Chicago Sports

The Bears are waiving receiver Dazz Newsome, per NFL Network, as they begin to trim their roster from 85 to 80 players by the deadline at the end of the day.

Newsome is a notable name to be cut this early in training camp. The former sixth-round pick out of North Carolina was the only returning Bears wide receiver beside Darnell Mooney to have logged a catch for the franchise last year.

Newsome, though, struggled with catching the ball at times during training camp. He muffed a punt return in each of the Bears’ two exhibition games. He caught a 13-yard touchdown pass in the opener.

He had an opportunity, as a thin Bears receivers’ room became even more of a question mark during camp. N’Keal Harry hurt his ankle, had surgery and won’t be ready until October. Byron Pringle has missed much of this month’s practices with a quad injury. Rookie Velus Jones missed the first preseason game with an injury, while Tajae Sharpe, who was impressive against the Chiefs, sat out the second.

The Bears are likely to further trim their roster before starting mid-afternoon practice.

The Bears play their final preseason game Saturday in Cleveland. They must cut their roster down to 53 players in one week.

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Football previews are built around returning starters. There aren’t preseason games, scrimmages or much else to go on. It looks good when a lot of kids are back.

But that’s not a guarantee of success. A group of juniors that has trouble scoring often turns into a group of seniors that has trouble scoring.

Lincoln-Way East is a different beast. Rob Zvonar’s teams are consistently excellent and this year’s group should benefit tremendously from last season’s growing pains.

The No. 2 Griffins return 16 starters from a group that lost 3-0 on the road to Loyola in the Class 8A state quarterfinals.

“We had the ball and a chance to win that game at the end,” Zvonar said. “To go through that experience with a bunch of young kids gives us some cautious optimism.”

The Lincoln-Way East defense is always strong. Linebacker Jake Scianna, a three-year starter, leads the group. His two older brothers won state titles at Lincoln-Way East and his father, Randy, played at Notre Dame.

“Our confidence is a lot higher this season,” Scianna said. “We are so much more experienced and that is everything in high school football.”

Senior Hank Ravetto should be the standout defensive lineman and keep an eye on promising sophomore Caden O’Rourke.

The defensive backfield is anchored by DJ Ritter and Zac Welker at safety and corners Jordan Braithwaite and JT Poynton.

Zvonar believes the Griffins’ success this season will be determined by the offense. So the quarterback situation may be a concern.

Senior Chase Arthur, who took over in the playoffs last year, is competing with junior Braden Tischer.

“They are both doing a tremendous job,” Zvonar said. “Whoever ends up playing will get the job because they played well and not because the other one played badly.”

Either quarterback will benefit from an experienced offensive line and two capable running backs, James Kwiecinski (5-11, 180 pounds) and Petey Olaleye (5-8, 195 pounds). Kwiecinski ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. Olaleye missed most of the season with an injury.

“The offense is a lot more versatile now,” Olaleye said. “Everything is running smoother, so we can open up the playbook a bit more.”

Three-year starters Brad Abbot and Will Heitner return on the offensive line and junior Josh Janowski (6-3, 270) already has several scholarship offers.

“The running game is where it will all start,” Zvonar said. “I’m really excited about the offensive line and it’s great to have two running backs because that is a spot where you can get dinged up.”

When Zvonar’s teams have a standout offensive talent they are nearly unbeatable. Senior wide receiver Jayden Cook could be that guy this season. He’s playing all over the field.

“[Cook] is a tremendous athlete and an amazing student,” Zvonar said.

Zvonar, the only football coach in Lincoln-Way East’s 22 years, has built something special in Frankfort. Scianna has some insight into how he’s managed it.

“It’s preparation and work ethic,” Scianna said. “The culture is built on working harder than any other team and I really believe we do. We don’t always have big-time recruits but we always make a deep run in the playoffs. We don’t just practice out there. It’s the sophistication of the practices that really separates us.”

