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Column: Rookie Christopher Morel is here to stay for the Chicago Cubs, so what does that mean for Jason Heyward?

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross has an important decision to make when Jason Heyward returns from the injured list.What to do with Christopher Morel?AdvertisementThe Cubs rookie has excelled since his call-up from Double-A Tennessee, setting a franchise record by reaching base in his first 14 games with a fourth-inning walk Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Morel broke a tie with teammate Willson Contreras, who reached in the first 13 games of his career in 2016.Morel, who led off and started in center field Tuesday, has shown he can play center, second base, shortstop and third. But Nico Hoerner is the starting shortstop, Patrick Wisdom is the regular third baseman and second baseman Nick Madrigal returned from his IL stint Tuesday.AdvertisementThat leaves Morel mostly in center, which appears to be his best position, right?“He’ll define his best spot,” Ross said. “Elite center fielders are hard to find. But he’s played a darn good second base, and the one time we put him at short he did a really nice job. Versatility is a bonus in our game, and it helps with roster construction and some of the things you look at when you’re building a team.“Love him in center. Love him at second. If he’s on the field, he’s a spark for us right now, and I’ll continue to take what we can get and try to fit the most offense in the lineup.”Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel flies out during the first inning against the Brewers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Heyward was cleared over the weekend from his COVID-19-related absence. He has been sidelined since May 17, and the Cubs haven’t given a timetable for his return as he ramps back up. He moved from right field to center this season to make way for free-agent signee Seiya Suzuki but struggled offensively with a .208 average, no home runs and four RBIs in 72 at-bats.A sprained left finger suffered during a slide in Cincinnati last week put Suzuki on the 10-day IL, so Heyward could move back to his old position in right for the time being, assuming he’s deemed ready this week. But the Cubs have made a five-year commitment to Suzuki, so a move would be temporary if it happened.[ [Don’t miss] From Division II and an adult rec league, Matt Swarmer achieves his MLB dream with the Cubs: ‘My adrenaline was pumping’ ]Ross also could move Morel around defensively, but slowing his development in center just because it’s Heyward’s spot would be risky for an organization focusing on the long term. The Cubs seemingly would like to move Heyward’s contract, but that’s easier said than done with $36.7 million remaining through 2023.They also don’t seem inclined to designate Heyward for assignment and pay the remainder of his deal in order to look toward the future.Morel is here to stay, however, no matter what happens with Heyward. The Cubs have seen enough to know they have a player fans can cling to and buy his No. 5 jersey for years to come. And unlike Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber, Morel was called up without any hype or premature billing as a star of the future. Recall the Cubs once put a photo of Starlin Castro on a billboard next to a picture of Derek Jeter.AdvertisementCubs center fielder Christopher Morel signs autographs before playing the Brewers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Cubs President Jed Hoyer said Saturday the “energy” Morel has provided is impossible to replicate.“He’s such a positive guy, and I do think with any team, bringing up guys like that really energizes the group,” Hoyer said. “And just the versatility. There’s development left certainly, but I don’t see that ability going away. He’s such a great athlete. He can run and play the middle of the field. The way today’s game is, that is so valuable.“I’ve always been excited about his future, but I’m even more excited watching him play those positions so easily in the big leagues.”Hoyer said “taking a long view is really important” when it comes to roster decisions, adding he would “lean strongly toward” the future when mulling those moves. If that’s the case, Morel must be in the lineup on a daily basis the rest of the way, even if it means eventually sitting Heyward and his $22 million salary when everyone is healthy.[ [Don’t miss] Analysis: Jed Hoyer and the Cubs must learn from mistakes to build the franchise’s next title contender ]Suzuki’s injury and Heyward’s delayed return buys Ross some time. But for how long?Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Cubs were 12 games behind the division-leading Brewers on May 31, and fans were looking for reasons to continue watching this team the next four months. The Heyward decision is no doubt difficult for Hoyer and Ross, who know that his contributions to the 2016 championship were significant and that his leadership skills in the clubhouse remain valuable.AdvertisementBut it’s also a business, as everyone always says.Hoyer continued to insist his plan should not be labeled a “rebuild,” though he also argued that “people weren’t that receptive” to the rebuild he and former Cubs President Theo Epstein executed a decade ago.Cubs outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Jason Heyward talk during batting practice on opening day at Wrigley Field on April 7, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)“I don’t remember a lot of bouquets in 2012 or ‘13,” he said. “There were a lot of people that were very skeptical about what was happening, oftentimes resentful of what was happening. So as we look backward, like, ‘Oh, wow, that led to the best run of success in Cubs history,’ I think people had a little different view. At the time, that wasn’t the case.”That’s a bit of revisionist history considering how patient Cubs fans were from 2012-14, not to mention how much national media praise Epstein received during those years for building a team almost from scratch. The core prospects — Bryant, Báez, Schwarber and Addison Russell — were covered in the minors almost as much as the Cubs themselves.But now we’re in a new era with youngsters such as Morel, Hoerner, Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele trying to make names for themselves — and more prospects on the way. Having given up on the season, Cubs fans just want to see what the kids can do.It shouldn’t be that hard for Hoyer and Ross to give them what they want.

