About That 4th Inning

The balance I have to strike this morning is that I don’t want to go way over-the-top in my criticism of David Ross just because he has generally not given me many opportunities to criticize in his managerial career so far. I don’t want it to feel like – or me to give into – a sense of, “OH MAN I HAVE A SHOT NOW!” Because I want to just talk about the situation, as it stands, and evaluate.

On the flip side, I don’t want to hold back too much on a particular situation just because Ross has, almost across the board, been an excellent rookie-ish manager so far in my view. It would be easy to wave my hand at last night as a one-off, and say that Ross is usually spot on, he has more information than I do, so let’s move on.

I remember running into this balance early on in the Joe Maddon years, because I knew Maddon was an exceptional manager, and I knew that there were things informing his decisions that I wasn’t going to have access to. So, for a long while, I would beg off of harsh criticism and say that Maddon knows what he’s doing, he knows more than I do, there was probably a good reason, etc., etc. And to be sure, Maddon didn’t really do a lot of stuff that ticked me off or that I thought was flat wrong. Eventually, it wasn’t an appeal to authority, it was just, well, he usually did the right stuff.

In time, though, there were enough Maddon decisions made where I felt like I did have a good sense of what was informing his moves like that or like this, and I could more confidently assert where I think he’d flubbed.

With David Ross, we don’t quite have that same track record yet – both for his managerial career, and also for our close exposure to him in charge of the Cubs, specifically. So I’ll freely admit there could be idiosyncrasies in his managerial style that I’ll pick up in the coming years, and which will shape any of my criticisms (or make me back off certain kinds of criticisms). And, like with Maddon, as I said at the top, Ross simply hasn’t provided a lot of opportunities for me to even start to think about whether I’m missing something or whether Ross just really screwed up. It’s a compliment!

But I’m writing this morning for a reason. Obviously.

It sure felt like Ross screwed up last night in the 4th inning of the Cubs’ loss to the Mets. Significantly, and with several opportunities to correct course. I was really, really hot in the moment. I’ve cooled quite a bit since then – hey, we’re all fanatics here, so you know how we are – but I still feel like the screw-up lingers.

Here’s the game situation as best we know it, observing from the outside:

1.) Down a couple starting pitchers, the Cubs had to lean on Triple-A reliever Robert Stock to come up and start last night. He’d posted back-to-back four-inning “starts” at Iowa recently, so it was absolutely reasonable to hope he could give you four innings, but it was more realistic – given the way big leaguers grind a guy differently and the way a guy hypes himself differently – to expect three innings, tops.

2.) The Cubs aren’t just down starting pitchers. They’ve also received so many of the shortest starting outings in baseball, which has left their bullpen *heavily* used in general, particularly among their best and most reliable relievers.

3.) Stock was wild all night, lacking competitive pitches for most of his outing, and had already allowed three runs through his first three innings. He had thrown 53 high-stress pitches at that point.

4.) Jacob deGrom, who’d been perfect through three innings, left the game. Anthony Rizzo homered against his replacement to make it a 3-1 game heading into the bottom of the 4th.

5.) Stock came back out for the 4th and threw four straight balls to the leadoff hitter, not remotely close to the zone, and the last of which was a 91.9 mph fastball (from a guy who sits 98+).

6.) Stock was then permitted to give up a five-pitch single, a five-pitch walk (to the opposing pitcher who was trying to bunt), a rocket lineout, and then another four-pitch walk – all wild – to score a run. Only then did the Cubs get Cory Abbott up in the bullpen, far too late to actually do anything about the disaster that had unfolded.

7.) Stock got a groundout to score another run, and then got a generous strike three call solidly off the plate to end the inning. The Cubs trailed 5-1 at that point, Stock was at 79 pitches, and it could’ve been much, much worse.

OK. So, to me – and seemingly everyone watching – it was MAYBE defensible to let Stock start that inning, but a four-pitch, completely-wild, velocity-decimated walk to open the inning set off all the alarm bells. Stock was done, and needed to be pulled. But no one was even up in the bullpen, and didn’t even get up until FOUR BATTERS LATER. None of that was defensible.

