Chicago Sports

MESA, Ariz. – Reginald Preciado jogged out to second base for ground balls on Friday, setting up on the side of the field that’s much less familiar to him.

The next day of minicamp, the Cubs infield prospect lined up at shortstop.

“It’s really important to have that versatility positionally,” Preciado said through team interpreter Will Nadal this week. “It gets you in the lineup, which is something that’s important to me. And it also helps speed up going through the (farm) system.”

That concept itself isn’t new. Prospects who can play multiple positions aren’t waiting for one specific spot at the next level to open up when they’re on the verge of a call-up. For a player as young as Preciado, 18, versatility can push his potential even higher. And the Cubs clearly valued young players with high ceilings when they traded Yu Darvish to the Padres a year ago.

Preciado was one of four prospects that the Cubs acquired, along with starting pitcher Zach Davies, for Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini. Of the four, two are ranked among the Cubs’ Top 10 prospects, according to mlb.com: Preciado (No. 8) and outfielder Owen Caissie (No. 9).

In a notably youthful group of prospect acquisitions, Preciado is the youngest. And he’s not just versatile on the field. He’s also a switch hitter.

“There’s no question when you look at this return, you’re going to say it’s young and there’s risk involved,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said after the trade in December 2020. “And I think that’s a fair thing to say. But you also could say, these are four really talented young players.

“Given where they were drafted, given the amount of money that they signed for, where they rank in their (home) countries, these are four really talented kids that I can’t wait to turn over to high performance, I can’t wait to turn over to our player development guys.”

Preciado, who at 16 years old signed with the Padres out of Panama in 2019, has mostly played shortstop and third base. He got time at both positions in rookie ball last season. But now he’s mixing in at second base during batting practice and infield drills.

“I really think that playing shortstop is something that helps you play any other position in the infield,” Preciado said, “because you have to be used to the movement so I think that’s really helped me out with playing second base.”

Preciado is also making adjustments to his left-handed swing. He’s naturally right-handed and said his swing from that side is more “comfortable.” But he has the potential for power from the left side. He hit three home runs left-handed last year and none from the right side.

Working with the Cubs development staff, Preciado has moved his hands lower to start his left-handed swing.

“When I had my hands higher, I didn’t have enough space,” Preciado said. “And now with my hands lower, when I’m about to connect with the ball, the launch angle’s a little bit higher.”

Preciado has already noticed the adjustment improving his ground-ball rate. He said he also gained 10 pounds in prospect camp over the offseason, with a focus on weight lifting. His physical gains should help his power at the plate.

Right after the Darvish trade, Hoyer called judging the return, “a fool’s errand.” It was too soon to tell how the four prospects would develop.

That’s still the case. But if Caissie continues flashing his power in the batter’s box and Preciado keeps sharpening his versatility, they could set the tone for that evaluation, whenever it’s wise to judge.

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Brandon Hagel tried to envision a heavier version of Lukas Reichel while watching the current version of Reichel this past week.

“He’s just a little stick, but he’s definitely going to get stronger and it’s going to help his game a ton,” Hagel said. “[With] handling pucks, protecting the puck, he’s so good at it already. Imagine if he puts on 10 pounds. It’s going to be crazy. I’m excited to see where he is in a year. It’s going to be fun to watch.”

The future is what truly matters for Reichel, the Blackhawks’ top prospect, just as it is for the Hawks as an organization.

There was some thought that Reichel, based on his AHL dominance this winter, might already be able to make a big impact in the NHL in his current, not-yet-fully-developed form. But his second Hawks stint ended Saturday — when he was reassigned to Rockford — the same as his first stint did in January, with him still stuck on zero points in five games now.

He certainly didn’t look out-of-place in the United Center, nor was he exploited by or unprepared to face NHL-caliber talent. Interim coach Derek King lauded his defensive awareness and positioning.

He clearly isn’t ready to be a difference-maker yet, though. Considering that, it’s best for him to keep refining and building his game and body while handling big minutes in the minor leagues. He played only 8:34 on Friday against the Devils, after all.

