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Turns Out This Free Agent Was Eyeing The Bears For Over a Year

By
Erik Lambert
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jaye howard bears

It seems the Jaye Howard Bears connection was always fated to happen. Early in 2016 it was felt by many that he was just the sort of defensive line addition GM Ryan Pace coveted. Young, tough, ascending and relatively cheap compared to the superstars. As it turns out the feeling was mutual. Even before free agency began Howard had his eye on Chicago as a top destination.

Howard confirmed this in his first major interview with the Chicago Sun-Times since signing with the team back in early May. The two sides apparently discussed a possible deal but as is often the case with the Bears, he wasn’t hearing the money numbers he wanted. In the end he chose to return to Kansas City on a short two-year deal for $12 million.

The Jaye Howard Bears story was fate it seems

He considered joining the Bears last year as a free agent, but the sides, he said, weren’t close to a deal.

“I was coming off a hell of a year,” the 6-3, 301-pounder said. “Everybody thought the price would be outrageous.”

One of the most coveted defensive players in the 2016 free-agent class, he eventually signed a two-year contract worth $12 million to stay in Kansas City. The Chiefs put him on injured reserve Dec. 1 after eight games and five starts. He said he wasn’t surprised, citing the business realities of the league.

“It’s funny how that works,” he said. “I wanted to be here last year. A year later, I’m here. The thing is, I’m just trying to stay here.”

Sometimes the NFL works out that way. Two sides come so close to deal, it stalls and they go their separate ways. Then through a twist of fate the player becomes available again and the team gets their second chance to sign him. Howard was one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league during the 2015 season. He was a top run defender who also produced a health 5.5 sacks. Nowhere near J.J. Watt levels but solid work.

Vic Fangio loves versatile players and Howard is very versatile when he’s healthy. He is not yet 100% recovered from the hip injury that ended his 2016 season. Nonetheless he’s another cheap addition who has a real chance of becoming a productive starter. A trio of him, Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks could be quite formidable up front. That no doubt is what the Bears are hoping for. He’s certainly motivated to prove he belongs.

The Rise Of Avisail Garcia

By
Emmet McClain
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It’s May 22nd and we are all waiting for Avi Garcia to revert to the norm that White Sox fans know him by: a 5-tool player that always showed spurts of greatness, but was never able to put it together for a prolonged period of time.

Last year seemed to be the end for Avi, as he put together yet another year of bad at-bats even though he was able to focus mainly on hitting as a DH. However, with the White Sox recently deciding to tear everything down and start from scratch, Avi received a final chance. It really was a no brainer for the White Sox when you think about it. If Avi sucked again, it would help position the team for a better pick in next years draft. If he broke out, it may mean that he has finally, after all these years, figured it out.

Shockingly, it seems as if the latter has happened.

Putting It All Together

So far this season, Garcia is leading the American League in batting average at .350. You read that correctly. On Saturday night against Seattle, he had his best performance of the season, as he went 4-5 with 2 home runs and 2 doubles.

Perhaps the most impressive stat about Avi this season is his WAR. In ’14 and ’15 his WAR was -0.4, and -1.0, respectively. ’15 was slightly better as he at least posted a positive WAR of 0.5. This year, through a little less than a third of the season, his WAR already stands at 1.8. That my friends, is downright shocking.

So What Has Changed?

Honestly nothing really when it comes to mechanics. He is actually walking less than he ever has, which normally would be a negative, but when he is hitting as well as he has, it does not really factor into play very much. The biggest thing he changed seems to be his mental approach. If you watch him at the plate, you can really see just how confident he looks as a hitter. Sure he has had a few games where he has gone 0-3 with 2 K’s, but he has not had a prolonged slump like White Sox fans are so used to seeing.

A few weeks back, Avi said in an interview how he is taking a different approach to games. He stated how each game, good or bad, it is about starting over, not thinking about what he has done already or what he needs to do in the future. Avi is focused on the now, and it is obviously working.

Another reason why Avi could finally be breaking out is his maturity. He is still just 25-years-old, but he has had MLB experience since 2014. For some, it really does take a little longer to tap into their potential. Avi could be the next example.

