Chicago Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Kelly has pitched in eight postseasons. Which means he understands the importance of games in July.

“It’s a big series,” Kelly said of the White Sox’ four-game set against the first-place Twins at Target Field, which opened Thursday with the Sox five games off the lead. “We don’t have that much time left. And these games count as two.”

So it goes with division games. The Sox would fancy a four-game sweep but need to stop settling for series splits like the one they took against the Guardians this week.

“Everyone is starting to realize we’re getting guys back health wise and we’re starting to play more consistent baseball,” Kelly said before the Sox walloped the Twins 12-2. “Now we need to push it to that extra gear, extra level and play better as a team.”

With first-inning RBI singles by Jose Abreu and Andrew Vaughn, the latter on a broken-bat, lucky bouncer off second base, and a grand slam in the fourth by Luis Robert that KO’d Twins right-hander Sonny Gray, the Sox made an electric first impression in this series.

Anderson, batting .208/.256/.234 in his previous 19 games, singled twice and reached base his first four times up and scoring three runs, the first time on a sharp single by Jose Abreu, who has hit safely in 19 of his last 20 games.

Robert’s 452-foot blast on a hanging slider was the Sox’ first slam of the season. He also doubled and collected five RBI with his third consecutive three-hit game that raised his average to .301. Andrew Vaughn homered in the seventh to make it 9-1.

Meanwhile, sneaky right-hander Johnny Cueto (4-1) pitched six innings of one-run ball, working out of crooked-number possibility trouble in four different innings, leaving the bases full in the first and stranding Byron Buxton after he led off the third with a triple on which Robert didn’t make a good read in center field.

Cueto threw 118 pitches, tied for fifth in the majors this season, and lowered his ERA to a 2.11 ERA over his last six starts covering 38 1/3 innings, continuing as a steady force in the Sox rotation. Cueto has allowed three earned runs or less in 11 of his 12 appearances, including 10 starts. He lowered his ERA to 2.80.

Remarkably, after laborious fifth inning that hiked his pitch count to 103, Cueto returned to the mound for a sixth inning with a seven-run lead and struck out Alex Kirilloff, Jose Miranda and Gio Urshela. He finished with seven hits and two walks allowed and five strikeouts.

The 36-year-old master of changing speeds, locating with an assortment of pitches and deliveries, Cueto has become must-see pitching for others on the Sox’ pitching staff.

“One of my favorite things to do is watching Johnny pitch,” Kelly said. “Cueto picks hitters apart and they get frustrated. Hitters get mad when he’s hesitating and quick pitching, then they want to hit homers and they pop up.”

Cueto got mad when Jose Miranda’s bloop single dropped in front of Robert, who didn’t get a great jump, leading off the second. After Urshela’s double scored Miranda from first and Ryan Jeffers dropped another bloop single into left, left fielder AJ Pollock lightened Cueto’s mood by catching All-Star Luis Arraez’ fly ball and throwing out Urshela on a close play at home.

“I love to watch him,” said Jimmy Lambert, who relieved Cueto and pitched a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts. “He’s unique. He’s been doing it a long time, and you appreciate a guy who attacks hitters.”

The Twins used position player Nick Gordon to pitch the ninth. He gave up a three-run homer to Seby Zavala.

The Sox are within four games of Minnesota. Three games remain in the series.

“Everybody is just committed to take our best shot and see what our record is come Sunday,” manager Tony La Russa said. “You’re going to see our best shot. That’s the way this club has been. They know we’re in a position where we can’t afford to back off.”

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From David Ross’ time as a Cubs baseball operations special assistant, he remembers how much fun he had on his first day of draft preparation meetings.

“I loved hearing the scouts, and all the front office guys, and the [research and development department] dissecting these guys and what they could and couldn’t do, and start organizing the names,” the manager said Thursday. “And then the first day ended, and we had three days left.

“And I was like, ‘We’ve got three more days of that? No thanks.'”

Cubs vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz and his team are in the midst of that process now.

For the second straight year, Major League Baseball is holding its amateur draft during All-Star week. Rounds 1 and 2 are scheduled for Sunday. Rounds three through 10 are scheduled for Monday. And Tuesday will be the final day of the draft, featuring rounds 11-20.

