Author: staff

The Chicago Bears are off for summer break until late July when training camp begins. Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions in this final mailbag until camp.AdvertisementI find it curious national media lambasts the talent level of the Bears’ WR corps while continually urging the organization to trade away draft capital to acquire another team’s disgruntled and/or underperforming wideout. Kenny Golladay is the latest example. Is there a realistic trade option at wide receiver that would actually elevate the current roster or is Ryan Poles being prudent by staying the course? — David D., Arlington HeightsWell, the Bears don’t have a lot of proven talent at the position outside of Darnell Mooney, and I don’t believe a lot of folks around the league view him as a No. 1 receiver at this point. Could he ascend into that role? No doubt. The jump he made from his rookie season to last year was impressive and with a new coaching staff, new playbook and some familiarity with quarterback Justin Fields, there’s no reason Mooney cannot make significant gains again in 2022. AdvertisementThe Bears are hopeful Byron Pringle is ready to spread his wings now that he’s out of Kansas City and in a position to get more opportunities. Equanimeous St. Brown is an interesting player but he was never consistent enough to get on the field regularly in Green Bay. Rookie Velus Jones Jr. is a player the Bears are really excited about but he has yet to play a down in the NFL. The vast majority of teams have depth with more proven experience and, in many cases, more known talent.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 30Quarterback Justin Fields works out June 16, 2022, during Bears minicamp at Halas Hall. The Bears all wore No. 41 on Thursday to honor former player Brian Piccolo on the anniversary of his death. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Do I think the Bears will trade for Golladay? No, I don’t. I haven’t heard any rumors in that regard but why would Poles want to pay big money — Golladay is due $13 million this season — for a player that has a track record of injuries, especially last season? You have to think the Bears believe they can get similar production out of one of the players already on the roster. Plus, Golladay is 28.I get repeated questions about the position and nearly all are valid. I don’t see the Bears making a blockbuster move for a game breaker at the position. Who thinks Poles wants to trade away his 2023 first-round draft pick for a player that is going to require a massive contract? Not me. I think the Bears are curious to see how the crop of receivers they have pans out. Not everyone is going to excel or meet expectations, but if one or two are solid it’s a step in the right direction. Maybe an unknown will step forward. I thought former Notre Dame wide receiver Chris Finke made some nice plays this spring. He’s undersized at 5-foot-9, 186 pounds, but maybe he can compete for a look in the slot. Finke entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020 with the San Francisco 49ers. We’ll see what he and the others look like when training camp gets rolling.I feel the Bears are getting dumped on nationally and picked to be worse than the Jacksonville Jaguars. I believe Matt Eberflus will get them playing hard and Justin Fields can win more games than people think. Cincinnati Bengals-type season? — @dpeak1313The Bengals reached the Super Bowl last season. I do not believe the Bears are going to enjoy a similar resurgence in 2022 and ultimately be crowned NFC champions. There’s a heck of a lot of space in the middle, though, between being worse than Jacksonville and being as good as Cincinnati was in 2021. I agree Eberflus likely will get the team playing hard and that can create the kind of energy needed in the building to power through some rough spots in the schedule. The coaching staff has been really positive about Fields this spring and he has nowhere to go but up. I understand Bears fans, at least a good portion of them, are tired of hearing that this may be a season full of growing pains. From a national perspective, why would there be a different quick take on the team? They won six games last season. Statistically, Fields struggled as much as about any rookie quarterback has in the last decade. Some marquee defensive players departed and there are significant questions about an offensive line that struggled last season. The only additions to the O-line have been center Lucas Patrick, signed to a two-year, $8 million contract, and a quartet of Day 3 draft picks. If Fields takes some steps forward this season, the Bears can be competitive nearly every week and be close into the fourth quarter. Then, it’s about making plays.Are the Bears heading into a really bad season as all