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ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 38Chicago Sky players Courtney Vandersloot, left, and Allie Quigley walk the orange carpet Friday during WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago. (Quinn Harris / Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — At this time next month Willson Contreras might be wearing a different major-league uniform.If he has his way, though, the Chicago Cubs catcher won’t be going anywhere. Thirteen years after signing with the organization as a teenager from Venezuela, Contreras is a three-time All-Star. Fans voted Contreras as the National League starting catcher for the Midsummer Classis on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.AdvertisementA grateful Contreras was in disbelief Friday afternoon, minutes after manager David Ross announced the news in the clubhouse. Contreras said he works every year to make an All-Star team. This marks his third All-Star Game start, making him only the second Cubs catcher to accomplish the feat, joining Gabby Hartnett (1934, 1936-37).“This means everything to me, being here 13 years,” Contreras said. “I’m really thankful and proud of everything that I’ve done here.”AdvertisementContreras has remained diplomatic and transparent since spring training about his future with the Cubs. An impending free agent, Contreras saw what happened with his 2016 World Series teammates a year ago at the trade deadline. Contreras frequently has discussed his approach to take the season day by day and not look too far ahead. But he understands that without the sides reaching a contract extension before the Aug. 2 trade deadline, his time in Chicago is likely nearing its end.Cubs catcher Willson Contreras yells after hitting a grand slam during the first inning against the Pirates on May 16, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)It makes this All-Star Game, possibly a last hurrah with the Cubs, extra meaningful.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“I hope this is not my last time wearing the Cubs jersey to be honest,” Contreras said. “I don’t see myself going anywhere else, but this is business and we will have to understand the business now. If the Cubs can get a really good package for myself, they’re going to do it. If they don’t do it, I’ll be more than thankful and proud to stay here with the Cubs and my teammates.“But as of right now, I don’t see myself wearing another uniform.”Contreras, 30, has made his desire for his baseball future clear.“I would love nothing more than play for the Chicago Cubs the rest of my life,” Contreras said. “Obviously those kind of things are out of my control, but I’m really excited and proud and humbled to be a Chicago Cub.”However, barring contract talks over the next 3½ weeks leading to a long-term deal, Contreras will not be a lifelong Cub. Fans will be forced to watch another All-Star and World Series champion depart as the organization rebuilds and overhauls a roster that delivered five postseason appearances in six years. Contreras is seemingly willing to stick through what is positioned to be a challenging stretch for the organization.For now, he is trying to stay in the moment.Advertisement“It’s overwhelming for sure, I have a lot of things in my head right now,” Contreras said. “I’m really proud of everything.”
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association anchors its collective action in the 144 players represented by the union. But what happens when the 144 are missing one?Nearly five months after her arrest in Russia, Brittney Griner’s absence leaves a gaping hole in every aspect of this WNBA season. The All-Star Game in Chicago this weekend was the latest event marked by the international struggle to return Griner to the U.S.AdvertisementIn a somber news conference Friday to commence All-Star weekend, Rev. Al Sharpton joined Griner’s wife, Cherelle, and WNBPA leaders Nneka Ogwumike, Sue Bird and Terri Jackson to highlight the qualities they believe make Griner’s return to the U.S. essential — her humanity, courage and identity as an American.“Bring Brittney home,” Sharpton said. “Bring her home to her wife. We are going to stand with her until you do. … We know the tension between nations. We know there’s conflict going on. But we also know there ought to be a place where conflict stops and where the politics stop and the international rivalries stop and say some people operate above that and because they have, we will operate on a humanitarian level.”AdvertisementThe event marked a sharp turn in the tone set by Griner’s family and the WNBPA as Griner nears five months of detainment.Cherelle Griner talks about her wife, WNBA player Brittney Griner, who has been jailed in Russia for more than 140 days, during a news conference Friday in Chicago during WNBA All-Star weekend. Listening in at right is Rev. Al Sharpton. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Cherelle said she felt zero trust in the U.S. government only weeks ago after the State Department bungled a phone call coordinated with the Russian government. But the group placed trust in the Biden administration Friday.“I want to make it very clear that our next move as supporters for (Brittney Griner) is to make sure that the administration understands that they have our full support and are doing any and everything necessary to be able to bring (her) home as well as every other wrongfully detained American,” Cherelle Griner said.Cherelle — who was dressed in mourning black, the only appearance of color coming from the orange “We are BG” on her blouse — reflected a newfound hope in the administration’s ability to maneuver Griner’s return from Russia.Griner, 31, sent a handwritten letter to Biden from her cell this week, begging the president to not forget her amid other political turmoil in the U.S. Since then, Biden and vice president Kamala Harris met with Cherelle and wrote a letter to Griner in return.