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Anthony Rizzo Hits A GRAND SLAM!

By
Aldo Soto
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The Cincinnati Reds had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the first inning against John Lackey, but thanks to Kyle Schwarber’s arm the Chicago Cubs were only down 1-0 heading into the bottom half of the inning. That’s when the Cubs loaded the bases themselves against Homer Bailey with no outs, bringing up Anthony Rizzo to the plate.

And then BOOM! First pitch swinging, Rizzo launched his 28th home run of the season, and his third career grand slam.

The NFL’s Official Bears 2017 Breakout Player Pick Will Thrill Fans

By
Erik Lambert
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bears 2017 breakout player

Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks are both former NFL scouts and have become two of the top draft experts for NFL Network. They have a deep and extensive knowledge of every roster in the league. So it would be interesting, if nothing else, to hear who their official Bears 2017 breakout player would be. Certainly they have plenty of choices.

There’s Leonard Floyd. He had seven sacks last season despite missing four games with various injuries and is reportedly stronger now. Cameron Meredith had an excellent training camp by all accounts and is prepared to build on the decent year he had in 2016. Last but not least is Eddie Goldman who looked dominant at times last year but needs only to stay healthy.

Turns out none of those guys were the pick. Instead Jeremiah and Brooks singled out one of their young rookies. Somebody who’s been making a lot of noise at training camp.

Bears 2017 breakout player is Tarik Cohen

Seems no matter what people do it’s impossible not to talk about Cohen. The 5’6″ running back is railed about his size on a daily basis. Yet it doesn’t seem to phase him. He was dynamite in training camp and followed it up with a strong performance in his first preseason game that included seven carries for 39 yards (5.6 per carry).

Many see him as the spitting image of three-time Pro Bowler Darren Sproles. The same size, the same agility, quickness and speed. Of course there is a long way to go before he reaches that level but it’s encouraging nonetheless. Cohen is considered an ideal scat back, one who can come in for certain situations and create mismatches.

He could be the perfect foil for the ground and pound style of Jordan Howard, making them a vicious 1-2 punch. That’s at least the dream a lot of Bears fans have. If these guys are right, then at least one dream will come true.

This Is The Funniest Ceremonial First Pitch Ever

By
Aldo Soto
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Direct shot to the nuts.

Taking pictures one second, keeling over the next as you take a baseball to your balls. Absolutely brutal, however you can’t not laugh at it every time even if you’ve experienced the awful pain before.

The Mets’ Curtis Granderson Could Be The Cubs Offensive Savior

By
Sean Sears
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Last night, the Cubs lost a 2-1 game to the Reds after loading the bases up in the 8th without scoring and leaving the game-tying and winning run on base in the 9th. This coming after a night the Cubs scored 15 runs on this same Reds team.

Simply put: The Cubs need someone to drive in runners.

The Cubs have the middle of the order in Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo doing their part to score runs, who are both have an OPS near .900 or more. But it’s the rest of this lineup that seems to struggle to push across runs, especially in crucial moments. Too many times this season have the Cubs started an inning with a Kris Bryant single and an Anthony Rizzo walk, with the next three batters doing nothing at the plate.

When Willson Contreras was healthy and on his incredible tear, the Cubs looked like they had found their RBI-guy in Willy. But with him sitting out the next month of baseball, the Cubs are still waiting for another guy to step up in their lineup. Javier Baez has shown flashes of being that guy, with 18 home runs and 54 RBI’s, but there’s a reason Baez was bunting last night with runners on and no outs.

However, there are a few options via trade the Cubs could consider, one of them being Chicago-native and current New York Met Curtis Granderson. The 36-year-old outfielder, while not exactly tearing the cover off the ball with a .228 batting average, has been one of the better hitters in baseball with runners on base.

Granderson is batting .275 with runners in scoring position with 26 RBI’s for the lowly Mets, who are currently 18 games out of 1st place in the NL East. He currently has 18 home runs, with 10 of them coming with runners on base, and has driven in 57 runs so far this season – which would be good for 3rd on the Cubs roster.

He is currently the leagues slowest center fielder, but current Cub Jon Jay is the 2nd slowest and we’ve seen Jay make excellent defensive plays in center or in the corners. It’s not hard to imagine Granderson handling himself in left field.

While the Mets will not just giveaway Granderson, the club knows he holds more value for other teams than theirs, and would be willing to part with him for likely a mid-tier prospect. The Mets have already moved another power-hitting outfielder in Jay Bruce last week to the Indians. The return for Bruce was smaller, reliever Ryder Ryan, but the Indians also absorbed the remaining $13 million left on his contract.

