Chicago Sports

The Chicago Bulls did not quite meet expectations last season. That has led experts and fans to begin concocting numerous potential trades for bettering the roster. There has been a lot of speculation around trade packages involving Rudy Gobert, Mitchell Robinson, and now, John Collins. 

Joshua Buckhalter from Heavy.com described the Bulls’ interest in Collins,

“The Chicago Bulls are thinking big and keeping tabs on Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins, per league sources. Chicago is in search of quality size, rebounding, and perimeter shooting this offseason.”

Collins would be a perfect addition to the Bulls’ roster but would come at a tremendous cost. In August of last year, Collins agreed to a 5-year, $125 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Taking on this contract would not be overly difficult for the organization, but coming up with a potential trade package could be.

John Collins could bring a lot to the table that the Bulls were missing last season, especially rebounding. Unlike Rudy Gobert or Mitchell Robinson, Collins would fit nicely into a lineup alongside Nikola Vucevic. It is also possible that Vucevic could be included in a trade package for Collins or somebody else. 

Potential trade packages for the Bulls seem to consist of some combination of Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Troy Brown Jr., and the 18th overall pick in the upcoming draft. It will be interesting to see how the Bulls choose to bolster their front court through trade. If the price is right, John Collins could be the perfect fit.

Make sure to check out our Bulls forum for the latest on the team.

Read More

Matt Eberflus has a challenge after losing elite players this offseason

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t have to take many dishes down before starting the teams remodel. The cupboard was already bare. One analyst thinks he has one of the worst situations among the ten new coaches this season. Matt Eberflus is taking over a team that PFF ranks at or near the bottom at three position units, offensive line, defensive line, and wide receiver.

The Bears have improved at the secondary, after taking cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.  But that’s pretty much the only unit that got better this offseason. Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, and Allen Robinson leaving the Bears have left significant holes on the roster. Robert Quinn might be heading off the Bears roster shortly.

Bucky Brooks, with nfl.com, ranked the 10 new head coaches in order of how hard their situation will be with their new team. Brooks ranked Eberflus at nine, just edging out former Bears head coach Lovie Smith (Houston Texans) at 10.

Here’s what Brooks wrote:

The old-school coach brings a disciplined and detailed approach to an organization that had lost its identity as a blue-collar bunch. Eberflus hopes to rely on effort, toughness and enthusiasm to make up for a lack of blue-chip players on the roster. The first-time head coach has a potential five-star quarterback on the roster in Justin Fields, but the second-year pro needs more weaponry around him to push the ball down the field. In addition,

Chicago needs more trench warriors on each side of the ball to better control the point of attack. The play of the offensive and defensive lines must improve immediately for the Bears to gain ground on their rivals.

Eberflus is intent on finding more “M&Ms” (motor and mean), but he will likely need to coax better effort out of his holdovers to make immediate improvements in Year 1. While effort and enthusiasm can make up for some of a team’s deficiencies, the rookie head coach will need to convince his team to outwork opponents in order to chalk up wins this season.

Just adding more noise to the fact the Bears are lacking elite talent this season…

Inexperience will be all around Matt Eberflus’ Bears team in 2022

Matt Eberflus will need to hope second-year quarterback Justin Fields is a true franchise player for the Bears. Fields will need to improve his subpar stats from 2021 with a patchwork offensive line and no elite wide receivers to help.

Matt Eberflus might be a coaching masochist, as he decided to hire offensive and defensive coordinators with no-to-bad experience at their respective positions. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has never been an offensive coordinator in the NFL before. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams had a middle-of-the-pack defense for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012-13. Players complained about his in-game decision-making during his only season as a defensive coordinator.

The gig Eberflus taken and set up for himself looks daunting. At least for this season. How long the Bears are bad for will likely be determined by when the team uses their purse to attract talent in free agency. The Bears are projected to have the most cap space next season.

Matt Eberflus H.I.T.S. culture is the Bears’ hope this season

Eberflus is known for bringing the H.I.T.S. philosophy to teams he coaches. He’s already set the tone during practices at OTA’s and veterans’ minicamp. The Bears had to forfeit a practice with players going too hard in drills. After minicamp last week, Eberflus warned players to be in shape before training camp, as they’d run hard in July.

