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Victor Caratini Went Out With A Bang, Hitting His 1st Career MLB Home Run

By
Aldo Soto
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Victor Caratini obviously wishes he can stay in the Majors, but he’s going to be sent back to the minors after the Chicago Cubs traded for Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila. However, you can’t make a better lasting impression than he did on Sunday, when he hit a go-ahead home run, in a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Caratini was a late addition to the lineup, as he filled in for Anthony Rizzo, who had the day off because of a stiff back. The 23-year-old rookie has been on the bench, backing up Willson Contreras, but ever since Miguel Montero was DFA’d the Cubs had been searching for a veteran catcher. It sucks for Caratini that he won’t stick around with the Cubs, but before the trade he got a once-in-a-lifetime moment, hitting his first career MLB home run.

Hopefully Cubs fans see more of Caratini, as Avila will be a free agent after this season. Contreras is already one of the best catchers in the league, but it would be pretty cool to have him paired up with Caratini starting in 2018. Gotta keep Willy fresh for every postseason run the Cubs will be in for the next several years.

Mike Glennon Already Showing an Extra Dimension Jay Cutler Lacked

By
Erik Lambert
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mike glennon hard count

There were plenty of major reasons why Jay Cutler never worked out in Chicago. To be fair not all of them were his fault. Still things just never seemed to click for him. A big part of why was he never truly paid attention to details. There was always a lack of precision to Cutler’s game. He came across as a man who, while intelligent, relied a bit too much on his natural ability. So when referencing “detail,” what does that mean? Nothing will explain it better than the Mike Glennon hard count.

Fans took delight in lambasting Mitch Trubisky during the draft when it was revealed he didn’t know what a “hard count” was. Considering high school and college offenses don’t utilize them at all, that shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s a much bigger deal that Cutler himself didn’t seem to know what it was either. That or he never bothered to try it.

For those who need a refresher, this is what a hard count is according to Sporting Charts.

“A strategy used by a quarterback in which they will use a deceptive snap count in an effort to draw the defense offsides. Typically, a good hard count will rely on using a longer count to force an overaggressive defense to rush too quickly. A hard count can benefit the offense in two distinct ways. First, a team could be called for offsides and the offense could gain five free yards. Second, a team could receive a free play and have a chance to gain significant yardage risk free.”

Mike Glennon hard count is already turning heads

Only true football fans have a clear understanding of how valuable a good hard count can be. There is no greater master of this in the league today than Aaron Rodgers. One of his favorite weekly ploys is to get defenders to jump offsides just before the snap. With free play in hand, Rodgers always will take a shot down the field. More often than not the results are explosive.

Based on reports out of Bears training camp, it’s a method that Glennon has become quite good at as well. He’s gotten the defense a number of times with it already.

Will the hard count be the decisive measure that makes Glennon great in Chicago? No, of course not. The point here is that he’s taking in the entire intricacies of the position he plays. Hard counts may be a small part of what makes a quarterback great, but in a league where adaptation is so prevalent having one is another thing defenses have to practice for.

It doesn’t allow pass rushers to pin their ears back and go on every obvious passing down. They know there’s always the risk of a hard count, especially in situations of five yards or less to go for a first down. The extra split second that can buy a quarterback to throw can mean the difference between a sack and a long touchdown.

Go back and watch the film on Cutler. Try to find any instance in his time with the Bears where he utilized a hard count. Odds are it doesn’t exist.

Quick Rebuild? Bulls Listed Among NBA’s Next Potential Superteams

By
Matt Peck
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quick rebuild bulls nba next potential superteam

Whether you choose to call it “tanking” or “rebuilding”, starting from scratch in the NBA can be a gruesomely slow process. Just ask the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets or Orlando Magic. With the offseason trade of All Star Jimmy Butler, the Chicago Bulls find themselves in a new but familiar situation. They’re starting another rebuild. Since the breakup of the ’90s dynasty, the Bulls have made just one conference finals appearance and zero trips to the Finals.

