Chicago Sports

As esteemed philosopher Dwayne ”The Rock” Johnson once advised, know your role.

Trevor Siemian does. When the former Northwestern quarterback agreed to a two-year deal with the Bears in March, he knew exactly what he was signing up for: to back up Justin Fields.

Siemian, who has started 29 career games but only five in the last four seasons, ranks second on the depth chart, above Nathan Peterman, whom the Bears signed to a one-year deal this month.

Their goal is the same: to support Fields.

”There’s only one [quarterback] on the field at a time, and there’s not many guys that have done it,” Siemian said this week. ”Obviously, you have your coaches and other teammates. But I’ve always thought it’s good to have guys in your foxhole, so to speak, and be able to bounce ideas off them and be there for them.”

Last season, the Bears’ quarterbacks room wasn’t designed to serve Fields. Andy Dalton, who had signed a one-year deal, was the starter to begin the season. Nick Foles was the third-stringer and not happy about it, telling the world In August: ”Is aspiring to be a ‘3’ what I want? No, it’s not.”

Fields always has been complimentary about the way Dalton and Foles comported themselves in the meeting room last year. But there’s no question that a clear delineation of roles — with Fields at the top of the depth chart — this year is an upgrade. The Bears’ new quarterbacks aren’t as accomplished as the old ones, nor are they outraged that they’re backups.

”I think we’re always trying to foster a relationship where we’re holding each other up, but we’re also competing at the same time,” quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko said this week. ”Competing, maybe, in different ways, but we’re all competing at the same time. We’re competing toward the same thing.”

That is to make Fields the best version of himself.

”I think it’s instrumental for him to just have guys that have experience around him — experience in different ways, whether they be starters, whether they be backups before,” Janocko said. ”And then they have different perspectives they bring to the room. I think it is important to have guys that are going to lift him up behind him.”

Coach Matt Eberflus was succinct in describing what he wants out of his backup quarterbacks.

”Support in all ways,” he said. ”Mental support, being there for [Fields], helping him through the process of learning.”

The Bears are under new management because they couldn’t do that last season. Gone from the quarterbacks room are offensive-minded coach Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. Play-caller Luke Getsy — Aaron Rodgers’ former position coach — and Janocko now make up the Bears’ under-center brain trust.

They are changing Fields’ on-field habits. Fields’ throwing motion has been shortened, with Janocko saying that he’s ”just trying to be efficient and compact.” Last season, Fields put his left foot forward when he was in the shotgun; this season, it’s his right. His coaches think it will help his timing.

Like Getsy has in the past, Janocko praised Fields’ work ethic, detailing how much time he spends inside Halas Hall and the homework he does outside it. He called Fields ”ahead of pace” in learning the offense.

Siemian said Fields has the ”prerequisites to play at a high level”: intelligence and accuracy. He has seen it up close before. He shared a quarterbacks room with Peyton Manning in 2015, the season the Broncos won the Super Bowl, and was in the same position group as the Titans’ Ryan Tannehill and the Saints’ Drew Brees in 2020.

”I wasn’t trying to be Peyton; I wasn’t trying to be Drew,” Siemian said. ”But if I could pick up a thing here or there and apply it to my own game, then I’ll be in good shape.”

His goal now, like that of everyone else in the Bears’ quarterbacks room, is to help Fields be Fields.

”I just want to have a good support system for [Fields],” Janocko said. ”And whether it be myself, Luke, coach [Eberflus] or any of the backups in that room, [give him] the support that he needs going forward, building whatever he does. And that we can lift him up and provide him with different perspectives of looking at the same thing, all to help him be successful.”

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A man was wounded during a shootout with an off-duty Cook County sheriff’s officer Friday night near Millennium Park in yet another incidence of mayhem at the city’s premier park.

The 22-year-old was trying to enter the park about 7:20 p.m. in the first block of East Monroe Street but refused to undergo a check by a metal-detecting wand at an entry point, Chicago police said.

The man then jumped a fence to gain entry into the park. As security approached, he pulled out a gun and fired, police said. An off-duty Cook County sheriff’s officer, who was working as a security guard, returned fire.

The man was shot but was able to flee on foot to the Riverwalk. He was caught and taken into custody in the 300 block of East Riverwalk, police said, then taken to a nearby hospital. His injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

Charges were pending, according to police.

