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Roberto Aguayo Wouldn’t Be First Kicker Redemption Story for Bears

By
Erik Lambert
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The Chicago Bears claimed Roberto Aguayo off waivers. That collective groan fans may have heard came from the rest of the NFL. What a dumpster fire. Worst draft pick in 10 years. So on and so forth. Yes it’s no secret that the former Florida State kicker flopped hard with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Despite being a second round pick and heralded as one of the best kickers to come out of college in years, it just never worked out. People are still trying to understand why. Most think the immense pressure Tampa Bay placed on him with their draft stunt had a big hand in it. He only connected on 22-of-31 field goal. On top of that he also missed two extra points.

If he was that bad then why would the Bears claim him? For starters he only just turned 23-years old. The cost in salary cap is minimal. Their current option, Connor Barth isn’t much better. Last but not least he was insanely accurate in college. Out of 78 field goals he connected on 69 of them. The kid has talent.

There is another reason though.

Bears claimed Roberto Aguayo because of previous gamble successes

This actually isn’t the first time the Bears have taken a chance on a discarded kicker. In fact they did it 12 years ago and the gamble ended up becoming the best in franchise history. In 2005 a lanky kid out of Penn State named Robbie Gould signed with the New England Patriots. With zero hope of unseating All-Pro Adam Vinatieri, he was released. The Baltimore Ravens signed him next but released him three weeks later.

Thinking his NFL career was over, Gould began searching for other career ventures as Chicagobears.com explained.

“Gould was working for M&R Contracting, a construction company owned by a family friend in Mill Hall, Pa., when the Bears summoned him for a tryout in October 2005.”

The tryout went well and he remained their starting kicker for the rest of the season. The next year Gould went to the Pro Bowl, kicking the Bears into the NFC championship against Seattle. He ended up spending 11 seasons in Chicago and left the most accurate kicker in franchise history with 85.4% of his attempts made.

Aguayo has that same potential and maybe more. He’s the same age Gould was when the Bears scooped him up. It would be oddly fitting if this ended up working out. Except maybe for Barth. After all he was already replaced once by Aguayo when he was cut after Tampa Bay drafted the youngster. To lose his job to the same man twice? That would be rough.

Of course there is a lot of proving to do. It will be interesting to see how Aguayo reacts to this second chance.

Brutal Call Leads To Ben Zobrist Demanding Electronic Strike Zone

By
Sean Sears
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I’m going to just come out and say it, Ben Zobrist and the Cubs were absolutely hosed last night. Zobrist, with two on and two out, was called out on a terrible strike three call. A pitch that had been called a ball MULTIPLE times that night, but to home plate umpire Mark Wegner, the slider was in the zone and ball game was over.

The victim of this egregious call, Ben Zobrist,  said he could only think of one call that may have been worse in career. After the game, Zobrist voiced his opinions on the matter, asking that the MLB take a look into using electronic strike zones.

“If we want to change something like that, we’re going to have an electronic strike zone because human beings are going to make mistakes,” Zobrist said. “Tough situation for that to happen, but he’s probably going to look at it and not be too happy with himself.

“That’s something the league is going to have to look at, when you start ending games and games turn on one pitch like that. It’s an unfortunate situation, and now that we have the technology, we should probably get it right.”

You can watch Zobrist’s full post game comments below.

Joe Maddon also commented on the situation, saying, “I really know Mark (Wegner) knows he messed it up.” He also went on to say he thinks Wegner is a good umpire, just that an entire ball game shouldn’t come down to a call like that.

With the loss, the Cubs now move into a first place tie with the surging St. Louis Cardinals, with both Milwaukee and Pittsburgh only two and three games back respectively.

Michael Kopech’s Recent Stretch Of Dominance Should Terrify The MLB

By
Emmet McClain
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It was no secret that Michael Kopech had some nasty stuff when the White Sox acquired him as one of the main pieces in the Chris Sale trade. A flamethrower by nature, Kopech sits at 98 mph, and has been rumored to hit 105 on the radar gun. With his fastball, he also brings a wipeout slider and a decent changeup. The biggest concern with him was his control and his durability.

For a pitcher that throws as hard as Kopech, control will usually be put into question. He was no exception early on as he was walking 5 per 9 innings for Double-A Birmingham. However, since his appearance in the Future’s Game this past All Star break, Kopech has been on an absolute tear.

The numbers here that will pop out the most are obviously his ERA and opponent batting average. But the most important stat here is his 7 walks in 6 starts. Kopech was already dominant when he was giving free passes, but with him limiting walks now, he is downright frightening.