Still, I wanted to hear David Ross’s explanation after the game to at least put some context on it. Not that I expected there to be a great explanation – I was pretty sure I knew what he’d say – but I was still disappointed.

“I’m thinking we’ve got to get some more innings out of the starters,” said David Ross of his thinking in the fourth inning, per NBCSC. “I can’t in a down game run to the guys that are going to be the back end when we’re winning. When we’re tied or ahead it’s a little easier to go to the guys that have had success. We’ve ridden them pretty hard when we’ve had the lead. Putting extra miles on them in a 162-game season when we’ve already ridden them pretty hard, doesn’t make a lot of sense …. Some days you’ve got to just let some guys try to figure it out and hope for the best, to be honest with you.”

Ross seems to be saying that, at 3-1, and with the Mets having to go to their bullpen in the 4th inning, the game was already over, barring some miracle. So, no sense in using someone else for the 4th inning, and instead the better strategy was to “hope for the best” from Stock, a guy who threw four straight extremely wild pitches to open the inning, and had seen his velocity crater. In a two-run game that deGrom had just left after three innings.

Let me offer some agreement: it wouldn’t have made sense to go to, say, Ryan Tepera there in the 4th inning. Agreed. That’s definitely a “long haul” consideration. But there’s a huge gap between “go to their setup men in the 4th inning” and “let a minor league reliever who has zero control and has lost velocity just eat it.”

So let’s talk about that. What was actually available to Ross in that moment? I know the bullpen has been heavily used this year, but I’m not sure I would say they were overly taxed recently. Here are your reliever situations as of last night:

⇒ Cory Abbott had thrown 6.0 innings three days earlier, but was called up to back-fill and ultimately threw two innings.

⇒ Andrew Chafin hadn’t pitched in four days, and just once in the past week.

⇒ Ryan Tepera hadn’t pitched in three days, and just twice in the past week.

⇒ Tommy Nance hadn’t pitched the night before, and was ultimately able to throw two innings.

⇒ Dan Winkler had pitched the night before, but that was his first appearance in three days.

⇒ Keegan Thompson had pitched two innings the night before and was probably down, but that appearance was his first in five days.

⇒ Rex Brothers had pitched two nights in a row, and was down, ideally.

⇒ Craig Kimbrel hadn’t pitched in three days, but had pitched every game in that Cardinals series. Him being down until a late-game situation, tied or ahead, is fine by me.

Do I understand why you’d want to stay away from most of those guys when trailing? Absolutely. But do I see in that group a reason to punt a 3-1 game, and risk injury to a guy like Stock, who had *nothing* in the 4th? Do I see a reason not to even get a guy *up* after the first batter in the 4th when it was clear Stock was gassed? No and no. I mean, the Cubs wound up getting Abbott warm late in the inning anyway!

If you’re trailing on the road, you might have to cover only 8.0 innings total. And if it becomes 9.0 innings, hey, good news! That means you tied the game or took the lead! So the approach really should’ve been getting three innings out of Stock, and when he gave you those three innings and you were suddenly in the game with deGrom leaving? The approach should’ve been, OK, let’s try to keep this thing close for another couple innings and see what happens against this Mets bullpen. To me, that meant bringing in Abbott for the 4th and 5th innings, because then, if the game is out of reach, you can TRULY punt it without hurting your bullpen. But if the game tightened up further? You’re gonna WANT to use those late-inning relievers!

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

There really was no reason for Stock to pitch that 4th inning. It risked injury, it risked completely giving the game away, and there was no reasonable expectation that he could give you a strong inning at that point. Just because you may have predetermined that you wanted four innings out of him does not justify how that 4th inning actually played out. What would the cost have been in going to Abbott at that point, and seeing where things stood two innings later? Zero. The cost would’ve been zero. And the Cubs might’ve had a much better chance to come back (to say nothing of making the Mets use THEIR better relievers throughout the rest of the game).

I do have an appreciation for (1) how hard these decisions are to make in the moment, (2) how many factors go into the decision beyond “how do I best get the next out?”, and (3) how much more information Ross has about his pitchers. I will grant that it is possible, if I knew absolutely everything Ross does about his team and the situation, I would’ve proceeded exactly as he did.

