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Cubs Could Lose Free Agent To Division Rival For The Second Year In A Row

By
Aldo Soto
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After the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series, a few players departed. The biggest and most important one was center fielder Dexter Fowler, who signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Now, the Cubs could be on the verge of losing yet another key player within the NL Central division.

Free agent pitcher Jake Arrieta is going to cash in this offseason and one of his main suitors has been confirmed to be none other than the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs were able to escape the 2017 season with the division title, but the Brewers surprised everyone in baseball, spending much of the year in first place. Their rise came a little early, but that may now put them in a position to go out and make a big free agent splash.

That move could be signing the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner.

Arrieta is expected to get a $100 million contract and the Brewers have more than enough money to land him.

The Cardinals could potentially be in the mix for Arrieta too, so Cubs fans might still see a lot of him.

Arrieta’s agent Scott Boras has been hard at work, trying to build up his client in free agency, so you know he’ll try to get a bidding war started soon. As far as the Cubs go, they appear to be more focused on Alex Cobb, who is a few years younger than Arrieta and will cost a lot less.

I will say, before 2016 if the Cubs had players signing with division rivals it would suck, but finally seeing them win the World Series, now I don’t care that much anymore. Obviously that’s not the same feeling among all Cubs fans, as some were mad when Fowler signed with the Cardinals and those same fans could very well be fired up again if Arrieta signs with Milwaukee.

It would add a new wrinkle to the Cubs-Brewers rivalry, so that part would certainly be entertaining. We’ll see, as Arrieta will surely have several offers this offseason.

Connor Barth Sabotaged the Bears More Than They’ll Admit

By
Erik Lambert
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connor barth

Mercifully the Connor Barth era has come to an end for the Chicago Bears. Some would argue it took way longer than it should’ve for a change to be made. It’s not like the veteran could be called an upgrade over what the team cut loose in Robbie Gould. Yet John Fox and the coaches persisted with him, either out of loyalty or the belief nobody better was available.

This has since been proven untrue. They had multiple shots at Graham Gano over the past year and never took a shot at him. He’s currently 20-of-21 in Carolina. In the end it was 26-year old Cairo Santos, fresh off a groin injury that got him cut from Kansas City, who puts the old dog out of his misery.

Some might think this is being a bit harsh on Barth. Is it though? In two years the man has missed his fair share of meaningful kicks. If you’re having trouble remembering some of the highlights, here’s a recap.

Missed FG vs. Colts (10-09-2016)

In a high-scoring game like this one was, it’s easy to forget a missed field goal in the midst of the action, especially since Barth made three others. Still every point matters in a tight ball game and once against he could deliver when his team needed. Trailing 19-13 in the third quarter, Chicago had a shot at a 54-yard field goal to narrow the gap. Barth pushed it left. Had it gone through the score would’ve been 29-26 when the Bears took over on their final drive with 2:28 left. Remember they drove to the Colts 35-yard line. That would’ve made for a 45-yard try to force overtime.

Missed FG and XP vs. Giants (11-20-2016)

The essence of this is simple. Chicago lost to the Giants in the Meadowlands 22-16. Barth was personally responsible for missing out on four points that day. If he’d hit his kicks, the Bears would’ve entered their final drive with the score 22-20. That means Jay Cutler only needs a field goal to win instead of having to push down the field with under three minutes to play for a touchdown. Sure enough Cutler had to throw more aggressively and it led to an interception.

Missed FG vs. Saints (10-29-2017)

The importance of this miss was overshadowed by other factors, but it certainly was a momentum killer. It was late in the first half. Getting points would’ve set the Bears up for a big opportunity because they received the ball in the second. The score was 14-3. A good kick would made it a one-score game. Then if Chicago got the field goal they eventually did in the third quarter it would’ve been 14-9. This means when the Bears scored their TD later in the game it would’ve been 17-15. At that point they’ve could go for two and tie it with the knowledge that a field goal could win it if they get the ball back. That changes everything.

Missed FG vs. Lions (11-19-2017)

This is the big one of course. The first time of the 2017 season the Bears actually put the game on Barth to win or force overtime. It was 46 yards. Sure not a gimme but in this day and age it should be a fairly routine kick for a guy in the NFL. It never even got close, sailing 10-15 feet wide right. That it happened after two heroic plays by Mitch Trubisky to set it up made it all the worse.