“You could see a little frustration on his face,” King said. “He’s unsure of himself. But we talked to him. It’s normal. Some guys adapt right away, and [for] other guys, it takes a little bit. But we have all the confidence in the world in him, and he’ll be fine.

“I’d like to see him handle the puck a little more. He’s getting rid of it too quick. He doesn’t need to. That’s where he generates his speed, coming through the neutral zone, and that’s where he pushes everybody back and [then he can] make his plays.”

The Hawks are trying hard to avoid making the same mistakes with Reichel that they did with Kirby Dach two years ago, when he was arguably rushed into too much, too soon.

As a result, Dach is still trying to build back his confidence level to where it was in 2019, but even he — at the wizened age of 21 — can see how bright 19-year-old Reichel’s future is.

“He’s smart, skilled and makes the right plays,” Dach said. “He’s just young. We all go through it. It sounds weird for me to say that, but it’s just the nature of the game. Once he gets his legs under him, he’ll be fine. He’ll be a great hockey player for a long time.”

Alex DeBrincat has also been impressed by Reichel, adding he felt the German teenager had been unlucky not to tally one or two points.

“He has a lot of speed,” DeBrincat said. “You can see the skill he has with the puck [from] the plays he makes in practice. It’s obviously still early. When you get up to this level, there’s a lot of things you can learn. He’s doing a good job of that. We hope to have him here for a long time.”

At six feet but just 170 pounds right now, another 10 to 20 pounds will unquestionably help Reichel, although that weight gain takes time.

In the meantime, he’ll gain big-game experience during Rockford’s playoff push and likely enjoy at least one more NHL call-up this spring.

“He’s going to be an unbelievable hockey player,” Hagel added. “He’s going to get a little bit bigger, a little bit thicker. I don’t think anyone has to worry about that. Whatever they’re doing with him, the plan for him, they’re doing a really good job at it.”

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Do you know what’s interesting about Major League Baseball’s competitive-balance tax?

No, really, do you? If so, maybe you can explain it to the rest of us.

Or, better yet, don’t.

The luxury-tax threshold. The pre-arbitration bonus pool. Service-time manipulation. For a lot of baseball fans, there is bliss in maintaining a level of ignorance of what these key issues in the current dispute between owners and players are really all about. How they work, the ins and outs, the nuts and bolts of what on Saturday will be an 87-day-old lockout.

When a mechanic says there are problems with the timing belt, water pump, CV boots and axle shafts, most of us don’t want to get under the car with him and get grease in our eyes. We just want our car back on the road so we can get back to worrying about other things.

Fans just want their baseball back.

But a week of negotiations in Jupiter, Fla., have reportedly been unproductive even as an owner-imposed Monday deadline bears down before regular-season games are canceled. No agreement by Monday, no Opening Day on March 31.

And the word “week” is too generous, besides, because the typical negotiating session has lasted no longer than it takes to play two or three innings of a game. Jupiter and Earth are only two planets away from each other. Are the owners and players at least that close?

In this week’s “Polling Place” — your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — we posed three questions related to the lockout. The first: Will the start of the regular season be delayed? About nine out of 10 respondents said it will be. A happy Monday, this one might not be.

While owners seek to hoard billions in revenue and players try to turn the piggy banks upside-down, fans have nothing to gain and a favorite pastime to lose. With our other questions, we cut to the emotional core of the matter. Such as: Who’s to blame for this mess?

“There’s only one right answer here,” @josh_pransky commented.

Indeed, a large majority of respondents blame the owners and enormously unpopular commissioner Rob Manfred.

“The owners and their lackey Manfred are to blame for pretty much everything wrong with MLB,” @RogersParkMan wrote.

And what’s really at stake in all this? Fan engagement and loyalty is, to some extent, in the balance. Is the lockout driving you away from the sport? Might it? Could it? We asked about that, too.

“Hard-core fans will stay the course,” @CoralModaffari offered. “Casual fans are another story — and many may abandon the sport.”

