Chicago Sports

Three correctional officers were treated for smoke inhalation after a small fire broke out at Cook County Jail Sunday afternoon.

Firefighters responded to a call of smoke in one cell of Division 9 around 3 p.m. at the jail in the 2600 block of South California Avenue, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

The fire was struck out shortly afterward, the Chicago Fire Department said.

Three staff members suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to Stroger Hospital, where they were treated and released, the sheriff’s office said.

The two detainees in the cell were seen by onsite medical staff, the sheriff’s office said. One was cleared to return, and the other was being further evaluated at the jail for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, officials said.

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Three correctional officers were hospitalized after a fire broke out at Cook County Jail Sunday afternoon.

About 4 p.m., firefighters responded to a call of smoke at Cook County Jail, 2834 W. 31st St., the Chicago Fire Department said. The fire was struck out shortly after.

It wasn’t immediately clear where the fire began, fire officials said.

Three officers suffered smoke inhalation injuries and were taken to Stroger Hospital, where they were in fair condition, fire officials said.

No other details were available.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — It was the first official day of spring training, with fans lining the players’ walkway to the back fields and everything.

Tim Anderson raised his arms and waved with both hands to cheers and phone picture-taking. Tony La Russa was cheered, later joking the fans must have thought he was Ozzie Guillen. And Luis Robert made their day after the workouts, stopping to sign autographs on the way out.

Someone shrieked for glee after Robert put pen to baseball.

La Russa said he would wait till Tuesday, when everyone was expected to have arrived, to give his message to the team. He offered a brief one Sunday, though.

“Today was, ‘How are you, nice to see you,’ ” La Russa said. “And I did tell them that pitching and defense — ever since the game was played — the better we pitch and defend, the fewer runs we have to score. So that starts here.”

The Sox defense starts with Robert, a Gold Glove center fielder as a rookie in 2020 who will have to cover a lot of Roger Bossard’s plush Guaranteed Rate Field sod with defensively challenged Eloy Jimenez in left field and perhaps converted first basemen Andrew Vaughn or Gavin Sheets in right.

Watching Robert run down fly balls with swift, long strides is just one reason why buying a ticket to a Sox game is worth the investment. Watching him run the bases, hit and hit with power is another. He has already been the talk of MVP speculation, something he doesn’t shy away from.

“Every baseball player has that goal in mind every year,” Robert said through translator Billy Russo.

Well, maybe not. Some are just trying to win a spot on a roster.

But Robert is thinking big. As he probably should, considering his immense talent.

“Win a MVP, Gold Glove and get as many awards and accolades as possible,” he said. “At the end, what matters the most or the biggest goal is to win it all, win a World Series. That’s the goal not just for me but for every baseball player.

“That definitely makes me feel good just knowing people have that high of an opinion of me. I always try to do my best when I’m on the field. That’s never going to change.”

The key for Robert, who has dealt with injury problems off and on through his career, is to stay healthy in 2022, La Russa said. To that end, he worked hard in the offseason and was ready for spring training weeks ago.

“You don’t really have control over injuries,” Robert said. “Those things happen.”

After he missed three months with a torn hip flexor, Robert returned and batted .350/.389/.622 with 12 homers in 43 games. He said Sunday he was holding back after the injury but let it go in the postseason, which could have caused his back to tighten up in Game 4. He feels 100 percent now, and was ready to go in February.

Ready to flash those six tools Frank Thomas says Robert has.

“I’m not sure how you describe the sixth but he has one more than the five-tool guys,” La Russa said. “Maybe it’s his smile.”

Whatever it is, Robert made La Russa smile during a baserunning drill Sunday.

“They were running at a nice pace, but not overextending,” La Russa said. “One of the coaches that watched Robert said ‘Man, you’re supposed to go kind of easy.’ He said, ‘That was easy.’ He’s beautiful.”

Everything was beautiful on the first official of camp. Everyone was happy.

“When the fans are happy, we’re happy,” La Russa said. “I just told them the key is to be happy in October. And they all nodded.”