experts predict? — @jcadengo1Can you rattle off three or four compelling reasons why this could be a playoff season for Matt Eberflus in Year 1? Yes, it happened for Matt Nagy in 2018, but he walked through the doors of Halas Hall and talked defensive coordinator Vic Fangio into staying put. The Bears had a playoff-ready defense when Nagy was hired and that unit only got better when Khalil Mack was acquired via trade. I don’t see a Mack-type player being added to the roster before the start of this season. Advertisement[ Bears 2022 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each matchup ]The Bears are starting from scratch on offense and defense. Obviously, you need to keep a close eye on Fields and his developmental track this season. There are many other compelling storylines to keep an eye on. The roster that has gotten younger and will continue to turn over in the next 12 months. Let me ask you this: If Fields steps up and shows improvement this season while a good bunch of younger players gain experience and show promise and the final record is 7-10, is that really bad? Let’s see what happens. I think GM Ryan Poles presented a long-term plan to Chairman George McCaskey, a plan he knew would take multiple seasons to come together. Poles hasn’t said as much but as I have written before, this roster wasn’t a weekend DIY project when he took it over. I think people need to have open minds and shape their expectations accordingly.Do you think that Trestan Ebner will play a big role in the offense and if so, how does that fit in with Monty and Khalil Herbert? — @sambiinooA big role? That might be asking a bit much from a rookie sixth-round pick. Right now, he projects as a change-of-pace back when he’s fully up to speed. Injuries to players ahead of him on the depth chart could create more opportunities. When I think “big role,” I am envisioning something over one-third of the snaps on offense and that seems a bit ambitious considering the presence of David Montgomery and Herbert, who you referenced, as well as Darrynton Evans. The Bears appear to have decent depth and competition beginning in training camp. Maybe Ebner can carve out a role for himself early in the season and he is smooth catching the ball out of the backfield. I certainly think he can step in immediately as a multi-phase contributor on special teams. He will be an interesting rookie to track during camp and preseason.With spots open at linebacker, right guard and defensive tackle, and salary cap space, do the Bears make more free-agent moves before camp? — @pilcher2700Who are they going to sign? With 32 teams having 90-man rosters right now, it’s not as if there are a bunch of guys on the street that look like Week 1 starters once they have a contract and a uniform. Yes, I expect this roster to be constantly evolving and that could mean players added because of injuries or other reasons. No, I don’t envision the Bears in 2022 adding a difference maker off the street right now. Maybe they get a player or two that can fit their system during roster cuts but it’s not as if the Bears are just biding their time waiting to pounce on potential free agents. Most of the moves at this point in the calendar are for camp depth.AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 57Receiver Velus Jones Jr. warms up, May 24, 2022, during OTAs at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Who is your prediction for the MVPA (most valuable player added) for this roster? — @gentleindifThat is an interesting question and you can make a case for a handful of players because there are so many new faces. It certainly appears the Bears plan on starting cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker right away, and the rookies could help solidify a secondary that had issues at times last season. Linebacker Nicholas Morrow appears to be a really good fit for this scheme because of his range and athleticism. If one of the wide receivers steps up — Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown or rookie Velus Jones Jr. — that would go a long way toward helping quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears believe Lucas Patrick, the new center, can be a tone setter for the offensive line and that is certainly needed. Justin Jones and Al-Quadin Muhammad are new additions to the defensive line. Like I said, there are a lot of choices among several new faces. If I had to pick one, I’d go with Gordon. He was their highest draft pick and it looks like he could be the starting left cornerback. Brisker has a nice combination of size and athleticism and could be a really exciting young player as well.Given the hole at right guard, is the possibility of starting Braxton Jones at left tackle more about getting the best five O-linemen on the field and maybe means Larry