Granderson is free agent after this season, and even though he is making $15 million this season, the Mets will hunting something of value back for the the veteran outfielder. While the Cubs have not implied any interest in Granderson, plenty of other teams have shown a desire to acquire the veteran, including the Washington Nationals – who just lost Bryce Harper for an undetermined time due to a bone bruise. 

Granderson may be seen as a luxury for a team like the Cubs who have a relatively healthy outfield, but the team is lacking offensive production from the outfield as a whole. And according to Mike Petrillo of MLB.com Granderson, who got off to a rough start in April, has been slashing .266/.384/.570 since May 1st with a 148 wRC+, which would make him tied with Kris Bryant, the Royals Eric Hosmer, and Dodgers rookie sensation Cody Bellinger. It’s also worth mentioning that all the other players ahead of Granderson in wRC+ are currently considered MVP candidates in their respective leagues.

Granderson is also slugging the ball the best he has since he was with the Yankees in 2012 with at .473 SLG, the veteran would fit perfectly behind Bryant and Rizzo while the club awaits Contreras’ return. And at the very least, Granderson adds a proven lefty bat with playoff experience who hits right handed pitching well. Oh, and he’s one of the nicest guys in the entire sport, making him an excellent addition to the Cubbies locker room.

This does create an surplus of outfielders for the Cubs, which would likely lead to either Kyle Schwarber or Ian Happ being sent back to the minors until the rosters expand in September. And the cost for Granderson like is someone like DJ Wilson, Chesney Young, or an arm like Duane Underwood.

But to add a bonafide slugger in Granderson to this Cubs offense may be what they need to replace the offense lost from Contreras. And when he returns, having Rizzo, Bryant, Contreras and Granderson on paper, makes the Cubs a lot scarier to teams than currently constructed.

Mitch Trubisky Has a New Fan in Brett Favre, Of All People

By
Erik Lambert
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Considering the history, it’s hard to believe Brett Favre would love anything about the Chicago Bears. He tortured this franchise for so many years after all. It’s no secret that legions of fans still despise him to this day. Anybody with eyes saw the celebration they had when the Bears ruined Favre Appreciation Night at Lambeau Field in 2015. So to hear a Mitch Trubisky Brett Favre connection of any kind comes out of left field.

As it turns out the Hall of Fame QB came away impressed with the Bears rookie following his performance in the preseason opener. High praise indeed. By accounts its been difficult for any rookie to make an impression on him, regardless of position. Of course like most he was careful to caution people against getting carried away after one game.

At the same time, he did reveal an interesting nugget that paints a clearer picture for why he’s so receptive to Mitch.

Mitch Trubisky Brett Favre connection centers around a coach

“He played well the other night and of course you can’t put a lot of stock into playing well or not playing so well in the first preseason game. I supposed if anything, if you had your pick, you’d rather play well than not so well. But I think he’s got all the tools. I know the guy who coached him, Larry Fedora. He was here at Southern Miss. I think a lot of Larry and a lot of his coaching style. He speaks very highly of his quarterback.”

Larry Fedora is of course the head coach at North Carolina. He was the man who recruited Trubisky out of Ohio and helped turn him into the player he is now. Fedora has remained an ardent supporter of his ex-pupil since they parted way. He believes Mitch has a bright future in the NFL. Some question that given Fedora kept Trubisky benched for two years before finally starting him in 2016.

An accusation Fedora has stated had far less to do with Trubisky himself and more the political situation of the time. Bottom line is he has high expectations for the young quarterback. If Favre places high stock in that opinion, it’s definitely something worth noting. Like all of us, he’s anxious to see if the rookie can build on his strong start.

People will find out in Arizona against their always aggressive defense. Should be another stiff test.

Artemi Panarin Explains, In His Own Words, Why He Was Traded

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Panarin

It was a move that very few people saw coming when Artemi Panarin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets to bring Brandon Saad back to Chicago. The move has been polarizing between the fans who love Panarin’s scoring ability or love Saad’s multi-dimensional game.

Hockey fans can debate for hours on why the Blackhawks should or should not have made the move.  The things you will hear range from Panarin is a one trick pony and Saad can play at both ends. Or, Panarin scores more than Saad and the Blackhawks need to score more. Whatever it is, fans are divided.

It doesn’t matter what fans want but the direction the Blackhawks organization wants to be headed. For the first time since the trade, Panarin gave his thoughts on why he was traded in an interview with Bardown.

“There are a lot of rumors now. I do not care who or what was said. It is possible that it was so, but if I won two Stanley Cups in my two years in Chicago, then I would not be exchanged. I’m the one who lost twice in the first round. Who is there to be offended by?”

Panarin obviously understands the objective of every NHL organization. Win the Stanley Cup. While Panarin can’t be completely to blame for the Blackhawks bowing out in the first round, he does recognize Saad’s ability.