But, since I don’t get to know everything he knows, and since I’m here to provide my thoughts on what we’re able to see and hear on the outside, that’s what I’ve done. Last night felt like a big, unnecessary whiff in a game that seemed unwinnable before it began, became winnable, and then was artificially made unwinnable again.

  • catimg

    cubs

  • catimg

    bears

  • catimg

    bulls

  • catimg

    blackhawks

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

Cubs Reportedly Eyeing Justin Turner As They Wait on Alex Bregman

As discussed this morning, even if the Chicago Cubs aren't going to make any more major offseason additions to the roster, you didn't get the sense from the front office press conference, or from Craig Counsell's, that the Cubs are ruling out additional bullpen or bench moves. To that end, Justin Turner is reportedly a possibility: https://bsky.app/profile/ken-rosenthal.bsky.social/post/3lhubjjk5ec2w Two things on that, broadly speaking: 1.) The Cubs have had reported interest...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

It Begins: Javier Assad and Brandon Birdsell Dealing With Ailments

Ah, here we go. You can't act like it's not just the normal course of things. This is par for the course, unhappy-making though it may be. When Spring Training opens, two things can happen with respect to pitcher injuries: (1) we find out that a guy was feeling something a few weeks ago and isn't throwing yet, and/or (2) a guy starts stepping up his throwing progression and feels...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

Craig Counsell Speaks: Bullpen Usage, Shaw’s Position, Prospect Impact, Arm Readiness, More

With Spring Training here, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell met with the media to discuss the start of his second year at the helm of the team. I've embedded the full press conference below, and just watched while taking notes. Things Counsell said, paraphrased: Ready and eager to get started, and glad to be the first organization to get started. Feels like the team is in a good place to...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025
Cubs playoff odds

The Magnitude of the Unfriendly Confines at Wrigley Field

Stray ballpark note from Ken Rosenthal in his latest, perhaps yielding a grateful Red Sox org: "One potential negative for Bregman if he chooses the Cubs or Detroit Tigers: Chicago’s Wrigley Field has been the third-most difficult park for right-handed hitters the past three seasons and Detroit’s Comerica Park the eighth-most difficult, according to Statcast. Boston’s Fenway Park has been fourth-best for right-handed hitters, Toronto’s Rogers Centre seventh-best, Houston’s Daikin...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

An Extra Group of Chicago Cubs Prospects to Know Heading Into 2025

After the release of their top-30 Chicago Cubs prospects going into the 2025 season (discussed last week here), Baseball America went a little deeper on each org, adding another 10 prospects to know in the Cubs' system. I loved this read in large part because BA threw out a number of pitchers who aren't discussed all that often, and whom the Cubs could really use having a breakout this year...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
Feb 10, 2025
Alex Bregman

Should Cubs Use the Rest of Their Budget Now, or Later at the Trade Deadline?

Yesterday at The Athletic, Patrick Mooney wrote: "For the Cubs to sign (Alex) Bregman, he would probably have to lower his expectations from a six- or seven-year deal to a shorter-term contract structure with opt-out clauses." And privately, I can tell you that I've heard something similar. From what I gather, the Cubs' role in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes is almost exclusively as an alternative to the contract structure he's...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

The Milwaukee Brewers Will Honor Bob Uecker on Their Uniforms This Season

Not that I'm in the business of giving props to the Milwaukee Brewers, but I had to nod in their direction for the very good decision to honor Bob Uecker all season with a patch on their uniform. The long-time baseball man, broadcaster, and entertainer passed away last month, and the Brewers already stand ready to honor him. I respect it. And it looks good, too: For Ueck 💙 pic.twitter.com/gvyQSAriwx—...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

Are the Cubs Finished Making Moves? The Front Office Speaks

Good luck getting Cubs President Jed Hoyer or Cubs GM Carter Hawkins to firmly commit to anything about the roster at a press conference. But I understand that the questions have to be asked, and the information in response, however thin, has to be shared. Having watched the full spring kick-off press conference with Hoyer and Hawkins (embedded below), here are the quick notes on anything transaction related: The Cubs...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 10, 2025

Imanaga in Japan, Hoerner and Shortstop, Suzuki and DH, First Day, and Other Cubs Bullets