Borom or Teven Jenkins plays guard? — @jtbcubsI see where you are going here but I don’t think you make a decision at left tackle, of all positions, because of a question you have at right guard. Left tackle is the premier position on the offensive line and you can make a case right guard is at the bottom of the list. I say this because some coaches really value an athletic player at left guard, making it more of a priority than the right guard position. [ Column: Chicago Bears gave Braxton Jones a look at left tackle — and the rookie is ready to battle for a job in camp ]Yes, the Bears need to find their five best linemen and get them on the field. They’ve yet to look at Borom or Jenkins at guard this spring, at least as far as I saw. Could that change on Day 1 of minicamp? Sure. Some I talked to when the Bears drafted Jenkins last year thought he might be best playing inside. But I don’t think you put a rookie fifth-round pick at left tackle unless you believe he’s your best option at that position, no matter what else you have going on along the line. Questions at left tackle trump questions at right guard. Maybe Jones excels when pads going on next month.AdvertisementWhich player is more likely to be starting in Week 1: Robert Quinn or Braxton Jones? — @gucasliogitoI have to say Quinn. He’s a starter for this defense until he isn’t on the roster. Jones has a lot of ground to cover before he can really be in the mix to nail down that job.What are the Bears doing with Teven Jenkins? — @joeymalabarbaJenkins got what amounted to half the snaps with the starters at right tackle this spring. It should be noted he was the first player to get a look there too. I imagine he remains in the mix to win that job with an outside chance of the team taking a peek at him inside at right guard. Jenkins is a big, physical player who should look better when pads go on in training camp. It would be premature to write him off at this point. There are a lot of moving parts on the offensive line right now and we’ll have to see how things shake out in the first couple weeks of training camp.Given Ndamukong Suh’s production last year (compared to Akiem Hicks and including health), wouldn’t Suh be a great one- or two-year plug-in veteran option on the D-line? — @basucallyThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers effectively replaced Suh by signing Hicks to a one-year deal. The 35-year-old Suh has indicated a desire to continue playing but at his age, and after winning a Super Bowl ring in Tampa, do you think he’d be interested in joining a team that is in the beginning stages of a complete rebuild? My guess is no. AdvertisementAdding Suh would not fit the profile of the players GM Ryan Poles has brought on board so far. You don’t see a lot of big-name players who are on the back side of their careers. In fact, you really don’t see any. What he has done is shop for available players in their 20s with the idea some or most of them have their best football ahead of them. It doesn’t look like a match for either party. That’s just my take.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

When Katrina Adams recently spoke on stage at a TEDxBoston event, the topic was generally about her tennis career that began on Chicago’s West Side.But the theme was about learning how to succeed as “the only one” — something Adams experienced at various points in her journey from Whitney Young High School to Northwestern to the WTA Tour to leading the United States Tennis Association.AdvertisementAfter winning the Illinois High School Association state singles titles in 1983 and 1984, she was the first Black player to win an NCAA doubles national championship in 1987 at Northwestern. After a playing career on the WTA Tour that included 20 doubles titles, she became the first Black woman and former pro player to be elected USTA president.[ [Don’t miss] Title IX turns 50: Meet 50 women in Illinois who have impacted sports on — and off — the field of play ]Adams literally wrote a book on the topic last year: “Own the Arena: Getting Ahead, Making a Difference, and Succeeding as the Only One.”Advertisement“There are a lot of times I (was) the first of a lot of things,” Adams told the Boston crowd. “But in that process I wanted to make sure I’m not the last or the only one, that I opened the door and that I led the way and that I represented myself well so that others would have that opportunity to come behind me.Tennis champions Venus Williams, left, and Serena Williams, right, pose with Katrina Adams, incoming chairman of the USTA, during a renovation gala at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, Nov. 7, 2014, in Washington. (Alex Brandon / AP)“I had to work twice as hard to make sure I did things right, that I did things well so that I could represent. And that’s hard. That’s not easy to do when you’re the only one because you know that you’re not just there for yourself or your family or your company or organization, whoever it is, but also for a culture and a whole race of people.”She apparently was born for such a role.Adams’ mother, Yvonne, who along with her father was a teacher and principal in Chicago Public Schools, used to tell Adams she came out of the womb a leader.Adams always had an air of confidence about her. She was instinctive, nosy and able to duplicate almost anything she watched, especially as an athlete.