The other area of concern was his durability. Before this season he had never gone a full year of pitching due to a hand injury and a suspension for getting into a fight with a former teammate. In fact, as a pro his highest amount of innings pitched before this year was 65. That was back in 2015 with the Red Sox in low A ball. This year, he has thrown 119.1 innings and has consistently kept his velocity up deep into games.

The fact that he consistently gets into the 90’s with his pitch count is truly remarkable for a kid that throws as hard as he does. He could even be labeled as a “work horse” pitcher, like Justin Verlander or James Shields.

Promotion?

Personally, I’d be shocked if Kopech got promoted to Triple-A. He might get a couple starts in Charlotte if Lucas Giolito gets called up to the White Sox in September when rosters expand, but the organization’s main goal the rest of the season is to keep Kopech healthy. If that means shutting him down for all of September, then that would be fine with me. It would be in the organization’s best interest to just keep him in Birmingham for the remainder of the year. Then next year he can debut with Charlotte and maybe be a September call up in 2018.

The fact of the matter is that Michael Kopech seems to have figured out his control issues without sacrificing his velocity.

The MLB’s no.1 pitching prospect is on his way. When he gets here, look out.

Often Overlooked, John Lackey Is Key To The Cubs Postseason

By
Sean Sears
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John Lackey does not care about your opinion of him. He does not care what Joe Maddon thinks about pulling him from games in the 6th inning. Lackey just wants to go out every 5th day and win games.

And while the 38-year-old has drawn the ire of many Cubs fans since his arrival on the North-side, myself included, John Lackey has been the linchpin to this Cubs rotation during the 2nd half.

The hot-headed righty has not lost a game since June 28th for the Cubs, and has allowed only three runs or less in every start since the All-Star break, consistently pumping out quality starts as the team’s 5th starter. Since July 5th, Lackey has registered a 3.62 ERA with a 7.2 K/9, which also includes a solid 4 mph up-tick in his velocity during that span.

A large reason for Lackey’s success has been Joe Maddon’s ability to limit his usage late in games, out of Lackey’s 32.1 IP only 2.1 innings have come past the 5th inning. And while Lackey has advocated to stay in games longer, it is hard to argue with the numbers.

In the 2.1 innings pitched past the 5th inning, Lackey’s ERA balloons to a destructive 15.43, with an opponent OPS of 1.682, as clearly teams start to figure out the savvy-vet the longer he stays in the game.

Of course, Lackey is still flawed, even when his time is limited on the mound. He’s still giving up a ton of homers, currently with the 3rd-highest Home Run/Fly Ball rate in all of baseball, and his walk rate is the highest it’s been since 2011. But, while it seems unlikely, Lackey has been arguably the Cubs most consistent starter in the 2nd half. On a short leash, Lackey’s stuff has been excellent, and with a lighter work load now the Cubs hope he can still be fresh later in the season.

Say what you will about John Lackey, but even with all his flaws, the Cubs would be in a much worse spot without the goofy cowboy and his stellar pitching as of late.

Forgotten Third Round Pick Was Unsung Hero of Trubisky’s Debut

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan pace

Football fans are like any other sports fan. They love a good story of redemption. Being kicked to the ground by terrible events only to rebound over long odds back into the light. It sounds corny but sometimes corny is a good thing. On the whole Chicago Bears fans felt awful for Hroniss Grasu in 2016. The second-year center seemed well on his way to establishing himself as a long-term starter for the franchise.

Then during a routine drill at Soldier Field Family Fest, he tore his ACL. It was such a devastating blow for him. Not just because of the injury itself but also what followed. The Bears were forced to adjust so they moved rookie Cody Whitehair to center from his original left guard spot. From there he started all 16 games and almost made the Pro Bowl.

Suddenly the prospects of being a starter were out the window. At one point there was even discussion that Grasu might be cut or traded this year. That due in large part to his inability to play guard and the rise of veteran Eric Kush as a quality reserve who could. It would take a lot for him to regain the career trajectory he had before the injury.

Hroniss Grasu was a key component to Trubisky debut

That’s when, ironically, another injury came to his rescue. Kush tore his hamstring in practice, ending his year. Suddenly Grasu’s roster standing was a little stronger. If only he could find a way to cement it. Well if anybody watched the preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, that’s exactly what he did.

