We actually managed to space this one only a week after the previous column. Hopefully we can keep this up. Encouragement helps. Is anyone actually reading this? We're not expecting a huge audience, but a couple of readers would be nice.

Chicago Bears

Soldier Field is torn up. The McCaskeys would never let a new coach take the team down to Chambana for a season. The Run-and-Shoop offense returns as Shoop guarantees to Mike North that there's a "100% chance of [him] returning". Tom Brady's injury possibly takes Drew Bledsoe off the trading block, and even if he's still available, a respectable Super Bowl performance will now cost us a lot more than just a first round pick.

Our remaining hope for the playoffs next season is to catch another great break on draft day. Re-sign Miller, and James Allen since no one else will likely use him as a featured back-up. Grab Kreutz and Parrish if the cap room exists. Use the first round pick on a pass rusher.

Then trade up if necessary to select the only available quarterback who knows the field next year. Someone wrote a letter to the Tribune reminding everyone that Kurt Kittner has played at Memorial Stadium for the last four years. He knows the field, the fans love him, and he can run an in-the-pocket, Pro-style offense.

Don't stop with just Kittner. Draft Antwan Randel El if he slips past the second round. Use him as a Slash-type to compliment Booker, Terrell, Robinson, and Bates. Imagine the possibilities with reverses and play action to WR passes with quality QBs like Booker and Randel El playing on outside. Fit him on the roster as a WR, use a re-signed Miller, signed Matthews, and Kittner as knowledgeable QBs to run the offense, and let the two youngsters try to beat out the veterans to start in Walter Payton Stadium at Soldier Field.

Of course, we could just sign Trent Dilfer and hope Urlacher finds himself at a bad Super Bowl party.

Chicago Blackhawks

GM Mike Smith went out and acquired someone who actually knows how to play hockey. He grabbed Jon Reekie, a reportedly quality defenseman, relatively cheaply on January 17th. Reekie spends ten days learning the system.

He then breaks his right foot in Monday's loss to Boston.

At least this year we don't have to worry about Boris Mironov getting himself stuck in the Krispy Kreme drive-thru. Sutter appears to have inspired even the previously lazy Blackovs to play hockey for Chicago.

Will any of this matter? No, since Thibault is likely not a playoff-caliber goalie, and we'll be out of the playoffs no later than the second round which, knowing the NHL, should be finished by Flag Day.

Chicago Bulls

So we have no All-Stars. Again. And does anyone really care?

Of course not.

These are the Bulls. Chicago reluctantly embraced them because of Jordan, but Chicagoans prefer outdoor sports. A Shaqfight doesn't make running around in shorts any more manly. We like hockey because of hard hits, both while skating and while standing still. Baseball is in the city blood like green dye in the Chicago River on St. Patrick Day. Bears' football is the soul of the town, from the invention of the forward pass to the development of middle linebackers with Bill George leading to the grand tradition of Butkus, Singletary, and Urlacher.

All you need in basketball is height and the ability to run up and down the floor for less than an hour. Basketball players might be great athletes, the sport's excellent for keeping in shape, and it certainly requires talent at the upper levels. But unlike the other three sports, where talent will almost always give you a good chance against superior physical skills, Shaq will always be able to smack down someone a foot shorter than him.

We hope Artest isn't traded but it really doesn't matter. Jordan is gone. Brand is gone. Battier isn't here. Neither are Duncan, McGrady, Jones, or even Hill. The Jerrys need to realize that we'll come to see and watch a well-played game, even if we lose. High schoolers just can't play the game right now. The last real hope for the franchise is to rebuild yet again around solid players that compliment hard-working youngsters like Artest and Eddie Robinson, and hope that the positive attitudes of new guys, like perhaps Jason Williams, will improve the "veterans".

Chicago Cubs

We're now less than a week away from the Anthony Molina state civil suit against Beanball Ben Christensen. If you're somehow not familiar with this story, Christensen assaulted Molina with a 90+ MPH fastball that caused Molina to lose almost all chance at a professional baseball career while the Cubs chose Christenen in the first round.

While we generally believe that Christensen probably shouldn't ever play professional baseball, we're not oblivious to how these issues normally work. Christensen needs to face an equal punishment to what he forced Molina to suffer. Not an "eye for an eye" by any standard, but merely a fair recompense for the damages suffered.

Fifty percent of his career earnings doesn't give Christensen much incentive to continue playing. A similar, pre-tax ruling on Bret Saberhagen as part of an alimony dispute almost forced his retirement since he would have barely made enough money to cover his expenses after losing 50% of it to his ex and likely close to 50% of the remainder to the government.

A fair ruling would involve a three-to-five year suspension from the majors without pay. He can continue to play in the minors to hone his skills, while being appropriate compensate for a AA or AAA pitcher. Molina likely could have played for a few years as a back-up infielder, so suspend Christensen for the length of an average career for a middle infielder.

Also, dock him his entire signing bonus as punitive damages. If he's already spent much of it on himself, then Christensen can play for a few years while giving half his salary to Molina.