Will it be enough to cure the Bears’ ills this season? Ha no. Not with the team the way it is currently. But Eberflus and the Bears can certainly lay the groundwork for a better 2023.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

Read More

Thirty-five people have been shot, four of them fatally, in Chicago since Friday evening.

The majority of shooting victims were wounded on the South and West sides, 19 and nine people respectively. The Southwest Side had four victims, while the River North and West Town neighborhoods each had one shooting victim.

Five people were wounded in a single attack Friday evening in the Douglas area on the South Side. They were standing in a parking lot in the 3000 block of South Rhodes Avenue when a gunman opened fire at 11:45 p.m., police said. Three men in their teens and 20s, and one 18-year-old woman, were wounded in the attack.

Homicides

Sunday night, a 36-year-old woman was fatally shot in West Englewood on the South Side. She was on a sidewalk about 8:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Marshfield Avenue when someone opened fire, striking her in the head, Chicago police said. The woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Earlier Sunday, a man was killed in Englewood on the South Side. Officers found the 40-year-old on a sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his head and body in the 700 block of West 73rd Street around 3:35 a.m., police said. Paramedics took him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police reported no arrests.

Friday night, a man was killed in a drive-by shooting on the Near West Side. The 22-year-old was sitting in a vehicle around 11:45 p.m. when a red car drove by and someone from inside fired shots in the 2300 block of West Harrison Street, police said. He was shot in the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he died.

A man was killed on a porch Friday evening in Stony Island Park. Someone opened fire on him around 8:30 p.m. in the 8400 block of South Bennett Avenue, Chicago police said. The 30-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Nonfatal attacks

Three men were wounded in an attack in Humboldt Park Friday. Officers responded to the shooting about 9 p.m. in the 800 block of North Central Park Avenue, police said. They were all treated at hospitals.

Also Friday, a 17-year-old girl was wounded in South Chicago. She was in a ride-hailing vehicle about 9:50 p.m. in the 8800 block of South Mackinaw Avenue when someone opened fire from an SUV, police said. She was shot in the shoulder and hospitalized in good condition.

Early Saturday, a woman was shot in River North. A man walked up to the vehicle she was in and showed a weapon in the 100 block of West Illinois Street. The man driving tried to leave as the gunman shot into the vehicle, striking the woman in both her legs. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition.

Last weekend, seven people were killed and 30 others wounded in citywide shootings.

The Sun-Times counts weekend shootings between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Read More

Thirty-five people have been shot, four of them fatally, in Chicago since Friday evening.

The majority of shooting victims were wounded on the South and West sides, 19 and nine people respectively. The Southwest Side had four victims, while the River North and West Town neighborhoods each had one shooting victim.

Five people were wounded in a single attack Friday evening in the Douglas area on the South Side. They were standing in a parking lot in the 3000 block of South Rhodes Avenue when a gunman opened fire at 11:45 p.m., police said. Three men in their teens and 20s, and one 18-year-old woman, were wounded in the attack.

Homicides

Sunday night, a 36-year-old woman was fatally shot in West Englewood on the South Side. She was on a sidewalk about 8:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Marshfield Avenue when someone opened fire, striking her in the head, Chicago police said. The woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Earlier Sunday, a man was killed in Englewood on the South Side. Officers found the 40-year-old on a sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his head and body in the 700 block of West 73rd Street around 3:35 a.m., police said. Paramedics took him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police reported no arrests.

Friday night, a man was killed in a drive-by shooting on the Near West Side. The 22-year-old was sitting in a vehicle around 11:45 p.m. when a red car drove by and someone from inside fired shots in the 2300 block of West Harrison Street, police said. He was shot in the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he died.

A man was killed on a porch Friday evening in Stony Island Park. Someone opened fire on him around 8:30 p.m. in the 8400 block of South Bennett Avenue, Chicago police said. The 30-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Nonfatal attacks

Three men were wounded in an attack in Humboldt Park Friday. Officers responded to the shooting about 9 p.m. in the 800 block of North Central Park Avenue, police said. They were all treated at hospitals.

