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Sports

Transfer portal making big impact in women’s lacrosse Final Four: ‘I don’t see it going away in the near future’

This has been a banner spring for Abby Bosco. After spending four years with the Penn women’s lacrosse program, she will play in her first Final Four as a member of Maryland’s team.Nearly as rewarding is the amount of support Bosco has received from her former Quakers teammates — with many of whom she still communicates.Advertisement“There have been a ton of congratulatory texts, even from the coaches and trainers,” she said. “Everyone is definitely in my corner. A lot of people have said, ‘It’s so cool you’re getting to play in the Final Four. This is awesome.’”Maryland’s Abby Bosco, left, is one of several players who used the NCAA transfer portal to their advantage and contributed immediately to their new teams. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun )Bosco is one of several players who used the NCAA transfer portal to their advantage and contributed immediately to their new teams. For the No. 2 seed Terps (19-1), Bosco, a graduate student defender, ranks second among all Division I players in total ground balls (63). She is joined by former Johns Hopkins graduate student attacker Aurora Cordingley, who ranks fourth in the nation in points per game (5.8), and former North Carolina sophomore midfielder Shannon Smith, who is the only player on the team with at least 10 goals, 10 assists, 10 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers and 10 draw controls.AdvertisementIn fact, three of the four semifinalists have benefitted from the transfer portal. Top-seeded North Carolina (20-0) — which will open play Friday against No. 4 seed Northwestern (16-4) at 3 p.m. — has been buoyed by former Notre Dame graduate student attacker Andie Aldave (50 goals and 11 assists), former Penn State junior midfielder Olivia Dirks (19 goals and 30 draw controls) and former Richmond graduate student attacker Sam Geiersbach (29 goals and 25 assists).And No. 3 seed and reigning national champion Boston College (18-3) — which will face Maryland at about 5:30 p.m. — paired former Temple graduate student defender Courtney Taylor (84 draw controls, 31 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers) with former Duke graduate student attacker and 2021 Tewaaraton Award winner Charlotte North (82 goals, 23 assists and 132 draw controls).As much as the Terps, Tar Heels and Eagles have capitalized from the transfer portal, their respective coaches expressed some caution about going to the well too often.“The transfer portal, to me, is very dangerous and can be a slippery slope,” said Boston College coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, an Annapolis High and Maryland graduate.Added North Carolina coach Jenny Levy, a Roland Park graduate: “Overall with [name, image and likeness deals] and the transfer portal, I think some of this needs to be re-evaluated, quite honestly.”Emily Sterling would rather shift the spotlight around, continuing to share any praise with her teammates on the defensive end of the field. But she acknowledged that she has recently raised her level of play.https://t.co/XUePCjakWM— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 25, 2022

Their concerns stem from the notion that greener pastures in the form of more playing time and greater glory await players diving into the transfer portal. Walker-Weinstein said it can be good for players who “genuinely have not found a home,” but it also provides an “out” for athletes.“I think in some ways, one of the toughest and most important lessons you can learn is that sometimes there isn’t an out,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to find a way and tough it out and find happiness because there’s happiness everywhere.”Levy is quick to acknowledge that the Tar Heels have taken advantage of the transfer portal. But she noted that the portal has opened the door for dissatisfied or disgruntled players to leave their current teams for shinier and brighter toys.Advertisement“Even my own players here who have gone from freshman year to senior year, when they reflect on their first two years, [there is] the growth that they’ve gone through in just learning how to play the game, learning how to be a good teammate, learning how to work and train,” she said. “I think it’s a bad message to send to players, ‘Well, I’m not getting what I want, so I can transfer.’”Taylor, the Eagles defender, had planned to call it a career after her senior year at Temple last spring. But training with the U.S. national team in June refreshed her, and after entering the portal in June, she chose Boston College over Northwestern. What she’s found in Chestnut Hill is what she was looking for: “That every single person on the team gives 110% every day.”“I didn’t really find that at Temple,” added Taylor, who graduated with a bachelor’s in supply chain management and is working towards her MBA. “I loved my four years, but I just thought that was enough. I didn’t want to go back and not have a chance to win again.”Joining a new school means making new friends, adjusting to an unfamiliar campus and academic schedule, and absorbing a different playbook. Aldave, the North Carolina attacker who hails from Baltimore and graduated from McDonogh, admitted that moving from Notre Dame to North Carolina took some time, noting “you’re kind of like a freshman.”No. 2 seed Maryland women’s lacrosse returns to NCAA Final Four for 12th time in 13 seasons with 18-5 thumping of No. 7 Florida https://t.co/cEJH7RSPQG— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 19, 2022

