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Source Confirms The Cubs Have Talked To Rangers About Catcher Jonathan Lucroy

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs are looking to add a few missing pieces to their roster as the club continues to heat up, going 7-1 since the All-Star break. While everyone knows the Cubs are still hunting pitching, a veteran back-up catcher is still on their radar as well.

As soon as the Cubs released Miguel Montero, the Tiger’s Alex Avila quickly became linked to the Cubs due to the obvious fit. And while Avila is having an excellent season in Detroit, the two ball clubs have yet to agree on the actually details of the deal.

So it wasn’t too surprising when news broke last night that the Cubs, while also talking to the Rangers about Yu Darvish, have also discusses the possibility of adding veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

I originally saw a post from MLB Trade Rumors saying that the Cubs could possibly have an interest in the 31-year-old backstop. And after firing off a few texts, I received confirmation that the Cubs were engaged in early discussion on Lucroy and the Rangers asking price.

The veteran catcher is having a down season, slashing a mediocre .244/.293/346 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI’s, but he has thrown out 13 out 29 runners this season. While some may wonder what makes Lucroy attractive to the Cubs, it could be his  career .340 OBP. Or that he is a  player who has experience playing in the NL Central and could be a big help in the Cubs attempt to take back the division from Lucroy’s former team, the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Lucroy news could just be a ploy by the Cubs front office to make Detroit re-think their asking price, or it could be that the Cubs really do like Lucroy. For what it’s worth, they were interested in him at one point last season.

While it is not entirely clear how serious the Cubs are in acquiring either Jonathan Lucroy or Alex Avila, Buster Olney believes the Cubs will add another veteran backstop to their roster, and the two are the best options on the market right now. Expect one of them to be playing in Chicago by sometime next week.

The Cubs Have Been Linked To Phillies Reliever Pat Neshek

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs are looking for a few more arms to sure up their bullpen for another deep playoff run. Yesterday we heard that the Cubs were likely to trade for Orioles closer Zach Britton, and today it’s Phillies reliever Pat Neshek.

No surprise that the other three teams are linked to Neshek, but this is the first time someone has directly linked the Cubs to the Phillies side-armer. The 36-year-old Neshek is having a fantastic season in Philly, with a 1.14 ERA while registering an elite 9.84 K/9 that earned him his second trip to the All-Star game, the veteran right-hander is having arguable the best season of career.

Neshek has an absolutely filthy delivery that allows him to hide the ball much longer than most pitchers, making it almost impossible to get a read on the pitch before it’s in the catchers mitt.

GOOD LORD! And that was Giancarlo Stanton whiffing hard against Neshek. The veteran reliever is a free agent after this season, so he would be likely just a rental, but adding Neshek to the bullpen along with Wade Davis and Carl Edwards would allow the Cubs to shorten games for the their starters in the playoffs.

And while the Cubs would likely prefer to add a lefty-reliever like Britton or the Royals Mike Minor, neither right handed or left handed hitters see Neshek well, with a .182 BA against RHH and a .212 for LHH.

The asking price for Neshek will depend on the market and how coveted he truly is. It was rumored the Neshek to the Red Sox was almost a done deal right around the All-Star game, but since then rumors have faded some. If the Cubs can make this deal without parting with Jeimer Candelario, I’ll count that as win for the Cubs, but we shall see.

Key Bears Training Camp Battle #4: Dion Sims vs. Adam Shaheen

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears training camp battle

Tight end was a massive weakness in 2016. That is why the next Chicago Bears training camp battle review centers on the position. After trading Martellus Bennett and losing Zach Miller to injury, it was clear GM Ryan Pace needed to overhaul at that position. He did just that over the past few months. First he signed veteran free agent Dion Sims from Miami, then drafted Adam Shaheen out of Ashland in the second round.

It is these two men who could form the bedrock of the position long-term. Zach Miller will be the likely starter, at least to start the 2017 season. He was productive last year prior to his injury (486 yards in 10 games) and knows the system well. That said he also turns 33-years old in October. Given his health concerns, people are anxious to see who his successor will be.

