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You’ve got to have thick skin to be a major-league manager, and no one alive has managed more major-league games than Tony La Russa.But being booed by your own fans has to sting a little, even for someone as grizzled as La Russa.AdvertisementSo I asked the Chicago White Sox manager before Sunday’s 8-6 loss to the Texas Rangers in 12 innings whether the booing had any effect on him.“Didn’t you ask me about that yesterday?” he replied.AdvertisementThat was more a question about “the chanting,” I said, referring to the “Fire Tony” chants during the 10th inning of an 11-9 loss Saturday to the Rangers.This was a brand new day and a brand new question, albeit the same subject matter — fans’ discontent with the White Sox manager.“Well, same difference,” he said. “So I’ll say what I said (Saturday). I’m glad the fans are here. Whatever their honest feeling is, have at it. I’ve managed a long time. There have been times where people have not been pleased with the job I do, so, just do your best.”White Sox manager Tony La Russa looks out from the dugout before the start of a game against the Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 10, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)So you just have to have tough skin?“I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “My tough skin is our team against their team and getting beat and seeing the disappointment, not just in the fans but in our players that worked hard to get that win. And they’ve worked hard to stay close to .500, and now we’re still taking hits (with injuries).“I can’t have more admiration and more respect for guys in this uniform. I felt worse for them.”The “manager watch” has been a staple of baseball writing for well over a century. I’ve had to cover quite a few of them during my Tribune career, including hot seat updates on Sox managers Gene Lamont, Terry Bevington, Jerry Manuel, Robin Ventura and Rick Renteria, and Cubs managers Jim Riggleman, Dusty Baker, Mike Quade, Dale Sveum and Joe Maddon.It’s uncomfortable for everyone involved, especially when you’re 99% sure the manager is a goner, as Baker, Ventura, Quade and Maddon all seemed during their final seasons in Chicago. Most of the managers on the proverbial hot seat handled the situation well, keeping it professional with media members. La Russa is no different.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] ‘Trust your gut, you don’t cover your butt’: Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa defends his controversial decision ]But this is the first manager watch I’ve experienced where everyone knows the manager won’t be fired, no matter how much the team struggles or the fan base vents. That’s what makes La Russa an outlier among major-league managers, who know they’re hired to be fired. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf can’t fire a Hall of Famer twice, right?La Russa believes Sox fans will respond with more positivity when the team starts winning consistently.“If we take care of everything down there, in the end the results will be (good) and the fans will be pleased,” he said. “Because I know they like this club.”🧵 It’s been a bad few days for White Sox manager Tony La Russa.And during yesterday’s 11-9 loss in extras, “Fire Tony” chants rang out at Guaranteed Rate Field.https://t.co/FmEYYbglMK— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) June 12, 2022

Then a right knee injury to Michael Kopech 13 pitches into Sunday’s game forced his removal and gave the Sox another obstacle to overcome to climb back to .500. The schedule may get easier, but the body blows are mounting.The Sox hope the renewed focus on La Russa, which began Thursday with the intentional walk to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner on a 1-2 count, will blow over by the time the team returns from its six-game trip to Detroit and Houston. If not, fan discontent will undoubtedly grow stronger as the season goes on.And that’s something reporters can’t ignore, even if it means asking uncomfortable questions.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: A.J. Pierzynski as the next Chicago White Sox manager? He definitely would listen. ]Not everyone gets to write his or her own happy ending. La Russa no doubt expected to do just that when he signed on in 2020, nine seasons removed from sitting in the dugout in St. Louis. Bulls great Michael Jordan ended his career with the Washington Wizards instead of finishing it with “The Shot” in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.You risk putting a dent in your legacy by attempting a comeback after a stellar career ends. La Russa was well aware of the pitfalls but made the jump anyway with a team built to win now.It still might work out, but every week the prospects look grimmer.White Sox manager Tony La Russa walks out of the dugout before a game against the Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 10, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)At least La Russa got through an entire first season and two months into his second year before being booed by disgruntled Sox fans. It always has been a tough crowd, as history suggests. Sox fans unleashed on La Russa on opening day in 1986 at old Comiskey Park before the first game even began.