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Part of Matt Eberflus’ message to players as they separated for summer break was the same as it was the day he was introduced as the Chicago Bears new coach in January.“Get your track shoes ready,” Eberflus repeated Thursday as minicamp wrapped up at Halas Hall.AdvertisementIt was both a warning and a promise. When the Bears reunite for training camp next month, every player on the 90-man roster better be ready to merge onto a high-speed entrance ramp toward the regular season.[ [Don’t miss] 3 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including a ‘cold-weather’ offense and Trevis Gipson’s comfort ]“Training camp’s not to get in shape,” Eberflus told his players. “You should already be in shape (when you arrive).”AdvertisementAnd just for some extra emphasis? “We will be blowing and going from Day 1,” he added. “That was my main message.”After only five months on the job, it’s hard to produce much of a detailed progress report on Eberflus to this point. And it will be a while before it’s known whether his philosophies and approach can rescue the organization from a 30-year funk defined by prolonged mediocrity.But give Eberflus credit for this much. He has been consistent with his messaging and firm in establishing how he wants his team to function. And his demands seem to be resonating inside Halas Hall.Bears coach Matt Eberflus speaks after practice on June 16, 2022 at Halas Hall. The trophy is the 1969 George Halas Courage Award that was won by Gale Sayers, who gave it to Brian Piccolo. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)By now, Eberflus’ HITS acronym is easily explained. The Bears, under his watch, will prioritize hustle, intensity, taking the ball away (and taking care of the ball) plus situational smarts. Along with that, Eberflus reminded everyone Thursday, his players must understand how they need to be wired to squeeze the most out of their six-plus weeks of preseason practices.Blowing and going. Track shoes on.Obviously, Eberflus won’t be turning Bears training camp into the Olympic trials, challenging players to run the 200-meter dash or the 4 x 100 relay. He isn’t threatening to drain his team with gassers or excess conditioning work either. On Thursday, when pressed for more detail on how track and football will be married during late-July and August practices in Lake Forest, Eberflus highlighted the focus the coaching staff will put on effort, running to the ball and establishing an unwavering tempo to drills and team work.AdvertisementNot only that, it will all be graded. And reviewed. And re-emphasized. The need to become an effort-based football team will continue to be hammered home.“When we look at the tape, we don’t walk by mistakes,” Eberflus said. “We look at it and say, ‘OK, that’s not the right effort we’re talking about.’ Or, ‘That is the right effort we’re talking about. Man, that is the standard!’“That (creates) a mindful eye for the coaches. The coaches have to pay attention to that. I am the ultimate guy who has got to pay attention to that. But for the coordinators and the position coaches, we’re going to start a certain way and we’re going to finish a certain way. And that’s all standardized.”[ [Don’t miss] 4 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including Robert Quinn’s absence and Dakota Dozier’s injury ]Rookie receiver Velus Jones, whose speed is a strength, is eager to get into the blocks for Eberflus’ first training camp next month.“I know we are going to come in and hit the ground running,” Jones said Thursday. “So I’m going to make sure my body is in shape and make sure my endurance is built up. I’m really excited.”Added safety Jaquan Brisker: “(We need to) come in ready to work, come in ready to run to the ball, come in in shape.”AdvertisementOf course, there will be a fine line to all of this. And as a first-time head coach, Eberflus will have to keep a close watch on his team’s physical and emotional fuel tank through the grind of camp, developing a feel for when to push harder and when to ease up. That’s not always easy.It’s worth noting that former Bears coach Lovie Smith, whose coaching formula and defensive system are things Eberflus draws from regularly, opened his first training camp in 2004 with similar messaging, vowing to engrain hustle and effort into his players with an intense focus on, well, hustle and effort. That initial camp in 2004, however, came with a rash of soft-tissue injury setbacks. And these Bears, given the current levels of talent and depth on the roster, can’t afford any major health-related detours.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields understands the offense’s growing pains are inevitable: ‘We’re not ready’ ]Still, Smith’s methodology hit home and helped create an early identity for his teams. The Bears went to the playoffs in 2005, reached the Super Bowl the following season and made the postseason three times in a six-season span. (By team standards, that undoubtedly was a hot streak.)For Eberflus, a desire to create that same kind of identity and that same kind of momentum is undeniable. And when he was asked Thursday if there was anything with his new team that he felt more comfortable with than he did when he started, Eberflus quickly pointed to the culture that is being established.“It’s the team coming together. I feel most comfortable with that,” Eberflus said. “We’re able to look each other in the eye and tell the truth and it’s OK. And it’s OK to be wrong. It’s OK to be right. But we’re starting to feel that with the whole group. It’s just honest communication. Man-to-man. Face-to-face. No problems.“That’s encouraging. You have to have that as a team. You have to be close that way.”AdvertisementEberflus also wants his team to understand what it means to truly grind, what it means to empty the tank and what it means to treat every practice rep with the same focus and intensity. And when training camp gets underway next month, there will be little gray area as to how players are expected to practice.In short, the Bears better be ready to run. A lot.