Chicago Bears training camp battle participant:  Dion Sims

Sims represents the exact sort of free agents that Pace loves to sign. He’s relatively young at 26-years old and is coming off the best season of his career to date. Though 256 yards with four touchdowns may not sound like much, it’s important to note he was only targeted 35 times. So it’s fair to wonder how productive he might be were he featured in an offense rather than playing a reserve role.

It looks like he’s begun to understand how to be a receiving threat, showing solid hands and ability to get himself extra space. At the same time he exhibits a willingness and edge for blocking. He’s not afraid to get physical. That was something the Bears hoped they had in Logan Paulsen, only to find out he was dreadful at both. Sims can be a significant upgrade in that same role.

Chicago Bears training camp battle participant:  Adam Shaheen

The real buzz of early practices though have center on the new rookie Shaheen. In limited snippets the 6’6″ kid from Division II looked like a man among boys on the field. His unique blend of size and speed coupled with strong hands appears to make him an instant mismatch for almost any defender he lines up against. An obvious primary reason he was drafted in the first place.

As with any Division II prospect, a bit of caution is needed. They may have dominated their competition in college, but the NFL is two or three level up. It remains to be seen if the rookie is ready that for that sort of challenge. He certainly doesn’t lack the physical skill. What it will come down to is whether he embraces the work that often separates the bad from the good.

As to who should be favored at this point? Naturally experience plays in favor of Sims. Having worked under Adam Gase in Miami last year, he might have an advantage in terms of understanding the Bears offense. At the same time he can’t match the physical upside Shaheen brings to the table. So it becomes a question of if and when things start to click mentally for the rookie.

Jordan Howard Expected To Settle an Old Score In 2017

By
Erik Lambert
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jordan howard 2017 expectations

The Jordan Howard 2017 expectations are considerably higher than they were in 2016. Of course it should be that way. Howard was a rookie fifth round draft pick at this time last year. Expectations would be almost as low as they could get. Fast forward to now and everything is different. The young man from Alabama is the unquestioned starter at running back and viewed as the focal point of the offense.

Those are the perks that come with making the Pro Bowl. That and finishing with the most rushing yards in a season of any rookie back in Bears history. An accomplishment that is quite impressive considering Howard got past Walter Payton, Gale Sayers and Matt Forte among others to do it. Of course the man himself didn’t come away all that impressed.

Howard was quick to point out the failures of the team to win despite his individual success. That and the fact he wasn’t the leading rusher in the league, something he stated was his goal this year. He has one man to thank for that, somebody he could be tied to for the rest of his career.

Jordan Howard 2017 expectations hinge on Ezekiel Elliott rivalry

The 2016 NFL season was a unique one. Not only did it feature the first ever Super Bowl overtime, it also saw another bit of history. It was the first time two rookies led the league in rushing. That included Howard and Dallas Cowboys standout Ezekiel Elliott. This accomplishment has created a sort of unspoken rivalry between the two.

Elliott claimed the first round with 1,631 yards to Howard’s 1,313. This success was aided by the fact Howard only got 12 carries through his first three games. Certainly a sticking point that has people anxious to see what he can do with a full season. Eliot Harrison of NFL.com personally believes he’s going to get a measure of payback.

“Chicago Bears: Jordan Howard rushes for more yards than Ezekiel Elliott

Howard had himself a year in 2016 — though it didn’t look like he was going to, not early on. The fifth-round pick out of Indiana had recorded just 12 carries heading into October. Who could’ve guessed he’d finish the season with 1,313 yards? Howard produced those numbers despite moderate shuffling on the offensive line and major rejiggering at quarterback.

What can he do with a full training camp as the starter and continuity on offense? John Fox wants to Run. The. Football. Losing receiver Alshon Jeffery in free agency practically demands the Bears coach embrace that strategy. Couple that with Elliott missing two starting offensive linemen in Dallas from a year ago, and Howard might be running away with a rushing title.”

Expect this Bears to be fed

Howard is determined to win the rushing title this year. He stated it quite clearly as one of his goals. After his first one which was to make the Chicago Bears winners again. Proof positive his focus is on doing whatever he has to for the team, not himself. Just one of the reasons why he is fast becoming a favorite among the fans.

