Debut a Beaut for Cubs’ Baez; Not for Sox’ Dunn

Midweek musings: Two debuts highlighted the Chicago baseball scene Tuesday. Well, depending on your definition of “highlight.” Javier Baez made his big-league debut and played second base for the Cubs at Colorado. He was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts before hitting a leadoff home run in the 12th inning that provided a 6-5 victory. OK, that qualifies under “highlight.”

Video below of Playboy’s Chelsie Farah. For those so inclined (even if you’re not).

* That other debut? Not quite as triumphant. Designated hitter Adam Dunn made his big-league pitching debut for the White Sox against the visiting Texas Rangers. He allowed one run in one inning. Which was a lot better than starter John Danks, who gave up nine runs (eight hits, five walks) in 4 2/3 innings, in the 16-0 loss. It’s uncertain whether there is an opening in the bullpen for Dunn, but his 9.00 earned-run average is not the worst on the Sox staff.

* Based on Baez’s debut, the Cubs (48-63) won’t lose a game the rest of the season and will finish with 99 victories. Sample size too small? OK, maybe. In which case they might lose a few. But Baez still will hit 51 homers this season, right?

* Speaking of debuts, the successor to baseball commissioner Bud Selig is expected to be selected next week. Selig is expected to remain involved in a limited capacity. Does that mean he will be more limited than he appears to have been during his tenure, which saw the All-Star Game (the best of any sport) become the factor in deciding homefield advantage in the World Series and steroids rise to a level that no longer could be ignored?

* Elsewhere in the wonderful world of debuts, some of us cannot wait for the NBA season. In no small part because the San Antonio Spurs hired former WNBA star Becky Hammon as an assistant coach. They did so without mentioning in their Tuesday press release she would be the first female, full-time assistant coach in NBA history. When all other pro sports teams grow up, they can only hope they will be the Spurs. With much of that credit going to coach Gregg Popovich.

* So if the defending NBA champion Spurs fail to repeat, the reason will be they had a female coach? As opposed to all the other NBA champions who failed to repeat. Gender equity is a concept some people — in sports and elsewhere — better adjust to. And, no, this concept does not mean this site will start running non-gratuitous photos and video of men in swimsuits, etc.

* Speaking of the WNBA (well, kind of), the Chicago Sky defeated the host Connecticut Sun 82-66 to move into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference. Epiphanny Prince led the Sky (13-16) with 20 points, and Allie Quigley had 17. In her third game back since being sidelined by Lyme disease, Elena Delle Donne had 15 points in 21 minutes off the bench. The Sky has won all three games. Not to underestimate having the 2013 WNBA rookie of the year in the lineup — even if it is for limited minutes.