That game confirmed that the biggest sports moment of the day was Cubs pitchers and catchers reporting. We knew it from the jump. Speaking of the game, owing to its timing, I must confess that I was not able to cover the spring opener press conferences from the front office and from Craig Counsell like I normally would (why would you schedule those for immediately before the Super Bowl?!), but...

catimg
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
Feb 09, 2025

The Catchers Part of Pitchers and Catchers, Morning Arrivals, and Other Cubs Bullets

Super Bowl prediction: nachos and ice cream and stiff-arming kids that demand my attention. Spring Training officially begins today, with Cubs pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Arizona. Of course, the majority of them have been in Mesa working already for a long time, but we have to set the "official" line somewhere. So we set it today, and we say welcome to the 2025 Cubs season. Among the catchers...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 10, 2025
bears Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams Already Has an Offseason Improvement Plan in Place

If you watched Super Bowl LIX and wondered what it would take for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears to reach the mountaintop, know you are not alone. The day after the Super Bowl always puts me in a reflective headspace. I think about what the Bears did well, explore options for improving their roster, consider what dead weight could be cut from the team, and more. Paths to improvement...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 10, 2025
Ryan Poles bears Ben Johnson

2025 Chicago Bears Offseason Preview: Cap Space, Team Needs, Draft Picks, More

The NFL’s “legal tampering” period opens one month from today. And with it, the beginning of the league's transactional period. But before we get to that point, let's assess where the Chicago Bears are heading into the new league year. Chicago Bears salary cap update The Bears are $62,968,403 under the cap, according to OverTheCap.com. That represents the sixth-most space among NFL teams. Only the Los Angeles Chargers ($63.409M), Arizona Cardinals ($71.333M), Washington Commanders...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
Feb 10, 2025
Jalen Hurts Eagles

Super Bowl LIX Thoughts: Fangio Shines, Hurts Silences, Mahomes and the Chiefs Aren’t Going Anywhere, More

This time yesterday, the only thing standing in the way of history for the Kansas City Chiefs was 60 minutes of football. By the end of the evening, it turned out that a brick wall in the form of the Philadelphia Eagles was waiting for Kansas City. The concern level wasn't very high when it was 10-0 Philadelphia. After all, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes found themselves in a familiar...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 10, 2025
bears quarterback Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears 2025 Schedule: Here Is Who They’ll Play Next Year

If you are already looking forward to next year, then you are in the right place. And if you already have your eyes on what is next for the Chicago Bears, then just know that I can't blame you one bit because I feel similarly. After all, anything feels possible after watching the Philadelphia Eagles de-throne the Kansas City Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday. But if the Bears are going...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Matt Rooney
Feb 10, 2025

2025 NFL Mock Draft: First Post-Super Bowl Mock Has New Top Overall Pick, Bears Miss Out On Top OL

The Philadelphia Eagles are officially Super Bowl Champions! With the NFL season officially over, it's time to turn our attention to the offseason. What better way to do that than with a 2025 NFL Mock Draft? The NFL Draft order is officially set (except for the compensatory picks that will be announced later), let's get to our latest mock as the offseason is officially underway. 2025 NFL Mock Draft Mandatory...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 10, 2025
vic fangio super bowl eagles bears

Vic Fangio’s Time to Shine, Kendrick vs. Drake Beef Explained, New Scorebug, Grade Tom Brady, and Other Super Bowl Hangover Bullets

It's Day 36 of the Chicago Bears offseason. A new Super Bowl champion was crowned on Sunday, and I have thoughts about what transpired at the Superdome in New Orleans. Super Bowl LIX was reminiscent of Super Bowl XX in many ways. Both games were played in New Orleans in the Superdome. Both games were won by NFC teams beating an AFC opponent whose string of good fortune came to...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 09, 2025
When channel is the Super Bowl on

Super Bowl LIX: Chiefs vs. Eagles – Lineups, Inactives, How to Watch, More

Finally! Super Bowl Sunday is HERE! That always-harrowing bye week is over. And it is just about time to find out the answers to all of our burning questions. What song will Kendrick Lamar play first? How many Taylor Swift cutaways will FOX have in stock? And who will reign supreme between the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles? There is so much star...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 09, 2025
trey smith chiefs bears