“I think it’s been widely publicized that the quote-unquote strength of the draft class is there’s a lot of high school hitters that are projected to go high,” Kantrovitz said. “Whether or not that comes to fruition, time will tell.

“As it’s unfolded, there’s probably been more pitchers that have percolated to the top of teams’ draft boards. But I think it probably ends up reverting back to where we started this spring, which was, there’s a lot of high school hitters that are projected to go pretty high.”

The Cubs are set to pick seventh, their highest draft position since 2014, when they selected Kyle Schwarber with the No. 4 pick. It’s the Cubs’ first Top-10 pick since 2015, when they selected 2022 All-Star outfielder Ian Happ No. 9 overall.

“For the first half of the spring, it doesn’t really change our strategy,” Kantrovitz said of having a high pick. “We still have to cast a wide net and make sure we’re thoroughly evaluating every player out there, because you don’t know who ends up sliding for whatever reason.There’s a lot of things that can happen throughout the spring that are uncertain.

“The reality becomes that, as you get closer to draft day, you start to really zero in on who that group might be – in our case, the top seven.”

Other than affecting their draft position, where the Cubs sit in their rebuild cycle doesn’t change their approach to the draft, according to Kantrovitz.

“Given the time it takes for most of the players we’re drafting to matriculate to the big leagues, I don’t think we can try to time a window like that,” Kantrovitz said. “If you start to get into that, then you might end up missing the best player available on the board. It’s such an imprecise science as it is.”

In baseball, unlike basketball or football, newly drafted players don’t make an immediate impact. But as the Cubs lean on player development to help them move out of this rebuild phase and ideally keep their next championship window propped open for longer than last time, the long-term effects of the draft are plain to see.

Ross remembers the draft room discussions about Nico Hoerner in 2018. The Cubs selected Hoerner No. 24 overall. Now, he’s the Cubs’ everyday shortstop, in the midst of a breakout year.

Hoerner entered play Thursday with a .304 batting average, seventh-highest in the National League this season. And he was striking out once every 9.48 plate appearances, the best mark among qualified NL hitters.

“What I remember was the high contact, the high baseball IQ, the maturity, some of the characteristics that stood out, that stuff carried on,” Ross said of Hoerner’s draft evaluation. “But what also stands out is how he’s growing daily at this level.”

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The Cubs got one infielder back from the injured list and replaced him with another.

First baseman Frank Schwindel returned from the 10-day IL on Thursday after nearly four weeks out with a strained lower back. In turn, middle infielder Andrelton Simmons landed on the 10-day IL with a right shoulder strain.

“To reintegrate [Schwindel] right before the break made a lot of sense for us,” manager David Ross said, “and he feels 100%, was able to play multiple games and get plenty of at-bats [in his rehab assignment.]”

Schwindel was available off the bench Thursday after playing the past two days in Triple-A Iowa. Schwindel totaled five rehab games and logged two hits.

“Swing feels good,” Schwindel said. “I thought I put together some good at-bats down there, I’m ready to get back in there. I’m excited.”

Simmons started the season on the IL with right shoulder inflammation, an issue that limited him in spring training. And Ross said Simmons re-aggravated his shoulder turning a double play on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Cubs backdated the IL move to Monday.

“I think he was trying to make up some time there,” Ross said of the play, which shortstop Nico Hoerner started on a chopper in the hole, “and it was the first time probably in a while he’s had to really let it eat. That’s where he felt it.”

Madrigal’s next steps

The latest chapter of second baseman Nick Madrigal’s injury-filled season has been a minor setback on his way back from a groin strain.

“It’s definitely been a challenge. It’s been frustrating at times. It’s been a lot of different emotions, but I’m staying positive. A lot of games left. I’m excited to get back out there and stay the course.”

After leaving a rehab game on Sunday with groin tightness, Madrigal has been working out in Chicago before he’s scheduled to head to Arizona for a couple days during the All-Star break next week.

“The biggest thing during the All-Star break was they didn’t want me shutting down,” Madrigal said, “they wanted me to keep ramping up so I’m able to get back with the team sooner.”

He added that he’d likey need a couple more rehab games after the break before returning from the 10-day IL.