“The home fans booed their own manager, their starting pitcher and one of their relief pitchers during introductions,” Tribune reporter Phil Hersh wrote that day. “After a prolonged snooze, they booed the final out of a 5-3 White Sox loss to Milwaukee.”The starting pitcher for the Sox was Tom Seaver, another eventual Hall of Famer. At least La Russa was in good company.AdvertisementAnd if it’s any consolation, La Russa also was booed many times during the 1983 season before the Sox took off and cruised to the American League West title.[ [Don’t miss] ‘I’ve been working’: How Yoán Moncada is searching for consistency at the plate for the Chicago White Sox ]“You got to admire the way he stood up to all that pressure,” catcher Marc Hill told the Tribune’s Bob Verdi the day the Sox’s magic number to clinch in 1983 was reduced to one. “The owner criticizing him, the press, the guys on radio, the fans booing him. But he never cracked. Never. If he cracks, maybe we cracked too. But he just kept on being himself. If he was in trouble, he never acted it.”La Russa said that day he had his law degree to fall back on if he had been fired by the Sox, adding he wasn’t concerned about being “second guessed in the newspaper” or “booed when you go out to the mound.”“All I can hope for is that some day I’ll earn the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “That when I go out to change pitchers, maybe the people will say, ‘Well, maybe he knows what he’s doing.’ Do you have to be 16 games up or win your division before you get that? I don’t know.”La Russa went on to become the second-winningest manager in baseball history behind Connie Mack. Yet he’s still subject to booing, like every other manager and player in the game.That’s the beauty of baseball.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Freshman Jack Findlay threw five shutout innings in relief and back-to-back home runs by catcher David LaManna and Jack Brannigan in the seventh sparked Notre Dame to a stunning 7-3 victory over No. 1 overall seed Tennessee in the championship game of the Knoxville Super Regional on Sunday.Notre Dame (40-15) will be making just its third College World Series appearance. The Fighting Irish’s other trips came in 1957 and 2002.AdvertisementFindlay (6-2) worked out of a jam after entering the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with nobody out, a run in and a runner on second, trailing 3-1. Findlay held the Volunteers in check from there, allowing a single and two walks, while striking out four. He ended the game with a double play.Findlay’s efforts on the mound gave Notre Dame the opportunity to rally.AdvertisementCarter Putz doubled off Volunteers starter Chase Burns (8-2) with one out in the top of the seventh and scored on LaManna’s two-out shot to right field to tie the game at 3-3. Brannigan followed with a go-ahead shot to left-center on a 1-2 pitch.Findlay retired the side in order and Notre Dame added three big insurance runs in the eighth.Notre Dame’s Jack Brannigan waves to fans as teammates celebrate behind him after defeating Tennessee in an NCAA college baseball super regional game on June 12, 2022. (Randy Sartin/AP)Notre Dame players celebrate after defeating Tennessee in an NCAA college baseball super regional game on June 12, 2022. (Randy Sartin/AP)Camden Sewell hit Brooks Coetzee with a pitch to open the inning. Spencer Myers’ sacrifice bunt moved Coetzee to second. Ryan Cole reached first and Coetzee held on a throwing error by Vols third baseman Trey Lipscomb. Kirby Connell replaced Sewell and the runners advanced on a sac bunt by Jared Miller. Putz hit the first pitch he saw for a two-run double and Jack Zyska singled in Putz to cap the scoring. All three runs were unearned.Luc Lipcius homered in the first to give the Vols a 1-0 lead. LeManna tied it with a RBI ground out in the second. Seth Stephenson’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning and a run-scoring double in the fifth put Tennessee up 3-1.Notre Dame head coach Link Jarrett touted Tennessee as ‘the best No. 1 team in any college sport this year’ entering the super regional. Instead, for the first time in 20 years, it’s the Irish who will be playing in the CWS.Tennessee (57-9) was trying for its second straight berth in the CWS and sixth overall. Notre Dame beat the Volunteers 8-6 on Friday. Tennessee won the second game 12-4. The Volunteers led the nation in home runs and earned-run average entering super regional play. Tennessee entered the game 49-0 when leading after six innings.

