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Former Bears Tell Amazing Stories of Brian Urlacher’s 1st Practices

By
Erik Lambert
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brian urlacher
CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 25: Brian Urlacher #54 of the Chicago Bears stares down the offense during an NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on November 25, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Tom Dahlin/Getty Images)

Believe it or not, there was a point in time where few people knew who Brian Urlacher was. That included many of his teammates. In 2000, he was just a former safety out of the University of New Mexico the Chicago Bears had taken #9 overall in the draft. Experts insisted he was a freak athlete with ridiculous potential. Yet many felt he hadn’t played against real competition. The big boys would soon set him straight.

At least that what a lot of guys on the roster felt when Urlacher arrived for his first practices. Olin Kreutz was one example. He had become their starting center the year before and was going into his third year. His talent was getting clearer every day. A talent that would soon make him a six-time Pro Bowler.

Needless to say, Kreutz had confidence in himself. So it must’ve been quite the ecstatic revelation when the Bears decided to shift Urlacher from outside linebacker to middle linebacker for the first time in practice. He was replacing respected veteran Barry Minter whom many on the team loved. So Kreutz felt it was his duty to tell the rookie not to get comfortable.

Instead it was Urlacher who wound up sending a message as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune found out.

“So they put Urlacher at middle linebacker and in those days, I am not saying I was great, but when there was outside zone, linebackers were easy for me and I cut them off in a second. So I jump out and try to cut off ’Lach on that first play and he just (absolutely) flies (by me). I came back to the huddle and I was like, “(Wow!) That guy is fast! Leave him there.” That was my third year and I wasn’t great, but I was pretty damn good by then and I jumped out there like, “This is my block. I’m going to kill this guy.” He just flew by me big and strong and fast and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything quite like that.”

Kreutz wasn’t the only lineman who got the Brian Urlacher revelation

Turns out he wasn’t the only future Pro Bowler that the eventual Hall of Famer stunned during practice that year. James “Big Cat” Williams was a longtime fixture at right tackle for the Bears. He had his opportunity to knock the rookie down a peg when the Bears still had Urlacher playing outside linebacker. Williams had everything planned out.

Despite that, his best efforts and even a mistake from Urlacher himself, he still failed.

It was myself and (guard) Chris Villarrial. We teamed up to (block) Urlacher, and we missed him. We got back to the huddle and talked amongst ourselves, and we couldn’t figure it out. We were like, “Damn, that dude is fast as hell.”

So we go back in and look at film. Come to find out, dude had taken three steps in the wrong direction and was fast enough to still beat us over the top. We were like, “Dude, we are in some trrrooouuuubbbbbble. We might have to make some adjustments.”

You know a guy is good when he does the exact wrong thing at the start of the play and still manages to do his job by the end of it. One can only imagine how much of a nightmare Urlacher became when he began to grasp the mental side of the game. These stories just reinforce that even from the first practices it was apparent the man was going to be special.

New Cubs Pitcher Sure Does Sound Excited About The Trade…Not

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs made their final acquisition before the trade deadline Tuesday, making a deal with the Washington Nationals for right-handed reliever Brandon Kintzler.

He was traded to the Nationals last year from the Minnesota Twins.

Anyway, the Nationals were expected to be one of the best teams in not only the National League but all of baseball this year. They have plenty of talent, but things have gone south for them this season.

Washington only made one trade at the deadline, so not really selling off but also not willing to make big moves to get back into the playoff race. Anyway, this was the reaction from Kintzler after the trade was made official.

Hey man, at least you might actually get past the first round of the playoffs.

Despite 1st Inning Struggles, Kyle Hendricks Is Back On Track

By
Patrick Mooney
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A lot of negative attention has been directed at the Cubs starting rotation this season, some of which has been deserved.

On one hand, prized free agent acquisition Yu Darvish has been battling an injury since the month of May that might end up costing him the rest of this season, while the high-upside addition of Tyler Chatwood has, well, not worked out.

On the other hand, Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, and Kyle Hendricks can’t give up a run without fans jumping down their throats, despite their fabulous track records.

