Chicago Sports

A developer has offered plans for an eight-story residential building to replace the closed Royal George Theatre at 1641 N. Halsted St., the local alderperson disclosed in an email to constituents.

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said Draper and Kramer wants to build 133 apartments on the site after the current building is demolished. The development would include ground-floor retail space and 35 parking spaces.

Hopkins told the Sun-Times the design has been modified several times following meetings with his staff and he’d still like the developer to address the project’s impact on a heavily used alley. Draper needs a zoning change before construction can start.

Other aspects of the design are well thought-out, Hopkins said. In his email, he reported the project would include 20 units qualifying as affordable, more than the city ordinance requires. Hopkins also said the project will include housing for performers and staff from Steppenwolf Theatre across the street.

The Royal George, long a prime venue on the Chicago theater scene, never reopened after being forced to close in 2020 for the pandemic. Formerly owned by New York-based Liberty Theatres, the property was sold to Draper last July for $7.08 million, records show.

Hopkins has scheduled a virtual meeting for 6 p.m. June 29 to allow residents to review the plan and comment on it, after which he will decide whether to support a zoning change. He said some nearby residents object to the project’s height and density.

The new building is by SGW Architecture & Design. The address for the project is listed as 1649 N. Halsted.

Gordon Ziegenhagen, Draper senior vice president, said the firm has been working with immediate neighbors and Steppenwolf for several months to craft a design with community benefits. “We’re looking forward to further dialogue with the larger neighborhood,” he said.

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The Cubs gave Frank Schwindel a rest day Thursday, after his third relief outing of the season.

OK, it was probably more because the first baseman had been in the starting lineup for eight straight games, a grueling stretch for the Cubs amid a losing streak. But at least Thursday morning, as the team was trying to put that abysmal stretch and a 19-5 loss to the Padres behind them, Schwindel was game to play along with the pitcher-interview bit.

“I mixed in a four-pitch mix yesterday, plus and minus speeds,” Schwindel deadpanned, “but, I don’t know, they’ve just been all over me.”

Schwindel has become the Cubs’ go-to position player to take the mound in blowout losses. And he’s had plenty of opportunities lately. He finished two of the Cubs’ last four games, while de-facto closer David Robertson hasn’t appeared since last Friday.

It’s a unique position for Schwindel to be in. He’s helped provide an offensive boost against the Padres this series, going 4-for-12 in the first three games. But on Wednesday, Schwindel was also the pitcher no one wanted to see on the mound.

“It was fun the first time,” Schwindel said, “But now – nobody likes getting beat like that – so, it’s like, ‘Alright, here we go,’ and then try to get out of it as soon as possible and get the guys off the field.”

The story of how Schwindel became the Cubs’ regular position-player pitcher starts in Cincinnati, a week before his first relief appearance.

The Reds were pummeling the Cubs on the last day of a four-game set. It was time to cut their losses and at least save the bullpen from unnecessary wear and tear.

Originally, Schwindel said, they were considering putting catcher P.J. Higgins on the mound and Schwindel, the Cubs’ emergency catcher, behind the plate.

“I’ll just pitch if you want me to,” Schwindel remembers offering.

In the end, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who reached 10 years of service time that day, got to celebrate the milestone with his first chance on the mound.

Simmons, it turns out, is a much better shortstop than pitcher. He allowed five runs in his one inning on the bump. So, Schwindel was next in line for the Cubs’ next blowout loss. And the next. And the next.

“I got some good hitters out though,” said Schwindel, ever the optimist. “[Padres star Manny] Machado’s going to be a Hall of Famer. Got him out. [Yankees slugger Giancarlo] Stanton the other day.”

But that first career strikeout has been elusive.

“I had two two-strike counts,” Schwindel said, “couldn’t execute.”

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Where’s Robert Quinn? Whatdid we learn about the Bears before they broke for summer camp? What’s Matt Eberflus’ biggest challenge? Patrick Finley and Jason Lieser debate.

New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — On the final day of mandatory minicamp, all 90 Chicago Bears players wore No. 41 jerseys at practice to honor Brian Piccolo, who died 52 years ago Thursday from cancer.

Piccolo, who played for the Bears from 1966 to ’69, was 26 years old at the time of his death in 1970. His close relationship with Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers was the subject of the movie “Brian’s Song,” which chronicled their friendship as the first interracial roommates in the NFL.

The Bears initially planned to honor Piccolo on the 50th anniversary of his death, but the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated offseason practices in 2020.