Grasu was given a task that, in hindsight, couldn’t have been a better opportunity. That involved snapping to and protecting first round pick Mitch Trubisky. If he could keep the quarterback clean and make him productive, it would go a long way towards his standing with the team. So he did.

Amazingly enough it didn’t start with his pass protection as one would think. It was his run blocking. Grasu showed excellent movement and technique on the first play, crashing down to the right and opening the lane for a big Ka’Deem Carey run. That got the momentum going immediately and Trubisky followed shortly after with a touchdown pass.

On the next drive, it was Grasu again throwing his body into a key run block. This he seals the left edge, enabling Ben Cunningham to slip through for a first down inside the Denver 10-yard line. A play later Trubisky hit Rueben Randle at the one for another. Then it was Grasu again leading the way for Cunningham into the end zone.

The pass protection was rock solid all night

Of course the mark of a center must be pass protection first and Grasu didn’t disappoint in that regard either. There were no blatant instances while he was in the game where Trubisky got pressure up the middle. None at all. A key play that illustrates this was midway through the fourth quarter.

Though the play ended in a dropped pass, it was Grasu’s one-on-one stonewalling of a Broncos defender that enabled Trubisky the time to make a pretty impressive throw.

It was a good night for the former third round pick and a reminder that he can play some good football. Granted this won’t change the starting lineup as is. Kyle Long, Whitehair and Josh Sitton remain the interior trio. With injuries always prevalent at such a physical position though, odds are he just gave himself a much greater chance of getting back in the game. Never mind the improved long-term outlook with Sitton getting older.

Top NFL Expert Believes Eddie Jackson Would’ve Been a 1st Rounder

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

The 2017 Chicago Bears draft class was lambasted from all sides by most experts. Not only were there just five picks in total, three of them came from Division II programs. Adam Shaheen came out of Ashland, Tarik Cohen from North Carolina A&T and Jordan Morgan from Kutztown. Conventional draft wisdom says that’s a recipe for disaster. Time may be proving that false. Especially when it comes to rookie safety Eddie Jackson.

He comes from by far the most prestigious program in college football at Alabama. That meant he was well-schooled, well-coached and intelligent. All trademarks of Nick Saban players. However Jackson may be a special case. Saban himself even said that the young safety was one of his favorite players to ever coach.

Considering the superstars he’s developed over the years, that’s saying a lot. At the same time Jackson fell to the fourth round before Chicago moved up to get him. So how good could he actually be? According to long-time NFL expert Peter King of Sports Illustrated, much better than people realize.

Rookie safety Eddie Jackson embodies the modern NFL safety

King believes the Bears can surprise a lot of people in 2017. It depends on their defense though. Their front seven may be among the best in the NFC if it can stay healthy. He also like the possibilities with their retooled secondary and it was his singling out of Jackson as a possible catalyst that drew some pleasant surprise.

“GM Ryan Pace spent ample resources in the offseason to prepare for that possibility, adding CBs Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper and safety Quintin Demps via free agency. Chicago also drafted safety Eddie Jackson in Round 4. He was Demps’s partner on the first-team defense throughout the afternoon Monday, flanked by Amukamara and Cooper on the outside; Crevon LeBlanc handled slot duties.

Save for Jackson, that’s a group with experience. And Jackson may be the most exciting of them all—had he not broken his leg last October at Alabama, he had Round 1 or 2 potential. He chalked up one of Monday’s biggest blows, driving down on a crossing route to Cameron Meredith and unloading on Chicago’s wide receiver. (Meredith, it should be noted, somehow held onto the ball.)”

Jackson has steadily risen up the depth chart since training camp started. Coaches are impressed with his knowledge of the game, along with his range and instinct on the field. The statement that he could’ve been a first round pick isn’t made without reason. Jackson was a star in 2015, grabbing six interceptions and returning three for touchdowns. A number of teammates claim his loss last year was a big reason they failed to repeat as national champions.

Starting job is his for taking

Nothing is set in stone at this point, but all signs indicate that the starting safety job is his to lose. He played well in the preseason opener, making a couple of notable plays. It may sound a bit over the top to say that GM Ryan Pace got a first round talent in the fourth round. Otherwise known as a steal.

Then again he got Jordan Howard, a Pro Bowler, in the fifth round. So maybe it’s not wise to dismiss what King is stating out of hand. He’s been around football for decades. When he says a certain player had first or second round value, he means it. If that’s the case, the Chicago has every reason to be excited.

