Sunday, April 5, 2026
✶ Untold Chicago Stories ✶ Amazon Music
Home Blog Page 3079

Cubs Add Zac Rosscup To Bullpen, Dylan Floro Sent To Minors

By
Aldo Soto
-
Zac Rosscup

The Chicago Cubs made another roster move before the start of their series against the San Francisco Giants, adding a new pitcher to the bullpen. Left-handed pitcher Dylan Floro has been optioned back to Triple-A Iowa to make room for fellow lefty Zac Rosscup.

Yeah, I didn’t realize Rosscup was still in the Cubs organization either. He last pitched in the Majors in 2015, appearing in 33 games for the Cubs.

Rosscup missed the entire 2016 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He made his MLB debut at the end of the 2013 season, getting called to the show in September. Overall, from 2013-15, Rosscup pitched 46.2 innings and recorded a 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The last time fans saw him pitch in the Majors, Rosscup had a 4.39 ERA in 26.2 innings during the 2015 season.

So far in 2017, Rosscup had a 3.45 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 15.2 innings at Triple-A.

Meanwhile, Floro goes back to the minors after an underwhelming relief appearance on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Floro pitched two innings on Sunday in mop up duty at the end of a Cubs blowout win, but was hit around, allowing five runs on seven hits. The only other time Floro has pitched in the Majors this season was earlier in May, when he came in and actually pitched well against the Colorado Rockies. Floro only allowed one run in 4.1 innings on May 9, after Jake Arrieta only lasted 3.2 innings.

The Cubs still need to make another move on the 40-man roster for Rosscup.

The Cubs start a four-game series against the Giants at 7:05 p.m. on Monday.

Details Emerge About Man Who Died After Falling From A Wrigley Field Rail

By
Aldo Soto
-

A 42-year-old man died last Wednesday, after falling over a rail at Wrigley Field following a Chicago Cubs game on Tuesday night. According to police, Richard Garrity, 42, of Wheaton, climbed on a rail, holding a red cup and then fell backward. He hit his head on the concrete below and was then taken to a hospital.

Garrity was pronounced dead at 3:33 p.m. Wednesday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Via the Chicago Sun-Times:

Police said two associates of Garrity saw him climb on the handrail with the cup before he fell. A stadium employee heard the fall, but didn’t see it. The Cook County medical examiner’s office has ruled the death an accident.

Garrity, a marketing manager for Heineken, was at the Cubs’ win over the Cincinnati Reds. He was on a work outing with his wife. Cubs officials believe they were sitting in Section 239, which is in the main grandstand, close to the right-field foul pole. Garrity, the father of a boy and a girl, was leaving the game shortly before 11 p.m. after most fans had exited the stadium, officials said. He fell over a handrail on a ramp leading from the upper deck to the terrace level, officials said.

The tragedy here is that a boy and girl don’t have a father anymore and a wife lost her husband. Of course it was dumb to climb a rail, but let’s not go overboard trashing this guy. Those kids just lost their dad.

The height of the rails at Wrigley Field are shorter than at other ballparks, but obviously the height had nothing to do with the incident.

The handrail that Garrity fell over was 36 inches high. Some major league ballparks have 42-inch handrails.

“Given the age of our ball park, we have been grandfathered,” said Julian Green, vice president of communications for the Cubs. The height of the railing “in no way contributed to this incident.”

Theo Epstein Was The Class Day Speaker At Yale And His World Series Story Will Give You Goosebumps

By
Aldo Soto
-

Theo Epstein graduated from Yale University in 1995, and he’s pretty much the most successful Yale graduate of all time. Don’t look up the names, it’s Theo. Who else has broken two of the longest championship droughts in American sports history? One guy, Theo Epstein. Anyway, he was the Class Day Speaker and yes he told the Game 7 World Series story again. I will never get tired of it, and really how can you if you’re a Cubs fan.

Baseball can teach life lessons and here’s one from Epstein.

