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BOSTON — Vince Velasquez feels like everything is clicking.The right-hander had his second straight strong start for the Chicago White Sox, allowing one run in five innings in a 4-2 victory against the Boston Red Sox in the series opener Friday in front of 30,944 at Fenway Park.AdvertisementVelasquez surrendered three hits, struck out two and walked two as the White Sox won their fourth straight.“It’s a good feeling, knowing that you’re establishing good command with your secondary pitches,” Velasquez said. “I knew I wasn’t going to get a lot of punchouts today, but I utilized the defense as much as I possibly can and forced some contact and made big pitches when I needed to.Advertisement“It’s a good sign of heading in the right direction, knowing that things are kind of falling into its right place.”Tim Anderson and Luis Robert led the way offensively.Anderson had three singles. He scored on a sacrifice fly by José Abreu during a three-run third.“The shortstop had a Hall of Fame game,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said of Anderson. “The base hits. Watching him — I told him too — you watch Tim Anderson run the base when he’s got to make a cut and turn, it’s as good as anybody I’ve ever seen in all my years.“That jet motor he’s got, when he makes that turn, he kicks it into another gear. It’s as fast as anybody I’ve ever seen. (And) the defense.”Robert supplied the other runs in the third with a two-run homer to left, his fourth of the season.The White Sox added an insurance run in the eighth. Adam Engel singled, stole second, moved to third on a flyout and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by catcher Reese McGuire.The White Sox had 10 hits while Velasquez and four relievers limited the Red Sox to six.Advertisement“You have to give (Velasquez) extra credit,” La Russa said. “He knows who he’s matched up against. (Red Sox starter) Nathan (Eovaldi) has been throwing the ball as well as anyone in baseball.“(Velasquez) moves his fastball around, he’s got an extra little zip. He can sink it in. He’s got breaking ball and a slider and a change. He can get through the lineup several times and give guys different looks. Reese does a good job of mixing it up.”[ [Don’t miss] Gavin Sheets’ adjustments in his 2nd White Sox season include beating the shift — and facing the Green Monster ]Velasquez (2-2) earned his first win of the season in his previous start against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing four hits and striking out six in 5⅔ innings in a 4-0 victory on April 30. It was his first win since June 29, 2021, for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Miami Marlins, snapping a career-high 12-start winless streak.Friday’s win was his first on the road since May 25, 2021, in Miami. He came in 0-7 with a 13.50 ERA in his last seven road starts.“Utilizing the slider and curveball to get me back into the count, I think that was very useful,” Velasquez said. “And also the trust that’s being established from Reese and I. Last two outings, we’ve been on the same page. That’s another confidence booster going into any game.”He had to work out of trouble in the fifth. The Red Sox scored once and had runners on the corners with two outs. Velasquez got Trevor Story on a check-swing third strike to end the inning, putting him in position to pick up the win.Advertisement“Story is going to make me work, man,” Velasquez said. “I faced him (when Story was) in Colorado and he was one of those guys that did some damage on me. It came down to execution. Kind of helping myself get back into the count and I let him get himself out.“Again, it’s a matter of having that boost of confidence and knowing that there is one pitch that can have that impact and I want to win that.”[ [Don’t miss] Matt Foster is providing a boost out of the White Sox bullpen: ‘He took the bull by the horns’ ]Liam Hendriks walked one but struck out three in a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.“The more you win, the more joy it brings,” Hendriks said. “Then it just rolls. It turns into that cyclone rainstorm when it rains, it pours. Everybody assumes the next guy is going to pick him up. We are picking each other up every time.”He has saved all four games during the winning streak. Wednesday’s save against the Cubs came with a heavy heart after the death of his grandfather.“Losing my dad’s dad, Opa … I was holding it together before (Wednesday’s) outing and then it was just the adrenaline,” Hendriks said. “Everything kind of flowed through me and it was extremely hard.Advertisement“We are glad he went peacefully and it wasn’t a struggle or anything like that. He’s upstairs looking down on us with a sherry in hand.”

Candace Parker might be nearing the end of her WNBA career, but she’s playing like she still is in her prime.Despite the Chicago Sky falling 98-91 in overtime to the Los Angeles Sparks in the season opener Friday night, Parker passed Lauren Jackson (6,007 points) and Seimone Augustus (6,005) for the 10th spot on the league’s all-time scoring list with 6,011. She finished with 21 points, six rebounds and six assists.AdvertisementParker wasn’t made available to media after the loss to her former team. The sting of letting the game slip lingered into the defending champions’ news conference.“We were tired and it’s not an excuse, but it’s just where we are right now,” said Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot, who had 11 points, four rebounds and eight assists. “We are not in shape to play 35 minutes. It’s tough on us old people, but I think that played a factor along with poor execution and spacing.”AdvertisementIn a game that featured 16 lead changes, the Sparks outscored the Sky 10-3 in overtime after the fourth quarter ended in controversy.With 1.5 seconds left in regulation and the Sky up 88-85, Dana Evans fouled Jordin Canada on a 3-point attempt that drew the ire of a packed crowd at Wintrust Arena. The Sky, who were without All-Stars Allie Quigley and Kahleah Copper, couldn’t recover.Sky coach and general manager James Wade didn’t mince words when discussing the foul call.“Everybody saw (it wasn’t a foul),” Wade said. “(Evans) didn’t even touch her, even though (Canada) threw her body forward. How could good people who do this for a living see that and call it? It’s ridiculous.”When asked if she thought she fouled Canada, Evans said, “Not at all. No.”Canada (21 points, eight assists) and Nneka Ogwumike (19 points, 7-of-10 shooting) led the way for the Sparks while Liz Cambage struggled against the Sky frontcourt. She scored 11 of her 12 points after halftime. All five Sky starters scored in double digits, led by Evans’ 24 points. In her first career start in place of Quigley, she started off cold but went 7 for 8 from the field in the third quarter and scored 17 in the quarter. Evans said last week she wants to become “the best guard in the league,” and she built on the momentum she brought from training camp.Advertisement“I just told myself going into this season I wanted to play like Dana,” Evans said after the game. “I was just letting the game come to me and getting in the lanes and had some easy jumpers. Once those started going, the basket looked huge at that point.”Parker, meanwhile, continues to build her legacy after signing with the Sky in 2021. Along with climbing the all-time scoring ladder, the two-time league MVP and 2016 Finals MVP passed Tanisha Wright and Shannon Johnson for eighth in career assists.Augustus was in the building to see Parker pass her on the scoring list. The four-time WNBA champion and 2011 Finals MVP is now an assistant coach for the Sparks and had high praise for her former rival.