It hasn’t been pretty, but Lester’s ERA remains just slightly over 3, Quintana was riding a 15 start stretch of a 2.96 ERA before last weekend’s stinker, and Hendricks has regained his groove.

Hendricks, The 2016 NL ERA champ,  2016 NLCS clinching starter, 2016 World Series clinching starter, 2017 NLDS game 1 and game 5 starter, who finished the month of May with a 3.19 ERA while averaging over 6 innings a start, had a brutal month of June that, sadly, caused a large portion of the fanbase to lose faith in him.

His first inning results remain a problem, as he’s allowed 21 earned runs and 10 homers over his 22 first innings. Despite that, his July numbers and the eye test show us he’s ready to explode down the stretch.

I’m as guilty as anyone of letting my emotions get caught up in the day-to-day happenings of the 162 game baseball season, but the criticisms of Hendricks were/are getting out of hand. His June slump is behind him and his second half & October track records are stellar. If you’re a fan that’s still nervous about the Cubs not having a true #1 on their staff, don’t be. You’d be a fool not to count on Hendricks to come through when it matters most.

Cubs Make A Trade With The Washington Nationals

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs have made a trade with the Washington Nationals, getting one more pitcher for their bullpen.

The 33-year-old right hander has a 3.59 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 42.2 innings this season, striking out 31 and walking 13 in 45 relief appearances.

Quick breakdown of Brandon Kintzler is that he doesn’t strikeout a lot of batters, but he gets a bunch load of ground balls and soft contact. He throws strikes, only walking two batters in his last 17 innings.

In 2017, he saved 28 games for the Twins last year before going to the Nationals.

We’ll update when we know which prospects are going to the Nationals.

And we now know.

Jhon Romero, 23, has a 2.34 career ERA in 62 relief outings in the minors.

Kintzler has a $10 million mutual option for 2019, that becomes a $5 million player option if the original is declined.

Trade is now official.

Bears OC Mark Helfrich Betrayed Who His New Favorite Player Is

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

NFL coaches know that it’s important they be like parents to children when they run a team. One of the golden rules of good parenting is to never play favorites with one child or another. They all must be loved or disciplined equally to maintain an air of fairness. Yet former head coach Marty Schottenheimer poked a hole in that balloon when he stated that, right or wrong, you have favorites as a coach. Helfrich seems to already be falling into that same trap.

The Chicago Bears offensive coordinator is settling into his first ever NFL job. No doubt he’s encountering a lot of difference between it and the college game, but he hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for the work. He and head coach Matt Nagy are constantly brainstorming ideas to make their new offense more diverse, more unpredictable and more explosive.

To do that they’ve discovered they need to have the right players. Helfrich is convinced they have the perfect solution in running back Tarik Cohen. The Bears coach has seen a lot of athletic players at that position before, but to him there’s something unique about Cohen. It’s clear Helfrich finds an extra joy out of coaching him than other players.

Mark Helfrich clearly thinks Cohen will be special in this new offense

Helfrich spoke to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic to talk about the offensive progress. The subject of Cohen came up after the running back had a strong practice. Helfrich didn’t even try to hide his enthusiasm about what the second-year player could be in the new scheme.

“He’s awesome. He’s fun to coach,” Helfrich said. “He’s a guy, literally, you can tell him anything— to line up at any position, he’ll do it with an unbelievably great attitude, a giant smile on his face and run 4.3. It’s amazing how many places he has never lined up before, and you say, ‘Hey, it’s like this,’ and he goes out and does it. That’s invaluable, to be able to plug and play a guy like that, that has the kind of characteristics he does with the ball in his hands. That’s rare.”

Cohen has been lining up everywhere since training camp started. He’s played in the backfield, flanked the right and left sides in the slot and also been moved out wide as well. The Bears are trying to get a feel for what they can and can’t do with him. Given how Helfrich is talking, they’re finding out that the answer to that he can do anything. He’d tell you that himself.

