What’s New

The Chicago Cubs have spent much of the past month watching their former superstars find success in the Major League Baseball postseason as Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos will be playing in the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies this week.

Anthony Rizzo enjoyed a run to the American League Championship Series with the New York Yankees. Rizzo and the Yankees were eliminated earlier this week by the Houston Astros but that shouldn’t take away from the postseason that he had personally.

In 37 plate appearances with the Yankees during the postseason, Rizzo had a slash line of .276/.432/.552/.984 to go along with 4 home runs and 185 wRC+.

Given the postseason success and overall success that he had in 2022, 32 home runs and 132 wRC+, it should come as little surprise that the former Chicago Cubs first baseman has his sights on opting out of his current deal with the Yankees.

Rizzo has a $16 million player option for the 2023 season and will review his options in the coming weeks before the start of free agency.

“At this point, I’ll sit down my wife and I’ll sit down by agents and we’ll talk about all that,” Rizzo said after the Yankees’ season-ending 6-5 ALCS Game 4 loss at Yankee Stadium.

“I’ve told (Yankees management) since signing the deal we’re not going to talk about it until after the season. Now in the next few weeks, it’s time to talk about it.”

Naturally, the Cubs are going to be mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rizzo anytime he is a free agent moving forward.

Anthony Rizzo would be a great fit for the Chicago Cubs in free agency.

On the surface, there is some merit to the idea of the Cubs forming a reunion with the leader of the 2016-World Series-winning team. The Cubs have a need for a left-handed power-hitter and have a hole at the first base position. Rizzo checks both of those boxes.

Where things get murky regarding the Cubs and a reunion with Rizzo is the fact that the team has their first baseman of the future, Matt Mervis, on the brink of being Major League ready.

Rizzo, if he opts out of his deal with the Yankees, would be in the market for a 2-3 year deal. If signed, Rizzo would fully have the intent of being the starting first baseman for that duration with Mervis being relegated to a designated-hitter role against right-handed pitchers.

Jose Abreu remains the better fit for the Cubs in 2023. While Rizzo will likely see his average jump in 2023 to his career norm of .265 with the expected ban on the shift, Abreu does not need to depend on the ban as he is a career .292 hitter.

Abreu also creates an easier path for Mervis as the two could split time between first base and the designated hitter spot. The power numbers for Rizzo and Abreu probably would be similar as the former Cubs would no longer have the benefit of the short rightfield porch in Yankee Stadium.

Read More

In a scene from the documentary Punch 9 for Harold Washington, former Alderman Ed Vrdolyak takes the podium during a city council meeting after the late Mayor Harold Washington abruptly walked out. Vrdolyak, over the wishes of Washington’s supporters shouting from the chambers, begins assigning chairpersons to the various committees of the council—breaking the long-standing tradition of the mayor doing so. 

Among the grantees were many of Vrdolyak’s own allies on the council, including (the recently indicted) Ed Burke, who was handed the powerful finance committee, Frank Stemberk, who was given rules, and Patrick O’Connor, who got education. Asked by reporters about the new committee chairs, Washington insisted that anything that happened after he quickly adjourned the meeting  “had no standing in law.” 

Except it did. 

As president pro tem, Vrdoylak was able to continue the meeting in the absence of the mayor. He pushed  the council to approve the committee chairs under Rule 36 of the City Council rules of order. But Vrdolyak wasn’t solely driven by his long-neglected duty as an alderperson. 

Along with other white aldermen, Vrdolyak was threatened by a growing Black political force triggered by the election of the first Black mayor of Chicago. Those contentious 1983 City Council meetings would define Washington’s first year in office in what later became known as the “Council Wars.” Ultimately, the mayor got enough votes in the council, thanks to the 1986 special election which brought in a wave of fresh Latino aldermen including Chuy Garcia and Luis Gutierrez, to allow him to pick his own committee chairs as is tradition. 