Also Friday, a 17-year-old girl was wounded in South Chicago. She was in a ride-hailing vehicle about 9:50 p.m. in the 8800 block of South Mackinaw Avenue when someone opened fire from an SUV, police said. She was shot in the shoulder and hospitalized in good condition.

Early Saturday, a woman was shot in River North. A man walked up to the vehicle she was in and showed a weapon in the 100 block of West Illinois Street. The man driving tried to leave as the gunman shot into the vehicle, striking the woman in both her legs. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition.

Last weekend, seven people were killed and 30 others wounded in citywide shootings.

The Sun-Times counts weekend shootings between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Read More

It’s summertime, and the Chicago Bears have put their players through sweltering offseason practices. Inside the team’s front office, a few people might be feeling the heat, too.

It’s got nothing to do with how draft picks play or whether the team shakes the losing habit this season. It’s about the upcoming financial decision that looms as the biggest in the franchise’s history and ultimately might affect control of the team.

Heading into the second half of the year, the Bears will have to compile serious development plans, and weigh counterproposals, over a new stadium.

Will the team stay in Soldier Field, winning an agreement for a retrofitted stadium that it rents, or go to Arlington Heights, where it has a deal to buy the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million?

Bears President George McCaskey said he wants to close the sale early in 2023. Even if he gets to that point, that’s only one step in a circuitous route.

Taxpayer subsidies will weigh heavily in the decision. The Bears will have digested details of the NFL’s latest deal for a new stadium. The $1.4 billion plan to put the Buffalo Bills in new digs comes courtesy of $850 million in financing from state and local governments, a commitment that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul insists will be repaid from tax revenue the club’s business will generate.

Economists who examine sports subsidies have grown weary of rebutting that argument. Numerous studies contend that stadiums produce a fraction of the promised gains. Yet the subsidies have risen with the construction costs.

“I think it just goes to show that policy decisions don’t seem to be tied to actual knowledge,” Kennesaw State University economics professor J.C. Bradbury told USA Today. The University of Chicago’s Allen Sanderson has argued that stadium fiscal benefits are commonly oversold by a factor of 10.

NFL markets, however, believe they must spend to keep their teams and the prestige they represent. As a percentage of the project costs, the Buffalo Bills subsidy is hardly an outlier.

Reviewing the financing for the 21 new NFL stadiums since 1998, the Buffalo News found public financing commonly was 60% or more. It was 100% in Tampa, Florida. The newest stadium, shared by the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, was the most expensive ever at $5 billion and had zero public subsidies because the uber-rich owner is relying on the development of 300 surrounding acres.

The Bears’ principal owner, Virginia McCaskey, heads a family modestly situated by league standards and without capital to risk. The family has a large third generation that might have different views about keeping the team.

The size of the Arlington Heights venture also has implications for team control. To develop most of the racecourse site, the Bears will need partners or a joint venture for the real estate. The team can count on the NFL to back a charter franchise and on revenue from personal seat licenses, stadium naming rights and more luxury suites, clear advantages over Soldier Field.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, however, has factors in her favor for keeping the Bears. As you read details of stadium subsidies, you get repeated references to bond issues and taxes on retail sales, hotel stays and car rentals, all ready-made Chicago revenue sources Arlington Heights cannot match. The city has better odds of drafting a package for the Bears that doesn’t require state money.

Whichever way the Bears go, the demands from the league and its consultants are to spend more on stadiums. The NFL is the world’s most pumped-up TV show, and it wants staging to match. Trends in stadium design call for more technology sold as enhancing “fan experience,” but it’s really about mining data and separating people from their money. In 2019, analysts in the U.S. sports practice for Deloitte Consulting imagined football fans’ “smart-stadium experience” and described this scene during a big play:

Sheesh — you’ll have to smuggle in a hip flask just to calm your nerves.

Read More

The Chicago White Sox played the rubber game of the three-game set against the Houston Astros under the lights of Sunday Night Baseball. The White Sox made the game close, with two late runs but ultimately lost 4-3.

The story of the game however was the start of Michael Kopech. After suffering an injury in his previous start, it was unclear if he would pitch in the rotation. The White Sox are reeling with injuries and losing one of their best pitchers for a game would have been another blow. The problem is, the Astros got to Kopech and piled on the runs in the game.