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MESA, Ariz. – Cubs catcher Willson Contreras launched a baseball over the fence in left-center field during batting practice Sunday, Major League Baseball’s official spring training report date.

A video of that easy swing prompted a predictable response from Cubs fans on Twitter: Extend him.

“The support is really great,” Contreras said. “Cubs fans are really great. Whatever happens from now on, I’m gonna do my best for them.”

Cubs fans have been calling for their team to offer Contreras a contract extension for the past year. Now, he’s entering his final year of arbitration and club control. He’s one of three players left from the Cubs’ 2016 World Series – four counting manager David Ross – and potentially a veteran who can bridge the Cubs’ last championship window to their next.

For Contreras to do that, the club will have to extend his contract or re-sign him in free agency. He said he’s open to extension talks, but the Cubs haven’t initiated them yet.

“I’m good with it,” Contreras said. “They know what they’re doing. They know what’s best for the team. I’m here because I love my team.”

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, after declining to talk about specific contract discussions, said it’s an “incredibly busy” time for the front office. They had four days between the end of the lockout and the first official spring training workouts on Monday.

“Not all those deals are going to come together right away, but that’s certainly the goal,” Hoyer said late last week. “As for our own guys, once we have filled out our roster, that’s something we’ll re-address.”

Unlike when former Cubs star Anthony Rizzo said he and his agents wouldn’t negotiate after opening day last year, Contreras said he doesn’t have a deadline in mind.

“I don’t think I would feel comfortable talking about an extension during the session,” he added. “I would rather do it before, if they’re willing to do it, or after, if they’re willing to do it.”

Once they find a time to dive into extension discussions, the money doesn’t seem to be the only factor Contreras will be weighing. It rarely is for players making decisions about their long-term futures.

Contreras experienced the Cubs’ trade deadline selloff first-hand last year, saying goodbye to one-third of the Cubs’ opening day roster, including Rizzo, Javy Baez and Kris Bryant.

Will Contreras need to know the Cubs’ plan for the next few years before he commits?

“I’m all about winning,” he said. “And I hope I can get at least one more ring in my career. That’s something that I’m looking forward to.”

While Contreras said he’s taking this process one day at a time, he also isn’t shying away from the possibility that he reaches free agency next winter and gets to gauge what other teams are willing to pay him.

“It would be like a dream coming true,” he said, referencing his journey from minor-league third baseman to the Cubs’ All-Star catcher. “It would be fun to have that experience.”

From extension talks to trade rumors, Contreras’ status with the Cubs has been a hot topic for years. He’s come to embrace it. This winter, he stoked the flames when reports came out that catcher Yan Gomes was signing with the Cubs.

Contreras posted a series of plane emojis to Twitter. He smiled when asked about the Tweet.

“I was just trying to play around,” he said. “I’m still here. This is my team.”

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Much was said about the White Sox going to school against the Astros in their 3-1 ALDS trouncing last season. Experience, everyone said, was the big difference.

Equipped to return to the postseason and perhaps deeper into it, the Sox probably learned something and took notes from a team well seasoned in playoff baseball.

“I hope so,” Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal said Sunday. “If you’re not trying to learn from your mistakes then it’s the wrong way to go about it. Only time will tell, and hopefully this year it’s a different story.”

Grandal, who played in his seventh straight postseason, didn’t take anything from it “other than the fact that we lost.”

“I’ve been going at this for seven years now, it’s kind of the same story, always seem to be falling short,” he said. “I’m still ring-hunting. Hopefully it comes in a White Sox uniform.”

The Sox got a small taste in a wild card series against the Athletics in 2020, but playing in an empty stadium just wasn’t the same for the younger players on that team.

“It was completely different,” Grandal said. “I think they got a sense and a taste of what it is to be in the postseason with fans [last year]. It was a step forward, and hopefully we continue on the trail.

“When you’ve been in it for a while, you’ve gone all the way [as the Astros have] and you’ve been in those types of situations, the stage is not too big for you,” Grandal said. “You’ve been there before. You’ve done it. You know what to do.”

