Can Munetaka Murakami be the big draw the Chicago White Sox have been looking for?
The White Sox drew a crowd of 35,174 for Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals, their biggest non-opening-day crowd in April since 2007.
Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Chris Sale, Jose Abreu, Mark Buehrle and A.J. Pierzynski are among the stars who’ve been on the South Side in the 19 years since ’07, though to be fair, none of them had a cool giveaway like Saturday, when a ’90s City Connect windbreaker was awarded to the first 15,000 fans aged 21 and over.
The freebie was the likely impetus for the big increase in attendance, but Murakami’s slugging surely convinced some fans to come check out the scene on the South Side on a sunny but cool afternoon.
Entering Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Sox were averaging 18,665 fans in 12 home games, ranked 25th in the majors. That’s not great, but they traditionally don’t draw early in the season without giveaways, and with season ticket sales low after three straight 100-plus loss seasons, it’s not surprising they’re near the bottom in April.
The key will be when the weather turns for good next month, when we’ll find out whether “Mune shots” become must-see for Sox fans. Murakami leads the league with 12 home runs following his late-night, three-run shot Monday, the most in MLB history for a rookie before May. It’s early, but he’s on a historic pace for 64 home runs. The franchise record is 49 home runs by Albert Belle in 1998, and the last Sox hitter with 40 home runs was Todd Frazier in 2016. Neither brought many fans out to Sox Park to see them hit.
If Murakami continues to slug at his current pace, we’ll see if the Sox can cash in at the box office this summer, even if the team remains under .500. Winning, of course, is more important than having a prodigious home run hitter, and cool giveaways are a close second.
Time for a switch, LeBron?
Watching 41-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James play one of the worst games of his illustrious postseason career was cringeworthy. James scored 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting and committed eight turnovers in Sunday’s 115-94 Game 4 loss to the Houston Rockets. James appropriately took the blame afterward, saying, “my turnovers were unacceptable.”
Even as he’s carried the Lakers thus far in the first-round series with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out with injuries, and he’s probably the most feared 41-year-old player in NBA history, James is averaging a league-worst 5.3 turnovers per game.
James’ struggles handling the ball bring to mind what arguably was Michael Jordan’s worst playoff performance — an eight-turnover game against the Orlando Magic in a 94-91 loss in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals. That, of course, was when Jordan returned late in the ’95 season from his baseball hiatus and was still playing himself into basketball shape. In that loss, the Bulls trailed by one point with a chance to win at the end when Magic star Nick Anderson stole the ball from Jordan and fed Horace Grant for a game-sealing dunk. “I feel personally responsible,” Jordan said afterward.
Anderson gloated that “45 isn’t 23,” referring to a lack of explosiveness in Jordan, who had switched from his retired No. 23 to 45 upon his return to the NBA to honor his late father. But in Game 2, Jordan changed back to No. 23 without informing the league, scoring 38 points and making only two turnovers in the Bulls’ 104-94 win.
The Bulls were fined $25,000 every game Jordan wore it the rest of the series, which the Magic took in six games. But Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was happy to pay the fines, saying, “it is extremely important to Michael” to wear No. 23.
James originally wore No. 23 in Cleveland before switching to No. 6 in Miami. He then switched back to No. 23 during his homecoming with the Cavs, and went back to No. 6 when he joined the Lakers. He then switched back to No. 23 again in the 2023-24 season after the NBA retired No. 6 to honor the late Bill Russell.
Boston daydream
David Ross would be a perfect fit for the Boston Red Sox if interim manager Chad Tracy doesn’t improve things by the All-Star break. Ross was beloved in Boston before he became a Cub, and won his first World Series ring there in 2013. Former Cubs president Theo Epstein, now part-owner of the Red Sox, hired Ross as Cubs manager in 2020, so he might still have the former catcher’s number in his phone. Ross is back with ESPN and co-hosting a podcast with Anthony Rizzo.
Either way, it’s strange to hear Red Sox players lament they weren’t consulted on the firing of manager Alex Cora. “If this shows us anything, it’s we’re here to play baseball, and that’s it,” shortstop Trevor Story said. “We don’t make decisions. We don’t have any input on that.”
Of course they don’t. Not many employees working in corporate America have any say in who their boss is. Every time a player is traded, you hear someone say, “well, it’s a business.” Why would the firing of a manager be any different?
Silence is golden …
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia not getting selected in the NFL draft should be a lesson to all college football players who believe their own hype. Pavia was already a long shot before whining on social media about losing the Heisman Trophy to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, posting “F−−− the voters.” Now he’ll get a minicamp tryout with the Baltimore Ravens. Stay classy, Diego.
… but not always advisable
Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese said on Michelle Obama’s podcast that she’s willing to take a fine instead of talking to the media.
“The media has not always been great for me, and I’ll take a fine,” she said. “I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA (game). I’ll have a fine before I have to go to the media and feel like my back is against the wall.”
That’s rich. Few players have used the media more than Reese, who is always selling something, usually her own brand. As one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players, she owes it to her new team to speak to the media and help grow the game.
Money for nothing
The Los Angeles Dodgers should ditch those ugly City Connect uniforms they wore against the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers already have one of the most classic home uniforms in sports. Don’t they already have enough money? At least the New York Yankees refuse to adopt City Connect jerseys for a cash grab, knowing the navy blue pinstripes are a fitting tradition.
Future shock?
Billy Donovan coaching Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors? Some insiders have rumored that pairing if Steve Kerr leaves San Francisco.
While this would be a significant step up from the Bulls organization, Donovan would still be coaching a play-in team living off past glory.