“In the past I’ve played through those kinds of things, and it’s turned into a huge problem,” Madrigal said. “So, just trying to get ahead of it.”

Cubs stork has been busy

Just two days after Cubs lefty Justin Steele and his fiancee celebrated the birth of their first child, veteran southpaw Drew Smyly and his wife welcomed their third child into the world. Summer Smyly was born Wednesday night.

Smyly’s advice to Steele was: “They grow fast. Soak it in.”

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MINNEAPOLIS — It would seem to make sense for the White Sox to use Eloy Jimenez as a designated hitter more than in the outfield, where he came up lame and had to leave Wednesday’s game against the Guardians with right leg soreness and might not play until after the All-Star break.

But it’s not like the Sox have a gaping hole at DH, manager Tony La Russa said.

“Especially when we get [Yasmani Grandal] back, you look at the composition of our roster, it’s pretty tough to lock up the DH spot,” said La Russa, who divides the DH spot among corner outfielders Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets and first baseman Jose Abreu and will want to use Grandal, his No. 1 catcher, in that mix when Grandal returns from the injured list after the All-Star break.

If Jimenez is used exclusively as a DH, “it takes away some key options,” La Russa said. “He’s valuable enough if that’s what he had to do to stay healthy you’d do it. But … he hurt it running to first base.”

La Russa described Jimenez’ MRI as “reasonable” and showing “nothing drastic” Thursday, and he wasn’t ruling out the former Silver Slugger Award winner playing this weekend. Jimenez had to pause during minor league rehab assignment during his recovery from surgery in late April to repair a hamstring tendon, and La Russa said this latest issue is thought to be similar.

“He actually felt something like this during his rehab in Charlotte,” La Russa said. “Rested a little bit and came back OK. That’s what we’re counting on.

“We’ll see what it feels like in the next couple days, be careful with him. And a chance he might play this weekend. So far, the scan didn’t show anything drastic happening. He has discomfort. A little cramping sensation.”

In any event, when he does return it probably will be at DH initially, but with more left field to follow. Jimenez’ hamstring injury occurred while running out a ground ball, La Russa said, so it’s not like staying out of the outfield will protect him.

“I mean, he’s got to use his legs [as a DH],” La Russa said.

Jimenez, who early in Wednesday’s game slipped, tumbled backward and managed to catch a base hit on the hop while on his back, has not played well defensively and has been hurt playing left field numerous times. He tore a pectoral muscle in spring training last year and hurt his elbow colliding with center fielder Charlie Tilson and suffered a high ankle sprain colliding with the outfield wall in 2019.

Jimenez sprained his foot running the bases against the Cubs late in 2020 and was limited during the 2020 Wild Card as a result. He also hurt his ankle in the on-field celebration after Lucas Giolito no-hit the Indians in 2020 but avoided the IL.

AJ Pollock started in left field, Sheets was in right and Andrew Vaughn was the DH against the Twins Thursday, when the Sox took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Twins starter Sonny Gray.

Uptick from Moncada

Yoan Moncada was batting .271 with 14 RBI in his last 17 games, a needed uptick after early season injury and production issues.

“He’s in a real good routine with the training room, fitness area, his process is excellent,” La Russa said. “And he’s having real good at-bats.”

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N’Keal Harry is still a young wide receiver for the Bears

N’Keal Harry has been put in the category of “bust“. The former New England Patriots first-round draft pick didn’t have impressive numbers or many memorable moments in his first three seasons. The Chicago Bears received Harry in a trade this week. The Bears only had to give up a seventh-round pick, which is not bad considering the level of wide receiver typically seen at that level.

Harry is only 24 years old as he joins the Bears roster before training camp. That’s one year shy of Bears rookie wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., who didn’t peak in college until around the age of 24. Harry’s receiving totals aren’t much to speak of, he has only 598 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.

In the next few paragraphs, we’ll learn three things about the Bears’ new wide receiver. I’ll break down in more detail why Harry was considered a bust, what he can improve on, and what his strengths are for the Bears offense.

1. Why N’Keal Harry is considered a bust

N’Keal Harry didn’t have the production a wide receiver needs to have to justify a first-round selection. For brevity’s sake, I’m going to compare Harry to four peers from the 2019 NFL Draft. Marquise Brown, who was taken in the first round, and the next two wide receivers taken after Harry, Deebo Samuel, and A.J. Brown, the latter two were taken in the second round.

