Shota Imanaga's start, John Schriffen's calls focuses of this week's 'Polling Place'

03/05/2024 21:46

What's the best thing about sports on TV in May?

Is it the NBA or NHL playoffs? How about baseball? How about everything else, from iconic events — the Kentucky Derby, the PGA Championship, the Indy 500 — to the start of a much-anticipated WNBA season?

This was topic No. 1 in this week's "Polling Place," your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X.

"Overtime NHL playoff games are the most exciting things in sports," @Jmcdonnell1962 commented.

"Kentucky Derby and Indy 500," @BradEbann offered.

Next, we wanted to know if you're already sold on new Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga, who has been one of the best starters in baseball out of the gate.

"It's early, but extremely impressive," @00723maui wrote.

"He gave up a bunch of homers in [Japan]," @PleaseTalkToMe1 cautioned. "Wait until he has to experience a Wrigley summer."

Last, we asked for your take on White Sox rookie play-by-play announcer John Schriffen.

"John is growing on me," @DebbieJC4 wrote. "At first, his enthusiasm seemed fake, but now I believe it's just him. He needs to study his Sox history, though."

On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: What's the best thing about sports on TV in May?

Upshot: Not including the Kentucky Derby as its own option was a "shocking failure," according to @RevDJEsq. Meanwhile, @AuntieLisa111 and others gave us the business for not having the WNBA as one of the main choices. Considering a hair over one in 10 voters went with "other," though, it's possible we didn't screw this thing up all that egregiously.

Poll No. 2: New Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga is 5-0 with a 0.78 ERA in six starts. Are you sold on him as a star already?

Upshot: Imanaga was named baseball's rookie of the month for April. Now all he has to do is win rookie of the month four or five more times, sprinkle in an All-Star Game start and a couple of no-hitters and — is it really asking too much? — heave a Cy Young award onto his mantle. Other than that, we'll be patient with the guy.

Poll No. 3: What has been your early impression of the White Sox' new play-by-play announcer, John Schriffen?

Upshot: The young Schriffen has taken a few body shots in the media lately. A game-winning call in which he seemed to call frustrated Sox fans "haters" didn't go over well at all. He mispronounced the last name of legendary Sox owner Bill Veeck. And as fan @mikewalsh4609 put it, "I know he has to be enthusiastic, but don't tell me how great my team is when I know they stink."