In a long baseball season, every team plays its share of clunkers. Saturday was one of those days for the Cubs. The Milwaukee Brewers pounded them 11-2. And you can't dwell on it, or you'll drive yourself crazy.
Ben Gordon is moving to Detroit, and you just know he's going to explode for 40 points the next time the Bulls play the Pistons. And when he does, many angry Bulls fans will complain that he never should have been allowed to leave. How could John Paxson and Gar Forman let that happen? Natural born shooters are a rare commodity in today's NBA, and when you're lucky enough to have a guy who can shoot like Gordon, you must keep him.
They might catch fire any day now and reel off a streak that shoots them straight to the top of the National League Central. But let's not kid ourselves. To date, the Cubs have been the biggest underachievers in baseball.
I can't remember the last time I spent Father's Day with my dad. But I'm headed east on I-94 to visit him today in Detroit. I haven't even bought him a present. I guess my company will have to do.
Carol Slezak: Jay Cutler spent time at La Rabida Children's Hospital on Saturday, brightening the lives of kids. He held a question and answer session, shook hands and signed autographs. So what do you know? Maybe Cutler isn't the immature young man that some would have you believe. I'll bet even Cutler's harshest critics would have trouble putting a negative spin on this story.
The Cubs aren't hitting well and are having a heck of a time scoring runs. The good news is the pitching staff hasn't asked to secede yet. Rich Harden, the latest victim, gave up only two runs Saturday, but one would have been too many as the Minnesota Twins beat the Cubs 2-0. Really, the Cubs' lack of offense is getting serious -- and more than a little bothersome.
Carol Slezak: Frank Thomas left town after the White Sox' 2005 World Series championship season in a world of hurt, upset that the Sox no longer wanted him. After 16 remarkable years on the South Side, Thomas was released -- ''dumped,'' he said at the time, via a phone message from general manager Ken Williams. So Thomas had no choice but to move on. But you can't erase 16 years of memories just like that.
With more than a third of the season already behind them, the White Sox remain a puzzling team. Are they in rebuilding mode, or are they capable of making another run at the division title?
Carlos Zambrano pitched well Friday in Cincinnati. Just as important, he behaved himself. And countless Cubs fans exhaled.