When the fit is right, however, transfers can enhance a team’s outlook. The trio of Bosco, Cordingley and Smith turned a Maryland program that went 10-7 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season into one that will make its 12th Final Four appearance in the last 13 years.Advertisement“It just gives me chills,” Bosco said of helping the Terps capture what would be an NCAA-leading 15th title. “You dream of winning a national championship, and to do something so special with such a special group of people, it would mean everything.”Bosco’s coach, Cathy Reese, said she thinks the popularity surrounding the transfer portal has increased as athletes ponder how to use the extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA. But she admits she’s worried about “the trickle-down effect,” citing the thousands of basketball and football players who enter the transfer portal seeking more playing time.“We’ll see how that transitions,” she said. “This is all still pretty new right now, and I think adding that COVID year is what made it possible.”Will more programs follow the path traveled by North Carolina, Maryland and Boston College and mine the transfer portal? Much like professional organizations, the NCAA can be a copycat league.“I’ve spoken to a few coaches who didn’t use the transfer portal this year, and they’ve all said, ‘We’re going to hit the transfer portal hard after this year,’” said ESPN analyst and former Virginia midfielder Dana Boyle. “So I think that they’re recognizing the importance of it. I think it does create this wild, Wild West sort of dynamic, but I do think that is part of sports in general. I don’t know if you can get away from that.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.ESPN analyst and former Georgetown attacker Sheehan Stanwick Burch said the financial temptation of the transfer portal is different in lacrosse compared with football and basketball, which can offer full scholarships. But she said teams that have holes to fill or are seeking to strengthen a certain position can capitalize on the transfer portal.Advertisement“I don’t see it going away in the near future,” she said.NCAA Final FourNO. 2 MARYLAND VS. NO. 3 BOSTON COLLEGEFriday, 5:30 p.m.Homewood FieldTV: ESPNU

Sports

Jake Burger’s 3-run homer leads the Chicago White Sox to a 3-1 win against the Boston Red Sox