Despite being one of their best offensive weapons in 2017, Cohen only touched the ball 140 times on offense. Yet he still managed to produce 753 yards and three touchdowns. Considering he’s compared so often to Darren Sproles, expect that number to go up closer to the 200 range. Defenses will stress at the idea of him getting an extra 60 touches during the season, and it will ease the workload on Jordan Howard as well

There is no downside to getting him the ball, and Helfrich seems deadset on doing just that.

Matt Nagy Mic’d Up at Bears Practice Offers Surprising Revelations

By
Erik Lambert
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matt nagy

One thing about John Fox was he never cared much for media relations and the like. He always kept it at arm’s length, showing a general apathy. That’s why the only time one heard him speak was in the locker room after a win. He resisted every opportunity to get himself in front of the cameras for PR purposes. That was one of the biggest indications yet that Matt Nagy is different.

While secrecy remains a priority for him just like any head coach, the 39-year old has put in the effort to create a shorter gap between the team and the fans by being more open to the media at times. He’s friendly and honest during camp press conferences and was even willing to let himself be microphoned for one of their recent practices.

This might seem like something that is a friendly gesture, but it actually offered the first serious glimpse into who Nagy is both as a person and a coach. What would be his focus during drills? How does he interact with the players? That and more were on display and it all came with a few surprises.

Matt Nagy is indiscriminate with whom he supports on the field

The first thing that stood out was Nagy’s demeanor. He’s not a firebreather. One of those types that use screams and harsh words to get his message across to the players. He stated a few weeks ago that this isn’t what he wanted from either himself or his staff. He wanted them to be teachers on the field, more than anything. His instruction and words of encouragement reflected that mentality.

Yet the biggest takeaway was how he didn’t seem to favor any side of the ball. Keep in mind Nagy was brought in by the Bears for a specific reason. He was hired to fix the offense, more specifically quarterback Mitch Trubisky. He himself is a former QB and ran the Kansas City Chiefs offense for two years. One would think he’d be primarily focused on that side of the ball in practice.

Instead he was seen several times encouraging the Bears defense to make plays, wanting to see them perform. He showed a keen understanding that he wasn’t an offensive coordinator anymore. He’s the head coach and the head coach has to run the entire team, not just one piece of it.

That may sound like something obvious, but it would shock a lot of people how many head coaches out there stick to what they know best and just let their coordinator run the show on the other side. Nagy doesn’t want to be that guy. This could win him a lot of support in the locker room.

Yu Darvish’s Agent Boom Roasted Alex Rodriguez

By
Aldo Soto
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In case you missed it, Alex Rodriguez had some strong accusations during Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, saying things in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse were getting bad with Yu Darvish’s continued rehab.

Here are the comments, insinuating that players are/will lose respect for Darvish, who is apparently not doing his best to comeback from his arm injury according to Rodriguez.

After the game, Cubs manager Joe Maddon responded.

Darvish’s agent came out in strong support of his client and boy did he not hold back any punches in Patrick Mooney’s exclusive story in The Athletic.

Here’s more from the article.

“If this story had come from a credible journalist, we might have shown some concern,” said Joel Wolfe, Darvish’s agent and the co-managing executive of the Wasserman agency’s baseball division. “But it came from A-Rod, so we’re paying it little attention.”

“I think it was classless,” Wolfe said, “and bordered on unprofessional to take a little nugget of somewhat exaggerated information from one person that maybe he had history with and turning that into a spokesman for the entire team.

“Joe Maddon cleared that up afterwards. [A-Rod’s] attacking a player who is injured and on the disabled list, which is difficult for any player, especially one who has a big contract and is in his first year [with a new team]. Imagine how difficult it is for Darvish. But then also attacking him for staying with the team?”

There were other comments made by Rodriguez during the broadcast that were also complete bullshit. He mentioned how Darvish should be in Arizona, getting treatment there instead of hanging around in Chicago. Apparently for Rodriguez, seeing Darvish around would be annoying.

“Matt, the problem is, and I’m pretty passionate about this,” Rodriguez said. “When you have 25 players coming to the stadium, you’re there to do one thing and that’s win a ballgame. You want all the energy, all the focus, all the analytics, all the stretching: What are we going to do today to win a ballgame?