In 2010 the core of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng looked poised to be championship contenders for many years to come. But significant injuries to all three shut that championship window rather quickly. In 2015 Rose and his new sidekick Butler kept the Bulls relevant in Tom Thibodeau’s final season at the helm. They came just two wins shy of finally knocking off a LeBron James-led team in the conference semis. Two years, a new coach and a Rose trade later, the Bulls had just one playoff appearance as an 8th seed through the last legs of a doomed era. Butler was traded on draft night for a lottery pick and younger players with potential. Now, the next rebuild begins.

Bulls The Next Superteam?

Bulls fans are bracing for the worst, but at least one NBA guru believes there’s potential and hope for Chicago to make this rebuild a quick and successful one. ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh released a column this morning detailing nine teams that have the chance to become the league’s next superteam. He breaks them into subcategories based on the different ways teams can make the big jump from nobodies to contenders: the “2011 Heat model” (build through free agency), the “2008 Celtics model” (build using trade assets), and the “2014 Warriors model” (build through the draft). For each category, there is a most likely candidate, a runner-up and a dark horse.

And look what we have here. Haberstroh lists the Bulls as the dark horse candidate to become a superteam by building through free agency. Here’s the excerpt from his column:

The Bulls have essentially cleared the decks for the future. By trading Jimmy Butler and officially hitting the reset button on the Tom Thibodeau era, Chicago has only about $23 million in guaranteed contracts in 2018 and another $16.4 million in non-guaranteed money. Zach LaVine has a free agent cap hold at nearly $10 million, but the expectation here is they’ll wait on extension talks until they see his recovery from a torn ACL. That would be the smart move.

The Bulls should have $52 million in cap space next summer and a big-time market to lure free agents, but unlike L.A. and San Antonio, Chicago lacks a magnetic star like Kawhi or Lonzo. Maybe Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen or LaVine can prove us wrong, but we’re not betting on a star rising in Chicago anytime soon.

Luring Free Agents

Let’s break that down. When it comes to the Bulls’ cap space situation, Haberstroh’s numbers are accurate. For two years now, GM Gar Forman has constantly cited future cap flexibility as an undervalued asset for his team. While Chicago did overspend on veterans Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade in the free agent bonanza of 2016, Forman and his partner John Paxson always make sure to remind fans that both were brought in on short term deals. Rondo is already gone. Wade is still owed his $23.8 million, but a buyout or trade is possible sometime this season.

Beyond that, the Bulls are near the top of the list of teams with the most projected cap space entering the summers of 2018 and 2019. Sounds nice, right? The problem for the Bulls – which Haberstroh points out – is that there are more appealing teams with equal or higher cap space to lure those big name free agents in the coming summers. The Lakers play in an even bigger – not to mention warmer – market than Chicago and just drafted a potential star player in Lonzo Ball. The Spurs may not have Tim Duncan anymore, and Tony Parker is staring at his NBA mortality. But they still have Kawhi Leonard, arguably the best two-way player in the game right now. Oh, and Gregg Freaking Popovich.

When you compare those potential suitors to the Bulls’ collection of Fred Hoiberg, Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen…let’s just say Chicago doesn’t look like the clear winner.

Something else that deserves mention is the fact that despite the draw of playing in a big market city, the Bulls have repeatedly failed to land big name free agents in the GarPax era. They lost out on the trio of LeBron, Wade and Chris Bosh in 2010, settling instead for an overpaid Carlos Boozer. In 2014, Carmelo Anthony opted to stay with the lifeless Knicks rather than coming to Chicago and the Bulls settled for an aging Pau Gasol. Kevin Durant didn’t even so much as glimpse toward Chicago last summer.

What, if anything, has changed positively for the Bulls to end that trend next summer? GarPax might have the money to offer to guys like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas in 2018. But will any of them actually want to play with this young core that the Bulls have thrown together? I say doubtful, at best.