“(President Biden) understood and he sees her as a person,” Cherelle said. “He has not forgotten her, which was her biggest cry in her letter. So I’m grateful. And I’m thankful that the administration that was the first one that BG ever voted for, took the time to see her as a person to see what she’s going through and speak to me directly and let me know that they are exhausting all efforts to bring her home.”In a plea to overlook politics and party lines, Sharpton and WNBPA representatives stressed Griner’s common humanity.Sharpton painted a picture of distress, describing Griner being transported to court in vehicles too small for her 6-foot-9 frame, unable to speak to her wife or loved ones and being far away from home where the people she encounters do not speak English. Ogwumike and Bird shared memories of Griner as a teammate, friend and loved one to players throughout the league.AdvertisementRev. Al Sharpton, second from left, talks at a news conference Friday in Chicago to advocate for the return of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been jailed in Russa for nearly five months. Griner’s wife, Cherelle, right, also spoke. The WNBA All-Star Game is Sunday at Wintrust Arena. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“What America needs to understand is that she is you too,” Ogwumike said. “She is the fun aunt. She is the wife who encourages her spouse to thrive. She is the daughter who celebrates her dad’s service on the Fourth. She is the kid who was bullied and a role model who stands up for those kids now. She is kind and she is all of ours. … We’re so lucky to know her. If you don’t know her, you need to. She is resilient, kind and Brittney Griner is an American.”Griner entered a guilty plea Thursday in the next step of her trial — likely as a step to facilitate future action by the U.S. government — which is currently set to conclude in August. Sharpton called Griner a “champion” for taking responsibility with this action, adding hope that Russian courts would recognize the time she already has served and forego further jail time. But some reports predict Griner could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.Sharpton said he reached out to the Russian Orthodox church in the hopes of traveling to Russia to pray with Griner, but he focused on a higher goal — meeting with the WNBA star when she’s safely returned to U.S. soil.In the meantime, WNBA players, coaches and fans will continue to highlight Griner’s absence and advocate for her return throughout All-Star weekend and the conclusion of the season.“Brittney Griner is an American hero,” Ogwumike said. “She’s ours and she’s yours and we must get her home. She looks like us. She is us. Our 144 have always stood together as sisters and an allyship. It’s part of our DNA as team sport athletes and as women who have often been undervalued and who must move together to be seen.”
You would think the Chicago Blackhawks had accidently selected fictional race car driver Ricky Bobby among their Day 2 haul at the NHL draft in Montreal.Certainly first-rounders Kevin Korchinski, Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel have a sense of self-worth, but the boys from the second and third rounds woke up with a sense of their own “excellence,” to borrow from Bobby.Advertisement“I probably have the best motor in the draft. I bring it every night,” second-round center Paul Ludwinski said. “I know they won’t be disappointed.“Defensive-wise, I’m perfect, pretty well. The only thing I need to work on is patience with the puck in the offensive zone. I play with a high motor, so I go 200 mph all the time.”AdvertisementThird-round wing Gavin Hayes not only welcomes comparisons to the Winnipeg Jets’ Blake Wheeler, he notes he has “more skill than him, but (I) need to play the body more like him.”“Confident group,” Hawks amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey said with a knowing smirk. “You give them credit — they’re (18), they’re still immature, they see what they see. And they all have players that they aspire to be like. You guys are getting them two minutes after they’re picked.“Blake Wheeler? Great? We’d take that with the first pick in the third-round all day. You need confidence, right? To get to this level you need confidence in your abilities.”[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Blackhawks trade Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach, then select 3 first-rounders in the NHL draft ][ [Don’t miss] Column: The Chicago Blackhawks may look unrecognizable next season without Alex DeBrincat — but will it be worth it? ]Doneghey had full confidence in the slew of prospects the Hawks collected in two days of the draft — eight on Day 2 and 11 total — even though the team drew criticism after trading All-Star Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach to accomplish it.“(The Athletic’s) Scott Wheeler said I did good, he said we vastly improved (the pipeline).” Doneghey joked. “No, I think we did well. … Huge strides.”The Hawks spent all Day 2 picks on forwards, including five centers, one of their priorities. And they targeted players with speed after making a point to draft “puck friendly” defensemen on Day 1.“We’ve certainly gotten a lot faster, we got very competitive,” Doneghey said. “But yes, centers and defensemen (were the focus).“Prior to (associate general manager and former Cubs executive) Jeff Greenberg coming aboard, (we knew) you build down the middle, just like baseball — catcher, pitcher, shortstop, middle outfield. … You can move center fielders out to right field, you can move shortstops to second, whatever it may be.Advertisement“Centers, defensemen and eventually (goalies). Hopefully (Drew) Commesso follows through, (Arvid) Söderblom follows through, (or) maybe there’s a high-end goalie over the next few years that we step up for.”Meanwhile, the Hawks traded a 2022 third-round pick (No. 94), to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2023 third-round pick. The Coyotes took defenseman Jérémy Langlois.The Hawks also acquired center Liam Gorman from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a sixth-round pick (defenseman Nolan Collins) and swapped a 2023 sixth-rounder for the Carolina Hurricanes’ sixth-rounder in this year’s draft, which the Hawks spent on forward Nils Juntorp.Here’s a rundown of the Hawks’ 11 picks.Kevin Korchinski and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman shake hands after the Blackhawks selected Korchinsky with the No. 7 pick in the NHL draft on Thursday in Montreal. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Drafted: First round, No. 7 (part of Alex DeBrincat trade to the Ottawa Senators)By the numbers: 18 years old, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, left shot; four goals and 61 assists, which ranked second among WHL defensemen.AdvertisementNHL Central Scouting: “A high-end offensive defenseman who is very skilled.” … His father, Larry Korchinski, played forward for the Saskatoon Blades.Korchinski says: “I love to join the rush. I love to create offensively, and I do that by using my feet, using my puck skills, my passing ability.… My dad, big Blackhawks fan, so I kind of hopped on the bandwagon as a kid. He was a big Jonathan Toews fan, he loved how he played a complete 200-foot game. And I was a Patrick Kane fan because I liked the flashiness. .. Shea Theodore is someone I compare myself to. … His defensive game improved so much under (Seattle Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette)”Doneghey says: “He’s an unbelievable playmaker with the puck. … Different than a lot of the defensemen we’ve drafted in the last few years. He’s really puck-friendly. He’ll be a first-unit power play guy, he projects to be a first-pairing defenseman, can eat minutes”Frank Nazar puts on a Blackhawks sweater after being selected with the 13th pick in the NHL draft Thursday in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz/AP)Drafted: First round, No. 13 (part of the Kirby Dach trade to the Montreal Canadiens via the New York Islanders)By the numbers: 18, 5-10 and 175 pounds, right shot; 28 goals and 42 assists in 56 games for U18.NHL Central Scouting: “A consistent scoring threat who moves well laterally when carrying the puck and is hard to contain. … Makes very good decisions.”AdvertisementNazar says: “I like to say I play a little bit like Brayden Point, and obviously I’m not the complete player as him, but that’s why you’ve got to work. … The speed and being able to score and get in those open areas. … The team I wanted to go to was a team that’s kind of rebuilding and wants more younger guys to get in there.”Doneghey says: “Easy player to like. You’ve heard me say, ‘Speed, speed, speed.’ He can absolutely fly. … He makes quick plays under pressure. He’s not afraid to drive the middle of the ice on the rush, bring people with him and then bounce the puck out left or right. … Character, again, through the roof. Checks a lot of boxes that way. Leadership material.”Sam Rinzel puts on a Blackhawks sweater after being selected with the No. 25 pick in the NHL draft on Thursday in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz / AP)Drafted: First round, No. 25 (part of the Petr Mrázek package from the Toronto Maple Leafs)By the numbers: 18, 6-4 and 177 pounds, right shot; two goals and 8 assists in 21 games for the USHL Waterloo Black Hawks.Rinzel says: “I couldn’t believe it. I had a little bit of a feeling that I think that was the team that had the most interest in me, but I never knew. … I think I’m a two-way defenseman who can get up and down the ice. I’m tall and lanky but I think I’m a very good skater.”Doneghey says: “We watched Sam in every venue. …. There was so much to like because of his frame and his skating ability is smooth and high-end. He needs to put on some weight. … He’s more on the longer path. He’ll play in Waterloo this year then he’ll go to (the University of) Minnesota. … There’s just so much to mold with him, but the pieces are there.”AdvertisementPaul Ludwinski walks toward the podium after the Blackhawks selected him in the second round of the NHL draft Friday in Montreal. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Drafted: Second round, No. 39 (part of the DeBrincat trade)By the numbers: 18, 5-11 and 176 pounds; 16 goals and 27 assists in 67 games.Ludwinski says: “My younger self, I would be in tears if this is where he saw me. …I’m probably the most (versatile) in the draft. I’m kind of like Yanni Gourde — I can play third-line center or first-line wing. I’ve shown that throughout the season.”Doneghey says: “Paul is a two-way centerman, was on Shane Wright’s team, he was the third-line center in that group. They bumped him up to wing quite a bit if they felt they needed to get Shane going a little bit. He’s got some snarl to his game inside. … Very good on the penalty kill. … Oozes character. He’s got that look in his eyes, like, you win with those type of guys.”Ryan Greene is congratulated after the Blackhawks selected him in the second round of the NHL draft Friday in Montreal. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Drafted: Second round, No. 57 (pick acquired from the Marc-André Fleury trade to the Minnesota Wild)By the numbers: 18, 6-1 and 174 pounds, right shot; career highs in games played (59), goals (19), assists (32) in third season.AdvertisementNHL Central Scouting: “A solid skater with good speed and quickness. … Strong in contact areas and protects the puck well. Solid net-front presence. Plays with a lot of passion. … Plays like Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie.”Doneghey says: “We talked about centers, speed down the middle. Lot of value with a right-shot center. I don’t want to say he’s playing the long game like Sam Rinzel is, but he’s got to get a little stronger physically, but he’s got the frame to carry it a little bit more. Skating’s really strong. … Competitive character.”Gavin Hayes smiles after the Blackhawks selected him in the third round of the NHL draft on Friday in Montreal. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Drafted: Third round, No. 66 (part of the Dach trade)By the numbers: 18, 6-1 and 177 pounds, right shot; 19 goals and 30 assists in 65 gamesHayes said: “I’m a smart player, 200 foot, good without the puck. Also my shot is key. … I got related to Blake Wheeler. More skill than him but (I) need to play the body more like him.”Doneghey says: “This year in Flint, (he) didn’t get a lot of opportunity early, had to keep proving himself night after night. … (Coach) Teddy (Dent) made him earn his stripes and it didn’t go great for Gavin, (but) he wasn’t knocking on coaches’ doors, he took it upon himself to figure it out. … He’s got sneaky skill. He can shoot a puck.”AdvertisementSamuel Savoie smiles after the Blackhawks selected him in the third round of the NHL draft on Friday in Montreal. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)Drafted: Third round, No. 81 By the numbers: 18, 5-9 and 189 pounds, left shot; 18 goals and 15 assists in 64 games.Savoie says: “I describe my game as a two-way forward that plays good (offensively) but also defensive. Also, I think I play with an edge. I’m a competitor. … I try to model my game after a bit of Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett. I think I get the edge of Brad Marchand, the little hits … But also the way Sam Bennett plays, the way he pursues the puck, he’s relentless.”Doneghey says: “Just a ball of energy. Thick, big motor. … Like a Yanni Gourde-type player. That’s just speed, speed, relentless. Just gets after it”.Drafted: Third round, No. 90 (pick acquired in the Nikita Zadorov trade to the Calgary Flames)By the numbers: 20, 5-11 and 181 pounds, left shot; an alternate captain who led the Stars in assists (58) and points (82) in 57 games.AdvertisementDoneghey says: “Coaches in the (USHL) think he was the fastest skater as a center. Had a ton of points this year. … We really like that he’s going to (the University of) Denver, we have a good relationship with (coach) David Carle. He’s going to get a lot of opportunity there.”Drafted: Sixth round, No. 173 (acquired in the Seth Jones trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets)By the numbers: 20, 5-11 and 165 pounds, left shot; six goals and 12 assistsDoneghey says: “(Associate GM) Norm Maciver saw him a lot. Norm lived in Duluth up until getting this position, so he was able to see Dominic quite a bit. …. Feisty, competitive, north-south winger, has an inside game.”Drafted: Sixth round, No. 188 (pick acquired by trading 2023 sixth-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes)By the numbers: 18, 6-1 and 185 pounds, right shot; 17 goals and 24 assists, according to eliteprospects.comAdvertisementDoneghey says: “(Hawks European scouting staff) Mats Hallin and Nik Blomgren really like this guy. Speed is his whole game. He’s an up-down winger. … Fast on the forecheck.”Drafted: Seventh round, No. 199 By the numbers: 18, 6-8 and 190 pounds, right shot; seven goals and eight assists in 41 gamesDoneghey says: “Never seen him play, but our Finnish scout, Mikko Luoma (has). … He’s a right-shot center who can skate. … Small-town kid, very naive, very behind the curve, but (we like) the value of the skating, obviously the size, and I respect what Mikko’s thoughts are.”AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Advertisement
LOS ANGELES — Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras has earned a return trip to Dodger Stadium, and Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is taking a dream come true to another level.Contreras was voted into the All-Star Game as the National League starter at catcher. It’s his third All-Star honor (2018 and 2019), having started each time.Advertisement”I can’t believe it,” Contreras said. “This means everything to me being (in the organization) 13 years, and I’m really thankful and proud of everything that I’ve done here.”I would love nothing more than play for the Chicago Cubs the rest of my life, and obviously those kind of things are out of my control, but I’m really excited and proud.”AdvertisementCubs catcher Willson Contreras is congratulated by teammates after scoring in the first inning against the Reds on June 30 at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Anderson, who recently described his first All-Star experience last year as a “dream come true,” is headed back to the game — this time as a starter. Anderson topped Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays in the final ballot voting Friday and was named the American League starter at shortstop for the Midsummer Classic, which takes place July 19 in Los Angeles.Anderson received 55% of the vote to Bichette’s 45%.“It wasn’t long into my first year here when I said he was as good as anybody out there,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said before Friday’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field. “If you see him enough, then you’ll see, you rank him with the best playing.”White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson prepares in the dugout before a game against the Tigers on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Contreras, a free agent after the season, is in the midst of his best offensive season of his seven-year career. He is third in the National League with a .392 on-base percentage and is tied for the major-league lead with the Dodgers’ Will Smith among catchers with 13 home runs. Contreras’ .890 OPS also leads the NL at his position.Contreras is still day to day with left hamstring tightness but expects to play at some point during the Cubs’ four-game weekend series at Dodger Stadium.Anderson entered Friday with a .313/.352/.422 slash line in 55 games. He had five home runs, 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.Anderson will be the first Sox shortstop to start the All-Star Game since Luis Aparicio in 1970. He is the fourth Sox shortstop to start, joining Aparicio (seven times), Chico Carrasquel (three times) and Luke Appling (twice).Anderson was one of four Sox players on last year’s AL roster at Coors Field in Denver, joining pitchers Lance Lynn, Carlos Rodón and Liam Hendriks.AdvertisementAnderson entered that game at shortstop in the eighth and was in the on-deck circle in the top of the ninth when the inning’s final out was recorded.It’s possible Anderson could be joined this year by starter Dylan Cease. The right-hander is 7-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 17 starts and entered Friday tied for the AL lead with 133 strikeouts.Pitchers and reserves, added via a combination of player-ballot choices and picks from the commissioner’s office, will be announced at 4:30 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.
