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Sports

How Chicago Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom — one year after his call-up — is erasing questions about his long-term fit

CINCINNATI — Patrick Wisdom quickly rattled off a few words that summarized his last 12 months.Whirlwind. Surprising. Exciting. Fun. Grateful.AdvertisementOne year ago today, the Chicago Cubs called up Wisdom, unknowingly giving him the extended big-league opportunity he had been waiting for. Since then, Wisdom has gone from a 29-year-old rookie making the most of his chance nine years into his professional baseball career to making himself a factor on the Cubs and forcing the organization to view him as a viable power hitter.In those 145 games, Wisdom has produced a .230 average, .298 on-base percentage, .514 slugging percentage, 116 OPS+, 21 doubles, 38 home runs, 79 runs scored and 84 RBIs over 524 plate appearances.AdvertisementWisdom’s willingness to do whatever the Cubs ask of him, notably playing anywhere defensively including center field in one game this year, and the thump in his bat has stood out to manager David Ross.“Being able to go through a full major-league season with the ups and downs that have come with his performance, it’s been really rewarding to watch him have the consistent at-bat that we expect every time he’s in the box,” Ross said. “He’s been able to consistently be in the lineup, have the at-bats, work in walks and feel like he improves on something daily.”Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom high-fives teammates after hitting a home run at Wrigley Field on May 20, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)There were no guarantees this past offseason that the Cubs viewed Wisdom as a player with both short-term value as an every day player and a long-term fit for a rebuilding franchise. Seven weeks into the 2022 season, Wisdom couldn’t say whether he believes he’s shown enough to the organization for them to envision him as part of the Cubs’ next contender.“If they keep running me out there, that’s great,” Wisdom told the Tribune before Tuesday’s 11-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds. “If that time comes where they don’t, then that’s the nature of the beast and nature of the game. So I just take it game by game, day to day. I come in and if I’m in the lineup, I’m going give it my all. And if I’m not, I’m going to be ready to go when they call on me.“I guess selfishly I’d like to think that I have, but at the same time, I’m out there to prove myself every single day.”Beyond his numbers, Wisdom is proud of his daily game readiness and that the team knows he will give it his all on the field. He’s done a better job of limiting how extreme his slumps have become, something the Cubs wanted to see. And his stellar defense at third base makes Wisdom playable even when things aren’t going well in the batter’s box.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Criticize the Chicago Cubs? Not on Marquee Sports Network’s ‘The Reporters’ show. ]Wisdom believes that part of his game, along with his baserunning, has been a huge part of why he’s stayed in the lineup when he does hit an offensive rut.“He’s understanding who he is as a big-league hitter,” hitting coach Greg Brown said. “He’s understanding what his process is, and he’s been able to put together more consistent at bats. He’s had some really good takes, which I think leads to a lot of the barrels that he gets to.”AdvertisementStrikeouts are part of Wisdom’s game, and the Cubs are willing to live with that because of his power numbers and defensive boost. While he is still striking out at a 40% rate, his hard-hit rate is up and he is pulling the ball less, going up the middle more.Brown said Wisdom has been working hard in the cage to keep his barrel in the zone for a longer distance, attributing that and his consistent at-bats for a hot week that saw him homer in four straight games.[ [Don’t miss] As the Chicago Cubs move past the quarter mark of the season, many big-picture questions remain: ‘Got to let guys continue to develop’ ]“Once you start putting it together over a calendar year and doing damage, seeing how they pitch to him because of the fear factor of the power that he does possess, he’s a huge asset,” Brown said. “When he makes contact, he’s going to hit it hard.”Wisdom’s 38 home runs since his season debut a year ago are tied with Bryce Harper and Yordan Alvarez for sixth most in the majors. The guys ahead of him? Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Aaron Judge and Salvador Perez. That type of power is extremely valuable, hard to find and much needed for the Cubs.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“I mean, that’s impressive,” Ross said. “That’s some big-time pop.”Patrick Wisdom is greeted at first base by first base coach Mike Napoli after hitting an RBI-single during the fourth inning against the Padres on May 11, 2022. (Gregory Bull/AP)Wisdom was a great story in 2021 after breaking Kris Bryant’s franchise rookie home run record. But he wants to be more than a one-year momentary success. It’s in the Cubs’ best interest too that Wisdom, who turns 31 in August, can be part of their lineup the next couple seasons.AdvertisementSelf-confidence plays a part in breeding success. Wisdom has started 39 of the Cubs’ first 42 games. Knowing Ross plans to play him every day regardless if he strikes out three times or tallies three hits provides a boost. It can’t be ignored, either, that Wisdom’s production has largely come without much protection in the lineup, especially after the trade deadline last season. Teams have been able to exploit Wisdom when he’s not surrounded by contact hitters.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer is confident his long-term game plan is working: ‘We’re on the right track’ ]As his manager put it: “If you put Chipper Jones in the box and you surround him with a bunch of David Rosses, he’s not going to get a lot of pitches to hit right? They’re going to pitch around him every time he comes to the plate, or you’re going to make him hit his pitch because you’re not worried about David Ross hitting behind him.”Ross wants to set up Wisdom for success by slotting him around hitters who put the ball in play like Frank Schwindel, Nico Hoerner, Nick Madrigal and Yan Gomes — and all them to all play off each other.The Cubs still have a lot of big-picture questions to answer with this roster. Wisdom’s yearlong sample size indicates he might not be a question mark any longer.“I’ve learned, more importantly, that the confidence is there,” Wisdom said. “I can play at this level and I can help the team.”