“Just to honor the legacy and his family of Brian Piccolo, that to me was really the main message,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “Sometimes it’s hard for people or anybody, you go back so far, and it’s hard sometimes for them to see the impact of Brian Piccolo that he had, late ’60s there. I just think honoring his life. And I read the award to the players today and what that meant.

“He was a really good teammate and he liked to have fun with his teammates, he liked to play practical jokes on them and stuff like that. Just a real man and a real person and a Chicago Bear. So, I wanted to make sure they got that message.”

The team honors the former Bears running back yearly with the Brian Piccolo Award, which is given to one rookie and one veteran player who “best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor” of Piccolo. This year’s recipients were running back Khalil Herbert and linebacker Robert Quinn.

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On the 52nd anniversary of Brian Piccolo’s death from cancer, every Bears player wore his No. 41 uniform number at practice Thursday.

Chairman George McCaskey wore a navy throwback No. 41 jersey, too, while he stood and chatted with members of the former running back’s family at Halas Hall.

“It was a special day,” head coach Matt Eberflus said.

Piccolo, whose relationship with Gale Sayers became the basis of the movie “Brian’s Song,” died at 26 in 1970. The Bears had planned to do the tribute for the 50th anniversary of his death two years ago, but the coronavirus scuttled offseason practices.

The Bears talked about Piccolo, who played from 1966-69, in their team meeting before practice.

Rookie receiver Velus Jones said Piccolo’s relationship with Sayers, who was African-American, was ground-breaking.

“Even when you’re gone, you’re legacy lives on,” Jones said.

Each year, the Bears issued the Brian Piccolo Award to two players — a rookie and a veteran — who best personify Piccolo’s attributes. Defensive end Robert Quinn, who has not been in attendance during mandatory minicamp, and rookie running back Khalil Herbert won the awards in April.

The Bears broke for the summer at the end of Thursday’s mandatory minicamp practice. They will return for training camp July 27.

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In 2015, the Cubs revealed they would launch their own regional sports network by 2020, the season after their broadcast agreements expired. But it wasn’t until 2018 that the news broke of the network’s name and partner. That’s when it became real to fans.

In October 2024, NBC Sports Chicago’s contract with the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox will expire. Timewise, we’re in the same ballpark as when Marquee Sports Network and Sinclair Broadcast Group began discussing a partnership. So what’s in the offing for NBCSCH and its three teams?

The sports broadcasting landscape is still fluid, and there are a few ways this could go. The teams could renew with NBC Sports Regional Networks. NBCUniversal could get out of the RSN game altogether, which it would be happy to do if it could find a buyer.

Or the Hawks, Bulls and Sox could start their own network, which, according to industry insiders, is being discussed.

It makes sense. Bulls and Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf could form a year-round RSN by himself, just like YES in New York does with the Yankees and Nets. And you could argue it would make sense for the Hawks to join the Cubs and give Marquee a winter tenant, eliminating conflicts with Bulls games.

But don’t expect Hawks chairman Rocky Wirtz to bail on his family’s longtime partnership with the Reinsdorfs. They’ve been together since the days of SportsVision in the 1980s, and they’re equal owners of the United Center. That bond is strong. Besides, neither would want to help the Cubs, who left Reinsdorf and Wirtz to pursue their own golden goose.

NBC’s waning interest in RSNs is apparent by its limited support for affiliates. NBCSCH brought back a weeknight talk show hosted by David Kaplan, and its Bears postgame show has been a success. But outside of that, the channel’s only value is in its game coverage.

Marquee has developed original programming — whether you like it or not — to help fill its schedule. And it has added live events with the Sky and Cubs minor-league games. Imagine the programming possibilities for a Hawks-Bulls-Sox network with support from a broadcast partner.

There’s the potential for a return to the heyday of NBCSCH’s predecessor, Comcast SportsNet, which covered all the teams in town on the nightly “SportsNet Central.” Only WGN airs such a show in Chicago, and it has zero teams. New York’s SNY only has the Mets among the city’s pro teams, and even it has a nightly show.

Beyond a linear network, the teams also figure to explore streaming. Currently, their games can be streamed through an authenticated cable or satellite subscription or a live-TV streaming service that carries them. But the goal for some teams is to remove the middleman and create an in-market, direct-to-consumer service.

This month, Boston’s NESN became the first RSN in the country to launch such a platform. NESN 360 is a digital subscription service that offers Bruins and Red Sox games without the need for cable, satellite or a streamer. What’s more, MLB is part of the partnership, lending credence to the possibility of a similar development here.