[ [Don’t miss] Commentary: 50 years later, Title IX gains are fragile. And there’s much more work to do in the next 50 years. ]“(My mom) used to tease me. She used to say, ‘You’ve been here before,’” Adams told the Tribune in May. “Like, ‘How do you just naturally know certain things?’”Those traits helped as Adams became a standout tennis player, starting when she was 6 years old and begged to play with her older brothers at a summer program near her Garfield Park home. They also served her as she embarked on a post-playing career that has been perhaps even more impactful than her time on the court, even if it wasn’t part of her original plan.Whitney Young High School tennis player Katrina Adams on her way to winning the Illinois state tennis championship against Glenbrook South’s Beth Sierks on Oct. 29, 1983. (Chuck Berman / Chicago Tribune)“When you’re playing, you’re hoping to win Grand Slams, you’re hoping to become a multimillionaire and perhaps never having to work again,” Adams said. “That didn’t happen for me.”AdvertisementWhile Adams was still playing, she became involved with the WTA players association board, giving her a glimpse into the “political” side of the sport. She later rose the ranks in tennis leadership before serving two terms as USTA president, an unpaid position, from 2015-18.“Katrina had great social skills and she always liked the politics part of it,” her former doubles partner Zina Garrison told the Tribune in 2015. “What she has done is not surprising to any of us who knew her as a player.”During her tenure as president, Adams said she was proud of the projects she helped complete: the transformation of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, the opening of the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., and the unveiling of the Althea Gibson statue at the national tennis center that celebrates the first Black woman to win the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals singles titles.“For me, it’s been about making a difference and giving back to a sport that has given me so much,” Adams told the Tribune. “When I started at the tender age of 6, (I had) no idea what the sport was, what it could offer and where it would take me. But the opportunities continue to be endless for me and I’m very grateful, and it’s my obligation to make sure I give back to the next generation.”[ [Sign up now] Get the latest Chicago sports news in your inbox each morning ]After her second term as USTA president expired, Adams has remained busy as the executive director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program, where she has been for 16 years. She is a vice president of the International Tennis Federation, with which she is the chairman of the Billie Jean King Cup Committee and the Gender Equality in Tennis Committee.She is also a co-host on CBS Sports’ all-women sports analysis show “We Need to Talk” and on the advisory board of Athletes Unlimited, a network of women’s professional sports leagues in volleyball, softball, basketball and lacrosse.AdvertisementHer book, which came out in 2021, talks about her time with the USTA and the U.S. Open.“It wasn’t my idea. It was other people pushing me to write the book,” Adams said. “I’m glad they did because it’s important to be able to share my story and (encourage) others to believe in themselves and know that they can be successful if they push themselves and understand that they do need to own their voice and courage and identity to get anywhere in life.”Adams shared those ideas in her TEDxBoston speech, noting her career started with owning her choice to play tennis and knowing it was what she wanted to do even when she was the only Black player at a tournament.As she considered what’s next in her busy career, Adams hopes more opportunities arise to share her ideas and leadership.“When I hear the younger ladies who may come up and say they admire me or they appreciate me, I’m kind of in awe initially because I’m like, ‘Wow, you recognize me or you recognize what I do or what I’ve done,’” she said. “It makes me feel really good because it makes me realize that things I’ve done and continued to do serve a purpose, and they serve a purpose for the betterment of the next generation.”