Lincoln-Way East schedule

Aug. 26 at Crete-MoneeSept. 2 vs. BataviaSept. 9 at StaggSept. 16 vs. AndrewSept. 23 vs. BolingbrookSept. 30 at SandburgOct. 7 at Homewood-FlossmoorOct. 14 vs. LockportOct. 21 at Bradley-Bourbonnais

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Go Bears!

Or whoa … maybe not?

Sneed has learned a new poll is set to be released Tuesday that could complicate potential plans by the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights.

The poll, commissioned by the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a conservative political advocacy group, found Arlington Heights voters overwhelmingly support a new Bears stadium — but strongly reject any taxpayer financing of the project.

“Our organization supports the Chicago Bears moving to Arlington Heights,” said Brian Costin, head ofthe Illinois chapter of the advocacy group, which promotes lower taxes and smaller government.

“But we are against using taxpayer handouts or subsidies to lure business to the community,” he said.

Conducted by the national firm ARW Strategies, the poll comes in the wake of a recentpetition drive by the advocacy group proposing the village board pass an “Anti-Corporate Welfare Tax Ordinance,” aimed at preventing taxpayer-funded subsidies such as tax increment financing (TIF) proposals from being used to lure the Chicago-based Bears to the suburbs.

o The UPshot: The poll shows 72% of polled Arlington Heights voters approved of the Chicago Bears plans to build a stadium in Arlington Heights, versus 18% who are opposed.

o The DOWNshot: The survey also showed 68% of voters disapproved of the project being supported by taxpayer dollars … compared to only 22% of the voters showing support.

“Our polling shows Arlington Heights voters strongly believe they shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill as taxpayers,” added Costin, who tells Sneed the ARW survey was a phone poll of 300 voters living in the village — population 77,000 — with a margin of error of 5.6 percentage points.

“I have a special reason for being a huge Bears fan,” said Costin. “My mother taught me to read by creating a book starring Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon.”

The book, he recalled, included this line:”See Jim run. See Jim pass. See Jim score,” he chuckled.

Costin also emphasized that the poll showed opposition to using taxpayer money widening to 73% when voters “were informed the NFL is the most profitable sports league in the world and that it recently signed a $110 billion, 11-year multi-media deal last year.”

Cue the flip side/headache: Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes told the media earlier this month he is opposed to the ordinance the American for Prosperity group is advocatingfor, which he believes is not in the village’s best interest. The mayor favors maintaining the village’s ability to offer financial incentives to the Chicago Bears and other entities wanting to locate there.

But Costin said the poll found strong support for his proposed Anti-Corporate Welfare Tax Ordinance prohibiting the village of Arlington Heights from using taxpayer funds to help build a stadium, with 55% in favor, and 30% opposed.

And suburban pols might want to tread carefully on the matter, according to the poll.

The survey found just over 62% of voters said they would be less likely to vote for a mayoral or village boardcandidate who voted “to give taxpayer dollars to the Chicago Bears to help them pay for their new stadium at the expense of education, public services, and infrastructure funding.” A little less than 16% said such a vote would make them more likely to support such a candidate and 22% said it would make no difference.

“Soldier Field is a great example of a failed stadium deal supported by taxpayer subsidies. This poll sends a message to the village to end the continued flirtation with corporate welfare programs,” Costin said.

“Our objective is to make sure all businesses are treated equally before the law, and no one gets special treatment,” he said. “The continued flirtation with corporate welfare programs such as the creation of TIF districts, which raises everyone’s taxes when special corporations are given exclusive benefits, is untenable.”

Stay tuned for the next version of Da Bears pigskin play.

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Inside Hawthorn Mall in suburban Vernon Hills, the stakes are high as teenagers and young adults play video games at the BHOP Esports Gaming Community Center.

The gaming facility is a training ground for a group of internet athletes who are dominating electronic sports, a form of multiplayer video gaming that originated in the 1970s. They are vying for laurels such as college scholarships, prize money in the millions and even professional careers.

Jake Younan, 29, is among them. When Younan was 14, he watched his uncle play Counter-Strike, a first-person shooter video game series, which later led him to pick up a controller and turn this fervor into a career. So did a recent Vernon Hills High School graduate, Pablo Kinderman, 18, who began playing Call of Duty Black Ops 1 at age 9.

