The Chicago Bulls are one impressive basketball team. They aren’t perfect and have a long way to go before the postseason begins but they are showing signs of being one of the elite teams in the NBA. With studs like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Lonzo Ball leading the way, a very nice bench has […] Chicago Bulls: Road trip is wrapped up with huge win in Denver – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

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The Chicago Blackhawks are on a four-game win streak. That is nice after losing 11 of their first 12 games. Derek King was hired to be the head coach a few weeks ago and they haven’t lost since. They have beaten some good teams and some weaker teams but now they have their biggest test […] Chicago Blackhawks: Western Canada trip should be very interesting – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Adbert Alzolay throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: CXC113 | Nam Y. Huh, AP Photos

The Cubs are going try to find different ways to get 27 outs over 162 games.

If there’s an area the Cubs need to improve drastically this offseason, it’s their pitching staff. After sporting one of the worst rotations in baseball last season, most of their moves on and off the field have tried to improve it.

The first move was adding left-hander Wade Miley to a rotation that not only needed a veteran presence but quality innings. As the Cubs continue to search the market for additional pitching, it’s reasonable to ask how they’ll deploy those pitchers next season.

New general manager Carter Hawkins has an expertise in player development. He joined the Cubs from a Cleveland organization that’s known for developing pitchers.

There are several pitchers on the Cubs’ roster who made a case last season to be in the rotation or compete for a spot, and others are knocking on the door. But with right-hander Kyle Hendricks and Miley likely the only starters guaranteed spots, figuring out how the rest of the rotation and bullpen shakes out will be an ongoing process.

“It’s about getting 27 outs 162 times over six months. Seven months if you get to the postseason. What’s the best way to do that?” Hawkins told the Sun-Times. “There’s been lots of change over the years of how that’s done. We have to decide what’s best for us based on our roster and the pitchers we have. It’s not going to look the same for everyone or every team.

“In Cleveland, our pitching was obviously a priority for us. We were able to develop a strong group of starters that were able to carry that workload. But you aren’t always going to have situations like that, and sometimes that means using guys in different roles, multi-inning roles, if that’s what’s best. And when you get guys to buy into that, it makes us a better team.”

The Cubs had auditions for spots in the rotation last season, with Adbert Alzolay, Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson and Alec Mills getting extended looks. Thompson was the only one who didn’t fare well as a starter.

All four pitchers showed versatility, pitching out of the bullpen while waiting for a rotation spot to open. Alzolay made a smooth transition into a relief role as the Cubs managed his workload late in the season. Team president Jed Hoyer already has stated that left-handed prospect Brailyn Marquez, who missed all of 2021 because of injury, also would be considered for a role next season.

That versatility will be key for the Cubs in 2022 as they look to take steps forward as a staff after ranking 26th in ERA.

The Cubs already have started to get their pitching prospects prepared for those roles in the minor leagues. The organization sometimes will have starters get an appearance in high-leverage situations out of the bullpen, making for an easier transition as they move through the system.

“I think sometimes we discount how much these guys want to win,” Hawkins said. “When you’ve been a starter your entire career and coming through the minors, is it different when you’re asked to be in a new role or a role you’ve never experienced before? Absolutely. But when you have guys that put the winning and the team first, that’s an awesome thing. And then you continue to show guys how they can maximize their strengths in those roles.”

As of now, the Cubs will enter spring training with three rotation spots open and four pitchers in the running. But that number could grow with the possibility of more additions this winter. It’s clear the Cubs are looking to give themselves as many options as possible in hopes things work themselves out.

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Willowbrook’s Jimmy Degnan (14) reacts after Adrian Guerrero (32) kicks a field goal against Wheaton North. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from the semifinals.

