase Meidroth and Quero both starting, along with an improving Brooks Baldwin. It’s enough to give a fan hope, maybe, keeping in mind the decades-long ineptitude of a certain owner.