“Their mix of experience and talent makes them stand out from other players,” said gaming center owner Joseph Ho, who chose to name his business “BHOP” because it is short for bunny-hopping, a technique gamers use to move faster in a game.

Younan and Kinderman, who started gaming as a hobby and have transitioned into professional-level play, are among the next generation of players who aim to dominate electronic sports — and along the way, earn more respect for the field. This could be their year: Kinderman’s team will compete in a Toronto Valorant tournament on Sept. 23 for a chance to win $10,000. Younan’s team is currently ranked 9th in America and 42nd in the world.

“It’s really hard to view these players as athletes when they’re sitting in a chair,” said Sam Oanta, the owner of Ignite Gaming Lounge in Skokie. “There’s still a stigma with playing video games; definitely so in America. Less so in Southeast Asia where gaming culture is much more mainstream.”

Kinderman, who in high school played for an esports team that went on to rank among the top four in the nation, said he found it challenging to maintain a healthy balance between school and esports. Now, he wants to develop his professional gaming career while pursuing a job with the Vernon Hills Police Department.

“As long as I can have a good balance of both, that’s pretty much my main concern,” he said.

Kinderman tries to maintain a consistent sleep routine but, as a prolific gamer, must adjust to accommodate a packed schedule of matches and tournaments. Most days, he practices with his team. “The game is always changing; you have to always adapt to the game,” he said.

Younan started his professional career in his early 20s with a Canadian esports organization called eRa Eternity, making $800 monthly on a contract. He earned an esports scholarship to Robert Morris University in Chicago (now part of Roosevelt University) and retired from professional play for two-and-a-half years to focus on computer science studies but has come back to the game.

“I hadn’t taken anything seriously in terms of schooling,” he said. “I kind of just focused only on playing, and that was a big downfall on my end. But luckily enough, [Robert Morris] was able to give me a scholarship for what I was doing. That kind of helped put me back on track.”

The Maine East High School graduate starts his day with a 90-minute gym workout and spends hours a day practicing his aim on his first-person shooter game. He practices with his team for up to five hours a day, making a point to spend time afterward talking about mistakes and what the team can fix.

Like Kinderman, Younan has had to develop a regimen. The key to his routine? Healthy eating.

“When I would eat unhealthy, I felt like I would play 10 times worse,” he said. “So, I ended up switching my diet and how I maintain my body, which I felt like it helped me a lot.”

The esports industry is valued at $1 billion, with significant growth since 2020.

Professional athletes on traditional sports teams generate earnings through salaries and lucrative add-ons such as sponsorships and lending their name to well-established brands. Because esports can be live-streamed on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, players can also take on brand sponsorships from companies like Xfinity who want the exposure. That helps supplement contract revenue and prize money.

But there’s a lack of structure in the industry and that makes it difficult to be a seasoned esports athlete, said Ho.

“There are esports athletes who do receive the credit they deserve and others that do not,” Ho said. “Many don’t receive more credit than they should because esports do not have an overarching organization like the NCAA, NFL, MLB or NBA.”

Overall, Younan said the sport’s image is starting to change.

“It’s been getting more and more respect and recognition which is good,” he said. “I just want to continue to see it grow.”

Isi Frank Ativie is a freelance journalist for WBEZ.

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Go Bears!

Or whoa … maybe not?

Sneed has learned a new poll is set to be released Tuesday that could complicate potential plans by the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights.

The poll, commissioned by the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a conservative political advocacy group, found Arlington Heights voters overwhelmingly support a new Bears stadium — but strongly reject any taxpayer financing of the project.

“Our organization supports the Chicago Bears moving to Arlington Heights,” said Brian Costin, head ofthe Illinois chapter of the advocacy group, which promotes lower taxes and smaller government.

“But we are against using taxpayer handouts or subsidies to lure business to the community,” he said.