Jed Hoyer knows the drill.When the Chicago Cubs hit a new low, the team president gathers reporters together to defend the manager, his game plan and the organization as a whole.AdvertisementTheo Epstein did it more than a decade ago, praising manager Dale Sveum, the rebuild and the Rickettses during the 2012 and ‘13 seasons, before whacking Sveum after two years on the job.On Thursday it was Hoyer’s turn to defend the job performance of manager David Ross, praise the rebuild that can’t be called a rebuild and ensure fans the Cubs remain on the right path. He did so for more than a half hour in the home dugout at Wrigley Field before a game against the San Diego Padres as the Cubs tried to end a brutal nine-game losing streak.AdvertisementIt was a difficult task for Hoyer. Eleven months after selling off his biggest stars and embarking on a new and less expensive path, the Cubs are worse off than they were before the 2021 trade deadline. They began the day only a half-game ahead of the lowly Cincinnati Reds, and were going through one of the worst nine-game stretches in franchise history, including being outscored 61-15 over the last five losses. But after listening to Hoyer suggest things were progressing OK before the losing streak, I could only shake my head. How could anyone buy that narrative after what they’ve seen in 2022?“I didn’t say I had a sense (of how long),” he said of the timetable for competing. “I have a sense of how to build the next great team and where we want to go. I didn’t give you any sense of timing. I don’t have a feel for that.”Sorry, but haven’t the Cubs regressed from last season when it comes to seeing that “next great Cubs team” come to fruition?“This is a frustrating moment in time,” Hoyer said. “Whether we feel that way in a month or two months, I don’t know. Right now, certainly … Listen, the frustration that’s in your voice is probably the frustration that is in everyone’s voice over the way we’ve played. I’d say candidly. I felt like we were battling and really competing through (June 10). Our record in one-run games was certainly well below average, and our run difference was like -10, which is really competitive.“Obviously that’s really changed over the last five days. I’m trying mentally, obviously what we’ve seen since Saturday (an 8-0 loss to the New York Yankees), that’s been a real struggle and really frustrating that our bullpen that was really good has struggled, and we haven’t been able to prevent any runs. But try to remember, prior to that we were battling.”Battling is fine when you’re a small market team with low ticket prices. It doesn’t cut it when you’re a big market team still charging among the highest ticket prices in the game. If I sounded “frustrated,” my apologies to Hoyer. I meant to sound disgusted.Asked by another reporter if the Cubs timeline feels further away than when the season began, Hoyer said he would “have a better answer for that later in the season,” citing injuries.AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 26Cubs starting pitcher Caleb Kilian sits in the dugout after the first inning against the Padres on June 15, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“Even from a record standpoint, even before this stretch, we weren’t where we want to be,” he said. “You’re asking me to make some pretty global statements based on that.”With the Cubs falling so far and so fast, most fans believes Willson Contreras is as good as gone. Being so far from contending means the Cubs probably have no choice now but to trade him to get something of value before he likely leaves as a free agent.“That’s not something I’m going to answer,” Hoyer said.Hoyer also declined to discuss whether he’s spoken with Contreras about his future. Contreras and Kyle Hendricks are the only players who could bring some real value in return, especially with Marcus Stroman out with right shoulder inflammation.Hoyer said Stroman would be back “fairly soon.” But Stroman hasn’t even begun playing catch, so how soon could that be?“We’ll know more once he throws,” Hoyer said.AdvertisementWeeks? Months?“I don’t know,” Hoyer said. “Hopefully weeks.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 24Chicago Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel warms up to face the San Diego Padres as the sun sets June 13, 2022 at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)As for Ross’ status, Hoyer said the third-year manager has done a “great job,” and he doesn’t “see any issues with (Ross) whatsoever.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Epstein said much the same about Sveum in 2013. The difference is Hoyer’s close relationship with Ross, whom he signed to an extension before the season.Hoyer’s most prominent moves since the summer sell-off haven’t worked out so far. Stroman and Seiya Suzuki, his two biggest free-agent signings, are on the injured list and were inconsistent at best when healthy. Nick Madrigal, acquired from the White Sox in the Craig Kimbrel deal, is out again with a groin injury and hasn’t hit when healthy. Wade Miley has pitched well but made only four starts and has thrown 19 innings between stints on the IL.The biggest positives have been Contreras’ season, Christopher Morel’s emergence and Keegan Thompson’s performance before moving into the rotation.Advertisement“I have all the confidence in the world we’re going to get there,” Hoyer said. “But sometimes things speed up, and sometimes things slow down. I’m not smart enough to know when something is going to happen, but I do know, and have the ultimate confidence, that we’re going to be successful. I knew that same thing last time.”Hoyer quoted Epstein’s clichéd remark that “things are not linear,” meaning every plan goes through ups and downs rather than a slow, steady progression. He said he speaks with Chairman Tom Ricketts “all the time” about the state of the team, and that everyone has “questions” about why the Cubs are struggling as much as they have.“Those are questions I’m up late at night asking as well,” he said.Whoever is listening must be shaking their head.