Kopech’s breakdown vs. Astros: 75 pitches. 41 fastballs. 21 sliders. 13 curveballs.

Kopech was pitching at 80%

The previous start for Kopech was a nightmare for the White Sox and the fanbase. The pitcher who is having a breakout year left with an apparent knee injury. Throughout the week, manager Tony La Russa was optimistic that he would be fine to start on Sunday. Kopech was healthy enough to start, that was clear in the game.

The problem was that Kopech, powering through the injury, was pitching at 80% or less. The injury still lingered, and it was clear that he was laboring. The Astros constantly made contact and got on base, scoring an early run in the first inning. Furthermore, Kopech didn’t last long in his start, with a five-inning outing instead of the usual six or seven the team has received this season.

The White Sox were prepared for a short start, with Jimmy Lambert waiting in the bullpen as the bulk pitcher. However, for a team that has received security in their starts from their 26-year-old pitcher, the setback was a tough blow. It makes for an argument of whether it made sense to start a pitcher who was pitching as a shell of himself.

The fastball was down

Kopech has relied on his fastball throughout this season and it has become one of the best pitches throughout the MLB. The pitch is thrown in the high 90s and often paints the high part of the strike zone, giving it a rising fastball feel. Opponents can know the pitch is coming and still struggle to hit it, that’s how good Kopech’s heater has been this season.

Unfortunately, the fastball that normally hits the high 90s was treading in the low 90 range against the Astros. Kopech threw the fastball 41 times but only topped 95 miles per hour once. To make matters worse, the pitch continued to sail to the lower half of the strike zone.

The Astros batters were not only getting to the pitch, but they were also able to get into their swing. Normally, Kopech’s fastball, especially in the upper part of the zone, forces flyouts and awkward swings. Instead, the Astros, even the back half of the lineup, were getting into their swinging motion to power the ball as a result.

The slider and curveball were working. However, with his best pitch taking a step back, the overall night was a letdown, resulting in a difficult outing. The White Sox were coming off a much-needed sweep of the Detroit Tigers and were hoping to carry momentum into the weekend. Instead, the team once again is left middling.

White Sox exit weekend with mixed bag

To be fair, the White Sox faced one of the best teams in the American League, second-best record-wise. Like the New York Yankees a few weeks ago and the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, the Astros were a measuring stick. They are a team the White Sox can not only play to see how they stack up against the elite teams but also to see the weaknesses of the roster.

With this in mind, the weekend had its promising signs. The lineup continued to pile in runs, scoring seven in the win on Saturday and 13 on the weekend. The team completed the road trip with four wins in six games, meaning they slightly gained ground in a divisional race that is shaping up to be an interesting one.

However, the White Sox once again displayed weaknesses. On Sunday night, they had plenty of baserunners but failed to make contact to drive in runs, squandering chances to come back in the game. The White Sox also saw the top of the batting order struggle in the final game of the series, with Luis Robert being the only batter to record a hit in the first five spots in the lineup. This team has already played a roller-coaster season and is within striking distance of the division lead. However, they need to still turn things around and get on a run and they have yet to do that.

Make sure to check out our WHITE SOX forum for the latest on the team.

Read More

HOUSTON — It’s been a rough and turbulent 64 games for the White Sox, a team that’s not supposed to be fighting to get to .500 in mid June. Injuries have strewn upheaval all about the roster, shaky play has cost them games and the manager has been booed and his firing called for at home games.

Tony La Russa has seen his Sox (31-33) play better of late, a 4-3 loss to the Astros Sunday notwithstanding. They dropped two of three in Houston but swept the Tigers for a 4-2 road trip.

La Russa just wants to get to .500 and climb from there.

“You can be a contender at .500 but under .500 you’re always upstream, upstream,” he said Sunday. “Get over it then you start getting plusses, then you get double figures and the vibe changes.”

La Russa has been upstreaming, too, but has at least one important voice at his back.

“As a person, as a leader, he’s all that you can ask for in a manager,” Jose Abreu said through translator Billy Russo before Sunday’s game. “I’m glad that he’s our manager.

“We all support Tony because we all know at the end of the day it’s our responsibility to perform the way we can perform on the field. It’s not his responsibility.