Conducted by the national firm ARW Strategies, the poll comes in the wake of a recentpetition drive by the advocacy group proposing the village board pass an “Anti-Corporate Welfare Tax Ordinance,” aimed at preventing taxpayer-funded subsidies such as tax increment financing (TIF) proposals from being used to lure the Chicago-based Bears to the suburbs.

o The UPshot: The poll shows 72% of polled Arlington Heights voters approved of the Chicago Bears plans to build a stadium in Arlington Heights, versus 18% who are opposed.

o The DOWNshot: The survey also showed 68% of voters disapproved of the project being supported by taxpayer dollars … compared to only 22% of the voters showing support.

“Our polling shows Arlington Heights voters strongly believe they shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill as taxpayers,” added Costin, who tells Sneed the ARW survey was a phone poll of 300 voters living in the village — population 77,000 — with a margin of error of 5.6 percentage points.

“I have a special reason for being a huge Bears fan,” said Costin. “My mother taught me to read by creating a book starring Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon.”

The book, he recalled, included this line:”See Jim run. See Jim pass. See Jim score,” he chuckled.

Costin also emphasized that the poll showed opposition to using taxpayer money widening to 73% when voters “were informed the NFL is the most profitable sports league in the world and that it recently signed a $110 billion, 11-year multi-media deal last year.”

Cue the flip side/headache: Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes told the media earlier this month he is opposed to the ordinance the American for Prosperity group is advocatingfor, which he believes is not in the village’s best interest. The mayor favors maintaining the village’s ability to offer financial incentives to the Chicago Bears and other entities wanting to locate there.

But Costin said the poll found strong support for his proposed Anti-Corporate Welfare Tax Ordinance prohibiting the village of Arlington Heights from using taxpayer funds to help build a stadium, with 55% in favor, and 30% opposed.

And suburban pols might want to tread carefully on the matter, according to the poll.

The survey found just over 62% of voters said they would be less likely to vote for a mayoral or village boardcandidate who voted “to give taxpayer dollars to the Chicago Bears to help them pay for their new stadium at the expense of education, public services, and infrastructure funding.” A little less than 16% said such a vote would make them more likely to support such a candidate and 22% said it would make no difference.

“Soldier Field is a great example of a failed stadium deal supported by taxpayer subsidies. This poll sends a message to the village to end the continued flirtation with corporate welfare programs,” Costin said.

“Our objective is to make sure all businesses are treated equally before the law, and no one gets special treatment,” he said. “The continued flirtation with corporate welfare programs such as the creation of TIF districts, which raises everyone’s taxes when special corporations are given exclusive benefits, is untenable.”

Stay tuned for the next version of Da Bears pigskin play.

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If you were to go solely by the artwork for the FX series “Welcome to Wrexham,” with the American actor-writer Rob McElhenney of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Fame” and the Canadian actor-mogul Ryan Reynolds of Ryan Reynolds fame in track suits while posing in front of an Association Football Club, you couldn’t help but think we’ve already been Ted Lasso’d into this scenario, right?

Ah, but this isn’t a copycat, fish-out-of-water work of fiction, but a documentary series chronicling the most improbable but true-life story of two Hollywood hotshots who decide to purchase the third-oldest professional football team in the world at one of the lowest points in its 150-year history and try to turn it around in “Rocky” style fashion, despite knowing almost nothing about the game we call soccer. Aware they could come across as a couple of Hollywood “a——s” as they put it, Reynolds and McElhenney make it clear from the start this isn’t some condescending, cynical whim, and they wisely cede great stretches of screen time to the players, the support staff and the long-suffering yet fiercely loyal fans in Wrexham who live and die with their beloved football team. The result is one of the most fascinating, endearing, sometimes hilarious and eminently watchable docuseries of the year.

As we learn in the premiere episode, McElhenney grew up in Philadelphia as an Eagles fan and only started getting interested in non-American football around 2019, when the British comedian and writer Humphrey Ker (who has worked with McElhenney on “Sunny” and “Mythic Quest”) would watch matches during breaks. McElhenney got hooked on the sport and this led to him pursuing the idea of purchasing a football club — if he could find just the right team and circumstances.