For the Saudi-backed upstart LIV Golf tour, the strategy for luring top golfers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson away from the prestige and stability of the PGA Tour was simple: Offer cash, and lots of it.The arrival of the new tour and the defection of PGA Tour stars were major disruptions in what has been a stable and even staid sport. But when the first LIV event was finally held outside London last weekend after months of anticipation, it was not shown on television in the United States. And it’s unlikely that any American network will be broadcasting LIV events anytime soon.AdvertisementThe reason boils down to this: The networks are happy airing the PGA Tour.“We are positioned as the home of golf in this country,” said Pete Bevacqua, chair of NBC Sports, which shows by far the most golf in the United States. “We are not only satisfied where we are, but unbelievably pleased where we are.”AdvertisementSome golfers couldn’t resist the pull of the new tour, whose events are shorter than the PGA Tour’s (three days instead of four) and offer huge payouts, with individual winners receiving $4 million and the members of winning teams sharing $3 million, far more than most PGA Tour events. Even last-place finishers get $120,000; PGA Tour players who don’t make the cut after two rounds get nothing.But the LIV tour got nowhere with those who might have aired its events in the United States. Representatives for LIV Golf spoke with most American broadcasters but did not have substantive discussions about a media rights agreement with any of them, according to people familiar with those discussions. LIV broached the idea of buying time to show the London tournament on Fox — an inversion of the normal business relationship, where the media company pays the sports organization to show its event — but discussions did not go far.Charl Schwartzel of South Africa plays a tee shot during the final round of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational at the Centurion Club in St. Albans, England, June 11, 2022. (Alastair Grant/AP)In the end, the London tournament was not on American broadcast TV or popular sports streaming platforms such as Peacock and ESPN+. Instead, golf fans could watch it on the streaming service DAZN, YouTube, Facebook or LIV Golf’s website, without commercials.Limited viewership numbers suggest not many of them did. The final round of the London event attracted an average of 68,761 viewers on YouTube and fewer than 5,000 on Facebook, according to Apex Marketing, a sports and entertainment analytics firm. On the same weekend, 812,000 viewers watched the final round of the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open on Golf Channel, and 2.78 million watched when coverage switched over to CBS.The absence of a media rights agreement would normally threaten the survival of a new sports league. But LIV Golf is not a commercial entity with a profit imperative. It is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and part of a larger effort by the kingdom to improve its image around the world. Players who have joined the LIV tour have been accused of helping to “sportswash” Saudi Arabia’s record of human rights abuses, including the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.LIV did not respond to a request for comment.But NBC and other broadcast networks have a long list of reasons other than reputational damage to steer clear of the new venture.LIV’s main barrier to entry in the United States is that most major media companies are deeply invested in the success of its competitor, the PGA Tour. NBC, CBS and ESPN are collectively in the first year of a nine-year, $6 billion-plus agreement to show the PGA Tour in the United States, while Warner Bros. Discovery (which owns TNT and TBS) is paying the PGA Tour $2 billion to show the tour worldwide.AdvertisementThe media companies are not contractually restricted from showing LIV, according to the people familiar with the deals, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private agreements. But they believe that doing so would draw attention away from the tour on which they are spending billions.Fox, which has a history of risk-taking in sports (it is currently investing in spring football), might seem like a good candidate to team up with LIV, but Fox does not televise any golf, and that is by design. The network had the rights to broadcast the U.S. Open through 2026 but paid money to give up those rights to NBC.Even if networks wanted to take a chance on LIV Golf, the logistical challenges would be significant. Golf monopolizes entire weekends throughout the year and is more expensive to produce than arena- and stadium-based sports. (Golf presents a particularly difficult hurdle for Fox, which rarely puts sports on its streaming service, Tubi, meaning it is difficult to show golf when schedules collide.)LIV Golf also did not have any stars on board until recently, and it is not clear whether it will attract enough top golfers to make its events attractive to fans. Questions about the tour’s backing have been uncomfortable for those who have joined.“I would ask any player who has left or any player who would ever consider leaving, ‘Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?’” Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, said in a televised interview Sunday.Players who have signed contracts with LIV have been booted from the PGA Tour, though that could soon become the subject of litigation. Players have also been dropped by sponsors, either because of the association with Saudi Arabia or because companies don’t want to support golfers competing on a tour few are watching.AdvertisementStill, many of those involved in the PGA Tour media deal acknowledged that interest in the PGA Tour would decrease if LIV lured away more top golfers. They believe the PGA Tour’s appeal lies in the world’s best golfers competing against one another every weekend, and LIV is directly threatening that.LIV’s future may depend partly on whether LIV players are allowed to play in the four major golf tournaments — none of which is run by the PGA Tour. Augusta National Golf Club hosts the Masters; the United States Golf Association stages the U.S. Open; the Professional Golfers Association of America runs the PGA Championship; and the R & A puts on the British Open.If allowed to compete in majors, LIV golfers could earn huge paydays on the less-taxing LIV tour while continuing to play in the legacy-defining events in front of millions of fans.