White Sox’ bullpen ‘not performing to our standards,’ closer Liam Hendriks sayson June 19, 2021 at 11:01 pm

HOUSTON — Such are the times the White Sox live in when first place and one of the best records in the majors are theirs.

According to FanGraphs, the Sox’ bullpen is ranked third in the majors but isn’t performing at the level that was expected. The starters, not the relievers, are the strength of the team.

”[The bullpen] hasn’t lived up to our own expectations,” closer Liam Hendriks said. ”We put very high expectations on ourselves.”

The Sox have the best starting pitching in the majors, according to FanGraphs. The pen, based on numbers from previous seasons, has some ground to make up, Hendriks said.

But Hendriks, who signed a four-year, $54 million contract during the offseason, takes solace in knowing the pen has ”underlying numbers that tell a whole different story than the ones the public sees.” He cited its strikeout (10.77 per nine innings) and walk (3.15) rates, which rank third and fifth, respectively, in the majors.

”But we’re still not performing to our standards,” Hendriks said. ”We have to rein some things in and tighten some loose screws. We go through stretches where we do really well and then stretches where we’re struggling. We have a pen that hasn’t hit its form, and yet we’ve been doing pretty well with it.”

Now comes a test. With 71 games played after the Sox squared off Saturday against the Astros, the 60-game mark of the abbreviated schedule of 2020 has long passed. So young pitchers such as Garrett Crochet, Codi Heuer and Matt Foster are entering uncharted territory.

”A lot of these guys haven’t experienced a full 162-game season,” Hendriks said. ”We’re at that point [where] everyone starts to drag just a little bit, myself included. It’s an abnormal feeling from what we did last year. . . . You make sure the younger guys know this is what we’re going through and make sure if you need a day, you need a day. If we have enough guys that day, take a day [off]. Because games right now don’t mean as much as October, and that’s what we’re trying to get to. If you need a day here and there to be ready for October, let’s do it.”

Michael Kopech, who has made multi-inning relief appearances and made three spot starts, hasn’t pitched since May 26 because of a strained hamstring. Manager Tony La Russa likes to acknowledge ”the baseball gods,” and perhaps it’s their way of doing the Sox a favor by limiting the 2021 workload on a pitcher going through his first full season in the majors after opting out of 2020.

”We always said we have to deal with that and what [Kopech’s] role will be going forward,” assistant pitching coach Curt Hasler said. ”Now he’s not piling up those innings, so there might be a silver lining. The goal is to have the bullpen clicking in August, September and October, and that would be the way with Kopech, having him be ready for whatever role the organization needs him in then.”

By that time, a reinforcement or two likely will have been made before the trade deadline July 31 as general manager Rick Hahn looks to improve a roster building toward the postseason.

The bullpen always can be deepened, even with a 3.62 ERA that ranked seventh and a 3.15 fielding-independent pitching mark that ranked third entering Saturday. (FIP emphasizes events a pitcher has the most control over: strikeouts, unintentional walks, hit-by-pitches and home runs allowed.)

The Sox also need to get more consistent performances from Evan Marshall (5.19 ERA), Heuer (5.86) and Foster (6.41).

”Guys like Foster and Heuer, now they’re dealing with the second year and teams are making adjustments,” Hasler said. ”The expectations were very high coming from a short season last year. But they’re working, and reaching those high expectations is achievable.”

White Sox’ bullpen ‘not performing to our standards,’ closer Liam Hendriks sayson June 19, 2021 at 11:01 pm Read More »

Joc jamming: Pederson enjoying a June boonon June 19, 2021 at 11:08 pm

June has been the month for Joc jams.

After a slow start in April and early May, Joc Pederson is on fire this month. His two home runs on Friday night marked his sixth and seventh of June, and he’s been hitting the ball harder than he has in a couple of years.

But what manager David Ross is most enjoying about his left fielder is the vibe he’s brought to the team.