He discovered such a club in Wrexham, a Welsh football team in a working-class town that had fallen on tough times and for the last 14 years had been relegated to the National League, the fifth and absolute bottom rung of professional football. But even a lowly club such as Wrexham would require an investment in the millions — so McElhenney reached out to Ryan Reynolds, a social media buddy he had never even met in person.

“As I gathered more and more information,” says McElhenney, “I realized how expensive it was going to be. I have TV money, but … I needed movie star money. More than that, I needed superhero movie star money. … I would need alcohol baron money and mobile phone services money and what other companies does this bitch have? Cybersecurity money.”

Reynolds agreed to partner up with McElhenney, and their offer was accepted by the 2,000-strong members of the Wrexham Supporters Trust, who seemed equal parts baffled, skeptical and yet thrilled about their new celebrity owners, who made it clear they were going to do everything in their power to improve the fortunes of the club.

The series alternates between scenes of Reynolds and McElhenney in Los Angeles, on studio lots or in trailers or in McElhenney’s spacious and sun-filled home, and segments in the drab and gray Wrexham, where we begin to understand just how much the football club means to the entire town. We meet the likes of Wayne Jones, who owns the Turf Pub in the shadow of the stadium; Paul Rutherford, a midfielder who is 33 years old and is married with children and barely makes enough to support his family, and Kerry Evans, who was a full-time volunteer as the Disability Liaison Officer for Wrexham AFC and is in a wheelchair, and is overwhelmed and admittedly scared but also excited when she’s offered the opportunity to basically perform the same duties — but for a salaried position.

Kyle Hendricks’ shoulder injury has shifted his focus from this season to next, the last guaranteed year of his contract.

“I need to produce and perform to be a part of this winning culture and this winning that’s going to be coming,” Hendricks said. “I want to be a part of that. So. I’m focusing on myself to do as much as I can to put myself in that position.”

Hendricks revealed Monday that the follow-up MRI he underwent earlier this month showed a capsular tear in his right shoulder, which has lengthened the timeline for his recovery. He’s set to travel to Arizona within the next week or so – “It’s a little bit up in the air” – to continue his rehab progression at the Cubs’ spring training complex.

Hendricks is scheduled to ramp up his strength program for two to four weeks in Arizona. He hopes to start a throwing program before the end of the season.

“Very unfortunate, obviously,” he said. “You just want to pitch, that’s it. I just want to pitch all year, be there for my guys every fifth day, be that consistent competitor. But things get in the way, things happen.”

At first, Hendricks expected his shoulder issue, which he and the team first identified as tendonitis, would subside after rest and a cortisone injection. And his shoulder did feel better for a little while. But after skipping a start in early June, Hendricks made just five more starts.

Two MRIs later, it became clear that the expected four- to six-week timetable would be closer to 12 weeks.

“There’s really not the time to make up, not the time to get back,” Hendricks said. “So, take advantage of fully getting healthy, not trying to push through it at all.”

He will end this season, one he’d expected to use to bounce back from his 2021 struggles, with just 16 starts. Hendricks, the Cubs’ longest-tenured pitcher, has a $16 million club option for 2024. His name had started to pop up in trade rumors before he went on the injured list.

“I don’t take any of these days for granted,” Hendricks said. “I would love to be here. I’ve always said that. This heaven, really, heaven on earth. So, I wouldn’t change anything. But it’s a business, things happen. And I’m okay with that. I if you end up being somewhere else, you just make the most of it.”

Now, this coming season will be important for potential extension talks. And if those don’t go anywhere, it will be one that sets his free agency prospects.

“Those are the conversations we had from the top down,” Hendricks said, “that, for everyone, no matter where this team goes with their route, my value needs to be at its highest next year for any direction we’re gonna take.”

That process starts with getting fully healthy.

The past few seasons have been tough on pitchers. It’s hard to pinpoint the root of injuries like Hendricks’ shoulder strain, which occurred over time rather than on one pitch. And in 2020, Hendricks was one of the Cubs pitchers who threw the most during the COVID-19 shutdown, cognizant of the issues that could spring from a dramatic change in workload. But the back-and-forth from a short 2020 season to a full 2021 season couldn’t have helped.