“Majors are extremely important to professional golfers, and they will be a key variable whether this is successful or not,” said David Levy, a former president of Turner Sports who created the Match, a high-stakes golf exhibition.This year’s third major, the U.S. Open, is at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, this weekend, and LIV golfers are present. The USGA, which organizes the tournament, said in a carefully worded statement last week that any golfer who had qualified would be allowed to compete. But the USGA noted that its decision “should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity,” and Wednesday, the organization’s CEO, Mike Whan, said that he could foresee a day when players were denied entry to the U.S. Open based on which tour they came from.The other majors have not said whether they will bar LIV golfers from their events. Nor have these tournaments said whether they will continue to extend lifetime invitations to players who have won them. (Mickelson has exemptions from the Masters and PGA Championship for life, for instance.) Decisions are expected this fall and winter as plans are solidified for tournaments in 2023.AdvertisementA sometimes overlooked golf body, the Official World Golf Ranking, is also expected to have influence. The organization bestows ranking points on golfers based on their performance, and tournaments use those rankings to determine eligibility. Currently, LIV golfers do not receive ranking points, meaning they will inevitably fall in the world rankings and lose their eligibility to compete in the majors.LIV has said it will submit an application to have its events ranked. That application will be considered by the governing board of the Official World Golf Ranking, whose chair is Peter Dawson, an English former professional golfer. The board also includes representatives from each of the four majors, along with the PGA Tour, the European Tour and the International Federation of PGA Tours, an umbrella organization of professional golf tours.While the PGA Tour will almost certainly vote against LIV’s application, it is less certain how the other tours will vote. And even if they also vote no, if representatives from the four majors all vote to allow LIV’s golfers to accrue ranking points — and therefore signal they are comfortable with LIV golfers competing in their events — LIV Golf might just succeed in attracting more golfers.c.2022 The New York Times Company

Seattle Storm star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird announced Thursday the 2022 season will be her last playing in the WNBA.The announcement by Bird, 41, ended any speculation about her future; she had acknowledged in February when she re-signed with Seattle that this would likely be her final season. She strongly considered retirement after last season before choosing to return for a 19th season as a player.AdvertisementBird’s announcement came a day before Seattle’s game at Connecticut. The Storm will close out their road trip on Sunday in New York, about 30 miles from where Bird grew up in Syosset, New York.“As the season has gone, like I said, I pretty much knew, and then once I saw the schedule, and then once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be my last time playing in New York. My last time playing in front of my family and friends.’ And so that’s why the timing of this is what it is,” Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media.Advertisement“I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement, saying it was my last year so I can share that with my family and my friends, all the people in New York who have watched me growing up so they can come and see me play for the last time in my home state. So I’m excited about that. It’s also bittersweet.”Bird is a four-time WNBA champion, 12-time All-Star and the oldest player in the league. She has spent her entire WNBA career with Seattle since becoming the No. 1 draft pick in 2002 following her storied college career at UConn. This season is her 21st associated with the franchise although just her 19th playing after missing two seasons due to injuries. She is the league’s all-time leader in assists and the standard by which other point guards are judged.Bird turns 42 in October and was on the cusp of stepping away a year ago, and when the Storm were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the playoffs, fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” as she did an on-court televised interview.Those cheers were egged on by Phoenix’s longtime star Diana Taurasi, Bird’s former college teammate at UConn and part of all five of those Olympic gold-medal runs.In the end, the fans — and Taurasi — got what they wanted. Bird came back, for exactly one more year.“Sue Bird is Storm basketball,” her WNBA team tweeted moments after Bird made her decision known. “Every moment, every memory has one constant. No. 10. It’s time for the final chapter.”

Few players in WNBA history have experienced Kahleah Copper’s success. If women’s basketball had a triple crown, her last year easily would qualify.Between the start of last season and her return to the Sky on May 22, Copper became a first-time WNBA All-Star, a WNBA Finals MVP, and a Spanish league and EuroLeague MVP. She also led Perfumerías Avenida to its eighth Spanish league title, her second championship in eight months. It’s no wonder Chicago Sky teammate Candace Parker refers to Copper as the “worldwide MVP.”Advertisement“I don’t think there’s another WNBA player that had the resume she had over this past year,” said Ticha Penicheiro, Copper’s agent. “At the beginning of her career especially, she was always a team player. Sometimes you put your personal goals on the back burner, but now, I’m sure she’s checked off a lot of things on her list.”Copper has welcomed the fame that has come with winning a championship with the Sky. People come up to her at airports, and she was honored at City Hall in her hometown of Philadelphia in the offseason. She is soft-spoken, a direct contradiction to her tenacious nature on the court, but her calm demeanor lends itself to someone who can handle the newfound public attention.Advertisement“It’s something I’m embracing,” Copper said. “It’s cool. It’s what comes with winning.”Kahleah Copper heads out to receiver her championship ring commemorating the Chicago Sky’s 2021 WNBA title on May 24, 2022, at Wintrust Arena. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)Along with fame came more money.Copper doesn’t know how many deals she landed since helping the Sky win the WNBA title last season, but her marketing team made sure to strike while the iron was hot. She has been featured in commercials for Mountain Dew and Dick’s Sporting Goods, among others.She also signed a contract with Popeyes, which generated a lot of discussion on social media. Before reaching the deal, Copper’s team reached out to Kentucky Fried Chicken to see if it would be interested in partnering with her. Copper’s nickname is “KFC” — for Kahleah Freaking Copper — making the sides ideal partners. However, as Copper put it, KFC was “slacking,” so Popeyes and the Sky star eventually agreed to a deal.“Hopefully KFC will come back around because that is pretty fitting,” Penicheiro said.Outside of drawing more revenue from endorsements, Copper went into the offseason as a restricted free agent knowing she could demand a maximum contract. Most teams had cap space, and the Sky had only four players signed through the 2023 season.Sky coach/general manager James Wade made it clear as free agency began that re-signing Copper was a priority. He felt confident in the relationship he had with Copper and the culture the franchise had built.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Standing underneath a newly unveiled WNBA championship banner, Chicago Sky players and coaches show off their 2021 championship rings on May 24, 2022, at Wintrust Arena. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)“When (the media) talks about free agency, they don’t think about player’s lives and relationships,” Wade said. “You have to change teammates and relationships you are invested in. (The Sky organization) is practically a family and we won a championship. (Copper has) accomplished a lot of things here and she saw her development and how she continues to build and build. I think that would be hard to leave.”AdvertisementThe Sky ended up applying the core-designation tag on Copper, meaning she couldn’t sign with another WNBA team and could return to the Sky on a one-year, $228,094 deal. Instead, the sides agreed to a two-year, $405,000 contract through 2023.“I thought, ‘Why not?’, ” Copper said when asked about taking a multiyear deal over the core designation offer. “This is my second home. I love it here. They believed in me and wanted to take care of me.”Copper has changed the complexion of the offense since returning from overseas — she missed the Sky’s first four games of the season. They were in the bottom half of the league in fast-break points before her arrival. Copper leads the league in the category while the Sky rank No. 4 over the last six games. Teams are still trying to figure out how to stop her in transition but have come up empty.Copper is averaging 12.4 points on 41.7% shooting and 5.4 rebounds in nine games for the Sky (9-4), who play host to the Atlanta Dream in a Commissioner’s Cup game Friday at Wintrust Arena.She maintains a day-to-day mentality — not letting the long term mar what is expected of her. She is focused on a championship and nothing else.Advertisement“I’m just trying to get better,” Copper said. “My mindset is the same: Never get too high or too low or complacent. Just continue to get better and try to reach new heights. We’re trying to repeat.”James Kay is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

The Chicago Cubs’ losing streak reached nine games Wednesday with a 19-5 loss to the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field.The Padres have won three straight in the series, which concludes Thursday afternoon with Matt Swarmer facing Joe Musgrove.Advertisement“Losing is not fun,” Ian Happ said. “It never is. And when you go through stretches like that, long innings, you try to keep everybody upbeat and positive. I feel that gets harder as the losses mount.”Rookie Caleb Kilian was out of sync in his second start, and the bullpen collapsed after he was removed after allowing five runs in four innings. Keeping everyone in a positive frame of mind has been difficult when a team has been beaten down as badly as the Cubs this week.Advertisement“We’re working on that,” manager David Ross said. “I don’t have any magical answer. We haven’t been very good. I think we’ve got to pitch a little bit better than we’ve pitched the last couple nights.”Ross once again called on first baseman Frank Schwindel to pitch, the third time this season and second time this week. Schwindel gave up three runs in the ninth.“It’s crazy,” Happ said. “It’s kind of been an explosion (of position players pitching) the last couple years and this year. The more we can play where position don’t pitch, the better.”Some fans enjoy watching it. But the more it happens, the less funny it seems.“Yeah, it’s not (funny),” Happ said. “It’s not that fun to see anymore. But it’s a reality of keeping arms fresh. You can’t just go out there and blow through your bullpen every day and expect to be competitive the next day, especially night to day.”Schwindel has served up four home runs in three innings, compiling an 18.00 ERA.Here are some other ugly numbers to chew on.The Cubs’ ERA over the nine-game losing streak. They’ve served up 21 home runs and allowed 111 hits over that span.AdvertisementThe Cubs’ winning percentage since a loss to the New York Mets on June 14, 2021. Going into that game, the Cubs were 38-27 and tied for first place in the National League Central. They’re 56-103 since, including losing streaks of 11, 12 and nine games.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Cubs are winless in all 29 games this season in which they’re trailed entering the seventh inning.Runs allowed by Cubs pitchers (and first baseman Frank Schwindel) over the last five games since losing 8-0 to the Yankees on Saturday in New York. They have been outscored 84-26 during the skid. The Cubs’ record on replay challenges. Not only are they losing on the field, they’re also very bad at challenging calls. Opposing teams have won seven and lost four against the Cubs.The Cubs’ record at Wrigley Field. They’re 2-7-1 in home series, including a win in the opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers.Cubs starters’ ERA. They’re also a combined 12-27. The 4.91 ERA is still better than in 2021, when the starters posted a 5.27 ERA, fourth worst in the majors.AdvertisementThe Cubs’ average with runners in scoring position (122-for-554). They began Wednesday ranked 28th in the category, ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks (.216) and Pittsburgh Pirates (.201).Fan who caught a Manny Machado home run Wednesday and didn’t bother to throw it back.