There was never again an attempt by the council to appoint their own committee chairs independent of the mayor—that is, until recently.  

Last month, 47th Ward alderperson Matt Martin, a young, Black, progressive who serves as vice-chair of the ethics committee, introduced a resolution appointing himself chairperson, a post left vacant by the retirement of longtime 43rd Ward alderperson Michele Smith. 

It was a bold move despite the increasingly independent shift in the council—and one that clearly made some people upset. 

“There’s a process by which we [pick committee chairs] and the process is the mayor makes the final picks,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot told a flurry of reporters during a press conference after last month’s City Council meeting. “I don’t see any reason to break from that long-standing precedent.” 

The ethics committee, which deals primarily with conflicts of interest (nothing the council is short of), was under the rules committee before Mayor Lightfoot made it a full committee at the start of her term. Since then, the committee has reviewed audits from the inspector general’s office, banned former alderpeople from lobbying the city council, and increased fines for ethics violations. 

In the City Council, legislation is introduced and approved by its respective committee before being sent to the full council for a final vote. But if legislation is unpopular or frowned upon by the mayor, it’s often sent to “die” in committee, or never be called to a vote. 

Legislation also grinds to a halt when committees lack leaders. Last month, alderpeople Michael Rodriguez (22nd) and Maria Hadden (49th) introduced an ordinance to propose that the process to release audit reports fall under the discretion of the inspector general instead of the mayor’s legal team, in response to the city slow-walking the release of a report on the botched smokestack implosion in Little Village in April 2020. 

When asked why his ordinance hasn’t been able to pass through committee, Rodriguez put it in simple terms: “There’s no chair.” 

Fourth ward alderperson Sophia King, who is currently the vice-chair of the education committee, expressed support for Martin’s resolution. 

“In an ideal situation, there would be a conversation about [picking chairpersons],” said King, who is also running for mayor. “And then the City Council would indeed exert its power to make the final decision.” 

Read More

In a scene from the documentary Punch 9 for Harold Washington, former Alderman Ed Vrdolyak takes the podium during a city council meeting after the late Mayor Harold Washington abruptly walked out. Vrdolyak, over the wishes of Washington’s supporters shouting from the chambers, begins assigning chairpersons to the various committees of the council—breaking the long-standing tradition of the mayor doing so. 

Among the grantees were many of Vrdolyak’s own allies on the council, including (the recently indicted) Ed Burke, who was handed the powerful finance committee, Frank Stemberk, who was given rules, and Patrick O’Connor, who got education. Asked by reporters about the new committee chairs, Washington insisted that anything that happened after he quickly adjourned the meeting  “had no standing in law.” 

Except it did. 

As president pro tem, Vrdoylak was able to continue the meeting in the absence of the mayor. He pushed  the council to approve the committee chairs under Rule 36 of the City Council rules of order. But Vrdolyak wasn’t solely driven by his long-neglected duty as an alderperson. 

Along with other white aldermen, Vrdolyak was threatened by a growing Black political force triggered by the election of the first Black mayor of Chicago. Those contentious 1983 City Council meetings would define Washington’s first year in office in what later became known as the “Council Wars.” Ultimately, the mayor got enough votes in the council, thanks to the 1986 special election which brought in a wave of fresh Latino aldermen including Chuy Garcia and Luis Gutierrez, to allow him to pick his own committee chairs as is tradition. 

There was never again an attempt by the council to appoint their own committee chairs independent of the mayor—that is, until recently.  

Last month, 47th Ward alderperson Matt Martin, a young, Black, progressive who serves as vice-chair of the ethics committee, introduced a resolution appointing himself chairperson, a post left vacant by the retirement of longtime 43rd Ward alderperson Michele Smith. 

It was a bold move despite the increasingly independent shift in the council—and one that clearly made some people upset. 

“There’s a process by which we [pick committee chairs] and the process is the mayor makes the final picks,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot told a flurry of reporters during a press conference after last month’s City Council meeting. “I don’t see any reason to break from that long-standing precedent.” 