The Chicago White Sox recalled Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday after center fielder Luis Robert went on the COVID-19-related injured list.Burger was in the lineup Wednesday and hit a go-ahead three-run homer to help the White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in front of 21,075 at Guaranteed Rate Field.Advertisement“Timing was right,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Huge, huge hit.”The White Sox didn’t any have hits until the fifth against Red Sox starter Rich Hill.AdvertisementJosé Abreu broke up the no-hitter with a double to right. AJ Pollock reached on a throwing error by third baseman Rafael Devers. Burger followed with the 444-foot home run, his third of the season.“I want to play baseball and I want to compete, no matter where I’m at,” Burger said. “It’s kind of how I take it. Obviously, I hate referencing back to the three years I missed, but I was sitting on the couch for 2½ of those years. I’m going to put my best foot forward, no matter where I’m at.”Burger missed all of 2018 after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon in spring training, then missed all of 2019 because of a bruised left heel.With the 2020 minor-league season canceled because of the pandemic, Burger played in a local league in Missouri before joining the White Sox alternate site in Schaumburg.He spent time with the White Sox and Charlotte last season.“Take every day as a blessing,” Burger said.Burger came in hitting .239 (17-for-71) in 21 games with the White Sox in 2022. He has a .213 average (10-for-47) with three homers and eight RBIs in 13 games with Charlotte.“These past two weeks in Charlotte were good for me in terms of just relaxing a little bit and not doing too much,” Burger said. “I get a tendency, a habit, to try to get ahead every single at-bat instead of taking it pitch by pitch and being able to control my emotion and not overswing.”AdvertisementThe homer put White Sox starter Lucas Giolito in position for the victory.“I’ve experienced a little bit of the up-and-down grind and it’s not pleasant, but he keeps proving time and time again that he’s very effective at this level,” Giolito said of Burger. “Huge home run to give us the lead there. He’s been a wonderful teammate, he works his (butt) off. I look forward to seeing him contribute more.”Giolito allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in six innings. The run came in the first on a two-out hit by Alex Verdugo.The Red Sox had at least two batters reach in each of the first four innings, but Giolito kept finding ways to work out of the jams.“It was a grind,” Giolito said. “I really lacked rhythm and tempo in my delivery, especially out of the windup early. It led to really, really poor fastball command, at times not really knowing where my fastball was going. Luckily I was able to make good pitches with runners on bases early and limit the damage.”Giolito credited catcher Reese McGuire for “keeping me locked in.”Advertisement“We really had to get that slider going,” Giolito said. “We did. That was a good pitch to work off of. All the fastballs I was throwing down in the zone when I usually want to be up. Just working through it and I was able to find a good rhythm later in the game in the last couple of innings.”Relievers Aaron Bummer, Kendall Graveman, Joe Kelly and Liam Hendriks followed.Kelly exited with left hamstring tightness after striking out two batters in the eighth. He will be reevaluated Thursday.Joe Kelly left the game with left hamstring tightness. He will be reevaluated in the morning.— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 26, 2022

Hendriks got the final four outs for his 14th save.“It just rained on this parade here,” La Russa said of Kelly’s injury. “It’s hard to enjoy the moment. That’s exciting, not just for the fans but for our team, when you have that kind of depth coming out (of the bullpen).“But nobody said it would be easy. We’ve gone through this before. We’ll wait and see what kind of hamstring (injury it) is.”

Lifestyle

Ask Amy: A decade later, age becomes an issue

Dear Amy: About 10 years ago, I very briefly dated someone who was 15 years younger than me — I was 38 and he was 23.He pursued me. The age difference bothered me from the beginning, and I told him repeatedly that I didn’t want to date because of it. I was also dealing with suicidal depression, was unable to work, and didn’t want to date anyone.AdvertisementHe persisted for months and eventually wore me down (he texted and called daily, showed up at my house uninvited, and made his case through mutual friends. He even had his parents call me to tell me that they approved).We dated for about two months. We had nothing in common. He and his friends were heavy drinkers and drug users, and my depression worsened.AdvertisementUltimately, I ended it (kindly). It shouldn’t have been a surprise to him. The entire time we dated, I told him – and all my friends and family – that I was uncomfortable with the age difference and with dating anyone at that time.My health improved and I moved about 1,000 miles away. We haven’t been in touch for 10 years.Recently, he contacted me on social media and said his therapist is suggesting there had been an inappropriate power imbalance because of the age difference and that he had been unable to consent – all very #metoo ideas.I haven’t responded. I am alarmed because, well, it’s not accurate.I work in the media now and am a little worried about being canceled. But I’m more concerned that he feels this way.Should I respond?– WorriedDear Worried: No, you should not respond. Taking at face value the details as you describe them, being in touch with this man would be like pressing “go” for a person who previously violated reasonable boundaries, engaged in behavior that sounds like stalking, and who seems capable of overall relentlessness.AdvertisementYou state that you were not working at the time of your brief relationship, so I conclude that you were not his superior at work. He was 23-years-old – over the age of consent. The 15-year-age difference between you two is immaterial.It seems reasonable for a therapist to suggest that there was a power imbalance between you two, because many failed relationships are the result of a power imbalance.Don’t read any #metoo allegations into this unless he explicitly makes them, and don’t apologize for participating in a very brief relationship that you broke off.Preserve and print out any communication between you two.Most of us have regrets from choices we made in our early 20s. You can hope that his therapy leads to insight instead of allegations.Dear Amy: What should I do for an alcoholic friend who will not go to treatment because she has been there before and they just preach religion?AdvertisementShe is not religious at all.Are there any resources for alcoholics that don’t preach religion?– Trying to HelpDear Trying: As world-changing as the “12-step” model pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous has been, some people are turned off by references to God, or “a higher power.”Many programs inspired by the success of AA have adopted some of these basic truths and techniques, but have removed any religious references.Aaagnostica.org is an extremely helpful resource for anyone looking for a non-religious recovery program. The site features a comprehensive list of books, blogs, essays, and a database of secular recovery programs – all pointed toward people like your friend.AdvertisementEspecially helpful is their “collection of alternative 12-steps,” which offers secular interpretations of AA’s 12-steps.Your friend might be using her resistance to religion as a reason to avoid any recovery program, but you could certainly help her by pointing her toward the many secular options available.Dear Amy: “Wondering” wrote to you with a question regarding whether she should tell her now adult children about their half-brother (who was adopted out as a baby).Yes she should!I have known that I was adopted since I was 10. I am now 71 and have been in contact with my 11 half-siblings (both paternal and maternal) for some years.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.I found some through persistent research to determine who my birth-mother was, and some through DNA analysis, which gave me my birth-father.AdvertisementAs you said, this will come out sooner or later, and if she talks about it now, she will control the narrative.– AdopteeDear Adoptee: Thank you for providing your important perspective. I hope that adoptive parents follow your advice.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.