Less than three months to go.The Chicago Cubs roster could look very different by the time they close out the season Oct. 5 in Cincinnati. At just past the midpoint of the season, the Cubs are trending toward a 96-loss campaign — though that is before they likely move key pieces leading up to the Aug. 2 trade deadline.AdvertisementAs the Cubs chug along during a four-game set at Dodger Stadium, there are questions the organization must answer during the second half with an eye on the future.Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ rounds second base as he advances to third in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field, June 15, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)This could be answered within the next three weeks if the Cubs opt to trade Happ, who will be a free agent after next season. The 27-year-old switch hitter has lived up to this potential this year in a career season. Happ’s offensive production is the most consistent of his six big-league seasons, and it notably comes as the offense is heavily relying on him to produce.AdvertisementPerhaps his past offensive inconsistencies make the Cubs wary of giving him the type of money it would take to ink Happ to a contract extension. But combined with his sizzling final two months of the 2021 season, he has shown carryover and an important ability to move past his awful first four months last year.Sticking — and keeping — Happ in left field has yielded improvement in his defense too. He’s respected in the clubhouse and has grown in a leadership role. He’s striking out less than ever while still drawing walks at his career rate. While there are a couple underlying numbers that might raise concern — a high Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP), a lower home run rate and a small uptick in ground balls — Happ has given the Cubs a needed presence.The last two years have shown that the organization is comfortable going into the final year before free agency with their key players. The Cubs need core players to come out of this rebuild, but Happ appears to be the next one to face uncertainty with his Cubs future.Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele delivers to the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Wrigley Field, June 5, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The future of the Cubs rotation looks a lot brighter if right-hander Keegan Thompson and left-hander Justin Steele are the real deal. Their first-half performance was encouraging. Both own an ERA+ above 100, which is league average, while left-hander Drew Smyly represents the only other Cubs starter to hit that mark.The next three months will be a good test for Thompson and Steele as they work through their first full big-league season and push through the most single-season innings they have pitched in their professional careers. The Cubs, though, need more than them.Right-hander Caleb Kilian is expected to get another opportunity in the majors this year after command issues and walks plagued him through three first-half starts. The Cubs are optimistic right-hander Adbert Alzolay will return from his right shoulder strain at some point. Depending on when he returns, perhaps the Cubs look at him in a multi-inning relief role that Thompson thrived in earlier this season. Alzolay got a taste of it late last season when the Cubs were managing his workload.Development in the minors is important too, though their top starters are still at the lower levels: left-handers Jordan Wicks and DJ Herz and right-hander Kohl Franklin have shown good stuff at High-A South Bend this season. There is potential in the Cubs system, but part of the long-term vision relies on guys like Thompson and Steele being quality big leaguers.Chicago Cubs manager David Ross looks out from the dugout during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field, June 15, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)The Cubs have a knack for fighting until the last out, which is a good quality for any team. Too often, though, they have come up short with a feel-good rally. Entering Friday, they have played 25 one-run games, which is tied for 10th most in the majors. And only one team has played more extra-inning games than the Cubs (11).AdvertisementThe Cubs, however, are 3-8 in extras and 10-15 in one-run games. At some point, they need to take advantage of being in games and learning how to either complete a comeback or hold off the other team. And it might not happen until next year. Some of that is a lack of big-league experience. It also involves the caliber of talent. While the Cubs’ average age of their hitters is a league-average 28.5 years old, a lot of their regulars are in their first year or two of playing every day in the majors.The Cubs only have five position players and three pitchers who remain from the organization’s last postseason team in 2020. Moral victories don’t exactly mean much in majors, especially for a Cubs fan base that carries high expectations. Learning to win in the majors can be a process and, so far, the Cubs have been coming out on the wrong side of close games. Finding a way to change that over the final three months could help their next contending team.