Illinois High School Association state playoff semifinals

Class 8A

Maine South at Marist
Lockport at Loyola

Class 7A

Prospect at St. Rita
Brother Rice at Wheaton North

Class 6A

Lake Forest at Cary-Grove
East St. Louis at Crete-Monee

Class 5A

Morton, IL at Kankakee
Sycamore at Fenwick

Class 4A

Joliet Catholic at Richmond Burton
Sacred Heart-Griffin 49, Rochester 42

Class 3A

Byron at IC Catholic
Mt. Carmel, IL at Tolono Unity

Class 2A

St. Teresa at Nashville
Tri-Valley at Wilmington

Class 1A

Ridgeview-Lexington at Lena-Winslow
Carrollton at Moweaqua Central A&M

IHSA state final schedule

all games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb

Class 1A title game, Fri., 10 a.m.

Class 2A title game, Fri., 1

Class 3A title game, Fri., 4

Class 4A title game, Fri., 7

Class 5A title game, Sat. 10 a.m.

Class 6A title game, Sat., 1

Class 7A title game, Sat., 4

Class 8A title game, Sat., 7

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Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

DeShields is keenly aware of the potential she has yet to fully reach; for her, it’s not a matter of if she’ll return to her 2019 form but when.

Diamond DeShields does not lack confidence.

Whether it’s her style choices or how she carries herself in a room or on the basketball court, DeShields drips confidence, leaving a trail of it in her wake.

She comes from a family of professional athletes, so it’s easy to see where that confidence comes from. Her father, Delino DeShields, played major-league baseball for 13 years and is currently the Reds’ first-base coach. Delino DeShields Jr., Diamond’s older brother, is also a baseball player, just finishing the season, his seventh, with the Reds.

Growing up, competition was part of the family dynamic, and after helping the Sky to their first-ever WNBA title, Diamond has everyone beat.

“She’s the only pro champion in the family,” DeShields Sr. said after the Sky’s Game 4 victory against the Phoenix Mercury. “She has dibs on us right now.”

The 2021 season wasn’t smooth sailing for the Sky or for DeShields in particular.

After leaving the WNBA bubble due to personal reasons, she returned to the court and was met with the expectations of matching her performance in her All-Star season of 2019. Instead, she struggled to be a consistent offensive threat and was replaced by Allie Quigley in the starting lineup halfway through the season.

DeShields finished 2021 averaging 11.3 points, the third-lowest mark in her four seasons. At times this year, her head hung after missed looks. She looked disappointed in herself and even appeared to lack effort. Still, in speaking about herself, DeShields’ words always reflected confidence even if her body language didn’t.

She is keenly aware of the potential she has yet to fully reach; for her, it’s not a matter of if she’ll return to her 2019 form but when. Her goal as she heads overseas to play for Famila Wuber Schio in Italy is simple.

“I’m going overseas to get back to me,” DeShields said. “I’m capable of being so much more than I was this season, and I know that.”

DeShields didn’t characterize her experience of coming off the bench for the Sky as negative but rather challenging.

Before this year, she believed that there was little room for error for bench players. Now she understands the challenges of making the most with limited time on the court. This new perspective, she said, will make her a better teammate and leader moving forward in her young career.

DeShields becomes a restricted free agent in January and is one of the most intriguing free agents because of all the unknowns surrounding her and the Sky. Sky coach/general manager James Wade has four guaranteed contracts, including Candace Parker, in 2022.

He’ll be tasked with re-signing Kahleah Copper, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, who he said are all priorities to keep. Wade has expressed confidence in DeShields and her future. What he said he needs to see from her is consistency.

Wherever DeShields ends up playing in 2022, she’ll be re-establishing her value. For her, there’s only one place she wants that to be.

“I love the city of Chicago,” DeShields said. “This is where I want to be. You never know. It’s a business.”

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Dwyane Wade’s nearly 300-page memoir is filled with over 200 never-before-seen photos from his personal and professional life.

Dwyane Wade’s favorite photo in his new self-titled photographic memoir is one of his childhood home on 59th Street and Prairie Avenue in Chicago.

Readers will find it on page 25 in the chapter titled, “First Quarter.”

It’s fitting that’s the photo Wade chose to begin with because, in his words, the rest of his story doesn’t happen without that complex on the South Side.

