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SAN DIEGO — For a moment Wednesday morning at Petco Park, Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki gave a glimpse of how he might have looked wearing a different major-league jersey.Suzuki met San Diego Padres and former Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish behind the plate to exchange jerseys, both signing theirs for the keepsake. At one point, Suzuki held up Darvish’s white pinstriped jersey against him — a visual of an alternate outcome had Suzuki chosen to sign with the Padres over the Cubs.AdvertisementWednesday’s pregame jersey exchange before the Cubs’ 7-5 win — they took two of three for their first series victory since the opening weekend of the season — followed an on-field chat between the Japanese stars during batting practice.Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki, left, and San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish exchange jerseys before a game Wednesday at Petco Park in San Diego. (Meghan Montemurro / Chicago Tribune)The sunny, mid-60s weather gave Darvish a trash-talking opportunity he wasn’t going to pass up. The three-game series was among the best outdoor environment the Cubs have played in the last five weeks, especially compared with the cold, rainy elements they’ve endured too often at Wrigley Field.AdvertisementDarvish couldn’t help but joke about it with Suzuki.“Hey, do you like the warm weather here?” Darvish playfully asked him Monday.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Suzuki has not seen Darvish pitch in person, limited to watching his starts on TV. He’s looking forward to when that day comes. Suzuki might not have to wait much longer. The Cubs just missed facing Darvish this week in San Diego. The right-hander makes his next start Friday in Atlanta following the Padres’ off day Thursday.If the Padres don’t change the rotation order and he remains on a five-day schedule, Darvish should face the Cubs at Wrigley Field during a four-game series June 13-16.“I want to make sure I could get a hit off him,” Suzuki said, smiling, through interpreter Toy Matsushita. “Because at this moment, he’s going to get me out.”Darvish told Suzuki before Monday’s series opener that he would like to play on the same team together if there someday is a chance for that to happen. He could have pushed harder for Suzuki to sign with the Padres, but Darvish helped lead the right fielder to Chicago. Darvish spoke positively of his three seasons (2018-20) with the Cubs when the two met March 11 in San Diego before Darvish left to report to spring training in Arizona.ExpandAutoplayImage 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)After Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Cubs in March, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, who represents both players, recalled Darvish’s message to Suzuki centered on wanting the best for him, even if that meant they wouldn’t be teammates.Suzuki did not start for a second consecutive game because of right ankle soreness suffered in Monday’s game. Although they didn’t face each other during the three-game series at Petco Park, Suzuki clearly got a kick out of sharing a major-league field with Darvish.Advertisement“He’s a good influence on me, and I feel that he’s like a superstar — just the fact that he knows me is something that I’m very honored for,” Suzuki said. “At this point, it’s a learning process for me. So I want to experience it and then learn it from my own mindset. But if there is something that concerns me or that I want to ask Yu, then I would ask him.”

Former Chicago White Sox head athletic trainer Brian Ball on Monday filed a lawsuit in Cook County against the team and general manager Rick Hahn, alleging unlawful termination in October 2020 because of his sexual orientation, age and disability.Ball, 50, worked with the Sox for 20 seasons — including serving as a member of the training staff for the 2005 World Series championship team — and was promoted to head trainer in December 2018.AdvertisementHe is seeking declaratory, punitive and monetary damages to be determined. According to the lawsuit, Ball is “no longer employed… as a certified athletic trainer.”“The Chicago White Sox organization categorically denies the baseless allegations made by former Head Trainer Brian Ball in his lawsuit against the club,” the Sox said in a statement released Tuesday. “It is extremely disappointing that a former colleague, who was supported, developed and promoted over two decades, chose to attack the club in this way. It is also surprising to many who know Brian, and supported him throughout his career, to read the allegations included in his lawsuit.”AdvertisementAccording to the lawsuit, in February 2018 it became known to White Sox management, including Executive Vice President Ken Williams and Hahn, coaches and medical staff that Ball is gay.Ball was the victim of a carjacking on July 17, 2020, according to the lawsuit, and soon after was placed on medical leave. The lawsuit states Ball was told he would need to see a psychologist as part of the conditions for his return to work. Ball received medical clearance Aug. 28, according to the lawsuit, but his request to return was denied.Ball’s lawsuit alleges Hahn in September 2020 “made continuous statements to other athletic training-strength conditional personnel that Brian Ball had either a gambling, alcohol or drug addiction that was related to the July carjacking. None of those accusations were or are true.”On Oct. 26, according to the lawsuit, Ball was told he was being fired and received a separation agreement the next day with an Oct. 31 termination date. Ball signed the separation agreement on Nov. 7, 2020, according to the lawsuit.Ball’s lawsuit states that on Dec. 27 a “White Sox management level representative” contacted Ball and that “based on a knowledgeable White Sox senior management representative disclosure, (Ball’s) termination… was based on his sexual orientation.”“The Chicago White Sox are unified against discrimination in any form and support anti-discrimination laws that provide protection to those wronged by an employer,” the Sox said in part of their statement. “Those laws are essential to protecting anyone who has been victimized by discrimination and to creating a culture of empowerment and opportunity for all individuals. Brian’s dismissal from the organization was based on his performance and did not run afoul of any of the protections afforded to employees under the law.”AdvertisementJames Kruk was promoted to head athletic trainer in January 2021.