“He’s just set the tone for us,” Ross said. “He has such a good way about him, and you see the fun that he has, the smile, the kind of swagger he plays with. He’s got a really good perspective on the game. I think he’s good for these guys and it’s a really nice tone at the top.”

Pederson has hit at the top of the order in 29 games, where he has a .265 average and has hit nine of his eleven home runs on the season.

His multi-faceted home run trot has garnered a lot of attention, and Ross sees it as an extension of the mindset Pederson has when he’s playing.

“It’s a very easy way,” Ross said. “I think it’s good for a lot of our guys who put a lot of pressure on themselves. I don’t know, he’s just got this swagger. He carries himself, he’s fun, it’s always towards our dugout. It makes me smile every time he does something on the field.”

Ross said Pederson’s improvement from the first several weeks has come from getting himself better in sync at the plate, and Pederson said after Friday’s game that working with the Cubs’ hitting staff on getting himself into position and going after pitches he can handle has helped.

“Early on it just looked like the hands and the backside weren’t really working together, not in rhythm,” Ross said. “I feel like he’s just changed his entire rhythm at the plate, how aggressive he is, how the body is working together within the swing.”

Pederson hit just .137 in April, but his average jumped to .314 in May. In June, his slugging percentage was .673 going into Saturday, and his rate of hard-hit balls has spiked from 28.1% in April to 51.2% this month.

Adbert returning Monday

Alzolay (blister) has not pitched since June 7, but Ross said he is slated to start Monday against the Indians, barring any setbacks.

There won’t be a pitch limit, but Ross will be mindful of easing him in for his first start back from the IL.

“He’s been one of the guys who has given us consistent starting pitching,” Ross said. “Real swing and miss. [Alzolay] has been a real asset to our rotation this year, so getting him back on the mound and starting games for us is a big piece and a step for us towards getting back to full strength.”

Alzolay has the highest strikeout rate (26.7%) and lowest WHIP (1.04) among Cubs starters.

Bote, Nico, Steele progressing

David Bote (shoulder) has been taking groundballs and did some running on the field Saturday. Nico Hoerner (hamstring) is up to full baseball activities and took batting practice for the second day in a row. Justin Steele (hamstring) is set to throw a bullpen session on Sunday.

Joc jamming: Pederson enjoying a June boonon June 19, 2021 at 11:08 pm Read More »

Chicagoans celebrate Juneteenth with rally, bike rides and block partieson June 20, 2021 at 12:31 am

Saturday was a day for celebration and reflection, with many Chicagoans taking to the streets and gathering across the city to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

In the Loop, a few hundred people marched in honor of Juneteenth, a celebration with roots in Texas that celebrates June 19, 1865 — the date when the last enslaved African Americans learned they had been freed.

The day was recognized as a state and federal holiday in orders by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Joe Biden earlier this week.

The march led to Daley Plaza, where attendees danced, cheered and intently listened to a series of speakers that included the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Many also waved Black Liberation and Black Lives Matter flags.

“It is very affirming, it’s liberating,” said 34-year-old Brianna Sharpe as she scanned the diverse crowd at the March for Us rally. “I feel love, I feel peace, I feel joy, this is a really good feeling that I feel.”

Sharpe, of Fellowship Chicago, a Baptist church in Fuller Park, said she was thrilled that Juneteenth had finally been recognized as a federal holiday and viewed it as a step in the right direction.

“It means that our voices — Black people, people of color — our voices have been heard,” Sharpe said. “I’m just so excited because our ancestors have fought so hard to get to this moment… It is so deserving.”

But Sharpe and many others noted that making Juneteenth a federal holiday wasn’t enough.

“We’re not settling for symbolism,” said Ashley Munson, the rally’s lead organizer. “It’s great … but we still have so much to do.”

Munson said the fight for “equitable solutions” like reparations for Black Americans and putting a stop to voter suppression laws, must continue.

“We have to still press for policies and legislation that will push not only the Black folks forward because when we’re better, we’re all better, right?” Munson said.