It’s a sentiment the big cheeses of baseball must not spend too much time worrying about. When it comes to work stoppages in sports, maybe we’re just a bunch of suckers. Like Michael Corleone, trying to get out but inevitably being pulled back in.

As @FatDudeRunning put it: “The fan impact is anger up until it ends. A month after the lockout: ‘Lockout? What lockout?’ They’re fanatics for a reason.”

On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: Will the baseball season begin on March 31 as scheduled?

Upshot: An agreement by Monday? In theory, it ought to be doable. But given the acrimony between sides that never simmered down after boiling over heading into the abbreviated 2020 season, this is no simple game of chicken. Got anything fun planned for April?

Poll No. 2: Which side is more to blame for this lockout?

Upshot: How do owners sleep at night with all that cash stuffed under their mattresses? They can cry poor all they want (see: Tom “Biblical Losses” Ricketts), but no one is ever going to believe them.

Poll No. 3: Is the lockout hurting your interest in baseball?

Upshot: That’s a pretty good amount of “yes.” How long of a lockout would it take to lead to real drops in ticket sales, merchandise sales and viewership? You can always count on MLB to self-inflict its wounds.

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Ezra Hendrickson’s resume is filled with success. As a player and assistant coach, Hendrickson has been part of some of American soccer’s model franchises while collecting championships and trophies at every stop.

But before the Fire hired him in November, Hendrickson said he never even had an in-person interview for a head-coaching job. Did he think the lack of opportunities was race-related?

“Sometimes I think you wonder why maybe you didn’t get an opportunity to at least interview before,” Hendrickson told the Chicago Sun-Times “I think because of my successes as a player and as an assistant coach, you would have thought that someone before would’ve brought me in and just sat me down and talked and tried to figure out what my philosophy is, what my style of play is, what my ideas are about leading the team or winning a championship. But it’s nothing I have control over.

“That’s in the past, and I just want to move forward, and now that I’m here, be successful and make sure that I do what it takes to make this a sustainable position and a sustainable job and just win more trophies now as a head coach.”

Hendrickson, 50, has plenty of work to do before he can win trophies with the Fire. His new club hasn’t done that since winning the 2006 U.S. Open Cup and hasn’t even made the playoffs since 2017. At the same time, the Fire have invested heavily this offseason by bringing in designated players Xherdan Shaqiri and Jairo Torres along with striker Kacper Przybylko and defender Rafael Czichos to supplement a young roster.

So, like any job, Hendrickson feels pressure to succeed. As somebody who joked he can find room on his fingers for more rings, Hendrickson is used to winning and doesn’t plan on stopping in his new gig.

That, however, isn’t the only factor driving Hendrickson.

“There’s some pressure, but I think in any head-coaching position throughout the league, there’s pressure just because of the nature of the job,” Hendrickson said. “Being a [Black] coach and wanting to be successful comes with a little bit more pressure than normal, but it’s something that can go one of two ways. If you’re successful, then maybe that helps the league and other owners see that it’s OK to allow a [Black person] to be a head coach of a team. So that pressure of making sure that what you do is professional, it’s successful and something that other teams might draw inference to, is very, very important.

“I don’t take this position lightly. I know that all eyes are on us, and people are going to want to see what happens in Chicago. I’m very prepared for that kind of situation.”

The second full-time Black head coach in Fire history after Denis Hamlett, Hendrickson is one of three Black coaches in MLS along with Colorado’s Robin Fraser and Montreal’s Wilfried Nancy. For its part, MLS recognized more has to be done to increase racial diversity in leadership positions.

In December, the league updated its hiring policy that was first crafted in 2007. Working with representatives from the Black Players for Change and the Soccer Collective on Racial Equality, the new guidelines require a group of finalists for any open sporting position to include two or more non-white candidates, including one who is Black. Teams must demonstrate the interview process was equal to all candidates, and clubs that violate the policy can be fined up to $50,000 for their first offense and $100,000 for their second.

Before he deems the new rules a success, Hendrickson is in wait-and-see mode.