The biggest reason why Avi is having this much success early on is because there is literally zero pressure on him, or any of his teammates for that matter. They all know this is a rebuilding team. If they win, great. But if not, it really is not the worst thing in the world. Rick Renteria has been a breath of fresh air in the clubhouse, and he really seems to communicate well with everyone on the roster. If you watch the White Sox now, you will see a group of guys just playing a game and having fun. The majority of the players on the current roster will be gone in the next 2-3 years. Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon are probably the only sure guarantees of staying. Avi Garcia is looking like a potential third lock. If he stays, he will be one of the leaders of a young White Sox squad.

Will He Ever Cool Off?

Unfortunately, yes. Every player goes through slumps, regardless of how good they are. Hell, look at the Cubs right now. Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber are both off to some pretty bad starts, but every baseball fan knows that they will eventually break out of it. They are just too good of players not to. It will be interesting to see how Avi handles the first extended slump this season. It will come, but if he really has come around, it will be much shorter than some of the ones we are accustomed to seeing from him.

Do The White Sox Trade Him While His Value Is At Its Highest?

This is going to become a popular topic as the trade deadline nears. I am standing firm on my answer to this question: Hard No. If Avi really has figured it all out and Rick Hahn flips him for prospects, it could come back to haunt the White Sox. Especially if those prospects never pan out. You don’t just trade a bat like Avi’s just to sell high because you can.

Now, he’s not going to be a .350 hitter for the rest of his career obviously, but if he has found a way to consistently hit .290, drive in 100+, and hit 25+ home runs, that is a player I do not move. Besides, the market for Avi right now is nonexistent at the moment. The biggest positions traded for at the deadline are almost always pitchers, both starters and bullpen pieces. Right now, Avi is looking like a player I would want the White Sox to trade FOR, not away. For now, Rick Hahn should, and probably will, keep his potential star outfielder.

MVP?

Right now, Avi is on pace for 130+ RBI’s and 30+ home runs. If he keeps his average where it is at now (unlikely), we are talking about a potential Triple Crown campaign. Talk about a comeback story. A player who was virtually on his way out of town comes back stronger than ever to take home an MVP award.

Even though the White Sox are mediocre at best this season and are going through a full fledged rebuild, the White Sox have not been this exciting since, hell… 2008? Changes are going to be coming fast on the South Side as prospects get called up throughout the year and more trades are eventually made. One constant will be Avi Garcia manning left field and crushing the baseball. The future of the White Sox may be 2-3 years away, but for Avi, it looks like the future is finally now.

Addison Russell and Albert Almora Post Back-to-Back Insane Plays

By
Erik Lambert
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addison russell and albert almora

Addison Russell and Albert Almora are two of the biggest reasons the Chicago Cubs have one of the best defenses in all of professional baseball. Their ability to field and rob batters of hits has been key to keeping this team afloat through its early season struggles. Never was that more apparent than on this crazy sequence against the San Francisco Giants.

Already trailed 1-0 after John Lackey surrendered a home run in the 1st inning, the Giants were looking to add more. On back-to-back at-bats they drilled the ball off Lackey for what looked like guaranteed hits. Unfortunately they forgot that Russell and Almora were on the field. Meanwhile the Wrigley faithful were treated to a couple defensive gems in the space of mere moments.

The pitching continues to be a big question mark for the Cubs but as long as their bats remain hot and the defense is at this level there’s no reason to think they can’t hang tough in the NL Central as the season plays out. Russell continues to evolve as a complete player while Almora is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

Best to leave the questions of pitching to Theo Epstein and his crew. That’s what they get paid for. In the meantime the Cubs can stay focused on continuing to string together wins. However they do it doesn’t matter. If it takes highlight reel defense, so be it.

Ben Zobrist Is The Newest Cubs Player To Have His Own Cereal

By
Aldo Soto
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First it was Anthony Rizzo and then David Ross followed, but Ben Zobrist may have the best cereal out of the trio. The 2016 World Series MVP now has his very own cereal.

The name? Zorilla Crunch. The cereal was released on Monday at Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago and the surrounding areas. Just like Rizzo’s and Grandpa Rossy Crunch, Zorilla Crunch is brought to you by PLB Sports.

The difference maker? Marshmallows.

The breakfast cereal is described as a toasted oat cereal with marshmallows. The championship edition 11.5-ounce collector’s box features the two-time champion Zobrist on the front and a baseball diamond-shaped maze puzzle on the back.

You can order Zobrist’s cereal, along with Rizzo’s and Ross’ here.

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

By
Aldo Soto
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.

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