Ashley Munson speaks about continuing to fight for black lives and equality at a March for Us rally by Voices for Youth in Chicago Education celebrating Juneteenth and celebrating the life of activist Caleb Reed at Daley Plaza in the Loop Saturday.

Munson hopes to address some of those issues with Illinois Black Collective, a new nonprofit organization she announced Saturday.

“Our goal is to work together, despite our personal preferences, to create a Black agenda that will uplift our people, that will hold each other accountable and focus on the plight of the actual Black community,” Munson said.

Organizers also took a moment to honor the legacy of 17-year-old activist Caleb Reed, who was fatally shot last August, with a mural. Reed spoke at the 2020 March for Us rally about what it means to be a Black man in Chicago.

Tears streamed down the faces of some as Reed’s parents took turns addressing the crowd.

“I miss his presence every day,” Reed’s mother, Sabrina Pleasant, said via sign language. “He was so precious and loved by so many people. Losing Caleb was like a part of my heart being broken. And there was no one who can fill that void.”

Another event that took place to commemorate Juneteenth was the Freedom Ride Bronzeville — a nod to the civil right activists who protested segregated bus terminals in 1961.

For the second consecutive year, about 300 bicyclists met and pedaled 12 miles through the streets.

“We’re riding for the same rights that we were fighting for 100 years ago,” organizer Jason Easterly said. “We’re still fighting things like racial injustices and fighting police killing African Americans. So, yes, I feel like we’ve made some, some strides from last year, but by no stretch of the imagination are we done fighting.”

This year, the group stopped in front of the DuSable Museum of African American History, which reopened Saturday for the first time since it closed its doors amid the pandemic.

DuSable had a full schedule of activities, including live music and a block party. Dozens of people who came out to the reopening set up lawn chairs and held picnics under trees as they sought shelter from the scorching sun.

Tracy Johnson, of Kenwood, was one of the many people sitting on the grass enjoying the day. She said she had planned to stop working on Juneteenth last year after seeing the worldwide protests sparked by George Floyd’s death. She was “overwhelmed” when she learned it was made a federal holiday.

“It’s progress and progress doesn’t come overnight,” Johnson said.

Brianna Sharpe poses for a portrait at a March for Us rally by Voices for Youth in Chicago Education celebrating Juneteenth and celebrating the life of activist Caleb Reed at Daley Plaza in the Loop, Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
A supporter raises his fist in agreement at a March for Us rally by Voices for Youth in Chicago Education celebrating Juneteenth and celebrating the life of activist Caleb Reed at Daley Plaza in the Loop Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
A supporter holds up a flag as she marches down the street as part of the March for Us rally by Voices for Youth in Chicago Education celebrating Juneteenth and celebrating the life of activist Caleb Reed at Daley Plaza in the Loop Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Frank Logan checks on some chicken at the grill of a pop up of “Piggies & A Chicken BBQ & Catering” as part of a Juneteenth celebration outside of DuSable Museum at 740 E. 56th Pl. in Hyde Park Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Rian Baker, left, and Fatma Ali, right, paint in areas of a piece of artwork by an inmate that is part of the the “Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program” at a Juneteenth celebration outside of DuSable Museum at 740 E. 56th Pl. in Hyde Park Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Bikers with Major Taylor Bike Club take a photo at a Juneteenth celebration outside of DuSable Museum at 740 E. 56th Pl. in Hyde Park Saturday.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Chicagoans celebrate Juneteenth with rally, bike rides and block partieson June 20, 2021 at 12:31 am Read More »

Swipe right on this awesome dating sim! Tender: Creature Comforton June 19, 2021 at 11:14 pm

Jessi’s Media Review – A Chicks Point of View!

Swipe right on this awesome dating sim! Tender: Creature Comfort

Swipe right on this awesome dating sim! Tender: Creature Comforton June 19, 2021 at 11:14 pm Read More »

Sky star Diamond DeShields helps bring free eye exams to over 100 South SidersAnnie Costabileon June 19, 2021 at 5:48 pm

The two-day event hosted by DeShields and sponsored by Oakley in partnership with OneSight was the first in a series of vision clinics Oakley will sponsor in 2021 and it provided over 120 free eye exams. | Provided photo/OneSight

The two-day event in partnership with OneSight was the first in a series of vision clinics Oakley will sponsor in 2021 and it provided over 120 free eye exams.