The Cubs already have said they want to launch their own service. Bally Sports is expected to launch a DTC service for its 19 RSNs this year, starting this month with five MLB teams (Brewers, Marlins, Rays, Royals and Tigers). And NBC has been exploring the streaming space for its RSNs.

Considering the Sox entered the digital realm in 2009 with the launch of media venture Silver Chalice, which shares ownership of the sports network Stadium with Sinclair, it’s surprising that the team hasn’t taken the plunge already. Stadium hasn’t had the success Reinsdorf hoped it would, but he and the team have gained hands-on experience in the space. Now they must put it to use.

The sports-media landscape is still evolving. Chicago fans could end up watching games on two team-owned networks and streaming services. With NBCSCH’s contract expiring in two years, we figure to learn more about what’s coming before then.

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When last seen in Houston, the White Sox were better left unseen.

It was the 2021 AL Division Series, and the Astros trounced the Sox in four games, putting a sour finish on otherwise successful season that saw the Sox win 93 games and an AL Central Division title.

Since then, the Sox have been no better despite promises to be better. They take a 30-31 record into a three-game set at Minute Maid Park starting Friday.

“We’ve got a real test in Houston,” manager Tony La Russa said.

The Sox failed their postseason test in Houston in October, beating the Astros 12-6 in Game 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field to force a fourth game but getting outscored 25-6 in Games 1, 2 and 4.

Right-hander Lucas Giolito remembers it well. He lasted 41/3 in Game 2, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks in a 9-4 loss.

“It was on a bigger stage and it left a bad taste in my mouth,” said Giolito, 2-3 with a 3.71 ERA in five career regular season starts against the Astros. “I want to go out and perform my best, especially after my last three starts. There is a lot of motivation.”

Giolito (3.88 ERA) has given up 12 earned runs on 22 hits and seven walks over 152/3 innings in his last three outings against the Blue Jays, Rays and Rangers. He made a couple mechanical adjustments on his side day after his last start that he feels good about.

“Things affecting the way the ball has been coming out of my hand,” Giolito said.

The Sox are coming off a three-game sweep of the Tigers and feeling better about themselves, even though closer Liam Hendriks joined Eloy Jimenez, Tim Anderson, Aaron Bummer, Garrett Crochet and Yasmani Grandal are on the injured list. A slumbering offense has perked up averaging more than eight runs in the last seven games.

“The way I look at it, if we were playing any team as good as Houston it would be huge for us because we’re getting within yelling distance of being a winning club, not a losing club,” La Russa said. “And they’re in our way. The fact is, it’s Houston, and they’re playing really well, one of the best in both leagues, so you understand the challenge it’s going to be. So get ready.”

After Giolito faces lefty Framber Valdez on Friday, Johnny Cueto matches up with Justin Verlander on Saturday, and Michael Kopech is tentatively penciled in against Cristian Javier on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The Sox were 2-5 against the Astros during the regular season last year, getting swept in four games at Houston in June.

“We got Gio, [Johnny] Cueto and [possibly Michael] Kopech,” La Russa said. “And we’re going in there with a better offensive feeling. Let’s compete and see what happens.”

Prohibitive favorites to repeat in the Central going into the season, the Sox are in third place behind the Twins and Guardians. FanGraphs gives the Sox a 55.9 percent chance of making the postseason.

“A big part of it is health, for sure,” Giolito said. “Lance Lynn is back in our rotation. [Anderson] will be a huge catalyst when he gets back soon. Getting guys back we need to have.

“Things need to click and everyone needs to do their part each day. It doesn’t take one hero. It’s a matter of everyone taking care of their business. We did that last year for the bulk of last season.

“The goal after a rough start is to flip it and finish a lot stronger.”

SOX AT ASTROS

Friday: Lucas Giolito (4-2, 3.88 ERA) vs. Framber Valdez (6-3, 2.64,), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Saturday: Johnny Cueto (0-3, 3.53) vs. Justin Verlander (8-2, 1.94), 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Sunday: TBA vs. Cristian Javier (3-3, 3.20), 6:08 p.m., ESPN, 1000-AM

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When last seen in these parts, the White Sox were better left unseen.

It was the 2021 AL Division Series, and the Astros trounced the Sox in four games, putting a sour finish on otherwise successful season that saw the Sox win 93 games and an AL Central Division title.

Since then, the Sox have been no better despite promises to be better. They take a 30-31 record into a three-game set at Minute Maid Park starting Friday.

“We’ve got a real test in Houston,” manager Tony La Russa said.

The Sox failed their postseason test in Houston in October, beating the Astros 12-6 in Game 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field to force a fourth game but getting outscored 25-6 in Games 1, 2 and 4.