Sports

Chicago Cubs activate Nico Hoerner from the injured list. How will the middle infield options shake out?

CINCINNATI — Nico Hoerner’s fluky right ankle sprain cost him only two weeks.Hoerner initially feared he could miss more time after colliding with an umpire in shallow right field May 11 in San Diego. He bounced back well, though, and suddenly the Chicago Cubs infield depth is a strength.AdvertisementHoerner came off the injured list before Wednesday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. In a corresponding move, catcher Yan Gomes went on the IL with a left oblique strain. Willson Contreras was available off the bench and could be back in the lineup for Thursday’s series finale.Gomes’ injury creates an extended chance for backup P.J. Higgins, who started again Wednesday.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] How the Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom — one year after his call-up — is erasing questions about his long-term fit ]Manager David Ross indicated Gomes’ oblique strain is on the milder side, which is encouraging for an injury that can be tough to come back from.“The news we got back is not as bad as we thought,” Ross said.Hoerner’s return gives Ross a lot of middle infield options, depending on how he wants to mix and match Hoerner with Andrelton Simmons, Christopher Morel and Jonathan Villar. Nick Madrigal (lower back strain) remains on the IL and went through a second day of full baseball activities Wednesday as he continues to progress.Cubs shortstop Andrelton Simmons fields a ball against the Pirates at Wrigley Field on May 16, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Hoerner was not in the lineup Wednesday as the Cubs started Simmons at shortstop and Morel at second base. On days Hoerner and Simmons are both in the lineup, expect to see Hoerner at shortstop despite Simmons never playing anywhere else in the field during his 11 seasons in the majors.There’s a reason Ross wants that defensive setup between the two.“There’s a real benefit from a guy that young and upcoming getting as many reps at short for us,” Ross explained. “And the versatility of Simmons — I don’t know that there really is a real position in the infield anymore. I mean, half the time, (third baseman) Patrick Wisdom (is) at shortstop, right? So I think moving those guys around, you’ll see that.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.When Simmons joined the Cubs after missing the first 32 games on the IL, he acknowledged his shoulder was not yet 100%. Giving Simmons time at second base could help as he gets stronger with more game reps.[ [Don’t miss] As the Cubs move past the quarter mark of the season, many big-picture questions remain: ‘Got to let guys continue to develop’ ]More importantly, the Cubs can find out whether Hoerner is a long-term answer at short. Advertisement“Nico is a big-league shortstop,” Ross said. “He’s proven he can play big-league shortstop pretty consistently already in this season. Let’s see what happens at the end of the year and assess there. It’s easy to say you can be a shortstop in the big leagues long term, but you also have to do it. You have to prove it.”Hoerner’s defensive performance this season made Simmons feel he didn’t need to rush back before his body was ready. He has been highly complimentary of Hoerner’s play, especially his backhanded jump throws from the hole.Hoerner appreciates the praise from Simmons, a four-time Gold Glove winner.“He’s someone who’s done it at the highest level,” Hoerner said Wednesday. “I mean, some of those stats that have been flashing, defensive runs saved in the last decade and things like that, that’s pretty amazing.“So he’s a guy who not only does it but understands how he does it. He’s always thinking a play ahead and someone I’m excited to share the field with for sure.”

