It’s something close to a law of nature that the farther people are from a conflict, the more simplistic their views about its causes and solutions. That couldn’t be more apparent now in Gaza, where Israel’s invasion is drawing howls of outrage around the world.

That outrage is well-deserved. There is no question that the Israel Defense Forces could and should be doing more to avoid civilian casualties. Yet the fact that the anger of so many is directed only at Israel is disturbing, because there are two armed forces responsible for the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza. The other is Hamas.

Hamas invited the Israeli invasion with the barbarism of its terrorist attack on Oct. 7, and it has been open about how it fully expected Israel to retaliate. Recent reporting by the Washington Post would, if verified, underscore that this was the purpose of its attack, dubbed operation al Aqsa Flood, and that Palestinian deaths weren’t a bug in that plan but an essential part of it. “The blood of the women, children, and elderly,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Lebanese TV on Oct. 26, “we are the ones who need this blood, so it awakens within us the revolutionary spirit.”

Yet if you listened to talk radio in the U.K. over the past weekend you would have heard callers explaining — counter to all evidence — that it was not the Islamist terror group committed to the destruction of Israel that murdered Jewish children in front of their parents, but rather Israeli special forces. When an Iranian man had the temerity to hold up a sign in central London comparing Hamas with Islamic State because of its actions that day, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters in hoodies attacked him, and a woman shouted “death to all the Jews.” Posters of abducted Israeli children have been torn down in the U.K. as in the U.S., where a 21-year-old student at Tufts University, near Boston, was arrested last month for posting threats to kill Jews on campus, using the social media handle “Hamas Soldier.”

These people need to ask themselves why they are so unwilling to criticize an organization that murders innocents on the grounds of race. The answer may not be pretty. The way Hamas carried out its attack and is now fighting the war in Gaza demonstrates the organization’s utter disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, too.

Consider the tunnels. Hamas built hundreds of kilometers of them under Gaza City to create an asymmetric advantage against the IDF’s vast superiority in terms of heavy armor, troop numbers and more. It makes sense as military strategy, just like preparing the ground by intense aerial bombardment made sense as military strategy for the Israelis. But Hamas did not build underground shelters to protect civilians during the war it was preparing to fight. And there been no reports of civilians offered shelter in the tunnels ahead of the Israeli ground invasion.

Then there is Hamas’ use of human shields, even beyond the 240-plus hostages it seized on Oct. 7. According to the IDF, Hamas had its headquarters under Gaza’s main al Shifa hospital, locates its rocket launchers next to schools, and generally does its best to make it impossible to target Hamas without also hitting civilians. There is no reason to trust the word of the IDF — this is war and like all militaries at war, their job is to win, not to tell the truth. Nor does Hamas’ use of civilians as human shields excuse the IDF for killing them. But this isn’t the first Israeli incursion into Gaza. Journalists from The Guardian encountered Hamas troops within al Shifa in 2014. Groups as Israel-critical as Amnesty International have reported that Hamas used the hospital as a site for the torture and execution of its Palestinian opponents as far back as 2008.

It’s worth listening to how some prominent Arab journalists approach Hamas. Earlier this month, the Egyptian TV commentator Ibrahim Eissa slammed comments from Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk, who said the tunnels were there to protect Hamas fighters from Israeli jets and it was up to the United Nations to protect Gaza’s civilians. “Irresponsible” and “disgraceful” were just two of the adjectives Eissa used, noting that Hamas governs Gaza and that the first duty of any government is to protect its people. While Hamas is in its tunnels, “what about the Palestinian children who are targeted by Israeli aggression?” Eissa asked.

An Al Arabiya TV anchor was equally scathing in her grilling of Khaled Meshal, another top Hamas official. The nature of the Hamas action on Oct. 7 was a declaration of war that inevitably would draw an Israeli counterattack, the anchor said. “The other factions, the Palestinian Authority and the people of Gaza were not consulted about this,” but they now bear the consequences, she said. She also tried her best to get Meshal to take responsibility for the atrocities committed against Jewish civilians on Oct. 7.

This isn’t rocket science. Dead Palestinian civilians are an essential part of Hamas’ plan, whose goal was to draw Israel deep into Gaza, create a bloodbath, and expand the war by enraging and drawing in new players such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran and Israel’s Arab neighbors. Most Arab governments understand fully that Hamas is an equivalent to Islamic State that offers nothing to Palestinians beyond poverty and death. Yet they are now silent on this because Israel is playing the role that Hamas assigned to it. Tragically, so are too many well-intentioned people in the West.