Marquise Brown, Samuel, and A.J. Brown all have nearly quadruple the receiving yards Harry does. They also have each found the endzone twice as many, if not more (A.J. has six times more) than Harry. Coming out of college Harry was supposed to be the guy that could help offenses put more points on the scoreboard. He scored 25 total touchdowns on offense (receiving and rushing) during his three years at Arizona State.

His Player Predicated Points Added or (PPA/EPA) on passing in 2018, ranked second (behind Marquise .999), of the quad, according to College Football Data. Harry had a .737 score, Samuel a .583 score, and A.J. a .699 score.

This all changed when they got to the NFL. Last season, Harry’s EPA/play per game average on pass targets was .567, which I got by adding his total EPA/play on rbsdm.com and dividing by the 12 games he played in. .567 isn’t terrible, but his sample size with passing targets is sort of a skewed metric for players like Harry who weren’t utilized as much as the other three players.

Harry’s cumulative EPA in 2021 was only 14.4, according to the database on playerprofiler.com. He ranked 91st in that metric for wide receivers. A.J. ranked 24th, Marquise ranked 55th, and Samuel ranked 6th. These stats indicate Harry didn’t affect the Patriots’ outcome on offense enough in a positive enough way to be a first-round draft pick.

2. What N’Keal Harry needs to improve on this year with the Bears

One metric N’Keal Harry struggled with as a member of the Patriots was getting separation. According to Player Profiler, Harry’s target separation was just 1.23 yards from his assigned defender (A.J.’s was 1.48, Samuel was 1.64, Marquise was 1.75). The good news for the Bears is that might have more to do with Josh Mcdaniels’ offense than with Harry individually as most Patriots wide receivers struggled with that.

If Harry can get more separation in Luke Getsy’s offense, he could be a better target for Justin Fields. The heavy-run scheme along with play action should get Harry more separation.

3. Good things N’Keal Harry brings to the Bears

N’Keal Harry will bring an “x” receivers frame to the Bears. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound wide receiver was known for using his body to snag balls at Arizona State. While he might never be the dominant number 1 wide receiver most scouts thought he’d be in 2019, he has more upside to the Bears than their former option Equanimeous St. Brown.

One thing Harry has improved upon in his three seasons is his average depth of target. His aDOT was 14.9 last season. (Keep in mind, that this was a small sample size as Harry wasn’t targeted much in 2021.) That’s a sizable aDOT Bears fans should want, as Fields has the arm to get the ball down the field.

The second advantage Harry will bring to the Bears is his run-blocking abilities. PFF ranked Harry 3rd as a wide receiver with 84.8 run-blocking grade. Wide receivers that can flip pancakes are cool. Here’s a highlight of Harry taking on Miles Garrett.

The Bears made a great trade by bringing this physical wide receiver into their wide receivers room. The Bears don’t have a lot to lose by giving up a seventh-round pick. N’Keal Harry still has a lot he needs to work on, especially when it comes to getting open in the passing game.

While the benefit of hindsight shows us Harry shouldn’t be valued as a first-round player, there’s no reason why he can’t be a solid contributor for the Bears as a starter.

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Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 80 degrees. Tonight will see a slight chance of showers with a low around 64. Tomorrow will be cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms and a high near 78.

Top story

Chicago’s U.S. attorney sues Chicago Cubs over ADA compliance in Wrigley Field renovation

The U.S. Attorney’s office sued the Chicago Cubs today over the team’s recent yearslong renovation of Wrigley Field, aiming to force the North Siders to remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

U.S. Attorney John Lausch’s office says the Cubs’ 1060 Project “enhanced the gameday experience for many fans,” but “the same cannot be said for fans with disabilities.”

Rather, the feds say the Cubs “removed the best wheelchair seating in the stadium,” isolated certain wheelchair users and confined them “to the worst seats” in the bleachers and grandstand, and left some struggling to see around fans on their feet.

The feds also point in their lawsuit to other problems — including counter surfaces and restroom paper towel dispensers that are allegedly too high for wheelchair users.

