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Column: Chicago Cubs need to get their rotation back on track after April’s struggles

MILWAUKEE — After years of failing to develop starting pitching, the Chicago Cubs finished 2021 with three potential starters in Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson and Adbert Alzolay.The prospect of those three joining Kyle Hendricks in the rotation for the next few years was an enticing one for fans eager to see something new at Wrigley Field. And without having to spend a fortune on the rotation, the Cubs theoretically could’ve used the money saved to fill other holes on the roster — and maybe have some left over to sign catcher Willson Contreras to a long-term deal.AdvertisementBut things change quickly in baseball.Alzolay was shut down in spring training with a lat injury and will miss multiple months. Even when he returns, he likely will start out as a reliever. Thompson returned to his former role in the bullpen and has been too dominant to mess with, at least for now.AdvertisementThat has left Steele, 26, as the last man standing. And with the calendar turning to May, the jury is still out on whether he can stick in the rotation the entire season.Steele entered Saturday’s start against the Milwaukee Brewers looking to find his mechanics and prove his endurance. He got off to a rocky start thanks to a pair of Cubs errors and his own fielding miscue in the Brewers three-run first inning. He allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits with one walk over three innings, throwing 74 pitches and striking out four.Steele threw five scoreless innings against the Brewers on April 9, but failed to last more than three innings in his last three starts, including Saturday.“The main thing we’ve seen is the inability to repeat his delivery,” manager David Ross said during batting practice. “He just kind of loses it, the strike zone or the feel for the baseball, in an inning. He falls behind hitters and has to work really hard to get back.“Just finding a consistent rhythm out there as the game goes on seems to be (the issue). He usually starts out pretty well, and then that third or fourth inning, he struggles a little bit finding the zone. His stuff plays in the zone. We know that. But you’ve got to get ahead of hitters, keep them off balance.”The short spring could be a factor. But Ross said Steele’s lack of experience probably is the biggest reason. After a brilliant stint in the bullpen last season — he compiled a 2.03 ERA — Steele stretched out at Triple-A Iowa to return to the Cubs as a starter after the sell-off. He went 2-4 with a 4.95 ERA in nine starts, but finished with seven scoreless innings in his final outing Sept. 30.Growing pains were expected in 2022, and the Cubs are willing to live with them as long as Steele shows progress.AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“When you don’t a have feel for a certain pitch or you have trouble commanding one, what do you go to?” Ross said of the thought process. “I think all that stuff, experience drives that. You get some tough lessons at this level. He’ll continue to grow and make adjustments to it.”If the Cubs hope to be competitive, the starters need to pick up the pace. Entering Saturday’s game Cubs starters were a combined 3-10 and ranked 27th in the majors with a 5.54 ERA.Marcus Stroman (0-3, 6.98 ERA), who starts Sunday in the series finale, hasn’t lived up to expectations, while Hendricks has been up and down since a strong opening-day start against the Brewers. He was beaten up in Friday’s 11-1 loss in Milwaukee, serving up three home runs, and his 5.47 ERA is fourth-worst among starters with 20 or more innings.“Consistency is what you’re striving for,” Hendricks told reporters after Friday’s loss. “And that starts with pitch to pitch for me. I’m just not having that right now. It’s kind of been one game to the next.”Before the game Saturday the Cubs optioned starter Mark Leiter Jr. to Triple-A Iowa while calling up lefty reliever Locke St. John, leaving a vacancy in the rotation. The rosters will be pared from 28 to 26 on Monday, after teams were allowed to carry two more players early on because of the short spring training.With two upcoming off days, the Cubs probably don’t need a fifth starter until May 10, leaving Hendricks, Stroman, Steele and Drew Smyly as the foursome. Wade Miley, rehabbing from left elbow inflammation, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday. Alec Mills remains in limbo after suffering a right quad strain while rehabbing from a lower back strain.AdvertisementIf the Cubs continue to fall in the National League Central, you wonder how long it will be before Thompson gets another shot at starting.

Sports

What went wrong for the Chicago White Sox in April? Breaking down a tough first month to the 2022 season.