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Kyle Bradish opened the 2023 season as the No. 4 starter in the Orioles’ five-man rotation. He ended it viewed as the No. 4 starter in the entire American League.

In his second major league season, Bradish placed fourth in voting for the AL Cy Young Award, which annually recognizes the circuit’s top pitcher. New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, the AL’s only qualified starter who allowed a lower batting average than Bradish, received all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to win his first career Cy Young Award, the BBWAA announced Wednesday, with San Diego Padres left-hander Blake Snell winning in the National League.

Bradish, a 27-year-old right-hander, is the first Orioles starter to appear on multiple BBWAA ballots since Hall of Famer Mike Mussina finished second in 1999. With a single third-place vote in 2007, Erik Bedard tied for fifth, while closer Zack Britton also came in fourth in 2016. An Oriole hasn’t won the award since Steve Stone in 1980.

The voting results validated Bradish’s status as not only the Orioles’ top starter, but also one of the best in the AL. With a 2.83 ERA, Bradish became Baltimore’s first qualified starter to post a mark under 3.00 since Mussina in 1992. That figure also ranked third in the AL behind Cole and Minnesota Twins right-hander Sonny Gray, who finished second in voting as former Orioles starter Kevin Gausman, now with the Toronto Blue Jays, placed third. Bradish’s 17 outings of at least six innings with fewer than three runs allowed trailed only Cole.

Bradish appeared on 19 ballots with six third-place votes, eight for fourth place and five for fifth. He finished well behind Gausman for third place in voting, preventing the Orioles from having three finalists for BBWAA awards; Baltimore infielder Gunnar Henderson was named the AL Rookie of the Year on Monday, with Brandon Hyde winning AL Manager of the Year a day later. The final BBWAA honor, the Most Valuable Player in each league, will be announced Thursday.

One of four minor league right-handers the Orioles acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for starter Dylan Bundy in December 2019, Bradish made his major league debut for Baltimore in May 2022. In 10 starts before going on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, Bradish had a 7.38 ERA. But the recovery period allowed him to mentally and physically reset. After his return, he posted a 3.28 ERA over 13 starts, a stretch during which he also began pitching from the other side of the rubber and added a sinker to his repertoire.

The success of those changes, as well as the improved command he showcased, carried into 2023. Starting Baltimore’s fourth game of the season, he exited seven batters in when a comebacker struck his right foot, prompting a brief stint on the injured list. He returned with six scoreless innings, but his next nine outings were mixed, leaving him with a 4.25 ERA entering mid-June. From then on, he had a 2.18 ERA in 19 starts; his 2.34 mark after the All-Star break narrowly topped Cole for the best second-half ERA of any major league starter.

The performance made Bradish the obvious choice to be the Orioles’ Game 1 starter in their AL Division Series matchup with the Texas Rangers. Although the Rangers won the game, 3-2, en route to sweeping Baltimore and eventually winning the World Series, Bradish impressed in his 4 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts, the first Orioles pitcher to reach that tally in a postseason game since Mussina in 1997.

Orioles closer Félix Bautista, who at points in the season was viewed as a dark-horse Cy Young candidate, received three fifth-place votes as the only reliever to land on multiple ballots. Before undergoing season-ending Tommy John elbow reconstruction that will also force him to miss 2024, Bautista had a 1.48 ERA and 33 saves with a 46.4% strikeout rate that was the sixth highest for any qualified reliever in major league history.

Replacing Bautista at the back of the bullpen and fortifying the rotation are among the Orioles’ offseason priorities with Gray and Snell, now free agents, among the starting upgrades available. But for now, Bradish is positioned to become Baltimore’s youngest opening day starter since Bundy in 2018, which would be a worthy honor for a pitcher who established himself among the AL’s best.

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On the day of the deadline to protect prospects from being selected in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles made more subtractions from their 40-man roster than additions to it.

Ahead of Tuesday evening’s deadline, Baltimore added no minor leaguers to its 40-man roster, meaning all eligible players will be available to other teams in next month’s Rule 5 draft. None of the Orioles’ top 30 prospects, according to Baseball America, were left exposed.

Instead, Baltimore’s only roster moves Tuesday were outrighting utility player Terrin Vavra and left-hander Tucker Davidson to Triple-A Norfolk, leaving four openings on the 40-man roster. Vavra made the Orioles’ opening day roster, batting .245 with no extra-base hits in 27 major league games, but missed much of the year with a right shoulder injury. Davidson was claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals last month and agreed to terms on a contract last week that established his salary for any time spent in the minors.