Right-hander Lucas Giolito remembers it well. He lasted 4 1/3 in Game 2, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks in a 9-4 loss.

“It was on a bigger stage and it left a bad taste in my mouth,” said Giolito, 2-3 with a 3.71 ERA in five career regular season starts against the Astros. “I want to go out and perform my best, especially after my last three starts. There is a lot of motivation.”

Giolito (3.88 ERA) has given up 12 earned runs on 22 hits and seven walks over 15 2/3 innings in his last three outings against the Blue Jays, Rays and Rangers. He made a couple mechanical adjustments on his side day after his last start that he feels good about.

“Things affecting the way the ball has been coming out of my hand,” Giolito said.

The Sox are coming off a three-game sweep of the Tigers and feeling better about themselves, even though closer Liam Hendriks joined Eloy Jimenez, Tim Anderson, Aaron Bummer, Garrett Crochet and Yasmani Grandal are on the injured list. A slumbering offense has perked up averaging more than eight runs in the last seven games.

“The way I look at it, if we were playing any team as good as Houston it would be huge for us because we’re getting within yelling distance of being a winning club, not a losing club,” La Russa said. “And they’re in our way. The fact is, it’s Houston, and they’re playing really well, one of the best in both leagues, so you understand the challenge it’s going to be. So get ready.”

After Giolito faces lefty Framber Valdez Friday, Johnny Cueto matches up with Justin Verlander Saturday, and Michael Kopech is tentatively penciled in against Cristian Javier on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The Sox were 2-5 against the Astros during the regular season last year, getting swept in four games at Houston in June.

“We got Gio, [Johnny] Cueto and [possibly Michael] Kopech,” La Russa said. “And we’re going in there with a better offensive feeling. Let’s compete and see what happens.”

Prohibitive favorites to repeat in the Central going into the season, the Sox are in third place behind the Twins and Guardians. FanGraphs gives the Sox a 55.9 percent chance of making the postseason.

“A big part of it is health, for sure,” Giolito said. “Lance Lynn is back in our rotation. [Anderson] will be a huge catalyst when he gets back soon. Getting guys back we need to have.

“Things need to click and everyone needs to do their part each day. It doesn’t take one hero. It’s a matter of everyone taking care of their business. We did that last year for the bulk of last season.

“The goal after a rough start is to flip it and finish a lot stronger.”

SOX AT ASTROS

Friday: Lucas Giolito (4-2, 3.88 ERA) vs. Framber Valdez (6-3, 2.64,), 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Saturday: Johnny Cueto (0-3, 3.53) vs. Justin Verlander (8-2, 1.94), 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Sunday: TBA vs. Cristian Javier (3-3, 3.20), 6:08 p.m., ESPN, 1000-AM

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After clambering for Cubs top pitching prospect Caleb Kilian’s debut, Cubs fans should be seeing a lot more of him.

Kilian made his second major-league start on Wednesday, in the Cubs’ 19-5 loss to the Padres. He allowed five runs in four innings as the Cubs extended their season-high losing streak to nine. Still, depending on how injuries to other Cubs starters play out, Kilian is a natural choice to keep chipping in.

None of the Cubs’ injured starters are facing an imminent return. Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman (right shoulder inflammation) likely will be the first to rejoin the rotation, and he hasn’t, as Cubs manager David Ross put it, “even picked up a ball yet.”

Stroman will get a couple more days of rest, Ross said, before starting to play catch. Until the right-hander throws his first bullpen, however, it will be hard for the Cubs to gauge his timeline. He isn’t eligible to be activated until at least next week.

Veteran lefty Wade Miley (left shoulder strain) was prescribed rest on Monday. Southpaw Drew Smyly (right oblique strain) is progressing in his throwing program but working back from a more finicky injury.

The Cubs’ pitching shortage has shown up in the box score in the form of lopsided losses like Wednesday’s. Cubs first baseman Frank Schwindel made his third relief appearance of the season on Wednesday, illustrating just how bleak this losing streak has been.

“It’s definitely been trying,” Ross said of the Cubs’ surge of injuries, “but also, again in that same breath, you get opportunities to see other guys and have them step up and get to see what maybe the future looks like.”

Other guys like Kilian.

The Cubs have consistently said that they want to continue developing players at the major-league level. Kilian, whether he sticks on the major-league roster now or later, will be a test of that part of the Cubs’ pitching infrastructure.