Sports

Brittney Griner’s wife wants Biden to bring WNBA star home: ‘If they’re holding her because they want you to do something, then I want you to do it’

Brittney Griner’s wife Cherelle wants President Joe Biden to secure her partner’s release, doing whatever is necessary to get the WNBA star home from Russia where she has been detained for more than three months.“I just keep hearing that, you know, he has the power. She’s a political pawn, ” said Cherelle, who became emotional detailing what little she knows about Griner’s detainment during an interview that aired Wednesday on Good Morning America. “So if they’re holding her because they want you to do something, then I want you to do it.”AdvertisementThe Phoenix Mercury center has been detained since Feb. 17 after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.The 31-year-old Griner — a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. — faces drug smuggling charges that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Earlier this month, the Biden administration said Griner is being wrongfully detained.AdvertisementCherelle has talked with Secretary of State Antony Blinken about Griner’s case, but not the president.“I was grateful for the call, you say she’s top priority, but I wanna see it. and I feel like to see it would be me seeing BG on U.S. soil,” Cherelle said. “At this point I don’t even know who I’m getting back when she comes back.”

Sports

Column: If Chicago Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn wants out of town, a trade could be a win for all parties

Though Robert Quinn hasn’t been present for the voluntary portion of the Chicago Bears offseason program to this point, he’s still making an impact in the defensive line meeting room.New line coach Travis Smith spent the last two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders working alongside Rod Marinelli, who coached Quinn with the Dallas Cowboys in 2019.Advertisement“A lot of our tapes we’ve shown in our room are skill-development progression tapes of (Quinn) in Dallas that I had cut up already from Marinelli,” Smith said. “When we set it for the young guys especially, it’s good for them to see how he works his pass-rush progression.”Smith has met Quinn, who came to Halas Hall last month to receive the Brian Piccolo Award two days before the draft, and they have spoken on the phone. When Smith will have an opportunity to actually coach Quinn remains to be seen. Coach Matt Eberflus said “it’s my hope” Quinn will be at mandatory minicamp in mid-June.AdvertisementQuinn’s absence — and veteran free-agent signee Al-Quadin Muhammad also hasn’t been on the field while media were present — has created a surplus of opportunities for young players such as Trevis Gipson and rookie Dominique Robinson and even veteran Jeremiah Attaochu.[ [Don’t miss] More Pilates, less beer: How Teven Jenkins is working to earn the trust of his new Bears coaches ]Smith believes the switch to a 4-3 front could benefit Gipson, who played with his hand in the dirt in college at Tulsa before the previous coaching staff converted him to outside linebacker. Gipson had seven sacks while playing 49% of the defensive snaps in 2021 and could be ready for another jump.“The first thing with Gipson I noticed is he has a very good awareness of the quarterback,” Smith said. “He had a lot of ball production last year. That’s not something that just comes naturally to everyone.“He has good awareness that when you’re an edge rusher, that if guys get high in the pocket, he can come back inside. Or if he has the edge, then he can turn it, where then he can affect that quarterback and also go for the ball.”Robinson has rare athletic ability for the position as a former quarterback and wide receiver and although he’s raw, the Bears believe there’s a chance he could be a situational pass rusher as a rookie.The Bears won’t learn a ton about their pass rush in the post-Khalil Mack era until pads go on in training camp, but they’re at least getting chances to evaluate the movement skills of the young players while testing their aptitude for learning the scheme.