Police tape could be seen along the Riverwalk in news accounts from the scene.

The incident is the second at Millennium Park in the past week as violence has risen sharply downtown.

Last Saturday night, 16-year-old Seandell Holliday was killed by “The Bean” after a fight broke out among teens in the park as huge crowds gathered downtown.

In response, Mayor Lori Lightfoot instituted a rule requiring anyone under 18 be accompanied by a “responsible adult” to enter the park after 6 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday evenings.

Enforcement of the new rules, including weapons checks for those entering, had just begun Thursday, the night before the shootout.

Through early May, shootings downtown had risen 22% over the same period last year. And last year had already seen a big jump in gun violence in the area.

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NEW YORK – The White Sox will have to wait a day to be reminded of how good they’ll need to be to enjoy a successful postseason.

The first game of a three-game weekend series with the big, thumping Yankees, the winningest team in baseball who showed the Sox how winning three of four games is done in Chicago last week, was rained out Friday and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday starting at 2:05 p.m.

The Sox will take on the Yankees Saturday (12:05 p.m., NBCSCH) with Dallas Keuchel pitching against Nestor Cortes.

Johnny Cueto will make his second start for the Sox in the first game Sunday and Michael Kopech starts the nightcap. Kopech returned from the Paternity List Friday and will join the team Saturday.

Right-handed reliever Ryan Burr was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to make room for Kopech on the roster.

The Sox have underachieved since getting knocked out by the Astros in four games in the ALDS last season, to where getting to .500 by taking three of five games from the Royals on the first leg of their road trip was notable.

It gets much tougher again with the Yankees, who, along with the Astros, make the Sox’ World Series goal look more than formidable.

“I don’t need a reminder,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Friday when asked if playing the Yankees demonstrates the task that lies ahead. “It’s fresh in my mind enough that to get there you have to win games against teams. And then when you get there they’re all [teams] like that.”

“There” is the postseason. The Sox haven’t looked like a postseason team yet.

“Fortunately I can say [from experience] it is easily the most fun you can have,” La Russa said. “Because you’re playing the best that year and by definition there is no tomorrow.”

La Russa is resting players now to have them fresh down the stretch and for a possible October, when rest goes by the boards.

“You don’t have to risk giving some innings, you’re going to take your best shot every day,” he said. “It’s very freeing. And it’s exciting.

“Now, there is so much fun ahead we have to get there. And we have to understand how much we have to improve.”

The Sox haven’t had their full team together because of injuries, and many the healthy ones, especially on the offensive side, are underperforming.

Getting them right, getting Eloy Jimenez back from his hamstring injury and having Lance Lynn in the starting rotation, should help.

Lynn, looking at a return after the first week of June, faced live hitters for the first time at Yankees Stadium before the rain. So did left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer (knee). Bummer looked good enough, La Russa said, to warrant a possible return Sunday when he’s eligible to come off the IL.

Both pitched the equivalent of a full inning, and Lynn will throw two in similar fashion Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field, then another sim game five days after that.

“He’s feeling good, really good,” La Russa said.

If nothing else, the Sox arrived in New York Friday night in good spirits. Forced to wait on the plane for buses after a long day including travel, they turned it into a good time.

“They ended having so many laughs and so much fun you almost wouldn’t have minded if the bus was another 15 or 20 minutes late,” La Russa said. “It’s typical of what this club is.”

“The only thing we can try just to live in peace with ourselves and enjoy life,” Jose Abreu said.

“We have the group of guys to have a good run. We have talent, veteran guys, young guys. We all know what we need to do in order to perform the way we want to. It’s just on us to work hard every day and do what we know we can do.”

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Cubs Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins was challenged by 25+ mph gusting winds during his speech following the unveiling of his statue at Gallagher Way on Friday at Wrigley Field. It took a little dexterity for the 79-year-old Jenkins to hold down the flapping pages of his speech with one hand while holding the microphone in the other.

But Jenkins — a foremost authority on conditions at Wrigley Field — knew he didn’t have the biggest problem on this day.