The Chicago Blackhawks may have a better idea of their starting lineup for the 2025-26 season opener than for the Oct. 12 opener at the Colorado Avalanche.Perhaps a bit of hyperbole, but with any luck, 2022 first-round picks Kevin Korchinski, Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel will all be in that future lineup.Advertisement“Coming into today (Thursday), if I figured we would add Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel and Frank Nazar I wouldn’t have believed you,” general manager Kyle Davidson said on draft night in Montreal. “Sitting where we are right now with the prospects we just picked up I’m pretty damn happy.”But to get them, the Hawks had to trade fan favorite Alex DeBrincat (Ottawa Senators) and Kirby Dach (Canadiens), kicking off what could be a mass exodus of the current roster.Advertisement“It’s difficult to trade any young player, especially young contributors like we did today is not easy,” Davidson said.With their leading scorer in DeBrincat gone, there’s little reason to bring back linemate Dylan Strome, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights — or fellow RFA Dominik Kubalík, for that matter. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews could be weighing whether they want to stick around for the tear-down.If last season’s 28-42-12 campaign was a drain on the three-time Stanley Cup-winning duo, this season could leave them feeling empty.Anyone else is fair game, particularly veterans (Tyler Johnson? Jake McCabe?) Davidson could ship off to contenders before next year’s trade deadline.“Going through a rebuild is not fun. Doing things you have to do to get to where you want to go is not fun,” Davidson said. “So there’s going to be tough days like this where you see familiar faces and faces that we in management and the fans know and love, but it’s necessary.”“It’s all about the process. It’s our job to make sure that the assets that we bring in make the decision the right one and make it justified.”That’s the quibble many fans had (based on the social media uproar) with Davidson’s draft-day wheeling and dealing — at least in DeBrincat’s case.Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat (12) handles the puck under pressure from Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (75) at the United Center, March 3, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)But Davidson defended his move.Advertisement“I did feel that this was his maximum value today,” he said. “I didn’t feel the need to do it but when we got a top 10 pick on the table, I thought that was something that, if we could build a package around that, I thought it was really important to do. The value of those top 10 picks are far more valuable and great than multiple picks later on in the first round.”Rebuild or not, giving up a 24-year-old All-Star winger for the seventh overall pick (Korchinski), a second-round pick Friday and a 2024 third-rounder feels as underwhelming as Brandon Hagel’s haul — two conditional first-round picks in 2023 and 2024 and two prospects from the Tampa Bay Lighting — felt pleasantly impressive.In fact, when you take a step back, the DeBrincat trade looks even worse.When the dust settled, the Hawks essentially swapped DeBrincat for defenseman Seth Jones — and moved down a slot in the first round to do it.Perhaps it’s a bit of oversimplification, but the Jones deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets on draft day a year ago for multiple high-round Hawks picks created a domino effect that greatly contributed to DeBrincat’s departure, a case of general manager malpractice by Stan Bowman.Bowman mortgaged the future for a player he couldn’t pass up.Advertisement”You’re trying to put yourself in a position that when a player of Seth’s ability and caliber becomes available, that you’re in a position to, No. 1, have the assets that it would take, and No. 2, have the cap room to be able to do it,” Bowman said on draft night last year.“Not too often do those things always line up. There’s a lot of luck in the timing.”Doesn’t feel so lucky in hindsight, and the vacuum Bowman created couldn’t be more ill-timed.Jones’ addition, along with a couple of other acquisitions last summer, not only didn’t help push the Hawks into playoff contention, but Bowman’s hasty retool attempt cratered and created Davidson’s impetus for the Hawks to launch a rebuild.In the final tally, the Hawks gave up DeBrincat, Adam Boqvist, the No. 12 pick of the 2021 draft (which became Cole Sillinger), the No. 44 pick in 2021 (Aleksi Heimosalmi) and this year’s No. 6 pick (David Jiříček).In return, the Hawks netted Jones, the No. 32 pick in 2021 (Nolan Allan), the Nos. 7 (Korchinski) and 39 (Paul Ludwinski)picks this year and a 2024 third-rounder.AdvertisementHow the rest of this sad saga shook out is squarely on Davidson, who stepped into the role of personnel boss after Bowman stepped down in October in the wake of the Kyle Beach scandal.If Davidson coaxed two conditional first-rounders from Tampa Bay in the Hagel package, certainly DeBrincat would draw a king’s ransom, right?What the Hawks received, however, was not that.The first-time GM came off like he played a savvy, patient poker hand in the Hagel deal, but it looks as if he folded on this one.Davidson said earlier this year that “it would be nice” to recover a first-round pick, but “we’re not going to force anything.”Does trading DeBrincat for a first and second in a so-so draft, along with a distant third-rounder, sound forced?AdvertisementThe Hawks might say their hands were tied because a trade partner would have to have the present and future cap space to handle a monster extension for DeBrincat, but that kind of reasoning sounds as if you’re trying to force something.And you can draw a straight line from Bowman’s malfeasance last summer to Davidson’s desperation in this draft.What’s so puzzling is that the Hawks didn’t acquire one of the Senators’ prized prospects, such as defenseman Jake Sanderson or center Ridly Greig, who ranked second and 18th on TSN director of scouting Craig Button’s top 50 NHL-affiliated prospect list in April.“Ottawa to me (has a) terrific prospect pool,” Button said on TSN.ca. “You talk about Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris as your top two centermen. Ridly Greig is an outstanding third-line center.”Davidson said the Hawks “considered” acquiring prospects but ultimately opted not to.“We didn’t really push too hard because their second (rounder) was rather high,” he said. “That’s why we leaned toward that second pick so we could put our own stamp and our own philosophy into that player.”AdvertisementNor did Davidson hold out for a first- or second-round pick in 2023, which is widely considered to possess a better talent pool than this year.Hawks amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey told the Tribune last week this year’s draft is “deficient in the amount of franchise or generational players.”