Veteran quarterback Nathan Peterman on Wednesday finalized a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. The signing adds QB depth behind starter Justin Fields and back-up Trevor Siemian. AdvertisementAnother body was needed after the Bears cut ties with Nick Foles last month. But it is unclear if general manager Ryan Poles expects to carry three quarterbacks on his roster into the regular season or whether Peterman will simply serve to help the Bears push through organized team activities, minicamp, training camp and the preseason.Peterman spent the last three-plus seasons with the Raiders, with whom he attempted just five passes during regular-season action. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round in 2017, making four starts and playing in eight games over two seasons.AdvertisementOne of Peterman’s starts came in Week 9 of 2018 against the Bears, a woeful performance in which he was sacked four times and threw three interceptions in a 41-9 loss. With his team down 28 points on the final play of the first half, Peterman opted against throwing a pass into the end zone from the Bears 37 yard line and instead settled for a meaningless 24-yard scramble as time ran out. That game marked his last performance in a Bills uniform. He was released a little more than a week later and signed to the Raiders practice squad the following month.In Peterman’s 10 career outings in the NFL, he has completed 52.6% of his passes while posting a 34.0 passer rating. He is expected to join the Bears for OTAs next week as their third-team quarterback.

Wednesday’s Chicago White Sox game against the Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field was postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests in the Guardians organization, Major League Baseball announced.MLB will provide a rescheduling update when it becomes available.AdvertisementFollowing multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the Cleveland Guardians organization, today’s game has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contact tracing. Major League Baseball will provide a rescheduling update when it becomes available.— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 11, 2022

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Former Chicago Bears running back and former Chicago TV sports anchor Mike Adamle and his educational psychologist wife, Kim, in March sold their five-bedroom, 3,478-square-foot house in Elgin for $639,000 and paid $665,000 for a newly built, ranch-style house just a short distance away.Adamle was a standout running back at Northwestern University and then had a six-year career in the NFL, including two years with the Bears. After that, he had a long career as a broadcaster, including as a sports anchor on three Chicago TV stations for more than a quarter-century. Now battling post-traumatic epilepsy and also, according to his doctors, showing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, Adamle retired from WMAQ-Channel 5 in 2017.AdvertisementAdamle and his wife were longtime Evanston residents. They moved to Elgin to be near their children after the COVID-19 pandemic began — a choice made easier by some problems they experienced with the building they had been living in Evanston. So they paid $526,870 for the two-story Elgin house, which was built in 2017.The house has four bathrooms, hardwood floors and a family room with a fireplace. However, the stairs wound up becoming an impediment for Adamle, his wife said, and the couple decided to sell the Elgin house and move into a ranch house that they bought elsewhere in the neighborhood.Advertisement“This is the latest thing where we’ve done what we’ve needed to. We were getting to the point where he wasn’t safe with stair steps, and fortunately, we found a nice house built by a wonderful, wonderful builder,” Kim Adamle told Elite Street.Demand for newer suburban homes remains robust, and the Adamles’ two-story house sold immediately for more than $100,000 more than the couple had paid for it in 2020. Its listing was not placed into real estate agents’ multiple listing service until after a deal had been struck.“We didn’t even have to put our home on the market. It sold right away,” Kim Adamle told Elite Street.The house that the couple sold had a $16,684 property tax bill in the 2020 tax year.Goldsborough is a freelance writer.Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.