With two new quarterbacks in place it’s likely the Bears will want to keep the offense balanced. That means consistent, heavy doses of Howard each week. If the offensive line stays healthy with that star-studded interior, he has a chance to do something much bigger in Year Two. Presuming he doesn’t get hurt as well.

Experts Unanimous About Who Chicago Bears Breakout Star Will Be

By
Erik Lambert
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Right now the search for another Chicago Bears breakout star is ongoing. At present only Jordan Howard fits that profile, at least on offense. If this team is going to make it happen with their new quarterbacks, they need somebody else to step up. Will it happen? Well upon scouring the NFL community, the same name keeps coming up.

That being emerging wide receiver Cameron Meredith. He’s become quite the story over the past two years. A former quarterback at Illinois State, he switched to wide receiver midway through college. Intrigued by his mix of size and athleticism, the Bears signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2015. From there he battled his way onto the roster.

Then in 2016 he took another step. With Kevin White injured, Meredith became the #2 guy opposite Alshon Jeffery. Over the course of the year he showed massive improvement and finished with a team-high 888 yards. Could the third year be his true coming out party?

Chicago Bears breakout star role reserved for Meredith?

His name got a big mention on the NFL Network during their “Good Morning Football” segment. It’s explained just how good the receiver was down the stretch last year and how he’s poised to take that next step to become THE guy for Mike Glennon or Mitch Trubisky.

What’s fascinating about that list is the other receivers involved. They’re all big names, sure. However, most of them are attached to big quarterbacks. Jordan Nelson had Aaron Rodgers. Julian Edelman had Tom Brady. Andrew Luck, Eli Manning, Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees. It’s no coincidence those receivers were so good down the stretch.

Bucking the trend

Only Meredith was the anomaly. He made that list despite catching those passes from Matt Barkley. Remember him? The guy who started last season as the third-stringer? This only reinforces the belief that Meredith is poised for bigger things in 2017.

It’s not just the main experts who believe in him either. Yahoo Sports fantasy gurus are urging people to buy in on him for their leagues.

“It’s silly to believe rusted-out Volvo Victor Cruz, Kendall Wright or perpetual disappointment Kevin White leapfrog Meredith. He will be Mike Glennon’s, or Mitch Trubisky’s, main man. Similar to another former QB, Terrelle Pryor, he is just now coming into his own as a WR. Keep in mind, Alshon Jeffery’s 22.5 percent targets share (7.8 per game in ’16) is up for grabs. Odds are strong he attracts 22-25 of the team’s looks. Throw in the fact the Bears will chase many deficits and the math says it’s conceivable he finishes with 70-plus receptions, 1,000-1,200 yards and 5-7 TDs.”

If this comes to pass, conversations will begin to start about Meredith being one of the best hidden gems the Bears have discovered since the dawn of the millennium. If some of their other high profile picks start to elevate along with him? This team will be in business.

Jon Lester Pays Tribute To Late Uncle During Saturday’s Game

By
Sean Sears
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Jon Lester pitched an emotional game in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Cardinals, and while it may have just seemed like business as usual for the fiery Lester, today’s game held a deeper meaning.

News broke after the late come-back win that Lester’s uncle passed away yesterday, so the Cubs ace decided to pay tribute to the late Notre Dame grad by writing PLACT, short for the infamous Fighting Irish motto, ‘Play Like A Champion Today’.

Lester was more or less, wearing his literal heart on his sleeve during today’s game that saw him carry a no-hitter into the 5th inning. And while Lester gave up two runs in the 8th inning, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo made sure to salvage a win for the club.

Afterwards, Lester shared his thoughts on the emotional outing, you can see the rest of the press conference here.

“My family — I lost my uncle yesterday,” Lester said. “For the Notre Dame fans, he went to Notre Dame, so it’s Play Like a Champion Today. Just to let him know that I was thinking of him.”

Lester had kept the tragic family loss to himself, as even Kris Bryant and is teammates were taken back by the news. Regardless, Lester tossed a gem, eight innings of two run baseball including 10 strike outs while not issuing a single walk. The Cubs 33-year-old ace made his late Uncle proud today, playing like the Champion he is.