Now, he’s facing a similar challenge, going from an injury-shorted 2022 season to what he hopes to be a full and fruitful 2023 season.

At least he has a solid timeline in front of him, which wasn’t the case earlier this month.

“Now that we know what it is,” Hendricks said, “we just attack what we have in front of us.”

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The Cubs are calling up Javier Assad to start Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Cardinals, Cubs manager David Ross announced. Right-hander Adrian Sampson is scheduled for Game 2.

“First and foremost, he’s pitching really, really well,” Cubs vice president of player development Jared Banner said. “That’s the first thing, that performances stood out both at the Double-A and Triple-A level. I think on a deeper level, he’s added velocity this year that’s made them somewhat of a different pitcher, raised his ceiling a bit. So, looking forward to seeing him tomorrow, he’s going to hopefully attack the zone with this stuff, he commands the ball really well, changes speeds, does everything that we like to see. So hopefully, it’ll translate well.”

Assad has a 2.66 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A combined this season.

Expect more debuts as the season winds down and the Cubs continue to navigate injuries to pitchers Kyle Hendricks, who is done for the season, Wade Miley, whose timetable remains unclear, and Keegan Thompson, who landed on the 15-day IL (low back) this weekend.

“It’s fun,” Banner said of the call-ups. It’s a testament to all the staff down below in the minor-leauges working hard that don’t get some of the recognition. But on days, like tomorrow, they get to turn on their TV and feel really proud of the work they put in.”

Pujols hits another milestone

Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is approaching the 700-home run mark. But before Monday, he’d never hit one off Cubs starter Drew Smyly.

That changed in the seventh inning of the Cubs’ 1-0 win/loss when Pujols logged the only run of the game on a solo shot. With that home run, Pujols has homered off 449 different pitchers, tying Barry Bonds for the most in MLB history. It was Pujols’ 693rd career homer.

“He’s Albert Pujols, he’s the GOAT,” Smyly said. “He finally got me.”

Smyly, who held the Cardinals to one run through seven innings, hit a milestone of his own on Monday. To open the third inning, he struck out Lars Notbaar for the southpaw’s 900th career strikeout. He recorded six strikeouts in all.

Cardinals starter Jordan Montgomery, however, threw a complete-game shutout, the first of his career, and allowed just one hit. It was the first complete-game shutout against the Cubs since Cole Hamels’ no-hitter in 2015.

Alzolay on assignment

Adbert Alzolay, who has been sidelined all season with a strained right shoulder, began a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League on Monday. Any innings he can build up at the end of the season can serve as a jumping off point next year for the young pitcher.

Prospect update

Outfield prospect Brennen Davis (back surgery) will join Single-A South Bend on Tuesday, Banner announced. Davis started his rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League a week ago.

“He’s not going to be there long,” Banner said. “The goal is to get him up to Triple-A in short order.”

Catcher Miguel Amaya, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, left a Double-A game on Friday with a dislocated left ring finger. Banner estimated that Amaya will be out for about a week.

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The value of the Chicago Bears has skyrocketed

The Chicago Bears are an important historical relic for the NFL. A rusty relic that comes with a lot of fans and prestige that makes the franchise one of the most valuable in the league. The Bears are one of only two charter members of the NFL who still exist.

Being located in Chicago, the Bears have the advantage of being in the third most populous city in the US. The sheer amount of fans the Bears have helps to keep the value of the team high.

Forbes recently released the valuation for all 32 NFL teams. The Bears have a surprising value compared to last season. In 2021, The Bears had a valuation of $4.075 billion coming off of a pandemic year and were the seventh most valuable team, according to Forbes.

Coming into this season, Forbes ranks the Bears as the fifth most valuable team at $5.8 billion. It’s a one-year change of 42 percent. Forbes gave a few reasons why the Bears’ value may have. increased so much:

The Bears are the lone NFL team in the country’s third-largest market, a big attraction for a wealthy buyer looking to break into the league. In addition, the Bears are moving toward getting either a new stadium in suburban Arlington Heights or a renovation of Soldier Field. Both scenarios would add a lot of money to the team’s coffers.