SAN DIEGO — The moment could not have been scripted much better.Check that: the Chicago Cubs would like a rewrite on the ending.AdvertisementFrank Schwindel’s roller coaster 48-hour stretch took yet another twist Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Optioned to Triple A on Sunday and recalled mere hours later — with a nail in his car tire mixed in — Schwindel’s opportunity for redemption came.An ugly beginning to the season, including a three-strikeout game in the series opener, left the struggling Schwindel tinkering. Few big-league hitters have faced a greater higher-leverage situation this season than when Schwindel pinch hit in the ninth inning Tuesday with two outs and the bases loaded as the Cubs trailed the Padres by one run.AdvertisementPerhaps that sounds dramatic. But statistically, the showdown between Schwindel and Padres lefty closer Taylor Rogers featured an incredibly high Leverage Index, which measures a team’s potential change in win expectancy. Schwindel’s 9.21 LI for the plate appearance was the fifth highest in the majors this season, according to Stathead. He also notably ranks No. 2 on that list (10.84 LI) in a similar circumstance when he struck out on three pitches against Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar with the bases loaded to end a 4-3 loss April 24 at Wrigley Field.One swing could have made Schwindel the hero Tuesday.“It was the perfect situation to be in,” Schwindel reflected afterward. “That’s one you dream of as a kid.”Behind in the count 1-2, Schwindel connected on the type of pitch he has failed to do damage against this season. Taylor threw a 94.1 mph sinker that caught middle-in over the plate, and Schwindel barreled the ball to left field. Off the bat, Schwindel appeared to hit a two-out, go-ahead grand slam.“I mean, I didn’t celebrate it or anything,” Schwindel said, “but I thought I hit it good enough to go for sure.”“I think everybody did,” manager David Ross noted.Instead, Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar caught the ball against the wall to seal the Cubs’ 5-4 loss, leaving the visitors dugout stunned.AdvertisementFrank Schwindel on near go-ahead grand slam in 9th falling short by foot for final out: “I mean, I didn’t celebrate it or anything, but I thought I hit it good enough to go for sure.“It was a perfect situation to be in, that’s one you dream of as a kid.” pic.twitter.com/XW0KQKgKhJ— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) May 11, 2022

The fly out, with a 102.5 mph exit velocity, had a .710 expected batting average. Based on the Statcast data, it would have been a home run in five big-league ballparks. Unfortunately for Schwindel and the Cubs, Petco Park wasn’t one of them.“I put a good swing on it and that’s all you can really ask for it in that situation,” Schwindel said.The Cubs’ rally in the ninth started with a two-out, pinch-hit single by Seiya Suzuki, who had been scratched from the lineup because of lingering right ankle soreness. An Ian Happ RBI single between Patrick Wisdom and Willson Contreras getting hit by Taylor set up Schwindel’s chance.“That was a heartbreaker,” Ross said. “Our guys fought offensively. It’s a tough one to swallow tonight. But overall these guys fought really hard.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.This is the big leagues, though, and potential feel-good moments only go so far, particularly as the Cubs dropped to 10-19 while losing 11 of their last 13 games. Perhaps Tuesday’s ninth-inning sequence sparks a strong finish to their series in San Diego before a three-game set in Arizona. But the Cubs are headed for a long summer if they can’t turn more close games into victories.Tuesday marked the Cubs debut of left-hander Wade Miley. He lacked crispness during his three-inning start, unsurprising considering it was only his fourth time facing hitters since he reported to spring training in mid March. After two live batting practices, a rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa and his season debut, his outing against the Padres essentially represented another rehab start.AdvertisementMiley allowed three runs, five hits and walked five batters in the loss. He thought he had good command early, retiring the first two Padres he faced on seven pitches. A four-pitch walk to Manny Machado followed, and the first inning unraveled from there as San Diego plated two runs, including one on a bases-loaded walk.“I was honestly just trying to take it like any other start, try to go out and give the team a chance,” Miley said. “I knew I was going to be a little limited on how deep I can get pitch count wise.”Miley thought he got too amped up and became too quick with his delivery after recording two quick outs to open the game.“I was under control, calm and then when the pressure went up, I went with it rather than staying calm and just making pitches,” Miley said. “I can’t let myself get frustrated, get angry.”The Cubs will continue to build up Miley, whose left elbow inflammation prevented a normal spring. They desperately need some guys to step up with 12 players on the injured list and an offense that has turned into one of the most inconsistent in the majors. A turnaround must start with the rotation behind veteran arms in Kyle Hendricks, Drew Smyly and Miley.