NEW YORK — Courtney Vandersloot hit a 3-pointer from the wing with 0.9 seconds left to help the Chicago Sky overcome Sabrina Ionescu’s second career triple-double and beat the New York Liberty 88-86 on Sunday.Ionescu tied the WNBA record for triple doubles when she finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, accomplishing the feat by the end of the third quarter — the fastest in league history. It wasn’t enough for New York (5-9), which had won four of its past five games.AdvertisementTrailing 86-85, Vandersloot took a pass from Emma Meesseman on the wing and made the 3. New York had one last chance, but couldn’t get a good shot off.Vandersloot finished with 20 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Sky (9-4), who have won five of six.AdvertisementBefore Vandersloot’s 3-pointer, Chicago missed five shots in the final 25 seconds, but kept getting chances.Ionescu did all she could to get New York the win. She had 13 of her points in the fourth quarter and joined Candace Parker, Vandersloot and Sheryl Swoopes as the only players to have two triple-doubles in their WNBA careers. Parker had her second one earlier this season.New York led 82-77 with 2:54 left after a deep 3-pointer by Ionescu. Chicago then scored eight of the next 10 points to take an 85-84 lead on Meesseman’s reverse layup with 48.5 seconds left.Ionescu then hit two free throws 14 seconds later to restore a one-point lead for New York.Meesseman had 20 points and 11 rebounds.New York led 45-44 at the half as Ionescu had nine points, eight assists and six rebounds. Meesseman scored 10 points for Chicago.Liberty guard Marine Johannes drove the lane and threw a behind-the-back pass to Stefanie Dolson who made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 32 seconds left in the half.Sunday’s game also featured a matchup of Chinese basketball players Han Xu and Li Yueru. There was a handful of Chinese media in attendance for the game.AdvertisementHan has had a better WNBA season, averaging 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds. She had 10 points on Sunday. Li had 2.The two played together on the country’s Olympic team in Tokyo. Li averaged 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shot 78.6% from the field at the Tokyo Games. Han averaged 9.5 points.Chicago: hosts Atlanta on Friday.New York: hosts Washington on Thursday.

Joe Kelly threw a little more than 20 pitches during a simulated game Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.“It’s the best I’ve probably thrown at 10:30 in the morning, velocity-wise,” the Chicago White Sox reliever joked. “But everything else is good. Obviously not as crisp as I wanted it to be, but health-wise, it went great.”AdvertisementKelly has been on the injured list since May 26 with a strained left hamstring.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech out after throwing 13 pitches in the 1st inning with right knee discomfort ]“My next step (is I) want to play as soon as I can,” Kelly said. “We’ll sit down and talk. If it has to be a hitter, Triple-A guy or a big-league guy, it’s all the same for me.”AdvertisementAsked if he’s ready to come back, Kelly said, “I think so.”“We’ll sit down and regroup and see where we’re at.” hWhite Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly sits in the dugout after being pulled from the game in the 8th inning against the Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 12, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)The Sox did some shuffling to their bullpen Sunday, placing Aaron Bummer on the 15-day injured list with a left lat strain. It was one of five roster moves announced before the game against the Rangers.The Sox also optioned pitcher Davis Martin to Triple-A Charlotte, recalled pitcher Tanner Banks, selected the contract of catcher Seby Zavala from Charlotte and designated hitter/outfielder Yermín Mercedes for assignment.Bummer’s injured list stint is retroactive to Thursday. He is is 0-1 with a 3.06 ERA, 21 strikeouts, one save and nine holds in 20 games. He last pitched Tuesday.“He didn’t feel quite right and that’s why he got some extra rest,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “When they checked him, they found a little something in his lat which they really think it’s (knocks on wood) 15 days. Make sure he rests it and get some throwing in before he gets back.”Zavala is back with the Sox after catcher Yasmani Grandal left Saturday’s game with left hamstring tightness.“We are not putting (Grandal) on the DL because he showed up (Sunday) feeling pretty good,” La Russa said. “We are going to treat him the next couple of days and see how he feels. But I’m glad Seby is here. That protects us.”AdvertisementZavala slashed .183/.240/.376 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 37 games with the Sox last season. He has a .282/.396/.535 slash line with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 16 RBIs and 26 runs in 41 games with Charlotte this season.Mercedes slashed .230/.376/.425 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 25 games with the Knights. He made a splash with the Sox early last season, becoming the first player since at least 1900 to begin a season with eight consecutive hits. He was named the AL Rookie of the Month for April but cooled off and was optioned to Charlotte on July 2.

Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech hobbled after throwing a pitch and exited Sunday’s start against the Texas Rangers in the first inning with an apparent injury.The training staff checked on Kopech after he threw a strike to the third hitter of the game, Rangers’ Adolis García, making the count 3-2. Kopech threw 13 pitches.AdvertisementAfter a discussion, Kopech attempted to throw a warmup pitch, but quickly stopped. He spiked the ball behind the mound and left the game.Kopech has been one of the top pitchers on the White Sox as he returned to the rotation after spending most of last season as a reliever. He entered Sunday with a 2-2 record and a 1.94 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 10 starts.AdvertisementHis highlights this season include allowing one hit in seven shutout innings against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of a May 22 doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. In that game, Kopech retired the first 17 batters before Rob Brantly broke up the perfect game with a two-out double in the sixth.He allowed one hit while striking out eight and walking one in six innings in a 4-0 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.Kopech was replaced Sunday by Reynaldo López.The Sox have been hit hard with injuries all season. Pitchers Lance Lynn (right knee surgery), Vince Velasquez (left groin strain) and Joe Kelly (left hamstring strain), shortstop Tim Anderson (right groin strain) and left fielder Eloy Jiménez (right hamstring tendon tear) are among those currently on the injured list. Lynn is slated to return Tuesday at Detroit.

The Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers were tied in the eighth inning Friday.Jake Burger reached first with two outs on an infield hit.AdvertisementYoán Moncada followed with a sharp single to center.Up stepped Yasmani Grandal, who hit a ball over the outstretched glove of right fielder Steele Walker for a two-run double.AdvertisementThe hits sparked a five-run rally as the Sox beat the Rangers 8-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field.“It was a big comeback for us in the eighth,” Moncada said through an interpreter before Saturday’s game against the Rangers. “It definitely lifted our morale.“It always feels good when you’re able to get a hit. In that moment, it was a big one.”White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada signs autographs for fans before a game against the Guardians on May 10, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Moncada is a key member of the Sox lineup, and he’s seeking consistency at the plate. Manager Tony La Russa saw Friday as a positive sign for Moncada and Grandal.“Can’t exaggerate how big it is to get them going,” La Russa said after the game. “That’s where it starts. Have some success, and they’re pros and they’ll build on it.”Grandal is slashing .185/.294/.237 with two homers and 15 RBIs in 50 games. He had two hits Saturday but left in the third inning with left hamstring tightness after a single to right field. He is being evaluated, the Sox said.Moncada is slashing .133/.179/.211 with two home runs and six RBIs in 24 games.“I’ve been working,” Moncada said. “The results haven’t been there. But I’ve been working. The only way to get out of this is to be patient and keep working.”AdvertisementHe went 0-for-5 in Saturday’s 11-9, 10-inning loss to the Rangers.Moncada began the season on the injured list with a right oblique strain and played his first game May 9.“I definitely wasn’t expecting to suffer what happened with my oblique,” Moncada said. “I was feeling good at the time (the end of spring training). Things happen and I’ve been just working very hard to get to my best physical condition, and I still know I need to keep working harder now.”He experienced quad discomfort, limiting his playing time in late May.“Trying to find your rhythm and keep your rhythm is very complicated,” Moncada said. “Because you’re trying to do your best but trying to be cautious with your effort. You don’t want the injury to get worse.”He returned to the lineup in early June. Moncada said Saturday he’s “feeling good.”Advertisement“No soreness or anything,” Moncada said. “Nothing is bothering me right now.”Burger has been the top option at third base when Moncada’s not in the lineup. Burger has shifted to designated hitter in recent games and has continued to be a productive player. He hit a two-run homer Saturday.“That’s the kind of challenge that’s good for us, right?” La Russa said before Saturday’s game of working both players into the mix. “Moncada’s got the talent to be a difference-maker. I think he’s going to be. I think he’s feeling good physically. There are ways to get Burger into the lineup. DH him is one way. But I hope we continue to have that problem. We’ll figure out the playing time.”The Sox have only two scheduled days off before the start of the All-Star break on July 18, so contributions will be needed across the board.“First and foremost, we just have to keep our focus on what we want to accomplish and win every single game every day,” Moncada said. “If we take care of that and have that mindset, we’ll be able to pass that stretch and hopefully play better baseball for the second half.“That’s the key for us. We don’t have to get a (break). Just try to play and win every day.”