“They say the proof is in the pudding. If we see results, if we see more [Black people] being hired based on their merits, based on their qualification, then the initiatives are successful,” Hendrickson said. “I’m all for mandates and initiatives trying to rectify the situation and get more [Black] coaches in, but I just want it to be something that’s not just there in writing, something that’s actually a practice. If a guy’s qualified, regardless of what he looks like, he gets the job. As long as that is happening, I’m all for it. But just having things on paper is not enough.

“I think the league is doing a good job of changing that situation and allowing more people to have that opportunity to be leaders. I’m happy for that.”

2022 CHICAGO FIRE

2021 record: 9-18-7, 34 points (12th in -Eastern Conference).

Key additions: M Xherdan Shaqiri, M Jairo Torres, F Kacper Przybylko, D Rafael Czichos.

Key subtractions: G Bobby Shuttleworth,D Francisco Calvo, M Alvaro Medran,M Luka Stojanovic, M Ignacio Aliseda,F Robert Beric.

Best-case scenario: The arrivals of Shaqiri, Przybylko and Torres help the Fire find the goals they couldn’t get last season, while Czichos provides a calming influence for a young back line. The result is an exciting team that meshes under new coach Ezra Hendrickson to easily make the MLS playoffs, enticing fans to sample an improved product at Soldier Field.

Worst-case scenario: Shaqiri’s history of injuries comes back to bite him, and young designated player Torres doesn’t get settled, both factors limiting Przybylko’s service. Despite lining up next to ball-winner Federico Navarro and playing the role he’s suited for as a deep-lying distributor, Gaston Gimenez once again fails to live up to his DP status. The team’s lack of depth becomes a problem, and it adds up to more of the same: no playoffs and renewed concerns about the franchise’s on-field direction.

Prediction: Sporting director Georg Heitz approached the offseason with an aggressive plan, and it brought the Fire a competitive team that should be worth watching. Jumping from 12th to one of the East’s seven playoff spots is a tough ask, but it looks doable. The Fire will finish seventh in the conference to earn their first postseason berth since 2017. More importantly, it feels like the Fire finally have a legitimate foundation.

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Baseball’s lockout threatens to deny fans their enjoyment of the game. For Sox fans, it threatens to deny their enjoyment of a contending team.

In particular, it blocks the joy of watching center fielder Luis Robert, the type of player who — forgive the tired but fitting cliche — is worth the price of a $52 seat on a Saturday afternoon.

At 24, Robert already is being talked about as an American League MVP candidate for 2022. That seems like a stretch for someone who has all of 124 major-league games under his belt and still is learning how to manage the strike zone. But while his walk rate dropped from 9% to 5% last season, Robert’s strikeout rate also dropped, from 32% to 21%, and you don’t have to be a major-league scout to recognize his tools.

“He’s a great talent, a great athlete and a really good center fielder, and he has all the tools — great tools,” one AL scout said. “It will be interesting to see how he matures and learns to control the strike zone, and how much better he can get.”

It doesn’t seem like hyperbole to say Robert stands a good chance of becoming the best center fielder in Sox history, and he might even establish that before his $50 million contract runs out after the 2025 season. The Sox, who wisely signed him for multiple years in 2020 — before he was eligible for salary arbi-tration and free agency — hold club options for 2026 and 2027 at $20 million each year.

So Robert should be here for your viewing pleasure for a good, long time.

At 6-2, 220 pounds, with his proudly Instagrammed six-pack and a physique resembling that of an Under Armor mannequin, Robert is a sight to see, whether he’s blasting “How far did it fly?” home runs, topping 115 mph exit velocities on line drives, showing his strong arm or covering the expanses of the outfield to either side with good reads, grace and premium speed.

“What a weapon for us,” manager Tony La Russa said.

And Robert has demonstrated a flair for rising to the moment, hitting safely in all seven postseason games he has played in, with a .393 batting average.

Two springs ago, fellow Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez said Robert was the next Mike Trout. Hall of Famer Frank Thomas called him a six-tool player.

