Latest news with #JerryReinsdorf
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
White Sox give Cubs a booming wake-up call in rivalry smackdown
CHICAGO — There was a vase of flowers and a picture of the late Chicago sports-radio host Harry Teinowitz displayed at a Rate Field press box seat Friday night, and the classy gesture by the White Sox reminded me of a story that Teinowitz, who passed away on July 15, loved to tell. In 2005, Teinowitz was in Houston with his radio show when the Sox finished off a four-game sweep of the Astros in the World Series. According to Teinowitz, when Jerry Reinsdorf saw him after the game, the first thing he did was needle him about the Cubs. Advertisement So if you're wondering why Reinsdorf is hanging onto the Sox for more years despite an agreement to sell, maybe a sliver of the reason is for nights like Friday when the Sox absolutely embarrassed their crosstown rivals at a most inopportune time. I hope Jerry lit a victory cigar because those haven't gotten much burn in the past few years. It was a smoke 'em if you got 'em kind of night for the White Sox, who destroyed the Cubs 12-5 in front of a lively bipartisan crowd on the South Side. The Sox had lost eight straight and 10 of 11 to the Cubs. Some would say they were due. Chase Meidroth slugs a leadoff homer 😤 — MLB (@MLB) July 25, 2025 And as much as we try to build it up every year, we all know the importance of Cubs-Sox has waned significantly since the feistier days of the rivalry, but we can call this a statement win for tried-and-true Sox fans, who have suffered through an abysmal four-year stretch since that rare playoff appearance in 2021. The Sox (38-66) have won six of seven since the All-Star break, none sweeter than this one. For the Cubs (60-43), the pain of this loss had nothing to do with the opponent. It was both a missed opportunity and a poor effort in all facets of the game. The first-place Brewers lost earlier in the day, so the Cubs not only blew a chance to even up the NL Central, but they also weren't even competitive as Shota Imanaga got rocked, the defense struggled and the hitters were somnolent until the game was out of reach. The Sox led 11-0 until Cubs catcher Reese McGuire's three-run homer in the seventh. If I were general manager Chris Getz, I would have called down and banned starter Adrian Houser from even coming out for that inning. He had just thrown 60 pitches in six scoreless innings against one of the most feared lineups in the game. He's their biggest trade chip. What else did he have to prove? Houser, who left the game one batter after giving up the homer, still has a 2.10 ERA. With a minimal salary, he could be one of the biggest steals at the deadline, and Getz has a potential buyer in Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, who should be the busiest shopper in baseball. This is a Cubs team in desperate need of a blockbuster trade deadline, especially on the pitching front. Hoyer might need to get his team two starting pitchers, two relievers, a third baseman and a pinch hitter. And trust me, his core players are just as interested as the rest of you in what's going to happen in the next week. They know they need help for the stretch run and in October. It couldn't be more evident. Advertisement The Cubs have dropped four of five, which is about as bad of a run as they've had all season. They'll likely have another bullpen game Sunday before going to Milwaukee for a big three-game series, given that there are only eight games left between the teams. With everything at stake, I can't imagine Hoyer is sleeping well. What happened Friday night didn't help. The Sox have been hitting everything since the All-Star break, a small sample size that still had its boosters in a tizzy, and they shelled Imanaga from the second pitch he threw, which was a Chase Meidroth leadoff homer to left field. Imanaga gave up a homer to rookie Colson Montgomery in the second. COLSON MONTGOMERY FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT GAME 🤯 — White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) July 26, 2025 Imanaga was charged with seven runs on 12 hits, including three homers, in three innings. The Sox added another four runs off Imanaga's replacement, Chris Flexen, who started for their cursed 2024 team. Imanaga's velocity was down and his location wasn't sharp. He didn't walk a batter, but the Sox were feasting off him in the zone. He gave up 12 hits, most of which were pretty well-struck. This was Imanaga's sixth start since he missed nearly two months with a hamstring strain and it was by far his worst. As the Sox battered him, I was sure he was hurt or had a blister or something to explain it. But he said after the game that wasn't the case. He just stunk. 'Post-injury, the velo has been a little lower than usual, so that's something I need to work on, and physically, condition-wise, there's stuff I need to improve on as well,' he said through an interpreter. 'It just shows the fine line of pitching in the big leagues and what success and struggles look like,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'It's hard to believe that's the pitcher you saw the last two times make a start.' Advertisement For the Cubs, it seems like we've been talking about the trade deadline since we realized they really were good back in the spring, and now it's almost here, and maybe it's not just about supplementing the roster as Hoyer has stressed. This team needs help. They came to the South Side to try to get another sweep over their rivals. But what they got Friday night was a wake-up call, and it was as loud as the fireworks they set off after a Sox victory. (Photo of Chase Meidroth: Matt Marton / Imagn Images)