In its bid for year-round attention domination, the NFL is down to one final conquest: June.Because as of now, that’s the only month during which there is no unofficial league holiday. April, of course, featured the NFL draft, which came a little more than a month after the free-agency frenzy of March, which happened after Super Bowl LVI was played in February, punctuating a thrilling postseason that began in January.AdvertisementThat playoff party kicked off after a wild regular season took us from just after Labor Day until just past New Year’s Eve. August featured the somewhat glorious return of preseason football, which sprang back to life after teams opened their training camps to great fanfare in July.And this week we’ve arrived at the NFL’s new May celebration: Schedule Release Day, which once upon a time was locked in to April but now has set up squatting rights in the middle of May, creating a new wave of energy as a docket of 272 regular-season games comes into focus.AdvertisementThe full 18-week picture will become visible at 7 p.m. Thursday. But glimpses are sure to leak out earlier.[ [Don’t miss] 7 questions for 7 positions as the Chicago Bears prepare for OTAs — the next step in the offseason program ]For Chicago Bears fans, it means a first peek at the roadmap that awaits new coach Matt Eberflus, second-year quarterback Justin Fields and a revamped roster. The Bears are a 100-1 long shot to win the Super Bowl, and the odds of them playing beyond Week 18 are slim.Like all NFC teams this season, the Bears will play nine games at home and eight on the road. In addition to their six NFC North games, the Bears will host the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders at Soldier Field while making road trips to face the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Giants and New York Jets.By this point, the league has locked in most — if not all — of the schedule. But that shouldn’t stop us from making a few last-minute requests, right?Here are a half-dozen wishes for how we hope the Bears’ 2022 itinerary materializes.Texans coach Lovie Smith, center, talks to the team during a voluntary minicamp practice on April 26, 2022. (David J. Phillip/AP)Save the date: Sunday, Sept. 11. Bears-Texans in that wonderful football theater just off Lake Michigan. You’d be up for that, right?Sure, it has been almost a decade since Smith coached the Bears, and the reunion tour already had nostalgic dates in 2014 and 2015. As coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith lost his initial return to Soldier Field 21-13 in 2014 before suffering a 26-21 loss to the Bears at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., the following year. But there would be notable symmetry in bringing Smith back to Chicago for this season’s opener as he starts a new chapter with the Houston Texans.Smith coached the Bears for nine seasons, compiling an 81-63 regular-season record with three playoff berths and a run to Super Bowl XLI during the 2006 season. The Bears have played nine seasons since Smith’s departure with three coaches. And the trio of Marc Trestman, John Fox and Matt Nagy combined for a 61-84 regular-season record — and no playoff victories. AdvertisementSo why not give Week 1 some added pizzazz? Plus, Chicago could benefit from some feel-good vibes to open the Eberflus era. The Texans are widely considered the league’s worst team heading into 2022.Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates with his teammates after scoring a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Bears at Soldier Field on Oct. 17, 2021. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)It probably won’t make much of a difference either way. And maybe it would be better for the Bears to take a swing at Rodgers in September while he’s adjusting to life without Davante Adams and still getting to know rookie receiver Christian Watson and free-agent signee Sammy Watkins.Still, it’s only fair that Eberflus receive an opportunity to get his hustling, takeaway-hungry defense up and running before subjecting him to the biannual Rodgers torture chamber. You remember last year, right? Two more Rodgers victories over the Bears, including a Week 6 triumph at Soldier Field in which he yelled to Bears fans: “I own you! All my (bleeping) life! I own you! I still own you!” Ouch. Again.The grand hopes that last year might mark his final visit to Chicago as Packers quarterback fizzled this winter. So now Eberflus and new defensive coordinator Alan Williams will try to reverse the slide.For what it’s worth, both Nagy and Fox were forced to face Rodgers in their first regular-season games as Bears coach. Both lost. Nagy, in fact, lost seven of eight games against Rodgers, who has beaten five Bears coaches, six Bears defensive coordinators and eight Bears starting quarterbacks. Including the NFC championship game in January 2011 at Soldier Field, Rodgers has a 23-5 record as a starter against the Bears.A Bears fan adjusts her Thanksgiving turkey hat before a game against the Lions at Ford Field on Nov. 25, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)Admittedly, this is a selfish plea from a sports writer who, just once, would rather not run his Thanksgiving morning 5K on a treadmill in the desolate fitness center of a hotel near the Detroit airport. Listen, Ford Field knows how to host Thanksgiving quite well. And ingesting a 4,000-calorie press box dinner before 11 a.m. Chicago time is always quite the feast. (Gotta save the pumpkin pie for halftime.)AdvertisementBut the Bears have played on Thanksgiving in five of the last eight seasons with four of those games against the Lions. Does the rest of America really get fired up for that matchup to start the holiday? Wouldn’t another team like to give the experience a try? Shouldn’t football fans in Chicago be allowed to keep the Tums in the medicine cabinet until after dinner?Outside of the Lions and Cowboys, who as a tradition play on Thanksgiving every year, no NFL team has been featured on the holiday more than the Bears, who have played 37 times. Last year Andy Dalton sparked a riveting 16-14 win that snapped a five-game losing