We agree that this fairness costs the Cubs a first round prospect, and if you have any sense of decency, you'll agree with our "So what?" response. Ed Lynch cost us a first round pick to acquire Matt Karchner and gave up another with Kevin Orie to acquire Felix Heredia. Plus, we'll have four first rounders this year between the 20th and 45th overall picks.

If the Cubs really care about the team, they'd make better moves than signing Anthony Shumaker and Steve Sinclair to replace lefties Will Ohman and Phil Norton, both lost for the year after arm surgery. Shumaker's MLEs for the last two years have averaged 1.3 K:BB and 5.0 K/9 while also posting an unacceptable home run rate and a ridiculously high .380 OOBP. Sinclair's were a bit better at 1.4 K:BB and 6.1 K/9, but with superior pitchers likely available like Allen McDill, Eric Knott, and even Ron Villone if they wanted to spend the money, this was a bad piece of shopping by Jim Hendry. At least we assume it was Hendry since he's the one that everyone keeps quoting on these piddling little signings.

Chicago White Sox

The Sox traded OF Chris Singleton to Baltimore for 2B-CF Willie Harris.

All Singleton has ever done is play a reasonable centerfield while muddling along with a career OBP of .319 and SLG of .434. These numbers appear reasonable until one realizes that he's already thirty, only has a few years of major league experience, is already earning $1.2 million in his first year of arbitration, and doesn't help alleviate the extreme right-handedness of the line-up.

These are Harris' MLEs as a 22-year old that jumped to AA and the majors from the Sally League: 525 AB, 48:17 SB:CS, .270 BA, .323 OBP, and .368 SLG supported by a 42:67 BB:K. He's also a lefty.

Ray Durham only managed a .336 OBP and .466 SLG as the leadoff guy, with 23 steals against 10 CS. He's a switch-hitter who's hitting free agency after this season.

I would gladly take Harris' 2001 MLE line over Durham's since the Sox need a quality table-setter more than more power at the top of the lineup. Durham's BB:K has never been much better than .70 over the past several years, and Harris is already a good comp in batting eye.

Jess has spent a decent amount of time arguing in favor of Aaron Rowand, but Rowand tends to crash into outfield walls and has never really approached a walk rate of 10%. He's also another right-hander in a lineup that appears vulnerable to the increasing number of young, right-handed power arms throughout baseball.

Either Harris or Borchard needs to be the long-term replacement in centerfield unless we can secure someone like Darin Erstad. Tim Hummel appears just as talented and hard-working as Harris, although he possesses more power potential and significantly less speed. His quality infield defense will keep Harris in the outfield, and any team fielding Borchard-Harris-Ordonez will remain fairly solid defensively.

For now, I'd actually support either Valentin or Durham starting in center over Roward or Brian Simmons, a decent ballplayer dramatically hampered by injuries. Now that Singleton's trade value has been cashed in, the next in line are Alomar and Clayton. Finding someone by May to take the remaining $5M of their contracts will open up money to sign someone like Konerko to a long-term deal.

Durham will likely leave after the year unless the Sox prefer a relatively mediocre second basemen over a much cheaper prospect likely to develop into a superior player.

With the Harris acquisition, the long-term lineup now looks like:
1. Willie Harris, CF-L
2. Tim Hummel, 2B-R
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF-R
4. Joe Borchard, LF-S
5. Frank Thomas, DH-R
6. Paul Konerko, 1B-R
7. Jose Valentin, SS-S
8. Joe Crede, 3B-R
9. Miguel Olivo, C-R

Despite the obvious offensive potential in this lineup, it still leans to the right and lacks a little OBP. So, as I seem to be advocating in every column, deal for Brian Giles. He's available for the right price, and I bet that Carlos Lee, Joe Crede, and Jose Valentin would leave Dave Littlefield happy to send Giles our way at a payroll-neutral price. Lee replaces Giles in LF, Crede moves to 1B, and Valentin gives them enough offense at 2B to move Pokey back to SS, allowing the Pirates to focus on their pitching now that a young and deep offense is in place.

Use the diminished-skills' clause to cut Thomas, apply his salary to sign a certain All-Star third basemen that would love to play in the Midwest but won't be signed by the Cubs or Cardinals, and suddenly the lineup looks deep and flexible with young talent that will compliment an emerging pitching staff:

1. Willie Harris, 2B-L
2. Magglio Ordonez, RF-R
3. Brian Giles, CF-L
4. Scott Rolen, 3B-R
5. Joe Borchard, LF-S
6. Paul Konerko, 1B-R
7. Jeff Liefer, DH-L
8. Miguel Olivo, C-R
9. Tim Hummel, SS-R

While this lineup might be a pipe-dream, it appears payroll-neutral from 2002 to 2003 with Durham and Thomas' salaries likely equal to Rolen and Valentin and Lee equal to Giles. Everyone except Giles is under 30, and everyone should be at least average defensively at their position, along with Gold Glovers in Rolen and potentially Olivo.

None of this will matter in a week after the White Sox have managed to deal Howry for nothing while signing Kenny Lofton, but it sure appears an attractive possibility at this time. This team would even be a great alternative to the Sammy, Kerry, and Corey team across town.

Until Steve Goodman can rest in peace, these are your Good Chicago Sports.