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Matt Davidson And White Sox Set Records And Murder Royals On Opening Day

By
Aldo Soto
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If Opening Day is any indication of how the 2018 season will play out, then Chicago White Sox fans better get ready for an entertaining year. Obviously it’s way too early to determine just how competitive this team will be, but it’s safe to say fans will have plenty to cheer for. Opening Day has been a massacre in Kansas City, where the White Sox hit five home runs against the Royals in two innings.

The afternoon began with James Shields allowing four runs in the first, but the White Sox stormed back to take an 8-4 lead, behind home runs by Jose Abreu, Matt Davidson and Tim Anderson. Davidson and Anderson each have hit two homers so far, which puts them on a short list in franchise history to have multi-homer games on Opening Day.

So, a nice little two-way tie atop the MLB home run leaders.

The home run derby the White Sox are putting on isn’t even the most historic part. Anderson became the first White Sox shortstop to go deep on Opening Day. And he did it twice!

The White Sox also set a new franchise record for homers on Opening Day. They tied it in one inning, blasting three in the fourth.

UPDATE

While I was writing this post, Matt Davidson hit ANOTHER HOME RUN! Here are the six from the Sox, including three from the front runner for the AL MVP.

Record set after record set for the White Sox.

What an unbelievable Opening Day for the 2018 White Sox.

WATCH: Ian Happ And Kyle Schwarber Talk Stretching In This Hilarious Commercial

By
Gus
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Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber both went yard today during the Cubs 8-4 win over the Miami Marlins. Happ became the first player in over 30 years to take the first pitch of the season deep since Dwight Clark did it off Jack Morris all the way back in 1986.

Schwarber made up for some serious fielding blunders by taking the soul out of a baseball in the top of the 7th inning to extend the Cubs lead to 6-4 at that point. I’d also like to note that Schwarber has the first official “pimp job” of the 2018 season with that majestic stare. He had to stare at it because the pitcher didn’t even bother turning around to watch the ball sail over the fence.

The two recently starred in a commercial for Mizzen + Main, which is a men’s clothing company who prides itself on creating the most comfortable dress shirts in the business.

From their website,

“WHY ARE THESE SHIRTS SO COMFORTABLE AF?

They’re made out of performance fabric. Yeah. Performance fabric.”

The two Cubs, who are spokesmen for the company, co-starred in a pretty funny commercial which almost has a “Step Brothers” vibe to it. Either way, it’s pretty funny to actually see Ian Happ have fun and not look like he wants to murder a litter of kittens.

Check it out.

WATCH: Kyle Schwarber Destroys His First HR Of 2018

By
Aldo Soto
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This. This is why Kyle Schwarber is my left fielder. This is why Kyle Schwarber is your left fielder. This is why Kyle Schwarber is the starting left fielder for the Chicago Cubs because he kills baseballs.

Botches a couple plays on defense, sure, but Schwarber wasn’t letting that get to him. Just like I said earlier, so what about the defense, he’s going to hit at least 35 homers this season.

Here’s No. 1.

Gotta love sports. You always get a chance at redemption.

So, The Debut Of Skinny Kyle Schwarber In The Outfield Was Kinda Bad

By
Aldo Soto
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I mean, you can spin zone this all you want, but Kyle Schwarber was brutal in left field during the third inning of Thursday’s game against the Miami Marlins.

Maybe he was just too amped up and was trying to do too much on the second botched play of the inning after completely missing a ball to begin the third, but it looked ugly and cost the Cubs as well.

The first play went for a triple and although Schwarber wasn’t charged with an error it’s a play that could have been made. The second play was just going to be an RBI-single, but after Schwarber over ran the ball, the Marlins got a runner to third base and he scored on a single to the next batter.

Not ideal.

But again, it was two awful plays in one inning of baseball, I’m not going to panic. Schwarber’s not going to get down on himself and he’s still going to go out there and hit 35 dingers this season.

So whatever, Schwarber may not be a gold glover, but he doesn’t need to be. Just you know, let’s keep these lowlights to a minimum going forward.

By the way, defense is why Jason Heyward is going to play a lot this season, so just deal with that fact too.

The National Experts Have Found Their 2018 NFL “Cinderella”

By
Erik Lambert
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tarik cohen

The Chicago Bears 2018 expectations are high. That’s not a bad thing. This is a team that has undergone a lot of turmoil in recent years. Such is the price paid for having to go through an extensive rebuilding process. Years of mismanagement by prior regimes forced GM Ryan Pace to blow the whole thing up and basically construct this new team from the bottom up.