Key Bears Training Camp Battle #5: Jonathan Bullard vs. Jaye Howard

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears training camp battle

The Chicago Bears training camp battle list for 2017 appears to be stacked. A number of positions are up for grabs and there are some pretty talented players trying to secure them. This countdown will focus on the five most intriguing of the lot. What better place to start than on defense where the lineup is in store for a considerable shift.

The secondary gets all the attention but the defensive line is where the Bears really need to perform this year. Their run defense was atrocious last season. Inconsistent play and injury up front played a part in that. Two of the three positions are locked up. Akiem Hicks is coming off the best season of his career at defensive end. Eddie Goldman is head and shoulder above the other options at nose tackle.

That just leaves the other defensive end spot. There are a number of names vying for it including veteran Mitch Unrein and intriguing second-year convert from outside linebacker Roy Robertson-Harris. However, the two names to watch will be Jonathan Bullard and Jaye Howard.

DL Bears training camp battle participant:  Jonathan Bullard

It wouldn’t be a surprise if coaches are hoping Bullard takes off this year. The 2016 third round pick flashed loads of potential at times with his run-stopping prowess and explosive lower body. Unfortunately like many rookies he struggled with consistency. For every good play he had there were two or three he could’ve done better.

Word is he’s put in a ton of work during the offseason. Instagram posts indicated he’s working with former Bears defensive end Alex Brown on his technique and fundamentals. Given the success Brown had, that can only prove helpful to Bullard. The possibilities of his upside along with Hicks and Goldman is hard not to get excited about.

DL Bears training camp battle participant:  Jaye Howard

That said the job won’t be handed to him. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox believe in competition. It’s for that reason they signed veteran Jaye Howard. Prior to last season the man was enjoying a career breakout in Kansas City. He had 5.5 sacks in 2015 and was one of the best run defenders at his position. A hip injury hit him hard last season though and he was released by Kansas City.

The Bears are banking that he can make a full recovery. If so they might have one of the most underrated 3-4 ends in the league.

This is shaping up to be quite a showdown. Both men still have significant upside. Both have stated they have something to prove this year. Pushing each other to get better will only help the Bears defense in the long run. The determining factor will likely be whether Howard is fully recovered from the hip issue. Such things can take awhile to overcome.

That should give the edge to Bullard, presuming he makes the expected jump all NFL players do in their second years. Still, don’t make any presumptions about this one.

Kris Bryant Scores Game-Winning Run From First Base

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2, as Kris Bryant showed off his great base running, scoring the winning run from first base on a hit to left-center field.

Anthony Rizzo dumped a hit in front of Dexter Fowler and with Bryant running on a full count the 2016 MVP read the play perfectly and came all the way around to score. Fowler’s throw to the plate was pretty good, but catcher Yadier Molina couldn’t get a handle of the ball, as Bryant crossed the plate safely.

That came after Jon Lester allowed back-to-back home runs in the top of the eighth. The Cubs responded with their three-run rally that began with a two-out RBI-double by Ben Zobrist. Bryant singled to drive in Zobrist before he was driven in by Rizzo.

The Cubs are now 0.5 game back of first place.

The Chicago Bears Still Own One Pretty Amazing NFL Passing Record

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

One would think a Chicago Bears quarterback owning an NFL passing record wouldn’t be a good thing. Knowing the history this team has at that position, especially over the past 50 years? Yeah it can only bring pain. However, this is why certain fans need to learn their history. Once upon a time the Bears were one of the brightest spots in football for quarterback play.

This is in reference to Sid Luckman. Granted, most people these days don’t care to remember a man who had his best years during the 1940s. That said they might be surprised how relevant he is to this day. Sure Jay Cutler broke most of his Bears passing records, but there is one he didn’t even sniff.

In fact no NFL quarterback to this day has managed to touch it. That includes the mighty Tom Brady, hated Aaron Rodgers and others like Peytong Manning and Joe Montana and so on. Hard to believe considering all the rule changes in their favor these days. So what is this record?