NEW YORK — The Chicago Cubs’ path forward does not get any easier.That can broadly be applied to the direction of a rebuilding organization as team President Jed Hoyer tries to build another contender. But in the short term, this stretch of the Cubs’ schedule will test how they stack up against some of the best teams in baseball.AdvertisementThe Cubs have only two more off days between now and the All-Star break. And for a banged-up group that too often is losing close games, the next five weeks could be a grind. The Cubs are trying to avoid a series sweep Sunday after losing 8-0 to the New York Yankees on Saturday.Here are three thoughts on the team entering the series finale Sunday at Yankee Stadium.AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 35Seiya Suzuki celebrates in the Cubs dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of the game against the Brewers at Wrigley Field on April 10, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)The Cubs appeared close to getting Suzuki back in the lineup.Earlier in the week, manager David Ross declared Suzuki was in play to return for the Cubs’ weekend series against the New York Yankees. But Suzuki, who again took batting practice before the game, is still dealing with swelling in his strained left ring finger. His situation remains status quo.“We’ve got one day left in the weekend, if not I’ll eat my words,” Ross said Saturday. “He’s working really hard. And we’re working on getting him back. It’s just going really slowly. So, I was hoping for the weekend.”Suzuki’s type of finger injury essentially requires rest to get better. The Cubs’ understanding from doctors is that his finger does not need surgery to resolve the pain and swelling. That is good news at least. However, Hoyer said Saturday that “it’s going to take a while” for Suzuki to get back on the field.“Candidly, I’m OK with that because this year it’s really important for him to assimilate, to face big-league pitching and figure out what he needs to do going forward in his career,” Hoyer said. “And coming back and and sort of having this nagging injury and not really be able to do it well, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. He needs to come back when he can really compete at this level, and it’s hard to do that when you have a finger swelling up all the time.”[ [Don’t miss] Seiya Suzuki: Get to know the new Chicago Cubs outfielder ]It’s a discouraging development for Suzuki and the Cubs. He hasn’t played since May 26 in Cincinnati. The flukiness of the injury adds a level of frustration. An errant throw on a stolen base forced Suzuki to adjust his slide, and his hand awkwardly hit the second-base bag, jamming the finger.Hoyer said Suzuki has seen “a number of doctors,” including getting checked out while the team has been in New York. Hoyer planned to sit down with Suzuki before Saturday’s game to figure out the next steps.“He really wants to play and I think that’s part of the challenge that we’re dealing with,” Hoyer said. “I think he feel like he needs to be playing. Our sense is to try to be prudent about it, but I know we’re fighting a competitive guy. I do understand it’s quite frustrating, it’s a finger injury, right? That can be frustrating. You feel like it’s just a finger, but it matters.”AdvertisementAs the Cubs’ marquee offseason signing, Suzuki’s absence has been felt with the offense too often coming up short in close games. Although Suzuki was in an offensive rut before his injury, his presence in the lineup makes the Cubs better even though he isn’t in the same groove as when he was named National League Rookie of the Month for April.The Cubs don’t want the strained finger to linger through Suzuki’s rookie season. That could force Suzuki to be sidelined longer than anticipated.Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) celebrates with his team after hitting a three-run, walk-off homer in the 10th inning against the Reds on Sept. 8, 2021, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)The decision to designate outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment Friday elicited a strong reaction from Cubs fans on social media.A vocal portion of fans expressed frustration that the 27-year-old Frazier, whose remaining arbitration years gives a team control through 2024, should have been retained over veteran outfielder Jason Heyward. Those sentiments should, in theory, align with the Cubs’ big-picture vision as the organization has stressed the importance of weighing the future.