Dear Amy: My friend “Jane” recently texted our group of girlfriends with information concerning another girlfriend, “Maggie.”Jane told us all that she was using a social media dating app while out of town for business and Maggie’s husband “Jed” (also out of town for business) “swiped right” on Jane.AdvertisementThe screenshots she shared with us showed that he had set up his profile to appear single.Jane asked for advice on what to do with this. We have long suspected Jed was no good, but we also acknowledge this couple could have an open relationship.AdvertisementEither way, we felt it best that Maggie have the information.Jane and I don’t know Maggie well, but another woman in the group, “Susan,” does.Susan agreed to pass this information on to Maggie discreetly and tactfully. Unfortunately, it’s been months, and we just learned that Susan never told Maggie because it makes her uncomfortable.My husband, also close with Maggie, then said that he would tell her instead.He also hasn’t followed through, citing the same reason.I went back to the source and asked Jane to notify Maggie, and she also declined, saying it “wasn’t her place.”I am starting to get antsy knowing this information is in everyone’s head except Maggie’s! I feel terrible for her. I feel wrong stepping in but I just feel she needs the information.Do I drop it? Is it out of line to send an anonymous letter or something?AdvertisementI don’t want to cause more drama or confusion, only inform.– FrettingDear Fretting: My first piece of advice is that you should all stop discussing this as a group. This has descended into the realm of personal gossip.The obvious solution would have been for “Jane” to respond to “Jed’s” swipe, saying, “Dude, I know your wife!”Otherwise, all you know is that this man is posing as an unmarried man and “swiping right” while out of town. While I agree that this is dishonest and definitely a violation of most relationship norms – this is all you know.You might be the right person to put this to rest, because you don’t have an extant relationship to protect, and it is obviously bothering you.AdvertisementIf you decide to contact her, you should only tell her, “A single woman I know saw ‘Jed’s’ profile on a dating app. I don’t know anything more than that, but after wrestling with this dilemma, I’ve decided to tell you.”Otherwise – drop it.Dear Amy: My niece (the youngest) is getting married in far northern Minnesota at a luxurious location. I live in the Southwest.My brother (her dad) just sent me an email telling me that his wife is very upset that I am not planning to attend. He stated that he had hoped one person from our side of the family would be there.I live 1,000 miles away and work full time. I cannot afford airfare – or gas and hotel expenses – nor can I take that much time away from work.In addition, it would not be wise to drive that distance alone!AdvertisementMy two older brothers (one of which is the bride’s dad) are retired and have excessive incomes.Should I consider asking them for the funds, so I might possibly be there to represent the family?– A Sister in a Quandary!Dear Sister: In addition to the father of the bride, you have another brother who might be able to represent your side of the family.You have lined up a list of reasons why you cannot attend this wedding. (Either you can get the time off from work, or you can’t.)If you want to attend, you should respond honestly: “I would really like to be there, but honestly I just cannot afford the expense. I’m really sorry.”AdvertisementYour brothers might offer to finance this trip. If so, I hope you’ll go.Dear Amy: I’m appalled by your response to “Stressed in the West,” asking about wedding invitations to her cousins who have expressed racist opinions and used racist slurs.Racists are not “bozos.” They are hateful, ignorant and dangerous people.Ask AmyDailyNo-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.The accommodating view you express contributes to the ongoing crisis in the U.S. Racism in all forms should not be tolerated.Yes, the decision is for the couple to make, but the bride’s parents can make it very clear that they stand 100 percent behind their decision not to invite racists to their wedding.– LizAdvertisementDear Liz: My mistake. These cousins as described were not only “bozos.” There were racist bozos.Got a question for Amy? Enter it here and we’ll send it to her.Sign up here to receive the Ask Amy newsletter to get advice e-mailed to your inbox every morning, and for a limited time — get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.©2021 Amy Dickinson.