Sports

Courtney Vandersloot leads the Chicago Sky to a 73-70 win over the Phoenix Mercury in a WNBA Finals rematch

Courtney Vandersloot scored 18 points, Candace Parker grabbed 11 rebounds and the Chicago Sky beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 73-70 on Tuesday night at Wintrust Arena in a WNBA Finals rematch.Mercury star Diana Taurasi was ejected with 3:43 left in the second quarter for arguing a no-call with an official. The Mercury were trailing 31-21 at the time but rallied in the third quarter by scoring 31 points and shooting 72% from the field.AdvertisementVandersloot made 1 of 2 free throws with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter for a 72-70 lead, and she knocked the ball away from Skylar Diggins-Smith on a drive at the other end. Rebekah Gardner also went 1 for 2 at the line for a three-point lead, and former Sky player Diamond DeShields didn’t hit the rim on a corner 3-pointer as time expired.Kahleah Copper added 11 points and Emma Meesseman and Gardner each scored 10 for the Sky (5-3). Parker was 2 of 9 from the field as both teams shot under 42%.AdvertisementTina Charles scored 25 points for the Mercury (2-7). Diggins-Smith had 12 points and eight assists and DeShields added 10 points and seven rebounds.The Sky jumped out to a 20-10 first-quarter lead after holding the Mercury to 4-of-20 shooting. Charles had six of the Mercury’s 10 points.

Sports

Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic in a 4-set French Open quarterfinal — their 59th career meeting

PARIS — Rafael Nadal got past rival Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in a monumental match in the French Open quarterfinals to move a step closer to his 14th championship at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament and 22nd major trophy overall.The match began a little past 9 p.m. Tuesday in Paris and concluded more than four hours later, after 1 a.m. Wednesday.AdvertisementNadal ended the top-seeded Djokovic’s bid for a second consecutive French Open title. He also made sure Djokovic remains behind him in the Grand Slam count with 20.Nadal improved to 110-3 for his career at Roland Garros. Two of those losses came against Djokovic, including in last year’s semifinals.AdvertisementThis showdown was the 59th of their careers, more than any other two men have played each other in the Open era. Nadal narrowed Djokovic’s lead to 30-29.Nadal turns 36 on Friday, when he will face third-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.

Sports

The refurbished Gateway racetrack in Southern Illinois is ready to host the NASCAR Cup Series for the 1st time

Curtis Francois was introduced to racing much the same way as Roger Penske, who attended his first Indianapolis 500 as a child with his father and now owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.For Francois, his father took him to St. Louis International Raceway Park in Madison, Illinois, a drag strip built in 1967 that introduced Francois to adrenaline-pumping fast cars and eventually a brief career as a racer.AdvertisementThe drag strip was renovated into a full-purpose racing venue that had decent success until an economic downturn led to its 2010 closure. The facility began to deteriorate, and plans were put in motion to dismantle the grandstands to sell for scrap metal.Francois, a St. Louis native and real estate developer, stepped in before the speedway became an abandoned eyesore.AdvertisementHe purchased the track referred to as Gateway in 2011 and has spent the last decade preparing it for its crowning moment: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on Sunday will host NASCAR’s premiere Cup Series for the first time with the Enjoy Illinois 300 (2:30 p.m., FS1).It’s the only race in Illinois on the 2022 Cup Series schedule. Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet last hosted NASCAR’s top series in 2019.Francois’ first day as the track owner was a challenge.“The first thing I had to do was figure out a way to drive across the parking lot because the weeds were 6 and 8 feet tall,” Francois said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And so that’s what I did first, focus on the capital improvement needed to stabilize the property.”The final result has made Gateway the only new points-paying venue on the 2022 Cup schedule, and Francois expects a sold-out 80,000 spectators Sunday.“I really felt that I was put in position, for some reason or other — the fact that my background was in real estate was a key piece,” Francois said. “But also I’d had some experience with racing and so I’ve been to a lot of tracks, got a view from behind the wheel and there really wasn’t anyone else around St. Louis that had that skill set.“It was not something I took lightly, but I felt that I was probably the right person to take this task on.”Curtis Francois, owner of World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, poses on the start/finish line on May 23, 2022, in Madison, Ill. (Colter Peterson/AP)Gateway hosted CART and IndyCar over the years, NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series from 1997 through 2010 and the Truck Series from 1998 until the track’s brief closure. IndyCar returned in 2017, and the NASCAR trucks followed the next year.AdvertisementFrancois kept spending, developing and renovating. He has spent at least $50 million on renovations so far — $15 million alone in the 10 months since IndyCar was there last August — and expects to eclipse $100 million in property upgrades by 2025.Among the enhancements Francois made since his 2011 purchase:A new track surface around the 1.25-mile oval.The addition of 450 acres in an expansion that stretched Gateway’s footprint to nearly 700 acres. The property now includes an adjacent 18-hole golf course, 1,200 new camping sites and additional parking areas.A renovated suite tower and grandstand, a new fan zone that provides an infield experience and a walkway for spectators to observe active garages.The “Confluence Festival: Crossroads of Concert & Community,” a live entertainment showcase that will feature a diverse all-star musical lineup all weekend, headlined by Old Dominion, Nelly, Cole Swindell and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.For his efforts, Francois has received the Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, and after the Cup Series closes its Sunday show, Gateway will be the only motorsports facility in the United States to host NASCAR, IndyCar and NHRA in one year.Francois, who paused his preparations for this weekend to attend the Indy 500 on Sunday at Penske’s invitation, has high hopes to turn Gateway into an elite motorsports venue. In his brief racing career, Francois made exactly one start in the Indy Lights Series — at Gateway. He started third and finished fifth in his lone 2002 appearance at the track he now owns.“Anyone who knows me recognizes that I am always singing the praises of St. Louis and I have a deep commitment to St. Louis and really recognize what a gem this speedway is,” Francois said. “I think it can be difficult for folks to understand why we’ve been investing so much, but that’s what it takes to make facilities vibrant. It took $40 million in investments to even start a conversation to get a Cup date, and there certainly were no guarantees that I was going to get a return on that investment.“But it goes back to my belief in the strength of the NASCAR brand, IndyCar and the NHRA and what they can bring to the city and how we can showcase St. Louis.”