“Candace has been a player that has transcended the game,” Augustus said. “She changed the game with her guard-like abilities as a post player. It’s been a beautiful thing to see her do what she’s been able to accomplish. The last player to have that kind of skill set was Lauren Jackson.”After the shootaround Friday morning, Wade wasn’t aware of Parker’s place among the scoring greats but pointed to her ability to win a championship with two teams (the Sparks in 2016 and the Sky last year) as one of the defining elements of her legacy.“She’s a special talent,” Wade said. “She’s probably going to go down as the greatest player to ever play the game. That’s probably one of the reasons I didn’t know how many points she scored because her greatness isn’t predicated on that.Advertisement“She’s won two championships, multiple gold medals and has won championships in every country she has been in. The only thing I know: She is a winner.”This could be Parker’s final season. She said during a segment on “WNBA Weekly” that she considered retiring after last season. The Sky bulldozed their opponents in the 2021 playoffs — after going 16-16 in the regular season, making them the first sixth seed or lower to win the Finals — but the journey was treacherous.Parker just turned 36 and signed a multiyear broadcasting deal with Turner Sports in September. She told the Tribune this week she no longer plays five-on-five in the offseason and focuses on maintaining her conditioning with her trainer.The end could be near for one of the greatest players in league history.“That is how I’m entering the season,” Parker said. “I don’t know what the future holds. I know my contract is up after this year and there will be decisions to be made.“But at this point in my career for the last three or four years, I’ve operated in the present and understand the value of every day because there’s more basketball behind me than in front of me.”AdvertisementThe Sky don’t play again until Wednesday against the New York Liberty at Wintrust. The ring ceremony and banner raising will be May 24 before they host the Indiana Fever, though the championship trophy was on display at midcourt Friday. James Kay is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

BOSTON — Gavin Sheets got behind in the count during a fourth-inning at-bat Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.The White Sox left-handed hitter poked Kyle Hendricks’ 1-2 pitch between second and third — where a hole had opened because of a shift — for an RBI single.Advertisement“Obviously until two strikes, I’m not trying to do that,” Sheets told the Tribune before Friday’s series opener against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. “But it’s about trying to help the team out. Trying to get on base. Not striking out and putting the ball in play and letting the ball get deep.“The one (Wednesday) night was huge, getting the RBI. But more importantly, if (the opponent is) going to try to take away hits on the pull side, I’ve got to be willing to do that with two strikes and combat it.”AdvertisementIt’s not the first time this season Sheets has beaten a shift.He knocked a single to left in the fourth inning Tuesday against the Cubs, hitting a 2-1 pitch where the third baseman normally would be situated.Another example came April 24 in Minnesota when he slapped the ball the other way for an infield hit on an 0-2 pitch. Twins third baseman Gio Urshela, the only player on that side of the infield, chased down the ball at deep shortstop. Two days earlier in the series opener, Sheets collected an infield hit on a 3-2 pitch. He hit it in a similar spot, with Urshela diving to stop the ball.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Things we saw and heard at the City Series, including ‘Angry Lucas’ Giolito and a Pink Floyd reference ]“A couple of times he really was just staying on the ball and hitting it where it’s pitched,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Friday. “Sometimes he spins off and gets it off the end of the bat and it squibs over there.“He’s going to try to stay on the pitches and still hit a line drive to left-center or right-center. It has worked out well for us.”Sheets singled to left April 21 in Cleveland, hitting a 3-2 pitch to the vacated third base spot.“It’s about letting the ball get deep and really try not to strike out,” he said. “Try to be a tough out. And I’ve been able to squeak some through there.”AdvertisementSheets had a .226/.273/.306 slash line with one home run and three RBIs in 18 games entering Friday.“I’ve been able to (take the ball the other way for a hit) a couple of times, which is nice,” he said. “Especially with two strikes. But hopefully I’m going to start driving the ball a little bit better now.”Sheets knows it’s a game of adjustments. He slashed .250/.324/.506 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs in 54 games in 2021, his first season in the big leagues.“It’s getting used to scouting reports, getting used to the ways they are attacking you differently,” Sheets said of going from 2021 to ‘22. “Starting to face teams a couple of more times and obviously they change up the script a little bit. It’s all part of adjusting and adapting.“It’s one thing to get to the big leagues. You want to stay and you want to have success. It’s about adapting.”[ [Don’t miss] Andrew Vaughn goes on the IL with a bruised right hand. ‘I’m not much of a doctor, but it’s painful,’ says White Sox OF. ]Friday marked a first for Sheets, who started in left field.Advertisement“First time out there this year, and more importantly first time out there with the Green Monster,” he said. “Just trying to get as much work as possible (pregame). Get used to it.“It’s something different that you don’t have to face very often. Get a lot more reps in (batting practice) with it. Just know it’s there and try to make the best reads possible. Try to get as used to it as possible and see the way the ball comes off of it.“It’s pretty firm, so it’s going to come off of it pretty hard. The best advice that (coach Daryl Boston) was telling us was get to the wall early and as soon as you see it there, get back and play it off the wall.”Sheets called playing at Fenway Park “special.”“A lot of baseball history,” he said. “It’s cool to play in places like this and obviously a ton of history inside of it. The people who have played here. It’s special to come out here and go out to the Green Monster and be a part of history.”