The Chicago White Sox suffered a unique walk-off loss on opening day in Detroit, when Javier Báez’s long fly to right was originally ruled a juggling catch by AJ Pollock before being correctly reversed to a game-winning hit.The rest of April didn’t get much better.AdvertisementThe Sox wrapped up the month on a positive note Saturday with a 4-0 win against the Los Angeles Angels. It was only their second win in the last 12 games.Starter Vince Velasquez was impressive in front of 33,762 at Guaranteed Rate Field, allowing four hits and striking out six in 5⅔ innings.AdvertisementTim Anderson led off the first with a home run and Luis Robert had a three-run homer in the fifth.With the victory, the Sox enter May with an 8-12 record.April marked their first losing month since September 2019. That snaps a streak of eight consecutive winning months, the franchise’s longest stretch since June 1993 to August 1994.The last couple of weeks, which included an eight-game losing streak from April 17-26, have been particularly tough.“It’s been a rough stretch,” starter Lucas Giolito said after Friday’s 5-1 loss to the Angels. “But there’s not really much that needs to be said. It’s just a matter of going out and executing in every facet of the game.“On my end, I feel like I could’ve executed better (Friday). I’m sure other guys feel like they could’ve executed better in other areas. But that’s the way it goes. If we just continue to go out prepared and let our talent shine out on the field, have focus in every situation, things will start to go our way.”Here are four areas that hampered the Sox in April.Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson walks back to the dugout after lining out to end the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field, April 29, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)The Sox entered Saturday ranked fifth in the majors with a 90.0 mph average exit velocity, but that didn’t translate into hits and runs.AdvertisementIn the last 16 games leading up to Saturday, the Sox were slashing .190/.245/.304 with 14 homers and 41 runs (2.6 runs per game). They scored three runs or less 13 times in April.“We’re putting good at-bats together, but we’ve just got to string some together now,” said left fielder Andrew Vaughn, who was hitting .283 and leads the Sox with four homers and 12 RBIs before Saturday’s game.The Sox entered Saturday tied for 12th in the American League in runs (60), and ranked 14th in hits (127) and last in batting average (.207) in the league.They were in the top five in the AL in each of those categories last season (fifth in runs, fourth in hits and average). Manager Tony La Russa is confident that potential will come through.“That’s what we talked about all spring, we’ve got a deep lineup, got to stay positive and keep working,” La Russa said before Saturday’s game.Saturday was a good sign for the team with their fourth multi-homer game of the season.AdvertisementChicago White Sox outfielder AJ Pollock (18) walks to the dugout after striking out in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field, April 26, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)The Sox were second in the AL with 586 walks in 2021.That same type of patience wasn’t on display in April. The Sox entered Saturday last in the AL with 39 walks.For an offense seeking consistency, sometimes a walk can spark a rally. But Friday marked the eighth consecutive game the Sox walked three times or less.“We can be more aggressive in the zone and not chase,” La Russa said after Thursday’s 5-2 loss in 10 innings to the Kansas City Royals.Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez leaves the field on a cart after falling to the turf on a groundout against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning, April 23, 2022, in Minneapolis. (Bruce Kluckhohn/AP)The Sox were hit hard by injuries in 2021, and that has been the case again early this season.The list of players on the injured list include starter Lance Lynn (right knee surgery), relievers Joe Kelly (biceps nerve injury) and Garrett Crochet (season-ending Tommy John surgery), third baseman Yoán Moncada (right oblique strain) and outfielder Eloy Jiménez (right hamstring tendon tear).AdvertisementMoncada began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday, going 1-for-3 with a single. Kelly is slated to pitch Sunday for Charlotte.Vaughn got hit by a pitch in the ninth inning Friday, but the Sox breathed a sigh of relief Saturday because X-rays were negative. He’s day to day.“I’ve seen a lot of guys take 95 (mph) to the hand, and it doesn’t end really well,” Vaughn said. “I guess I got pretty lucky.”Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu (79) commits an error on a throw from shortstop Tim Anderson as Kansas City Royals baserunner Salvador Pérez (13) reaches safely in the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field, April 26, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Through Friday, the Sox and Baltimore Orioles led the majors with 21 errors.“The defense has been, I think, one of the larger surprises in terms of its performance thus far,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday. “Over the course of the summer I think guys are going to perform at their more accustomed levels than what we’ve seen over the past week or two weeks.”The Sox had one error Friday, making it 10 of their last 12 games with at least one miscue.AdvertisementLa Russa said generally there’s a balance involved when trying not to take offensive scuffles to the field.“If you don’t care, then it doesn’t bother you, but if you care that you want to hit and produce, it’s hard not to get distracted by it,” he said. “You’ve really got to fight it. … You’ve just got to understand you win the game on both sides, and the better defense (you have), the fewer runs you’ve got to score.“It’s the best players in the world, but they have their issues. It’s not automatic. They’re not robots.”The good news for the Sox is that it’s a long season and they aren’t the only team in the AL Central off to a slow start. The Minnesota Twins are the only team in the division with a winning record.“It’s on us to execute the plan and to do our job,” first baseman José Abreu said Friday through an interpreter. “We haven’t been able to do that. Hopefully sooner rather than later we’ll be able to do that.”