Diamond DeShields was 15 when she was diagnosed with keratoconus and got her first pair of eyeglasses.

She remembers putting on her glasses and staring up at the leaves. It was the first time in her life they weren’t blurry.

“I told my mom, ‘Wow I can see the leaves on the trees,’ ” DeShields said.

On Friday, DeShields was the picture of joy watching kids and families put on their brand new glasses at KIPP Bloom College Prep because she understood on a visceral level how their lives would change.

“You see a need and you try to fill it,” DeShields said. “The South Side is a space in need. I live down here, this is my community. I can’t live here and not do something to positively impact the lives around me.”

When DeShields partnered with Oakley, one of the first conversations she had with the company was about having an event that provided free eye exams. After two years in the making, DeShields said it was fulfilling to see the clinic sponsored by Oakley, in partnership with OneSight, finally come to fruition.

The two-day event was the first in a series of vision clinics Oakley will sponsor in 2021, and it provided over 120 free eye exams. Most participants in the clinic received prescribed eyeglasses on-sight.

OneSight, a global vision nonprofit, provided a mobile, state-of-the-art van equipped with a vision center and optical lab. Multiple optometrists, opticians and associates from Oakley were on hand to guide participants through the process.

“I’ve been getting emails from the school for about a month telling me they were going to have an event here,” said Deanna Berry, who was at KIPP with her son and daughter. “I was so thankful I didn’t have to call and make an appointment at a doctor’s office to get both of my kids glasses.”

Berry and her son, who just graduated from eighth grade at KIPP, have both had glasses for years. Her daughter, who is in primary school, was getting her first pair on Friday. An added bonus of the day was getting to play basketball with DeShields and some of her Sky teammates.

DeShields was joined by Azurá Stevens, Ruthy Hebard and Kahleah Copper as well as coach and general manager James Wade on Friday.

“I had friends that used to squint all through school. They couldn’t afford eyeglasses,” Wade said. “You think it’s a way of life. You come to understand it handicaps your potential to a point. For us to witness one of our players partnering with OneSight and Oakley to help correct those things that are a privilege some and not to others was really big.”

Sky star Diamond DeShields helps bring free eye exams to over 100 South SidersAnnie Costabileon June 19, 2021 at 5:48 pm Read More »

2 children among 5 hurt in South Shore fireSun-Times Wireon June 19, 2021 at 2:07 pm

A fire broke out June 19, 2021, in South Shore. | Chicago Fire Department

The blaze was reported at a building in the 7700 block of South South Shore Drive and was extinguished by 8:45 a.m., according to Chicago fire officials.

Five people were injured, including two children, after a fire broke out at an apartment building Saturday morning in South Shore.

The blaze was reported at a building in the 7700 block of South South Shore Drive and several residents had to be rescued from the higher floors, according to Chicago fire officials.

Two children and three other people were taken to a hospital, officials said. One of the injured was a woman who was listed in “very critical” condition but was stabilized at the hospital.

7733 south shore struck out. Two transports one yellow one very critical. pic.twitter.com/n75e5bCGFo

— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) June 19, 2021

The blaze was extinguished by 8:45 a.m., officials said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

2 children among 5 hurt in South Shore fireSun-Times Wireon June 19, 2021 at 2:07 pm Read More »

Juneteenth celebrations: What to do, where to go in Chicago and beyondEvan F. Mooreon June 19, 2021 at 2:22 pm

The Juneteenth Flag signals the true day of liberation for the remaining enslaved African ancestors who were notified of their freedom in Galveston, Texas. — The Juneteenth flag celebrates the true day of liberation of the last enslaved Black people in the United States in 1865. | Evan F. Moore / Sun-Times

Parades, music, museums, block parties, tours and yoga classes across Chicago and in the suburbs are some of the highlights of the annual celebration of freedom.