Success seems to follow A.J. Pierzynski wherever he goes.Six years after retiring from Major League Baseball, the same IQ he carried through 19 years is helping another championship-level team in his hometown.Advertisement“Catchers make the best [MLB] managers and coaches,” Scott Grove, head coach of The First Academy, said about bringing Pierzynski aboard. “You’re the quarterback on the baseball field.”Before the 2020 season, Grove asked Pierzynski if he could help as an assistant coach. It was cut off after eight games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but last year, in Pierzynski’s first full season as an assistant, TFA (31-1) won the Class 3A state championship.AdvertisementThe Royals are 24-3 this season and rolled to the Class 3A District 9 tournament title, beating Windermere Prep 10-0 in Thursday’s final. They will host a region quarterfinal game Wednesday. The former Dr. Phillips High School standout has had his share of big games — and moments. He was an integral part of two playoff runs with the team that drafted him, the Minnesota Twins, in 1994.In his first year with the Chicago White Sox after signing as a free agent in 2005, Pierzynski had a huge impact on the team winning its first World Series in 88 years.One of the key moments in the World Series run was a usually inconsequential dropped third strike in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Anaheim Angels.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 96Manager Robin Ventura receives a high-five from catcher A.J. Pierzynski after an 11-0 win over the Indians at Progressive Field. (David Richard-US PRESSWIRE, US PRESSWIRE)The White Sox were down 1-0 in the series and the score was tied 1-1 with two outs in the ninth. Pierzynski struck out to seemingly end the inning. But Angels catcher Josh Paul didn’t think the pitch hit the dirt and started walking toward the dugout while Pierzynski ran to first in a heads-up play. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings allowed the dropped third strike. Pablo Ozuna pinch ran for Pierzynski, stole second and scored on a double by Joe Crede to give the Sox a 2-1 victory.He made winning plays for winning teams. One thing First Academy has been good at is winning, and its players can draw from an invaluable resource in Pierzynski. Advertisement“A.J. works with our hitters and shares a lot of knowledge with me,” Grove said. “A.J. has helped with double cutoffs and relays, bunt defense, pickoffs and rundowns, two-strike approach with our hitters, dissecting if a pitcher is tipping pitches. … anything to gain any little advantage.”So why does a Major League veteran with more than 2,000 career hits say yes to being a high school assistant?“My kids have gone to First Academy since kindergarten and I’ve always tried to help out with my son in Little League all the way up,” Pierzynski said, referring to Austin, a freshman catcher (of course) with TFA. “I stay out of his travel baseball stuff, but Scott asked me a couple years ago if I’d be willing to help when Austin was on JV as a seventh-grader.“I enjoy baseball, but I really enjoy being around this group of kids. They’re fun, they enjoy baseball and enjoy being around each other.”AdvertisementPierzynski has become a model “soccer dad” after his playing career, with baseball and volleyball replacing the soccer part. His daughter, Ava, is a sophomore at First Academy, playing volleyball in the fall and beach volleyball in the spring.“I help when I have time with my work and traveling,” he said. “Ava plays competitive travel volleyball. We’ve gone to tournaments in Indianapolis, Omaha, Tampa, Chicago and she practices an hour away in Melbourne. I can’t have my wife drive her all the time, so when we don’t have a game, I’ll drive her over there.“I was very blessed to be able to play baseball for a long time and being able to make enough money to support my family. Now I have time to spend more time with them. I missed a lot playing baseball. My daughter was born in 2005 [and Austin was born in 2006] and I retired in 2016. For eight months a year during those 11 years I was gone a lot. You can’t ever make up for that, but now that I have time and don’t travel as much for work, I want to spend as much time with my kids. I love my kids and enjoy being a part of their lives.”Austin appreciates Dad being a part of the TFA baseball in more ways than one.“It’s good to have Dad around, but it’s hard to blend being a coach and father,” he said. “I love having him here and he’s definitely helped our pitchers and catchers with pitch calling and swings.”With Pierzynski’s career highlights available readily through Google and YouTube, every TFA player knows plenty about their assistant coach. Experiencing the veteran’s knowledge in person is a different story.Advertisement“AJ has been for me — and I feel like I can speak for others when I say this — a great person to look up to,” said TFA senior Greg Pettay, a UCF recruit who’s batting .462 with 7 home runs and 27 RBI. “He’s one of the reasons this year has been going so well for me because we always talk after most at-bats and he always gives good input.”Pierzynski’s ability to handle pitchers during his MLB career was impressive. He was the catcher when the White Sox set a record with four consecutive complete games in that 2005 ALCS and he’s one of only 22 catchers in MLB history to catch a perfect game (Philip Humber in 2012).Pierzynski has helped with the development of TFA’s pitchers, too.“A.J. has been a tremendous help for the team and me personally,” said senior Isaac Sewell, a Virginia Tech recruit who is 9-1 with a 1.38 ERA. “In our postseason run last year, there were many times that he would sit down with me and others about approach and doing a job.“In the semifinal game against [Jacksonville] Bolles, I was overthinking about how to pitch but he simplified it to just getting nine outs. As pitchers we have to upset the timing of the hitters, and AJ has helped us understand how to pitch with more intent to getting hitters off balance and putting ourselves in the best position to succeed.”[ Baseball state champion First Academy finishes atop Sentinel Super Six rankings ]ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11White Sox baserunner A.J. Pierzysnki collides with Cubs catcher Michael Barrett at home plate during the second inning at U.S. Cellular Field on May 20, 2006. The result? (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)Pierzynski was considered an agitator and edgy as a player. His White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillen, once said, “If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less.”AdvertisementThe most famous example is when Pierzynski ran over Chicago Cubs’ catcher Michael Barrett to score on May 20, 2006. Pierzynski slapped home plate emphatically, and before he could grab his helmet off the ground near Barrett he was punched in the face.Pierzynski was similar to another Chicago athlete, Dennis Rodman, who played for the NBA’s Bulls from 1995-98 after seven years with fierce rival Detroit. Pierzynski was disliked when he was with the division rival Twins, but that changed when he played on the South Side.Grove was familiar with the reputation before asking him to join the coaching staff.“I knew about it, but he’s been great for us,” said Grove, who also played pro baseball with nine years in the minors after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1987. “He’s a good listener. We don’t agree on everything, but we sit down and come together for the betterment of the team. The beautiful thing about baseball is there’s different ways to win.”[ Pierzynski hardly fits bad-boy image, those who knew him at Dr. Phillips say ]Who knew the agitator could become an arbitrator?“Scott’s great. I trust him as a coach,” Pierzynski said. “You’re not going to agree with somebody 100 percent on stuff, but when we have a disagreement, we talk about it and get on the same page. I wouldn’t help if I didn’t believe in what the coaches are doing with the whole program.”AdvertisementAnd Pierzynski truly cares about the program, school and community. He was an all-state baseball player at Dr. Phillips, but his wife, Lisa, went to TFA through grade school before they met at DP. His family attends The First Baptist Church of Orlando, which founded TFA on its campus in 1986.Pierzynski misses practices and some games due his Fox Sports MLB analyst job and taking Ava to volleyball commitments, but he stays connected from afar.“I’ll be doing something, but I’ll be watching a [TFA] game on my phone, living and dying with every pitch,” he said. “I did a tour and fell in love with it. People can believe whatever they want to believe, but there’s something about having a Christ-centered school. I believe children need something bigger to answer to than mom or dad.“TFA promotes a very equal, inclusive environment where they intermix all the students and that’s important to me. When you get out in the real world you are around people that are different from you and you need to be able to handle all situations.”With Pierzynski in the dugout, the Royals are ready for all situations, too. This report was first published at Orlandosentinel.com. Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.