Said Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy “Getting to spend time with him, talk to him in between outings and spend four days with him to see how his routine is, all those little things – I think we’re even more excited than just watching the game [about] getting to have that one-on-one time with him as as the season goes on.”

Kilian’s second start wasn’t nearly as crisp as his first. In his major-league debut, Kilian retired the first nine Cardinals batters he faced in order, only allowing runs his second time though the lineup.

On Wednesday, Kilian struggled with fastball command from the beginning. He walked five batters in all, two in the first inning. And he gave up five hits, including a pair of doubles to Jake Cronenworth.

As Cubs vice president of player development Jared Banner likes to say, development “is not always linear.”

Kilian still hasn’t deployed his full arsenal at the major-league level. He worked over the winter and spring on a new changeup, which he hasn’t debuted in two starts, according to Statcast.

“But in the bullpen, it had pretty good action,” said P.J. Higgins, who caught Kilian in his debut.

On Wednesday, likely as a result of falling behind in counts, Kilian didn’t use his secondary pitches much at all. Statcast recorded 11 cutters and five curveballs.

It’s also dangerous to take too much from a two-game sample size.

“I think he’s got a good understanding of how this stuff plays here,” Hottovy said Wednesday afternoon, “and then, what are the things that we want to continue to work on.”

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With Tucker Barnhart on the mound, there was a common feeling among the fans and the players alike. The Chicago White Sox had swept the Detroit Tigers in dominating fashion as well. The final score of the series finale was 13-0 but the White Sox controlled this series from the first game.

The series against the divisional opponent had everything in place for the team. Moreover, the White Sox looked great in all facets of the game. The lineup stepped up, starting pitching was there, and the bullpen continue to close out games. While injuries still linger for this roster, the midweek sweep carried a lot of weight for this sub-.500 team.

White Sox bats continue to step up

The White Sox scored 27 runs in the three-game set, albeit, 13 in the final game. The offensive production is a continuation of the burst for runs from last week, as the lineup has scored five runs or more in each of the last seven games. However, the scoring surge against the Tigers saw arguably for the first time all season, a well-rounded lineup.

Monday’s game was the Jose Abreu show. The cleanup hitter saw two pitches over the heart of the plate where he made the Tigers pitchers pay, crushing two home runs in the game. Along with the two homers, Abreu also wrapped a single to give himself nine total bases on the day. By the end of the series, he became the first player on the White Sox to eclipse the 100 total base mark on the season, with 102.

Along with Abreu, the White Sox continued to receive production throughout the lineup. Tuesday’s win saw Lius Robert, who has moved up to the three-spot in the lineup, knock-in two runners with two singles. The 13-run drubbing saw both Seby Zabala and Danny Mendick go deep and both batters were in the eighth and ninth spots in the order. AJ Pollock is establishing himself as a reliable leadoff hitter in Tim Anderson’s absence, getting on base and providing early run support.

The series finally saw the White Sox lineup that fans expected this season. It’s not only one that can provide power but the depth to run up the score.

Cease provides another strong start

At this point, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Dylan Cease had a strong outing. Lance Lynn is back in the rotation but from the first week, Cease has been the ace of the staff. For what it’s worth, he has a 10-0 record and a 1.91 ERA but even the advanced stats indicate a Cy Young caliber season. The 26-year-old starter has a .203 expected opponent Batting Average and a 2.82 expected ERA, with opposing hitters making little to no contact when he’s on the mound.

Against the Tigers, Cease pitched five innings and allowed only one run. The fastball-slider combination continues to be his bread and butter but the curveball is not only being mixed into his arsenal but allowing him to become an elite pitcher.

Cease ended up throwing 108 pitches and 83 of them were either fastballs or sliders. However, the curveball was thrown 23 times and the extra element continued to keep the Tigers on their heels. The White Sox have struggled this season, especially early on but the strong pitching, particularly from the top of the rotation, has kept them competitive.

Why the sweep is significant for the White Sox

The White Sox were coming off a brutal week. They lost twice to the Los Angeles Dodgers but it only went downhill from there. Tony La Russa, once again, made costly mistakes in the manager position. Moreover, La Russa didn’t back down from the decision to walk Trea Turner with two strikes, pretending that all is well with the team.

Then came the two losses over the weekend to the low Texas Rangers. A team the White Sox were supposed to easily defeat, ended up winning the series. The White Sox, halfway through June went from a team that was supposed to be so fun to watch, to borderline unwatchable.

This series put energy back into the team. It was a kick-starter, in a way to a hopeful season turnaround. The White Sox are still trailing the Minnesota Twins by 4.5 games but suddenly, the team has life again.

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

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