White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie hopes to help tornado victims in Moore, Oklahoma

CHICAGO | Conor Gillaspie couldn't keep his eyes of the images from Moore, Okla., as the White Sox prepared for Monday night's game.

PRO BASEBALL NOTES: The Cell hosts NW Indiana Sox Fan Night Friday

Sorry, Ozzie Guillen won’t be there except as a fan. He won’t be managing either team.

Red Wings dominate Hawks in Game 2

CHICAGO | Execute the game plan or start digging your own grave.

Fenwick’s hot start dunks H-F in water polo quarterfinals

LINCOLNSHIRE | Kevin Kuchta had the right motivational idea Friday.

‘Sandpaperness’ Bolland on duty to raise Hawks’ game

CHICAGO | Almost to a man, the Blackhawks were at a loss for words Friday on how to raise their game above the defensively-stifling level of Game 1 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Hawks’ Oduya, Kruger clip Wings in 3rd

CHICAGO | Nine o’clock lightning finally sparked the United Center late Wednesday to brighten up a scrum of an opener of the Western Conference semifinals.

Emotion vies with skill as Chicago Blackhawks duel archrival Detroit Red Wings in Stanley Cup Playoffs

CHICAGO | It hasn’t been as much a rivalry as a drum pounding.

Hawkins’ 10th team still 3 short of MLB record

CHICAGO | LaTroy Hawkins put his arm this year where his mouth was in 2012.

Hossa lowers boom on Wild

CHICAGO | The Blackhawks waited four playoff seasons and one severe concussion for Marian Hossa to be the load that opponents could not bear.

Hawks take no comfort in series lead over Wild

CHICAGO | As they rubbed sleep out of their eyes Wednesday, 11 hours after their 2 a.m. arrival from the Twin Cities, the Blackhawks acknowledged the necessity of a much better performance against the Minnesota Wild.

Murdoch only logical Cubs-TV rights alternative to WGN

Lost in the hubbub of Tom Ricketts’ threat to move from Wrigley Field is the Cubs chairman’s desire for vastly increased TV rights fees that could bump WGN out of the picture for the first time in 65 years.

Deuces Wild for Frolik, Sharp as Hawks go up 2-0

CHICAGO | Minnesota Wild backup goalie Josh Harding, gamely playing with multiple sclerosis, had to share the spotlight with the Blackhawks’ Michael Frolik and Patrick Sharp by the end of Friday night's game.

Hawks finally beat Harding, Wild after war of attrition

CHICAGO | Playoff surprise No. 1 for the Blackhawks: backup Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding suddenly playing Tuesday night to trade save for save with counterpart Corey Crawford for almost four periods.

Hawks say they can handle increased physical play as Wild series opens

CHICAGO | Almost unstoppable with their speed and skills all season, the Blackhawks have a small Achilles heel at which playoff opponents might try to target.

Sox bobble, whiff one away again; Danks to make rehab start

CHICAGO | John Danks is coming, eventually.

SSC’s Cingrani near-dominant in Reds debut

Tony Cingrani’s zooming ascent to the majors has been capped by two sterling starts as the first Cincinnati Reds’ lefty to win his big-league debut since Tom Browning in 1984.

Hawks douse Flames in playoffs dress rehearsal

CHICAGO | Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville had three pressing tasks in his NHL-leading team’s final two-regular season games this weekend.

Rios shakes slump, powers Sox to win over Indians

CHICAGO | In past years, a budding batting slump by Alex Rios might spiral out of control, with the entire year lost.

Big Hurt plans full-time return to big city

Las Vegas somehow just didn’t seem Frank Thomas’ style, even after years of raising his second family just off of The Strip.

Sox hitting still quiet, and now bullpen blows it

CHICAGO | The White Sox have been in the wheels-falling-off-the-wagon stage for nearly two weeks, yet could always take comfort in a still-effective bullpen if they had the lead.

Hawks switch on power play, sweep Predators

CHICAGO | Tuning up for the postseason means turning on the power play’s switch for the Blackhawks.

MLB NOTES: La Russa wants front-office job

Without a manager’s job to weigh him down, Tony La Russa can come and go pretty much as he pleases.

Blackhawks beat Red Wings in overtime

CHICAGO | After a three-game absence, Corey Crawford took his turn Friday night as grist in the Blackhawks’ only burning issue left: which goalie starts in the playoffs.

Jackie’s ‘42’ story close to real-life for Sonny Weston

CHICAGO | It was 1951, and Nathan "Sonny" Weston was a 19-year-old recent graduate of Bloom Township staring down his big break: an invitation to spring training with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He remembers summoning his courage to approach Jackie Robinson in the dugout.