“Of course, there’s room to second guess all these decisions, but I promise you it’s unbelievably complicated trying to get it figured out,” Hoyer said. “There’s definitely decisions that we have made or will make over the course the next month or so that people have every right to sort of second guess or question. And believe me, there’s not unanimity when we’re making these decisions. It is really, really challenging.”When it comes to Heyward, at some point his offensive inconsistency will become too much to ignore. Hoyer said Heyward “hasn’t performed this year or last year” to the level he has wanted. But Hoyer believes Heyward provides a lot of value fans don’t see, specifically mentioning how he mentors young players and his work ethic.Advertisement“I don’t think his struggles are different than any anyone else’s struggles in some ways,” Hoyer said. “So obviously, we made the decision we made regarding Clint and when it comes to Jason, we do see real value he provides on daily basis.”The Cubs continue to say the right things about Heyward and how he still positively affects the team. Injuries will help him stay on the roster. But at some point, Heyward’s behind-the-scenes impact might not be enough for the Cubs to overlook his other deficiencies, regardless of how much money he is still owed through 2023, the final year of his contract.The Cubs could have shifted outfielder Michael Hermosillo (left quad strain) to the 60-day IL to open the 40-man spot they needed Friday for Chris Martin’s return from the restricted list. Instead, the front office opted to DFA Frazier.“The roster part of this has been easily the most challenging I’ve ever experienced,” Hoyer said. “Trying to figure out our 40-man on a daily basis, trying to figure out the IL on a daily basis. My text threads are literally nothing but trying to figure this out.”The next tests of Heyward’s roster security could arrive when Suzuki and/or David Bote are ready to come off the IL.The Cubs don’t have a lot of choices to option out among their position players. Christopher Morel has been playing too well, serving as a spark plug at the top of the lineup while providing defensive versatility. P.J. Higgins is the only other position player with minor-league options remaining who realistically is an option unless they send out Nick Madrigal to try to get him going at Triple A. Otherwise, the Cubs would need to DFA someone.AdvertisementCubs third baseman Christopher Morel hits a double during the first inning against the Cardinals on June 2, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)A standout 106 plate appearances into his big-league career is enough to think big about Morel’s potential.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Morel doesn’t turn 23 until June 24 yet he has established himself as one of the Cubs’ most exciting players. After going 0-for-3 in Saturday’s 8-0 loss, Morel’s streak of reaching base safely ended at 22 games to begin his MLB career, which set a franchise record. His defensive work in center field and up the middle has provided a boost for Cubs pitchers while stabilizing the leadoff spot in the lineup over the last three weeks.Morel’s plate discipline has most surprised and impressed Hoyer.“We need as many good young players as we can possibly put together to really put together the kind of core that can go forward and win,” Hoyer said. “It’d be wonderful if he emerges and can be part of that.”Morel is an example of how player development and the rise of standout players don’t always come from an organization’s top-rated prospects. Morel reminds Hoyer of Willson Contreras and how he, too, wasn’t a heralded prospect to the point where the Cubs left Contreras unprotected for the Rule 5 draft before the 2015 season.There are no guarantees Morel will stay with the Cubs for the rest of the season, let alone beyond 2022. Kyle Schwarber, in 2017, and Ian Happ, in 2019, are examples of young players from the previous core that the Cubs sent to the minors when they struggled. For now, that’s not a concern with Morel. Their confidence and belief in him is evident by putting him at the top of the order every game.Advertisement“His tools play in the big leagues, for sure,” Hoyer said. “You see his arm, that’s the part that I think we always knew could play. It was the bat-to-ball skills and the plate discipline. And I don’t know if this is a different level of focus he has up in the big leagues, but certainly that stuff has been unbelievably impressive.“He’s having a massive impact on the team.”

TAMPA, Fla. — Steven Stamkos scored two goals, and the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year after beating the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.Stamkos put the Lightning ahead for good in the third period just 21 seconds after the Rangers’ Frank Vatrano scored on a power play with the Lightning captain in the penalty box for holding.AdvertisementNikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat assisted on the winner with 6 ½ minutes left, with the puck deflecting off Stamkos’ knee and into the net after Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped the initial shot. Stamkos also scored on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle midway through the second period.Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 20 saves for the Lightning, who won the series 4-2 — rattling off four straight victories after losing the first two games on the road — to advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche.AdvertisementGame 1 is Wednesday night in Denver.Lightning center Steven Stamkos, center, celebrates his goal against the Rangers with Jan Rutta, right and left wing Ondrej Palat, left, during the second period in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday in Tampa, Fla. The Lightning won 2-1 to clinch the series and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Final. (Chris O’Meara/AP)