Alfonso Soriano doesn’t get a chance to watch many Chicago Cubs games in his Tampa, Fla., home, but he’s seen enough of Chicago Cubs rookie Christopher Morel to know the rookie has a promising future.“Oh man, I’ve seen him and he’s got a lot of talent,” Soriano said Wednesday while treating his son Allen’s travel league team to a night at his old stomping grounds. “So I hope he can have a great career. He’s shown it already in a few games.”AdvertisementMorel and Soriano are kindred spirits, so it was nice to see Morel introduce himself to the former Cubs star during batting practice at Wrigley Field.But that has been Morel’s M.O. since making his major-league debut May 17 and hitting a home run in his first at-bat at Wrigley Field. He has become the Cubs’ unofficial ambassador, putting the friendly in Friendly Confines.AdvertisementMorel started Wednesday’s game against the San Diego Padres the same way he has all season — by greeting the plate umpire and opposing catcher with a fist bump before leading off the first inning.Chicago Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel warms up to face the San Diego Padres as the sun sets Monday, June 13, 2022 at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Most umpires have fist-bumped Morel back, though CB Bucknor declined the other night, giving him a polite nod instead. Morel said it’s a tradition he started in the minors.“Every time I get a chance to say hi to somebody, I do it,” Morel said. “If somebody feels good, then I feel good too.”It’s refreshing to watch young players such as Morel come up and enjoy the moment. A major-league career goes by fast, and if a player lets the pressures of the game get to him he can turn bitter at an early age.Soriano knew that and never came to the ballpark in a bad mood, never was affected by fan booing and never hid from reporters when he was in a slump.[ [Don’t miss] Long rest and a changeup pays off for Kyle Hendricks — but Chicago Cubs bullpen implodes for an 8th straight loss ]That’s one reason a few dozen old acquaintances — front office employees, clubhouse workers, reporters and security guards — stopped by the field before Wednesday’s game to say hello to Soriano, who has seldom been back to Wrigley since being traded to the New York Yankees in 2013.Soriano had a job he loved and said he never forgot that.“I used to be blessed to have the talent to play,” he said. “Why would I ever be mad? I played a long time and did something I loved to do. I like when I hear young guys in the game have that mentality and that character, so good for Morel.”AdvertisementThe Cubs need Morel now more than ever with the season spiraling downward. They carried an eight-game losing streak into Wednesday and were in danger of being passed in the National League Central by the lowly Cincinnati Reds, who began the season 3-22.It’s going to be a long season for the Cubs. No one expected much going in, but it has been hard to watch nonetheless. So fans need reasons to keep watching the remaining 100 games, and the Cubs need advertisers for the Marquee Sports Network and people to buy beer and hot dogs at Wrigley during a season going nowhere.Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel drives in two runs with a single in the second inning against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel advances to second base on a double in the second inning against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Morel and top pitching prospect Caleb Kilian, who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday to face the Padres, are two kids who can make things interesting. Morel already has sealed a spot on the roster the rest of the way. He started his career by reaching base in a franchise-record 22 straight games while playing solid defense in center field and at second, third and shortstop.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“He’s got some long levers, real power there,” manager David Ross said recently. “Moving him around the field, his skill set, the tools show up daily. He’s still learning some moments. He’s still a kid out there running around high-fiving everybody, and sometimes we need to rein him in in that area.”That would be a shame. Baseball needs players who look like they’re enjoying themselves, and the Cubs have a tradition of exuberant players, from Jose Cardenal to Sammy Sosa, from Soriano to Morel.Morel is starting to get noticed more often as he rides his scooter to the ballpark or stops by the local Starbucks.Advertisement“Every time that happens I say thank God for this moment,” he said. “It’s super amazing. I think I have a lot of support going on all around me with everything that’s happened. But my responsibility to the team is to focus on baseball, and that’s what I’m doing.”Kilian, meanwhile, had a rough start Wednesday, throwing 30 pitches in the Padres’ two-run first inning while pitching with a 19-mph wind blowing straight out. He hopes to stick around for a while, but he was called up for his second start only because of injuries to Marcus Stroman, Drew Smyly and Wade Miley. None of the three veteran starters is close to returning, but that doesn’t mean Kilian won’t be sent back to Iowa.Cubs starting pitcher Caleb Kilian warms up before a game against the Padres on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“At some point he’ll be in that thing every day as long as he continues to do what he’s been doing,” Ross said, referring to the rotation. “He’s got a really bright future in our eyes. If you go out and do this, you’re never going back down. That’s usually how a major-league player’s tenure happens.”Morel paved the way. Now it’s up to Kilian to follow in his footsteps.

Byron Pringle knows he didn’t make the right type of headlines in his first couple of months as a Chicago Bears wide receiver.He was arrested in April in Florida for reckless driving and driving while his license was suspended after an officer suspected him of doing a donut on the road with a child and another passenger in the car.AdvertisementBut if Bears fans will allow him to reintroduce himself, here’s what he wants them to know.“I’m just a hardworking man,” he said. “I love the game. Things happen.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] 3 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including a ‘cold-weather’ offense and Trevis Gipson’s comfort ]Pringle didn’t expand much on the incident in his first comments to the media after Wednesday’s mandatory minicamp practice at Halas Hall, saying he had “no thoughts on it.” He pleaded not guilty to the charges, asked for a trial by jury and has a pretrial court date set for July 5, according to Pasco County records.He said he spoke with general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus before the news came out in the media and “everything’s squared away in house.”That echoed what Poles told the media just a few days after the arrest. Poles, who knew Pringle from their four years together in Kansas City, said the Bears were in “a good place” with Pringle and that the incident was “not a reflection of who he is at all.”Pringle tweeted after his media availability: “I’m just here to play football not answer (clown) questions.”So the focus since the arrest has been about how Pringle can make positive headlines with a Bears offense that needs some wide receivers to step up alongside Darnell Mooney.Eberflus has been pleased with what he has seen from Pringle during practices the last several weeks.“He does a really good job and is an explosive athlete, and he’s strong,” Eberflus said . “He’s got a strong set of hands to catch it in traffic and he does a really good job (with) yards after catch. He can break some tackles, you can feel his strength and you can see that on tape. We like where he is.”Pringle, who signed a one-year contract worth $4 million guaranteed this offseason, has a big opportunity to increase his production from a career-best 42 catches for 568 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. He was fifth in catches — and the third wide receiver — on the potent Chiefs offense run by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.AdvertisementNow, the 28-year-old former undrafted free agent from Kansas State is part of a collection of Bears receivers with a lot to prove after Poles made mostly modest offseason additions at the position.Wide receiver Byron Pringle warms up during Bears minicamp on April 19, 2022, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Mooney is the only Bears wide receiver on the roster with a better season production-wise than Pringle had in 2021. Tajae Sharpe had 41 catches for 522 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2016. Poles also drafted rookie Velus Jones Jr. in the third round last month.So while running back David Montgomery and tight end Cole Kmet are likely to be involved in the passing game, too, there’s room for a newcomer to break out. Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis are among the other players looking for that shot.Pringle brushed off questions about individual goals and instead said he’s trying to execute at a high level, win and have fun, something Mahomes tried to make sure his teammates always were doing. And Pringle believes they can do that behind quarterback Justin Fields and new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy despite years of offensive struggles in Chicago.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields understands the offense’s growing pains are inevitable: ‘We’re not ready’ ]“I always keep a smile on my face wherever I go, so I’m keeping that positive energy,” Pringle said. “Coming here, we ain’t worried about the past. We’re trying to go forward. We’re trying to go up. We’re not looking back at what happened in the past, and as a unit, we’re trying to be better, hold each other accountable.”Chiefs coach Andy Reid said at the NFL owners meeting a couple of months ago that Pringle would “play his heart out” and “still will continue to grow because he works so hard.”AdvertisementThat’s why Pringle thinks he can make better news in the months ahead.“I never try to stay at one level,” Pringle said. “I keep trying to keep going forward. … I don’t try to be the same player, the same dude. I try to learn something every day.”

