MLB Power Rankings - Week 13

We've reached the halfway point of the season, and thus far the year has been dominated by two teams in the power rankings. While the Indians held court through the first quarter of the year, the second quarter has belonged to the Phillies.

Now that we're at halftime, I've no idea what kind of second-half adjustments teams will make, nor do I know how many football analogies I can fit into this intro. I'm tempted to keep going, but instead we'll just get to the rankings. Really no huge shakeups this week, as the top six teams stayed the same.

Adam Dunn Is Seeing A Psychologist

When the White Sox finish playing the Colorado Rockies tonight, they'll have played 81 games this season. The halfway point. Now, that means what started out as a slump for Adam Dunn at the beginning of the year can no longer be considered a slump. Dunn and the White Sox have serious problems here.

If Dunn has the same kind of night on Wednesday that he's been having, he's going to hit the halfway mark with an average under .175, an OPS of under .625 and be well on his way to 200 strikeouts this season. Dunn has always had his fair share of empty trips to the plate, but his previous career high was 195 strikeouts in 2004.

So at least he's having a career year in some aspect.

Michael Floyd Gets One Year Of Probation

Michael Floyd is yet to be fully reinstated to the football team in South Bend, but he did get to spend his Tuesday morning in a court room. While there he found out that he's going to be on probation for a year, he's not allowed to even look at a steering wheel for 90 days and that he has to say 300 Hail Marys.

One of those isn't true, find out which one and more over at The Eye.

Brian Campbell Has Been Traded For Real This Time

We were hearing rumblings about it earlier on Friday night, but then nothing happened and the word was that Brian Campbell wasn't going to waive his no trade clause. Well, a few hours later, he's waived it and former Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon is one step closer to achieving his goal of bringing every Blackhawk he ever drafted or signed to Florida with him.

The Hawks have traded Campbell to the Panthers.

Blackhawks Trade Troy Brouwer To Washington

Well while all the talk earlier on Friday night was about the Blackhawks trading Brian Campbell, it's hard to trade a player who has a no-trade clause and is willing to use it. It's not nearly as hard to trade a player without such a clause, though, and the Blackhawks did just that on Friday night.

According to Darren Dreger, the Blackhawks have traded Troy Brouwer to the Washington Capitals for the Caps first round pick in Friday night's draft.

Sounds Like Brian Campbell May Not Be Long For Chicago

The NHL Draft is taking place tonight in Minnesota, and earlier today Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said that we shouldn't be surprised if the Blackhawks trade away some picks to get some veteran role players on board. What he didn't say is that the Blackhawks would be shopping one of the biggest contracts they have on the payroll.

Which is what it sounds like they're doing.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-24-11

Jimmy Butler's about to start hearing from his biological family again.Fri Jun 24 02:23:51 via Twitter for iPhoneAdam Jacobi
Adam_Jacobi

Seriously, if you missed the story in the Breakfast Links this morning, go back and click on the link. Not only is Jimmy Butler a player that could prove to be useful for the Bulls next season, but he's the NBA's version of Michael Oher. The only thing missing is Sandra Bullock in a blonde wig and really tight pants.

Breakfast Links: 6-24-11

I spent two hours chatting about the NBA Draft over at CBS yesterday, because if I'm an expert at anything, it's Euros I've never seen or heard of. Though, honestly, I felt I did pretty good since I didn't do anything but make terrible jokes.

• Jimmy Butler, whom the Bulls took with the 30th pick last night, has a story that's very much like Michael Oher of the Baltimore Ravens. It's just there weren't a book and a movie done about him. - ESPN
• The Bulls also drafted Nikola Mirotic, who was supposedly one of the best players in the draft, but the fact he won't come to the NBA for a few years caused him to drop down in the first round. - ESPN
• The Blackhawks released their schedule yesterday, and amazingly, every single Original Six team will make the trip to Chicago next season. I can't remember the last time that happened. - Blackhawks
• There are dumb girls at White Sox games too. - Señor Gif
• What are your favorite Brad Maynard memories? - CSNChicago
• Brian Urlacher would be down with Plaxico Burress. Who, you may remember, the Bears had been hoping to draft before the Steelers took him in 2000. The Bears then took Urlacher as their second choice. - ESPNChicago

MLB Power Rankings - Week 12

Yes, the power rankings are back after taking a week off last week. I'm sorry, but I just didn't have a chance to crunch all the numbers while I was busy drinking at a hotel bar in Fort Lauderdale last Wednesday night. Still, even though the rankings took a week off, there was no change at the top, but plenty of shifting after that.