Values aren’t turning into wins for the Chicago Bears

These numbers might be great for a family looking to sell a franchise. For Bears fans, however, these numbers might leave them scratching their heads. The Bears haven’t been as successful in the past decade as the other franchises listed in the top five.

The Bears have won one divisional championship since 2010. They’ve watched their rival, the Green Bay Packers, dominate them on the field and in the division since. Yet the Packers are only listed as the 15th most valuable NFL team.

It makes one wonder if the Chicago Bears are taking advantage of the fans hard earned cash by putting a subpar product on the field. The 2022 Bears could be a disgrace to the city and its considerably too-loyal fanbase if national analysts and Las Vegas betting professionals are correct about their predictions for this season.

This is unacceptable for the Chicago Bears to be this dismal for so long with their valuation being in the top five. The franchise owes it to its fans, who keep giving money to the team that rakes in over half a billion in revenue, to win more games. But hey, as long as fans keep purchasing jerseys to sit and watch this crap, why should the Bears try and be competitive?

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When Willson Contreras slugged his 20th home run of 2022 last week, he became the 17th Cubs player with at least four seasons of 20 or more homers.

The leaders are Ernie Banks and Billy Williams with 13 seasons each, Sammy Sosa with 12 and Ron Santo with 11.

Four Cubs from the 2016 World Series champions are in the club. Anthony Rizzo hit 20 or more seven times with the Cubs, and Kris Bryant and Javy Baez did it four times each to precede Contreras.

Among 20th- and 21st-century players, those with at least 10 seasons of 20 or more homers have four of the five highest Fangraphs position-player WARs in Cubs history. Santo, at 71.9, is topped only by 19th-century star Cap Anson (81.8). Banks (63.3) is second, Sosa (60.7) fourth and Williams (58.9) fifth.

Ryne Sandberg, with six seasons of 20 or more homers with the Cubs, is between Banks and Sosa at 61.0.

The 2016 champions didn’t have enough time together to reach that level. Rizzo (32.8) stands 16th, Bryant (31.1) 17th and Baez (19.9) 30th. The count continues for Contreras, who is 41st at 15.4.

The other three are building numbers, too, but with other teams and with mixed success.

Rizzo: A prime member of Aaron Judge’s supporting cast on the American League East-leading Yankees, Rizzo is tied with the Twins’ Byron Buxton for eighth in the majors and third in the AL with 28 homers (through Sunday). Judge owns the category with 46. The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, who had three seasons of 20 or more homers with the Cubs, leads the National League with 34.

Dealt to the Yankees last July, Rizzo homered eight times for them in 2021 after hitting 14 for the Cubs.

Rizzo’s batting average, a career .265, has dipped to .221 this season, but he has 52 walks and has been hit by 17 pitches for a .337 on-base percentage. With an .828 OPS, Rizzo has 136 weighted runs created plus, 36% better than the major-league average.

Bryant: Traded to the Giants last July, Bryant added to his homer list by hitting seven for them after hitting 18 for the Cubs in 2021.

He signed with the Rockies, but an anticipated power surge at Coors Field hasn’t happened. Injuries kept Bryant sidelined for most of May and June, and he has been out in August. Bryant has only 181 plate appearances. His five homers all came in July.

Hitting .306/.376/.475 for an .851 OPS, Bryant isn’t far off his career .879 OPS. With a 125 wRC+, Bryant has produced when he has been in the lineup.

Baez: He gave the Mets a good couple of months after the Cubs traded him last July, hitting .299/.371/.515 with nine homers that pushed his season total to 31.

It has been a different story with the Tigers in 2022, however. After an .826 OPS in April, Baez dropped to .681 by May 5 and hasn’t seen .700 again this season.

Now at .222/.264/.369 for a .633 OPS with 11 homers, Baez has been nowhere near what the Tigers anticipated. His 79 wRC+ is 21% below that of an average hitter, and adding to his list of 20-homer seasons is a long shot.

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