streak. (Full disclosure: Every Bears beat writer is expecting to be sent to Dallas for Thanksgiving this year. Just a hunch.)Bears head coach Matt Eberflus at rookie minicamp at Halas Hall on May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)The scheduling stars have aligned for the Bears to play twice this season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. — once against the Giants and once against the Jets. The last time that happened was during the 2006 Super Bowl season when the Bears downed the Giants 38-20 in Week 10 and beat the Jets 10-0 the following Sunday.So maybe the schedule makers could piece together another back-to-back just for fun — and perhaps to tempt Eberflus into a weeklong East Coast team bonding experience. Mix in a few field trips to change up the week. Think outside the box of the standard NFL preparation rigors.OK, we know that last part never would happen. But back-to-back games against the Giants and Jets at least would open a world of possibilities for the most dedicated Bears fans.Patriots quarterback Mac Jones points to his helmet during a game against the Dolphins on Jan. 9, 2022. (Doug Murray/AP)Of the four other quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 2021, Fields could face three of them this season: the Jets’ Zach Wilson, the 49ers’ Trey Lance and the Patriots’ Jones. But let’s save Fields versus Jones for the back half of the schedule, when both quarterbacks have had time to build momentum.AdvertisementThe Bears, under former general manager Ryan Pace, engineered an aggressive trade up to draft their quarterback of the future last year, giving up their first- and fourth-round picks in 2022 plus a 2021 fifth-rounder to leap from No. 20 to No. 11. They could have selected Jones there but always had their eyes on Fields. The Patriots took Jones four picks later without having to trade anything.Inevitably, every quarterback from the ‘21 class will be compared against the others for years to come. But the Fields-Jones assessment will be particularly compelling in Chicago, given the Bears had a choice between the two.It’s worth noting that Fields might head to Gillette Stadium with revenge in the back of his mind. Jones and Alabama hammered Fields and Ohio State 52-24 in the national title game in January 2021. Jones also had a more impressive rookie season, helping the Patriots to the playoffs while throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns.Bears running back Damien Williams celebrates after catching a pass from quarterback Andy Dalton during the second quarter against the Vikings on Jan. 9, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)Somebody in the league office needs to help with this one. The Bears and Vikings play twice every year, yet somehow the game in Minneapolis is always late in the season. Late late.Since the NFL began playing only division games in the final week of the regular season in 2010, the Bears have played their finale on the road against the Vikings seven times. Furthermore, the Bears’ last 15 trips to Minneapolis have come in December or early January. Without fact-checking this, we’re pretty sure the average outdoor wind chill at kickoff of those games is right around minus-64.Yes, yes, we know the Bears have been indoors for most of those games. Still, there was the ice-rink game in 2010, played at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus a week after the Metrodome roof collapsed. The Vikings also played their home games at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014 and 2015.

The Chicago Bears offseason program is underway with rookie minicamp wrapping up last weekend and organized team activities on tap next week. Brad Biggs tackles questions about evaluating Justin Fields, trading for a wide receiver and more in his weekly Bears mailbag.I understand the need to draft best players available given the teardown required with the current Bears roster, so I’m not upset they drafted defense with their first two picks. I do wonder, though, without significant upgrades to either the offensive line or receiver group, will it be difficult to evaluate the progress of Justin Fields this coming season? I would think that the Bears would need to know what they have with Fields by the end of 2023 so they can decide whether to stick with him or move off of him. Your thoughts? — Chris M., Hermosa Beach, Calif.AdvertisementThe Bears would like to have a good idea about Fields’ long-term projection by the end of this season if possible. One of the errors this franchise has made on occasion is sticking with quarterbacks who clearly are not the solution longer than it should have. The more time you take to explore the next option only extends the search for the replacement to Sid Luckman. I think some folks, not all, who are unsettled by the lack of greater moves for the offense have overlooked the salary-cap issues that new general manager Ryan Poles has worked to put behind the team before 2023.If Fields is an elite talent, that will shine through this season with the current group of skill-position players and the line as it is constituted. Josh Allen didn’t have the greatest cast of skill-position players during his second season with the Buffalo Bills in 2019. His leading wide receiver was John Brown with slot receiver Cole Beasley next. Isaiah McKenzie was third among Bills wide receivers with only 27 receptions. But at the end of that 10-6 season, the Bills had a pretty good indication things were trending upward for Allen.AdvertisementThe performance of Fields and the offense this season no doubt will shape the trajectory of the next offseason.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 18Bears inside linebacker C.J. Avery (47) and other defensive players warm up during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, May 6, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Am I wrong to think Equanimeous St. Brown could be a big part of the passing offense this season? — Matt M., GlenviewI’ve mentioned in previous mailbags that St. Brown is intriguing because he has good size (6-foot-5, 214 pounds) and speed. He also arrives with a pretty good idea of what offensive coordinator Luke Getsy wants to do with the playbook. There’s some projection involved here because St. Brown didn’t do a whole lot in the 2021 season for the Green Bay Packers. He appeared in 13 games and had nine receptions for 98 yards. But he was mentioned the past couple of years as someone who could break out for the Packers, and I imagine Getsy was the leading voice in the team’s pursuit of St. Brown in free agency.