“The wind is blowing out to right field — watch out, boys!” Jenkins said to laughter from the crowd at the unveiling. “Jeez –I pitched many a day coming up Addison and turning on to the ballpark and going, ‘The wind’s blowing out today.'”

Fergie’s warning proved prescient, as Cubs pitchers allowed seven home runs –including four off starter Kyle Hendricks — in a 10-6 loss to the Diamondbacks before an enthusiastic crowd of 31,235 at the Fergie Jenkins Statue Dedication Game.

The Cubs countered with four home runs of their own — from Patrick Wisdom, Jonathan Villar, Christopher Morel and Ildemaro Vargas — but all came with the bases empty.

Diamondbacks third baseman Josh Rojas hit three home runs — two off Hendricks and one off reliever Daniel Norris — as the Cubs (15-23) lost their third consecutive game after winning four in a row.

At his best, Hendricks is the pitcher you want on the mound at Wrigley Field in windy conditions — not only does he keep the ball down, but generally isn’t fazed by wind-blown homers. But he had no margin for error in this one.

“Today, I felt pretty good, to be honest — made a lot of good pitches,” Hendricks said. “They put some good swings on a couple of pitches I missed and that was really it.”

Rojas came into the game without a home run in 40 at-bats this season. He was 0-for-3 against Hendricks at Chase Field last Saturday.

“The first thing when I got there, everybody was talking about how it was a windy day,” Rojas said, “so I went out during [batting practice] to see how it was blowing out pretty hard, so I knew it was going to be a good day to get the ball in the air.”

Hendricks wasn’t as sharp as he needed to be. With two outs in the first inning,he walked Christian Walker and David Peralta to load the bases, and Jake McCarthy’s two-run single put the Cubs in a 2-0 hole.

Wisdom homered and Christopher Morel hit an RBI single for a 2-2 tie in the second. But Rojas and Peralta homeredn the the third inning to give the Diamondbacks a lead 4-2 lead they would not lose. Rojas hit a two-run homer off Hendricks in the fifth to give the Diamondbacks a 6-3 lead.

“He [Rojas] just put a couple off good swings on it — pitches I beat him with in [Arizona] and in his first [at-bat], too,” Hendricks said. “Maybe just pulled it a little more middle with fastballs. Just got to trust my changeup a little more and throw some heaters [inside].”

Trailing 9-3 in the seventh, the Cubs had a chance to get back in the game. After Morel and Ildemaro Vargas hit back-to-back homers, the Cubs trailed loaded the bases with two outs with a chance to tie. But Alfonso Rivas struck out to end the inning.

So if there’s any lesson, it’s that there’s only one Fergie Jenkins.

“It’s awesome seeing all the highlights that they’re always showing here,” Hendricks said when asked about Jenkins. “It really set the tone, the way he attacked hitters, not walking guys — that’s kind of what I try and do every time out. Obviously one of the best ever to do it and so deserving of what he got today. That [ceremony] was a pretty awesome moment.”

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NEW YORK — Roger Angell, a famed baseball writer and reigning man of letters who during an unfaltering 70-plus years helped define The New Yorker’s urbane wit and style through his essays, humor pieces and editing, has died. He was 101.

The New Yorker announced his death on Friday. Other details were not immediately available.

Heir to and upholder of The New Yorker’s earliest days, Angell was the son of founding fiction editor Katharine White and stepson of longtime staff writer E.B. White. He was first published in the magazine in his 20s, during World War II, and was still contributing in his 90s, an improbably trim and youthful man who enjoyed tennis and vodka martinis and regarded his life as “sheltered by privilege and engrossing work, and shot through with good luck.”

Angell well lived up to the standards of his famous family. He was a past winner of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award, formerly the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, for meritorious contributions to baseball writing, an honor previously given to Red Smith, Ring Lardner and Damon Runyon among others. He was the first winner of the prize who was not a member of the organization that votes for it, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

His editing alone was a lifetime achievement. Starting in the 1950s, when he inherited his mother’s job (and office), writers he worked with included John Updike, Ann Beattie, Donald Barthelme and Bobbie Ann Mason, some of whom endured numerous rejections before entering the special club of New Yorker authors. Angell himself acknowledged, unhappily, that even his work didn’t always make the cut.