“It’s easy to blame the manager when things aren’t going right, but at the end of the day, it’s on us. We are the ones who are performing on the field.”

La Russa was appreciative of the support.

“You have to please the people that hired you and you have to please the fans who pay to watch your team play,” La Russa said. “But in the end, the opinion that means the most are the guys in the clubhouse. If they quit playing for you, I leave.”

Michael Kopech made his first start since throwing 13 pitches the previous Sunday and leaving with right knee soreness, and it wasn’t great. He gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings, three of the runs on homers by J.J. Matijevic and Maricio Dubon. Matijevic’s 343-foot opposite field homer into the Crawford Boxes was his first career hit.

Kopech said he felt fine. He threw 75 pitches and threw his right elbow at an object on the bench in frustration.

“The truth is I care a lot about this game and I want to pitch to my ability and be the best competitor I can be,” Kopech said. “I wasn’t any of those things today. It was an emotional challenge and it got the better of me today. It happens.

“Just didn’t do my job. Have to make better pitches.”

The Sox’ offensive punch came on Luis Robert’s RBI double to right center field against Cristian Javier in the fifth, AJ Pollock’s RBI triple scoring Robert from first in the eighth and Jake Burger’s groundout that plated Pollock to get the Sox within one.

Ryan Pressly walked Josh Harrison leading off the ninth but Adam Haseley, Danny Mendick and Andrew Vaughn were retired and the Sox headed home for Chicago.

When last seen there, the Sox went 2-4 on a home stand against the Dodgers and Rangers. Fans let La Russa know they were unhappy. At times some made it clear they want him to leave.

When the Sox play the Rangers Monday night, Tim Anderson will be back at shortstop and leading off.

“And we’ll be better because he’s there,” La Russa said.

“Having him back is going to be huge for us,” Abreu said.

And Lance Lynn will let his big presence be felt on the mound.

“If everybody stays healthy, we’re going to be in a good position,” Abreu said. “One loss doesn’t change the whole picture of the season. Try to stay healthy and perform at the level we all know we can.”

“We go 4-2 on every trip, we’ll have a good year,” La Russa said. “And we had a shot [in the ninth] Sunday.”

Read More

Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele displayed glimpses of potential in the weekend series against the Braves that provide hope for the Cubs’ rebuilding foundation.

But the Cubs will need more pillars before proving that foundation is sturdy enough to regain their status as a National League title contender.

The reigning World Series champion Braves serve as a model without investing heavily in the free-agent market.

After losing two back-to-back games in the wake of a 14-game winning streak, the Braves rebounded Sunday by pounding Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks en route to a 6-0 triumph at Wrigley Field.

The Braves have built a cohesive roster comprised of dazzling prospects and seasoned veterans. Ian Anderson, 24, who pitched five no-hit innings to beat the Astros in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, controlled the Cubs with 6? scoreless innings.

Michael Harris II, 21, the Braves’ top prospect whom they declined to trade while acquiring first baseman Matt Olson from the Athletics, fueled a three-run fifth with a home run against Hendricks.

Travis d’Arnaud, 33, set the tone with a three-run homer against Hendricks in the first and provides balance behind the plate with William Contreras, 24.

”There’s an unlimited amount of young talent,” said Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly, who posted an 11-4 record in 29 games for the Braves last season. ”Everyone is young over there, except for Charlie Morton, and he’s on a whole different level with the way he pitches at 38, throwing 98 [mph]. He gets better every year. He’s like a fine wine.”

Morton pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, but Thompson countered with six-plus scoreless innings as the Cubs seized a 1-0 victory in the series opener Friday. But the Braves haven’t lost more than two consecutive games this season.

Meanwhile, injuries have compounded the Cubs’ growing pains, and May sensation Christopher Morel is six for his last 36 with 17 strikeouts.

Hendricks (2-6) has an 8.10 ERA in his last five starts and has a 15.00 ERA with nine homers allowed in his last three starts against the Braves.

”Right now . . . repeating that [consistency] from outing to outing has been a little bit of a struggle,” manager David Ross said.

The Braves have survived nicely without first baseman Freddie Freeman, who signed with the Dodgers after Olson was acquired. Olson went 3-for-3 with three doubles Sunday, including one that knocked out Hendricks in the fifth.