[ [Don’t miss] 7 questions for 7 positions as the Chicago Bears prepare for OTAs — the next step in the offseason program ]“I thought EQ had a tremendous year last year in his growth and his maturity from where he was to where he is now,” Getsy said Sunday after rookie minicamp wrapped up. “I was really excited that we were able to snag him because I think all his best football is ahead of him. I’m excited to see. He’s one of those guys — you talk about a big body, a guy that can run, his toughness and all that stuff and everything that we’re going to preach in this system — he’s that expectation.”Ryan Poles mentioned he’s open to working on the roster, including trades. In your opinion, if he can get a top receiver this offseason, would he pull the trigger on an expensive trade? Or are we looking at more midlevel guys with upside only? — @sprucebanditI assume you’re referring to next offseason as most of the big-name wide receivers available in trade already have been moved. I don’t envision the Bears swinging a deal for Deebo Samuel, who remains with the San Francisco 49ers despite asking to be traded. The Bears aren’t in a position where they can fork over the kind of draft capital required to pull off a deal like that, and the 49ers seem far more inclined to keep Samuel.The Bears need to see what they have on the roster and then, if possible, a far better option is to draft their next superstar wide receiver. Then you have a player on a cost-controlled rookie contract and aren’t giving up a load of draft picks while also paying a player at or near the top of the wage scale. When people talk about trading for an elite player, you have to remember that costs premium draft capital that can be used to fill other needs.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Any thoughts on if the Bears should pursue a veteran linebacker? — @pumpi91AdvertisementI guess it’s possible, but this looks like one of the better position groups on the roster with Roquan Smith and Nicholas Morrow, who moved really well for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 and was a valuable nickel defender because of his range. Other positions stand out to me as spots where veteran help could be needed, such as both lines and maybe another slot cornerback option.Is the current roster a more talented or less talented roster than the one that ended the 2021 season? Are there position groups where the difference stands out sharply? — @gucasliogitoIt’s a little tricky answering that question. Will Justin Fields be substantially better than he was as a rookie? Will some of the new wide receivers compensate for the departure of Allen Robinson? The Bears finished the 2021 season with a lot of expensive key players injured. The current roster isn’t better than one with a fully healthy Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks and Robinson. That doesn’t mean the Bears can’t be in a better place at the end of the 2022 season than they were in 2021. I don’t think you can argue that this roster needed a total renovation either.[ [Don’t miss] 3 things we heard from Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, including his ‘tremendous’ dynamic with Justin Fields ]Charles Snowden seemed like a defensive end with potential last season. Have you heard the new regime discuss plans for him? Many thought he’d be a third-rounder until he got hurt. A sleeper this season? — @joe4ceSnowden was one of the few veteran players to participate in rookie minicamp over the weekend. It’s possible the return to a 4-3 scheme in which he can play with his hand in the dirt will aid him, just as I think it could benefit Trevis Gipson. Snowden is in a large group of young players the Bears will be keeping an eye on to see if they can break through. Obviously not every player will be a solution or someone to build with, but the Bears can expect a handful of pleasant surprises from young players who get opportunities.Do you see Chase Allen making the 53-man roster at tight end? — @rbarnold2626AdvertisementThe Bears signed the Iowa State alumnus as an undrafted free agent, and he has very good size (6-foot-6, 254 pounds) and long arms (34⅛ inches). Allen projects as a Y tight end or a blocker. At minimum he has a chance to start the season on the practice squad and he could break through to the roster. Allen isn’t a great athlete as a receiver, so I wouldn’t expect a ton from him in the passing game. But if the Bears want to develop a blocking tight end, he could have a solid opportunity ahead of him.[ [Don’t miss] Rookies Velus Jones and Trestan Ebner may be gearing up for a special competition to be the Chicago Bears kick returner ]What kind of role is Khyiris Tonga going to play in the new 4-3 defense? He played fairly well for a seventh-round rookie last year. Is he going to be able to carve out a spot for himself on the roster? — @petermartuneacTonga has a chance to play in the rotation as a nose tackle. I agree he made the most of his chances as a rookie, and provided he fits the profile of what they’re looking for in a run stuffer, there should be more playing time in front of him.Do you anticipate the Bears going with an outside hire or promoting someone from within to replace Mark Sadowski? — @davegilchooch2That’s a good question. If GM Ryan Poles has a good feel for one of the scouts he inherited from the previous staff, he could promote from within. Otherwise, I imagine Poles will seek out someone he worked with previously or who comes with a strong recommendation from a close adviser. We’ll have to see how things eventually are structured because Poles has some high-ranking advisers now in assistant GM Ian Cunningham and co-directors of player personnel Jeff King and Trey Koziol.