Four Super Bowl Participants Who Make Sense as Bears Free Agent Targets

The sooner Super Bowl LIX ends, the sooner we can throw ourselves fully into what figures to be another fascinating offseason for the Chicago Bears. Perhaps Sunday's showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will feature some players who are future Bears. And maybe the addition of one (or two) of these players could one day elevate Chicago's football team to Super Bowl glory. We have got a...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 09, 2025
Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Finds a Way to Make Super Bowl Sunday All About Him

Death. Taxes. And Aaron Rodgers attempting to steal the spotlight because no one is talking about him. Those are life's three guarantees. I'm sorry you had to hear it from me, but I'd rather you learn about it here than somewhere else. Today is Super Bowl Sunday. It is a day in which we shouldn't be thinking about Aaron Rodgers. And yet, Aaron Rodgers news always finds a way to...

catimg
Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
Feb 09, 2025
Caleb Williams bears quarterback - Bears playoff odds

More Virginia McCaskey Tributes, Bears Best Plays, NFL Rumors, Ref Favoritism? And Other Super Bowl Sunday Bullets

It's Day 35 of the Chicago Bears offseason. As a pretzel lover, this recipe from my friend Jim looks like a perfect Super Bowl snack — and it can be made in less than an hour! Let's start this Super Bowl set of BN Bears Bullets with another touching tribute to Virginia Halas McCaskey: https://youtu.be/N2PHv4OsEvM?si=smwpibeY84OPfXIO What a well-done job by the Bears multi-media team. The folks on that stuff deserve...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 10, 2025

The Rightful Owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves Has Finally Been Announced

After nearly a year-long battle, the Minnesota Timberwolves will have a new owner. ESPN's Shams Charania announced on Monday afternoon that arbitrators have ruled in favor of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in the sale of the Timberwolves franchise. The announcement comes after now-former-owner Glen Taylor attempted to halt the purchase after a multi-year-long process. Rodriguez and Lore will now have to be approved officially by the NBA's Board of...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 10, 2025

The Bulls Lottery Odds Have Slightly Improved in Recent Weeks, Can It Continue?

Arturas Karnisovas may not want to admit it, but the Chicago Bulls sure look the part of a rebuilding team. Not only did they part ways with their best offensive weapon at the NBA trade deadline, but they have comfortably been one of the NBA's worst teams since mid-January. The Bulls have won only four of their 15 games since January 12, and they have held the league's third-worst net...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
Feb 10, 2025

The Bulls Get a Great Look This Week At Why a Rebuild Can be Worth It

It's a short week for the Chicago Bulls and a weird one at that. There are just two games before the NBA All-Star break begins on Thursday, and they're both at home against the Detroit Pistons. I think it's a little bit ironic that the Pistons are coming to town after another trade deadline that probably wasn't as active as it should have been. Granted, Detroit's rebuild has taken a...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 10, 2025
Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls, Warriors trade target

Resetting Expectations, Some Nikola Vucevic Concerns, Great Nate Robinson News, and Other Bulls Bullets

The NFL season has officially come to an (unceremonious) end, and you know what that means ... IT IS OFFICIALLY BASKETBALL SEASON, BABY! All-Star Weekend, superstars on new teams, a tight race in the West, and Matas Buzelis' historic second-half Rookie of the Year run! What more could you ask for? In all seriousness, while I think there are MANY captivating NBA storylines to follow over the next few months,...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 09, 2025

A Perfect Tank Loss, A Great Matas Buzelis Performance, Coby White’s Free Throws, and Other Bulls Bullets

Is Billy Donovan actually an elite tanker? Catching up with some long-time friends on Saturday night, good-guy co-worker Matt took the game off my hands. With that being the case, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I glanced down at the gamecast to see the Bulls up 24 points and seemingly in complete control. Were the Warriors really going to start the Jimmy Butler era with an embarrassing...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
Feb 08, 2025

Box Score & Player Grades: Warriors 132, Bulls 111 – February 8, 2025

I just don't have any clue what to expect from this Bulls team. I came into tonight expecting Jimmy Butler to go off and the Warriors to control the game en route to an easy win. Not exactly what we saw in this one! Well, at least in the first half. After a bit of a meh first few minutes from the Bulls, we saw a fantastic finish to the...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
Feb 08, 2025
Chicago Bulls