Here's a hint of what will follow: In case Toronto and Baltimore didn't think they had things hard enough in the AL East, wait until they see how things stack up behind the Phillies.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-23-11

Game's on Univision. In related news, Triunfo Del Amor this week is going to be a SHOCKING tale of betrayal and busty women.Wed Jun 22 22:58:55 via Seesmic twhirledsbs
edsbs

Seriously, if you're not into soccer, trying watching it on Univision. It makes things so much more interesting. Not to mention you can actually get Univision in HD on Comcast. You can't say the same for Fox Soccer.

Breakfast Links: 6-23-11

It's so nice to wake up and have power, cable and internet.

• Meant to link this yesterday, but that whole not having power thing got in the way. Anyway, Hot Doug's has some new shirts available. You don't even have to stand in line for hours to get them. - Hot Dougs
• The Cubs are going to have to shed more payroll, but it better not be female payroll! - ESPNChicago
• Having failed to get the Cubs, Mark Cuban may be turning his attention to failing to buy the Dodgers. - With Leather
• Aston Villa announced their new sponsor last night, which is good news. That means the new jerseys will be out soon and I can buy one. - Aston Villa
• A lesson in how not to approach Erin Andrews. - Deadspin
• An interview with one of my childhood heroes, Robin Ventura. - SB Nation Chicago
• Len Kasper got a five-year extension. - Tribune

Game Recaps

• The White Sox are the greatest team ever assembled. - White Sox
• The United States beat Panama 1-0 last night and will now face Mexico on Sunday in the Gold Cup. The craziest thing? Freddy Adu -- yeah, that Freddy Adu -- played a key role for the US. - Fox Soccer

Alfonso Soriano Angers City By Telling The Truth

Alfonso Soriano is a man that knows what it's like to be booed by his home fans. Which is why it makes perfect sense for the Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmeyer to ask Soriano for his thoughts about the way that White Sox fans have taken to booing Adam Dunn as if their lives depended on it.

Unfortunately for Soriano, he did something in answering the question that he probably shouldn't have done. He told the damn truth.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-21-11

Konerko on the aftermath of Ozzie's ejection: "The look on Soto’s face when he got his facemask kicked, that was priceless."Tue Jun 21 03:43:40 via webScott Merkin
scottmerkin

I didn't see any of this. When Carlos Pena hit his home run to give the Cubs a 6-3 lead, I knew it was over. I've seen too many White Sox games this year to think otherwise, and honestly, I don't enjoy the Cubs and White Sox games anymore. I'm not against interleague play, but this series just grabs so much damn attention while it's going on that by the time the games actually start, I'm already tired of watching it.

Breakfast Links: 6-21-11

We're still doing these? We're still doing these.

• Ozzie says he isn't leaving Chicago for the Marlins. Though I'm not sure Kenny Williams feels the same way. - Tribune
• Oh, and Kenny Williams has no plans on promoting Dayan Viciedo. No room for left fielders that can hit on this team. - Hardball Talk
• Albert Pujols needs a hug....from Jim Hendry. - Big League Stew
• Kenny Britt was pretty awesome for my fantasy team for a few weeks last season. The rest of the time he was busy being insane. - PFT
• Obviously the Cubs aren't talking about the baseball team. - Indyposted

Game Recaps

• Game One goes to the worser team. - Cubs

Dhani Jones Has A High Opinion Of Himself, A Low Opinion Of Brian Urlacher

I remember watching the television show Dhani Tackles The Globe on Travel Channel a few years ago, and if there was one thing I really picked up on while watching, it was that Dhani Jones likes himself. Like, really likes himself. So much so that his ego could replace Pluto as the ninth planet.