The Chicago Bears’ new draftees and dozens of undrafted free agents and tryout prospects gathered in the Walter Payton Center on Friday in Lake Forest for the first practice of rookie minicamp.The rookies got their first taste of NFL learning, and coach Matt Eberflus said his staff threw a lot at them to see what they could retain.Advertisement“For us, it’s more about can you function as a pro — mentally first,” Eberflus said. “Can you get the schemes and then the formations, the motions down, and then can you operate and make the play?“And then can you listen to instructions? Can you practice the right way? Because you’ve got to be able to stay on your feet and practice the right tempo and do things the right way, and I think guys did a good job with that.”AdvertisementAfter media sessions with Eberflus and several Bears rookies, here are four things we learned.Bears safety Jaquan Brisker speaks to the media before rookie minicamp at Halas Hall on Friday, May 6, 2022, in Lake Forest. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)After the Bears drafted Brisker with the 48th pick in the second round, the former Penn State safety was involved in a social media stir — but not through any action of his own.The Bears made scouts available to the media after each pick, and when talking about Brisker’s special presence off the field, scout Chris Prescott described him as “Ph.D. — poor, hungry and desperate.”“You feel a tough, hard-nosed kid,” Prescott said. “He’s a — what would we call it? — Ph.D.? Poor, hungry and desperate. Football is his life. This is this kid’s life. There’s a lot to like about that when you see a guy who’s so passionate about football.”Several people called the comments offensive after an ESPN tweet about it. ESPN analyst Mina Kimes spoke of the situation this week in a segment on how players can feel “dehumanized, disrespected and stereotyped” by evaluators, coaches and media during the draft process.When we reduce black prospects’ stories of adversity to traits like 40 times, we reduce them as human beings. Some thoughts on the comments from a Bears scout on Jaquan Brisker this weekend, and a problem that continues to persist in draft commentary: pic.twitter.com/zQSCVhp5L9— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) May 2, 2022

Brisker said Friday he didn’t hear about the comments until later because he was enjoying his draft night with his family.“The Bears organization did a great job of communicating with me and things like that, so I don’t really let things like that get to me because I’ve already been through a whole lot,” he said. “People say a lot of things, but you know, that’s not really who I am. You can’t judge a book by its cover.“I’m actually a great person, great football player and I also graduated from college at Penn State. I overcame a lot of things, but I don’t let little things like that get to me.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: How Trestan Ebner’s fast-acting agent — and his sister’s cellphone — connected the Bears with the Baylor RB ]When asked if he was offended by the comments, Brisker said: “No, sir. It really just brushed off my shoulders. I heard about it super late, but I’m good. I’m fine. It’s time to play football.”The Bears and Prescott parted ways this week as general manager Ryan Poles made changes to his scouting staff, including dismissing college scouting director Mark Sadowski.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Gordon — the Bears’ top pick at No. 39 in the second round — came off the field limping during team drills, clearly in discomfort after defending a pass over the middle. While the former Washington cornerback did not return, he was merely experiencing cramps according to Eberflus.“We’ll just get him hydrated and get him ready for tomorrow,” Eberflus said.Gordon wasn’t the only member of the draft class to miss practice time. Safety Elijah Hicks, a seventh-round pick out of Cal, was unable to participate at all. Eberflus declined to provide a health update on Hicks, who fractured his foot during practice for the East-West Shrine Bowl in January and had surgery shortly after.[ [Don’t miss] Bears Q&A: Why didn’t GM Ryan Poles get more help for QB Justin Fields? How many starters did they draft? ]Hicks’ rehabilitation isn’t expected to drag on, but for now he’s in a wait-and-see situation.Advertisement“When he’s ready to go, he’ll get back in there,” Eberflus said. “I’m not going to put timetables on it.”Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6) at rookie minicamp at Halas Hall on Friday, May 6, 2022, in Lake Forest. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Gordon said he was initially confused when a Thursday evening meeting began with a montage of Tillman highlights. Then he looked around the room.“We watched him at (Washington) all the time,” Gordon said. “We always practiced the ‘Peanut Punch.’ When he walked behind us, I was like, ‘Damn, that’s him!’ That was cool.”Receiver Velus Jones said Tillman addressed the room from the heart.“Man, it just shows the passion,” Jones said, “especially the passion he played with. And it goes for even the offensive (side of the) ball. (It’s) the passion you play with, the greatness, the determination.“It really fired me up even though he was a defensive guy. Even just showing the history here: What are the standards? That definitely fired me up as a receiver.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Bears draft class is older with more college experience — a byproduct of COVID-19. Could it be deeper too? ]Connecting with standout Bears alumni has been a priority for Eberflus. He was thrilled Tillman accepted his invitation to speak and appreciated the message Tillman delivered.“(It was) just about being a pro and being a Chicago Bear and what that means to him and what it means to the fans and what it means to the city,” Eberflus said. “To me, you can’t have enough of that.“I told Charles, pass the word around. Talk to the guys. As you know, I texted a bunch of (former players) when I got the job. I’ve talked to several of them. They’re all welcome to come in. We would love to see them.”The Bears announced the signings of Hicks, offensive linemen Braxton Jones, Doug Kramer and Ja’Tyre Carter, running back Trestan Ebner, defensive end Dominique Robinson and punter Trenton Gill.Gordon, Brisker, Jones and offensive lineman Zachary Thomas are the only draftees who haven’t signed.