Sox sign righty Velasquez

Right-hander Vince Velasquez was signed to a one-year deal, the Sox’ third area of need checked off in 24 hours. On Saturday night, right-handed reliever Joe Kelly and second baseman Josh Harrison were signed.

Valesquez, 29, who owns a 31-44 record with a 4.95 ERA over seven seasons, is a former second-round draft pick of the Astros who hasn’t improved on his first two seasons in the majors. In 2021 he was released by the Phillies after posting a 5.95 ERA over 17 starts and four relief appearances, then pitched to a 8.53 ERA with four starts for the Padres.

The Sox figure to lump Velasquez in the same group of sixth or seventh starters and long relievers with Reynaldo Lopez and Jimmy Lambert. Velasquez has demonstrated both good strikeout stuff and command issues during his career.

The Sox haven’t announced the deals, which were pending physicals. Are there more to come?

“There’s always one more move to make,” vice president Ken Williams said. “I’ve been saying that same thing for years.”

Bring on the Cubs

The official Cactus League schedule released Sunday added split-squad spring openers for the Sox against the Cubs Thursday at Camelback Ranch and Sloan Park. The spring finale is April 5 at the Padres, three days before Opening Day April 8 in Detroit.

NBC Sports Chicago is televising six of the Sox nine home spring contests, beginning with the opener against the Cubs, and March 21 (Dodgers) March 26 (Angels), March 30 (Rangers), April 1 (Athletics) and April 3 (Rockies). ESPN AM-1000 will air all nine of the Sox home games. Webcasts are TBD.

Late starts for stars

Because of the short notice after the lockout ended Thursday, Eloy Jimenez, Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Kendall Graveman were not present on the first official day of camp. Because of travel issues, Abreu isn’t expected till Tuesday.

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Ryan Poles is on the clock.

Starting at 11 a.m. Monday, the Bears’ new general manager — and the other 31 around the league — will be allowed to negotiate with agents of soon-to-be free agents. They can agree to deals and then, when the league year starts Wednesday at 3 p.m., sign them.

Some of the Bears’ most recognizable veterans are unlikely to return: defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, receiver Allen Robinson, quarterback Andy Dalton and tight end Jimmy Graham are all free agents. Linebacker Danny Trevathan is likely to join running back Tarik Cohen and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman on the list of players the Bears are cutting.

Poles’ trade of Khalil Mack to the Chargers for draft picks this week shows that he acknowledges what the rest of the league sees — that the Bears’ roster is in need of an overhaul. How much of that overhaul will come by signing free agents? Will he make another trade or two?

Look for the Bears to invest in free agents who can help their second-year quarterback, starting with blockers and pass-catchers. Poles said earlier this month the Bears will focus on “maximizing that second and third wave of free agency and making sure that we get the right type of players in.”

Here’s a primer for Poles’ busy week ahead:

Cap space

The Bears have money to spend.

The NFLPA’s public salary cap report lists the Bears with $22.7 million in cap space, which is the 14th most in the league. But once the team processes the Khalil Mack trade Wednesday — and the release of nose tackle Eddie Goldman and running back Tarik Cohen — that number will climb to $36.9 million, the fifth-most in the NFL, per Spotrac.com. They’ll have a lot of holes to fill: the Bears have 47 players under contract in that accounting, the fewest in the NFL.

Dead cap, too

The Bears will pay an estimated $48.64 million in dead cap charges ibn 2022, per Spotrac.com — the most in the NFL. Those charges are made up of future unpaid guaranteed salary or past signing bonuses that haven’t already been accounted for in the cap.

In agreeing to trade Khalil Mack, they’ll still pay $24 million in dead cap charges — the most ever for someone who doesn’t play quarterback. Cutting Goldman and Cohen costs $8.6 million, though those figures could change if the team designates either as a post-June 1 cut for accounting reasons.

Other charges the Bears will pay for players not on their roster: $5 million for Andy Dalton, $4.6 million for Jimmy Graham, $2.8 million for Charles Leno and $1.5 million for Germain Ifedi.