So I wasn't all that surprised to find out that Dhani Jones thinks he's a better linebacker than not only Brian Urlacher, but Lance Briggs as well.

Blowing Up The MLB Divisions

With the White Sox playing Arizona on Saturday night I got around to thinking about how good a team the White Sox would be if they played in the National League without a DH. Sure, they'd have an incredibly expensive pinch-hitter in Adam Dunn, but I think overall, the team would be better off.

Then my mind began wondering a bit further. There's been so much talk of realignment in baseball the last week, I just began thinking of the way I'd do the divisions if the league were to realign. And I don't mean just move a team here and there, I mean the blow the whole thing up and start over kind.

The Yankees Don't Want Carlos Zambrano

I am back from a wonderful trip to Florida with the CBS gang where a lot of good work was done, and plenty of good times were had by all. Things went so well that I didn't even pay attention to the fact that the White Sox got swept by the Twins and lost to Arizona last night, so in my mind, those losses haven't happened.

Still, if I'm going to dive back into the world of Chicago sports, then I better get my mind right, and what better way to do that than by disappointing Cubs fans? For those of you out there who were hoping that the Cubs might be able to trade Carlos Zambrano to the Yankees this summer, it doesn't look as if they'll be going to.

Radio Silence For A Few Days

Just wanted to write a post and put it up here to let you, my wonderful readers, know that the blog is going to be silent for a few days. I may write a post sometime this afternoon or tonight, but Tuesday through Friday there will be no posting.

This is because I'll be heading to Fort Lauderdale, home of CBSSports.com, and sitting in some meetings in preparation for the 2011 college football season.

So try and get through your week without me. It won't be easy, I know, but just know that I believe in you. I believe that you can do it,that it will fly by and the next thing you know I'll be back and writing about the White Sox, Cubs -- THEY'RE ALL WE GOT! -- and hopefully some other crap to distract us from the Sox and Cubs.

Until then, take care of each other.

And My Premier League Team Is...

Last week I asked for your help in my search for a Premier League team to call my own. I gave some guidelines for my choice, and asked for any information or opinions you could give me, and I have to thank all of you who helped out. Be it on Twitter, in an email, or in the 65 votes that you left in the poll I put up.

In the last week I've considered everything you said, and I've done my own research. I even watched the replays of four different Premier League games that were on Fox Soccer this week just to see if there was any one team that stood out for me. Now I can tell you that I've come to a conclusion, and I now have a Premier League team to call my own.

And that team is....

Jack Swarbrick Says Notre Dame Will Have Its Own Network

The Big Ten Network, The Pac-12 Network, The SEC Network, The Longhorns Network and now.....The Notre Dame Network. In a radio interview with South Bend Tribune reporter Eric Hansen, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said that Notre Dame has plans on launching its own network in the future.

Read about it over at The Eye.

Asshole Of The Week: Kenny Williams

Simpler times

Welcome to Asshole Of The Week, where every Friday your trusty Foul Balls editor picks out the one person from the previous seven days who makes him think, "Man, what an asshole." It could be anybody from an athlete, an owner, someone in the media, or just anybody who happens to catch my ire.

MLB Power Rankings - Week 10

The Phillies were able to hold on to the top spot this week, though the top five is bunched together pretty closely, so there are not guarantees that they'll hold on all week long. There's also one team who began the season at the bottom of the rankings and have now climbed all the way up to the third spot, with Philadelphia within their sight. Who was it? Well, here's a hint, look up.

But you should still go past the jump to find out where everybody else stands. I mean, these rankings take me quite a bit of time to compute, so at least look at them.

Breakfast Links: 6-9-11

From the mid-90s to mid-60s. The weather be strange around here.