Cubs Have Serious Competition For Their Big Free Agent Target

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs have already reached out to Alex Cobb last week and the free agent starting pitcher has expressed his interested in wanting to reunite with pitching coach Jim Hickey. So, a deal between the two sides should be easy, right? Well, as much as Cobb says he’d love to pitch for the Cubs, he still has to explore all his options and the free agent market for his service is starting to grow.

A few days ago, MLB insider Peter Gammons said the free agent battle for Cobb will involve the Cubs, but their strongest opponent will be the New York Yankees.

–Heading for Thanksgiving, the industry consensus is that the Alex Cobb showdown will come down to Cubs v. Yankees.

(Peter Gammons)

The Yankees have shifted their focus in recent years on developing their minor league system again and haven’t gone too crazy in free agency, but that doesn’t mean they won’t open the checkbook now. So, their presence alone could drive up the price in negotiations, but the Yankees aren’t the only ones openly expressing interest in Cobb.

Cobb has spent his entire career with the Tampa Bay Rays and now one of his other former AL East rival would like to have him in their rotation.

According to Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles are searching for pitching help and Cobb is on their short list.

Morosi reported a third team that has reached out to Cobb. According to him, the Texas Rangers are in the mix as well.

The Rangers also have had preliminary contact with Cobb’s representatives, according to sources. In fact, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the club tried to acquire Cobb from the Rays via trade last offseason. The Rangers are in a similar position to the Orioles: They need to acquire multiple starting pitchers in order to challenge for a postseason spot — especially in a division led by the defending World Series champion Astros.

(Jon Morosi)

Early projections have Cobb’s contract to be in the vicinity of four years for $60 million.

However, the Cubs still have the advantage over these three teams. Yes, the Yankees also have a foundation built to compete for the foreseeable future, but the Yankees don’t have Joe Maddon and Jim Hickey, the Cubs do. That may ultimately be the deciding factor for Cobb, who has praised Maddon and Hickey.

White Sox Could Lose Premium Prospects If Not Protected From Rule 5 Draft

By
Matt Enuco
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The White Sox could lose organizational depth in the Rule 5 draft.
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America via Zimbio

The Rule-5 roster crunch is upon us with an 8 p.m. deadline on Monday, Nov. 20. Teams around the league must finalize their 40-man rosters to protect players from the Rule 5 draft in December. Several teams are under pressure to prioritize their talent and make tough decisions about who to protect and the White Sox are not immune from this trouble.

The current roster has four spots available to protect prospects from exposure to the Rule 5 draft. Eloy Jimenez will indubitably grab one of them while the rest of the roster is a toss-up. Other players at risk of exposure are Micker Adolfo, Ian Clarkin, Tito Polo, Casey Gillaspie and Jake Peter, among several others. After a prodigious dredge of the league’s talent last season, the White Sox stand to risk losing some of their recently acquired prospects unless Rick Hahn finds a way to outsmart the league once again.

There are a few ways to attack this problem. Taking a look at who should be protected can be daunting, so let’s toggle to who can be cut from the roster with little impact.

Jacob May was added to the roster to protect against the Rule 5 draft last year, but after a dreadful debut he was demoted to Triple-A and had a fair season. Charlie Tilson also occupies a spot on the 40-man roster but with a litany of injuries on his resume, his future with the White Sox is unclear. He played a few games this fall without incident but it’s safe to say teams won’t be kicking his tires after the stretch of injuries he’s had. Dylan Covey and Chris Beck might stick around longer considering the White Sox need pitching depth to survive the season.

Jace Fry was a late-season desperation promotion and although he got his feet wet in the big leagues, he could probably use one more year of experience in the minors. Aaron Bummer is another candidate for demotion to find space on the roster. With May, Tilson and Fry dropped from the 40-man roster three more spots open up for new talent at risk in the Rule 5 draft.

Micker Adolfo had a breakout season in 2017 and several teams could have their eye on the Dominican outfielder considering his high ceiling. However, he is far from ready for big-league action and teams could pass over him for this reason alone. Ian Clarkin was part of the trade that sent a slew of players to the Yankees last season and he has battled nagging injuries his entire career. Like Adolfo, Clarkin has yet to see action above A-ball, rendering him a safe bet to avoid selection in the Rule 5 draft.

Tito Polo is a different story. Polo was another prospect culled from the Yankees and had a strong season at Double-A. He added a stout performance in the Arizona Fall League and showed equal promise early last season for Team Colombia in the World Baseball Classic. Polo is at high risk of being plucked from the Rule 5 draft considering his production at higher minor-league levels.