Bob Lanier, the left-handed big man who muscled up beside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the NBA’s top players of the 1970s, died Tuesday. He was 73.The NBA said Lanier died after a short illness. The Hall of Famer had worked for the league as a global ambassador. The Athletic reported in 2019 that Lanier was being treated for bladder cancer.AdvertisementLanier played 14 seasons for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds for his career. He is third on the Pistons career list in both points and rebounds. They drafted Lanier with the No. 1 pick in 1970 after he led St. Bonaventure to the Final Four.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Lanier was among the most talented centers in league history and added that his accomplishments went far beyond what he did on the court.Advertisement“For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere,” Silver said in a statement. “It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around.”Lanier went into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. But his boat-size shoes got there ahead of him with a display of his bronzed sneakers in the shrine.He was known for wearing size 22 shoes, although that was disputed in 1989 by a Converse representative, who told the Atlanta Constitution that Lanier wore size 18½.“The 22 he was reputed to wear was a Korean size,” shoe rep Gary Stoken said.Not contested was the abundantly clear fact that his feet were big.“A lot of people can put both feet into one of my shoes,” Lanier told Hoop magazine.Bucks center Bob Lanier (16) moves to the basket as the 76ers’ Darryl Dawkins defends during an NBA playoff game April 13, 1981, in Milwaukee. (Steve Pyle/AP)Born Sept. 10, 1948, in Buffalo, N.Y., Lanier starred in college at St. Bonaventure, where he averaged 27.6 points and 15.7 rebounds in three seasons. The Bonnies made it all the way to the Final Four in 1970, but Lanier had injured his knee in the regional final and St. Bonaventure lost in the national semifinals to Artis Gilmore and Jacksonville.Lanier overcame a litany of orthopedic injuries, dealing with shoulder, back, elbow, hand and toe problems during his career. But that didn’t prevent him from earning his place among the top NBA centers of his era. After being named to the all-rookie team in 1971, he averaged at least 21 points and 11 rebounds for each of the next seven seasons. He was an eight-time All-Star and the MVP of the 1974 All-Star Game.AdvertisementLanier could beat opponents from the inside and outside while ruling the boards. Although Abdul-Jabbar had a more famous hook shot, the sky hook, Lanier’s was very much a weapon.“Guys didn’t change teams as much, so when you were facing the Bulls or the Bucks or New York, you had all these rivalries,” Lanier told NBA.com in 2018. “Lanier against Jabbar! Jabbar against Willis Reed! And then (Wilt) Chamberlain and Artis Gilmore and Bill Walton! You had all these great big men and the game was played from inside out.”As exceptional as Lanier was, the Pistons won only one playoff series with him. He played 64 games or fewer in each of his last four full seasons in Detroit. In February 1980, he was traded to the Bucks.Lanier averaged fewer minutes with the Bucks but was part of Milwaukee teams that reached the Eastern Conference finals in 1983 and 1984, the final two seasons of his career.He also served as president of the players union during the final years of his career, with Silver saying Lanier played “a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement.”Bulls center Joakim Noah receives the NBA Cares Community Assist award from NBA legend Bob Lanier on March 18, 2015, at the United Center. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)Lanier was the Pistons career leader in points and rebounds before he was passed by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in those categories, and his single-game franchise record of 33 rebounds was topped by Dennis Rodman.AdvertisementIn 1995, Lanier was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, then took over as coach on an interim basis after Don Nelson resigned. Lanier went 12-25, and the Warriors found another coach after the season.Lanier won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for the 1977-78 season for outstanding community service. After his playing career, he helped start the NBA’s Stay in School campaign and participated in other outreach for the league.“There’s so much need out here,” Lanier said. “When you’re traveling around to different cities and different countries, you see there are so many people in dire straits that the NBA can only do so much. We make a vast, vast difference, but there’s always so much more to do.”

