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Chicago baseball future looks bright

The weather outside has been too cold for anything, period. For most of the last week, there has been a not-so-nice layer of snow on the ground, and it was like walking on an ice rink on my way to class. And, on top of all of that, the Bulls and Blackhawks are struggling.

Both teams were hit hard by big injuries and lack of winning. The Chicago sports world was dealt a few blows when Derrick Rose, Patrick Kane and, now, Jimmy Butler all went down with injuries. Butler will return in a few weeks and back to normal, but Kane won’t be back until the Western Conference Finals, assuming the Blackhawks even get that far.

Rose is not out long, but may never be the same player again after having his third knee surgery in three years. As for the Bears, well, they are still the Bears. With the start of the season only a month away, it’s time to look forward to baseball.

Baseball season is a great time of the year. When baseball comes around, you know spring has arrived and summer is on its way. Baseball is such a relaxing sport where you can sit outside soak up the sun and watch a game. I am excited every year for baseball season and this year especially.

Baseball in Chicago has not been relevant in some years now, but the White Sox and Cubs made significant improvements this past offseason and both look like contenders.

The White Sox made the most improvements and are the most playoff ready team out of the two. The additions of Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson were huge. They have a legitimate No. 2 starter and maybe even an ace in Samardzija to go along with the nasty Chris Sale, and they fortified their bullpen with former Yankee closer David Robertson.

The Sox filled a gaping hole in their bullpen with the addition of Robertson, but another, minor addition in lefty Zach Duke is coming off his best year, posting a 2.45 ERA. The big pieces were huge additions, but it was the small pieces that make the difference.

The additions of lefty first baseman Adam LaRoche, veteran switch hitting outfielder Melky Cabrera and speedy utility man Emilio Bonafacio cannot be overstated. In LaRoche, the team gets a left-handed power bat who can DH or spell Abreu at first base. Cabrera is a hitting machine with a veteran point of view to the clubhouse, who in 2012 led the league in hitting before being found guilty of using steroids. Bonafacio then adds a versatile threat, as a player who can play any position.

The Cubs, meanwhile, caught the big fish of the off-season in Jon Lester. The acquisition of Lester has pushed the Cubs to win now rather than later. Lester provides them with an ace that most teams don’t have and his playoff experience is vital for a young team.

The team’s future is bright with having two of the top five prospects in baseball in third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Addison Russell, who both could see some big league action this season. The additions of pitcher Jason Hammel who posted a 2.98 ERA with the Cubs last year before being traded, and power-hitting catcher Miguel Montero are great players to round out their team. What is exciting about the Cubs is that their young core has another year under their belt and more pieces will be added with Bryant and Russell.

The Sox and Cubs both have great chances to make the playoffs and both will do just that
Each team has added talent and the young players have grown from last year.

The Sox are built right now to make a deeper run in the playoffs, but it great to see that both teams are looking promising. The countdown to Opening Day begins.

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