It hasn’t been a smooth process by any stretch. The Bears haven’t had a winning season since 2012 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. Pace has yet to produce a year better than 6-10 during his time running the team and already replaced his first head coach. His grace period runs short. This team needs to start winning. He hopes the new configuration he’s put together will do the job.

There’s no question he believes it will, but he’s biased. The serious critics he has yet to convince is the fickle national media who have often used the Bears as a punchline the past three years. Has anything changed at all based on the work Pace has done the past couple months? Believe it or not, yes it has.

Chicago Bears 2018 work is making believers out of people

Every year the NFL seems to have one or two teams that come out of nowhere to surprise people. Last season it was the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams went from 4-12 to 10-6 under new head coach Sean McVay. The Eagles went from 6-10 to 13-3 and won the Super Bowl.

Both teams followed a similar blueprint, drafting young quarterbacks and then surrounding them with talent. It’s something Pace has seen fit to copy almost to the letter, and experts are impressed with the results. Adam Schein of NFL.com, a notorious Bears critic, admitted he sees Chicago as being the “Cinderella of this upcoming season.

“What would Sister Jean do?

Yes! Yes, of course!!

In the spirit of Loyola-Chicago’s march in March, our 2018 NFL Cinderella team is the Chicago Bears.

Now, I’m not guaranteeing that the Bears will make the playoffs this season. I do have a brain, and the NFC is loaded.

But yes, Jim Carrey, I’m absolutely telling you there’s a chance.

Realistically, I think Chicago’s goal should be to make the playoffs in 2019. But teams have proven ahead of schedule many times before. And I’m digging the Bears’ current plan of attack — starting with the fact that, well, unlike in prior offseasons, they actually have one.”

He’s not alone either. Fellow colleagues at NFL Network, the Good Morning Football crew are also on the Bears bandwagon. Former wide receiver Nate Burleson went into detail about how the team will put it all together this season.

Bears could be a good draft away from being ready

There’s no question they’ve done some good work up to this point. Matt Nagy, Mark Helfrich, and Brad Childress are significant upgrades on the offensive coaching staff vs. last year. Vic Fangio returns to continue doing his thing on defense. It’s a group that has a great mix of young ideas and veteran experience.

Free agency soon followed and Pace probably had his best run as a GM, at least on paper. Allen Robinson, Trey Burton and Taylor Gabriel bring loads of playmaking potential to the passing attack for Mitch Trubisky. Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are back on long-term deals for the defense. They even added a young kicker with a Pro Bowl history in Cody Parkey. All this before the draft, Pace’s best event, has even arrived.

Yeah, it’s getting easier to understand why optimism is so high on the Bears of late.

WATCH: Anthony Rizzo Demolishes First Home Run Of 2018

By
Aldo Soto
-

After the first two innings of the 2018 season, the Chicago Cubs were on pace to hit nine home runs on Opening Day. Ian Happ jumped on the very first pitch by Jose Urena, hitting a leadoff home run and then in the second inning Anthony Rizzo went deep to give the Cubs a 4-1 lead over the Miami Marlins.

So pretty.

Before the game, Rizzo as well as the rest of the Cubs, wore Marjory Stoneman Douglas shirts to honor the Parkland shooting victims.

The Cubs and Marlins also wore patches and ribbons with the initials “MSD” and 17 stars, which represent the number of people killed at Rizzo’s high school.

Rizzo plans to host four families of victims of the shooting at Friday’s game. He also praised the activism shown by the kids and criticized those who are bashing the activism, while also calling for gun control.

Via the Chicago Sun-Times.

And for the first time since the incident, he advocated for laws that would make it more difficult for Americans to get guns.

Rizzo had especially harsh words for those who have spread rumors that the children and teenagers who spoke at rallies in Washington were actors hired by anti-gun activists.

“I think they’re losers. That’s what I think, to be honest,’’ he said. “You hear all these things and it’s like, ‘How can you even say this? Where’s your heart? Where’s your sense of sympathy?’ It’s as real as it gets. If you don’t think it’s real, go there. It’s crazy to hear that.’’

“You’ve got these extremists,’’ he said. “You’ve got the people who are going for all the gun laws and they’re going to the full extreme. Then you’ve got the other side that is defending them that is going full extreme that we’re taking away rights.

“I don’t think that’s the message. I think the message is somewhere in the middle that everyone can agree on. For them to get bullied on Twitter by someone with strong fingers, I think it’s pretty funny. I know for a fact that they’re not going to let anything affect them and their mission because what they’re doing is bigger than themselves. It’s for a lot of people.’’