“And when you have a guy that signs an enormous contract and he’s sitting down – and you walk in the training room, and he’s got two trainers working on him, you go into the video room and you have a guy looking at video – he should be in Arizona somewhere getting treated. But don’t get in the way of 25 players going after one mission – to win a ballgame.”

As Mooney’s article explains, the Cubs have a state-of-the-art clubhouse with resources and capabilities for injured players.

In 2016, Kyle Schwarber went down during the third game of the season and he rehabbed in Chicago, staying with the team for most of the year before returning for the World Series.

So again, saying things are bad in the clubhouse and Darvish is the problem because he’s around is complete bullshit by Alex Rodriguez.

The White Sox Need To Cut The Bullshit And Call Up Eloy Jimenez

By
Emmet McClain
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The phrase “enough is enough” is a pretty common one and can apply to many things in life. My dad says it to me probably once a week when he sees my dump of a bedroom. A teacher may tell her class “enough is enough” when they get too rowdy as the school year starts to wind down. Or you can be a White Sox fan reading about how Eloy Jimenez is murdering Triple-A pitching and screaming “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” at Rick Hahn through your computer screen hoping he hears your cries of anger and despair.

So far, he has not heard them, or maybe he has but still continues to deprive us fans of the otherworldly talent Jimenez possesses. He apparently needs to “Check all of the boxes.” I have been a White Sox fan for as long as I can remember and I can honestly say I have no idea what other boxes Jimenez needs to check off.

In 102 plate appearances in Triple-A, Eloy is putting up a laughably remarkable slash line of .383/.422/.691. That’s good for an OPS of 1.113 and a wRC+ of 212 (100 being league average). Yoan Moncada, the former no. 1 prospect in baseball, never came CLOSE to even sniffing numbers like that at the Triple-A level. Jimenez will be a legitimate triple crown threat year in and year out once he establishes himself in the league. His bat is 1000% Major League ready and you cannot convince me otherwise.

This is what he did yesterday. Keep in mind, these are the opponents announcers drooling over him.

“This guy’s a big-leaguer.” Not much else needs to be said.

“But wait Sports Mockery, why would they bring him up now in a lost season and start his service clock when they can keep him in Charlotte until April of 2019 and keep him for another year in his prime?”

I’ll tell you why. It’s actually very simple. If Eloy winds up being as good as everyone says he will be, the White Sox will make it their mission to lock him up long term before he even hits free agency. They know they are going to have to eventually pay their top guys regardless, so the whole service time debate is a moot point.

So what could it be then? Does Hahn want him to work on his defense more? I sincerely doubt that. While he’ll never win a Gold Glove, Eloy is more than capable of manning left field. And even if that is the current reason, it is much more important to get him Major League at-bats anyways.

Is the Chicago outfield crowded?

*Laughs hysterically*

No. far from it. The White Sox aren’t necessarily lighting the world on fire with Adam Engel and Nicky Delmonico out there.

One of Rick Hahn’s favorite quotes to use is “The good ones tend to force the issue.” If Eloy isn’t currently forcing the issue, then what the Hell is he doing?

It’s actually comical how impatient White Sox fans are getting, but at this point it is completely justified. I don’t even think the Moncada hype was this high last year.

When (if) Jimenez gets the call, he will INSTANTLY make this team better and more exciting to watch. He will give protection to whoever bats in front of him as he just mashes balls into the sky. Maybe Hahn wants to see him walk more, but that doesn’t really matter when he is still getting on base at a God Damn .422 clip.

He needs to be up right now, bottom line. The Major League at-bats will give him the experience he needs to be locked and loaded for Opening Day 2019.

To the White Sox front office, scouting department, head of player development, and/or whoever else is in on this decision- enough is enough. Cut the crap and bring Eloy to the South Side where he belongs.

Cubs Still Have Eyes On Top Reliever Before Trade Deadline

By
Aldo Soto
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You know the story by now, the Chicago Cubs are still looking for pitching help, specifically the bullpen (although starting pitchers not out of the picture) and the latest report has a new reliever linked to the North Side and also the best remaining relief pitcher in trade rumors.

