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Martellus Bennett Got Himself Locked Out of Packers Dorm on First Night

By
Erik Lambert
-

The Martellus Bennett Packers experience isn’t off to the greatest start. After winning a Super Bowl with New England, the former Bears tight end no doubt believes he’ll get a chance to do the same in Green Bay. He represents the biggest free agent addition the Packers have made in years. As big as Julius Peppers was. The fact he played for Chicago is just icing on the cake.

Certainly hasn’t made him any more popular since leaving Chicago. That’s why what happened to him his very first day at training camp was hilarious. Like everybody else Bennett reported and planned to settle into his dorm room. The problem was the care-free tight end didn’t bother to let anybody know when he’d arrive.

What happened next according to NFL.com and the man himself? Probably one of the more uncomfortable nights of sleep he’s had in a long time.

Martellus Bennett Packers stint begins with a bad omen

“And so it was that Bennett found himself locked out of the entrance to his dorm at St. Norbert College. Bennett couldn’t get to his assigned room, but he did have access — somewhat surprisingly — to the Packers locker room.

The veteran tight end got himself settled for an uncomfortable night of sleep on the floor … but not before hopping on social media to share his tale of woe. This is how things work now.”

As a human being it’s easy to have some sympathy for Bennett. Nobody likes to get locked out of anything. The place you’re supposed to sleep being at the top of the list. At the same time, given some of the headaches he’s brought and will bring the Bears it feels much better to just sit back and have a laugh at his expense.

Maybe this will teach him to be more communicative in the future. Showing up when you want may be good for parties. Not so much for a thoroughly mapped out training camp schedule.

White Sox Yoan Moncada Hits His First MLB Home Run

By
Aldo Soto
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Chicago White Sox fans got something to cheer for on Wednesday night, when Yoan Moncada launched his first MLB home run. The solo home run came in the seventh inning, connecting on an 0-2 breaking ball from Jake Arrieta.

Moncada showing off that power to the opposite field.

And the rookie got the silent treatment in the dugout after his first Major League dinger.

Stay excited White Sox fans, you’ll be seeing a lot more of that from Moncada.

Seth Beer Might Not Be The White Sox Pick Next June

By
Emmet McClain
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Now that virtually every trade piece the White Sox had is gone, they are destined to lose an absurd amount of games the next two months. After yesterday’s loss against the Cubs, the White Sox have now lost 10 of 11 and are right in the thick of things for not only drafting top three, but No. 1 overall. Furthermore, the White Sox just traded their last legitimate bullpen piece in Anthony Swarzak to the Milwaukee Brewers. Even if the White Sox bats come to life down the stretch, it will be incredibly difficult for them to hold onto a lead in any given game.

The name linked to the White Sox for the past year has been Clemson Sophomore Seth Beer. Clearly the best power bat in the 2018 draft, Beer exploded onto the scene last year, winning Freshman of the Year, as well as other numerous awards. Scouts have Beer going anywhere in the 5-10 range because his defense is poor, and he might end up being a DH. If the White Sox feel the same way, they more than likely won’t reach for a player like that with the No. 1 spot. If the White Sox do end up picking third, then they could potentially draft Beer. But if the White Sox slip into the top two, I wouldn’t count on it.

So If Not Beer, Then Who?

Fear not White Sox fans, while Beer might not be as likely an option as he once was, there are still a plethora of studs the White Sox could select should they pick No. 1 or No. 2. The top two prospects all seem to be agreed upon among scouts nationwide, with a few different opinions on who could go No. 3.

1) Brady Singer – RHP, Florida

For everyone immediately freaking out that the White Sox need bats, I quote Aaron Rodgers: R-E-L-A-X. First of all, take a look at the White Sox prospect page. Inside their respective top 10, there are 5 pitchers and 5 batters. Obviously that will change in the near future once Yoan Moncada graduates from the pipeline, but the balance is still there. There’s also the fact that Brady Singer is the real deal. Standing at 6’5, 195, Singer has a great build for a pitcher. He throws from a 3/4 arm slot and works with a fastball/slider combo with his changeup still developing. Singer’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s but comes with serious arm side run, making it incredibly difficult for opposing batters to barrel the ball. Singer pairs his fastball with a slider that misses bats regularly. However, the thing that stands out most with Singer is that HE THROWS STRIKES. Singer will straight up pound the zone over and over. Something that cannot really be said with the current White Sox pitching prospects. He will also add more velocity as he matures. Many scouts have Singer as the early pick to go No. 1, and it isn’t by accident.

