Ángel Hernández vs. Steve McMichael and more sports reflections

There will likely come a day when AI takes over sports writing and computer-generated stories are the norm.

But as long as humans continue to write to tight deadlines that move forward every day, we will continue to generate random observations and opinions that may or may not be relevant to your interests as a sports fan.

In other words, generate this, AI.

Who is the next one?

Manager Pedro Grifol could survive the rest of the season despite the White Sox’s sorry record because no one can fix this team. But president Jerry Reinsdorf will eventually be forced to make a change, if only to persuade Sox fans to return to the ballpark.

Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who was mentored by former Sox manager and current advisor Tony La Russa, is someone to keep an eye on. Schumaker’s 2025 option was voided over the winter at his request, according to the Miami Herald, making him a free agent after this season.

Schumaker led the Marlins to the postseason in 2023 and was named National League Manager of the Year. But they ousted general manager Kim Ng and didn’t add much in the offseason before starting slowly and trading star infielder Luis Arráez to the San Diego Padres last month to begin the inevitable selloff.

Like free agent manager Craig Counsell last November, Schumaker will be highly coveted. And to paraphrase an infamous comment Reinsdorf made to sportswriter Toni Ginnetti after the 1997 “White Flag Trade,” anyone who thinks La Russa won’t have much of a say in choosing the next Sox manager is crazy.

Angel vs. Mongo

The sudden retirement of umpire Ángel Hernández resurrected his famous ejection of Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael during a Cubs game against the Colorado Rockies on August 7, 2001 at Wrigley Field.

Before singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the television booth, McMichael took the microphone and chastised Hernandez for earlier throwing out the Cubs’ Ron Coomer at home plate in the sixth inning after Coomer tried to score. in a wild pitch.

McMichael said he and the referee would “talk a little bit,” further inciting the crowd. Hernandez stared at McMichael and shook his thumb in the air, which was interpreted as the first (and last) ejection of a stretched out singer in the seventh inning.

Cubs vice president of marketing John McDonough told the Tribune’s Fred Mitchell the next day that the team “immediately complied, as we would with any referee’s request.” McDonough called McMichael’s taunting “unfortunate” and said general manager Andy MacPhail had apologized to the referees. Manager Don Baylor falsely claimed a loss was possible.

McMichael later apologized, saying: “It was all for laughs. You already know me and my sarcastic humor. If anyone takes it personally, I’m sorry.”

Moral of the story: Mongo recognized an umpire’s incompetence long before MLB finally woke up to the fact.

glove story

On May 8, 2012, Cubs reliever Kerry Wood gave up a game-winning two-run single to Dan Uggla in the eighth inning of a 3–1 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. Wood then tossed his glove and cap into the boxes behind the Cubs dugout.

When I asked Wood after the game why he threw his glove into the stands, he looked at me and replied, “That’s irrelevant, man.” (For the rest of the 2012 season, my fellow writers referred to me as “the irrelevant guy.”)

Manager Dale Sveum shrugged off the glove-throwing controversy the next day when asked if he cared about Wood’s reaction.

“Of course I care,” Sveum said. “I don’t condone it or want it to happen all the time. But we all know that frustrations happen in this game and sometimes we regret the things we do. “We are not perfect human beings.”

On Wednesday at Citi Field, New York Mets reliever Jorge Lopez walked off the field after a bad outing and threw his glove into the stands. Unlike Wood, Lopez was reprimanded by management and designated for assignment the next day.

“We have standards here,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “When you’re not playing well, guys show emotions. There are frustrations, but there is a very fine line and yesterday I crossed that line.”

Too bad for Lopez. You played in the wrong era, friend.

It’s hard life

The Bears will venture into the world of reality TV with their appearance on “Hard Knocks,” which could be the kind of infomercial they desperately need to promote the idea of ​​public financing for their proposed stadium in a Soldier Field parking lot. No doubt Chairman and CEO Kevin Warren is salivating for the opportunity to be seen and heard.

Unfortunately for the Bears, the Illinois legislature rejected any stadium debate during the spring session, leaving it for the fall veto session, when a three-fifths majority is needed to pass any legislation.

Yes, it’s the hardest life for you McCaskeys.

High praise for Bill Walton

All the tributes to former basketball great Bill Walton, who died Monday of cancer at age 71, tiptoed around his reputation as a legendary stoner.

They called him a “counterculture,” “a Deadhead,” and a “chronic fun-seeker,” but ignored the obvious fact that he enjoyed participating from time to time. Not only did Walton play a stoner on TV, he did it himself, calling for the legalization of marijuana during an ESPN broadcast in 2015.

If there were a Stoner Hall of Fame for professional athletes, Walton would be a first-ballot selection, along with former NFL star Ricky Williams and former pitcher Bill Lee.

Breaking Bad

Former Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis finished with a .168 average in 2018, the lowest in major league history among qualified position players. In the third year of a disastrous seven-year, $161 million contract, Davis’ slash line was an abysmal .168/.243/.296.

Meanwhile, current White Sox catcher Martin Maldonado entered the weekend hitting .081, the worst in the majors for players with 90 or more plate appearances. His scrimmage entering Friday was .081/.182/.128, and his -1.5 fWAR was second-lowest behind teammate Andrew Benintendi’s -1.7.

But there is hope that Maldonado will emerge from his crisis. Former Sox shortstop Royce Clayton, also a defensive specialist, was hitting .099 on May 29, 2001, when a single put him over the .100 mark. Watching Sox fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” as Clayton ran toward first, angering some of his teammates. Ray Durham called Sox fans “childish.”