Pre-Gamin’: Warriors at Bulls (7:00 CT) – Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

Jimmy Butler is back at the United Center! https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2025/02/07/jimmy-butler-debut-0207/ Game Info Golden State Warriors (25-26) at Chicago Bulls (22-30) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Ayo Dosunmu Josh Giddey Patrick Williams Nikola Vucevic Golden State Warriors Steph Curry Buddy Hield Jimmy Butler Draymond Green Quinten Post © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as a 6-point...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 08, 2025

Meet the Chicago Bulls’ Newbies (and Other Bulls Bullets)

It only feels right that the Chicago Bulls' first game after the trade deadline will pit them against the new-look Golden State Warriors. After weeks upon weeks of rumors connecting the Western Conference squad to Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, they snubbed the Bulls in favor of their former franchise centerpiece. I'm sure most of us expected Butler to come out motivated, but kicking off this new era where it...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
Feb 07, 2025

So the Bulls Are Rebuilding, Right? Here is Arturas Karnisovas’ Answer

Chicago Bulls fans didn't get many answers at this trade deadline, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. Confronted with a seemingly confused group of local reporters on Thursday afternoon, Arturas Karnisovas was pressed about the organization's philosophy. He fielded repeated questions about their failure to accumulate additional assets and the franchise's sense of urgency to improve their lottery odds ahead of a wildly praised 2025 NBA Draft. The...

catimg
Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
Feb 07, 2025
Jimmy Butler Intro Warriors

Of Course Jimmy Butler is Expected to Make His Warriors Debut in Chicago

In a twist of fate that will only further irk Bulls fans, Jimmy Butler is expected to make his Warriors debut on Saturday night at the United Center. Butler, of course, was traded by the Heat to the Warriors a night before the trade deadline. He also agreed to a two-year, $121 million contract extension with Golden State shortly after the deal was announced. https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1887698672286376408 Jimmy Butler's Return A Stark...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 10, 2025
Sam Rinzel University of Minnesota

Blackhawks Prospect Sam Rinzel On Areas of Improvement, the Hobey Baker, Turning Pro, More

It's bye week(s) time for the Chicago Blackhawks, so let's catch up with some of the team's prospects. I had a chance to chat with Minnesota's Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel about how they feel their seasons are going, where they've improved, winning at the World Junior Championship and more. The guys were great to chat with. I'll have more from Moore later, but wanted to start with Rinzel. When...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 10, 2025
Lukas Reichel Chicago Blackhawks

Intrigue, Questions, Hope Surround Blackhawks 2020 NHL Draft Class

As we continue to focus on the Blackhawks' rebuild, it's important to recognize that there were some pieces in the cupboard before the organ-I-zation changed general managers. And one of the draft classes that's stacking up to be one of the more intriguing in the immediate future took place at one of the most awkward times in the history of the NHL. Because of the COVID pandemic, the 2020 NHL...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 10, 2025
Teuvo Teravainen Chicago Blackhawks

Teuvo Teräväinen Appreciation, Del Mastro to Rockford, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Chicago Blackhawks have but one representative heading to the 4 Nations Face-Off this week. Teuvo Teräväinen will skate for Finland. So, with no Blackhawks anything happening for the next week or so outside of those games and with the Super Bowl overwhelming the sports world yesterday, let's take a moment to chat about the return of Turbo this season. A great zone entry from the Foligno line leads to...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 09, 2025
Connor Bedard Ryan Donato Teuvo Teravainen Chicago Blackhawks

Consistent Bedard, More Donato, Where are the Young D? Prospect Highlights, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks closed their pre-break schedule with another tough loss. They were really good in the first period... and then the wheels seemingly fell off in the second (again). The second period has been an issue for the Blackhawks all season, but this was like they decided to splice a period of the game tape from the Florida game into the middle of an otherwise solid performance. Connor Bedard goes...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 08, 2025
Alec Martinez Craig Smith Seth Jones Lukas Reichel Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 5, Blues 6 (SO) — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