• It's going to be pretty hard for Steve Miller to deny he took the game-winning puck from last year's Stanley Cup Finals now. - Puck Daddy
• The cool thing to do right now is to say that you're unimpressed with Bill Simmons' new project, but to be honest, I liked a lot of what I read at Grantland yesterday. Including this column on LeBron James. - Grantland
• The team ratings for NCAA 12 have been released. - Tradition Sports Online
• If this whole quarterback thing doesn't work out, I'm sure Tim Tebow can find work in Hulk 3. - Twitpic
• Kenny Williams says the White Sox wanted to avoid "potential distractions" by not drafting Ozney Guillen. Yeah, that worked out well. - ESPNChicago
• The least surprising news about Mark Grace ever. - Tribune

Game Recaps

• Carlos Quentin homered twice but it wasn't enough to keep the Sox from falling to Seattle. - White Sox
• Let's see, I write a post about Aramis Ramirez and his decline, then he hits a home run and the Cubs end their losing streak. Coincidence? Yes, but feel free to give me credit. - Cubs
• The NBA Finals are even after four games, and now so are the Stanley Cup Finals. We might get two game sevens. - NHL
• 
  

Source: White Sox Told Ozzie Guillen They Would Draft Ozney Guillen

As I posted earlier here today, Ozzie Guillen seemed to be in a bad mood after his son Ozney wasn't selected in the MLB Draft. Now it turns out that it wasn't just because he was upset his son wasn't chosen.

A promise may have been broken.

I Don't Think Ozzie Is Taking This Whole Ozney Not Being Drafted Thing Well

U no talk t me rye now

Last year Ozzie Guillen went off after he felt that the White Sox disrespected his family when they drafted Ozney Guillen in the 21st round of the MLB draft. Apparently Ozzie felt his son should have been taken a lot sooner. So Ozney decided to go to community college for another year and try again in this summer's draft.

The problem is this year Ozney wasn't drafted at all, and I don't think Ozzie is taking it all that well.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-8-11

Not playing in US Open. Very disappointed. Short-term frustration for long-term gain.Tue Jun 07 18:35:55 via Twitter for iPhoneTiger Woods
TigerWoods

First Shaq announces his retirement on Twitter, and now Tiger Woods does this. WHY MUST EVERYONE USE TWITTER FOR EVIL. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR SARCASTIC COMMENTS ABOUT SPORTING EVENTS.

Breakfast Links: 6-8-11

Another day to melt.

• Hey, what do you know, Jake Peavy has been placed on the disabled list. What a shocking, unexpected and original development. - Tribune
• Ozney Guillen is eager to start his pro career, but he's going to have to wait another day to do so. - White Sox
• Of course, it wouldn't be a White Sox draft without GUILLEN CONTROVERSY. - Sun-Times
• Jim Tressel resigned, and Terrelle Pryor announced he wasn't coming back to Ohio State for his senior season on Tuesday. And then things got worse. - The Eye
• The sun let loose a galactic fart yesterday. - Discover
• The Lollapalooza schedule has been released. - Lollapalooza

Game Recaps

• Felix Hernandez ain't shit. - White Sox
• And neither are the Cubs, who lost their eighth in a row. - Cubs
• It may not include the Bulls, but damn if the NBA Finals haven't been entertaining. - NBA

Aramis Ramirez's Love Hurts

From 2004 through 2008, his first five full seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Aramis Ramirez hit .302 with an OPS of .920, 158 home runs and 526 RBI. So it's hard to blame the Cubs for signing Ramirez to a five-year $75 million deal after the 2006 season. I mean, at the time, I didn't hear any Cubs fans complaining. After living up to his contract for the first two years of the deal, Ramirez missed half the 2009 season after dislocating his shoulder in May after getting off to another hot start.

Still, even though he only managed to play 82 games, Ramirez hit 15 homers, drove in 65 runs and finished the year with an OPS of .905. Then last season came, and the power we'd all come to expect from Ramirez seemingly disappeared. Yes, he hit 25 bombs, but the best run producer the Cubs have had this decade drove in only 85 runs. Low for a man that drove in 65 in half a season a year before. He also saw his OPS drop from .905 to .745.

Jerry Reinsdorf Hasn't Given Up Hope On The Sox Or Adam Dunn

In my post about Carlos Zambrano yesterday I mentioned that there are still plenty of White Sox fans out there who haven't given up hope on this 2011 team. They still believe that the Sox are capable of making a run and winning the division. Panger is one of these people as she told me last night that the Sox would win the division.  I am not one of these people. I see this team finishing in third place, probably a few games over .500.