The NBA, though, has proven to be wildly unpredictable in recent years. Never say never. Odds are slim, but at least there’s a road map for the Bulls to make this next rebuild the one that finally gets them back to championship contention. It likely won’t come through draft picks, and GarPax rarely find themselves on the winning side of trades. Free agency is their best chance. They’ll have the money. They better be working on their pitches as we speak.

Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen Reunite On Basketball Court

By
Matt Peck
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michael jordan scottie pippen reunite basketball court
(Photo: YouTube, Bay Area HQ)

Arguably the greatest duo in NBA history reunited on the hardwood Sunday evening in Santa Barbara. Bulls legend Scottie Pippen joined his fellow six-time champion teammate Michael Jordan at MJ’s Flight School basketball camp in California to participate in a shooting contest for the campers.

The pair, who also won gold together on the greatest basketball team ever assembled at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, looked a little older than their glory days sharing the courts. In Jordan’s case, a little fatter too. But it’s still an iconic image any time those two are seen on a basketball court side by side. For those of us lucky enough to remember the Bulls dynasty, just seeing them together brings goosebumps and chills.

TMZ Sports tracked down footage of the on-court reunion. Check out the video below!

These days, Jordan is the owner of the Charlotte Hornets in addition to his several ongoing endorsements and business ventures. Scottie, meanwhile, is still on the Bulls staff as a team ambassador. He also appears regularly on ESPN’s NBA show The Jump. In a recent episode, Pippen defended Kyrie Irving’s desire to part from LeBron James, which has owned the NBA news cycle in recent weeks. Pippen compared it to his situation with Jordan, saying he may not have won as many championships had he split from Michael, but it would’ve been better for him personally and financially.

Looking back, Bulls fans can all thank their lucky stars that Pippen – who did request to be traded from Chicago more than once – hung around for all six championship seasons. Since both players retired, it’s rare to see these reunions of the duo that shaped a dynasty. Rare, and always enjoyable. We’re brought back to a time when Chicago owned the NBA, rather than being one of its most mismanaged laughingstocks.

I think we need these MJ-Scottie reunions to become a regular thing now that we’re beginning a new rebuild. Something to keep Bulls fans’ spirits up. Weekly? Monthy? Maybe they sub in and play a few games at the United Center this season? MJ and Scottie, have your people talk.

Chicago Bears Training Camp Stock Report After First Week

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears training camp

The first week of Chicago Bears training camp has come and gone. Two padded practices are in the books and with it plenty of impressions are being made. Some good and some not so good. Keeping that in mind it might be a good time for the first camp stock report. This will cover certain names scattered across the roster. Some of them could be on the rise while others may be seeing their tenure with the team winding down.

Nothing is set in stone after just one week. That being said a strong start is often crucial to any season for an individual player. Time has proven that much. Here are three names who are rising and three who are falling so far down at Bourbannais.

Rising:  Prince Amukamara (CB)

Bears fans were upset back in March when they watched all the top rated cornerbacks spurn Chicago in favor of signing with other teams. So when Prince Amukamara was signed, it was viewed as nothing more than a consolation prize. The former first round pick had some good seasons in the past but he wasn’t exactly known for productive coverage.

That said the man himself took in stride, stating he felt it would be a good marriage due to his excitement playing for Vic Fangio. Several people close to the corner said the defensive coordinator had a system that would fit his skills perfectly. A few practices into training camp and it’s hard to argue. Amukamara has been the steadiest man in coverage with a number of plays made on the ball. It certainly looks good early.

Falling:  Jeremy Langford (RB)

The running back competition is among the thickest on the Bears roster. There are five notable players who could conceivably make the final roster. Considering the team is likely to carry three at most, it makes camp performance vital. That’s why fans of Jeremy Langford can’t be feeling too good at the moment.

Even before practices really got going, Langford sprained his ankle. It’s the same one he had surgically repaired last season. It seems tragic that this injury first robbed him of the starting job. Jordan Howard took over after he bowed out. Now it may cost him his roster spot. It’s made worse by the fact that others like Tarik Cohen and Ka’Deem Carey perform well in his absence.