Jake Peter is in the same waters as Polo and has the recent endorsement of White Sox brass as a surprising prospect on the rise. Peter has forced the issue for the past few years playing well at Double-A and Triple-A. He batted a combined .279 with 13 home runs in 2017 and played a panoply of positions, something the White Sox will need the next few seasons.

Casey Gillaspie is another prospect bagged from the Rays organization. It makes slight sense to trade a player like Dan Jennings for Gillaspie and then lose the profit from that deal in the Rule 5 draft.

With Gillaspie, Jimenez and Peter added to the 40-man roster and Tilson, May and Fry dropped, the White Sox still have four slots to play with. Perhaps Adolfo and Clarkin are worth adding to ensure their presence, but if everything stays the same and no one is dropped from the 40-man roster Adolfo and Clarkin will likely be risked and Jordan Guerrero will take the final roster spot.

Guerrero posted a very good season at Double-A in a rotation bereft of lefties and is the highest ranked left-hander among MLB Pipeline’s organizational top-30 prospects. He logged a 4.18 earned run average and 7-12 record but his stuff projects well and he could provide depth in the bullpen soon.

The final outcome is far from certain. Many experts expect a wave of trades as Monday wears on as teams try to insulate their most coveted prospects and net a return for the ones they cannot protect and expect to lose. Expect Hahn to be active in plenty of these discussions.

Jonathan Toews Is Using His Comedic Abilities Again, To Sell Toasters

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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He is Captain Serious on the ice, but off the ice Jonathan Toews has a great personality and some comedic talents. The best part is that he usually uses it for good. This time Toews is selling toasters, or Toews-sters, for charity.

In a partnership with the Canadian company, appropriately named Canadian Tire, Toews and other hockey greats like Wayne Gretzky are selling toasters for Jumpstart Charities. An organization that helps removes barriers to play and sport. It gets underprivileged kids off the sidelines and into the game.

Even though there are a lot of ladies in Chicago who would love to have a buttered up Toews, there is bad news. The offer is only available in Canada.

If you really want one, you’ll have to make a Canadian friend if you don’t already have one. Like Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

For now, enjoy the comedic stylings of Jonathan Toews.

Follow @Pappy_Hour for more Blackhawks news and musings.

Bears May Have Caught a Break on Leonard Floyd Knee Injury

By
Erik Lambert
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bears roster

The Leonard Floyd knee injury suffered on Sunday against the Lions was yet another kick to the gut for this franchise. Losing star players to injury has become an all too familiar pattern since last year and this could be the second-straight time Floyd has gone down for the year. Last time it was concussion-related. This time a knee. The tragic part of it?

Both injuries were caused by his own teammates. Against the Giants last year Floyd slammed head first into Akiem Hicks trying to make a tackle. This time it was Kyle Fuller flying in trying to make a tackle and striking Floyd low. Given the fact the trainers had to bring the cart out as a result, most feel the season is likely over for Floyd.

However, former NFL medical specialist Dr. David Chao believes it may not be that bad. An expert at review videos of plays, he typically is able to pinpoint the likely injury suffered. Though Floyd took a nasty hit, severe damage may have been avoided.

Leonard Floyd knee injury may not be ACL thanks to plant leg

“Floyd was carted off, and Fuller followed to the locker room, his left hand bleeding after Floyd stepped on it.

By video, Floyd was hit on the right knee/lower thigh.

Video leaves hope the injury is not as severe as it could be, as Floyd’s right foot was not planted. There is still significant worry for a contusion and MCL injury. The hope is it is not worse and he avoided a season- ending injury.”

The Bears have six games left to play. So the hope is this is nothing more than a severe contusion or a Grade I MCL sprain there’s a strong possibility he can get back before the end of the season. If it’s an MCL tear, it’s not as bad as the ACL but will still likely end his year. So no doubt one hopes the cart was merely a precaution in case of further injury.

Head coach John Fox stated that Floyd is undergoing an MRI today. More information should be available this afternoon.

Mitch Trubisky Might’ve Just Delivered Subtle Jab at John Fox

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

Nobody likes to lose and it seems least of all Mitch Trubisky. That’s easy to understand. The quarterback has been successful his entire football career. His team challenged for the state championship multiple times in high school. He was 8-5 in during his lone season as a starter at North Carolina. It can’t be fun being 3-7 and virtually out of the playoff race for him.