The Cubs insisted today that “the Friendly Confines today is more welcoming than ever to fans with accessibility needs.” And in a written statement, the team said it is “disappointed” in the lawsuit.

Though the team said it hoped the lawsuit could be resolved “amicably,” it said it would “defend Wrigley Field and our position it meets accessibility requirements for fans.”

The feds’ lawsuit seeks injunctive and monetary relief.

Jon Seidelhas more on the lawsuit here.

More news you need

The family of an unarmed 13-year-old boy who was shot and seriously wounded by a Chicago police officer in May has received videos of the confrontation, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability said. A lawsuit filed by the teen’s family against the unidentified officer and the Chicago Police Department contends the May 19 shooting was unjustified and that the teen had his hands up when he was shot.A few hundred activists and gun violence survivors — many wearing orange T-shirts, most with connections to Highland Park or Uvalde, Texas — rallied yesterday and marched on Capitol Hill for a federal ban on assault weapons. Our Lynn Sweet was there to cover the demonstrations.Planned Parenthood doctors who’ve stopped performing abortions in Wisconsin will travel to Waukegan to serve their patients, who must travel outside Wisconsin to receive an abortion in nearly all cases. Nurses, midwives, clinicians and other support staff will also be commuting from Wisconsin to a Planned Parenthood of Illinois clinic to help provide abortion services in the event of increased demand.A man told police he spotted someone driving his stolen car on DuSable Lake Shore Drive and began following it, dodging gunfire until he crashed into the car on a Stevenson Expressway exit ramp. Three people inside the car ran away and the man suffered scrapes to his arms, according to Chicago police.The trial of four people accused of trying to bribe then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been rescheduled for March 6. Charged in the case are longtime Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-top ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former City Club President Jay Doherty.Friends, family and former colleagues are mourning the loss of Chicago attorney Donald G. Lubin, who died last month at age 88. Lubin had key roles with Ray Kroc and McDonald’s Corp.Loved ones and colleagues are also grieving the loss of Minette McGhee, a former Sun-Times editorial assistant who died suddenly last week at 58 years old. “She just always brought heart and feeling to all those stories and to all of her encounters with her sources,” said Sun-Times columnist Maudlyne Ihejirika.Global sweets company Ferrero Group plans to open an “innovation center” in the old Marshall Field and Co. building, the company announced today. Ferrero is set to occupy about 45,000 square feet on the building’s eighth and ninth floors and employ about 170 people.

A bright one

Awarded time with the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers from Northwestern and University of Chicago are over the moon

Allison Strom sent a note on her astronomer text chain reading “Holy Jesus! Did you see that?” after the first images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope were revealed this week.

Strom, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern University, is pumped up. And for good reason. She’s basically next in a long line of astronomers who got permission to use the telescope.

She’ll get the chance to focus the device on a tiny patch of the cosmos to study what galaxies were made of billions of years ago when the universe was like a teenager.

Her project has been dubbed CECILIA (Chemical Evolution Constrained using Ionized Lines in Interstellar Aurorae) and is an acronym designed to fit the name of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, one of the first women to earn a doctorate in astronomy.

At some point in the next three weeks, the Webb telescope will do Strom’s bidding for a window of 40 hours, and then the fun begins for her and her colleagues who will analyze the data.

Strom is one of several astronomers at Northwestern and the University of Chicago who have been granted coveted time with the telescope — a $10 billion device that launched Christmas Day and traveled a million miles before sticking the landing in a cosmic parking lot known as L2, where it will orbit the sun.

Mitch Dudekhas more on who will get to use the telescope here.

From the press box

After an extremely busy week for the Blackhawks, GM Kyle Davidson provided updates on where the team is at with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.Lake Forest basketball player Asa Thomas, one of the state’s top prospect, has committed to play college hoops at Clemson, Joe Henricksen reports.Jeff Agrest offers some praise for Ozzie Guillen’s recent work as an analyst, noting the former manager gives viewers exactly what they want: raw, unfettered commentary backed up by experience.What Kyle Hendricks’ injury timeline means for Cubs’ Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson.

Your daily question ?

What is your essential summertime Chicago tradition?