A brilliant outing by Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease went to waste Tuesday when the bullpen coughed up a late lead, but the Sox rallied three times for a 7-6, 12-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.After being no-hit by Cease through five innings and shut out through six, the Blue Jays came back to take the lead with a three-run eighth, only to watch the Sox tie it in the ninth on Luis Robert’s two-out, two-run single off Jordan Romano.AdvertisementFrom there the game became a pingpong match with spikes.Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s RBI double off Kendall Graveman in the 10th was matched by Danny Mednick’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the inning.AdvertisementRaimel Tapia drove in a run off Vince Velasquez in the 11th before Robert’s sacrifice fly off Matt Gage tied it in the bottom of the inning.Velasquez held the Jays scoreless in the 12th, and Josh Harrison’s two-out RBI single off Gage won it, setting off fireworks.The game lasted 4 hours, 23 minutes.“We kept battling until we got a win,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “It’s a very special win.”At the end of the night, the Sox were at .500 again, 3½ games behind the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians, who moved into a first-place tie. The Sox and Blue Jays will play again Wednesday afternoon in the series finale, with Lucas Giolito starting for the Sox.Cease left with a 2-0 lead after six innings, dominating from the outset. He struck out the first five batters and the final two he faced, tying a career high with 11 strikeouts, all coming on sliders. He didn’t allow a hit until Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s infield single leading off the sixth, and he walked two.But the bullpen failed to get Cease his win, as La Russa went with Jimmy Lambert and Davis Martin in high-leverage situations. Alejandro Kirk’s solo home run off Lambert in the seventh sliced the Jays deficit in half before Martin gave up the lead in the eighth. After a walk and infield hit put two men on, the runners were bunted over for pinch hitter Cavan Biggio, who lofted a pop-up behind second base. Shortstop Tim Anderson was in position for the catch but couldn’t turn around in time to find the ball, which dropped for a hit to tie the game at 2-2.AdvertisementBo Bichette followed with a grounder to short and reached when Biggio beat Anderson’s throw to second as Gurriel came around with the go-ahead run. After another walk to Guerrero, Martin was lifted for Jose Ruiz, who walked Kirk to force home another run.The Sox staged a two-out rally in the ninth, ignited by Anderson’s walk and Andrew Vaughn’s double. Robert’s opposite-field single brought home the tying runs as the remnants of the crowd of 20,529 went wild.José Abreu followed with a single, but Bradley Zimmer’s diving catch of AJ Pollock’s liner sent the game into extra innings.And that’s when things got wild, overshadowing Cease’s outing.

LAS VEGAS — Courtney Vandersloot scored 25 points and the Chicago Sky completed the biggest comeback in WNBA history, rallying from 28 down to beat the Las Vegas Aces 104-95 on Tuesday night.The previous record was a 25-point rally most recently done in 2013 by the Sky.AdvertisementLas Vegas shot 63% from the field in the first quarter and scored 41 points to set a franchise record for points in a quarter. But the Sky outscored the Aces 59-25 after falling behind by 28 to enter the fourth quarter with a lead.The Sky went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter to take their first lead at 67-66 since it was 4-2.AdvertisementCandace Parker added 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Azurá Stevens and Emma Meesseman also scored 17 points apiece for the Sky (11-5).Sky forward Candace Parker, center, battles for the ball with Aces forward Dearica Hamby (5) and guard Chelsea Gray, right, during the first half Tuesday, June 21, 2022, in Las Vegas. (John Locher/AP)The win means the teams split their head-to-head meetings, so home court for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game will come down to the second tiebreaker. That’s point differential in the cup games, and the Aces have a huge lead over the Sky with two games to play.Jackie Young scored 23 points and Kelsey Plum had 22 points and eight assists for Las Vegas (13-3).Young sank a 3-pointer to cap the Aces’ 23-0 run for a 25-4 lead, and Aisha Sheppard beat the first-quarter buzzer with another 3-pointer. Las Vegas led 62-51 at the break behind Dearica Hamby’s 15 points. Chelsea Gray was the only Las Vegas starter not in double figures by halftime, and she had six assists.