June 19 marks Juneteenth, the true day of liberation in 1865 for the remaining enslaved African Americans, who were notified of their freedom on that date in Galveston, Texas.

Here are some Juneteenth celebrations planned in Chicago and beyond:

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield: A rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln is on display through July 6. Admission: adults $15, kids 5-15 $6; presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s rare, signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, 10406 S. Maryland and 1900 W. Jackson: The ninth annual Juneteenth celebration kicks off at Malcolm X College. The Friday slate includes a caravan parade route outlining the Great Migration trail to the Pullman Porter Museum and a panel discussion. The Saturday slate, which takes place at the museum, includes music and vendors. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 2-9 p.m. Saturday. The event is free; facebook.com/events.

Juneteenth Jazz Celebration, New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, 4301 W. Washington Blvd., 2 p.m. June 19: honoring historian and educator Haki R. Madhubuti with a performance by Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few. Free; register for tickets at eventbrite.com.

Beverly/Morgan Park Juneteenth family festival and Black business crawl, 11000 S. Longwood Dr. and 2407 W. 111th St. (Beverly Arts Center): The event includes storytelling, art, drumming circles, food, and activities for kids, along with featured promotion of Black-owned businesses, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and noon to 3 p.m (BAC location), June 19. The event is free; facebook.com/events.

Chicago Architecture Center, Oak Woods Cemetery, 1035 E. 67th: The Chicago Architecture Center is hosing their “Civil War to Civil Rights” walking tour highlighting Black soldiers who fought in American wars. 1 p.m. June 19. $30 cover charge; architecture.org.

CMPI Juneteenth Celebration, online: The Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative will host a virtual celebration of diversity in classical music coinciding with Juneteenth. The slate of performers will include composer Xavier Foley and bassist Joseph Conyers, 6:45 p.m. June 19. The event is free; app.mobilecause.com.

Eden Place Nature Center, 4417 S. Stewart: The Fuller Park venue will host a Father’s Day Juneteenth celebration, The picnic outing includes storytelling, and music from the 64th Street Drummers and the Nancy Green Team Performers, 1-3 p.m. June 20. The event is free; edenplacenaturecenter.org

Evanston’s Juneteenth Parade, 1801 Main, Evanston: This year’s parade, which has the theme “A journey towards real reparations,” kicks off at the Robert Crown Center and proceeds north on Dodge Avenue to Simpson Street, east on Simpson Street to the Morton Civic Center. 11 a.m. June 19. The event is free; cityofevanston.org.

‘Fred!,’ online: The SPAA (Speakers Publishers & Authors Association) Theater & Performing Arts Center will host “Fred!” a virtual musical celebrating the life and times of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, 7 p.m. June 19. $10 cover charge; eventbrite.com.

The Garfield Park 1865 Fest Coalition, 100 N. Central Park: The Garfield Park 1865 Fest Coalition will host a three-day festival celebrating Juneteenth while honoring Black military veterans and those currently serving. The slate of events includes Saturday cultural workshops and a Sunday live gospel concert. Garfield Park Fieldhouse, Friday 2-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Music circle, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 18-20. The event is free. Registration for the military honors are available via Eventbrite.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago Area and Northwest Indiana, Walgreens, 3405 S. King Dr.: The scouts are hosting a Chicago Neighborhood Walk in Bronzeville. The event will include a walk along the Bronzeville Hall of Fame along with food and snacks. 10 a.m. to noon. June 19. $2 cover charge. Internet registration ends June 16; activecommunities.com.

Harold Washington Cultural Center, 2701 S. Martin Luther King Dr.: The center partners with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Bronzeville businesses for an in-person Juneteenth celebration including dance, DJ and live music, food, workshops, raffles, art and children’s activities. 1 p.m. June 19. Admission is free. Visit maddrhythms.com.