The ethics committee, which deals primarily with conflicts of interest (nothing the council is short of), was under the rules committee before Mayor Lightfoot made it a full committee at the start of her term. Since then, the committee has reviewed audits from the inspector general’s office, banned former alderpeople from lobbying the city council, and increased fines for ethics violations. 

In the City Council, legislation is introduced and approved by its respective committee before being sent to the full council for a final vote. But if legislation is unpopular or frowned upon by the mayor, it’s often sent to “die” in committee, or never be called to a vote. 

Legislation also grinds to a halt when committees lack leaders. Last month, alderpeople Michael Rodriguez (22nd) and Maria Hadden (49th) introduced an ordinance to propose that the process to release audit reports fall under the discretion of the inspector general instead of the mayor’s legal team, in response to the city slow-walking the release of a report on the botched smokestack implosion in Little Village in April 2020. 

When asked why his ordinance hasn’t been able to pass through committee, Rodriguez put it in simple terms: “There’s no chair.” 

Fourth ward alderperson Sophia King, who is currently the vice-chair of the education committee, expressed support for Martin’s resolution. 

“In an ideal situation, there would be a conversation about [picking chairpersons],” said King, who is also running for mayor. “And then the City Council would indeed exert its power to make the final decision.” 

Read More

Do not look now but the Chicago Blackhawks are in the middle of a three-game win streak. Sure it is super early in the season but the Blackhawks were expected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL if not the worst team.

Yet, the Chicago Blackhawks already have six points in the standings through five games. The Hawks are pouring in the goals with 14 scored during the win streak.

The Blackhawks have surrendered the first goal in all five of their games but have come out on top in three of them.

The Chicago Blackhawks are the best team in the NHL in scoring when shorthanded. They are currently fifth in the league scoring on the power play.

Max Domi has three goals and Jason Dickinson is a plus-two. Sam Lafferty is tied for the team lead in points with five.

Lafferty has been playing well and is showing he can be a solid piece for the team’s future. Philipp Kurashev is skating well and Jujhar Khaira’s return from last season’s injury is a welcome sight.

It is still way too early to start dreaming of a Stanley Cup parade. The Chicago Blackhawks’ recent winning streak is probably a mirage. The Blackhawks are in the middle of a tanking season. General manager Kyle Davidson completely tore down the roster to the studs.

If Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews did not have no-movement clauses, they probably would have been traded away for prospects or picks before the season started. Tanking is never fun to sit through so when the Chicago Blackhawks win a game, savor it.

Every win chips away at the Chicago Blackhawks’ chances of winning the Draft Lottery.

The prize for winning the lottery is the opportunity to select Connor Bedard. The dynamic forward has a chance to impact the Blackhawks in a way that only Patrick Kane has done.

Even if the Hawks lose out on the No.1 overall pick, getting pick two or three is a nice consolation prize. A team can select Adam Fantilli who is lighting it up at the University of Michigan.

Matvei Michkov is the other prized prospect of the 2023 class. Teams would have to wait until 2026 for him to come over from the KHL. He is signed through the 2025-2026 season but he has the skill and speed that Davidson desires in a player.

These are three players with the ability to be the cornerstone of a Stanley Cup-winning team and end up in the Hall of Fame.

Bedard is the best of the three. A skilled player who is on pace to score 57 goals and register 62 assists this season for the Regina Pats of the WHL.

Right now the Chicago Blackhawks are not even in the picture to land Bedard. While it would be nice to watch the Blackhawks make a surprise run to the playoffs, goalie Petr Mrazek does not really have the ability to stand on his head and lead the Hawks on a Stanley Cup run.

The Blackhawks have started to replenish their prospect pool but they could really use Bedard or Fantilli to be the foundational piece for this rebuild. Winning only diminishes the Blackhawks’ chances of landing these skilled players.