2) Brice Turang – SS, Santiago High School, (CA)

Turang is the top rated high school player in the country at the moment, and for good reason. Turang has a knack for the strike-zone, striking out just once (!) in his entire Junior season. He consistently squares up the ball to his bat and makes hard contact over and over again. One scout likened him to a high school version of Dansby Swanson. Turang has the range, speed, soft hands, and quick feet to stay at short stop for the longterm.

“to be a left-handed hitting, true shortstop profile, who’s polished, who has range, is impressive. I think that power is the last thing to develop with most guys, and I think that his power will develop.”

In short, Turang is a potential 5-tool player once the power comes with maturity. He can hit, steal bags, and plays a phenomenal short stop. White Sox fans might argue and say that we have Tim Anderson locked in for the foreseeable future, which is true, but he isn’t having the best season by any means. One great rookie year does not necessarily mean it will become the norm (see Gordon Beckham). When it comes to drafting, teams need to take the best player available. There is no need to pass up on a talent like Turang’s for a lesser talent but greater position of need. That is not how rebuilds work. Turang is currently a commit to LSU, but scouts say that if he opted out he could reach the MLB in just 3 years, maybe even quicker. While he is on the younger side of the spectrum, Turang would fit in nicely with the timing of the rebuild, and could be an offensive and defensive force as short for 10+ years.

3) Kumar Rocker – RHP, North Oconee High School, (GA)

Rocker is probably the most physically imposing pitcher that will be available in the 2018 MLB Draft. at 6’4, 250, Kumar is a true power pitcher. His fastball sits at 95, and has touched 97. It will continue to gain velocity as Rocker himself gains strength through maturity. He is also working on a slider that has topped out at 78 mph with nasty bite, and scouts say his changeup will eventually grade out at 50 on the 20-80 scale. While he has a lot to work on, he has the time being so young. His body allows him to repeat his delivery with incredible ease. He also is a prolific hitter from the right side of the plate, and plays 1st base for his high school on occasion, which shows how athletic he truly is. Rocker’s power fastball mold seems to fit with what the White Sox are trying to build down on their farm, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he is their pick when the day comes. Scouts generally agree he has a front-end starter ceiling, with the possibility of ace status.

What Have We Learned?

Well, if the White Sox do indeed pick in the top-three, Seth Beer more than likely would not be the choice. Now, obviously a lot can change in the next 11 months. Beer could have his best collegiate season next year and see his draft stock soar. Other prospects could fall, and some teams might come out of nowhere and push the White Sox back a few draft slots. As of today though, keep an eye on these three prospects. They are surely going to gain more and more attention heading into next season. More will be clear when actual mock drafts come out once teams have solidified their draft position, but for now, let your imagination run wild with different scenarios.

And remember as always, White Sox fans, “In Hahn We Trust”.

Jon Jay Made Hawk Harrelson Sound Like An Idiot After Making A Diving Catch

By
Aldo Soto
-

Just watch the video and make sure you have the volume up. Hawk Harrelson continues to be baseball’s worst announcer.

Best part was Steve Stone saying, “except he made the catch,” in a serious tone because he also hates having to work alongside Hawk.

Keep being awful, Hawk.

Hobey Baker Award Winner Will Butcher Could Be Worth A Shot For The Blackhawks

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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Niklas Hjalmarsson traded, Brian Campbell retires and Johnny Oduya signs elsewhere. This sounds like a horror story for Blackhawks fans screaming for defensive depth after last season. There is a new and younger option that will soon hit the market that the organization could explore, Will Butcher.

Butcher is coming off his senior season in which he won the Hobey Baker award as the best NCAA men’s hockey player and captured the national title with Denver University. He was a two-time captain and tallied 7g and 30a in 43 games last season on the blue line.

The 2013 fifth round draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche has his rights expire on August 15. Instead of signing with the mess that is the Avalanche, he has decided to test free agency.

The best part for the Blackhawks is that there can’t be a real bidding war for Butcher, because he is limited to an entry level contract. At most he could receive $925,000 in salary and up to $2.85 million in bonuses.

He is only 22 years old and coming off a very successful college career that saw him develop immensely. Scouts see him as an offensive-minded player who can move the puck but is also responsible on defense. The left-handed shot was a key piece in the nation’s number one power play unit on the way to the national championship.

Of course there is no guarantee that Butcher will pan out in the NHL but he provides options. He is a relatively cheap shot with upside. The Blackhawks are already spending $4 million per season on 24 year old Connor Murphy who has played four average NHL seasons but has “potential.”