Jerk 48, 611 E. 67th: The jerk eats restaurant is hosting a block party with free food, a bounce house, giveaways and games, along with music provided by Chosen Few DJs member Wayne Williams. 2-5 p.m. June 19. The event is free; instagram.com/jerk_48.

Juneteenth BBQ & Ride, Ellis Park, 3520 S. Cottage Grove: Streets Calling Bike Club’s celebration kicks off with a bike ride that ends at Mandrake Park, 3858 S. Cottage Grove, where a march, a barbecue, music, food, and games will take place. 11:30 a.m. June 19. The event is free; instagram.com/p/CQI8wPGtx4L.

Juneteenth yoga class, 1618 E. 53rd: A Black-owned studio, YogaSix, is offering a Juneteenth yoga class. All proceeds will go to a social justice nonprofit or the DuSable Museum of African American History, 10 a.m. June 20. Suggested $10 donation; yogasix.com.

The Original Chicago Blues All Stars Revue

Old Town School of Folk Music, online: The school presents a free stream of “Freedom Songs Juneteenth Celebration” featuring the Original Chicago Blues All Stars Revue, which includes members of blues great Willie Dixon’s band. The evening begins with singer-poet Ugochi and the Afro Soul Ensemble. Livestreams at 8 p.m. June 19. The event is free; oldtownschool.org.

My Block My Hood My City Juneteenth Celebration, Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72nd: MBMHMC will host a COVID-19 vaccination truck offering free vaccines, voter registration, free food and music via DJ. 1-4 p.m. June 19. The event is free; formyblock.org.

South Shore Brew Coffee + Pride Juneteenth 2021, 7101 S. Yates: The South Shore-based coffee shop will provide merchandise, music via DJs, a special menu, and pop-up shopping options. 8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 19. The event is free; instagram.com/southshorebrewchicago/.

South Side YMCA Community BBQ, 6330 S. Stony Island: local residents are encouraged to bring their grill, food, and drinks, while music will be provided via DJ. Noon to 4 p.m. June 19. The event is free; ymcachicago.org/southside.

Chicago Red Stars’ Juneteenth game, Seat Geek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem, Bridgeview: Chicago’s NWSL team is hosting a pregame expo ahead of their game vs. Washington Spirit. The event — highlighting Black-owned businesses and nonprofits — is in conjunction with local organizations My Block, My Hood, My City; Chicago Votes; and Black Fires, a Chicago soccer supporters’ group. 7 p.m. June 19; Tickets starts at $20; chicagoredstars.com/juneteenth.

The Woodlawn, 1200 E. 79th: The Chatham eatery and event space will host a Juneteenth Block Party featuring guest DJs, spoken word poetry, comedy, and light refreshments, Noon-10 p.m. June 19. The event is free; thewoodlawn1200.com.

Contributing: Mary Houlihan

Juneteenth celebrations: What to do, where to go in Chicago and beyondEvan F. Mooreon June 19, 2021 at 2:22 pm Read More »

Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Wolters leads late Iowa rally as they win in extras; Strumpf homers; Beesley steals three bagson June 19, 2021 at 2:11 pm

Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Wolters leads late Iowa rally as they win in extras; Strumpf homers; Beesley steals three bagson June 19, 2021 at 2:11 pm Read More »

Link wants to stay connected to Notre Dameon June 19, 2021 at 1:00 pm

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Time will tell if this was a Nick Saban moment for Link Jarrett.

Jarrett, Notre Dame’s highly marketable baseball coach and the miracle worker who just took the Fighting Irish to the brink of their first College World Series in nearly two decades, didn’t mince words this week upon returning to campus from raucous Starkville, Mississippi.

Asked if he would “unequivocally” be Notre Dame’s coach in 2022, Jarrett didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah, I will,” he said Tuesday, the bus engines still running outside Frank Eck Stadium. “If my name’s not involved or mentioned in some of these things that come up, then I don’t know that you’re pushing your own program correctly.”