[ [Don’t miss] 3 Bears storylines to watch, including Justin Fields versus Mac Jones — and Lucas Patrick’s nasty edge ]General manager Ryan Poles traded Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers for a second-round draft pick that he used on safety Jaquan Brisker and a 2023 sixth-round pick that he traded for two seventh-rounders this year. He selected safety Elijah Hicks and punter Trenton Gill with those choices.The Bears moved Mack because they’re nowhere near being a contending team in 2022, although the thought at Halas Hall at this time last year was that they were in that mode. Trading Mack also helped clear up the team’s salary-cap position after this year.AdvertisementQuinn is perhaps the only veteran remaining from the previous regime whom Poles could likely turn into draft capital via a trade, and CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported last week that the Pro Bowl pass rusher wants out of town. If that’s the case, finding a trade partner could be a win for all parties.“I’m excited about Robert,” Poles said earlier this month during an interview on the “Mully & Haugh Show” on WSCR-AM 670. “In terms of moves and all that, this league is crazy. You know, I can’t rule anything out and give absolutes, but I want him on this team.”Bears outside linebacker Robert Quinn pressures Giants quarterback Mike Glennon on Jan. 2, 2022, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)You can make a case why the Bears would want the 32-year-old on the team. He’s a consummate professional and a perfect scheme fit, certainly a more natural one in Eberflus’ 4-3 defense than the 3-4 scheme he played in the previous two seasons. Quinn is coming off a franchise-record 18½-sack season and is the only player on the front who currently would be a matchup issue for offenses.A stronger argument, however, can be made for dealing Quinn. It’s hard to imagine him being productive when the roster has been reloaded to the point the Bears would be a threat in the NFC. He’s due $13 million this season and is signed through 2024, but all of the guaranteed money in the contract has been exhausted.Maybe Poles saying he wants Quinn to be a part of the team is his way of maintaining leverage in any trade discussions. Quinn certainly could become attractive if a contending team suddenly experiences a need during training camp, preseason or the first two months of the season. Then Poles could flip him for a 2023 draft pick. The trade deadline hasn’t been announced, but last year it was Nov. 2, the day after Week 8 ended.Of course, the Bears assume the risk of losing Quinn to injury by carrying him on the roster, but he has been pretty durable over the last five seasons and said he’s spending this offseason getting his body ready for the grind of another year.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] 4 things we heard from Bears assistant coaches, including Justin Fields reinforcing expectations ]“I didn’t expect to go anywhere or want to go anywhere, but again, this is a crazy business,” Quinn said after receiving the Piccolo Award a couple of weeks after Mack was traded. “If something’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.”Maybe Quinn has changed his stance since or maybe he’s an anti-diva who won’t publicly discuss playing for a contender as he prepares for his 12th season.Whatever the case, the Bears probably wouldn’t have been much worse than 6-11 last year even without Quinn’s sack production. His presence in 2022 is unlikely to be the difference between this being a playoff roster or not. As active as Poles was in making trades on Day 3 of the draft, getting a return for Quinn would put the first-year GM in better position next April, when the Bears should be closer to having some of their holes filled with young players who have bright futures.It’s all about timing, and maybe Poles will be a seller at the trade deadline. If so, he has to hope Quinn picks up where he left off in 2021. For now, Marinelli’s cut-ups of Quinn will be good teaching points for the rest of the room.

News

False equivalence

So there I am at my kitchen table, drinking my morning coffee and reading the latest column in the New York Times by Tom Friedman, who…