Cubs, White Sox Definitely Fall Guys for a Day

Sunday smorgasbord: With fall in the air Saturday, two teams that have fallen in the baseball standings enjoyed a resurgence. If you said it’s the Cubs and White Sox, congratulations. They are heating up (the Cubs ended a seven-game losing streak and the Sox swept a doubleheader). What better indication that their seasons are well on the way to being over than that?

Video below of Lane Elizabeth. Beats waiting for Sunday night’s Bears-49ers game.

* The Cubs’ 6-4 victory at Pittsburgh featured starter Felix Doubront pitching six scoreless innings of one-hit ball. From our crack research crew comes this tidbit (which may be an indication that they just might be on crack): An anagram for “Felix Doubront” is “foul tinderbox.” Or “rotund fox bile.” Make of that what you will — and guessing you will not make much of it.

* Speaking of the Cubs, rookie shortstop Javier Baez went 1-for-5 with his ninth homer of the season. He also struck out twice. Meaning he has struck out 69 times in 155 at-bats (45 percent of the time). He is batting .174. Which means Baez actually raised his batting average. Also meaning pitcher Edwin Jackson is faring better at the plate — albeit by one percentage point. Baez also committed his seventh error. Speak to me of his — and other young Cubs players’ — potential. The illusion of the future surely can be so much more appealing than the stark reality of the present.

* Speaking of stark reality, the Cubs did not have a starter in the lineup who was hitting .250 or better. Rookie right fielder Matt Szczur, who hit his first big-league homer, raised his average to .262 by going 2-for-4.

* With 5-1 and 7-6 victories over the Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field, the Sox moved a comfortable six games ahead of the Twins for fourth place in the American League Central. If the Sox can continue their recent success (meaning winning the rest of their games this season), they will finish 82-80. And the likelihood of that is about as great as Jose Abreu not winning American League rookie of the year.

* Speaking of Abreu, he drove in his 100th run of the season in the second game of the doubleheader with his 34th homer. The only question about his success is how close he will come to being a unanimous selection for rookie of the year.

* The best thing about the Bears-San Francisco 49ers game being Sunday night is you have all day to do those tasks you’ve been putting off. The worst part? Watching the game and wondering how you accomplished so little with a free afternoon.

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