Sports

Lance Lynn is headed toward a rehab assignment this weekend. ‘I’ve got to be ready to go,’ the Chicago White Sox pitcher says.

Lance Lynn pitched to several Chicago White Sox teammates before Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.In one instance, he shattered Eloy Jiménez’s bat.AdvertisementManager Tony La Russa liked what he saw from the right-hander, who is recovering from right knee surgery to repair a torn tendon.“I was overruled by the general manager (Rick Hahn) and the trainer, but I thought he was ready to go five days from now,” La Russa joked.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Luis Robert goes on the COVID injured list — and the center fielder might miss the entire White Sox homestand ]Lynn said he is in line to start this weekend — but it will be on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.“It’s right on pace,” Lynn said Wednesday of the rehab process. “When you look at how everything goes, it’s all about how you can recover. Some days you are going to feel worse than others. It’s how you get through it and how you respond. The more I get on the mound, the better I feel, the more comfortable I feel.“Now it’s on to games this weekend it looks like. That’s the next step of intensity. I’m sure I’ll have some soreness and things of that nature you’ve got to get through. And that’s what the rehab process is all about so you feel comfortable when it’s time to be back here.”Lynn — one of three finalists for the 2021 American League Cy Young Award — anticipates needing three appearances before making his first start for the White Sox. La Russa cautioned it will be “at least three” starts.“We’re trying to be patient,” La Russa said. “It’s hard. But he’s so excited about the progress that he’s made. We’re going to have a lot of people eyeballing him because there’s nothing worse than getting excited, getting him back and then losing him.”Lynn has been out since he hobbled off the mound in an April 2 Cactus League game after throwing a pitch to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll. He underwent surgery April 5.Lynn knows the importance of being patient.“The more you push the thing, the more it kind of pulls you back,” he said. “It’s part of the process. My body is telling me how much I can give, the effort I can give and the intensity I can give. As long as you keep moving forward, everything is in a good spot. I’m looking forward to competing, but I have to make sure everything is ready to go before I fully let it go.Advertisement“The process of being injured and getting back is probably the worst process there is, especially for athletes. You miss competing. You miss being part of the team. You miss trying to help your team win. But as long as you get yourself back ready to go and you are 100% when you get back, then you did your job.”[ [Don’t miss] Tim Anderson ready to move on from Josh Donaldson’s attempt to provoke him: ‘I’m not looking for friendship’ ]Lynn is managing the situation by trying to “stay in (his) process.”“Make sure you are there for your teammates, doing everything you can to help them prepare for games or see what you see during a game,” Lynn said. “But make sure you hit all your checkpoints that day. You do it that way and the process keeps going.”Tuesday’s live batting practice was another step in the right direction.“The ball was coming out good, had good command,” La Russa said. “Exciting to think about (him) being back with us. But patience is going to be important.”Lynn said: “The first two times (against) the hitters went according to plan, and now it’s on to games and that’s going to be a totally different type of intensity. Each day you have to reassess, but there’s been nothing to hold anything back.”AdvertisementLynn went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 28 starts last season, his first with the White Sox, and placed third in Cy Young voting.He knows a player returning from an injury can provide a boost.“Yeah, if you do well,” he said with a smile. “If you suck when you get back, nobody cares. So I’ve got to be ready to go.”