It’s frustrating in and of itself. What can often make it worse? Thinking the team isn’t doing everything in their power to change that. Now of course Trubisky is not the type of person to throw anybody under the bus. Anytime there’s a mistake on offense, he’s the first one to accept blame. The guy is a team player.

At the same time even he isn’t perfect. Sometime the frustration can bubble to the surface in small ways. That seems to have happened after the Bears’ difficult loss to Detroit at Soldier Field.

Mitch Trubisky admitted John Fox holds them back

Trubisky was his usual matter-of-fact self after the game. He delivered honest, precise answers and shouldered any blame for issues on offense. However it was during a question about his teammates’ belief in him as he continues to take charge of the huddle. Midway through his answer a little hint about the state of things slipped out.

“I feel like they trust me. I know coach Dowell Loggains trusts me a lot with just how far I’ve progressed — and what coach Fox is allowing us to do on offense. We just got to keep getting better each week. I feel like I have.”

It’s been felt for weeks that Fox was intentionally keeping the offense simplified. Most likely due to Trubisky’s inexperience, but also because he wants to run the football. This has made the offense predictable and as a result easier to defense. People have called out for the team to get more creative, more unpredictable with the play calls. To this point it hasn’t happened a lot and that can be tough on a competitor.

Trubisky no doubt believes he can do more. He wants to do more. Why? He thinks it will help the team win games. He’ll do as he’s told because he’s a good soldier. At the same time this is a reminder that Fox is still the conservative coach he has always been. Trubisky is not allowed to take risks.

He’s being taught how to play not to lose instead of playing to win. Does he sense that? Hard to say, but this admission is no less surprising.

Turns Out Ryan Pace Actually Did Go Behind Fox’s Back on Trubisky Pick

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

A few months ago ESPN insider Chris Mortensen added a bombshell to the NFL draft drama. It came right after the Chicago Bears had drafted quarterback Mitch Trubisky #2 overall. It said that head coach John Fox actually had no idea he would be the pick until shortly before it happened on draft night. This set off loads of speculative conversations, wondering if there was a divide between him and GM Ryan Pace.

Over time the buzz on that cooled. Fox insisted he was involved in the process and Pace insisted he kept his coach in the loop on everything. Though Mortensen has long been a trustworthy source for inside NFL information, he may have merely not known the full scope of what actually happened.

Well that seems to have finally come to pass. New information has come to light regarding what happened and it backs up with he first reported back in April.

Ryan Pace didn’t trust Fox to not betray Bears interest in Trubisky

According to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, Pace did indeed keep Fox in the dark about his plans. The reasoning? His interest in Trubisky was extensive and had been for months. He didn’t want anybody outside the front office to know about it. Not even the head coach.

“The demarcation line was drawn in April. Pace’s infatuation with Trubisky and obsession with keeping it secret left Fox lagging behind the GM’s plan.

Although Fox was involved with researching Trubisky, Pace concealed the extent to which he coveted the quarterback. The GM and his lieutenants were determined not to let Fox, with his penchant for chatter and an extensive league-wide network of pals, expose their plan. In their estimation, their futures depended on total secrecy.

So as Fox entered this season, the critical penultimate year of his four-year contract, Pace aggressively moved to draft Trubisky, who he did not intend to play as a rookie.”

In other words Pace understood Fox’s outgoing nature and wasn’t comfortable with entrusting sensitive information to him. So in a word both stories had truth to it. Mortensen was correct in that Fox didn’t know, but Fox also wasn’t lying when he said he was involved in the evaluation of Trubisky.

All told this is a somewhat unusual situation. One can understand Pace’s precaution and it doesn’t necessarily mean he lacks faith in Fox. At the same time a GM intentionally keeping his coach in the dark on something? It’s hard not to see that as troubling.

The Orioles Have Expressed Interest In Cubs CF Albert Almora Jr.

By
Sean Sears
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The Orioles and Cubs have exchanged phone calls plenty of times of the last few months. With clubs heading towards two different directions, it makes sense why the two would be trying to strike a deal with each other.

However, a deal has still not happened, but a source told Sports Mockery late Sunday afternoon that the Orioles may be interested in adding CF Albert Almora Jr.

The Cubs have been linked a few times to the Orioles in regards to their dynamic closer Zach Britton, but most believe the Cubs have other names in mind. Particularly starter Kevin Gausman, who has struggled in his time with Baltimore, but is a former top prospect in the Oriole system.