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Josh Giddey's NBA payday shrinks in standoff with Chicago Bulls
Josh Giddey is still waiting to get his next NBA deal as the Chicago Bulls play hardball on a mega contract extension in an off-season standoff that continues to drag on. The Australian finished his fourth NBA season on a hot streak, racking up triple doubles for fun and scoring a halfcourt buzzerbeater against the LA Lakers to send his value skyrocketing heading into restricted free agency. It was widely expected that Chicago would offer Giddey a contract extension worth $30 million (A$45 million) per season, but that is yet to happen as the Bulls appear hesitant to shell out that kind of money. A contract of that value would make Giddey one of Australia's highest paid athletes, excluding LIV golfers Cam Smith and Marc Leishman. As it stands, it looks likely Giddey may accept Chicago's qualifying offer of $11.1 million (A$17m) for the 2025-26 season and bet on himself to outperform that value so he can command a more lucrative deal when he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. Alternatively, the Bulls will come to the table with a deal of around four years, $90 million (A$136 million), which is significantly lower than what Giddey's camp is asking for. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf has been notoriously stingy when it comes to avoiding paying the luxury tax, and now Chicago's front office is holding out on giving Giddey a mega payday. The Aussie has every right to feel hard done by at the moment, given Chicago previously paid Patrick Williams USD$90 million over five years, despite the draft bust showing very little promise during his NBA career so far. Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists in 19 games for the Bulls after NBA All-Star break while shooting 45.7 per cent from 3-point range. The standoff between Giddey and Chicago can be put down to the fact it is a very bad time to be a restricted free agent in the NBA this off-season, with very few teams having salary cap space. Giddey, Brooklyn's Cam Thomas, Golden State's Jonathan Kuminga and Philadelphia's Quentin Grimes could have earned deals worth in excess of $100 million in most other off-seasons. 5 former 1st rd. picks have signed a Qualifying Offer since 2018. Their next contract outside of Miles Bridges has not been pretty: Alex Len: 2/8.5M Nerlens Noel: 2/3.7M Rodney Hood: 2/11.7M Denzel Valentine: 2/4.1M Miles Bridges: 3/75M — Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 18, 2025 But a lack of cap space around the league this year and the NBA's restrictive new collective bargaining agreement is making teams wary of shelling out big contracts on players who aren't superstars. YardBarker's Nathan Shirberg said: 'Essentially, the Bulls are negotiating against themselves, which incentivises them to not negotiate at all. As it stands, the Bulls should feel no pressure to give in.' A Bulls executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith: 'We want to get a deal done with Josh. He's as important of a player as we have. We see him as a foundational player for us. I hope we can find a deal that makes sense for us and him and that we'll be together for a long time.' ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel wrote that 'no progress' has been made between Giddey's camp and the Bulls. 'The two sides met at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where Giddey and his camp made it clear they want a contract similar to that of Jalen Suggs (5-year, $150 million) and Immanuel Quickley (5-year, $162 million) and have not come down from their $30 million annual average value asking price,' Siegel wrote. 'The Bulls have not offered more than a four-year contract in the $20 million per year range.' The Athletic's Law Murray described the situation as 'free agency hell, where Giddey is keeping the Bulls from doing anything except repeat their 2024 trade where they send a former Laker defender to a No. 1 seed in exchange for a lottery pick'. 'Last year, it was Giddey from Oklahoma City in exchange for now two-time NBA champion Alex Caruso. This year, the Bulls sent (Lonzo) Ball to the Cavaliers for (Isaac) Okoro.' Chicago's ownership and executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas have come under fire for being content to stay in the NBA's no-man's land of not committing to a full rebuild. Bill Simmons said on his podcast he would rather have any other roster situation for the next five years than Chicago's. The Bulls have featured in the NBA play-in tournament in the past three seasons. 'I just don't know what this team is,' Simmons said. 'Where am I going in the next three years? I know I'm not going to be a bottom five team next year … it just seems bleak to me. 'If I'm a Bulls fan, what I am excited about? My owners have already made it very clear to me we're never really going to spend money. 