“I stopped on that photo a few days ago for about five minutes,” Wade said. “All I could visualize was the little Dwyane inside of that house.”

Depending on what day he’s asked, the answer to which is his favorite photo in the nearly 300-page book filled with more than 200 never-before-seen photos will vary. What never wavers is his appreciation for where his journey began.

When Wade set out to publish this memoir three years ago, his approach was first to select which photos he would use from an archive of two million that his personal photographer, Bob Metelus, had taken throughout his career. Wade and his team sat at a round table and selected what each person felt was an amazing photo. Once his team did that, Wade went through everyone’s choices and selected the photos that stirred a connection.

From there, Wade wrote the stories that accompanied each image.

“It was almost impossible to do,” Wade said. “I’m sure if I had to do another book today, some of these photos wouldn’t make it.”

Overall, Wade wanted the book to be about all of the aspects that make up his life. His 16-year NBA career encompasses most of the book, including his disappointing return to Chicago. The lone season he spent with the Bulls is part of the book’s chapter titled “Second Quarter.”

In it, Wade details how personal the experience of signing with his hometown team was.

This writing process was therapeutic for Wade, and the pages recounting moments with the Bulls were no exception. Nothing was off the table, including his memorable admonishment of his teammates after blowing a double-digit lead against Atlanta in 2017.

The stress and pressures of proving his worthiness on the court all poured out in one moment, which earned him his first career benching. Hindsight is 20/20, and many of the pages in Wade’s book hold words that express that sentiment in one way or another.

“I don’t know how much people outside of Chicago really know about that story,” Wade said. “Later on, as I was looking at it, I did appreciate that [Rajon] Rondo spoke from a different leadership perspective.”

Metelus began shooting for Wade in 2008 before it was commonplace for athletes to have personal photographers and have ownership over their content. When he started shooting Wade, Metelus felt the career pressure dissipate.

It’s hard to believe shooting an NBA champion, and four-time All-Star at that point in his career would relieve pressure. After shooting weddings and dealing with the expectation of perfection from brides, Wade was nothing.

Metelus found success by blending in with his surroundings, seeing but never being seen. Partaking in some of the NBA’s biggest stars’ private moments became second nature, and Metelus navigated that by staying in his lane.

Wade started joking with Metelus, saying it’s easy to forget he’s in the room. Some rooms, Metelus had to fake his way into, including the 2011 Paris fashion week. After the Heat’s 2011 season ended with a loss to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals, Wade wanted to get out of town. Paris was the move, but Metelus didn’t have any credentials to cover the biggest fashion event of the year.

“My mentor always told me to walk like you know where you’re going, and people won’t bother you,” Metelus said. “If I was on the road, at an event, I would go where I wasn’t supposed to, but I would move with a purpose.”

It wasn’t always as simple as walking into a room with Wade and immediately being granted premier access. In the beginning, Metelus said it took Wade saying on different occasions, “That’s my guy.”

Once he did, there was typically no issue, and eventually, he no longer had to say it. Still, Metelus remembers the first time he heard Wade describe him that way. Wade was working out with LeBron James when Metelus walked in. It was early in their working relationship, and Wade shouted those three words his way.

It gave Metelus the confidence to walk into rooms carrying that energy moving forward, and it has led to some of Wade’s most iconic moments in his personal and professional life being caught on film. One of those moments was at the 2016 ESPYs when Wade shared the stage with James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul to give a compelling address following the police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.

Metelus’ photo of Wade, James, Anthony and Paul staring out at the audience, their solemn faces mirrored back, is one of the most impactful of the entire book.

“I remember my body was shaking,” Wade said. “It wasn’t shaking because I was nervous. I was having an out-of-body experience because of how powerful that moment was.”

Wade’s book has seven chapters: “Pregame,” “First Quarter,” “Second Quarter,” “Halftime,” “Third Quarter,” “Fourth Quarter” and “Postgame.”

Each one highlights a different theme in Wade’s life, with basketball being the common thread that ties it all together. His life as a son, father and husband is the other theme woven throughout.