“There are times when you feel like you can do everything on the field and you can dominate,” Robert said through a translator after hitting homers that traveled 415 feet to center and 445 feet to left in a Sox victory last season.

He certainly has performed. During his rookie season in 2020, a 136/.273/.173 hitting line in September cost him the AL Rookie of the Year Award (he finished second to the Mariners’ Kyle Lewis), but he secured the Gold Glove for center fielders and pole-axed a 471-foot homer in Game 1 of the wild-card series against Athletics right-hander Mike Fiers. After finishing that season .233/.302/.436 with 11 homers, 31 RBI and nine stolen bases in 56 games, he played in 68 games last season, slashing .338/.378/.567 with 13 homers, 22 doubles, 43 RBI and six stolen bases.

From May 3 to Aug. 9, he was out with a torn hip flexor, and therein lies the magic potion to keeping him in the conversation for MVP and all-time best Sox center fielder: avoiding injuries. Signed to a $26 million bonus out of Cuba in 2017, Robert dealt with knee, ankle and thumb injuries during his minor-league development years. His career high for games in a season is 122 over the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels. His 68 games in 2021 comes in second.

To be known as the best at his position in franchise history means surpassing the likes of Johnny Mostil, Jim Landis, Chet Lemon, Lance Johnson and Ken Berry. According to Baseball Reference, Mostil (1918-29) was the best Sox center fielder, hitting .301/.386/.427 and finishing as runner-up for AL MVP in 1926. Landis (1957-64) won five Gold Gloves. Lemon (1975-81) had two All-Star appearances and 216 extra-base hits in a four-year span. Johnson (1988-95) ranks fourth for the Sox all-time with 226 stolen bases and seventh with 77 triples. And Berry (1962-70) was an All-Star and Gold Glover.

Stay tuned.

As good as he is, Robert still has a lot of maturing to do at the plate. The question now is, just how high is his ceiling? If he learns to manage the strike zone, it’s like the scout said: “Look out, man.”

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LAS VEGAS — Our neighbors have been dynamic on the pitch, not dropping a single World Cup qualifier in 11 CONCACAF third-round matches, and they’ve continued to excel without their ace footballer.

Mexico, up to its usual antics and tactics as this sphere’s powerhouse?

!Incorrecto!

Canada has soared, at 7-0-4 for 25 points, followed by the U.S. (21 points, 9-goal differential) and Mexico (21, 6). The Canadians have won their last three matches without the gifted Alphonso Davies.

The top three go to the first autumnal World Cup, which begins Nov. 21 in Qatar. The fourth-place team, currently Panama, partakes in a playoff against an Oceania side to advance.

In June 2018, the Westgate SuperBook opened Canada at 1,000-to-1 odds to lift that gloriously ugly golden glob of a trophy Dec. 18. Its superb form has helped cut that to 150-1.

“Canada has been the best team in the region,” says SuperBook risk manager Rex Beyers. “Results don’t lie. They’ve done everything they were supposed to do, gone to the toughest places and gotten results. They’re in.”

Three “Octagonal” matches remain, all in the last week of March. Of the U.S. and Mexico, Beyers favors the Mexicans’ route, since they host the Americans on March 24 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Jeff Sherman, SuperBook vice president of risk management, wrote some $50 tickets on Canada at those four-figure odds. But he was aggressive, too, in protecting the house.

“That [initial] price was extremely high,” he says. “They could maybe squeak out of a [World Cup] group, then we’ll see what happens. No one has reacted to what they’re doing. You can still find some high prices on them.”

After our chat, I nabbed 300-1 odds on Canada — as potential future hedge material — at William Hill.

TOUGH TO REPEAT

Half of the 32-team World Cup field is still to be determined, via qualifying avenues that culminate next month. On April 1, the eight four-team World Cup groups will be drawn in Doha.

The Group of Death will be deigned, softer paths identified. Several titans, though, have already qualified, so early wagering value might exist.