PEORIA — Never underestimate the power of small ball.Sophomore Maddie Hernandez certainly won’t from now on, and neither will her St. Charles North softball teammates. Not after making program history this way.AdvertisementThe 5-foot-3 Hernandez is the North Stars’ smallest player, but in Saturday’s Class 4A state championship game against powerhouse Marist, she came up with the biggest hit.“I was in a bad spot,” Hernandez said of being 0-for-3 entering her final at-bat. “I lost confidence in myself, but the team and coaches never lost confidence in me.Advertisement“Earlier in the game, coach (Tom) Poulin said that I was going to get a hit in this game.”St. Charles North’s Maddie Hernandez connects on a pitch to in the top of the seventh inning against Marist during the Class 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria on Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)And what a hit it was.Hernandez’s sharp two-out RBI single to center field in the top of the seventh gave St. Charles North a 3-2 lead over the RedHawks at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex.Freshman relief pitcher Paige Murray and an outstanding defense made it stand for the North Stars (27-4), getting three more outs to secure the program’s first state title.Hernandez, who’s hitting .320, had the winner in a 5-4 sectional victory over Glenbard North but struggled and went hitless in the supersectional and the state semifinal.“She was tough on herself all game and didn’t like her at bats,” Poulin said of Hernandez. “We had a running conversation the whole game, and she got it done.”Junior third baseman Julia Larson, an Illinois State recruit, and Ashlee Chantos each had two hits against Marist pitcher Brooke McNichols (23-5).Larson tried to encourage Hernandez.Advertisement“She was dropping her hands a little bit,” Larson said. “We kept saying, ‘Stay level, stay level, stay level.’“That’s exactly what she did too, taking the ball right up the middle to score the run we needed.”St. Charles North’s Auburn Roberson, Meghan Nicastro and Morgan Lahner, left to right, hold up the trophy after beating Marist the Class 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria on Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)Marist (31-6-1), the defending state champion, came in ranked No. 1, with St. Charles North at No. 7. The Redhawks had 45 home runs, compared to eight for the North Stars.“I think assistant coach Thijs (Dennison) were the only ones worried about that,” Poulin said. “These girls show up and win one at a time. They don’t know anything different.”The North Stars did know they were considered underdogs by most observers.They also were not deterred as starting pitcher Ava Goettel carried a no-hitter through four innings before giving up a double to Breanna Hanik.AdvertisementSt. Charles North, meanwhile, knocked on the door by putting runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings and stranding six runners.The North Stars then scored twice in the fifth inning on Sophia Olman’s sacrifice fly and Megan Bauwens’ RBI single for a 2-0 lead.St. Charles North’s Leigh VandeHei holds up her glove after making a diving catch in center field against Marist during the Class 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria on Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)Sierra Sass reached on an error in the bottom of the sixth before Goettel gave way to Murray, who gave up back-to-back hits that forced a 2-2 tie.It set the stage for Hernandez and her heroics.In between, the North Stars’ outfield of Butler commit Leigh VandeHei in center, Winona State recruit Chantos in right and Meghan Nicastro in left turned in stellar plays that left Marist’s players and fans shaking their heads in frustration.VandeHei provided the highlight by ranging far from left to right in center to make a diving, laying-out catch to rob Gianna Richy of an extra-base hit. AdvertisementTwo innings later, Chantos ranged into right-center to make a running catch on Richy.“All year we’ve told them they were the best outfield in the state,” Poulin said. “Maybe now they’ll believe it. “That catch by VandeHei, that’s the best catch I’ve seen in my years coaching, especially on this stage.”St. Charles North’s Meghan Nicastro stretches out to snag a catch against Marist in the Class 4A state championship game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria on Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / The Beacon-News)In the sixth, Nicastro started in before darting back to rob Caroline O’Brien of an extra-base hit that could have given Marist the lead.And in the seventh, junior second baseman Margo Geary ranged far to make a sliding catch on the right field line.“They are the best outfield in the state,” Goettel said. “I’m saying that right now.Advertisement“We came out here with nothing to lose, and getting the early lead was a big help.”Larson agreed and added, “All the pressure was on Marist.”