'They've done a sh*tty job with the (Michael) Jordan legacy. I just don't know what this team is other than a team that's going to go 40-42 every year.' Co-host Ryen Russillo added: 'I think the Giddey trade will turn out to be a good trade for them.' NBA pundits have no doubt Giddey will turn up for pre-season training camp with the Bulls, but there are some concerns about whether the contract negotiations will have left a sour taste in his mouth. Bulls insider K.J. Johnson said: 'The Bulls hold all the power. Giddey is almost certainly going to be back on a qualifying offer or a long term deal. 'What I would be concerned about is what kind of mindset is Josh Giddey going to come into camp with after the negotiations dragging on that long and then him maybe not getting what he wanted. 'You want him coming into camp with a good feeling, pleased with his deal. The fact that it dragged on, guys get over that if they sign a deal that ultimately pays him $90 million over four years. That's a lot of money.' One cryptic quote Giddey shared on his Instagram story this week read: 'What a privilege to outgrow things you used to settle for.'
Fox News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
White Sox honor fallen World Series hero Bobby Jenks with emotional ballpark tribute
The Chicago White Sox were in mourning on Monday night, as they played their first home game since the death of former pitcher Bobby Jenks, who died at 44 years old after battling cancer. The team, wearing a No. 45 patch on their jerseys to commemorate Jenks, held a moment of silence after showing a tribute video to those in the stands on Monday night at Rate Field. The No. 45 patches will be worn for the remainder of the 2025 season. It was a somber moment, but an expected one to honor Jenks following news of his death over the weekend. Jenks announced in February that he was dealing with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was in a hospital bed when he made the announcement to after moving to Portugal to be closer to his wife's family. "We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today," White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts." While Jenks did not divulge his situation other than the diagnosis, he did say he hoped to be a part of the White Sox's 20th anniversary celebration of their 2005 World Series victory. That will be this Friday when Chicago takes on the Cleveland Guardians. Jenks played seven seasons in MLB, six of which with the White Sox. He had great success when he debuted with them in 2005, earning a 2.75 ERA over 32 games while striking out 11.4 batters per nine innings. Due to his consistency on the mound, Jenks would end up being the closer through the team's World Series run that season, and he pitched in all four games as the White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win it all. Jenks went on to earn back-to-back All-Star bids in 2006 and 2007, while finishing his career with a 3.53 ERA. The other team he played for was the Boston Red Sox before retiring after the 2011 season. Jenks also battled with alcoholism and drug addiction, which effectively ended his career before becoming sober in 2012. Jenks is survived by his wife and six children, four of whom were from a previous marriage. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iconic former White Sox pitcher Jenks dies aged 44
Jenks threw the clinching pitch as the White Sox won the World Series 20 years ago [Getty Images] Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks has died at the age of 44 from a rare form of stomach cancer. Jenks was a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and was part of the team that ended their 88-year wait for a World Series title in 2005. Advertisement He threw the final pitch of the match in game four of the series as the White Sox beat the Houston Astros. "We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family," White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "None of us will ever forget all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organisation during his time in Chicago." After six seasons with the White Sox, Jenks finished his career in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox, but played only 19 games because of bone spurs on his spine that hampered nearby nerves and tendons. Jenks moved to Portugal last year and had been receiving treatment for adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.
BBC News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Iconic former White Sox pitcher Jenks dies aged 44
Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks has died at the age of 44 from a rare form of stomach was a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and was part of the team that ended their 88-year wait for a World Series title in threw the final pitch of the match in game four of the series as the White Sox beat the Houston Astros."We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family," White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "None of us will ever forget all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organisation during his time in Chicago." After six seasons with the White Sox, Jenks finished his career in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox, but played only 19 games because of bone spurs on his spine that hampered nearby nerves and moved to Portugal last year and had been receiving treatment for adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.