Ranking the Bears’ needs:

Offensive line. Justin Fields was sacked on 11.76 percent of his dropbacks last year, the third-highest single-season clip of any quarterback with at least 200 attempts since 2010. Wide receiver. Darnell Mooney and Dazz Newsome are the only receivers under contract in 2022 who caught a pass last year. Cornerback. Nickel cornerback is one of the three most important spots in an Eberflus defense. The Bears don’t have one of those. Or an outside corner to put opposite Jaylon Johnson. Defensive line. Mack and Goldman are out, Robert Quinn could be, and Hicks and Bilal Nichols are likely headed elsewhere in free agency. Linebacker. The Bears need a strong-side linebacker and someone to play either middle- or weak-side, depending on where they line up Roquan Smith. Tight end. Cole Kmet and Jesper Horsted are the only tight ends under contract next season. Safety. Four, including Tashaun Gipson, are set for free agency. Eddie Jackson, who remains, has a lot to prove.Specialist. The Bears could lose Pro Bowl returner Jakeem Grant, punter Pat O’Donnell and snapper Patrick Scales. Quarterback. Nick Foles is fine backup — unless anyone else wants him.Running back. David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert were dynamic last year.

Bears market

Below are Bears players slated to become unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents or exclusive-rights free agents Wednesday. The Bears have the right of first refusal on restricted free agents. Exclusive-rights free agents can’t negotiate with other teams.

Included is each player’s 2021 average annual salary, perSpotrac.com. All players are UFAs unless noted:

Offense

QB: Andy Dalton ($10M)

WR: Allen Robinson ($17.8M), Marquise Goodwin ($1.21M), Damiere Byrd ($1.13M)

RB: Damien Williams ($1.5M), RFA Ryan Nall ($850,000)

TE: Jimmy Graham ($8M), Jesse James ($1.65M), RFA JP Holtz ($850,000)

OL: Germain Ifedi ($4.25M), Jason Peters ($1.75M), James Daniels ($1.74M), Elijah Wilkinson ($1.13M), RFA Alex Bars ($850,000)

Defense

DL: Akiem Hicks ($12M), Bilal Nichols ($689,871)

LB: Christian Jones ($1.21M), Alec Ogletree ($1.08M), Joel Iyiegbuniwe ($784,644)

CB: Artie Burns ($990,000)

S: Tashaun Gipson ($2.55M), Deon Bush ($1.5M), DeAndre Houston-Carson ($1.13M), RFA Teez Tabor ($850,000)

Specialists

KR/PR Jakeem Grant ($2.3M), P Pat O’Donnell ($1.75M), LS Patrick Scales ($1.13M)

WRs to watch

Five free-agent receivers that make sense for the Bears:

Cardinals’ Christian Kirk — He can stretch the field from the slot — and is likely going to get overpaid.Packers’ Marquez Valdes-Scantling — New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy knows him from Green Bay. Two years ago, he led the NFL with 20.8 yards per catch.Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster — He played only five games last season before having shoulder surgery.Falcons’ Russell Gage — He has 138 catches for 1,556 yards over the last two seasons.Jaguars’ D.J. Chark — He’s coming off a broken ankle and needs a change of scenery.

Where’s Mitch going?

Believe it or not, Mitch Trubisky might be the most coveted free agent quarterback this offseason — or at least near the top of a list that includes Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater.

The former Bears first-round pick threw only eight passes for the Bills last year, but these teams without a starter can squint and see what they want:

Giants — He already knows head coach Brian Daboll’s offense from their year together in Buffalo. He could push Daniel Jones — and vice versa. The two share a skillset.Saints — They could prefer a reunion with Winston or Bridgewater, who have each played in New Orleans before.Steelers — They might be hunting for bigger fish. But Trubisky can beat out Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins and Josh Dobbs.Read More

The season is wrapped up. Glenbard West didn’t just win the Class 4A state title in with a dominant performance, the Hilltoppers went wire to wire as the top-ranked team in the area.

That’s an incredibly rare feat. There’s now a great deal of discussion about where Glenbard West ranks with the great teams in Illinois history. We’ll have more on that over the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading all season long. Here are the final Super 25 rankings for the 2021-22 season, with final records and the team’s preseason ranking.