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

 

 

 

 

Signs Growing That Bears Are Close To Locking Up Key Defender

By
Erik Lambert
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akiem hicks

Signing Mitch Trubisky before training camp was a blessed relief to so many Chicago Bears fans. Now one contract remains that everybody agrees has to get done. That of course being the Akiem Hicks extension. The 27-year old defensive end was outstanding for the Bears in 2016. He collected seven sacks and also had six stuffs for a loss or no gain against the run as well, which led the team.

He was unequivocally one of the best free agents GM Ryan Pace has signed in his short tenure. Now the next step is securing that big fish with a lucrative extension. Why? Hicks earned it. Pace has stated he wants players to prove they belong on the Bears roster and to his credit has stuck close to that statement.

Willie Young, Tracey Porter, Kyle Long, and Zach Miller were all players who proved their value in 2015 and were rewarded with multiyear deals the next year. Hicks is by far the biggest pending free agent they have. Losing him would serve no purpose other than make the defense worse.

Akiem Hicks extension reportedly in the works

To his credit, Hicks himself stated in a recent press conference that he loves Chicago. His own mother is a native of the city and he was visiting long before he ever signed with the Bears. That was welcome to hear, but the Chicago Sun-Times decided to add even more good news to the occasion.

“Akiem Hicks wants a contract extension.

He could get his wish.

The Bears and their defensive lineman are engaged in discussions about a possible extension on the eve of training camp, sources told the Sun-Times. Hicks is entering the final season of a two-year contract, and coming off the best season of his career.”

This by itself would be enough, but it went even further. Jarrett Payton was down in Bourbonnais for the players arriving. While taking in the atmosphere he happened to notice Hicks a good distance away talking to somebody on a bench. That somebody happened to be his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

This is a big development for a number of reasons. Keep in mind that Rosenhaus is one of the top agents in the NFL. He reportedly has 82 clients he represents, so his personal time is limited. The fact that he was there in person with Hicks is a definite sign that the two sides are indeed working towards a deal.

Not only that, but this isn’t the first time Pace has had negotiations with Rosenhaus. The two previously collaborated on deals for safety Antrel Rolle and linebacker Jerrell Freeman. Was it any coincidence that Freeman and Hicks attended a press conference together?

Probably. Even so it’s a sign that’s impossible to ignore. Barring an unforeseen swerve, Hicks should get a well-deserved pay raise within the next few days or weeks at most.

Hawk Harrelson Goes Full Meatball, Says John Lackey Is Full Of Shit

By
Aldo Soto
-

I need Hawk Harrelson and John Lackey in a ring ASAP. A day after the Chicago White Sox announcer was publicly wishing for Cubs pitcher John Lackey to get injured, Harrelson wasn’t done.

A quick refresher from Tuesday’s game.

Lackey said after the game that he wasn’t trying to hit the White Sox on purpose and well when you consider he was just trying to get through the fifth inning with a lead it makes more sense that he wasn’t than to assume he was putting runners on base intentionally. Anyway, Hawk doesn’t want to listen to any of that.

Here’s Hawk on John Lackey before Wednesday night’s game.

Via the Chicago Tribune:

“I was hoping that they would drill his ass big time because he’s an idiot,” Harrelson said. “At that point, the game was not the issue. It was Lackey. He’s in the pennant race. This is a big-boy game. There’s no bull(expletive) here. He’s putting (Kris) Bryant and (Anthony) Rizzo in jeopardy.”

Harrelson said he was “protecting my Sox.” When told Lackey said he hadn’t hit the Sox players on purpose, Harrelson balked.

“He’s full of (expletive), and you can print that,” Harrerlson said. “He’s full of it. He always has been.”

Oh and Hawk wants the White Sox to hit more Cubs players.

Harrelson said he didn’t know if the score was settled after Sox reliever Chris Beck hit Ian Happ with a pitch in the bottom of the inning.

“I hope not,” Harrelson said. “4-for-1 is not very good math. Let’s see how the game goes. Sometimes you might even file it until maybe — I don’t think he will be, but if he’s back with them next year — maybe file it until next year.”

I think Hawk is extra grumpy these days because his lover Todd Frazier got traded away to the New York Yankees.

Here’s What Bears Fans Should Root For During Training Camp

By
Dhruv Koul
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chicago bears stat projections

Training camp is upon us, everyone!

The Chicago Bears are getting set to report to camp in Bourbonnais, and that means football is oh so close. I don’t know about you, but even preseason football sounds delicious right about now. The offseason is too damn long … I must have played 10 seasons of Madden since the Super Bowl.