Sports

Fox completes its NFL broadcasting crews with Greg Olsen as lead analyst, teamed with Kevin Burkhardt

LOS ANGELES — At least when it comes to its top announcing crews, the NFL’s free agency is over for this year.Fox Sports completed its lineup for the 2022 season on Tuesday by announcing Greg Olsen as its lead NFL analyst. During its upfront presentation for advertisers two weeks ago, Fox announced that Kevin Burkhardt would be the top play-by-play announcer.AdvertisementThe move was expected for a couple of months after Joe Buck and Troy Aikman moved to ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”How long Olsen will remain in the top spot remains to be seen. Tom Brady has signed with Fox and will move into the booth after he retires for good.AdvertisementFox has two of the next three Super Bowls, including the game in Phoenix at the end of the 2022 season.Fox Sports president of production/operations and executive producer Brad Zager said that the past couple of months has been stressful but rewarding.“There have been a lot of dominoes out there. You just tried to focus on the people and making sure that everybody was happy at the end of all these moving pieces,” Zager said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.“I don’t want to speak for anybody else. But you know, we’re excited for the future after all this and knowing that we’re set up for a long time. But it’s a lot of different emotions as you go through something like that.”Olsen has worked for Fox since 2017 and did some game, and studio analyst work while still playing. Olsen and Burkhardt were the network’s No. 2 crew last season when Olsen retired following a 14-year NFL career.Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will return as the sideline reporters.The team makes its regular-season debut on Sept. 11, when the Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers.Olsen’s promotion caps an unprecedented offseason of announcer transactions. In March, Buck and Aikman had the most significant move to ESPN after being Fox’s No. 1 team since 2002.AdvertisementBuck said two weeks ago during an ESPN teleconference that he has been as surprised as everyone else with the movement.“Somebody said to me the other day that we as fans need a sportsperson to tell us where all these sports announcers are ending up because everybody has shifted and moved places,” he said.“My dad (Hall of Fame announcer Jack Buck) passed away 20 years ago. I think he’d be stunned if he walked out of the grave right now and said, ‘Wow, that’s what’s going on in this business?’ Nobody saw that coming.“It’s been kind of crazy. It’s been exciting on this end of the business.”Al Michaels, who had been on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” since 2006, started the movement by signing with Amazon. He will team up with Kirk Herbstreit on Prime Video’s inaugural season of “Thursday Night Football.”Many thought Michaels and Aikman would be working together at Amazon until ESPN got its dream booth with Buck and Aikman.AdvertisementWith Michaels going to Prime, Mike Tirico will call “Sunday Night Football” with Cris Collinsworth.In a phone interview with The Associated Press last month, Tirico said he was stunned at first over the attention devoted to the announcer moves. However, with the longevity of most booths and networks devoting an average of $10.27 billion per year in rights fees when the new television contracts begin in 2023, the lead voice on NFL packages is significant.“It’s the power of the NFL. With Sunday afternoons, Sunday nights, Monday nights, and now Thursdays, people have that as part of their routine. And by extension, we as announcers become part of that routine,” he said. “So, I think that’s a natural reason for this becoming such big news and why some change and upheaval becomes part of the story.“Obviously, Joe and Troy still working together is going to be natural, but hearing them on Monday nights instead of Sunday afternoons will be a little bit different. I just think having our habits changed a little bit is multiplied by the power and visibility of the NFL, which is different than any other entertainment entity out there right now.”The only booth that hasn’t changed is CBS. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be in their seventh year together when the season kicks off in September.