Send us an email at [email protected] and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: In honor of National French Fry day, where can you find the best fries in Chicago?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Smoque BBQ has the best french fries. They’re hand-cut, double-fried, and come in a brown paper bag just bursting with crispy goodness. I like to dip them in their Memphis BBQ sauce.” –Michael Oelrich

“Byron’s on Irving Park. They are loaded with grease and fried to perfection. I lived a block away my first summer in Chicago and it was my introduction to the Chicago hot dog stand.” –Katie Matlin

“Top Notch in Beverly — hand-cut fresh daily.” –Jane Feurer

“Vinnie Ds and Ranch House.” –Gi Perry

“Winking Dog on North Avenue in Northlake has great fresh-cut fries. I order them well done, which I have found is usually a good idea for fresh-cut fries.” –Chuck Fieldman

“Al’s Beef on Taylor has great fries.” –Linda Bielic

“Mr. D’s. Shish Kabobs, 6656 W. Diversey Ave. Fresh cut. Delicious!” — Karen Roediger

“Ricobenes, 35th St Redhots or Au Cheval.” –Jenna Marie

“Sauce and Bread Kitchen in Edgewater/Rogers Park area has the best waffle fries ever! Like seriously amazing.” –Sean Grace

For more fry recs from our readers, click here.

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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“Ozzie went off.”

That was a familiar refrain in the Sun-Times’ sports department during Ozzie Guillen’s tenure as the White Sox’ manager. From 2004 to ’11, we didn’t know what he was going to say or when. But we knew, eventually, a fuse in his brain would be lit, and words would explode out of his mouth like fireworks.

Even if Guillen wasn’t spewing venom or a harsh truth, simply telling it like it is became akin to “going off” because so few managers were as open and honest with their thoughts. As a Sox analyst on NBC Sports Chicago’s pre- and postgame shows, Guillen is still an open book. And he’s able to draw and keep viewers tuned in because they want to hear what he’ll say next.

Guillen has had an eventful week, on and off the air. On Tuesday, he criticized Sox manager Tony La Russa on the postgame show, and Wednesday he challenged a national baseball writer to a fight.

Ozzie went off, and Ozzie went viral.

After a lackluster loss to the Guardians in the first game of a doubleheader, Guillen went after La Russa for being too soft with the players, whose myriad mistakes seemingly have gone unpunished. Guillen called La Russa “Rick Renteria with credentials” and implored him to hold his underachieving team accountable.

Clearly, Guillen doesn’t hold Renteria in the same regard he holds La Russa, under whom Guillen won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1985. Guillen adores La Russa and has the utmost respect for him, but he said he would criticize La Russa if he were sitting next to him on the set. He wanted his message to reach his former skipper.

That didn’t sit well with Jon Heyman, who accused Guillen on Twitter of trying to steal La Russa’s job. “Will be interesting to see if it’s possible to get someone’s job by insulting them on a postgame show,” Heyman tweeted.

Then, Ozzie went off.

“Jon you hate me and always bad mouth me,” Guillen posted on Twitter. “Let’s settle it. Let’s raise money Jon me and you the ring. Whatever money we raise goes to charity. I am not perfect, but tired you hiding behind you a writer.”

Heyman is respected in the industry and isn’t one to look for a fight – he turned down the offer – but he made a misstep here. He admitted to being a Guillen detractor after watching him up close in his one, failed season as the Marlins’ manager. But to accuse him of overtly pursuing La Russa’s job is wrong.

Guillen is emotional about the Sox’ struggles because he cares, not because he wants to unseat La Russa. His managerial career is likely over. And his advice was good. He was telling La Russa to be himself, a Hall of Fame manager, not to placate the players. None of it was cheap, ugly or unwarranted.

“We’re going to dance this music,” Guillen said of what La Russa should communicate. “If you don’t want to dance that music, I’m the DJ, get off the floor.”

This is exactly what viewers want from an analyst: raw, unfettered commentary backed up by experience. Most viewers of regional sports networks don’t see this. We’re fortunate in this market to have Guillen educating and entertaining us.

Though Sox fans might not want to hear it, props go to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, as well. Contractually, he has no control over content on NBCSCH. But you have to believe he’d be in someone’s ear if he weren’t OK with the rhetoric.

(It all makes the accusations last month laughable that NBCSCH was trying to protect La Russa by editing out his questionable two-strike intentional walk from a game replay.)