Here’s the latest from 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine.

The Cubs still have their eye on adding another reliever. Blue Jays righty reliever Ryan Tepera and Padres righty reliever Kirby Yates are two players whom the Cubs have scouted closely.

First, let’s begin with San Diego Padres reliever Kirby Yates.

Yates, 31, has been incredible for the Padres this year, posting a 1.60 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 39.1 innings. The right-hander has 50 strikeouts to 11 walks, and three of the seven earned runs he’s allowed this year came on July 7, against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Not only is he the best reliever made available in the trade market right now, but the price for him is also high because Yates is under team control for two more years. So, he still has two more arbitration seasons left before becoming a free agent after the 2020 season.

The Cubs are trying, but it’s going to be tough to get Yates.

Via The Athletic.

Sources indicate that the Cubs are actively pursuing relief help, with the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins all logical matchups. The Cubs were a finalist for Baltimore righty Brad Brach, but he was eventually moved to Atlanta on Sunday.

They currently have their sights set a bit higher. A more controllable, high-impact arm, like the Padres’ Kirby Yates, would likely be cost prohibitive. But from rentals to longer-term help, the Cubs are casting a wide net in their pursuit of arms.

We’ve already talked about the Miami Marlins connection with Brad Ziegler, read that here, but as Levine and Sahadev Sharma wrote, the Cubs are also looking at the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen.

Ryan Tepera is the other player along with Yates, who Levine reported as being scouted closely by the Cubs.

Tepera, like Yates, is under team control for another few years, as the Blue Jays’ reliever doesn’t become a free agent until 2022. The 30-year-old has a 3.71 ERA and 1.26 WHIP for Toronto this season, striking out 48 and walking 14 in 43.2 innings.

In his career, Tepera has a 3.49 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 169 appearances with the Blue Jays.

One day away from the trade deadline. Expect one more move by the Cubs.

A.J. Pollock Will Be An Intriguing Target For The White Sox In Free Agency

By
Emmet McClain
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If you say the phrase “free agency” in front of a White Sox fan, they will almost certainly start rambling about Manny Machado playing on the South Side in 2019. While that would make everybody drool with undeniable excitement, it is still a long shot that the All-Star infielder will sign with Chicago. He is going to go to whoever gives him the most money. While The White Sox will be able to offer him a lot, it will be hard for anyone to outbid the Yankees. But don’t worry, this winter will have a gold mine of grade-A free agents. One potential consolation prize for Rick Hahn is the Arizona Diamondback’s center fielder A.J. Pollock.

The story on Pollock is that he is a hell of a player, but is currently in his age 30 season and has had a history of injuries. But when he is healthy, boy is he fun to watch. In 61 games this season, he is slashing .293/.353/.573. Good for a .926 OPS and a 2.7 WAR. In 2015, he was an All-Star, received MVP votes, and won a Gold Glove.

Before he went down with an injury this season, he won N.L. Player Of The Month in April for doing things like this:

Because of how good he is when he is healthy (but also how rare that is) it is tough to predict how much he will make in free agency. He is currently making just under 8M, so it’s probably safe to say he’s going to get a decent raise. But again, it comes down to how comfortable teams are with his injury history.

The White Sox do have a ton of outfield depth in the minors and Luis Robert will be the eventual everyday center fielder for a very long time. But until that time comes, Pollock would be a great option to bridge that gap. Imagine going from an outfield of Charlie Tilson, Adam Engel, and Leury Garcia for the majority of 2018 to Eloy Jimenez, A.J. Pollock, and Avisail Garcia for 2019. Throw in Michael Kopech, a full season of Carlos Rodon, and an improved bullpen and suddenly the White Sox look like a very formidable team.

The worst case scenario would be that Pollock signs and then gets hurt. Best case scenario is that he stays healthy, produces to the tune of his career average (.288/.345/.475) and the White Sox stay competitive in the weakened A.L. Central until the rest of their prospects arrive.

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