“Unlike his colleagues, he is intensely competitive,” Brendan Gill wrote of Angell in “Here at the New Yorker,” a 1975 memoir. “Any challenge, mental or physical, exhilarates him.”

Angell’s New Yorker writings were compiled in several baseball books and in such publications as “The Stone Arbor and Other Stories” and “A Day in the Life of Roger Angell,” a collection of his humor pieces. He also edited “Nothing But You: Love Stories From The New Yorker” and for years wrote an annual Christmas poem for the magazine. At age 93, he completed one of his most highly praised essays, the deeply personal “This Old Man,” winner of a National Magazine Award.

“I’ve endured a few knocks but missed worse,” he wrote. “The pains and insults are bearable. My conversation may be full of holes and pauses, but I’ve learned to dispatch a private Apache scout ahead into the next sentence, the one coming up, to see if there are any vacant names or verbs in the landscape up there. If he sends back a warning, I’ll pause meaningfully, duh, until something else comes to mind.”

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Gabriel Slonina has made his decision. He’s going with the United States men’s national team.

Slonina, 18, announced Friday on social media he is committing to the US over Poland. A dual national, Slonina was recently named to Poland’s roster for its upcoming UEFA Nations League matches but has chosen to cast his lot with the United States program. Poland clearly wanted Slonina badly, as shown by coach Czes?aw Michniewicz traveling to Chicago to meet with him and present him a jersey.

Those overtures were rejected, and Slonina explained why. Though he discussed his pride in his heritage and what it means to be Polish, Slonina said “my heart is American.”

“This country has given me and my family all the opportunities I could ask for,” Slonina posted. “It’s pushed me and supported me through good and bad. I understand the privilege of wearing the badge, and the only time I’ll put my head down is to kiss it. America is home and that’s who I’m going to represent.”

Because of his age, FIFA rules allow Slonina to play in three matches for a national team before being bound to a country, so it’s possible he could change his mind in the future.

Slonina is part of a crowded US goalkeeping picture that includes Manchester City’s Zack Steffen, the Revolution’s Matt Turner (who will join English club Arsenal this summer) and former Fire standout Sean Johnson, currently the captain of reigning MLS Cup champion New York City FC. Poland is also strong in net, led by Wojciech Szcz?sny, the starter for Italian powerhouse Juventus.

But just because Slonina, who’s represented the US at youth levels, has made this decsion doesn’t mean all his major choices are complete. Slonina’s been linked with major European clubs, and with their transfer windows opening soon, the young goalie might be forced to decide between famous teams in the near future.

Slonina’s recent play for the Fire has raised questions about whether those outside factors have taken a toll. Last Saturday, Slonina’s late giveaway led to the Fire’s 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati. Then on Wednesday against the Red Bulls, Slonina whiffed on an easy save for New York’s second goal, overcommitted on their stoppage-time equalizer and could’ve easily given away a penalty after contacting an opposing attacker in the Fire box.

After the Red Bulls match, coach Ezra Hendrickson was asked whether the external noise was affecting Slonina’s concentration.

“Maybe outside of the game but in the game I don’t think he’s thinking about all that stuff. He just happened to make some mistakes,” Hendrickson said. “You know, we all make mistakes as soccer players and it just happened to be that in that position of his, your mistakes are more dangerous, are more costly than someone missing a goal or something like that. But he’ll get out of it and we’ll make sure that he stays positive and stays confident.”

Perhaps that will be easier for Slonina with one major decision out of the way.

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NEW YORK — The White Sox optioned right-handed reliever Ryan Burr to Triple-A Charlotte Friday and returned right-hander Michael Kopech from the paternity list.

Manager Tony La Russa said Thursday that he was expecting Kopech to be ready to start Sunday night against the Yankees, who host the Sox for three games starting Friday night.

Kopech is 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 33 strikeouts in seven starts over 35 innings this season. He went on the Paternity List Tuesday.

Burr (6.00 ERA) allowed six earned runs over nine innings in eight appearances this season. He owns a 4.08 ERA over 66 appearances including two starts during parts of four seasons with the Sox.

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel is starting Friday night, with Johnny Cueto set to make his second start Saturday. Kopech was originally penciled in for Saturday but because of uncertainty over his return, he was tentatively moved to Sunday’s game, which will be broadcast on ESPN.