DETROIT — Yoán Moncada raised his arms as he walked through the Chicago White Sox dugout.Teammates gathered around him and greeted him with high-fives and pats on the backs.AdvertisementMoncada had just circled the bases after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. It was his first home run since May 14 against the New York Yankees.“It feels good to have that kind of support,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “They celebrated that homer like it was my first career homer. It was good.”AdvertisementMoncada set the tone Wednesday in a 13-0 Sox victory in front of 20,726 at Comerica Park. The third baseman had a career-high five hits, drove in five and scored twice.White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada (10) celebrates teammates after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning against the Tigers on Wednesday in Detroit. Moncada had five hits and five RBIs in the Sox’s 13-0 rout to complete a series sweep. (Duane Burleson / Getty Images)“A day like today is good for your mind, your confidence,” said Moncada, who’s average went from .141 to .181. “Sometimes when you’re in a bad stretch you can get a little down, but a day like today helps to reinforce that confidence and to feel good. It was definitely a good day to feel good.”Moncada went 5-for-6 with the homer in the first, a single in the fourth, a double in the sixth and RBI singles in the eighth and ninth.“He showed today the stroke of a .300 hitter,” manager Tony La Russa said. “The ball inside, he turned on it. He’s really got a beautiful stroke.”Shortstop Danny Mendick hit a solo homer in the fourth and catcher Seby Zavala had a two-run homer an inning later as the Sox completed a three-game sweep. They set season highs for runs and hits (22), and everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit.“The boys came to work today,” La Russa said. “Very difficult for both sides (with weather conditions at 94 degrees for first pitch), but the boys came to work.”The Sox produced with two outs throughout the series. They had four two-out RBIs in Monday’s 9-5 win and three two-out RBIs in Tuesday’s 5-1 victory.White Sox manager Tony La Russa, left, celebrates with shortstop Danny Mendick after a 13-0 win against the Tigers on Wednesday at Comerica Park in Detroit. Mendick hit a home run in the win. (Duane Burleson / Getty Images)White Sox catcher Seby Zavala hits a two-run homerun against the Tigers during the fifth inning Wednesday at Comerica Park in Detroit. (Duane Burleson / Getty Images)That trend continued with six Wednesday, starting with Moncada’s three-run homer. He drove in another run with two outs in the ninth. Josh Harrison, who went 3-for-5, had a two-out RBI single as part of a two-run third inning. José Abreu, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs, had a two-out RBI single during a two-run fourth.AdvertisementThe Sox led 11-0 after six innings. The Tigers used position players Harold Castro (seventh), Kody Clemens (eighth) and Tucker Barnhart (ninth) to pitch the final three innings.Wednesday also marked pitcher Vince Velasquez’s return from the injured list. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out three in 2⅔ innings.Velasquez had been on the injured list since May 31 with a strained left groin. In Wednesday’s corresponding move, the Sox placed right-hander Kyle Crick on the 15-day IL — retroactive to Tuesday — with right elbow inflammation.“Just checking off all the boxes,” Velasquez said. “Seemed like a lot of stuff really didn’t leave from the last appearance (May 24 against) Boston. I tried to make sure that everything is as crisp as possible so when it is time to get whatever role I need to be in, just stay sharp and stay ready at all costs.“I’m thrilled with the results of today’s performance.”Davis Martin followed Velasquez’s start, allowing three hits and striking out three in 5⅓ innings.Advertisement“He’s a cool customer,” La Russa said of Martin, who earned the first win of his big-league career.Said Martin: “(Velasquez) started off really strong, he was dominant from the start. For me watching from the bullpen, taking away a lot of the stuff that he was doing so I could just jump right in and follow what he was doing because his plan was working, his stuff was working, so just trying to pick up from where he left off because he set the tone so high.“The fastball location helped set the tone for everything else. Fastball in there early and let the offspeed play down. Seby did a great job calling the game.”White Sox pitcher Davis Martin delivers during the third inning against the Tigers on Wednesday at Comerica Park in Detroit. Martin picked up his first major-league win in the 13-0 victory. (Duane Burleson / Getty Images)The Sox climbed back to one game under .500 at 30-31. They are off Thursday before beginning a weekend series against the Astros on Friday in Houston. It will be the first meeting between the teams since last year’s American League Division Series, which the Astros won in four games.“If we were playing any team that’s as good as Houston is this weekend, it would be huge for us because we’re within yelling distance of getting to where we’re a winning club, not a losing club,” La Russa said. “The fact that it’s Houston, they’re playing really well.”The Astros are in first in the AL West at 39-24.Advertisement“Whoever we’re playing is an opportunity for us to be a winning club,” La Russa said. “The fact that it’s one of the best clubs in both leagues, you understand the challenge that it’s going to be. So get ready.”