While our source did not list names of anyone the Cubs would move Almora for, he did hint at their interest in Gausman. Saying, “They would like Gausman,” which honestly isn’t saying much, but does confirm the Cubs would consider a deal involving him.

Now, Almora alone likely doesn’t make this deal work, and the Orioles want to acquire more pieces to try and avoid rebuilding. Maybe adding some like Kyle Schwarber or Javier Baez is something they consider if Gausman is involved, but that seems unlikely.

To move two cost-controlled pieces in Almora and Schwarber/Baez for Zach Britton and Kevin Gausman just doesn’t seem like a move the Cubs would make. Now, if the Orioles would accept some high-ceiling prospects who are a few years away, this deal could get done.

It all depends on if the Orioles would start a full rebuild, which also means accepting Manny Machado and Adam Jones leave after 2018. The O’s GM Peter Angelos would probably hate that option, which makes me think a deal like this doesn’t happen.

But, adding Almora Jr. to that Orioles roster does make sense, with Jones entering his age 32 season. Maybe the Orioles are tired of waiting on Gausman, possibly move him in a trade while addressing their rotation in free agency? All speculation and all unlikely for an owner who historically hates spending money.

But, with his club entering a very important year in terms of talent that could leave after this season, maybe they try one last push to win? The Royals did it last year, its possible the Orioles front office wants to give this group one last shot?

I just don’t see how both sides getting what they want without dramatically impacting their everyday roster. Which makes me think a deal isn’t happening.

Chicago Bears Fans Got Everything They Wanted in Loss to Lions

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

One would think Chicago Bears fans would be upset by the loss to the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Sure a good number of them were. It was a heartbreaking way to lose. Over 10,000 tickets went unused in the game, so clearly fans had no plans to spend their money on a team they felt wasn’t going to win. In truth though this game went about as well as could be hoped.

How so? Well getting the desired results when a season is lost can be tricky. It’s like walking a tightrope. Requires balance, timing and a little luck. Chicago managed all three at least for the second week in a row. It required three keys steps to fulfill. Unsurprisingly it started with their young quarterback.

Mitch Trubisky had another exciting performance

It may not have been a 300-yard passing day but for another week Trubisky took a big step forward in his development. It’s encouraging that arguably his two best performances to date were against division rivals. This game against Detroit was a showcase of his athleticism, his improvisation and his poise under pressure.

On the day he threw for 179 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t always perfect as it rarely ever is for a rookie. Nonetheless he threw some pretty balls and executed some great drives. He added onto that with 53 yards rushing, including an absolutely ice cold scramble for a first down with 28 seconds left on 4th and 13.

That was another clutch moment that showed his ability to find a way even after a play breaks down. His throw to Inman on the next play to get in field goal range was also dead on. This kid is growing up fast. If the Bears can get some weapons and good coaches around him? The sky is the limit.

The coaches made mind-numbing decisions

Things actually were looking up for the Bears coaching staff early in the game. Dowell Loggains called one of the best first halves of the season, constantly keeping the Lions defense on their heels with creative play designs. They also did the common sense thing by getting Tarik Cohen and Adam Shaheen more involved. Both scored touchdowns.

Then, predictably, it all went away. Chicago reverted back to their predictable offense most of the remaining game. By far the worst stretch though came on the final drive regarding their use of personnel.

Considering the Lions had few answers for Cohen, couldn’t match up with Shaheen and Inman made the catch to set up the field goal attempt? Yeah it was a level of bewildering that even this staff hadn’t reached before. To say nothing of the fact that Fox stubbornly refuses to find another kicker after Connor Barth let him down yet again on a very makeable 46-yarder.

They lost to maintain great draft position

This is the news that will be most encouraging for Bears fans who enjoy pain. Going into this week Chicago was tied with six other teams at 3-6. That’s why they held the #9 draft spot before their game today. They lost to drop to 3-7 while at the same time other teams with the same record have won. Tampa Bay beat Miami and Houston defeated Arizona. Either Cincinnati or Denver will lose today as well since they play each other. The Chargers are thumping Buffalo as this is being written.

This means the Bears could make a significant climb up the NFL draft pecking order by the end of business today. As high as the top five depending on how the schedule breaks. Given the current strength of this roster, it would be stealing if Ryan Pace got another top five draft pick. Combine that with an upgraded coaching staff and this team becomes something serious.

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