”It’s mostly the same team they had last year, minus Freeman, so I see a team that’s hungry to win, competitive and pretty good,” Cubs infielder Jonathan Villar said.

The buy-in process by the young players has allowed the Braves to win and develop consistently, even as they recover from the loss of speedy second baseman Ozzie Albies to a fractured left foot.

”We do a really good job in the minor leagues of preparing our guys,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. ”We’ve got guys like Greg Walker, Terry Pendleton and Eddie Perez before I stole him from the minors. They’reestablished and very successful major-league players and coaches, and they do a great job of preparing these guys.

”And none of them know before they get [to the majors]. I don’t think anyone does until you get here and do this. And the makeup of the player has a lot to do with it. We pride ourselves on the makeup of our players in the system.”

Shortstop Dansby Swanson, who is batting 381 in his last 26 games, might be peaking as he reaches free agency.

”We want a finished product,” Snitker said. ”It doesn’t work that way. It takes a lot of at-bats and years to figure things out. I think he’s starting to do it.”

Read More

After two extensions, Major League Baseball’s edict for teams to trim their staffs to 13 pitchers will take effect Monday. And it will put Cubs manager David Ross’ patience to the test.

Because of blowout deficits, Ross has been forced to use a position player to pitch four times and would prefer that it never happens again.

”I’ve seen all I want to see from my end,” Ross said. ”But I could have made that comment earlier, and I refrain from it.”

Nevertheless, Ross will try to protect the health of the pitchers, which means he might be forced to continue using position players to pitch in blowouts.

With 13-man staffs, Ross envisions teams will deploy more multi-inning relievers, especially those who are effective against hitters on both sides of the plate.

Because of the late start of a 3.5-week spring training, teams were allowed to carry as many as 14 pitchers through May 2. They then were issued extensions through May 30 and Sunday. Ross appreciated the leniency.

”They’re doing that, in theory, to keep the starters in the game,” Ross said.

The reduction in relievers might mean that Ross could use Scott Effross for longer stints but not as frequently. Effross leads the majors with 31 appearances and has pitched more than one inning six times, He has a 3.10 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.

Adrian Sampson stated his case by pitching 4 2/3 innings of one-hit ball Sunday against the Braves.

Suzuki’s slate

Right fielder Seiya Suzuki will continue his rehabilitation for a sprained left ring finger at the Cubs’ complex in Mesa, Arizona, while the team embarks on a seven-game trip.

There is no indication when Suzuki will return, and Ross intimated he will need a rehab assignment before rejoining the Cubs.

Suzuki hasn’t played since injuring the finger on a slide May 26 at Cincinnati. Ross said the swelling has subsided, but he indicated Suzuki will receive as much baseball work as needed before returning.

”We want to get him as many looks and let him feel comfortable for when he comes back, for sure,” Ross said.

Frazier’s future

Ross was tickled that outfielder Clint Frazier accepted an assignment to Triple-A Iowa after being designated for assignment 10 days ago and clearing waivers.

”I’m so happy for us,” Ross said. ”I think Clint is a real big-leaguer. He’s got a chance to get some regular at-bats down there, get himself locked in and be able to come back. I think that is a real positive for us, and I hope he sees it the same way.”

Reliever Ethan Roberts left after throwing four pitches in his first game on a rehab assignment for Iowa. Roberts hasn’t pitched since April 29 because of inflammation in his right shoulder.

Catcher Miguel Amaya, who underwent Tommy John surgery in November, is scheduled to start playing next Monday in Arizona with the hope he can report to Iowa in a few weeks.

Read More

It’s NBA draft week, and you know what that means: Every sports outlet with a pulse is doing what it does best — purporting to have more than the faintest clue about what’s going to happen Tuesday night in Brooklyn.

Let alone what’s going to happen with all these draft prospects after that.

You know what the very best thing about Sun-Times Bulls beat writer Joe Cowley’s mock draft is? He mocks it himself, promising it will go irretrievably wrong by pick No. 4. That’s how it’s done, folks.

But everyone else? They’re kidding themselves. That doesn’t mean you have to let them kid you.