Remember when the Blackhawks played the Blues outdoors almost six weeks ago and it didn't go very well. That game has been sitting in the minds of the guys who played in it since then. Frank Nazar mentioned payback after the game on Friday night in Chicago. And the opening 20 minutes looked like the Blackhawks had something in store for the Blues. Two goals 38 seconds apart staked the...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 08, 2025
Alex Vlasic Chicago Blackhawks 2025 Winter Classic

Blackhawks at Blues — Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

The Blackhawks close out their schedule before the 4 Nations Face-Off break in St. Louis -- and they'll be wearing their Winter Classic look (big fan of red on the road). Here's hoping the guys in the room feel like they owe the Blues a game because the last time they wore these jerseys against them it was the pathetic display at Wrigley Field. Broadcast Info Puck Drop: 6:00 PM CTTV...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 08, 2025
Ryan Donato Alex Vlasic Chicago Blackhawks

Donato’s Hot, Pond Hockey Claps Back, Slaggert’s a Dog, Lardis Hits 50, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

“He’s hotter than burnt toast.” That's how Seth Jones described Ryan Donato after his first career four-point game last night. Donato has been so good all year; his work ethic is precisely what you want young players to emulate when they get to the NHL. Seeing him get the rewards in the box score for working his ass off is great. But it presents a tough decision for the Blackhawks'...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 07, 2025
Pat Maroon Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 6, Predators 2 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

The first seven minutes of this game were melatonin on ice. But then Alex Vlasic made something happen and the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead... which they held for a whopping 19 seconds. Thankfully, the Blackhawks got the lead back almost exactly six minutes later and held onto it until the end of the first period. The Blackhawks killed a penalty to open the second period and cashed in on...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 07, 2025
Ethan Del Mastro Frank Nazar Alec Martinez Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks vs Predators — Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

The Blackhawks have two games -- in two days -- left before the 4 Nations Face-Off break and things got a lot harder with the loss of Jason Dickinson on Wednesday night. Both games are against struggling division rivals, so we'll see if the Hawks can put together a full 60-minute game tonight and get a win against a Predators team that's massively underwhelming after a big summer. Broadcast Info...

catimg
Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
Feb 07, 2025
Connor Bedard Nick Foligno

Life Without Dickinson, the Plan in Net, Wirtz on McCaskey, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks play their final home game before the two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tonight with the Nashville Predators in town. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will have to face a team that, despite their awful record, is still offensively gifted with names like Stamkos and Forsberg out there. And the Blackhawks will have to do it without Jason Dickinson. We got some relatively encouraging news on Dickinson on Thursday,...

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation. You can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation, on Bluesky at @Brett-Taylor, and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

Cubs Reportedly Eyeing Justin Turner As They Wait on Alex Bregman

As discussed this morning, even if the Chicago Cubs aren't going to make any more major offseason additions to the roster, you didn't get the sense from the front office press conference, or from Craig Counsell's, that the Cubs are...

Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 12, Pirates 0 – September 4, 2024

WHAT A GAME. In case you missed it, the Chicago Cubs just tossed the second combined no-hitter in franchise history, with Shota Imanaga (The Ankin Law "Making it Personal" Player of the Game, of course) doing the bulk of the...

It Begins: Javier Assad and Brandon Birdsell Dealing With Ailments

Ah, here we go. You can't act like it's not just the normal course of things. This is par for the course, unhappy-making though it may be. When Spring Training opens, two things can happen with respect to pitcher injuries:...

Craig Counsell Speaks: Bullpen Usage, Shaw’s Position, Prospect Impact, Arm Readiness, More

With Spring Training here, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell met with the media to discuss the start of his second year at the helm of the team. I've embedded the full press conference below, and just watched while taking notes....

The Magnitude of the Unfriendly Confines at Wrigley Field

Stray ballpark note from Ken Rosenthal in his latest, perhaps yielding a grateful Red Sox org: "One potential negative for Bregman if he chooses the Cubs or Detroit Tigers: Chicago’s Wrigley Field has been the third-most difficult park for right-handed...

An Extra Group of Chicago Cubs Prospects to Know Heading Into 2025

After the release of their top-30 Chicago Cubs prospects going into the 2025 season (discussed last week here), Baseball America went a little deeper on each org, adding another 10 prospects to know in the Cubs' system. I loved this...