Sports

Column: Ryan Poles makes several moves on Day 3 of the draft with eyes on improving the Chicago Bears O-line

Those trade partners that didn’t materialize for Ryan Poles on Friday night came from every direction Saturday.The new Chicago Bears general manager, who made it known since January that he would love to have more draft capital, did just that, starting in the morning when he sent a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for two picks at the end of Round 7.AdvertisementThe Bears sat out the fourth round and when it was time to get involved in Round 5, Poles traded down three times, cutting deals with the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans. When all was said and done, he went from having three Day 3 picks to eight, nearly tripling the number of lottery tickets he and staff members were scratching off on the second floor of Halas Hall.It was the first time the Bears ever had eight Day 3 picks. The NFL moved to a three-day draft format in 2010. The team has had eight picks in Rounds 4 through 7 three other times in the last 25 years (1999, 2003 and 2008). In that era, it was a two-day draft.AdvertisementSafety Craig Steltz, cornerback Zack Bowman and tight end Kellen Davis were the most impactful Day 3 picks in 2008. In 2003, it was safety Todd Johnson and wide receiver Bobby Wade. In 1999, it was linebackers Rosevelt Colvin and Warrick Holdman and defensive back Jerry Azumah. Colvin and Holdman were Round 4 picks.Poles didn’t have the draft capital to invest high picks into the offensive line — not when the strength of the board Friday in Round 2 was in the secondary after nine O-linemen had their names called in Round 1 the day before. So he threw lots of picks at the position, choosing four linemen in a span of six picks. The Bears added Braxton Jones, a potential left tackle from Southern Utah, Zach Thomas, a tackle that projects as a guard from San Diego State, Doug Kramer, a five-year starter at center for Illinois, and Ja’Tyre Carter, a guard from Southern.That left the Bears one short of being able to put a starting unit on the field next weekend for rookie minicamp. If new offensive line coach Chris Morgan can get one to develop into a starter and maybe have another project as a multi-position backup, that would be a victory.The Bears don’t have a great history of turning late picks into starters up front. They’re hoping Larry Borom, a fifth-round selection last year, pans out at tackle with a new staff in place. The only late picks that got a shot and worked out as starters in the last decade were a pair of tackles drafted by former GM Phil Emery — Jordan Mills in the fifth round in 2013 and Charles Leno in the seventh round in 2014.Poles left open the possibility to bring in competition for the line, citing the possibility of veterans being released by other teams, street free agents and even a potential trade, which wouldn’t be a surprise even if it’s not for a high-profile name.Surely Poles would have loved the opportunity to add one of the top offensive tackles in the class, something he would have been able to do with the seventh overall pick if the Bears were not paying off the bill for Justin Fields. He identified a secondary in dire need of help and went with where the talent was Friday. Now the Bears play the long game with their rookie tackles and wait to see what Borom and Teven Jenkins, a second-round pick a year ago, can do.It’s a draft that on the surface didn’t do a lot for quarterback Justin Fields, but the coaching staff has the benefit of the doubt for now. Velus Jones, the rocket wide receiver from Tennessee, wouldn’t have made sense for the former coaching staff. The Bears couldn’t come up with creative ways to involve Cordarrelle Patterson and the Tarik Cohen experience was good for only one season.If new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy can create ways to involve Jones — and comparisons to Deebo Samuel really aren’t fair at this point — the Bears might have a dangerous weapon in space, the kind of player who can turn a simple play into big yards.AdvertisementThat’s also what made the sixth-round selection of Baylor running back Trestan Ebner intriguing. He was a special teams dynamo in the Big 12 but he’s also a natural pass catcher out of the backfield — not something you would associate with David Montgomery or Khalil Herbert. Ebner is going to have his work cut out to earn playing time, but he could add another element (along with speed) to the offense. Versatility and speed are something every team seeks.Poles talked Friday about chipping away when asked about improving the O-line before the end of the offseason program, describing a methodical process that’s going to take time. It sounded in many ways like the description of a rebuild. If the Bears hit with a couple of their eight Day 3 picks, that will be part of chipping away.But just remember: we’re looking at final day picks without a fourth-rounder. They’re dice rolls.