Here’s his entire speech.

You can read the entire transcript here.

NFL Insider Makes A Bold Trubisky Prediction For 2017

By
Erik Lambert
-
mitch trubisky prediction

The Mitch Trubisky prediction machine has kept running fast and furious for the past few weeks. All anybody wants to know is this:  will the #2 overall pick in the draft see action in 2017? Some think it’s inevitable. Others believe the Chicago Bears will stand by their word not to put him on the field. After all the central fact for the talented, young passer is he’s raw. He only started 13 games in college.

Most don’t expect him to overtake veteran Mike Glennon during training camp or the preseason. Head coach John Fox is notorious for holding rookies back from playing if it can be avoided. That’s likely why Glennon was signed in the first place. Fox knows he has to start winning more games in 2017 or the odds grow that he’ll be fired.

Peter King of the MMQB has taken stock of the situation and come away with some fascinating insight for this year.

Mitch Trubisky prediction centers on some key factors

King claims that Glennon is not happy with the Bears’ decision to draft Trubisky. That’s not a surprise, especially after having endured the same exact scenario two years earlier in Tampa Bay. This essentially means that he has 16 games to prove to the team brass that he should be the starter long-term.

“Free-agent signing Mike Glennon is grinding his teeth over the drafting of QB Mitchell Trubisky (second pick in the draft), and he has one season to stake his claim for the job. (I wouldn’t be optimistic in the Glennon household.)”

At this point it feels like nothing short of either a Pro Bowl campaign or a playoff run will keep Glennon in the starting role for long. History says highly drafted quarterbacks will find the field fast nowadays if there is even a remote hint of team struggling. King pointed out a determining factor in this is the Bears’ first four games of the schedule. Three of which will be against playoff teams (Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Green Bay) and another who beat them 36-10 last year (Tamp Bay).

A brutal start can unravel everything

There is a real possibility the Bears could start the season 0-4 or 1-3. The odds of making the playoffs after such a start are long even at best. In such a case the writing would already be on the wall for Glennon. That might explain the quick prediction King made shortly after breaking down the Bears’ chances.

“Bears prediction of 10 words or less: Trubisky is the quarterback by Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter.”

If that is a correct assessment, it means Trubisky will make his NFL debut at home against the Detroit Lions on November 19th of this year. Odds are by that point the fate of the season will be clear. What better way to introduce him to the NFC North than at home against a longtime rival. So much can happen between now and then, but it’s certainly something to mark on the calendars assuming the other assessments by King and others are true.

Selfishly one can hope Glennon defies the odds and is able to win a few more games than expected to make it interesting.

The Bears Plan For Kyle Long To Change Positions Again

By
Erik Lambert
-
kyle long
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 13: Kyle Long #75 of the Chicago Bears runs onto the field during player introductions before a game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on September 13, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 31-23. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Kyle Long has really become the Swiss Army Knife of the Chicago Bears offensive line. He’s already played right guard and right tackle in his career for the team. Now it seems there’s a growing rumor that the team again plans to shift him elsewhere. No, it’s not to the position many have called for at left tackle. Instead Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune indicated Long could be on the move to the left guard position.

“The Bears are considering another position change for Kyle Long, but it’s not what you might expect.

No, Long isn’t moving back to right tackle, and the three-time Pro Bowl selection is not going to play left tackle either. Instead, multiple sources tell the Tribune the Bears are in the process of shifting Long to left guard for the 2017 season to have him swap places with veteran Josh Sitton, who was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate last year.”

It’s an interesting development and somewhat puzzling given the success the team had blocking last year. Turns out there are a number of reasons behind it. For starters is Long’s health. Odds are he may not be fully recovered from the nasty ankle injury he suffered last season. With it being his right ankle, a move to left guard where most of the torque gets put on the left ankle would make sense.