Reportedly with three years left on his original five-year deal, Jarrett recently picked the sweetener the school has long offered to its most sought-after coaches, football and otherwise. That’s an endowed position in their current role.

LSU is in the market for a coach after Paul Mainieri announced his retirement following 15 seasons. Jarrett recently said he planned to reach out to Mainieri, his Notre Dame predecessor from 1995 to 2006, to offer congratulations on a long run that included a national title in 2009.

Jarrett, who just completed his first full season after getting plucked away from tiny UNC Greensboro, also could be in play at the professional level after guiding the Irish to a 34-13 season and the No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Revamping an entire program on the fly and winning ACC Coach of the Year honors in the process will do that for a leader, even one who has been around as long as Jarrett.

So before heading off to Omaha, Nebraska, to watch son J.T. play in the CWS for North Carolina State, Jarrett did his best to tamp down any bubbling rumors and keep his recruiting class intact.

“I’m not searching for anything,” he said, “but if your name is not one that’s popular or appears to be doing the right things for the program, then are you really doing the right things for your own program?”

Socrates couldn’t have done it any better, much less NFL-era Saban before he ultimately ditched the dysfunction of the Miami Dolphins to construct an assembly line of first-round draft picks and national championships.

Saban, it should be noted, was 55 when he became Alabama’s coach nearly a decade and a half ago. Jarrett, 49, has paid his dues on the coaching ladder, including stops as an assistant at Flagler, Mercer, East Carolina and Auburn, as well as Florida State, the alma mater he led to three Omaha berths in four seasons as a shortstop for Mike Martin in the early 1990s.

Is Jarrett up for grabs? You wouldn’t think so after an answer like the one he gave, but the stealth inquiries from ADs and GMs aren’t likely to stop coming just because of one “Read My Lips” denial.

“I love it here,” Jarrett said. “I love these kids. These guys represent everything you could possibly ask young men to represent.”

He mentioned Notre Dame’s 3.2 team GPA this season, terming it “remarkable” considering the rigor of academics under the golden dome. He also noted that while the Irish have a handful of seniors they’d like back in 2022, they first must be accepted to grad school to stick around for a fifth season.

And then there are the facilities, which might have cost the Irish a chance to host a Super Regional at their quaint 2,500-seat home rather than fall to Mississippi State in three hotly contested games before a record-setting crowd for that stage of the college baseball postseason.

“We just came from the Disney World of baseball,” Jarrett said. “There’s people everywhere. It’s a laser light show in the place. They’ve turned that into something that is on the extraordinary end of what you see in college baseball.”

And in tiny Stark-vegas, no less.

“That’s what I want to build,” Jarrett said. “I want to build a national-brand baseball program.”

At this point, few should doubt his ability to do that. The only question is whether it will happen at his current job.

Link wants to stay connected to Notre Dameon June 19, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Masked man strikes in Las Vegason June 19, 2021 at 1:00 pm

LAS VEGAS — As Vegas awakened from an 11-week pandemic shutdown one year ago, Joe Garcia parachuted in wearing a mask on his mug, larceny on his mind.

He’d bilk about $25,000 from a few hundred people. Was it all calculated or a series of events that escalated into a panicky escape?

The black mask might serve as Exhibit A.

“He absolutely loved that there was COVID and he could wear a mask,” says 57-year-old Chicago native John Murges, a longtime Florida resident and a professional bettor who would unwisely befriend Garcia.

“Nobody would ever be able to identify him. He once told me, ‘I hope [the mask requirement] stays forever; I never want to take it off.’ “

Garcia would ingratiate himself onto the scene at the South Point, Westgate SuperBook and The D, finagling an exclusive invitation to Circa’s Golden Ticket grand-opening gala in late October.

Embarrassing, says Derek Stevens, owner of Circa and The D. He and associates knew Garcia as Little Joe. The Vegas Stats & Information Network called him Backdoor Little Joe.

Today, in Las Vegas, his name is Dirt.