“There are some good players,” Doneghey said. “I don’t know that there may be defining franchise players right now, i.e. the (Cale) Makars, (Nathan) MacKinnons, Patrick Kanes.”Next year’s draft appears to have a deeper talent pool.Doneghey looks at Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli and Matvei Michkov as no-brainer franchise players at the top of 2023 draft and expects a few others to force their way into the conversation.For the 25th slot, which the Hawks used to select Rinzel, all Davidson gave up was a second-rounder (38th overall) and the space to take on goalie Petr Mrázek’s salary, giving the Toronto Maple Leafs the cap relief they needed.AdvertisementAnd the Hawks don’t have to tread into free agency to find a starting netminder.Blackhawks center Kirby Dach handles the puck during the first period against the Florida Panthers, Feb. 20, 2022, at the United Center. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)But Davidson appears to have gotten the better of the Dach trade.Nabbing 13th and 66th overall picks for the former 2019 No. 3 pick somehow feels like thievery given the lackluster start to Dach’s career.Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said he checked within the Hawks organization and around the league and dug into Dach’s game and character, “and we were comfortable with everything we heard.”Oh well, it’s Hughes’ headache now. Maybe he thinks faceoffs are overrated.Still, there’s a void DeBrincat and Dach will leave in the Hawks locker room.AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.First-year coach Luke Richardson is trying to bring order to a team that lost its top offensive weapon and a well-respected teammate in DeBrincat, who was selfless enough to pitch in on the penalty kill when asked.Toews grumbled about the Hawks’ direction when they traded Hagel, so you only can imagine his reaction to this development.Even Kane has to question if staying in Chicago is worth enduring this dismantling.TSN analyst Pierre LeBrun asked agent Pat Brisson about Kane, but Brisson said they’re not “going to make any decisions or comments at this point.”Asked agent Pat Brisson about his client Patrick Kane and his NHL future in lieu of today’s trades by the rebuilding Blackhawks. Brisson said they’re not “going to make any decisions or comments at this point.”— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 8, 2022
Bottom line: The Hawks’ decisions, past and present, put a lot of pressure on their 2022 rookie class to pan out. That’s at a minimum.The hockey world will tally all that the Hawks gained in the long run from giving up DeBrincat, Dach and cap space and judge whether the Hawks should’ve demanded more.AdvertisementMake it make sense.
The Chicago Blackhawks loaded up on centers in the second round, adding Paul Ludwinski and Ryan Greene in the second round.Both had been on amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey’s wish list.AdvertisementDoneghey sees Ludwinski as a two-way center, “very competitive, very smart.”He described Greene as “fast – he’s not like a super burner – but he’s a very good skater, very powerful skater.”AdvertisementThe Hawks have made acquiring speed their top priority in the rebuild.At the top of the third round, the Hawks selected winger Gavin Hayes, then added fellow winger Samuel Savoie 15 slots later. Center Aidan Thompson rounded out the team’s third-round picks.The Hawks traded the 94th overall pick to the Arizona Coyotes for a 2023 third-round pick. The Coyotes took defenseman Jeremy Langlois.
Like any other milestone in the WNBA, the 2022 All-Star Game will be about much more than basketball.Players rarely stay on the sidelines when it comes to a fight for human rights. As the league converges on Chicago for All-Star weekend, players carry with them the burden of a tumultuous year of advocacy for trans children, reproductive rights and gun control.AdvertisementBut the foremost issue for the league and its players is the imprisonment of Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner, who pleaded guilty to drug possession charges in Russia earlier this week in an effort to possibly secure a prisoner exchange with the U.S. government.After assembling a letter co-signed by nearly 1,200 prominent Black women including Bernice King and Dawn Staley, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association will continue to plead with the Biden administration to negotiate for Griner’s release throughout the weekend.Advertisement“With a 99% conviction rate, Russia’s process is its own,” the WNBPA said in a statement Thursday. “You can’t navigate it or even understand it like our own legal system. What we do know is that the U.S. State Department determined that Brittney Griner was wrongfully detained for a reason and will continue negotiating her release regardless of the legal process. We’ll leave it at that.“The administration needs to know that this powerful collective is behind them and supports whatever needs to be done to get BG, Paul Whelan and other detained U.S. nationals home right away.”Griner’s absence will leave a gaping hole throughout All-Star weekend as the league plans to use the platform to hold attention to her imprisonment. But the scope of player activism will be wide-ranging as mass shootings and attacks on abortion and transgender rights swept through the country this season.In the wake of mass shootings in an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, N.Y., supermarket, players enacted media blackouts and used social media to demand stricter gun control legislation. Now the league’s All-Stars arrive in Chicago to a community still reeling from a mass shooting in Highland Park on the Fourth of July.“We have an issue in this country,” Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud said after the team announced a media blackout following the Uvalde shooting. “Not only white supremacy — we also have a gun violence issue. … We’re talking about our kids not being safe to go to school, and our government is still not implementing sensible gun laws.“This isn’t about taking people’s rights away from bearing arms, this is about putting sensible gun laws in so this doesn’t happen again.”The same political fervor spilled over following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last month, sparking protests that likely will continue this weekend.The Seattle Storm released a statement declaring the team was “furious and ready to fight.” The WNBPA echoed league-wide uproar against the decision in a statement on June 24.Advertisement“Are we in a democracy where guns have more rights than women?” the statement read. “This ruling provides a treacherous pathway to abortion bans that reinforce economic, social and political inequities and could lead to higher rates of maternal mortality while eviscerating rights to reproductive freedom for everyone. To protect our democracy, we must vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do.”In a league predominantly represented by Black and queer women, it never has been a surprise that WNBA athletes take their platforms seriously.But this year’s All-Star Game highlights a continued shift in the power given to the voices of women’s athletes.“For people that are standing up and being the voice — I think it’s really important,” Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot said on WGN in June. “The fight’s not over. People need voices and I think the WNBA and the Chicago Sky is a great platform.”