The offense rebounded with a better showing during the second of three mandatory veteran minicamp practices Wednesday, with quarterback Justin Fields making some sharp throws and avoiding turnovers that plagued him the day before.Here are three things learned at Halas Hall.AdvertisementTight end Ryan Griffin works out during Bears minicamp on April 19, 2022, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)The 10-year-veteran, who signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract in April, seemed to describe the kind of offensive system that would rely on good tight ends.“You can see in our roster makeup we’re a younger team,” Griffin, 32, said. “A lot of hungry guys. Hardworking guys. And I think our vision is a hardworking, tough-nosed, cold-weather football team, and I pride myself on being a part of some of those teams. I’m happy to be here and try to get this thing right.”AdvertisementHow is the offense going to come into shape?“Seems like we’re going to be physical, we’re going to run, we’re going to be well-conditioned and we’re going to pound,” he said. “And we’re going to run sideline to sideline and hopefully we can get some balls over the top. In the meantime, we’ve got to score. You’ve got to put points on the board to win in this league. We’ve got the guys in this room to do it, we’ve just got to get the execution right, and that’s what this part of the year is all about. This is why we’re here. We’re working.”[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields understands the offense’s growing pains are inevitable: ‘We’re not ready’ ]Griffin and James O’Shaughnessy, the eight-year veteran from Naperville North and Illinois State, are the only veteran tight ends on the roster behind Cole Kmet. Perhaps it signals that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will lean more on 12 personnel (one running back, two wide receivers, two tight ends) this season. Getsy comes from Green Bay, and the Packers were No. 2 in the league using 12 personnel last season (29% of the time) behind only the Miami Dolphins.It can be a good idea for teams that don’t have depth at wide receiver and it can help the running game. But not every team that uses the outside-zone running scheme uses a lot of 12 personnel. The San Francisco 49ers, for example, were in 12 personnel only 10% of the time last season.Trevis Gipson stretches during Bears OTAs on May 24, 2022, at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)The defensive end had a bit of a slow adjustment as a rookie in 2020 when he went from being a defensive end at Tulsa to playing as an outside linebacker. He adapted well in 2021, finishing with seven sacks, but is happy with the change in scheme in which he doesn’t have to be as concerned with responsibilities in coverage.“They’re just turning us loose,” Gipson said. “Honestly, letting us play ball, play fast, play smart, with a tremendous amount of effort. So that’s something that’s going to pay off for the whole defense, the whole team, and I think we’re going to have great results.“I think overall, especially in this defense … it’s going to be tremendous. I get to come out of a three-point, (accelerate) off the ball faster and just little things like that get lost in different positions.”[ [Don’t miss] 4 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including Robert Quinn’s absence and Dakota Dozier’s injury ]Gipson said he has been impressed with rookie Dominique Robinson, a situational pass rusher drafted from Miami-Ohio.Advertisement“Sort of reminds me of me, honestly,” Gipson said. “Fifth-round pick, chip on his shoulder, dominating practice every day and still looking to get better anywhere he can.“He’s really athletic. Dude is lean, can move, very versatile. He can rush the passer with speed and rush the passer with power, and I think that makes him a great player. I would say he’s better than me, honestly. He has a lot more pass-rush attributes than I did coming in. He has more experience on the edge than I did. We take the same approach to the learning game, but overall, he’s a great student, great athlete, and I think he’s going to help us a lot.”Bears offensive lineman Braxton Jones stretches at rookie minicamp at on May 6 at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Left guard Cody Whitehair had an excused absence and veteran Lucas Patrick was pretty much limited to individual drills, so the Bears moved some parts around. At one point Braxton Jones was at left tackle with Zach Thomas at left guard and Doug Kramer at center. Sam Mustipher lined up at right guard and Larry Borom was at right tackle. Veteran Dakota Dozier was not spotted after leaving Tuesday’s practice on a cart with what appeared to be an injury to his left leg.At first glance, coach Matt Eberflus said he thought Thomas held up well and didn’t make any mental mistakes.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Chicago Bears offensive line still has big questions — and moving parts — as shown by Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones ]What’s going to be telling about the line is how the first and second teams are deployed at the start of training camp next month. The coaching staff might plan to have legitimate competitions at one or two positions, but the depth chart has to start somewhere. Decisions on who will be where could be made soon even if the reveal has to wait until late July.“We’ll have a big meeting (Thursday) with (GM) Ryan (Poles) and his staff, with all of the coaches, just to reassess the whole roster before the players and the coaches go on break,” Eberflus said.AdvertisementTeven Jenkins, the 2021 second-round pick, hasn’t been an option at guard, with Eberflus saying they’ve wanted him to focus on right tackle.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 24New Bears coach Matt Eberflus and new general manager Ryan Poles pose with a helmet after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)