“With all the uncertainty with Kopech we’re going to move Cueto to Saturday,” La Russa said Thursday after the Sox defeated the Royals in Kansas City. “He threw his bullpen [Thursday]. So Keuchel, Cueto, then hopefully Kopech Sunday night. If not we can go with [Dylan] Cease [Sunday] which I’m hoping not to do.”

The Sox (19-19) lost three of four to the Yankees last week at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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Can Johnny Cueto help boost the Chicago White Sox rotation? We take a look at what he can bring to the South Side

The Chicago White Sox have been mired in mediocrity so far in the 2022 season. They currently sit in second place in the American League Central division, 3 games behind the Minnesota Twins.

One reason why the White Sox are around .500 and not worse has been their starting pitching. Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, and Michael Kopech have all been brilliant so far.  But there have been some rough spots at the back end of the starting rotation.

Dallas Keuchel and Vince Velasquez have not performed as well as fans hoped for. However, there is another name at the back end of the rotation who could end up bringing the stability they lack.

And that player is Johnny Cueto.

Fans were excited to see how Cueto would perform in a White Sox uniform given his pedigree as a two time All Star and former World Series champion, even at the age of 36. On Monday night in Kansas City, Cueto did not disappoint. He threw 6 shutout innings against the Royals while only allowing two hits and striking out seven.

The White Sox could not have asked for a better first outing from Cueto and he will take the mound again this Sunday night at Yankee Stadium.

Now, it is unlikely that Cueto will be this good every start for the White Sox, but it is exciting that they now have a back of the rotation starter. Cueto brings a high floor every fifth day and gives them a good chance to win.

A healthy starting rotation consisting of Giolito, Cease, Kopech, Cueto and Lance Lynn would arguably be the best in the American League. That would give the White Sox a great chance to make a deep postseason run.

Cueto brings a veteran presence, impressive resume and stability on the mound that Keuchel and Velasquez don’t, which should help the rest of the rotation perform at a high level. It should be an entertaining rest of the season for the White Sox, let’s hope Cueto can help them right the ship sooner rather than later.

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

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The 2022 NBA Playoffs have continued to show us the importance of having a deep bench with players who can both shoot and make defensive stops. The biggest decision for the Chicago Bulls is the health of Zach LaVine. Will they give him a max deal after his surgery? Or will he head elsewhere?

Looking ahead into the potential free agency market, the Bulls will have some huge decisions to make if they want to get past some of the better teams in their conference. After a first round exit against Milwaukee, there are clear needs on this roster and it should be a very exciting offseason in Chicago.

Let’s take a look at some possible free agent fits for the Bulls here in a critical next few months.

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

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NEW YORK — The White Sox’ scheduled game against the New York Yankees Friday night has been postponed due to a forecast of sustained inclement weather in the area.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday starting at 2:05 p.m. CT. The two teams were scheduled to play Sunday at 6:08 p.m.

The two teams play Saturday at 12:05 p.m. CT.

Dallas Keuchel was slated to start for the Sox Friday night.

Earlier Friday, the Sox optioned right-handed reliever Ryan Burr to Triple-A Charlotte and returned right-hander Michael Kopech from the paternity list.

Manager Tony La Russa said Thursday that he was expecting Kopech to be ready to start Sunday night against the Yankees, who host the Sox for three games starting Friday night.

Kopech is 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 33 strikeouts in seven starts over 35 innings this season. He went on the Paternity List Tuesday.

Burr (6.00 ERA) allowed six earned runs over nine innings in eight appearances this season. He owns a 4.08 ERA over 66 appearances including two starts during parts of four seasons with the Sox.

Johnny Cueto was the probable starter Saturday. Kopech was originally penciled in for Saturday but because of uncertainty over his return, he was tentatively moved to Sunday’s game, which will be broadcast on ESPN.

“With all the uncertainty with Kopech we’re going to move Cueto to Saturday,” La Russa said Thursday after the Sox defeated the Royals in Kansas City. “He threw his bullpen [Thursday]. So Keuchel, Cueto, then hopefully Kopech Sunday night. If not we can go with [Dylan] Cease [Sunday] which I’m hoping not to do.”

The Sox (19-19) lost three of four to the Yankees last week at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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