Rising:  Tanner Gentry (WR)

With Alshon Jeffery gone, it’s more important than ever the Bears get their wide receiving corps in line. That means retaining the absolute best 5-6 players possible. This means the competition is wide open. Whomever shows they can make plays consistently will get prime consideration. It’s the perfect situation for the unexpected to happen.

Enter Tanner Gentry. The undrafted free agent from Wyoming has really taken practices by storm through the first few days. He has a clear connection with top draft pick Mitch Trubisky and it’s yielding dividends. Gentry has made a number of notable plays like the one shown above. He’s consistent in his approach, a decent athlete and sports good hands. If this keeps up the Bears may have no choice but to give him a roster spot.

Falling:  Pernell McPhee (OLB)

For a short period of time there was no doubt what Pernell McPhee could be. His raw power and attitude made him a highly effective pass rusher. Then he injured his knee. So began a vicious circle the outside linebacker can’t escape from. Return from injury, play well for a time and then go down again. It’s almost heartbreaking to watch.

After finally getting his previously bad knee right, word came out that there were “irregularities” in the opposite one. This necessitated arthroscopic surgery to clean it out. This got him placed on the PUP list. People are no longer certain about his future, not only for this season but with the Bears in general. Teams don’t tend to keep expensive players who can’t stay on the field.

Rising:  Adam Shaheen (TE)

Anytime a player comes from a Division II school, fans are preconditioned to cringe a little bit. D-II athletes just aren’t at the same level as those of the big schools. It’s a fact. Except no it isn’t. There are plenty of cases throughout NFL history where small school players emerge to become big game performers. Adam Shaheen could be the next case and point.

The giant 6’6″ tight end came in with the nickname “Baby Gronk.” His mixture of size, speed and strong hands gave him a remarkable likeness to Patriots All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. His rampage through early practices certainly backs that up. Granted there is still plenty for him to improve on, but it seems the Bears may have found themselves another offensive weapon.

Falling:  Pat O’Donnell (P)

The era of “Megapunt” could be called a megaflop at this point. Fans have waited patiently for punter Pat O’Donnell to flip the switch and become one of the best in football. He certainly has the talent to do so. Problem is people forget this was a draft pick of former GM Phil Emery. So the odds of that happening were never great.

Word out of camp is there are no signs O’Donnell has improved since last year when he finished in the bottom half of the league in almost every category. He remains inconsistent on his hangtime and struggles to kick in windy conditions. If nothing else this is an indictment on the Bears for not bringing in stiffer competition this offseason.

The Cubs Acquire Tigers LHP Justin Wilson And Catcher Alex Avila

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs have been rumored to in on a reliever as the deadline continued to get closer, and have finally landed their guy in Tigers’ closer Justin Wilson. The Cubs also got their veteran backup catcher in left-handed hitter Alex Avila.

The Cubs send 3rd prospect Jeimer Candelario, who took the place of Ian Happ, Dylan Cease, and Eloy Jimenez as the clubs No. 1 prospect, hitting .266/.361/.507 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI in Triple A Iowa. Candelario, a switch hitter, has just a .136 career BA in 50 majors league plate appearances. Candelario has a high ceiling, however, it is very unlikely that the 23-year-old will ever get a real chance to play in the MLB consistently with the Cubs as long as Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are still there.

The other piece is SS Isaac Paredes, who maybe somewhat known to a few Cubs fans, but the 18-year-old has a bright future. The slugging shortstop is likely to be moved to a corner infield spot due to his bigger frame, but is currently slashing .261/.341/.399 with seven home runs in single A South Bend. Most scouts who have seen Paredes play in person have come away impressed, expecting big things from him and his bat.

The Return

What the Cubs get in adding Wilson is a lefty-reliever who is extremely tough on left handed hitters, as Phil Rodgers points out in this tweet, both the Dodgers and Nationals best hitters happen to be left-handed.