“Brandon Saad, who I was traded to Columbus for, is a good player. He has a contract for four years. With him, Chicago won the Stanley Cup. I would keep playing for them for I don’t know how long, showing off.”

Artemi Panarin noted that he will focus on playing his game and not worry about outside distractions while in Columbus. This is a good attitude for a young player who has had very early success in his career.

“The last season turned out to be very difficult in psychological terms. In the next, I will not think about extraneous things or about what they think of me. Very often, it seems that people make out your actions a big deal, but no one really pays you as much attention.”

Whatever your feelings are about the trade, it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out for both players. Will Panarin keep up his scoring with the Blue Jackets? Will Saad be the two-way player that the Blackhawks need him to be?

Follow @Pappy_Hour on Twitter for more Blackhawks news and musings.

Dwyane Wade & Bulls Expect To Reach Buyout Agreement

By
Matt Peck
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Bulls cancel meeting Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade’s Chicago homecoming could be nearly over. The three time NBA champion and Chicago native opted into the second year of his contract with the Bulls earlier this year. He did so before the Bulls front office decided it was finally time to trade his Marquette pal Jimmy Butler and start fresh. When pressed by TNT’s David Aldridge to provide his reasons for opting in, Wade didn’t mince words. He said he had “24 million reasons”, alluding to the $23.8 million he’s due from the Bulls in the upcoming 2017-18 season.

But will he still want to collect all that money if it means playing on a rebuilding team picked to finish dead last in the Eastern Conference? Would he rather join forces with one of his banana boat friends on a roster more readily equipped to at least make a playoff run if not win a title? Going back to Miami – where he is still largely beloved – is another option. According to ESPN’s Nick Friedell, that’s becoming more and more likely. In a recent breakdown of the Bulls roster picked to finish last, Friedell made note of the Wade situation with the following:

“Dwyane Wade isn’t long for the organization’s future and is expected to reach a buyout agreement at some point in the next few months.” – Nick Friedell

During a press conference earlier this summer, Bulls VP John Paxson clearly stated that any kind of buyout for Wade would have to benefit the organization moving forward. In other words, the Bulls will let Wade go if he gives some portion of that $23.8 million back. Or perhaps the Bulls can agree to a sign and trade with a contending team that wants Wade, getting a young player and/or draft picks in return to better suit their rebuilding efforts.

dwyane wade bulls expect reach buyout agreement
With his buddy Jimmy Butler now in Minnesota, money is the only thing keeping Dwyane Wade in Chicago.

“The next few months” is hard to interpret. Obviously, the Bulls can look to buy out or deal Wade before the trade deadline. This season, that deadline will fall on February 8, a couple weeks earlier than in recent years. They can still come to terms on a buyout after the deadline, which would allow Wade to sign on for another team’s playoff run as a free agent. One must wonder exactly where a Wade buyout sits on the front office’s current priority list.

If GarPax are wise (insert joke here) it should be near the top. The longer Dwyane stays in Chicago, the more games he plays. The more games he plays, the more the aging-but-still-useful guard contributes to wins that this lottery-hungry team doesn’t want. The more minutes he plays, the fewer minutes get distributed to an abundance of young guys in the backcourt who desperately need time to develop. GarPax and Fred Hoiberg need time to evaluate that development, too.

The Bulls front office has been largely quiet about the Wade buyout scenario since Paxson’s original comments back in June. Let’s hope all involved parties are silently working on a way to get Wade out of town as quickly as possible.

No offense, Dwyane. Much respect for the charity work and everything else you’ve done for the city of Chicago. But this homecoming was a bad idea from the get-go, from a strictly basketball standpoint. Time for everybody to move on. Make it happen.

Only One Bears Rookie May Start Opening Day And It’s Not Mitch

By
Erik Lambert
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bears draft pick

The Chicago Bears 2017 draft class came away with five players. Smart money says that on a team that just finished 3-13 at least one of them would work their way into the starting lineup. Would it be Mitch Trubisky, their prized #2 overall pick? At this point no. Or what about hulking tight end Adam Shaheen? Nope, not even him. As it turns out the name that is being fast-tracked towards a starting job at this point of the preseason is none other that safety Eddie Jackson.

This has to come as a bit of a shock. For starters Jackson is a fourth round pick. Generally players selected higher get onto the field faster than mid and later rounders. Then there’s the fact he’s the only defensive player taken by the Bears this year. He’s also the fourth safety they added dating back to last year. It started with Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson, followed by veteran Quintin Demps.

Last but not least? Jackson came in still rehabbing from a broken leg he suffered halfway through 2016 at Alabama. By all rights he should’ve been considered the least likely to crack the starting lineup first. Yet everything points to that being the case.