The Bears have definitely improved the overall talent level of their roster compared to last season. And hopefully that goes hand in hand with better luck with health over the course of the season. But they have plenty of questions that need to be answered in the next week, and over the course of the next month during the preseason games.

What’s going to happen with the wide receiver circus? Who will win jobs in the defensive backfield, and where? And, most importantly, what will be decided at quarterback?

We know what the high-stakes battles are. But what results should Bears fans be rooting for?

Wide Receiver

The depth chart currently assumes that Cameron Meredith will assume the #1 position (as he should), with Kevin White #2 and anyone’s guess afterwards.

The issue is that Meredith, who certainly performed well last season, has yet to prove he can handle taking on opposing defenses’ top cornerbacks. And White, who was a top 10 pick two years ago, is still a complete unknown. At this point, his spot at #2 is assumed based on draft pedigree, not production.

The Bears signed a host of receivers in the offseason to bring some competition to the group following the departure of Alshon Jeffery. They signed Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz, and others to battle for spots on the depth chart.

Wheaton signed a multi-year contract, so his spot is very likely secure. That too in a highly visible role. Wright probably has the upper hand on Cruz right now given his previous experience in coordinator Dowell Loggains’s offense. After that, it’s murky waters.

For the Bears to succeed as an offense, they need Meredith and White to separate themselves as the best receivers on the roster during camp. That means that while going against defensive starters, they must shine and shine continuously. The Bears secondary is still an unknown at this point, and unlikely to be a top unit by any measure. If Meredith and White can’t consistently make plays against their own, unsettled secondary, how will they attack the plethora of talented secondaries they are scheduled to face this year?

Best not to find out.

Secondary

In the offseason, one of the major points of emphasis was to upgrade the secondary. The Bears needed cornerback help, safety help, more safety help, backup safety help, practice squad safety help, you name it. It was that big a mess.

Ryan Pace went all in, kind of, on his pursuit of the biggest names on the market, such as Stephon Gilmore, A.J. Bouye, and Logan Ryan. Except he didn’t sign any of them because he likes to pay players their actual value, not their inflated market value. Alas, he brought Quintin Demps, Marcus Cooper, and Prince Amukamara to Chicago. Certainly not the biggest names on the market. But solid, economical consolation prizes for a team that just isn’t quite ready to contend for a championship just yet.

With Pace’s free agency haul secured, the Bears are looking at Demps, Cooper, Amukamara, Eddie Jackson, Kyle Fuller, Deiondre Hall, Cre’Von LeBlanc, Bryce Callahan, Harold Jones-Quartey, Johnthan Banks, BW Webb, Adrian Amos, Deon Bush, and DeAndre Houston-Carson to battle it out. That’s a lot of names, and a lot of names that Pace is directly responsible for bringing on to the roster.

The Bears are likely to be strongest with Amukamara at the left corner spot and Demps at free safety. Those are givens because that’s why they were brought to the team in the first place. Those spots should be considered locks. One of either Amos or Bush should win the strong safety spot, mainly due to Amos’s experience and Bush’s recent draft status. But how about at the final cornerback spot?

Frankly, despite the contract the Bears gave Cooper, I’d love to see Fuller come in and win it. After missing all of last year and being called out by his own coordinator, watching a motivated Fuller redeem himself and contribute to a hungry defense would be awesome. At the very least he’d help by increasing his trade value. There’s always demand for that.

Quarterback

We all know what the scene is at quarterback. Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer, and Matt Barkley are out. Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez, and first round pick Mitchell Trubisky are in.

Sanchez is a clipboard holder. That much is given. He’ll be playing mentor to both Glennon and Trubisky this season. But the question is who will end up starting?

What we know right now is that Glennon is currently the starter by default. Ryan Pace made the statement when he handed him an $18 million guaranteed contract in the offseason, reiterated it after stunning the football world by trading up for Trubisky, and tripled down on it during his training camp presser today.

The way the Bears look at it, Glennon is the present. The issue is, no matter how green Trubisky is, Glennon isn’t exactly a battle-tested veteran either. Sure, he’s started a handful of games and performed decently at best. But his numbers are just a small sample. The reality is he’s an unknown as well and he also is playing for his career.

The benefits of sitting Trubisky this season are well documented. And it’s clear that’s what the Bears intend to do. But if Glennon flops during camp and Trubisky plays well, how the hell do you sell the rest of your team on “Glennon is our quarterback”? Especially when the whole world knows they are looking forward to Trubisky, possibly as early as 2018?