“My biggest thing is that, if you can get make it harder to get guns, hopefully it eliminates a little bit of the problems.’’

Strong words from the captain.

Ian Happ Just Hit A Leadoff Home Run On The First Pitch Of The Season

By
Aldo Soto
-

This is unbelievable, but at the same time of course Ian Happ was going to hit a leadoff home run!

On the very first pitch, Happ launched a dinger to right field off of Miami Marlins starter Jose Urena, but the call by JD was judt ss good.

Talk about making a statement.

REPORT: Cubs Sign Outfielder From 2016 World Series Team

By
Aldo Soto
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Cubs Walkoff

Hey, the last time the Chicago Cubs unexpectedly acquired Chris Coghlan they went on to win the World Series. So, you know, that obviously means the Cubs are winning it all again this year because they have signed Coghlan to a minor-league deal.

On Wednesday, Coghlan was spotted in uniform down in Mesa, where Tyler Chatwood pitched in one more tune up game before the regular season and on Opening Day it was confirmed that the Cubs signed Coghlan to a deal.

Coghlan hasn’t had much stability since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2009, but boy has he taken advantage of the playing time when he’s been with the Cubs. He first signed on the North Side in 2014, and put up a .283/.352/.452 slash line. He then hit a career high 16 home runs in 2015, when the Cubs started their current streak of success. However, before the 2016 season, he was suddenly traded to the Oakland A’s, as Dexter Fowler’s surprise return happened on the same day.

But there’s just something about Coghlan that this Cubs front office loves because they brought him back, trading for him on June 9, 2016. He played in 48 games with the Cubs in 2018, posting a .391 OBP in 103 at-bats, which eventually led to Coghlan playing in nine playoff games. He even started Game 1 of the 2016 World Series.

Well, after a disappointing 2017 season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Coghlan is back with the Cubs and who knows, we might see him at Wrigley Field later in the year.

Huge Free Agency Risk By Ryan Pace Could End In Disaster

By
Chris Burhans
-
trey burton

If there’s one thing Ryan Pace has done well since coming to the Bears it’s his ability structure team-friendly contracts. Wish I could say the same about his free agency choices, but the structure of the deals has played a big role covering up some terrible decisions by Chicago’s General Manager. Mike Glennon, Pernell McPhee and Jerrell Freeman are clear examples of mistakes that the team got rid of without really breaking the bank.

Enter Trey Burton.

Trey Burton’s Contract Is Pretty Ridiculous

The newly signed tight end, for Matt Nagy’s offense of course, is likely doing back-flips over the amount of money Pace chose to give him. With just six career touchdowns and five career starts in the regular season, Burton is now the fifth highest paid tight end in football thanks to the Bears. He will make more money than Greg Olsen, Charles Clay, Dwayne Allen and Kyle Rudolph to name a few.

Interesting stat: Olsen’s total contract value is $22.5 million, Burton’s guaranteed money from Chicago is $22 million. That is absolutely absurd for a player that was a backup in Philadelphia his first two seasons in the league.

The U-Back

Burton is expected to play the “U-back” in Nagy’s offense, similar to the role Travis Kelce plays in Kansas City. Kelce has back-to-back 1,000+ yards seasons.

That information, combined with his contract, is a clear indication that Pace and Co. have big plans for the former Florida Gator. He wasn’t paid based on anything he’s really done, outside of throwing a Super Bowl touchdown pass to Nick Foles, he’s been paid on what Pace expects him to do which is a very dangerous approach for a player with such limited experience.

Image result for trey burton florida gif

The Pressure Is On

After signing a four-year, $32 million, contract which included a $7.5 million signing bonus, Burton will be expected to immediately contribute to the offense. Considering he has been in the league four years and only has 63 career receptions, he will be in a position to put up career numbers in 2018. What if that doesn’t pan out?

Fellow tight end Adam Shaheen is expected to do some great things in Chicago as well after being selected in the second round (45th overall) of the 2017 Draft. He contributed nicely his rookie season scoring three touchdowns on just 12 receptions. How does he fit into the Burton deal? Is Shaheen now the backup, or will they both contribute with Burton playing primarily the U?

These are just some of the questions fans are asking. Bleacher Report recently reported that the Burton deal could be the biggest regret for the Chicago Bears heading into the 2018 season, do you agree?

If Burton Fails, Pace Will Be Held Accountable

Pernell McPhee was damaged goods when Chicago signed him.

Ray McDonald lasted less than three months before his character caught up with him and he was charged with domestic violence and child endangerment.

