👋 Good morning!

Why in the world are we waiting until Wednesday to start the Stanley Cup Finals and Thursday for the NBA Finals?

And whatever happened to the every-other-day playoff schedule?

This is how we get zero games in either league on the 7th or 10th, and if necessary, the 15th, 18th, or 21st. And if either series goes seven games, we’re talking about finales on June 20 and June 22.

Why?

I know the championship round dates are typically set in stone well in advance, but it’s always felt like a failure to capture the moment, even more so after the conference finals somewhat failed to deliver fireworks in either league.

Then again, maybe I shouldn’t complain too much because once the champions are crowned, there’s nothing but baseball until training camp begins around the NFL.

– Patrick Norton

Our CHGO Cubs and CHGO White Sox crews set out to put together the best of the best of the last 25 years of Chicago baseball, compiling their club’s All Quarter-Century Teams.

Here’s who missed the cut:

*only tallying seasons played with the Cubs/White Sox after 2000

bWAR really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of this conversation, but it was an easy way to sort everybody’s names.

Let’s start with the Cubs: Derrek Lee’s 2005 season, in which he slashed .335/.418/.662 with 46 home runs and 50 doubles, is up there for one of the greatest seasons ever played in a Cubs uniform.

Not only is there a legitimate argument for Lee to unseat Anthony Rizzo, but there’s undoubtedly one to slot him in as the designated hitter. Aramis Ramirez was the mark of consistency with the Cubs, but Lee should be on the same pedestal, if not higher.

Schwarber showed flashes with the Cubs, but really blossomed once he left, and Happ is probably the best post-2016 Cubs player, at least for right now.

Crow-Armstrong is only in this lineup for the tear he’s on 59 games into the Cubs’ season, which could pass Dexter Fowler’s bWAR with the Cubs in 2025 alone. But it’s tough to leave 2016’s lead-off man off the team, too.

As for the White Sox: José Valentín vs. Joe Crede is an awesome conversation. What hurts Valentín’s case, and what probably should’ve given the edge to Crede, is the fact that he was primarily used as a shortstop, almost exclusively playing the position his final two seasons in Chicago.

Replacing Alexei Ramirez with Valentín at shortstop works for the sake of the graphic, but Ramirez ought to be on there somewhere. He played 121 games at second base in his rookie season, so maybe we can sneak that one by everybody. Then again, is it fair to take Ray Durham off the field, despite only having played a season and a half post-2000?

Additionally, Paul Konerko and Jose Abreu should probably be swapped. Against all odds, Abreu actually accumulated more bWAR than Konerko in their time here, but as I mentioned earlier, WAR doesn’t mean everything in this conversation, and Konerko’s name is synonymous with White Sox baseball.

GO DEEPER: Our CHGO Cubs Podcast discussed their selections on yesterday’s show.

STAFF FILLED: The Blackhawks officially announced their entire coaching staff under newly-hired head coach Jeff Blashill, adding former Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Mike Vellucci to the mix.

Blashill on Vellucci: "Serving as an assistant coach at the World Championship this summer and winning a gold medal for our country alongside Frank Nazar and Alex Vlasic will bring such valuable experience to this group. That kind of championship-caliber background only makes our team better, and I'm excited to get to work."

Vellucci joins ex-interim head coach Anders Sorensen and two-time Selke Trophy winner Michael Peca alongside Blashill on the bench. The Blackhawks also officially retained goaltending coach Jimmy Waite, video coach Matt Meachum, and assistant video coach Adam Gill.

HOMERPALOOZA: Not the best outing Jonathan Cannon’s ever had. Cannon and the White Sox were blown out, 13-1, in the series opener against the Tigers at The Rate last night. In three innings, Cannon allowed five earned runs, all coming off three homers.

It only got worse for Bryse Wilson, who allowed eight runs on 12 hits in mop-up duty. The Tigers hit five home runs total, including three from Kerry Carpenter.

📺 CHGO Blackhawks
2:00 on YouTube

📺 CHGO Bulls
4:00 on YouTube

📺 CHGO Bears
4:00 on YouTube
*POST MINICAMP*

⚾️ Cubs @ Nationals
5:45 on Marquee

⚾️ White Sox vs. Tigers
6:40 on CHSN

📺 CHGO Cubs
POSTGAME on CHGO Cubs YT

📺 CHGO White Sox
POSTGAME on YouTube