Trestan Ebner’s draft party last Saturday could have gone in a different direction had it not been for his quick-acting agent.Ebner was with about 40 family members and friends at his mother’s house in Henderson, Texas, a small town of 13,000 in the northeast corner of the state. The Baylor running back felt pretty good about his chances of being drafted, but midway through the sixth round, he hadn’t been chosen.AdvertisementRon Slavin, Ebner’s Dallas-based agent, had been trying to reach his client multiple times. Every time he called, it went straight to voicemail. Cellphone reception in Henderson can be spotty on a good day.The Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers had reached out to Slavin to see if he had an idea where Ebner might go. That’s common policy as the end of the draft draws near. Teams want to know if they need to use a draft pick or have a shot at signing a player as an undrafted free agent. It’s how the Bears determined they needed to use a seventh-round pick on Boise State left tackle Charles Leno in 2014, as Slavin had a lucrative UDFA deal all but done with another team.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Bears Q&A: Why didn’t GM Ryan Poles get more help for QB Justin Fields? How many starters did they draft? ]Slavin finally reached Ebner on his fourth try. That was just before Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles called Slavin.“We can’t pick him if we can’t talk to him,” Poles told Slavin, explaining the Bears had been trying to reach Ebner and their calls also were going straight to voicemail with time becoming critical.Talk about a rough way to fall out of the draft or fall multiple spots.NFL teams have a long-standing practice of talking to players on the phone before submitting their names to the league office to ensure they’re not choosing a player who encountered recent misfortune.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Former Bears college scouting director Greg Gabriel said his mentor, Norm Pollom, a chief scout for the Buffalo Bills, warned Gabriel of what happened to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1983. They selected USC All-America offensive lineman Don Mosebar with the 26th pick in the first round without realizing he underwent back surgery eight days earlier. Owner Al Davis was reportedly furious.If the Raiders had known and gone in a different direction, they might have wound up with quarterback Dan Marino or cornerback Darrell Green — Hall of Famers selected immediately after Mosebar, who did go on to have a solid career.It can turn out worse. Two Canadian Football League teams in the mid-1990s drafted players who were dead.The point is, as a general rule NFL teams want to hear the player’s voice on the other line and make sure everything’s good before finalizing a pick.Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Column: Excitement, surprise, hope. The NFL draft delivered it all for the Bears. ]With Poles still on the line, Slavin quickly called Ebner’s sister Tiana Boone and she answered. He asked her to put Ebner on.“I’m sitting outside and my sister ran up to me and that’s how I knew her phone worked and mine didn’t,” Ebner said Friday morning before the first rookie minicamp practice.Ebner took the phone and Slavin and Poles were on the line. The Bears went ahead and made it official with the 203rd pick.“Thank god, right?” Ebner said. “(Boone) told my agent: ‘They might as well have picked me. At least my phone worked.’”Bears running back Trestan Ebner (31) at rookie minicamp on Friday, May 6, 2022, in Lake Forest. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)Maybe Slavin can negotiate a phone endorsement deal for Ebner, who hopes to connect quickly in the Bears backfield. He was up late Thursday trying to digest the first parts of the playbook and looked fluid Friday in the Walter Payton Center.“The coaching staff and everybody around has been so welcoming,” Ebner said, “making me feel comfortable and at home because it’s a new environment and I’ve never been this far away from home, to tell you the truth. It’s just nice to get to see some friendly faces. Everybody is smiling, laughing, having a good time, so I’m comfortable here now.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Bears draft class is older with more college experience — a byproduct of COVID-19. Could it be deeper too? ]Ebner, who was timed in the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds, believes his experience in the Baylor offense will help him fit in quickly in the outside zone running scheme. The Bears believe he has good hands out of the backfield and he was the Big 12 special teams player of the year, so he has value in those areas as well.“It’s been great, you know, your dream has come true,” Ebner said of his first 24 hours or so at Halas Hall. “You know, it kind of hit me (Thursday). I’m sitting here, I had some Bears gear on, I’m like, ‘I’m in the NFL now,’ and it’s even more of a job now. You kind of see it.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When Steve Asmussen walked out of his barn on the afternoon of May 5, 2007, he knew, just knew, that he was going to win the Kentucky Derby.He grasped the inherent uncertainty around a 20-horse field, but he had that much faith in Curlin, the contender he had trained for the moment.AdvertisementAsmussen was right about the tough chestnut colt; Curlin would go on to win Horse of the Year twice and make the Hall of Fame. “But not on that day,” his trainer said, reflecting on the third-place finish that dowsed his Derby dreams.Fifteen years later, Asmussen will exit his barn at Churchill Downs with another contender, Epicenter, who has done everything right on his way to the first Saturday in May. In that span since Curlin’s Derby, Asmussen has won two Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes and six Breeders’ Cup races. Last year, he became the winningest trainer in North American history, with his total now approaching 10,000. But he still has not won the first leg of the Triple Crown series, the race he began fantasizing about in the 1970s as the younger son in a horse-obsessed family in Laredo, Texas.AdvertisementAfter 23 unsuccessful attempts, has his time come with Epicenter?Kentucky Derby entrant Epicenter works out at Churchill Downs on Thursday in Louisville, Ky. “He has done everything that you would have wanted him to do, in his training and in his races, from last fall until now,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. (Charlie Riedel/AP)“I’m unbelievably excited, I really am,” Asmussen said. “He has done everything that you would have wanted him to do, in his training and in his races, from last fall until now. He gives you very little to talk about because we’ve been seeing this for a long time: a confident horse who’s a great physical [specimen] that’s doing well.”The only horse with shorter odds in the morning line, Zandon, also comes from a highly accomplished trainer with no Derby victory on his resume. Chad Brown won the Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer every year from 2016 to 2019. His dominance on turf is unparalleled in North America. But he has not put as much focus on preparing 3-year-olds for the Derby as Asmussen, Todd Pletcher or Bob Baffert, his peers at the highest level of the profession. Though Brown won the 2017 Preakness with Cloud Computing and finished second in the 2018 Derby with Good Magic, he sees Zandon as his best shot so far at a Derby triumph.“It just seems like everything’s lined up the right way for this horse,” Brown said.The battle between Epicenter and Zandon, and by extension Asmussen and Brown, will headline a Derby packed with viable contenders. We have Pletcher-trained Mo Donegal, who impressed with a furious charge in the April 9 Wood Memorial. We have White Abarrio, who did nothing but win on the Florida prep circuit for fast-rising trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. We have the speedy West Coast duo of Messier and Taiba, who came up in the barn of the suspended Baffert and are now under the care of Tim Yakteen.‘A regular Joe’: Tim Yakteen steps in for suspended trainer Bob Baffert at Kentucky Derby https://t.co/sw30eEofVh— Baltimore Sun Sports (@BaltSunSports) May 5, 2022