This book encapsulates every milestone moment that’s contributed to who Wade is, starting with 59th and Prairie.

“Most of my stories in here are about other people along my journey,” Wade said. “The people who have helped me elevate to this place in life.”

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Shortstop Jose Rodriguez at the Arizona Fall League in Novemeber. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

Rodriguez batted .301/.338/.469 with 14 homers and 30 stolen bases over three levels of the minor leagues in 2021.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The biggest name among White Sox players in the Arizona Fall League is outfielder and $2 million international signee Yoelqui Cespedes, the team’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

But the prospect who has created the most buzz since the start of the season is a little-known, $50,000 signee from four years ago — 20-year-old shortstop Jose Rodriguez.

On performance, Rodriguez would make a strong case for Sox minor-league player of the year in 2021. He slashed .301/.338/.469 with 14 homers and 72 strikeouts in 501 plate appearances combined at Low-A Kannapolis, High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham. He also stole 30 bases.

Another middle infielder playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs with Cespedes and Rodriguez and making noise is Yolbert Sanchez, who earned AFL hitter of the week honors for the week of Nov. 1-8, going 7-for-15 with seven RBI. Sanchez, like Cespedes from Cuba, is ranked 15th on the prospect list.

“I’m proving to myself that I’m able to play with the best players and prospects,” Sanchez said.

Rodriguez, though — ranked ninth and climbing — is one who emerged from nowhere. His knack for getting the barrel of the bat on the ball, low strikeout rate and power for a middle infielder are drawing attention.

Rodriguez’s run through three levels of the minors was rapid, but there was no holding him back.

“I didn’t imagine moving along as quickly as I have,” Rodriguez recently told the Sun-Times through a translator. “But I’m very thankful. I’ve played very well, and I’ve earned it.”

Indeed he has. The Sox gave Rodriguez, the youngest player on the Desert Dogs, a spot in the AFL. The Sox like his gap power, ability to play the middle infield, potential to man an outfield spot and infectious energy.

“I absolutely will play in the big leagues,” Rodriguez said.

At 5-11, 175 pounds, Rodriguez does not have Cespedes’ array of tools, but he’s making people notice — and he’s four years younger.

“Certain players just have this determination to prove to the organization and the industry that they can play at the highest level,” Sox assistant general manager and director of player development Chris Getz said. “We identified that early in Jose. The first time we had him over at our Arizona instructional league, he stood out very quickly.”

Because of the 2020 coronavirus shutdown, Rodriguez was only allowed instructional-league playing time, “but, man, he didn’t skip a beat,” Getz said. “From Day 1 of the season, he just kept it rolling. He just loves to play.”

“Plays with a ton of energy,” Birmingham manager Justin Jirschele said. “He can run, has a great arm, plays his tail off at shortstop. Has shown flashes of power, so he’s exciting. He was dominating everywhere he went, and he opened a lot of eyes this year. You can see there is a fire lit, and he’s determined to contribute in Chicago.”

When Rodriguez signed out of the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old, he said the small bonus didn’t bother him because he would play for free. But he used that as a chip on his shoulder by ascending to No. 9 on MLB Pipeline’s most recent list of Sox prospects.

“For sure, that was motivation for me,” he said of signing for the modest sum.

That said, Rodriguez admitted he wasn’t expecting to get paid by a professional team.

“When the time came and I did get paid, it was a surprise, a shock,” he said. “But I don’t play baseball for money. I play it for the love the game.”

When an interviewer reminded Rodriguez that baseball is a difficult game, that prospects often struggle and get beat up mentally trying to master a sport that often requires years in the minor leagues before finally reaching the majors — if they do at all — Rodriguez hesitated to agree, staring at his shoes while contemplating an answer. After all, he hasn’t struggled much.

“At times,” he said. “It depends on the situation.”

There have been rough moments defensively, primarily throwing, but Getz said those issues are getting ironed out. He’ll be a prospect worth watching next season.