And there isn’t a sharper futbol resource than the SuperBook, whose trio of Sherman, Beyers and John Murray produces the deepest weekly menu of soccer odds — from England and Italy to Japan and Turkey — in Vegas.

Brazil (five titles), Germany (four) and France (two) already have qualified, representing the bulk of the quadrennial event’s 21 championships.

Should the Brazilians (6-1 at the SuperBook), French (6-1) or Germans (10-1) conquer Qatar, a similar wager on each today would guarantee a profit.

The Germans, with new boss Hansi Flick, have won their last seven games by a combined 31-2 score. The French won their second World Cup at Russia 2018 and feature scintillating striker Kylian Mbappe.

An interesting tack, says Beyers, with some caveats. He can’t forget Germany’s 7-1 dismantling of Brazil on its own turf, in Belo Horizonte, in a semifinal of Brazil 2014 and rates the Germans above the Brazilians until proven otherwise.

France, though, makes him hesitate, because it has been 60 years since someone successfully defended a World Cup crown –Brazil won in 1958 and 1962.

“People just don’t repeat in this thing,” says Beyers. “Part of me wants to throw France out based on the simple fact that it just doesn’t happen.”

ENGLAND FAVORED

At last summer’s pandemic-delayed Euro 2020, Denmark — without Christian Eriksen, whose life medical experts saved in a chilling on-pitch incident — reached the semifinals, where it lost to England.

The SuperBook’s opening Qatar odds of 100-1 on Denmark have been whittled to 30-1. Sherman long ago secured a 100-1 ticket on the Danes; I got 60-1 at William Hill.

“They look like one of those teams that can be a threat as an outsider,” says Sherman. “A nice ticket on a team that, I think, can cause some havoc.”

The bracket broke well for Denmark in Europe.

“If that happens again,” says Murray, “I don’t see why they couldn’t make a run like Croatia did in the last World Cup.”

At Russia 2018, Croatia beat Denmark, Russia and England before losing to France 4-2 in the final. A SuperBook patron invested $500 on a 60-1 Croatia ticket for Qatar, nudging it to 50-1.

England opened at 14-1, which its rabid supporters have shaved to 7-1. The Three Lions are No. 1 in money and No. 2 in tickets, behind the U.S., at the SuperBook.

For the 60-1 Americans, Christian Pulisic scored for Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League, and Murray raves about seeing fullback Sergino Dest (FC Barcelona) flourish for the U.S. against El Salvador in January in Ohio.

But Weston McKinnie left Tuesday’s Juventus match at Villarreal with two fractured bones in his left foot and Gio Reyna was shelved recently at Dortmund.

As for geographical comfort, Beyers suggests 1,000-1 Iran, 120 nautical miles from Qatar across the Persian Gulf, which is 11-0-1 (30-3 goal differential) in its last dozen games.

“A minnow,” says Beyers, “but I wouldn’t want to play them.”

Qatar, by the way, went 3-0-1 in last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup before losing 1-0 to the U.S. Beyers will digest the April draw before making a serious wager.

“I want to know more about who’s playing, team forms, scandals . . . small potatoes, in the grand scheme, but they matter.”

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While his youthful earnestness and enthusiasm are admirable, Ryan Poles’ mission statement as the Bears’ new general manager was one big cliche.

“We’re gonna build through the draft,” Poles said at his introductory press conference Jan. 31 at Halas Hall. “We’re gonna acquire young, fast and physical football players. We’re gonna be selective in free agency. And we’re gonna connect evaluation with valuation. We’re gonna have a relentless approach to fix our weaknesses. We’re gonna solve problems with open communication and candor And were gonna consistently put players in positions to succeed.”

And then, a little red meat for the base, for the mic-drop closer: “And the last thing, the most important piece, is we’re gonna take the North and never give it back.”

No doubt about it, that sounds like a plan. But that’s everybody’s plan. Who — besides former Bears assistant George Allen when he was coach of the Redskins — doesn’t want to build through the draft? Who doesn’t want fast, physical players? And what Bears coach doesn’t want to beat the Packers and take over the division?