1. Glenbard West (37-1) 1
2. Young (26-10) 2
3. Barrington (29-5) 18
4. Bolingbrook (30-8) 12
5. St. Ignatius (24-13) 4
6. Simeon (28-7) 5
7. Glenbrook South (33-3) 6
8. Kenwood (26-9) 3
9. New Trier (30-4) 9
10. Wheaton Warrenville South (32-3) NR
11. Lemont (27-8) NR
12. Oswego East (33-2) NR
13. Larkin (31-4) NR
14. Yorkville Christian (25-13) 25
15. DePaul Prep (27-6) 14
16. Leo (25-5) NR
17. Lyons (26-6) NR
18. Curie (26-7) 7
19. Hyde Park (23-8) 24
20. Thornton (23-6) 10
21. Hillcrest (26-5) 22
22. St. Rita (23-12) 8
23. Homewood-Flossmoor (21-8) NR
24. Rolling Meadows (28-6) 20
25. Mount Carmel (28-5) 17

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It was hard to hide the excitement.

As Alex Caruso was doing an on-court post-game television hit after the Saturday win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, his teammates started gathering for the videobomb.

First came Zach LaVine, looking like a grad assistant from a Philosophy 101 class with his new-look glasses, hugging Caruso and then stealing his signature headband as a souvenir. Then came a lunging Tristan Thompson, jumping on Caruso’s back with a hug.

“That headband is sweaty as s—,” Caruso warned on live TV, as LaVine walked away, and Javonte Green came by and slapped the guard on the behind.

Caruso’s return didn’t make the Bulls fully complete, but it did make them completely disruptive.

A fact that was recognized by everyone.

That’s why Green donned a white headband at the start of the game, and why Patrick Williams wore a Caruso jersey underneath his coat on the bench.

They not only understand the importance their defensive sparkplug has when he’s playing, but Caruso’s teammates generally embrace the guy.

“We have great chemistry,” Caruso said, when all the love being shown by his teammates was brought up. “I think everybody on the team is pulling for whoever it is at the time that needs it, and [Saturday] it was me.”

The right thing for the veteran to say, but not necessarily true.

The Bulls needed Caruso on the court and playing way more than Caruso needed gestures and butt slaps in his first game back from a broken right wrist, suffered back on Jan. 21.

And with just 15 regular-season games left, Caruso’s return couldn’t be better timing.

Starting Monday in Sacramento, four of the next five games are against offenses that are in the top 15 in points scored, while Utah, Phoenix and Milwaukee are top six. The Bulls have shown throughout the season that they can score with anyone. It’s the stopping the opposition that’s been the issue, specifically when Caruso doesn’t play.

If the Bulls want to hold off a red-hot Boston team for at least a home-court advantage in that first round of the playoffs, getting defensive will be key. That was evident on Saturday, as the Bulls finished with 12 steals – Caruso led the way with four – and held a team under 100 points for the first time since, coincidentally back on Jan. 21, which was the last game Caruso played.

“I think when you bring scorers back, a lot of times the team has to adjust to that and he has to adjust to the team,” coach Billy Donovan said. “But when you’re bringing a defender back, it’s a lot easier.

“There’s a lot of confidence in that locker room with Alex defensively and the way he generates steals and deflections.”

Even more confidence when Lonzo Ball (left knee) and Patrick Williams (left wrist) are added to the equation.

Williams could likely return on the West Coast trip, as long as there are no setbacks in practices and shootarounds. Ball is a bit more blurry, still working through the process of lateral cutting and running.

Either way, more defensive help is on the way, and Caruso offered up a preview of what that would look like.

“I think when we were whole with [Caruso] and Lonzo back there, I think that was really the strength of our defense,” Donovan said. “We were disruptive. Those guys were really, really physical. They’re long, they’re athletic and they’re really, really high IQ players.”

More videobombs to come.

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Patrick Kane, up to this point, has defied the typical NHL aging curve.