Panger and company do have support, however, particularly from the man who signs the checks on the south side. In a talk with Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi, Reinsdorf said that he hasn't given up on this team and he still feels it's the best team in the division.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-7-11

No. 26: Sox select C Blake Swihart - http://es.pn/kCitkDTue Jun 07 02:12:13 via ESPN NewsESPN_baseball
ESPN_MLB

Just in case you forgot who ESPN is working for.

Breakfast Links: 6-7-11

Sorry there were no links yesterday, I was at the dentist during the morning.

• The Cubs took shortstop Javier Baez with their first round pick in the draft last night, here's the scouting report. - ESPN
• The White Sox took Juan Pierre Jr. Sorry, I mean Keenyn Walker. - ESPN
• Jake Peavy isn't going on the disabled list.....yet. - CSNChicago
• Robin Ventura is back with the White Sox. - Tribune
• Michael Floyd is not back with the team, though he's allowed to practice again, which is a good sign. - South Bend Tribune
• I could watch this forever. - Mocksession
• Couldn't hurt to try. - The Onion

Game Recaps

• If you didn't see the earlier post, John Danks finally learned how to win! - White Sox
• Maybe he can show the Cubs how it's done. - Cubs
• Boston took the Canucks out behind the woodshed last night. - NHL

Congratulations, John Danks

You finally learned how to win.

A Minor Tweak The NHL Could Make That Might Cut Down On Vicious Headshots

That's a gif of the cheapshot that Vancouver's Aaron Rome gave to Boston's Nathan Horton early in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. It was a hit that was not only to the head and illegal, but that came a few seconds after Horton had already passed the puck. As a result Rome got a game misconduct and Horton was knocked out cold, earning a free stretcher ride off the ice and a likely hospital stay.

The Bruins got a five minute power play out of it, but the Bruins power play is terrible, and couldn't manage a goal. I'm wondering if maybe the NHL should make it that opponents get a bit more than that.

Carlos Zambrano Says What We All Know

The thermometers are hitting 90 degrees today in Chicago, which means that summer is officially here. This also means that we, the sports fans of Chicago, have nothing to do for the next couple of months other than watch the White Sox and Cubs. A depressing reality, for sure, as both teams have combined to go 51-67, and both seasons are basically over already.

Help Me Choose A Premier League Team

When I left my old job to become a full-time blogger I knew one of the benefits of the new gig would be that I'd be able to watch a lot more sports. What I did not expect was that I'd develop such an affinity for soccer. It kind of just snuck up on me.

I first started paying attention to the sport in 1994 when the World Cup was here in Chicago. Still, after it was over, so was my interest. Then I started watching it again during the last World Cup and began to get into it once more. Shortly after the end of the World Cup I left the old job. So when there were soccer games on, be it on Fox Soccer or ESPN, I found myself watching during the day while working. I also happen to spend the majority of my day in a chat room with my fellow CBS bloggers, a couple of whom are big soccer fans. So over the last ten months I've watched and talked a lot about the sport, and though I'm still very much a novice in the game, I'm developing a real affection for it.

On Joe Rogan, Maggie Hendricks and 'Cunty' Actions

WARNING: THIS POST IS REPLETE WITH LANGUAGE THAT WILL ANGER VIRTUALLY EVERY INTEREST GROUP IN AMERICA AND MAYBE EVEN INTEREST GROUPS THAT DIDN'T EVEN EXIST UNTIL I WROTE IT. IF THAT CAUSES YOU A PROBLEM, GO FUCK YOURSELF.

Let's review what caused me to write this:

In a UFC 130 post-fight interview with reporter Karyn Bryan, MMA fighter Rampage Jackson pretended to "motorboat" her.

Asshole Of The Week: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Welcome to Asshole Of The Week, where every Friday your trusty Foul Balls editor picks out the one person from the previous seven days who makes him think, "Man, what an asshole." It could be anybody from an athlete, an owner, someone in the media, or just anybody who happens to catch my ire.