Safety Eddie Jackson keeps endearing himself to Bears coaches

Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times and others noticed the change following the first preseason game. It was there that Jackson performed well, making a number of impressive plays on defense as well as a 16-yard punt return. Apparently it went over well with the coaches, who elevated him to practicing with the first team defense.

“It seems like only a matter of time before Bears rookie Eddie Jackson supplants incumbent starter Adrian Amos at safety, especially after the fourth-round pick from Alabama took first-team reps with veteran Quintin Demps in a light practice in shorts Saturday.

Jackson still has a lot to prove in the preseason to win the job, but he’s trending toward the starter’s role. Coach John Fox avoided addressing Jackson’s play at safety directly when asked about Jackson — often an indication that something’s up. Fox disdains addressing depth-chart movement or anything that might fuel speculation.”

Let the process play out

Nick Saban himself said that Jackson was one of his favorite safeties he ever coaches. A number of experts have said that he would’ve been a top 50 player in the draft had he not suffered his leg injury. If true then the Bears got a potential stud for their back end at a discount price. That is good drafting 101.

Of course there is plenty of proving left to do. People love to say one preseason game proves nothing. That’s fine. Nonetheless things are starting to become clear. Jackson, of all people, may be the first and only rookie to start opening day. That’s quite an accomplishment if it comes to pass.

Kris Bryant Is Putting Up Better Numbers Than His MVP Season

By
Sean Sears
-

When Willson Contreras went down last week, the question was which Cub was going to step for this team, and expected guys like Jason Heyward, Javier Baez, or Ian Happ to try and pick up the offensive slack.

However, nobody mentioned reigning MVP Kris Bryant. Not because people thought he wasn’t capable of being an offensive catalyst, but because it was hard to believe Bryant could be doing more at the plate.

But, that is exactly what KB is doing right now.

It’s hard to believe people are still thinking Kris Bryant is having a down season, as he already has better numbers now than he did last season – which resulted in him being crowned NL MVP.

For reference, Bryant’s 2016 slash line was .292/.385/.554, with the only real difference between this year and last being his runs scored and RBI’s – he stands no real chance of catching his 121 runs scored and 102 runs driven in from last season. However, with the Willson Contreras injury on top of Bryce Harper and his bone bruise, the MVP race is still somewhat up for grabs.

Now, of course I am aware of guys like Corey Seager and Justin Turner playing out of their minds for the Dodgers, but their club is an absolute lock for the playoffs at this point. Giancarlo Stanton is on pace to hit close to 60 home runs, but plays on a bad team in Miami. Guys like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and Anthony Rendon are in the picture, but I wouldn’t up them that far ahead of Bryant – Especially if KB continues to rake and propels the Cubs to a NL central title.

But what’s important to consider about Bryant is his all-around game and impact he has for the Cubs, in particular with his speed. The guy is deceptively fast for a 6’5″ 3rd baseman, and according to Statcast, Bryant is the fastest player in the league at his position. Bryant has been constantly using his legs to make things happen for the Cubs offense, scoring on plays he has no business crossing the plate on.

Like on this past ball, scoring all the way from 2nd base.

Or scoring on a bloop single by Anthony Rizzo, which ended up being the game-wining run against the Cardinals. Looking back, this play could be the difference between the Cubs leading or trailing in the division.

And of course just last night, Bryant gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead, scoring on a slow-rolling hit through the left-side by Rizzo.

His defense, while not on the same level of an Arenado, has quietly been improving throughout the season. Currently, he is good for one defensive run saved at the hot corner, flashing soft hands and an excellent arm.

Of course, Bryant is not having the same type of season he had in 2016, where he registered a 8.4 WAR. But, with where the Cubs are in the standings and their need for their best player to carry them into the playoffs, it’s not hard to write the narrative for Kris Bryant repeating as NL MVP. But, even if KB doesn’t win any personal awards this season, taking his offense to another level can only lead to good things for the Cubs in 2017.

Jose Quintana Broke Devin Mesoraco’s Foot

By
Aldo Soto
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Jose Quintana wasn’t in command during his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night and one bit of his wildness even put catcher Devin Mesoraco on the disabled list with a broken foot.

Mesoraco was one of two players hit by Quintana during the Chicago Cubs 15-5 win, but his was much more costly. It happened during the second inning, when Quintana walked two batters along with the HBP. Mesoraco stayed in the game, but was taken out after the next hitter reached based.

It turns out that the pitch that hit him broke a bone in his foot.

He was placed on the DL on Tuesday.

You have to feel terrible for the guy and sadly this wasn’t the first time a Cubs pitcher sent a player to the DL.

Back in June, when the Cubs were playing the Washington Nationals, reliever Pedro Strop hit Trea Turner and broke his wrist.

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