“A real bright spot in the organization,” Getz said. “Hit from Day 1 this season and continues to develop at shortstop. He’s playing both second base and shortstop, and we really like the bat. The simplicity of the swing, the strength and the ability to play the middle of the field.

“And the kid loves to play. Great attitude, fearless competitor, and he’s still only 20 years old. So you can really dream on Jose.”

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Notre Dame freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner (running in a touchdown against USC last month) has impressed the Irish coaching staff with his ability to move past a couple of glaring turnovers this season. | Paul Sancya/AP

The long hours they pull on the practice field and in the football building flow naturally into one long-running conversation that continues nightly at their shared apartment.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Freshman roommates don’t always click, but that hasn’t been a problem for two of the fastest risers on Notre Dame’s offense.

You can hear the pride in quarterback Tyler Buchner’s voice when he discusses the steadily expanding role of wideout Lorenzo Styles Jr.

“Lorenzo is extremely hard-working to [the point] where you almost think he’s crazy because of how hard he works,” Buchner said recently. “It’s something I try to emulate. It’s great living with him because of how dedicated he is to football and school and everything he does.”

No one will ever accuse these two of cheating their natural talent. The long hours they pull on the practice field and in the football building flow naturally into one long-running conversation that continues nightly at their shared apartment.

“When I didn’t know something, I’d say, ‘Hey, Tyler, what do I need to do on this?’ ” Styles said. “We’re both bouncing [questions] off each other.”

During fall camp and even into the early weeks of the season, Styles said, he struggled to recognize the signals as they came in from the sideline. The namesake son of a former Ohio State and NFL linebacker credits Buchner with helping him get that part down.

Understated as always, Buchner downplays his role in that process.

“I’m in all the meetings with [signaler Cole Capen], so I sort of have a better grasp with that,” Buchner said. “Just having ‘Zo as someone who’s also trying to learn the offense, it’s been good. You learn a lot more when you’re teaching someone. Just like studying for anything, it’s helpful to have a study partner.”

There’s also the emotional component that serves as a regular discussion topic.

“It’s definitely been nice,” Buchner said. “We’re both freshmen. We’re both playing behind someone. It’s been good talking to him about it. We deal with the same things and have the same problems and the same good things that happen to us.”

After co-captain Avery Davis’ season-ending knee injury, Styles figures to get more touches as the regular season winds down. He leads the eighth-ranked Irish with an 18.3-yard average on his 11 receptions, and his blazing speed has proven to be a weapon on jet sweeps as well.

Buchner, meanwhile, has endured a few hiccups, most notably the pick-six he threw in the second half at Virginia Tech and the goal-line fumble he lost last week at Virginia. Yet, the multisport prep star from San Diego is second in rushing (213 yards) and easily leads the team in yards per pass attempt (9.8).

Accuracy remains an issue for Buchner, a 59% passer, but he does have three touchdown passes to go with his three interceptions.

“He’s a freak athlete to be a quarterback,” Styles said. “I’m super-excited for him, seeing where he’s bound to go.”

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees keeps expanding Buchner’s play sheet a little more each week, and coach Brian Kelly has been impressed with how quickly Buchner has been able to move past his few game-day gaffes.

“Every experience is a new one,” Kelly said. “There’s different conversations. All those things are really good. We want to get him back in there and see how he leads that next drive. You can’t duplicate that in practice.”

Whether he’s breaking things down for his talented roommate or reconstructing what he saw for Kelly and Rees on the sideline, Buchner is as impressive talking the game as he is playing it.

“Did we want to fumble the ball? Absolutely not,” Kelly said. “But all those things are building toward his development. Those are moments that allow us to really see what he’s about. We like the things we see about him.”

Buchner doesn’t hesitate when asked if the game has started to slow down.

“It’s like doing a math problem,” he said. “The more times you’ve done the math problem, the faster it gets for you. It’s the same for football. The more comfortable you are, the more times you do it, the more you learn it, the more confident you’ll be in it.”

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