The Overlooked Part of Mitch Trubisky’s Debut Fans Must See

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky effect
Credit: Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bears fans were in such a fervor on Thursday night. Rightfully so. The long-awaited Mitch Trubisky debut was everything they could’ve hoped for and more. He completed his first 10 passes, directed three-straight scoring drives and didn’t turn the ball over once. If that weren’t enough he also rushed for over 30 yards.

In those 32 minutes of almost pure joy, it was easy to get caught up in the moment and not see the little things. The cliche (but true) saying is that the devil is in the details. People talk about the athleticism, the poise, the command and the accuracy. One thing that was almost casually glossed over was the execution.

Specifically the red zone execution.

One of the reasons the Bears couldn’t win games last season was their inability to punch the ball in the end zone when they got inside the 20. They ranked 23rd in the NFL, managing to score a touchdown just 51.02% of the time. The year before it was even worse at 48.98%. This is a problem that has dogged them for the entirety of the Jay Cutler era.

Mitch Trubisky debut showcased his ability in tight spaces

There was only one season in which he was the primary starter where the team converted 60% or more of their red zone trips into touchdowns. That was 2014. They also did it in 2013 but that was largely thanks to Josh McCown. Cutler was never good in the red zone. Why? It requires quick timing and precise accuracy. He had neither. At least not consistently.

On Thursday night at Soldier Field, Trubisky converted his first two drives into red zone touchdowns. Both of them largely a result of his execution and passing.

In the first trip it became easy to see he wasn’t afraid to work the horizontal game. He showed enough arm strength to throw an out to Adam Shaheen that set the Bears up at the five. After a run got them to the two, Trubisky swung a bootleg to the left and hit Victor Cruz for the first touchdown. It looked routine, as it often can when executed properly.

On the next drive it boiled down to one throw but it was the critical one. Chicago worked their way to the 10-yard line primarily on the ground. Trubisky then takes the snap. As he hits his back step he fires a pass to the left on a slant to receiver Rueben Randle. The ball is placed up to where only Randle can get it but still leads him towards the end zone. Note there were three Broncos in the vicinity so the ball had to be on the mark. Randle makes the catch and sets up shop inside the one. Chicago scored on the next play.

Should’ve been a third

All people remember about the third scoring drive was it ended in a field goal. What they don’t realize is it may have been the best of Trubisky’s three trips in terms of showcasing his value. Upon further review there was no denying the simple fact.

It should’ve been a third-straight touchdown.

First came the absolutely gorgeous throw on the run to Tanner Gentry. Trubisky runs the bootleg to his right off play action. With pressure nearing he fires the pass right over the head of one Broncos defender into Gentry’s hands who’s got another in his hip pocket. On the next one he throws another daring out to Cruz to inch closer.

After a penalty pushed them back out to the seven-yard line, Trubisky took the shotgun snap and fired a pass to the end zone. Review shows it was tight end Daniel Brown who was the target. The ball passed through his hands and hit the turf. It was a tough play but NFL logic says it should’ve been caught.

Drops were a common theme all night. Something the team is certain to focus on moving forward. Nonetheless it was a proper showcase of just how dangerous Trubisky can be for this offense.

Dowell Loggains Texted Interesting Footage To Trubisky Before Opener

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky drew brees

After this latest draft, it became clearer than ever what Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace was trying to do. He wanted to build the New Orleans Saints of the north. That’s to say the Saints teams of 2009 to 2013 when they were a perennial playoff contender. Go through the list of player acquisitions and the similarities are striking. Adam Shaheen is Jimmy Graham. Tarik Cohen is Darren Sproles. Eddie Jackson is Darren Sharper. Then of course there was the Mitch Trubisky Drew Brees comparison.

Of course that’s the one that matters most and absolutely nobody wanted to explore it. They thought it was way too early and might jinx the rookie. Being compared to a slam dunk Hall of Famer can be unfair. At the same time, there is almost nobody in football who can be a better source of learning material for a young QB.

Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains understands that well. He knows his mission, above all else, is to make Trubisky a success. The best way to do that is hammering home the differences in what makes successful college QBs and successful NFL QBs. According to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, the buzz word in that regard is “command.”

Mitch Trubisky Drew Brees connection is not off limits for teaching

“Recently, Loggains found himself watching “America’s Game: The 2009 New Orleans Saints.” In a series of clips, the NFL Films documentary showed Drew Brees directing traffic before the snap. Here was Brees reminding Reggie Bush to be ready for a hot route in the flat. Here was Brees directing tight end Billy Miller to motion to the right of the formation. Here was Brees asking receiver Lance Moore to shift up to the line of scrimmage.