At the same time, the Chicago Blackhawks have not legitimately made the playoffs since the 2017 season. They did make the expanded playoffs field in 2020 but if were not for a pandemic, the Blackhawks would have not come close to the playoffs.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are the one tournament where everyone who makes it has a chance to win the whole thing.

If the season opener against the Colorado Avalanche is any indication, the Hawks might have the smallest odds and it would be better to tank for Bedard. Plus, this roster is not good enough to sustain this success throughout the season.

The need to tank for a better future over the joy of winning today is the ultimate conflict for the Chicago Blackhawks this season.

Read More

Identity, versatility, and productivity intertwine in the music of Patrick Shiroishi. Best known as an alto saxophonist, the Los Angeles-based musician plays five different saxophones, guitar, and keyboards. His ever-growing discography includes 65 album-length releases with his name on the cover, and that number balloons to more than 100 if you count records where he’s a sideman or band member. 

Shiroishi’s approach varies according to context. He’s waxed smooth with the ambient-oriented virtual ensemble Fuubutsushi; played convoluted, stentorian prog with Oort Smog; wielded scything feedback opening for experimental metal outfit Sumac; engaged in hard-edged, fleet-footed free improvisation with the likes of Jessica Ackerley, Thom Nguyen, Kyle Motl, or Vinny Golia; and explored delicate acoustic timbres on Yellow (Dinzu Artifacts),a superb new LP with kotoist Kozue Matsumoto and shakuhachi player Shoshi Watanabe. 

While no less diverse, his solo recordings are more personal. I Shouldn’t Have to Worry When My Parents Go Outside (Distant Bloom, 2021) uses poetic recitations and elegiac piano-and-synth sketches to grieve the corrosive influence of racism. Hidemi (American Dreams, 2021) expresses the resilience and transcendence he found in his grandfather’s life story with intricate ensembles of overdubbed saxophones. Shiroishi will play in typically diverse settings during his first visit to Chicago. For his local debut on Thursday, he’ll improvise with three local musicians whose collective experiences include performance art and free jazz: saxophonist Mai Sugimoto, cellist Lia Kohl, and drummer Avreeayl Ra. The next night, he’ll play with violinist and vocalist Macie Stewart as part of the one-year anniversary celebration for the Pleiades Series, whose concerts seek to create welcoming opportunities for femme and nonbinary artists to improvise. And on Friday, November 4, Shiroishi will play in Jordan Reyes’s ensemble Ark of Teeth to celebrate the release of Reyes’s LP Everything Is Always (American Dreams).

Patrick Shiroishi Shiroishi improvises in a quartet with Mai Sugimoto, Lia Kohl, and Avreeayl Ra. Thu 10/27, 8:30 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, $15, all ages

Patrick Shiroishi Shiroshi performs an improvised duo with Macie Stewart as part of the one-year anniversary of the Pleiades Series, which also includes a set from Robbie Lynn Hunsinger and an open jam session. Fri 10/28, 8:30 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, $15, all ages

Jordan Reyes’s Ark of Teeth Reyes leads an ensemble that includes Travis, Ambre Sala, Patrick Shiroishi, and Eli Winter. Fri 11/4, 7:30 PM, International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore, $22, 18+

Read More

Identity, versatility, and productivity intertwine in the music of Patrick Shiroishi. Best known as an alto saxophonist, the Los Angeles-based musician plays five different saxophones, guitar, and keyboards. His ever-growing discography includes 65 album-length releases with his name on the cover, and that number balloons to more than 100 if you count records where he’s a sideman or band member. 

Shiroishi’s approach varies according to context. He’s waxed smooth with the ambient-oriented virtual ensemble Fuubutsushi; played convoluted, stentorian prog with Oort Smog; wielded scything feedback opening for experimental metal outfit Sumac; engaged in hard-edged, fleet-footed free improvisation with the likes of Jessica Ackerley, Thom Nguyen, Kyle Motl, or Vinny Golia; and explored delicate acoustic timbres on Yellow (Dinzu Artifacts),a superb new LP with kotoist Kozue Matsumoto and shakuhachi player Shoshi Watanabe. 