Rival trainers seemed most focused on Epicenter and Zandon, however, when handicapping the field. “Those are the two that, I’m going to be watching where those two are,” said Kenny McPeek, whose Smile Happy finished runner-up to Epicenter in the Feb. 19 Risen Star Stakes and runner-up to Zandon in the April 9 Blue Grass Stakes. “Especially Epicenter.”He was asked if Epicenter might get jammed up because he’s breaking from the No. 3 post with a crowd of 17 horses to his outside. “Yeah, but he’s tactical,” McPeek said. “He laid on the inside in the Louisiana Derby. He didn’t get all wrapped up in an early speed duel, and he kicked on home. He looks great out there right now; he’s the horse to beat.”Brown agreed, despite his faith in Zandon. When the top contenders met in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana, Epicenter led the entire way and was never seriously threatened.AdvertisementKentucky Derby entrant Zandon works out at Churchill Downs on Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. “He just doesn’t give up,” trainer Chad Brown said. “When he has horses in his sight, he’s eager to go get them.” (Charlie Riedel/AP)“This horse has done nothing wrong,” Brown said of his rival. “He’s versatile. He can win from the front. He can rate off horses. He’s not going to have a problem with the distance. He has a great trainer and a great team preparing him. He’s got a wonderful pedigree. If you find a fault in him, let me know, because I don’t see it.”In recent years, the Derby has favored horses that run on or near the lead. Epicenter has won from both positions.Zandon, meanwhile, fell well back of the pace in his last two races after running much closer to the lead in the Dec. 4 Remsen Stakes.Brown did not feel Zandon’s third-place performance in the Risen Star, where he jumped up awkwardly at the break, reflected his ability. He also did not love the colt’s trip in the Blue Grass, where Zandon fell to last before fighting his way through traffic to catch Smile Happy.The trainer acknowledged he was worried watching the opening half of that final prep race. He left it wondering how good Zandon might be with an ideal trip in the Derby.“He just doesn’t give up,” Brown said. “When he has horses in his sight, he’s eager to go get them.”AdvertisementHe’s not convinced his horse is the deep closer he appeared to be in the Blue Grass, predicting Zandon, a 3-1 morning-line favorite, could run in the front half of the field early in Saturday’s Derby. “If he gets a clean break and goes on with it in the first turn, I want him in that front 10, not in the back,” Brown said.It’s fascinating to hear high-level trainers contextualize their quest to win the Derby. Some openly acknowledge it as the race that animates their dreams. Others take a cooler approach, paying deference to the luck required to have the right horse and the right race setup at the right moment.“It’s no disgrace to have never won the Kentucky Derby,” McPeek said, ticking off names of great trainers who came up short at Churchill Downs. “You can still be really good at this and not.”Trainer Steve Asmussen talks to the media after workouts at Churchill Downs on Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. Epicenter is running faster at an early age than any of them, but Asmussen has seen enough to know talent isn’t the end of the story. (Charlie Riedel/AP)Brown, 43, said it would be an honor to win the Derby but that it would not change his perception of his career. The diverse successes of his stable are more important to him than one race.“It’s a part of our stable to try and have these dirt colts to get to the Triple Crown,” he said. “But sometimes, you’re running against stables where the majority of their stable is dirt type of colts. They don’t have a lot of turf horses or a lot of female horses. They don’t keep older horses around.”Asmussen, 56, has lived through more years of disappointment at the Derby, not just with Curlin but with other standouts such as Gun Runner, who finished third in 2016 before winning Horse of the Year honors as a 4-year-old.AdvertisementEpicenter is running faster at an early age than any of them, but Asmussen has seen enough to know talent isn’t the end of the story.“The feeling of wanting to win the Derby started probably the first time I ever watched it on TV as a kid, growing up in a racing family,” he said. “Whether it’s the 20 runners, the post position, the track conditions on that day, there are so many things. More than any race, the Kentucky Derby is an event. It’s just, it’s larger than an actual race.”148th Kentucky DerbySaturdayPost time: 6:57 p.m.TV: Chs. 11, 4 (coverage begins at 2:30 p.m.)AdvertisementHorse (by post position); Odds (as of Friday morning)Mo Donegal (1); 10-1Happy Jack (2); 30-1Epicenter (3); 7-2Summer Is Tomorrow (4); 30-1Smile Happy (5); 20-1AdvertisementMessier (6); 8-1Crown Pride (7); 20-1Charge It (8); 20-1Tiz the Bomb (9); 30-1Zandon (10); 3-1Pioneer of Medina (11); 30-1AdvertisementTaiba (12); 12-1Simplification (13); 20-1Barber Road (14); 30-1White Abarrio (15); 10-1Cyberknife (16); 20-1Classic Causeway (17); 30-1AdvertisementTawny Port (18); 30-1Zosos (19); 20-1Ethereal Road (20); 30-1*Rich Strike (21); 30-1*-scratched

A rainy forecast has again impacted the Chicago Cubs’ home schedule.The Cubs’ 1:20 p.m. game Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers was postponed because of inclement weather.AdvertisementIt was rescheduled to 6:40 p.m. Saturday as the second game of a split doubleheader. The originally scheduled game that day has been changed to 12:05 p.m., bumped up from 1:20 p.m. Gates will open about 90 minutes before first pitch for each game.Separate tickets will be required to attend the games.AdvertisementThe Cubs have not yet announced how the rain out will affect their rotation setup for their series against the Dodgers.Friday’s starter had not yet been announced — left-hander Drew Smyly was likely going to start if he came off the bereavement list in time. Left-hander Justin Steele was slated to pitch Saturday while right-hander Marcus Stroman had been lined up for a marquee matchup versus Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”The rotation should soon get a boost. Left-hander Wade Miley threw four scoreless innings in his rehab start Thursday at Triple-A Iowa. Miley allowed only two hits with no walks and three strikeouts on 41 pitches (28 strikes).The outing represented Miley’s first game action since the end of last season. Left elbow inflammation prevented him from pitching in a Cactus League game during spring training.The Cubs will need to assess how Miley feels coming out of Thursday’s start, but he might not need a long rehab stint before making his Cubs debut. As a veteran, Miley has a good understanding of his arm and what he needs to be ready. It will be interesting to see how much the Cubs want Miley to build up his pitch count before activating him off the injured list.