Whom will the Bulls select at No. 18 in the first round? It could be any number of players: Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell, LSU’s Tari Eason, Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams, Auburn’s Walker Kessler or none of the above. My money’s on none of the above. And all that is assuming Bulls exec Arturas Karnisovas doesn’t trade the pick, which is an utterly unsafe assumption to make.

And if the Bulls do get their man, then what? Well, he’ll turn into a great player, of course. They’re all great on draft night, just like No. 4 pick Marcus Fizer was in 2000 (“This guy has everything going for him,” Kenny Smith said) and No. 4 pick Eddy Curry was in 2001 (“A very safe pick,” Charles Barkley praised).

Man, what do any of these people know? It reminds me of what some yahoo player said many years back after being taken in the first round by the Bulls:

“Hopefully,” he said, “I can go in and contribute and maybe turn it around.”

Puh-lease.

Oh, wait: That was Michael Jordan in 1984. Never mind.

Here’s what’s happening:

MON 20

Avalanche at Lightning, Game 3 (7 p.m., Ch. 7)

Bold prediction: The Bolts will not lose a second straight Stanley Cup finals game by a touchdown and extra point. Look, these are the two-time-defending champs we’re talking about, not the Blackhawks.

Blue Jays at White Sox (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Lance Lynn takes the bump for his second start of the season, but back to what really matters: Which is better, filet or ribeye?

TUE 21

NBA draft (6:30 p.m., Ch. 7, ESPN)

Entering the week, the consensus top three was Auburn’s Jabari Smith (Magic), Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren (Thunder) and Duke’s Paolo Banchero (Rockets). After that, it’s all blindfolds and darts.

“Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” (9 p.m., HBO)

Forty years after romping to her sixth and final U.S. Open title, 67-year-old Chris Evert — who won 18 Grand Slam events in her extraordinary career — opens up about her battle with ovarian cancer.

Sky at Aces (9 p.m., CBSSN, CW 26)

Going by record, the Aces are the best team in the league. Going by banners, guess what? Different story.

WED 22

Blue Jays at White Sox (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Four starts ago, Lucas Giolito began his day with an ERA of 2.63. Then he got a little off track, two homers by the Jays’ Alejandro Kirk happened, yada yada … it’s 4.78.

Wolves at Thunderbirds, Game 3 (6:05 p.m., AHLTV)

The Wolves — the AHL’s best team all season — can’t wait to hoist the Calder Cup. And they’ll have fun, fun, fun ’til they gladly put the T-Birds away.

Avalanche at Lightning, Game 4 (7 p.m., Ch. 7)

A sweep tonight? The Avs are ridiculously good no matter what, but blowing up Tampa’s dynasty plans in four games would be the ultimate power move.

THU 23

Cubs at Pirates (11:35 a.m., Marquee)

A four-game set in Pittsburgh comes to a close, leaving all of us to wonder: Is there really any chance either of these teams is good enough to finish the season in third place?

Orioles at White Sox (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

A four-game set begins, and one truly does have to wonder: If the Sox can’t go at least 3-1 against these guys at home, what’s the point?

Sky at Sparks (9:30 p.m., Marquee)

The Sparks have already fired coach Derek Fisher, still are struggling to get Liz Cambage going and have sunk near the bottom of the West standings. How did this team win the season opener at Wintrust Arena again?

FRI 24

Cubs at Cardinals (7:15 p.m., Apple TV+)

What says baseball better than these age-old rivals playing in the shadow of the Arch on a streaming service with announcers nobody has ever heard of? OK, so it isn’t perfect.

SAT 25

College World Series finals, Game 1 (5 p.m., ESPN)

Notre Dame? Oklahoma? Arkansas? Mississippi? Whichever team wins it all, the title really should come with a Peyton Manning “Omaha!” Award.

Fire at Dynamo (7 p.m., UniMas, TUDN)

Last time out, the Fire snapped a 10-game winless streak. Dare we dream of a two-game lossless streak?

SUN 26

Cubs at Cardinals (1:15 p.m., Marquee)

You’ve got to hand it to the Cards, who are well on their way to a 15th winning season in a row. It’s almost like they don’t even realize great organizations are supposed to rebuild once or twice per decade.

Read More