Here he was again with Bush, on the sidelines this time, ordering the running back to commit to his path on an option route.

“Be decisive, OK?” Brees directed. “Either you’re running and you’re outrunning him now or you’re putting your foot in the ground and coming back. You make that determination and make it quick.”

Loggains pulled his iPhone out, took a video of the sequence and texted it to Trubisky. That, he wanted his young quarterback to know, is command.”

It’s a sequence that perfectly illustrates what the difference is between a good thrower of the football and a good quarterback. One can throw the nice spirals for long distances and produce the occasional highlight. The other is a field general who conducts an offense like a symphony orchestra. Every instrument must play flawlessly in order for the movement to be a success. It’s a difficult job that only an elite few can pull off.

Given his natural talent and work ethic, Trubisky is more than capable of reaching those levels himself. It’s about how dedicated he is to the craft and how well the team is able to coach and build around him. If they do their part then the dream of finally giving Chicago a true franchise quarterback will become a reality.

The Mitch Trubisky Memes Were Straight Fire Last Night

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky memes

Chicago can be considered the meme capital of the sports world. We can say considering we gave everybody the classic Crying Jordan, still in use to this day. So it’s safe to say that Bears fans would be ready and able with the Mitch Trubisky memes when he debuted in the preseason opener against Denver. Safe to say nobody expected it to get this good in such a short time.

There were several great example that hit everywhere from Twitter to Reddit. As it turns out, none other than former Bears fullback Jason McKie kicked things off. After Trubisky turned in his third-straight scoring drive of the game, this little gem was tweeted out.

Then of course there were the pop culture references. From Hollywood blockbuster movies to notable names of the music industry. All of it of course doing everything possible to fan the flames of a quarterback controversy with Mike Glennon.

When the jokes were worn out, things began to swerve towards then next stage:  truth. These two pretty much summed up how Bears fans were feeling after watching his 166 yards and one TD performance.

Last but certainly not least was the creative ones. There were some strong contenders but the winner of this category has to go to this dandy referencing an old ’80s classic.

Slow clap, my friend. Well done. In total it was a fun evening for Bears fans. Hopefully one of many to come. Trubisky looked every bit the part of a potential franchise quarterback. People can use the preseason excuse all they want. Performing well in one isn’t exactly a given. Tom Brady threw 26 passes in week four of the preseason once and finished with a 76.8 quarterback rating. Fun fact? That was last year.

Maybe don’t be so quick to dismiss the idea that Trubisky may be good.

Willson Contreras Is Headed To The DL With Hamstring Injury, Out 4-6 Weeks

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs are going to be without Willson Contreras for quite some time, as the young catcher is heading to the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, but considering the worst case scenario this is actually good news. Contreras was injured during Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, running to first base in the eighth inning. However, he’s only expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Rookie catcher, Victor Caratini, who made his MLB debut earlier this season with the Cubs, has been called up to take Contreras’ spot on the 25-man roster. Theo Epstein was on 670 The Score earlier on Thursday and said the Cubs will not be looking to add a catcher via the waiver trade market. So, that means we’ll see a lot of recently acquired catcher Alex Avila behind the plate.

Don’t get me wrong, losing Contreras for a month obviously hurts the Cubs but it’s not the end of the world. This roster still has the best talent in the division and after this weekend’s three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks they play 24 straight games against teams with a below .500 record. And if the Brewers keep regressing, that easy schedule would stretch to 30 straight games against below .500 teams.

Of course, there’s never a guarantee that the better team will always win, as we just saw in San Francisco, but the Cubs should be able to expand their division lead in the next month even with the loss of Contreras. It won’t be easy because during the previous couple weeks we’ve seen Kris Bryant’s power decrease after his hand injury in Atlanta, Jason Heyward hasn’t been producing while at the same time Kyle Schwarber and Ian Happ look bad again at the plate.

You expect Bryant and Anthony Rizzo to pick it up with the absence of Contreras, who has been the best Cubs player since the middle of June, and with an easy schedule and strong starting pitching this team should be fine. But again, losing Contreras makes it harder for the Cubs, no doubt about that.

But hey, if history repeats itself, Willy should be back in time to be a World Series hero for the Cubs. Actually, earlier than that.

Aside from Kyle Schwarber’s injury last year, it’s incredible the amount of luck the Cubs have had since the beginning of 2015 with injuries. Even this one, it looked bad, possibly season-ending, but he could be back in less than a month according to Jesse Rogers.

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