PITTSBURGH — The Chicago Cubs seemed prepared to let rookie Caleb Kilian work through his struggles in the majors.Before Kilian got roughed up in Monday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, manager David Ross touted the value of the right-hander working with the big-league staff. But less than 24 hours after Kilian’s command problems prevented him from finishing the third inning, he will be working out those kinks elsewhere.AdvertisementThe Cubs optioned Kilian to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and recalled right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. The reasoning behind the move is twofold: The Cubs hope Kilian can reset at Triple A and they need a fresh long reliever after taxing their two multi-inning bullpen arms because of his short start Monday.“The 13-pitcher (limit), you’re going to see some of that,” Ross said Tuesday. “Caleb has got a few things we need him to work on and come back and be a better version of himself. We’ve seen some flashes but just get him back on track a little bit.”AdvertisementIt’s too soon to say who will take Kilian’s turn in the rotation Sunday in St. Louis. With no day off until Monday, the Cubs can’t skip his spot. Right-hander Alec Mills would be an easy choice to slot in after he went 4⅓ innings and threw 74 pitches in relief of Kilian on Monday.In two starts after being recalled June 15, Kilian surrendered 12 runs (10 earned) on eight hits with 10 walks and three strikeouts in 6⅓ innings.[ [Don’t miss] Why the Cubs chose to option right-hander Adrian Sampson to Triple A after a stellar outing ]“Adversity is important in finding out what you’re made of when things don’t go your way,” Ross said. “The guy’s had a lot of success for a really long time, and he’s done nothing but be great in our organization so far. You come up here and just have a little bit of adversity and not quite yourself, let’s identify what we can do better and get back to who you’ve been when you’re having success.“I have high confidence he will be back this year pitching big innings for us and an important piece for us.”Kilian’s recent performance hasn’t resembled what the Cubs saw in his big-league debut June 4. A lack of fastball command and not throwing strikes in general was problematic the past week. He threw 61.4% of his pitches for strikes in his debut; over Kilian’s last two starts, that strike rate dipped to 51.3%.When a pitcher starts dwelling on throwing strikes or his command, he slows down or becomes very deliberate with his delivery, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy explained. Kilian’s athleticism and big frame require some rhythm to his delivery.“The minute you back off that, then the release point really starts shifting,” Hottovy said.Cubs starter Caleb Kilian pitches during the first inning against the Pirates on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)Kilian said Monday after his start that he was given leg drills to incorporate between starts. It’s similar to what the Cubs previously worked on with right-hander Keegan Thompson.AdvertisementThe goal is for that movement to transfer into Kilian’s starts and help him stay athletic on the mound. The Cubs want the feeling to become second nature. It’s less about a mechanical cue and more about maintaining his natural rhythm.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“Guys get to experience the big leagues for the first time and get to be in the whole environment — it can be overwhelming at times, I’m not going to lie,” Hottovy told the Tribune on Tuesday. “We try our best to keep everything simple, but he’s also a very cerebral, smart, internal pitcher. And when you think about a lot of different things, it can affect the way your body moves and the tension you create.”Hottovy expects the experience and exposure to be a valuable learning tool for Kilian.“We’re not changing anything, not earth-shattering stuff, so just go back there (to Iowa), go be yourself and get in a rhythm and he’s going to be back,” Hottovy said. “If you look at guys’ careers, a lot of guys come up, make a few starts and go back down.”[ [Don’t miss] Column: Cubs are once again fair game for late-night talk show jokes — just like the 1990s ]For a pitcher who worked through the minors without notable control issues — 16 walks in 43 innings over 10 starts at Iowa this year — Kilian’s 12 walks in 11⅓ innings during his three starts with the Cubs have been impossible to ignore.Hottovy believes Kilian was trying to do too much, appearing to try to throw his pitches too good and locate them too well instead of trusting his stuff in the zone.Advertisement“Then the next thing you know, when you go need to throw a strike, you’ve been trying to be too fine, and it’s hard to kind of flip that back in your brain,” Hottovy said. “So just trying to do a little too much. That’s not uncommon for young guys when they first come up. We all did it. “But I think he knows exactly what he needs to do to be successful. I expect to see him go out and have some dominant performance in Triple A real soon.”