In a 1980s flashback, the first “Fire Tony” chants of the new era rang out Saturday in the 10th inning of the Chicago White Sox’s 11-9 loss to the Texas Rangers.Manager Tony La Russa also was loudly booed by the remnants of the crowd of 30,221 when he came to the mound remove reliever Matt Foster in the four-run 10th, reminiscent of the times he came out to remove Ken Kravec or another struggling Sox pitcher at old Comiskey Park in the 1980s.AdvertisementThe voices of discontent were impossible to ignore and a sign La Russa’s approval rating continues to plummet on the South Side.“Well, I hear it with one ear and I see it with one eye,” La Russa said. “I just know, I appreciate they want us to win, and when we don’t win they’re unhappy. I’m pleased that they are, you know? We have the team to win, and we’re losing games. Nobody in that clubhouse, including the manager and coaches, is happy. I like it when they care enough to be upset.”AdvertisementWhile there was no smoking gun pointing to La Russa for Saturday’s loss, like the infamous intentional walk issued with a 1-2 count Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 77-year-old manager has a target on his back.White Sox manager Tony La Russa, second from left, talks to his players during the 10th inning against the Rangers on Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox lost 11-9 in 10 innings. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)“I’ve said before: I learned you’re accountable for everything, right?” he said. “Anything that is happening with this team, in the end, I’m responsible for, so. … And you figure that out.“If you don’t like the record, (it’s my) responsibility. If you don’t like the moves? Whatever is it. Never have dodged accountability, and I won’t start now.”For four innings Saturday the crowd was upbeat and enjoying the ugly polyester shirt giveaway. But the game turned into a virtual rerun of Thursday’s 11-9 loss, a game in which the Sox also blew an early four-run lead. Only the names changed. After being staked to a 5-0 lead, Lucas Giolito was hit hard during a four-run fourth, a rerun of Dylan Cease’s fifth inning surrender against the Dodgers.And the crowd began reacting to the carnage in much the same manner as Thursday. Sitting in Section 117 during the fifth, I heard multiple suggestions from fans loudly pleading with La Russa to start warming someone up, along with the inevitable wisecracks such as “Better walk this guy, Tony.”It’s apparent the intentional walk La Russa ordered to Trea Turner with a 1-2 count Thursday won’t be forgotten anytime soon, even if NBC Sports Chicago decided to edit the fateful inning out of the replay of its telecast because of alleged “time constraints.”Wow.I was watching the replay of the Sox-Dodgers game on NBC Sports Chicago to see that intentional walk sequence again.Only they literally cut the entire thing out for time constraints! pic.twitter.com/WEtOvvJ6rY— Kevin Kaduk (@KevinKaduk) June 10, 2022

Move on. Nothing to see here.La Russa was limited Saturday by a tired bullpen. He said the five relievers he used were the only ones available out of his nine-man bullpen without risking injury. Trailing 5-0 and 7-4, the Rangers eventually tied the game 7-7 in the seventh off Bennett Sousa. By the bottom of the inning, aggravated Sox fans began doing the wave.AdvertisementFoster gave up four runs while facing only four batters in the 10th before the Sox rallied for two runs in the bottom of the inning to fall short, just like Thursday’s last-gasp rally. The loss left the Sox at 27-30, six games behind the division-leading Minnesota Twins.Giolito blamed himself for failing to get stronger as the game went on, forcing La Russa to go to the pen too early. The players know La Russa is taking the heat for their performance and heard the “Fire Tony” chants.“Fans are going to have their own opinions,” Giolito said. “A lot of colorful opinions at times. For us, we focus on (putting) a little bubble around it, focus on the game, trying to keep it close in extra innings and mount that comeback. Just fell short. Again, responsibility falls on me, even letting the door open in the fifth inning. It could have gone way differently.”But it didn’t, and now it’s up to Michael Kopech on Sunday to try to win the series before the start of a trip to Detroit and Houston.La Russa has been booed before and no doubt will be booed again. But Sox fans also vented on some of the players, particularly Yoan Moncada, who went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and watched his average fall to .133. He was one of three sub-.200 hitters in Saturday’s lineup along with Yasmani Grandal (.175) and Leury Garcia (.185). Grandal had two hits before leaving with a left hamstring injury that is certain to sideline him.Waiting for a turnaround has been a maddening process for Sox fans, whose patience has worn thin one-third of the way through the season. La Russa has kept the faith, hoping he’ll be rewarded down the line with the kind of performances his underachieving hitters have shown in the past.Advertisement“It’s clear to me that during the long season, guys are going to play somewhere near what they do in their career as long as they are healthy,” La Russa said before the game.“That’s part of what is optimistic is what Yaz has done the last few days, he’s swinging better. Starting adding some of those guys to our lineup and it gets deeper and deeper and we can score more than a couple, three runs.”Truth be told, La Russa has few options. Catcher Reese McGuire was the only left-handed bat of the 12 position players. The three switch-hitters — Grandal, Moncada and Garcia — haven’t performed. The Sox optioned left-handed-hitting Gavin Sheets to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday and have no reliable lefty hitter to call up.The lack of left-handed bats was a predicament everyone knew about in the offseason but one Sox general manager Rick Hahn failed to adequately address. That’s on Hahn, not La Russa.But when things started going south Saturday, the mood at Sox Park quickly turned from festive to ugly, and La Russa was the one taking the heat.You could hear it with both ears, and you could see it with both eyes.