While no less diverse, his solo recordings are more personal. I Shouldn’t Have to Worry When My Parents Go Outside (Distant Bloom, 2021) uses poetic recitations and elegiac piano-and-synth sketches to grieve the corrosive influence of racism. Hidemi (American Dreams, 2021) expresses the resilience and transcendence he found in his grandfather’s life story with intricate ensembles of overdubbed saxophones. Shiroishi will play in typically diverse settings during his first visit to Chicago. For his local debut on Thursday, he’ll improvise with three local musicians whose collective experiences include performance art and free jazz: saxophonist Mai Sugimoto, cellist Lia Kohl, and drummer Avreeayl Ra. The next night, he’ll play with violinist and vocalist Macie Stewart as part of the one-year anniversary celebration for the Pleiades Series, whose concerts seek to create welcoming opportunities for femme and nonbinary artists to improvise. And on Friday, November 4, Shiroishi will play in Jordan Reyes’s ensemble Ark of Teeth to celebrate the release of Reyes’s LP Everything Is Always (American Dreams).

Patrick Shiroishi Shiroishi improvises in a quartet with Mai Sugimoto, Lia Kohl, and Avreeayl Ra. Thu 10/27, 8:30 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, $15, all ages

Patrick Shiroishi Shiroshi performs an improvised duo with Macie Stewart as part of the one-year anniversary of the Pleiades Series, which also includes a set from Robbie Lynn Hunsinger and an open jam session. Fri 10/28, 8:30 PM, Elastic Arts, 3429 W. Diversey #208, $15, all ages

Jordan Reyes’s Ark of Teeth Reyes leads an ensemble that includes Travis, Ambre Sala, Patrick Shiroishi, and Eli Winter. Fri 11/4, 7:30 PM, International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 N. Lake Shore, $22, 18+

Read More

The Chicago Bears pulled off the impossible. As major underdogs, they defeated the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. Everyone ripped on them and thought that they just had no chance to win the football game. They did.

Mostly everything went their way but the win didn’t come without some adversity. The Bears took a quick 10-0 lead and appeared to be rolling. However, New England took out Mac Jones and replaced him with the fan favorite Bailey Zappe.

From there, New England scored 14 straight points and took the lead. However, from there they wouldn’t score again. The Bears ended up winning by a final score of 33-14. The entire team produced the way that they needed to in order to win.

Justin Fields did the job very well. He made some nice throws, made his traditional plays with his legs, and showed a little bit of the ability to read a defense while the play is in motion. It was very nice for him as he continues in his development. He had a touchdown with his legs and his arm.

The Chicago Bears did what was needed in order to have a big win on Monday.

The running game, outside of Fields, was also impressive. Bill Belichick and the Patriots are usually very good against the run but not this time. Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery combined to have a great game. Montgomery had one rushing touchdown.

Herbert also had a touchdown but it was of the receiving variety. We saw Fields utilize Cole Kmet, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Darnell Mooney amongst others a few times as well.

This offense continues to grow as the season goes along. As they get more help in terms of talent, they might become a force to be reckoned with. It all starts and ends with Fields who had a very good game. Against Belichick as a second-year quarterback, that is amazing to see.

Roquan Smith led what was a fantastic showing from the defense. He had a sack and an interception in this game in addition to leading the team in tackles. Smith was one of the key components of this team holding New England to just 14 points.

A lot of people are going to be surprised that the Bears pulled this off but the players aren’t. They believe in themselves and that is good news. Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles seem to be building something nice here.

Once they acquire more talent over the years, they can become very good. They work hard, are disciplined, and are bought into what the team is trying to do. That was very evident in this win over New England. They are also getting better with each passing week.

Read More

Read More

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Read More

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Read More