Hawks clinch playoff berth

CHICAGO | The Blackhawks officially clinched a playoff spot Sunday night on, appropriately, captain Jonathan Toews’ third-period goal in a 5-3 victory over the Nashville Predators.

MLB NOTES: Region products try to rev up careers in minors

Jeff Samardzija of Valparaiso, Curtis Granderson of Lynwood and Lloyd McClendon of Chesterton are household names in the majors. John Mallee of Schererville soon will be as Astros hitting coach.

Gillaspie, Axelrod Sox’s wind socks upend ‘King Felix’

CHICAGO | White Sox manager Robin Ventura said backup infielder Conor Gillaspie “wants to be a storm chaser.”

'Tight-knit' Sox bullpen quintet nails it down

CHICAGO | When a team’s bullpen – the perceived team strength -- performs according to plan, smiles and humorous body English prevail in the winning clubhouse.

Sox battery has extra juice to zap Royals

CHICAGO | Even though he kept the nay-sayers away with a game-winning homer Monday, White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers still had his priorities straight after he helped guide Chris Sale to a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Ponce family opens 2013 Chicago baseball on-key

CHICAGO | Three and one-half hours before the loud tumult of another Opening Day commenced, the familiar lyrics of “by dawn’s early light” reverberated around a nearly empty U.S. Cellular Field.

Sox can’t move forward in AL Central ‘till they get Tigers by the tail

The White Sox’s strategy to contend in the American League Central is to field a deep pitching staff and hope three or four lineup regulars improve through experience.

Samardzija a Cubs leader? Job’s open, and he’s willing

With the Theo Epstein-mandated rebuilding process’ end not yet in sight, the Cubs don’t yet have a true rotation ace and a certified team leader.

Confidence, good spirits by-products of Hawks’ hot start

CHICAGO | Increased confidence, team camaraderie and the pure joy of winning have sprouted out of the Blackhawks’ record-breaking 24-3-3 start.

Oduya’s big ‘D’ creates positive domino effect on Hawks

CHICAGO | They don’t use “domino effect” much in hockey with its unique sport-specific terminology often originated north of the border.

Kane proves slow-mo’s a go for another Hawks victory

CHICAGO | Speed traditionally kills in the NHL.

Game-winning offensive skills rub off from Shaw’s ‘sandpaper’

CHICAGO | Andrew Shaw doesn’t quite possess a choirboy-innocent face.

Cifelli's 2nd only a prelim to Olympic trials

WINNETKA | His tough self-criticism over his second-place Illinois state diving finish Saturday probably lasted only until Joe Cifelli tackled a post-meet dinner with his parents and two brothers at a nearby pizza restaurant.

Blackhawks beat Kings, get point in 15th straight

CHICAGO | Call them the Goldilocks Blackhawks.

Will Cubs start long climb back from bottom in Mesa?

If Theo Epstein’s long rebuilding process is likened to a capital “U,” then his Cubs are at the bottom of the letter and looking up at the long climb on the right side.

Sox need to rev up deep pitching staff to match Tigers

The White Sox have such an embarrassment of riches in the rotation that all the qualified left-handers cannot be accommodated.

Hoosier Bat Co. owners to receive honor

VALPARAISO | Dave and Debbie Cook, owners of Valparaiso's Hoosier Bat Co., will receive the Charlie Hum Club Service Award at the 67th annual Pitch and Hit Club Banquet Sunday in Lombard, Ill.

Smoother Crawford is best avenue for extended Hawks' season

CHICAGO | It all comes back to Corey Crawford, the last line of defense in goal.

Hawks aim to win back fans’ loyalty; Bolland gets shot at 2nd-line center

CHICAGO | Even though their first post-lockout practice Sunday drew a packed house at Johnny’s Ice House, Blackhawks management is following Rocky Wirtz’s admonition to never underestimate paying customers.

H-F’s Ely pleases dad with trade to Astros, AL

Homewood’s Jack Ely got an early Christmas present when son John was traded from the Dodgers to the Astros and the American League.

Keppinger could be Sox's first choice to hit in No. 2 spot

Jeff Keppinger may not possess one-for-one the career persona of Kevin Youkilis, the man he’s replacing at third base for the White Sox.

NHL lockout puts passion on ice for region hockey fans

Blackhawks loyalty put on ice, some chilled cash flow and the cold-shoulder.

Peavy, Floyd stay with Sox; options declined for Youkilis, Myers

Potentially making more money in a longer-term free-agent contract took a back seat to loyalty to the White Sox for Jake Peavy.

Sox make it official, promoting Kenny Williams, Rick Hahn

CHICAGO | New White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said he has the nucleus to contend in 2013, wants free agents-to-be Jake Peavy and Kevin Youkilis back, and does not expect a payroll cut even after the team dropped ticket prices and parking fees.