Chicago Bears quarterback Luckman all-time TD-to-pass attempt leader

That’s right. Luckman still owns the record for the most touchdowns per passing attempts in the history of professional football. All told he threw 1,829 passes in his career. A total of 144 of those passes went for touchdowns. In other words every 12.01 of his throws delivered six points for his team. That’s pretty impressive. His TD percentage ratio stands at 7.9%.

For those curious fellow Hall of Famer Otto Graham ranks a distant fourth at 6.6%. Rodgers is tied for fifth at 6.4% while Brady is way back at 23rd with 5.5%. It makes one wonder just how lethal Luckman might’ve been had he played under modern rules. He certainly had the skill set and the gifted mind for it.

Either way this might be one of those records that might as well retire because it will never be broken. Knowing a Bears quarterback holds it has to be a little satisfying.

Source Believes The Cubs Will Trade For Orioles Reliever Zach Britton

By
Sean Sears
-

The Cubs were obliterated in the 8th inning of Friday’s series opener against their rival St. Louis Cardinals, allowing nine runs to score and spoiling an excellent Jake Arrieta start. The devastating collapse led to some very extreme knee-jerk reactions, with fans clamoring for the Cubs to pull the trigger for Orioles closer Zach Britton.

The rumors surrounding the Cubs and Britton started last week when MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand tweeted that the Cubs were entertaining the idea of trading for the lefty-reliever.

While the overreaction from a poor bullpen performance by the fans is not what is making this deal happen, a few sources have confirmed that the Cubs are still very much interested in acquiring Britton. A source told me he felt that “Britton is still very likely,” and that he felt the Cubs were considered the favorites to acquire the Orioles top reliever.

Of course, the left-handed closer had an incredible 2016 season, finishing with 47 saves and 0.54 ERA. However, Britton has been dealing with a forearm injury that has limited him to just 15 appearances this season. And while the results have still been solid, 2.81 ERA with 5 saves, he has given up 22 hits and allowed five runs during that small span.

For comparison, Britton only allowed 38 hits and four earned runs though all of 2016, raising some red flags on whether or not the dominating 29-year-old lefty is truly back. However, that is not stopping the Cubs from continuing their search for more arms.

Now, the other fascinating  part about this situation is that the Cubs are also still drawn to Orioles starter Kevin Gausman. No one has mentioned Gausman as one of the players Baltimore has made available, however GM Dan Duquette and owner Peter Angelos have both mentioned center fielder Adam Jones and third baseman Manny Machado as ‘untouchable’ at this time. However, both have failed to mentioned Gausman as one of those players they would refuse to move.

I wrote about the Cubs scouting one of Gausman’s starts last month, and with his age (26-years-old) and controllable contract (arbitration eligible for the next three seasons), Gausman is exactly the type of pitcher the Cubs would love to add to the back of their rotation. And when he is on, Gausman has some incredibly filthy stuff.

His numbers have been rough this season with an ERA still sitting above six, but he is coming off a promising 2016 season where he finished with a 3.61 ERA and a K/9 of 8.72. While his 2017 numbers are awful, Gausman as the Cubs 4th or 5th pitcher for this season and for the future looks a lot more promising than trotting out John Lackey again or paying to keep Jake Arrieta around long term.

Plus, think of the work that could be done by Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio working with Gausman on a consistent basis. The guy throws an incredible split-finger/change-up, which he uses as a strike out pitch, but think if he could start using that pitch to induce soft contact and more ground balls? And then remember who the Cubs have in the middle infield. Are you smiling yet? Because you should be smiling.

At this point, I personally, am more excited about the potential to land Gausman than I am Britton, however adding either of these arms is going to be tricky. The Cubs do not have the blue chip trade pieces they did a few weeks ago in Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease. Ian Happ is proving to be too important of a piece to move at this point, so it is going to have to be a slew of prospects that get this deal done.

I don’t know if the Cubs have enough known talent in their farm system to make this deal work, but the Orioles are scouting the Cubs prospects on a regular basis right now. If Baltimore can pick out a few hidden gems in the Cubs system, maybe this deal can work? Regardless, keep an eye on Zach Britton as the Cubs appear to be the favorites to land the talented lefty-arm.

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