On Oct. 3, 2021, Giants’ pitcher Logan Webb tucked a home run just inside the left field pole at San Francisco’s Oracle Park.Four months later, Major League Baseball announced the designated hitter’s arrival in the National League, making it a near impossibility that pitchers (Shohei Ohtani doesn’t count) will get to hit anymore, let alone hit a ball over the fence.AdvertisementWhat would it take for the Mets to send a pitcher to the plate again?“It’d have to be late-inning, late in the season where injury wasn’t a factor,” said Buck Showalter.Advertisement“We’re out of people,” Taijuan Walker guessed. “Some freak stuff happens and we need someone to go up there.”But with pitchers not hitting anymore, there are no more pinch hitters subbing in for them, meaning that benches are still mostly intact late in games now. There are two other boogeymen that could exert their power and force a pitcher to grab a bat: one that’s been around forever, one that’s hyper modern.“Enough injuries,” Seth Lugo chimed in. “That’d be bad.”“COVID everywhere,” added Max Scherzer, in a tone that made it abundantly clear he was joking.Unfortunately for fans who miss seeing out-of-place ballplayers swing for the fences, the chances of a Met pitcher taking a hack are pretty close to zero.“I don’t know that we’d ever send one up to hit,” hitting coach Eric Chavez said, while allowing the possibility that maybe they’d send one up to bunt. “If we’re in a situation where we have to hit a pitcher, it’s a bad situation.”Walker, Lugo and Scherzer are part of an exclusive club. They are three of the 41 active pitchers who have clubbed exactly one home run. The new rule changes have made their chances at a second one virtually nonexistent. While, from an entertainment standpoint, fewer pitcher at-bats is a net positive, it eliminated one of the game’s quirkiest charms.There are still a few active pitchers — Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke, Max Fried and Jacob deGrom chief among them — who are legitimate hitters. But guys like Walker, Lugo and Scherzer (who have a collective .161 batting average), admittedly got their moment of glory through sheer luck.AdvertisementTaijuan Walker, seen here after 2017 homer off Braves’ Mike Foltynewicz, may never get a chance to add a second. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)Walker had the most impressive homer of the Mets’ three one-timers. On July 25, 2017 while playing for the Diamondbacks, Walker took Braves’ pitcher Mike Foltynewicz deep. Like, really deep.“It was my first game back after having my first son,” Walker said. “0-2 fastball, 97 [miles per hour]. If he had thrown anything else I would have swung and missed. It should have been anything else, but it was a fastball right down the middle. I swung, and the next thing I know I’m jogging around the bases. People say this, but I really blacked out. It was crazy.”The ball soared a majestic 455 feet at 109.9 mph, stunning the crowd at Chase Field, and also the man who couldn’t believe he actually hit a baseball that hard.“I knew I got it good but I was sprinting, thinking double,” Walker said. “It was beat.”The pitch selection helped him a bit, but nothing could rescue Walker from the immediate realization that he had to execute a home run trot.“Really embarrassing,” Walker said of his trot. “I didn’t look cool. I wish I could do it over. I’d do some cool s–t. My hands, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. It was ugly.”AdvertisementLugo, who also had the benefit of a grooved fastball, sent a 104.4 mph laser over the left-center field wall at Citi Field. His strategy, unlike Walker who was in an 0-2 hole, was to ambush Rockies’ pitcher Chris Rusin.“As a pitcher, leading off the inning, you’re supposed to take the first pitch,” Lugo said. “I’m getting ready to go out there, and our hitting coach, Pat Roessler, says this pitcher likes to throw first-pitch fastballs right down the middle to pitchers. Go ahead and let it eat first pitch.”The Mets were up 7-0 at the time, adding an air of relaxation to the moment, and when Lugo got back to the dugout his teammates gave him the silent treatment. Lugo is also the only member of the Mets’ threesome who hit his lone dinger without the help of batting gloves.“I’d just cake the pine tar on, and that was enough grip,” Lugo said. “I like the old school look, too.”Scherzer’s feat of strength is the most recent of the three, coming on Aug. 1, 2017. By his account, an ironic factor is most responsible for his three-run shot in Miami.“My neck was hurt,” he said. “I hit the homer because I couldn’t pull my head off the ball. My neck was barking and I was actually going to come out of the game, but my spot came up, and when I was up there, I tried to bunt the first two pitches.”AdvertisementDusty Baker ordered a slash after that, in which Scherzer showed bunt before pulling back for a big boy swing. The future Hall of Famer says he had no scouting report whatsoever on Marlins’ pitcher Chris O’Grady, who only played 21 total games in the big leagues.“I got lucky, and somehow, by a miracle, I hit a homer,” Scherzer said.Scherzer also came out of the game following his moon shot, meaning he didn’t have to calm himself down from the adrenaline rush and go pitch again. The typically intimidating Scherzer could hardly contain his smile as he circled the bases, perhaps because that was his favorite part of getting to hit.“I do miss hitting,” he said. “I actually miss base running more. I love being on the bases, because it added another conditioning element to a start. To pitch on a hot day, run the bases, and then go back out there and pitch, that was a conditioning thing I really took pride in.”The 37-year-old self-identified as a 50-grade runner, putting himself right in the middle of baseball’s 20-80 scouting scale.“I’m a tick faster than you think,” he winked. “I’m not going to say I’m a burner.”AdvertisementOne common thread between Walker, Lugo and Scherzer is their inflated belief in their own hitting abilities. Walker said he gave up hitting when he signed his first contract but “for sure” had some pop as a kid. Lugo led his high school team in home runs as a senior. Scherzer even went as far as estimating that he was better at hitting in high school than he was at pitching. Only Walker was brave enough to say that he was trying to go yard, though.“Always, 100 percent,” Walker confessed.The other two humbly described themselves as gap-to-gap, selfless batsmen.“I’m actually the opposite [of Walker],” Scherzer revealed. “I was trying to get a base hit, hit the ball the other way.”Lugo, who said he was a decent bunter and would have been better if he wasn’t always trying to move the unhurried Rene Rivera up a base, was also going for a simple base hit.“I’d take batting practice, swing and miss, pop them up,” he acknowledged. “I wasn’t even swinging for the fences there. Once I get in pull mode I tend to strike out.”AdvertisementOne thing they can agree on is that they all miss hitting, especially Walker, who wanted a chance to get one as a left-handed hitter too. As for maybe getting another shot, the Mets’ manager says he’s very aware of which pitchers on his roster have some documented offensive power.“Of course, are you kidding me?” Showalter said, before walking away to manage yet another game in which pitchers were robbed of any opportunities to hit a precious home run.