MLB Power Rankings - Week 9

It's finally happened. After a five-week run atop the power rankings, the Cleveland Indians have finally been knocked from the mountain top. Taking their place are the Philadelphia Phillies who once again seem to be the cream of the crop in the National League thanks to a brilliant pitching staff. What makes the Phillies even scarier is that they've played this well without one of the most important parts of their lineup all season in Chase Utley.

Back to Cleveland, though, how far did the Tribe fall? Are they in second place right behind the Phillies, or did they tumble a few spots? Well I'm not going to just tell you. Check it out for yourself.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-2-11

Feel like I'd be a good bounty hunter. One thing I really believe in is justice. Plus, you get to wear fingerless gloves like a bad boy.Wed Jun 01 21:53:37 via webKarl Welzein
DadBoner

There really isn't a person better equipped to explain the ways of the world than DadBoner. That and fingerless gloves were a staple of bad guys in every movie in the 80s.

Breakfast Links: 6-2-11

At what point does the ghost of George Mikan write Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a letter?

• The NHL is likely to realign in 2012 and also bring back a balanced schedule. - ESPN
• Alex Burrows will forever be Alex Burrows. - Mocksession
• When playing NHL 93 on your Genesis, did you ever wonder why Cliff Ronning was so much better in the game than in real life? Well, now we know why. - Puck Daddy
• Holy crap this is a lot of hockey links. Anyway, here's the story of an extremely drunk Canucks fan's trip to San Jose. - Deadspin
• I'd pay upwards of $10 for this - The Clearly Dope
• Should probably get a Chicago link in here. Let's see....Keith Bogans had knee surgery. The doctor who began the procedure left after twelve minutes and was replaced by a much better doctor. - Tribune

Game Recaps

• The White Sox can't manage to win more games than they lose, but they can sweep Boston in Fenway. - White Sox
• Meanwhile, another game, another Cubs getting hit in the face by a baseball. Oh, and another loss. - Cubs
• It was a pretty fantastic 0-0 game until Vancouver had to go ruin everything by scoring with 18 seconds left. - NHL

Edwin Jackson: Team Player And Accepter Of Fate

It's June 1st and that means that the six-man rotation that the White Sox have been using should be coming to an end soon. At least, if we are to believe what Ozzie Guillen told us when announcing that the team would go to a six-man rotation in the first place. Which means that one White Sox starter has a date with the bullpen in his immediate future. Based on experience, you'd think that Phil Humber would be that starter, as he was only in the rotation because of Jake Peavy's absence.

Then again, a big reason the Sox went with six starters after Peavy's return was Humber's performance. Performance that hasn't dropped off since. Statistically the most likely starter would be John Danks, as he's 0-8 with a 5.25 ERA, but the Sox already have enough lefties in the pen. Which means that the odds-on favorite to find himself chewing seeds out in left field would be Edwin Jackson, and to his credit, it's a fate that Jackson seems to have resigned himself to.

Tweet Of The Day: 6-1-11

#WhiteSox 16-12--speeding toward 17-12--vs. teams better than .500. Vs. worse than .500? 9-19Wed Jun 01 00:44:42 via TweetDeckBrett Ballantini
CSNChi_Beatnik

That's great news if an 80-82 record is good enough to get the White Sox into the playoffs. They'll be unstoppable.

Breakfast Links: 6-1-11

Hello, June.

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is concerned about Scottie Pippen's opinions as well, and lets him know about it by writing a long letter giving incorrect opinions. - Tribune
• Ozzie Guillen and Bobby Jenks are friends again. - CSNChicago
• The trailer for the new season of Breaking Bad was released yesterday. - Warming Glow
• These guys should do every commercial. For everything. - Can't Stop The Bleeding
• Everybody say it with me: Elijah Dukes got arrested again! - Hardball Talk
• The side effect of the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg? Well, I may have to start booing the Chicago Wolves. - SB Nation

Game Recaps

• I really don't know how you can justify taking Phil Humber out of the starting rotation at this point. I thought he'd come back to Earth at some point this year, but it's just not happening. - White Sox
• How about that Carlos Marmol? - Cubs
• Was I the only one suffering terrifying flashbacks that had me in the fetal position last night? - NBA