Regardless, Wilson has excellent this season as Detroit’s closer, with a 2.68 ERA and an eye-popping 12.27 K/9, the 29-year-old lefty has found himself during his time with the Tigers. Wilson tosses straight heat on the mound, topping out at 96 MPH, with a slider/curve that gets table-dropping tilt in moments, which allows Wilson to mow people down.

Coming with Wilson is veteran catcher Alex Avila, who has been rumored to the Cubs almost as long as Wilson has been. Avila is having a career year, slashing .271/.392/.472 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI, the 30-year-old left-handed-hitting catcher has been raking in 2017. While Avila would clearly be limited in playing time, he could become an a sneaky good pinch hitter against right-handed pitching, with all of his 11 home runs coming against right-handers.

While the price the Cubs may be steep, it is important to remember that the front office was able to fill all their major roster holes without having to move any of their major league talent. Not a small feat, but it was accomplished by Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and the rest of the Cubs staff.

Kyle Fuller Was Left For Dead. Now He’s Crushing Training Camp

By
Erik Lambert
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kyle fuller
SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears leaves the stadium through a tunnel after a game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 9, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Kyle Fuller saga has been a weird one for the Chicago Bears. A 14th overall pick in 2014, most hoped he was the heir apparent to Charles Tillman. He had four interceptions as a rookie, but regressed badly between the second half of that year and first half of 2015. Then thinks began to rebound by November of his second season.

He was playing with more confidence and not giving up a lot of big plays. It looked like he was indeed a staple for the Bears secondary moving forward. All that changed with a bothersome knee forced him into surgery. He would miss the entire 2016 season. Fans were left not knowing how to feel about the young cornerback.

The Bears didn’t pick up the fifth year option in his contract. That was a pretty clear statement. Still, GM Ryan Pace insisted they were going to give him every opportunity to regain his standing in the lineup. A contract extension remains a serious possibility, provided he proves he can perform.

Kyle Fuller saga could be taking a turn for the better

Early returns from training camp have caught many fans by surprise. Fuller not only has participated in every practice, indicating a healthy knee. He’s been making plays. The most recent, a second padded practice, saw him have his best day yet. It created a buzz that maybe the light was starting to go on for him.

Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times added more detail on his day and how the Bears are encouraged by his progress.

“The Bears, who had only eight interceptions last season, had four in practice. The highlight was cornerback Kyle Fuller’s diving pick of a pass by Mark Sanchez along the right sideline.

Last week, general manager Ryan Pace said Fuller — who missed all last season after a seemingly simple arthroscopic knee surgery — was solid during organized team activities and had a ‘‘really good’’ offseason program.

‘‘For him, it was stringing together healthy practices,’’ Pace said.”

People forget that Fuller led the team in interceptions each of the two years he played in 2014 and 2015. His eye for the ball can’t be understated. Especially given how much the Bears have struggled getting interceptions lately. A resurgence from him along with the arrival of Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper might finally give that secondary some credibility.

Together with the ascension of Leonard Floyd in the pass rush, this defense might indeed be ready for prime time. It would be so fitting for Fuller himself. The poor guy has endured a lot in his short career. He’s one of the last holdouts of the disastrous Phil Emery era. It would be sweet if he were able to become a fixture for this team despite it all.

Kris Bryant Set A Cubs Record After Today’s Home Run In Milwaukee

By
Gus
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Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Kris Bryant is only 25-years-old. In only three years with the Chicago Cubs, Bryant has turned into one of the the best players in all of baseball by posting some pretty impressive stats thus far — .282/.381/.520 in just over 400 games played.

While hot starts for players in Major League Baseball is not necessarily a rare occasion, Bryant’s start with the Cubs has already placed him on a list with some of the franchise’s all-time greats.

After crushing his 20th home run of the season during today’s 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, Bryant joined an ELITE list of Cubs to reach the 20 home run plateau multiple times at this point in their career.

“Kris Bryant becomes the 4th Cub to have three 20 home run seasons by the age of 25 joining Ron Santo, Billy Williams, and his current teammate, Anthony Rizzo.”