Kyle Long shift is about age and athleticism

There is another part to the idea though. Long was and still is the most athletic offensive lineman the Bears have. Typically it’s smart to have the most agile blockers on the left side for pass protection purposes. Long is 28-years old while Sitton is 30. The older veteran can’t move quite like he used to and also has experience on the right side.

“The Packers swapped Sitton and Lang because they felt Lang was more of a mauler and better suited for the right side. Typically, offenses are right-handed in the running game, and a more mobile and athletic left guard not only aids pass blocking on that side of the line but is an asset when it comes to pulling and getting to the second level in the running game.”

In other words the move is meant to serve all parties. Having Long on the left side should help Mike Glennon or Mitch Trubisky in pass protection while he’ll also be able to pull and provide extra help to the right side on run blocking situations for Jordan Howard. Long did play some left guard in college at Oregon, so the position isn’t totally foreign to him.

The Bears are also being wise to start him on that road now rather than right before the season back in 2015 when they shifted him to right tackle at the last minute. Odds are he will accept the change and take in stride. That’s been his personality since he got to the league. At the end of the day the shift likely won’t be too noticeable.

 

Kris Bryant Now Has 9 Career Multi-HR Games

By
Aldo Soto
-

Kris Bryant is the reining MVP and I bet he wins a few more before he calls it a career. I mean, he’s been so damn consistent so far during his three seasons with the Chicago Cubs and after a monster 2016, Bryant is getting even better. On Sunday, he hit two home runs, marking the ninth time during his career that he’s hit two or more in a game. It’s the second time he’s done it this season.

Before the year began, Bryant said he worked on hitting the ball to right field after not getting many hits to the opposite field in 2016. As a matter of fact, Bryant didn’t hit a single home run to right field last year. Seven weeks in to this season, Bryant has three.

His first home run on Sunday was a no-doubter to straight away right.

Then, he lined his second of the afternoon into the basket in left.

Bryant has 10 home runs so far this season.

Cubs 2017 Quarter-Season Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

By
Dhruv Koul
-

A quarter of the 2017 MLB season is already over, and the reigning champion (still feels surreal and amazing to type that) Chicago Cubs are sitting at 21-20, in third place in the NL Central, and three games off the lead.

No, it’s not quite close to the absurd start they had last year at 25-6, locking up the division crown in early May and cruising into October. But for a team that barely had an offseason and has yet to get major contributions from many of their star players, things could be a lot worse.

So, with 25% of the season in the books, what’s gone right and what’s gone wrong for the defending champs? Let’s explore.

Jason Heyward Is Back From DL, Ian Happ Is Here To Stay For Now

By
Aldo Soto
-

The Chicago Cubs made a few roster moves official on Sunday, as Jason Heyward was activated from the disabled list after missing a few weeks because of a hand injury. The Cubs optioned Tommy La Stella to Triple-A.

So, that means rookie Ian Happ is here to stay at least for now after an impressive week with the Cubs. The team also sent down pitcher Pierce Johnson after he made his MLB debut on Friday and brought up reliever Dylan Floro.

Floro made his Cubs debut against the Colorado Rockies earlier this season, coming in relief after a bad Jake Arrieta start.

The Cubs not only get a boost with more flexibility by keeping Ian Happ, but the outfield defense will get better with Heyward’s return. The other change is that Kyle Schwarber isn’t leading off. He’s been bumped down one spot along with Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Addison Russell is batting eighth today against the Milwaukee Brewers, while Jake Arrieta goes back to the conventional ninth spot.

So, let’s hope this lineup, or any lineup for the Cubs can become more consistent.

Watch Mitch Trubisky Showcase His Accuracy With This Insane Throw

By
Erik Lambert
-
mitch trubisky accuracy

When draft experts lauded the Mitch Trubisky accuracy on his passes, people could only take their word for it. Sure there are some video clips from games to help illustrate it, but even then such a thing is hard for the fans to quantify. It’s difficult to make videos that truly showcase just how pinpoint a passer a quarterback can be.