Despite having turned 33 in November, he’s still just as productive as he always has been. Through 56 games this season, he touts 68 points. That’s better than last season, when he tallied 66 points in 56 total games, and that pace of 1.21 points per game is better than his pace the season before last (1.20) and the four before that combined (1.17).

The fact he has been this effective on this bad a Blackhawks team, as well as the fact that he has actually improved as the season has gone on — he just set a new career with six points in one game last week against the Ducks, and his 43 points in 29 games since Jan. 2 are tied for second in the league — make it even more impressive.

“I’ve found a way to go through the season and feel pretty good, as far as my health, [and] that’s always a good thing,” Kane said recently. “I try to stay on top of that. [I’ll] just keep making the right play out there.”

But while Kane chugs along almost invincibly, the Hawks’ dynasty has not followed suit, leaving the two on seemingly divergent paths. New general manager Kyle Davidson’s declaration of an imminent rebuild has called into question the value of keeping around a 33-year-old superstar.

Might Kane still be an elite forward — or even a good forward — in three years, five years or whenever the Hawks’ rebuild is complete? Or should the Hawks approach him this summer about the possibility of a trade and try to move on without him, with a few top picks and prospects in his stead?

It’s obviously impossible to know for sure. Every player is different. But although logic might seem to favor the latter option, history shows the former option might be more plausible than one would expect.

Since 1993-94, when the NHL scoring rate stabilized around the modern-day norm, 15 players have recorded more than 150 points and averaged more than 1.0 points per game during their age 31, 32 and 33 seasons combined, as Kane has.

Six of them — Kane, Brad Marchand, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Blake Wheeler and Alex Ovechkin — are still active (and less than three seasons removed from doing so), so they’re not useful comparisons.

But of the other nine — Ron Francis, Adam Oates, Jaromir Jagr, Daniel Alfredsson, Joe Sakic, Brett Hull, Martin St. Louis, Alexander Mogilny and Mark Recchi — all but one (Mogilny) remained very productive players for quite a few years beyond 33.

Those nine guys averaged 1.13 points per game up through their age-30 seasons (slightly higher than Kane’s 1.04) and 1.15 points per game during their age 31-33 seasons (slightly below Kane’s 1.20).

They then averaged 1.02 points per game at age 34, 0.93 at age 35, 0.93 again at age 36, 0.92 at age 37, 0.87 at age 38 and 0.76 at age 39. Only after that point did major declines and retirements become frequent.

To be fair, almost half of them (Oates, Alfredsson, Hull and St. Louis) were late bloomers who turned 33 with many fewer games played, and therefore less wear and tear, than Kane. And Jagr, as arguably the most age-defying man in hockey history, is difficult to compare to anyone.

The precedent they collectively set is nonetheless encouraging when applied to Kane.

If Kane can follow in the footsteps of someone like Francis or Recchi (who scored 77 and 68 points, respectively, in their age-38 seasons), and avoid injuries like those that slowed late-career Sakic, it’s certainly possible he could contribute significantly to the rebuilt — not just rebuilding — Hawks.

Again, only time will tell for sure in Kane’s specific case. But he shouldn’t be written off yet.

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MESA, Ariz. – A reunion is here for the Cubs and reliever Jesse Chavez.

Chavez has agreed to a minor-league contract, with a spring training invite, the Sun-Times confirmed. The Cubs had not announced the deal as of Sunday morning. NBC Sports Chicago’s Gordon Wittenmyer was first to report the contract type.

Chavez, 38, spent half a season with the Cubs in 2018, posting a 1.15 ERA. His dominant Cubs tenure included a 1-2-3 inning in a 2-1 Wild Card loss to the Rockies.

He returned to the Rangers in free agency the next year, and his ERA ballooned to 4.85 and 6.88 the next couple seasons. In 2021, he began the year in Triple-A with the Nationals but went on to put together one of the best seasons of his career after a June call-up.

In 30 regular season games last season, Chavez recorded a 2.14 ERA. On the Nationals’ path to a World Series title, Chavez appeared in seven games allowing no runs in 6 1/3 innings.

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