For the record, Ryan Pace planned to do all those things, and Phil Emery before him promised the same. Will Poles be any more successful as following what, in actuality, is a pretty standard GM template for success?

We don’t know that, of course. Poles has been on the job for less than a month. He’s barely touched the roster. Free agency doesn’t open until March 16. The draft isn’t until April 28.

Change is good, and especially elicits optimism after seven years without a playoff victory under Pace. Poles’ 13 seasons in the Chiefs personnel department — having a hand in drafting the core of their Super Bowl-contending teams, including Patrick Mahomes — is impressive.

But one more minor part of his resume provides hope that a key part of his plan will become reality: his background as an offensive lineman gives a little more credence to his vow to make the offensive line the key element in the Bears’ offensive rebuild.

“I think it starts with the foundation of the offensive line and establishing a run gam, which then leads to explosive plays,” Poles said when asked about the offense in particular. “We have to continue to work on that, get that to a level and I think you will see more points scored and more efficiency, more explosive plays — everything plays off of that. So that’s going to be a focal point.”

Poles was a two-year starter at left guard for Boston College in 2006-07 and played in three preseason games at guard for the Bears in 2008 before he was waived in the cutdown to 53 players. His background on the offensive line presumably gives him an edge in both evaluation and valuation — two critical elements with the offensive line he has inherited with the Bears.

In fact, the offensive line will be one of the key areas that will determine Poles’ approach to the current roster. It is far from a finished product, but not exactly an automatic rebuild.

You can argue that the Bears’ have four pieces in place for their 2022 offensive line: left tackle Teven Jenkins, left guard Cody Whitehair, right guard James Daniels and right tackle Larry Borom. But you can also argue that — especially with Daniels a free agent — that a near-total rebuild is in order.

That’s Poles’ call, and it will be an interesting one. The Bears’ offensive line was a mixed bag at best in 2022. But the discombobulation of Matt Nagy’s offense last season makes it tough to judge any player — it hardly put any of them in a position to succeed.

Here’s a starter-by-starter look at what Poles has to work with:

Teven Jenkins — The second-round pick from Oklahoma State started two games and played just 161 snaps on offense after preseason back surgery, but still figures to be a foundation piece. The question is, will be at left or right tackle?

Cody Whitehair — The 2016 second-round pick made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2018 but is coming off his worst season — albeit in Nagy’s offense. He’ll be 30 when training camp begins.

Sam Mustipher — The former undrafted free agent bulked up in 2022 but was not as effective — the weakest link in the line by many accounts — and looks to be the most likely to be replaced.

James Daniels — Still just 24 entering his fifth NFL season, Daniels is a Pro Bowl player in an NFL-caliber offense and should be a keeper, but would be expensive to sign. He could command $10 million in free agency.

Larry Borom — The fifth-round draft pick from Missouri acquitted himself well in 10 games (eight starts) as a rookie — at both right and left tackle. He has versatility and room for growth, but does he have the ceiling Poles is looking for at a critical position?

Poles has shown a keen eye for offensive linemen. When the Chiefs needed a re-start on their injury-impacted line after it was the culprit in the Super Bowl LV loss, Poles had a hand in the drafting of two eventual starters last year — second-round center Creed Humphrey and sixth-round guard Trey Smith. The Bears are hoping he hasn’t lost his touch.

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One week ago, the Blackhawks played their first game with zero total goals since 2003.

On Friday, they notched two hat tricks in a game for the first time since 2003.

On a chaotic night at the United Center, the Hawks proved just how unpredictable hockey can be, outlasting the Devils 8-5 to snap their seven-game home losing streak.

Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel scored empty-net goals to seal the back-and-forth game and prompt consecutive cascades of hats from the energetic crowd of 19,343. It was the Hawks’ first dual hat tricks since Eric Daze and Steve Sullivan almost two decades ago.

”I can’t remember the last time we put up eight [goals at home],” Kane said. ”It’s a good feeling for the team, as far as offensively. And we know that we have it offensively. It hasn’t been there this year, but we have some pieces that can score, so we’ll keep building on that.”