Joining a list with the likes of Santo and Williams is pretty impressive by itself, but Bryant’s home run today also put him in a category all by himself.

To compare, through their first three seasons, Ron Santo had 49 home runs, Billy Williams had 27, and Anthony Rizzo had 39. After today, Bryant is up to 85 career home runs and has a shot to crack the top 20 list of most home runs by a Cub by the end of this season.

Once again, he’s 25-years-old.

I also have to add that Bryant won’t hit the free agent market until 2022 so Cubs fans will get five more years to enjoy watching KB hit lasers like the one he hit today.

 

 

The Best QB-WR Combo of Bears Camp Is Also the Most Unlikely

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky and tanner gentry

Given the way the Chicago Bears have tried to spin things, one would expect the most prolific quarterback-receiver combinations to be Mike Glennon and somebody. Cameron Meredith? Kevin White? Victor Cruz? Nope. All three of those players have made their share of plays. However, the most productive tandem isn’t even in the starting offense. That would be the unlikely duo of Mitch Trubisky and Tanner Gentry.

It’s rather amazing how this connection was formed when one thinks about it. Trubisky is the #2 overall pick of the draft. He’s a suburban bred young man from Ohio who made his name in North Carolina. Gentry is an undrafted free agent. He’s a country boy from the mountains of Colorado who quietly excelled at Wyoming.

It really doesn’t seem like their paths should’ve crossed like this. Yet it has. From the first minicamp through the start of padded practices, Trubisky and Gentry have showcased a growing chemistry that is producing results on the field.

Mitch Trubisky and Tanner Gentry have things clicking

It seems like once every few minutes during drills the two are hooking up for a nice play. Even head coach John Fox acknowledged the surprising ascent of Gentry. It’s not an isolated case of just one or two flash catches. He’s routinely made nice grabs for big gains, and Trubisky is almost always the one pulling the trigger.

This isn’t a surprise to Wyoming fans. They came out in droves to insist to Chicago fans that the Bears had gotten a good one. Of course people hear that all the time but in fairness it may be true. In 2016 Wyoming QB Josh Allen threw for 3,203 yards and 28 touchdowns. Around 1,324 of those yards and 14 of the touchdowns went to Gentry. In other words he was responsible for 41% of the passing yardage and 50% of the TD scoring.

That’s indicative of a classic “safety valve” option. A receiver who always makes the catch for his quarterback. Trubisky didn’t hold back in his praise of Gentry when asked.

This could be a potentially huge development for Gentry. As an undrafted player, his chances of making the roster are difficult already. Never mind the fact that Chicago added a ton of veteran receivers in free agency including Cruz, Markus Wheaton, and Kendall Wright. He’ll need something to help give him an edge over the next month to have a shot at the roster.

Forging a strong bond with the quarterback who is likely the future of the franchise? Yeah, that will definitely help his odds.

The Cubs Are Talking With Tigers On Alex Avila Again

By
Sean Sears
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Photo Courtesy of ESPN

While conversations between Detroit and Chicago had ceased as this weekend started, the two clubs have picked back up where they left off today. With a little more than a day left before the trade deadline, the Cubs are once again looking active as ever.

And while their talks with Oakland for Sonny Gray are still on-going, the team is also trying to add a veteran back-up catcher, and Alex Avila looks like the next man of the hour.

While Avila is attractive to the Cubs, slashing .271/.392/.472, he is not the big name from the Tigers that most Cubs fans were hoping to land earlier this week. That being said, Avila is easily the best offensive option on the catcher market, and comes with playoff experience.

While his defensive numbers may not be compared to an A.J.Ellis, who is also been rumored to the Cubs, he 30-year-old Avila has still thrown out 30% of would be base runners this season and has one defensive run saved according to Fangraphs.

Avila may not be one of the big names fans, and the Cubs for that matter, would want to add at the deadline. But for team that has already acquired Jose Quintana, adding Avila for a modest price could be the final touch to a surging Cubs team looking defend it’s title.

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