The Chicago White Sox were ready to turn the page soon after Monday’s “brutal” loss to the Cleveland Guardians.“Once it was over, it was over,” shortstop Tim Anderson said before Tuesday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field.AdvertisementThe Sox bounced back, beating the Guardians 4-1 in front of 16,025.“Last night was a heartbreaker,” Sox starter Lucas Giolito said. “It was tough, but we’re in a spot where we can self-evaluate very well. We didn’t have to say anything, we didn’t have to have a meeting. We didn’t have to have anything after that game.Advertisement“We knew coming in today what we needed to improve, what we needed to do: Be ready to play hard for nine innings, and that’s what we did.”White Sox designated hitter Gavin Sheets rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Anderson had three hits and two RBIs, Gavin Sheets hit a two-run home run and Giolito pitched seven strong innings as the Sox won for the seventh time in eight games.The only loss during the stretch came Monday, when the Guardians scored six runs in the ninth to tie the game on the way to a stunning 12-9 victory in 11 innings. Afterward manager Tony La Russa described the defeat as “brutal.”Tuesday represented a new day and a different result.“A lot of guys were hurt when it was over (Monday),” La Russa said. “Coaches, manager, everybody. But you’ve got to wipe it clean. That saying is true, you know: The worst you can do is lose today because you’re still moping about yesterday.“So clean the slate and guys were ready to play. The clubhouse was really good before the game. It was a very tight game. We just found a way to break through.”After committing four errors Monday, the Sox didn’t have any Tuesday.“I tip the cap to all the guys behind me today,” Giolito said. “Defense was spectacular.”AdvertisementThe sharp defense included a quick-thinking 6-4-3 double play in the fourth. Owen Miller was on second with one out when Franmil Reyes hit a grounder to Anderson. He tossed the ball to second baseman Josh Harrison, who tagged Miller before he made it back to the base. Harrison then fired to first to complete the double play.“I saw him kind of leak toward my way and I knew I had a shot to get him,” Anderson said. “It was just a matter of if the throw was good, and it was good and (Harrison) did the rest.”Giolito called the double play “cool.”“I had never seen anything like that before,” he said.White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson drives in a run with a single in the fifth inning Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Harrison and Anderson teamed up for the game’s first run in the fifth. Harrison doubled with two outs against Guardians starter Cal Quantrill. Anderson followed with an RBI single.“The biggest thing is really stay inside the baseball and it found a hole,” Anderson said.AdvertisementSheets homered for the second straight game, as his two-run blast in the sixth extended the lead to 3-0.“The last week or so I’ve been in between pitches, missing a lot of fastballs I usually do damage on,” Sheets said. “Missing a couple of hanging sliders. I feel like I’ve kind of calmed down at the plate, gotten smoother a little bit, softened out and was able to catch a couple of breaking balls out in front and was under control.“That’s the biggest thing. Feeling calm at the plate and not rushing, not feeling jerky, and so it’s good two nights.”Josh Naylor, Monday’s hero for the Guardians, hit a solo home run against Giolito in the seventh. It was his third homer of the series after his game-tying grand slam in the ninth and his go-ahead three-run homer in the 11th Monday.Naylor went 2 for 4 Tuesday, but overall Giolito limited the damage. He allowed one run on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk in seven innings.“I could tell early I didn’t have the super zippy fastball,” Giolito said. “It wasn’t like my A-A stuff. It was important to sequence well. (Catcher Yasmani Grandal) did a fantastic job of making adjustments back there and kind of reading what the hitters are trying to do.Advertisement“A lot of quick innings, attacked with the heater and we were able to play my breaking balls and changeups off of it. It ended up being good, getting a lot of contact and weak contact and getting outs and getting through innings.”There was drama in the ninth as the Guardians brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. Andrés Giménez hit a grounder to first and initially was ruled safe as he tried to beat José Abreu to the bag. The call was reversed after a review, giving the Sox their first victory over the Guardians this season (1-4).“A bit nerve-wracking but I think the right call was made there,” Giolito said. “It’s a good win for us.”