Well the people at Panini America found a way. Trubisky was down in Los Angeles this past week for the 2017 NFL Players Association Rookie Premiere. It was a showcase meant to debut top draft prospects in their new uniforms. Needless to say Trubisky looked outstanding in navy blue. However, he saved his biggest moment for during the fun drills on the field.

Mitch Trubisky accuracy lore needed only a tire

For those who know their football history, Johnny Unitas was famous for his practice habits back during his Hall of Fame career. One way he loved to improve his timing and accuracy on passes was through the use of tire swings. For those who don’t know, the general diameter of a tire hole is around 15 inches. Imagine trying to fit a football through a 15-inch tire opening on a swing that tends to move.

That’s hard enough to do at 10 yards away. Now imagine trying to do it at 25-30 yards. Well Trubisky didn’t have to, because he did it.

@chicagobears QB @mtrubisky10 . . . sharpshooter. @paniniamerica @nflpa #rookiepremiere #whodoyoucollect

A post shared by Panini America (@paniniamerica) on

That isn’t just impressive. It’s insane. Understand that the tire is spinning in this clip. So the opening wasn’t even facing him at the start. He had to time the pass just right to where the hole would appear while the ball was in flight. Trubisky nails it with all the casual flair of a sniper hitting a bulls-eye on the shooting range.

It’s becoming easier than ever to see why the Chicago Bears brass were willing to give up extra draft picks to make sure they got him. If his read-react skills can be coached up to match that sort of accuracy? This team could be in store for a lot of fun times ahead.

Mitch Trubisky Could Continue An Unreal Tradition In Chicago

By
Erik Lambert
-

The Mitch Trubisky Ohio narrative was a popular one throughout the draft process. It was played up constantly how he was a native of the state. Unsurprising since the Cleveland Browns held the #1 overall pick. It was a classic Hollywood script. The boy who grew up watching his favorite team returns as a man to lead them out of the depths of ineptitude.

Of course scripts are built around fiction and that dream never came to pass for the Browns. Despite their best efforts they were no match for GM Ryan Pace. His aggressive move up from #3 to #2 overall assured that the Chicago Bears would be his new home. Maybe not the biopic people had expected but there’s more than one way to make a great story.

Cleveland isn’t the only city fraught with quarterback woes. If anything the Bears’ is even more cringe-worthy stretching back decades. Interspersed with very brief moments of passable play. Trubisky is the latest in a long line trying to stop that trend. Why should anybody believe he can? Well aside from the talent, there is another interesting reason.

The Mitch Trubisky Ohio angle may have legs in another way

Ohio isn’t exactly quarterback central. At least not compared to states like California and Pennsylvania, long celebrated hubs for the best signal caller ever. That said there is one fascinating trait about Ohio-born quarterbacks people don’t know.

They’re trailblazers. That’s to say the best of the best to come from there often did so from previously unproven programs in college. Look back over the history at the biggest names. Each of them came from a school that had never produced a viable quarterback in its history prior to their ascent. It’s a rather remarkable truth.

  • Len Dawson (Purdue)
  • Roger Staubach (Navy)
  • Ben Roethlisberger (Miami of Ohio)

Keep looking over those three names. They have a ton in common. They overcame limited expectations early in their career. Each won at least one championship. Two are in the Hall of Fame and the third stands a pretty good chance once he retires. All of them elevated the QB position at their respective college to unseen levels seen before.

Now paint the picture again. North Carolina has never once produced a viable quarterback in its program history. Trubisky is from Ohio and he’s easily the most talented player ever to come out of there at that position. It’s just the latest sign that the stars maybe, just maybe are aligning in the Bears’ favor for once.

If nothing else they can use every bit of superstitious good fortune they can get.

1...3,0783,0793,080...3,196Page 3,079 of 3,196

Subscribe to our Newsletter

✶ An Unfiltered Voice For Chicago Sports Fans ✶

Chicago Sports News

About Us

© Sports Mockery, Inc. 2026