When Murges visited recently, Stevens’ lieutenant, Mike Palm, told him, “[Garcia] betrayed a lot of people.”

Jared Holley, who operates Sports Gambling Daily (SGD) in Texas, had hired Garcia as an independent contractor in a promotional capacity, and says nobody suspected him of being a scam artist.

“But I guess that’s the key to being a good scam artist,” Holley said. “He deceived everybody. It’s a wild story.”

CONNECTIONS

Garcia kept a blanket and pillow in his car — actually, his mother’s Altima. He first alighted at the South Point and Westgate. He concocted The Streak, a goofball consecutive-days sportsbook run that would surpass 200.

It clicked. From scant Twitter followers, SGD amassed more than 6,000. South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews soon insisted Garcia exclude him from those incessant mass tweets.

At the SuperBook on June 30, a retired San Diego cop introduced Murges to Garcia, who’d introduce Murges to vice president Jay Kornegay and executive director John Murray. At the D, Murges met Stevens and Palm through Garcia.

Those presentations wowed Murges, who was raised in Park Ridge, attended Maine East High, pitched at Illinois-Chicago and would make book for, well … let’s just say, well-connected figures.

Murges, who visited for 10 days to bet the first two NFL weekends, had hatched Wager Globe, a future sports-betting resource. For that, he prized Garcia’s connections.

Garcia suggested discussing partnership possibilities in private, so he weaseled into Murges’ room at The D. His round-the-clock gadget alerts drove Murges nuts. He would wash his clothes in the sink, dry them over the shower-curtain rod.

Exasperated, Murges left before the second weekend. He still fancied a Wager Globe affiliation — with a Circa, say — someday, but circumstances would intervene.

Garcia had told Murges and Holley he had done time for drug offenses. Holley finds no birthdate on Garcia’s 1099 tax form — he calls himself Juan and Santa Fe Springs, California, home — but pegs him in his early 50s.

Holley bristled that Garcia was making picks on SGD’s Twitter page and had made a Circa-mask snapshot his avatar. On an annual Halloween trek to Vegas, Holley severed ties with Garcia, who constantly glanced over his shoulders.

Holley suspected drugs.

NO IDEA

Publicly, against the NBA spread, Garcia went a ridiculous 24-3 through December. Emboldened, he trumpeted a $100 monthly tout service via a private Twitter account a week into 2021.

Venmo and PayPal would lock, albeit temporarily, his accounts. Garcia begged to access bettor Sean Alvarez’s information. He refused, recommending Stripe.

“He stopped responding,” Alvarez said. “I told him he needed a website and a privacy policy, terms of service, but he wanted nothing to do with that. He had no idea what he was doing.”

Garcia went 2-18 over two weeks, drawing immense criticism.

Murges had partnership papers arranged, but he would never make the increasingly edgy Garcia an offer. Garcia told Murges, in town for the AFC and NFC title games, he had to bolt to Southern California.

His mother, he said, had contracted the coronavirus.

On Jan. 24, Garcia vanished.

Many say 270 bought the service, a $27,000 heist. Some claim to have secured refunds, though, so the tab might be closer to $20,000. One source said “being ghosted” proved most infuriating.

“Also, it’s just too much money to let someone get away with stealing.”

Murges returned to Sarasota and vomited after Alvarez rang to say he believed they never again would see Garcia. Murges called more than 50 of those affected to profusely apologize for having associated with such scum.

VANISHING ACT

I ring Garcia in February, March and April. No answer. May 20, a man answers. Wrong number, he says, adding that he obtained it in early February.

Several people believe Garcia is lurking in the East L.A. shadows. A few hope to see him again, to settle scores. One speculates, “It’s a big desert.”

As legal sports betting seems to spread by the week, I tell Stevens that it’s imperative that greenhorns know the industry’s manifold perils, like Joe Garcia’s Hoboken Hustle.

“I don’t disagree with you,” Stevens said. “If he scammed somebody out of a hundred bucks, I feel bad for whoever got scammed. There are a lot of scams in this world.”

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