The season is months away, but Chicago Bulls fans can get their first taste of the 2022-23 team Friday when the Bulls begin play in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.The tournament began with two games Thursday and will run through July 17. A Bulls team consisting mostly of rookies — including first-round draft pick Dalen Terry — and second-year players will face the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets in the first round.AdvertisementHere are five storylines to track throughout the summer league.Assistant coach John Bryant will lead the Bulls in the summer league for the first time. After two seasons in Chicago focused mostly on working with centers and forwards, Bryant got the nod from Bulls coach Billy Donovan to guide this summer’s group of young players.AdvertisementBryant will be inspired on and off the court by the memory of his father, John, who died last year after battling COVID-19.“I know he’d be proud of me,” Bryant said. “I’m trying to do it the best way that I can every day. When I played, he just was like: ‘Hustle. Try your best. Do your best. Work hard.’ And I’m trying to do that for not only our players and our staff but to be a reflection of what he taught me to do. I know he’s smiling.”Read more here.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 17The Bulls introduce first-round draft pick Dalen Terry on June 27, 2022, at the Advocate Center. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)After the Bulls selected him with the No. 18 pick, Terry will get his first chance to prove himself against fellow NBA players. With Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams not competing in summer league games this year, Terry’s performance will be the most important to track for the Bulls.Terry has been working on his shooting and fitness this summer to make the leap to the NBA. It’s unclear how many minutes he can expect as a rookie, but the summer league will provide a beneficial challenge to see how he sizes up against pros.The Bulls’ Marko Simonovic (19) defends the Spurs’ Nate Renfro during an NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Aug. 10, 2021. (Chase Stevens / AP)A second-round pick in the 2020 draft, Simonović struggled to crack the Bulls rotation as a rookie. He appeared in only nine games, averaging 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in garbage time. But his performance in the G League for the Windy City Bulls — he averaged 17 points and 9.9 rebounds in 28 games — bolstered optimism about his future potential.The 6-foot-11 Simonović packed on 25 pounds in his rookie season and is focusing on strength this summer to prepare for his second season. It won’t be make or break, but his performance in the summer league could help the Bulls determine whether the young center is prepared to take a bigger role behind Nikola Vučević and newly acquired backup Andre Drummond. Read more here.Howard’s Makur Maker defends VCU’s Nah’Shon Hyland during the NBA draft combine on June 24, 2021, at Wintrust Arena. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Maker became the highest-ranked modern-era recruit to sign with a historically black college or university when the consensus five-star picked Howard in 2020, but his college career was cut short after he suffered a groin injury two games into his freshman season.AdvertisementThe 6-11 Maker withdrew his name from the 2021 draft and spent last season playing with the Sydney Kings in Australia. After going undrafted last month, he’s making another bid to reach the NBA as a summer league player with the Bulls.DePaul’s Javon Freeman-Liberty puts up a shot against Marquette on Jan. 11, 2022, in Milwaukee. (Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)The summer league roster is filled with former college standouts who are hoping to impress in Las Vegas and earn G League or rookie contracts.After coming off the bench as a freshman at Marquette, Justin Lewis averaged 16.8 points in his sophomore season. Bryant said Lewis impressed the Bulls coaching staff with his energy and competitiveness in his first practices ahead of summer league.Javon Freeman-Liberty averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a senior at DePaul last season. A Chicago native and Young graduate, Freeman-Liberty transferred to DePaul in 2020 after two years at Valparaiso. He was mentored by his uncle, “Flyin’ Illini” legend and former NBA player Marcus Liberty. Friday: Dallas Mavericks, 3 p.m., ESPNUSunday: New York Knicks, 4 p.m., ESPN2Tuesday: Toronto Raptors, 4 p.m., NBATVThursday: Charlotte Hornets, 5 p.m., ESPN2Guards/wingsNo. 9, Ethan Thompson, rookie (Oregon State)No. 21, Malcolm Hill, second yearNo. 25, Dalen Terry, rookie (Arizona)No. 26, Carlik Jones, second yearNo. 50, Javon Freeman-Liberty, rookie (DePaul)No. 55, Justin Wright-Foreman, second yearNo. 72, Perrion Callandret, rookie (Idaho)No. 95, Sindarius Thornwell, fourth yearCenters/forwardsNo. 19, Marko Simonovic, second-yearNo. 34, Justin Lewis, rookie (Marquette)No. 76, Akoldah Gak, rookie (Illawarra)No. 83, Henri Dell, rookie (Estonia)No. 99, Makur Maker, rookie (Howard)