It is not unusual during a road trip to see Chicago Cubs first base coach Mike Napoli at a table in the visitors clubhouse playing cribbage with a player.Veteran left-hander Wade Miley has been one of his toughest opponents while infielders Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal have started learning to play. Napoli views card games as important relationship builders between players and even coaches. It goes back to his playing career, recalling how he would square off against manager Terry Francona during Napoli’s one season in Cleveland.AdvertisementThose settings allow for personal connections and bonding where the focus isn’t about baseball.“Being able to go back and forth between player-coach-type personality stuff, it’s just so valuable,” manager David Ross said of Napoli to the Tribune. “It really is.”AdvertisementNapoli, 40, always figured he would get into coaching once his playing career ended. But he thought he’d take more time off after he retired in 2018 because of a torn ACL suffered in Triple A. He quickly realized, however, he didn’t know how to fill so much free time.So when Ross, his teammate for two years in Boston, reached out after taking over as Cubs manager in October 2019 to see if he was interested in joining his staff, Napoli knew he was ready to commit to coaching.Napoli, in his third season with the organization, has enjoyed a different side of the game while taking on a bigger role this year as first base coach.Chicago Cubs first base coach Mike Napoli runs onto the field in the first inning against the White Sox at Wrigley Field, May 3, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“I know the game of baseball, but actually being able to teach it and get into the players’ heads and try to help them out, I’ve been learning,” Napoli told the Tribune. “I’m trying to pick my spots to getting the message out. It’s a little different than when I played.“It’s been a learning experience, but I think I’m growing every day to become better as a coach.”One aspect of coaching that has surprised Napoli is the amount of hours spent at the ballpark. As a player, Napoli didn’t realize how much time coaches put in daily: “Shoot, coaches are underpaid,” he added with a laugh.The long hours are a worthwhile investment for Napoli, both in his desire to help Cubs players improve and his long-term career goal to become a major-league manager.“I’ve always wanted to manage, but I knew I was going to have to take the steps to learn,” Napoli said. “I’m always up for that. I always want to make myself the best I possibly can. I don’t know everything about this game. I’m going to learn new stuff every day.”AdvertisementNapoli’s big-league résumé made him an attractive addition to the coaching staff, and he had garnered attention from other teams before committing to the Cubs. Over a 12-year career with four organizations, Napoli made an All-Star team, appeared in three World Series — winning a title with Ross on the 2013 Red Sox — while producing a career .246/.346/.475 line with 267 home runs and 117 OPS+ as a catcher-turned-first baseman/designated hitter.“He’s got a really good reputation in the game,” Ross said. “He’s done a lot and he’s somebody that, one, we have history together, we’re friends, but he’s also somebody that carries a lot of weight when it comes to experience in this game. That goes a long way in the dugout with the players.”Napoli is one of six among the Cubs’ field staff with major-league playing experience, joining Ross, bench coach Andy Green, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, third base coach Willie Harris and assistant pitching coach Daniel Moskos.Chicago Cubs first base coach Mike Napoli warms his helmet during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Wrigley Field, April 18, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)“They know how hard the game is, they know the league,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told the Tribune. “They relate a little bit better to them and I think it’s important to have a mix of those guys on the staff. You don’t want a full staff of guys like that. You also don’t want to have an entire staff made up of guys that won’t necessarily understand what these (players) are going through.“Rossy and the people that were around (Napoli), everyone spoke so highly of not only was he a great teammate, but a great base runner, really paid attention and focused on things and he’s got a real presence about him.”After spending his first two seasons as a quality assurance coach, the Cubs moved Napoli to first base coach and shifted Craig Driver, who had filled that role since 2020, into the dugout as their game strategy and catching coach prior to the 2022 season.AdvertisementThe Cubs felt the change upgraded both areas and played to each coach’s strengths. Base running instruction is among Napoli’s duties.“It’s given him accountability, fire, does his homework on the pitcher, does the small little things you have to do on the opposing team that has made him even more invested in the guys,” Ross said. “Because he wants all of them to have success and tries to create friendships with all those guys.”Napoli is enjoying his new role. He admitted he was getting worn out by his previous position and didn’t have much to do in the dugout during games.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.“I felt like I was turning into a psychologist,” Napoli said. “I was trying to talk people down, like, ‘Bro, everything’s OK.’ It just turned into that kind of thing. But being out there now, every time having something to do, to worry about and have my own area, it’s been awesome.”Veteran catcher Yan Gomes and Napoli were Cleveland teammates in 2016 when they ultimately lost to the Cubs in the World Series. Gomes describes Napoli as a quiet, intense guy who loves baseball. He isn’t surprised by Napoli’s transition to the coaching side. Even then, six years ago, Gomes envisioned Napoli going this route.Chicago Cubs first base coach Mike Napoli stands on the field in the first inning against the White Sox at Wrigley Field, May 3, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“He’s definitely putting in the work and is wanting to get better at it, which really has been his M.O. his whole career,” Gomes said. “He’s done a tremendous job. He just has to figure it out a little bit of being a mentor and a coach, but for me, he doesn’t have to change who he was with me in 2016.”AdvertisementNapoli generally considers himself a chill, laid-back guy. Maybe that sounds surprising given the “Party at Napoli’s” moniker that gained attention during Cleveland’s run to the World Series. A fan created a sign with the phrase in April 2016, inspired by Napoli’s celebration style after winning the title in 2013. The sign caught Napoli’s and the team’s attention, which turned into an official t-shirt with proceeds reaching more than $200,000 donated to the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.Whether it’s bonding over card games or putting in long days at the ballpark, Napoli is embracing his role with the Cubs.“I did like to have fun off the field, I mean, I think everyone knows that,” Napoli said. “But I think that’s where you get to know your teammates, and I always like bringing people together. Sometimes we get a little cliquey in the clubhouse. If it was off the field, you want to have a party or do whatever, it was that. But people become closer when you get away from the field.“In this game people are tough on themselves, so that demeanor hopefully helps people relax a little bit.”