Generally, players drafted out of high school or signed as international amateurs in 2019 or drafted out of college in 2020 are eligible for this year’s Rule 5 draft. Held at the end of the winter meetings, the draft allows teams to acquire players who aren’t on other organizations’ 40-man rosters, though selecting teams must keep those players in the majors all season or otherwise offer them back to their original club. Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander and right-hander Tyler Wells are former Rule 5 selections.

The Orioles had few players they needed to protect because most significant players who would have been eligible for the first time this winter are already on the 40-man roster, including Gunnar Henderson, Heston Kjerstad and Jordan Westburg. Baltimore’s fifth-round pick in 2019 out of a Texas high school, infielder Darell Hernaiz, was added Tuesday to the 40-man roster of the Oakland Athletics, who acquired Hernaiz for pitchers Cole Irvin and Kyle Virbitsky last offseason.

The most notable player the the Orioles left unprotected was outfielder Hudson Haskin, their second-round pick in 2020 who underwent season-ending surgery on his left hip in July. Right-handers Jean Pinto, acquired from the Los Angeles Angelos for shortstop José Iglesias in December 2020, and Ryan Watson, an undrafted free agent after the 2020 shortened draft who was Baltimore’s 2022 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, are also eligible for the first time.

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Haphazard shooting has defined a disastrous 4-9 start to the season for the Chicago Bulls. Every main rotational player is shooting well below their averages from last season — except Alex Caruso.

The Bulls typically lean on Caruso as a defensive specialist. But he also the hottest hand on the floor at any given time the season, shooting at 63.2% clip from the field.

That accuracy extends to long range. Caruso is 50% on 3-pointers, averaging 1.5 through 13 games. And while Zach LaVine (2.5) and Coby White (1.6) post slightly higher volumes of makes, it’s clear Caruso is the most reliable shooter from deep.

This is easily the best start Caruso has had in his career. The guard is a strong shooter, averaging 43.7% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range in his career. But Caruso entered Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat at the United Center sixth in the league in true shooting percentage.

Caruso credits the sudden spike in his shooting to a new mindset.

“This is probably the most unattached to results that I’ve been in my life basketball-wise as far as shots going in or out,” Caruso said. “And that’s probably why I’m making most of them.”

The Bulls need this level of fearlessness to overcome a sense of timidity that dominates their style of play — especially in the first half. After Friday’s 103-97 loss to the Orlando Magic, forward DeMar DeRozan described the team as “shooting like we’re trying not to miss” and “playing like we’re trying not to make a mistake.”

The result is an offense that is shooting 44% from the field — a 5% drop from last season — resulting in 2.6 fewer makes despite taking 3.9 more attempts per game.

But Caruso isn’t afraid to take a shot. He boldly steps into 3-pointers, firing with a newfound abandon that only has built his confidence.

“There’s a part of me that doesn’t care,” Caruso said. “If I’m open, I shoot it. I’m playing basketball, competing to win. If it’s the right shot, take it. Trust the work. I worked really hard this summer and this preseason and during the season. There’s no reason not to shoot them.”

Caruso continued his sharp shooting Friday when he moved into the starting lineup, scoring 18 points while going 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc.

The starting power forward position has been a constant quandary for the Bulls. This is coach Billy Donovan’s second adjustment to the rotation after replacing Patrick Williams with Torrey Craig in the second week of the season.

Caruso isn’t even a power forward. He’s one of the taller guards on the roster at 6-foot-5, but he’s still often asked to guard players who /are several inches taller. Caruso is a wily defender who typically can keep the oversized matchups off their rhythm, but playing small ball requires the Bulls to rely more heavily on their defensive rotations in critical moments — something they’ve failed to do this season.

And for Caruso, there’s an added physical element being asked to play bigger than his size. He embraces the challenge. But it’s still a realistic concern for the Bulls, who have lost Caruso for extended periods because of injury over the last two seasons.

After Friday’s loss, Donovan didn’t commit to whether Caruso would become a permanent starter. And Caruso expressed the same ambivalence.

“I think tonight is just the first instance of trying out me starting and finding the minutes that work for me and the team,” Caruso said. “(It’s an) ongoing process. We’ll see if there are adjustments moving forward.”

But whether he’s coming off the bench or suiting up as a starter, it’s clear Caruso currently holds the greatest game-changing sway on the Bulls roster.

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