Sports

Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer retires after 50 years: ‘I thank God he has allowed me to do the thing I love most’

Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer announced her retirement Saturday after 50 years in college basketball.She finished with 1,055 wins — fourth all-time among Division I women’s basketball coaches. Stringer made four Final Four appearances and reached the NCAA Tournament 28 times while leading Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers. Stringer was emotional when she talked to her team Friday night on a Zoom call.Advertisement“I am officially announcing my retirement,” Stringer in a statement. “My life has been defined by coaching and I’ve been on this journey for over five decades. It is rare that someone gets to do what they love for this long and I have been fortunate to do that. I love Rutgers University for the incredible opportunity they offered me and the tremendous victories we achieved together.”The 74-year-old coach had been on leave this past season because of COVID-19 concerns. She signed a five-year extension before going on leave last April. Her retirement becomes effective on Sept. 1, and she agreed to an $872,988 retirement buyout. Rutgers will name its basketball court in her honor next season.AdvertisementRutgers President Jonathan Holloway said naming the court after her is “a fitting and indelible tribute to one of the greatest coaches of all time.” He called Stringer “an icon” whose impact has been “felt across our campuses, around the state and throughout the nation.”Stringer has coached at Rutgers since 1995, winning 535 games. She led the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA title game in 2007 when they lost to Tennessee.C. Vivian Stringer announced her retirement Saturday after 50 years in college basketball. She finished with 1,055 wins, fourth all-time among Division I women’s basketball coaches. (Mel Evans/AP)The school’s appearance in 2000 made Stringer the first men’s or women’s coach to guide three different programs to the Final Four. She led Cheyney State to the first NCAA title game in 1982 and Iowa to the national semifinals in 1993.“Coach Stringer is a titan in college basketball, inspiring generations of student-athletes and coaches to pursue excellence on and off the court,” Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs said. “Her place in the history of the game is cemented, but more remarkable is the legions of young women whose lives she helped shape.”She started her coaching career in 1971-72 at Cheyney State in Pennsylvania.“I am forever indebted to all the coaches who I worked beside,” Stringer said. “Some were former players, some were colleagues, but all were friends and family at the end of the day and were my most trusted relationships.“To the young ladies that I was fortunate to have coached and mentored into the women and leaders of today, keep pushing the barriers, keep pushing for your spot at the table, and always know who you are.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.At Iowa, Stringer elevated the program starting in 1983, setting an attendance record in 1985 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Stringer left Iowa to coach at Rutgers following the death of her husband Bill.Advertisement“There’s always a soft spot in my heart for the University of Iowa and Dr. Christine Grant for giving me my first major coaching position … She was a strong believer in women’s rights and that’s a responsibility that I have championed and will continue to take up the fight for.”Stringer has been an inspiration to many Black female coaches, including South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, who won her second national championship on April 3.“Coach Stringer thank you for elevating our game,” Staley tweeted. “The strength of your shoulders allowed us to stand tall. We will forever keep your legacy in our hearts. Thank you Coach Stringer.”Stringer won 20 or more games 37 times in her career, finishing with a 1,055-426 record (.712 winning percentage). She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Stringer also served as an assistant coach on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal.The school will begin a search for a new coach immediately. Associate head coach Tim Eatman had taken over for Stringer in her absence.“This was the hardest decision of my life, but I thank God he has allowed me to do the thing I love most. I am ready to start my new journey and spending more time with my family, children, and grandchildren,” she said. “I am truly blessed to have had so many wonderful people in my life.”