Jerrell Freeman got popped taking PEDs and then cut after failing to pass a physical.

Markus Wheaton was signed for two years, $11 million, and didn’t start a single game for the Bears before being cut.

Mike Glennon will be a running joke in Chicago for the rest of his career.

Is Trey Burton the next black eye for Pace in free agency? Or, will his potential be leveraged by Nagy to turn him into a Pro Bowler?

Either way, this contract carries a significant amount of risk for Pace, the Bears and Nagy’s offense. We can only hope the comparisons to Tim Tebow don’t pan out and Burton ends up better than his brother who was a tight end waived by the Bills back in 2015 during tryouts.

Burton will be given every opportunity to succeed in Chicago, but the amount of money he signed for comes with big expectations. Let’s hope the 26 year-old can live up to the hype Pace and Nagy have placed upon him.

3 Things We Learned From Spring Training

By
Patrick Mooney
-

Spring Training is over and Opening Day is TODAY! The Chicago Cubs play baseball against the Miami Marlins and the final result will actually count.

Before first pitch gets underway, let’s look at the three things we learned over the last month that we didn’t know for certain when camp opened back in mid-February.

1-EVERYBODY IS IN ONE PIECE

Thank God.

You don’t have to look too hard to find teams that have been bitten hard by the injury bug already. Justin Turner got his wrist busted and is out until at least mid-May. Madison Baumgarner took a line drive off his hand and won’t be able to resume baseball activities for 4-6 weeks, and his rotation mate Jeff Samardzija will also start the season on the DL. Salvador Perez injured himself carrying luggage up a flight of stairs.

The Cubs have made it through Arizona without a single player headed to the disabled list. Pedro Strop was the only question mark in the health department with a bum calf, but after three scoreless innings he appears ready to rock. A healthy Cubs team=A dangerous Cubs team.

2-A Lead Off Hitter Has Emerged

This has been the biggest question regarding the Cubs offense ever since Dexter Fowler left town. The issue, to be quite honest, has been a bit overblown. The Cubs finished 4th in the Major Leagues in runs scored last season despite their carousel of unsuccessful leadoff hitters.

Still, Theo and Jed talked this offseason about how the offense, while successful, went through too many dry spells in the regular season for their liking, and the team’s inconsistent offensive approach reared its ugly head in the NLCS.

Ian Happ went full-on scorched earth from the leadoff spot this Spring, leading the team with an OPS of 1.211. He tied for the league lead in home runs with seven, five of which came in the first at-bat of the game. Ian Happ impressed a lot of people in the organization last year, but come playoff time he could hardly get on the field. Happ is ready to impress again, this time from the very first pitch. Literally.

3-In The Battle For Outfield Playing Time, Albert Almora Is At The Bottom Of The 4 Player Totem Pole

Ian Happ’s Spring surge is bound to have somebody on the outside looking in for playing time, and for now that is Albert Almora. Especially since Happ’s future as a part-time infielder for this team looks bleak. 

Kyle Schwarber tore up Spring training in his new, slimmed down body and Jason Heyward is still owed over $125MM over the next six seasons. The corners are occupied.

Both batters have struggled against left-handed pitching, and in Heyward’s case the struggles are expected to continue, so that will give Almora some time either in a corner or in center with Happ shifting over. Also, only once has a player not named Rizzo or Bryant made more than 142 starts during Joe Maddon’s Cubs tenure, which means Happ will be on the bench at least 20 times this season (and it’ll likely be more than that). It’s not like Almora’s playing time will resemble Tommy Lastella’s.

However, Maddon’s got to find some time for Zobrist in the outfield too and as much as fans want to see Heyward spend more time on the pine this season, Maddon still highly values his leadership, defense and baserunning.

Heyward could lose more and more playing time throughout the season if he continues to not hit, but his defense is still soooo good that Almora will have to improve, mightily, against right-handed pitching to earn some of Heyward’s playing time.

Last season, Heyward’s wRC+ (a popular league-wide metric where ‘100’ is league average) was 94 vs righties in 360 plate appearances, Almora’s was only 81 in 198 plate appearances. Heyward’s OPS against righties was .23 points higher and his OBP was .47 points higher. Almora had a rough spring and it will probably take an injury to get him in the lineup against righties on a regular basis.

For now, Almora’s playing time may come sparingly. These things tend to work themselves out, though, if Almora performs well in the time he is given he will earn more at-bats over time. The outfield rotation is definitely subject to change.

But now, it’s time to say goodbye to Spring and hello to that sweet Miami summer. Let’s go Cubs.

 

 

 

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