The situation shines a light on the difference in coverage Chicago’s two RSNs have provided. While the Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network works to shed the perception of being soft on the team, NBCSCH benefits from its no-holds-barred approach with the Sox.

Granted, the expectations for both teams were different. We knew the Cubs were fielding a subpar team entering the season, and they’ve played to that level. The Sox have World Series aspirations and haven’t been over .500 since May 25.

Still, can you imagine anyone sitting on the Marquee set and tearing into Cubs manager David Ross? No one should be looking for a fight, but it’s refreshing to see Guillen, along with fellow analysts Frank Thomas and Scott Podsednik, speak candidly about a team that has frustrated its fans to no end.

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A look back at former Chicago Bears RB Neal Anderson and his time with the team

In this segment and future segments, I’ll be discussing former Chicago Bears players that were underrated, undervalued, and/or under-appreciated for their contributions to the team, either on a team scale, league scale, or both. First up, the man that had the difficult, nearly impossible task of following Bears legend Walter Payton: Neal Anderson.

Neal Anderson was the total package

How Anderson fell to the Bears at the bottom of the 1986 NFL Draft was nothing short of a miracle for the team, especially in an era when the league still focused on workhorse backs that would pound the ball with 20-25 carries per game. The University of Florida star had good size (5′ 11″, 210 lbs.) and blazing 4.4 speed. He could get you the tough yard on 3rd and short or burst to the outside for the long run. He also possessed reliable hands as a receiver out of the back field and was a superb blocker.

Emergence following Payton’s retirement

Payton was still a force in Anderson’s first year, thus the youngster did not receive many opportunities. That changed in the strike-shortened season of 1987 when the Bears put him and Payton in the backfield together. He rushed for 586 yards and 3 TDs as a fullback. Payton retired at season’s end and 1988 saw Anderson become the feature back. He responded with 1,106 yards on 249 carries with 12 TDs. He also added 39 receptions for 371 yards. That season saw him receive the first of four consecutive Pro Bowl berths.

League dominance 1988 to 1990

From 1988 to 1990, Anderson was among the best and most complete backs in the league. He had over 1,000 rushing in each season with a career high 1,275 yards in 1989. He added over 370 yards receiving in each of those seasons as well. His career was full of some amazing highlights.

Career decline and eventual retirement

While missing a bit of time in 1990, injuries caught up to him in 1991 as he missed three games and failed to eclipse 1,000 yards for the first time since 1987. 1992 and 1993 saw him fail to reach his previous heights and he retired following the 1993 season

Neal Anderson’s legacy

Neal Anderson finished his career with 6,166 yards rushing, 51 TDs, and a solid 4.1 yards per carry average. Had injuries not hampered him and shortened his career, it’s no stretch that he could’ve eclipsed 10,000 yards and 100 TDs. Since his retirement, he has kept a relatively low profile, which has led to the old out-of-sight, out-of-mind adage when it comes to his popularity. Those of us that watched him play though, will never forget the game breaker he was and the solid player that was a worthy heir to his predecessor.

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Chicago’s U.S. Attorney’s office sued the Chicago Cubs on Thursday over the team’s recent yearslong renovation of Wrigley Field, aiming to force the North Siders to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The lawsuit alleges that, amid the renovation of the century-old ballpark, the Cubs failed to provide wheelchair users with adequate sightlines compared to standing patrons, or incorporate wheelchair seating in new premium club and group seating areas.

The feds say the Cubs designed and constructed general admission wheelchair seating so that it is largely clustered in the last row of seating sections — violating ADA standards — and failed to remove architectural barriers in unaltered portions of Wrigley where possible.

The lawsuit against Chicago Baseball Holdings LLC, Wrigley Field Holdings LLC, WF Master Tenant LLC and Chicago Cubs Baseball Club LLC seeks injunctive relief.

The feds’ investigation of Wrigley’s ADA compliance became public in December 2019, when lawyers for the team filed a letter as part of a lawsuit brought by a Cubs fan with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who used a wheelchair.

The letter contended the renovation of Wrigley actually “significantly increased the accessibility of the ballpark,” and it added that ADA compliance “is of critical importance to the Cubs.”

This is a developing story.

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