You can’t. Which is why it’d be best if Glennon took hold of the competition and stamped his name on the starting quarterback spot right away. No matter how Trubisky performs, if Glennon shows that he deserves the job by playing well and commanding the offense, the Bears’ brass has an easy sell to the rest of the team.

“Hey guys, I know Tru is good and all, but Glennon killed it during camp as you all witnessed. And you know he was our guy [for 2017] from the beginning. So, Mike is our quarterback.”

Seems like a simple enough conversation, right? Well, that’s only going to happen if Glennon earns it. And that’s what fans should root for.

Because that’s what’s best for the Bears. It’s best for their 2017 win prospects. It’s best for Trubisky’s development. And therefore it’ll be best for their future.

Isn’t that what we all want?

Former Super Bowl Champion Assistant Coach Added To Bears Staff

By
Erik Lambert
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bears coaching staff

People say the Chicago Bears roster will be key to them winning a Super Bowl some time in the future. That’s true, but also only half the equation. Too often they haven’t realized that the Bears coaching staff is every bit as important to success. Thankfully the arrival of John Fox has brought that desire to the forefront. Despite some recent turnover, the Bears staff remains loaded with a nice mix of young and veteran coaching minds.

Many of them already accomplished. That hasn’t stopped Fox from continuing to seek out new faces who can help this team get better. It’s one of the hallmarks that made him successful in the past:  an ability to spot coaching talent. Ever so quietly he may have gotten another good one for the Bears this past week.

According to their official training camp breakdown, the team will have three coaching interns at training camp. One for each of the phases.

Bears coaching staff adding some interesting flavors

Those three names won’t mean much to Bears fans. Some context will be needed. Matt Willis is a former wide receiver, recently cut by the Detroit Lions. Before that he spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. Though never much of an offensive weapon, he earned a reputation for being a quality special teams player. So it’s no surprise his step towards coaching begins with that side of the ball.

Kevin Vickerson is a former defensive tackle who had a journeyman career. Four of his years were spent in Denver, three of them under Fox. During that time he earned a reputation for two things:  attitude and run defense. Vickerson had a way of getting opponents angry at him while also suffocating their ground attacks. Two elements that could be a big help to the Bears defense, which has struggled in the latter area particularly.

The big name of the three though is Todd Washington. From 2011 to 2016, he was the assistant offensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens. During that time the offense rank top 10 in scoring twice and developed Pro Bowlers like Ben Grubbs, Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda. On top of that they won the Super Bowl in 2012.

Washington also played guard and center for eight years in the NFL himself. The experience he brings to the table could be immensely valuable. Not just in training camp either. If the Bears are smart they might want to find him a permanent job on their staff. As the saying goes there is no such thing as too much talent on a team. Or a staff in this case.

Akiem Hicks Makes It Clear Where He Stands On Bears Contract

By
Erik Lambert
-
akiem hicks bears contract

The Akiem Hicks contract issue is something that has been talked about for weeks since the league year began back in March. It’s well known the 27-year old is entering the final year of his current deal. After notching seven sacks and grading highly as a run defender, most believe he’s earned an extension from the Chicago Bears moving forward.

That was made difficult by two factors. The ongoing stall of first round pick Mitch Trubisky who didn’t sign until a couple days before rookies reported for training camp. Then there was the fact Hicks didn’t have an agent at the time. Only recently did he sign on with Drew Rosenhaus. So discussions on a new deal have just started.

The big question though is whether Hicks has interest in staying. It’d be hard to blame him wanting to exit stage right after going 3-13 last year. This after reaching the AFC championship with the Patriots the year before.

Akiem Hicks Bears contract stance is pretty clear

Yet that didn’t seem to affect the man himself at all. Hicks fielded the question about his contract status with up-front honest. He didn’t promise anything, but made it clear that his loyalty to the Bears and city of Chicago has become rock solid.

The main fear for many Bears fans is that GM Ryan Pace will do the same thing he did with Alshon Jeffery. He’ll try to low ball the veteran with a cheaper offer. Hicks won’t bite and instead just decides to seek bigger fortunes elsewhere. That’s fair, but also a bit misguided. Remember that Pace was the one who brought Hicks aboard in the first place. Jeffery wasn’t one of “his” guys and didn’t fit his vision.

Hicks clearly does. That’s a vital fact to keep in mind as negotiations go forward. Barring a significant breakdown, odds are good a deal can get done.

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