With Kevin Lankinen making only his second start in the last two months, the Hawks squandered leads of 1-0 and 4-2, letting the Devils tie the score with 11:24 left.

But Kirby Dach made the kind of selfish play he has needed to learn to make for years, keeping the puck on a two-on-one rush and scoring to put the Hawks ahead for good with 5:56 left.

Regula stepping up

The Hawks’ defensive corps is running extremely thin right now. Jake McCabe and Calvin de Haan missed the game Friday with back and groin injuries, respectively, and Connor Murphy was banged up in the middle of the game before returning.

That has created plenty of playing time for young players. Caleb Jones has played his best hockey of the season lately while developing some chemistry with Murphy, and prospects Alec Regula and Jakub Galvas have re-entered the lineup, too.

The 21-year-old Regula, who played his first three NHL games last May and has played another three this month, has noticed a big difference between those stints.

”I was really nervous last year,” he said this week. ”I felt more ready, in general, with the pace of play. Last year, I was just worried about surviving; this year, I can play and help the team and show what I’ve got. The nerves [are] the biggest thing. Being calm has helped my game all around.”

Despite his 6-4, 208-pound frame, Regula is more of an offensive defenseman, as evidenced by his 17 points in 25 American Hockey League games for Rockford this season. The Hawks even have deployed him occasionally as the quarterback of their second power-play unit, letting him get his feet wet.

Lately, however, he primarily has been focused on improving his defensive game.

”In juniors, when I was playing in London [Ontario], there was a big leash for me, and I could do a lot of stuff freely,” he said. ”In pro, it’s not like that at all. You’ve got to be dialed in everywhere. That was something they brought to my attention right when I got here.”

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JUPITER, Fla. — With just 3 1/2 days left until Major League Baseball’s deadline for a deal that would ensure a 162-game season, negotiators met for the fifth straight day during a week with no sign of significant progress.

Union head Tony Clark led a delegation of players into Roger Dean Stadium Friday, a group that included Max Scherzer, Andew Miller and Zack Britton from the union’s eight-man executive subcommittee.

On the 86th day of baseball’s ninth work stoppage, its first since 1995, the sides remained far apart on many key economic issues: luxury tax thresholds and rates, the minimum salary and the size of a bonus pool for pre-arbitration players.

The union offered a pair of new proposals Thursday, making small changes to its plan for a lottery to determine the first seven picks in the amateur draft and to its formula for top young players get credit for additional major league service. Teams say they will never agree to the additional service time, which could lead to earlier free agency.

The union wants to increase arbitration eligibility and to decrease revenue sharing, concepts management says it will never accept.

MLB maintains Monday is the last day to reach an agreement that would allow openers to take place as scheduled on March 31.

Players have not accepted Monday as a deadline and have suggested any missed games could be made up as part of doubleheaders, a method MLB said it will not agree to.

Once Monday passes, the length of the schedule would become yet another issue in the dispute along with possible lost pay and service time.

The union told MLB if games are missed and salaries are lost, clubs should not expect players to agree to management’s proposals to expand the postseason and to allow advertisements on uniforms and helmets.

Spring training workouts were to have started Feb. 16. Exhibition games were to have begin Saturday but already have been canceled through March 4.

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The baseball lockout has created a unique problem for Fergie Jenkins.

The Cubs plan to honor the Hall of Fame pitcher with a statue outside of Wrigley Field this year. But with the ongoing labor strife, it’s not clear when that will happen.

That left Fergie wondering where to put the statue in the meantime. Jenkins tweeted a joke earlier this week, complaining that the statue won’t fit in his garage.

“This lockout needs to end soon, I don’t have room in my garage for an 8 foot statue of myself!” Jenkins wrote.

In the meantime. the statue could be a neighborhood conversation piece.

Jenkins entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 1971 and appeared in three All-Star Games over his 19-year career. He was with the Cubs from 1966-1973 and 1982-83.

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