Should Cubs Use the Rest of Their Budget Now, or Later at the Trade Deadline?

Yesterday at The Athletic, Patrick Mooney wrote: "For the Cubs to sign (Alex) Bregman, he would probably have to lower his expectations from a six- or seven-year deal to a shorter-term contract structure with opt-out clauses." And privately, I can...

The Milwaukee Brewers Will Honor Bob Uecker on Their Uniforms This Season

Not that I'm in the business of giving props to the Milwaukee Brewers, but I had to nod in their direction for the very good decision to honor Bob Uecker all season with a patch on their uniform. The long-time...

Are the Cubs Finished Making Moves? The Front Office Speaks

Good luck getting Cubs President Jed Hoyer or Cubs GM Carter Hawkins to firmly commit to anything about the roster at a press conference. But I understand that the questions have to be asked, and the information in response, however...

Imanaga in Japan, Hoerner and Shortstop, Suzuki and DH, First Day, and Other Cubs Bullets

That game confirmed that the biggest sports moment of the day was Cubs pitchers and catchers reporting. We knew it from the jump. Speaking of the game, owing to its timing, I must confess that I was not able to...

Latest News

Middle Tennessee vs Western Kentucky Women’s College Basketball Odds and Prediction – February 15

The Middle Tennessee Raiders (18-6) will try to build on a six-game win streak when they host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (17-6) on February 15, 2025 at Murphy Center.Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 15, 2025Time:...

Kansas vs Iowa State Women’s College Basketball Odds and Prediction – February 15

The Kansas Jayhawks (14-10) will try to end a three-game losing streak when they host the Iowa State Cyclones (17-9) on February 15, 2025 at Allen Fieldhouse.Kansas vs. Iowa State NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 15, 2025Time: 5:00 PM ETWhere:...

Eastern Washington vs Idaho Women’s College Basketball Odds and Prediction – February 15

The Eastern Washington Eagles (9-15) host the Idaho Vandals (16-7) in Big Sky play at Reese Court, beginning at 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, February 15, 2025.Eastern Washington vs. Idaho NCAA Game InfoDate: Saturday, February 15, 2025Time: 4:00 PM ETWhere:...

Svitolina vs. Pegula Prediction at the WTA Doha, Qatar – Tuesday, February 11

In a match scheduled for Tuesday, Jessica Pegula (No. 5 in rankings) will meet Elina Svitolina (No. 22) in the Round of 32 at the WTA Doha, Qatar.Pegula is favored (-175) in this matchup, compared to the underdog Svitolina, who...

Rybakina vs. Stearns Prediction at the WTA Doha, Qatar – Tuesday, February 11

In the Round of 32 at the WTA Doha, Qatar on Tuesday, Peyton Stearns (ranked No. 47) takes on Elena Rybakina (No. 7).Rybakina is getting -526 odds to beat Stearns (+360).WTA Doha, Qatar InfoTournament: The WTA Doha, QatarRound: Round of...

Zheng vs. Jabeur Prediction at the WTA Doha, Qatar – Tuesday, February 11

Ons Jabeur (No. 35) will meet Qinwen Zheng (No. 8) in the Round of 32 at the WTA Doha, Qatar on Tuesday, February 11.Against the underdog Jabeur (+105), Zheng is favored (-135) to advance.WTA Doha, Qatar InfoTournament: The WTA Doha,...

van Assche vs. Bonzi Prediction at the Open 13 Provence – Tuesday, February 11

Benjamin Bonzi (No. 64) will meet Luca van Assche (No. 164) in the Round of 32 at the Open 13 Provence on Tuesday, February 11.In this match versus van Assche (+190), Bonzi is favored to win with -250 odds.Open 13...

Sramkova vs. Andreeva Prediction at the WTA Doha, Qatar – Tuesday, February 11

On Tuesday, Mirra Andreeva (No. 15 in the world) faces Rebecca Sramkova (No. 46) in the Round of 32 at the WTA Doha, Qatar.Andreeva is favored (-450) in this match, compared to the underdog Sramkova, who is +310.WTA Doha, Qatar...

Chidekh vs. Bergs Prediction at the Open 13 Provence – Tuesday, February 11

In a match slated for Tuesday, Zizou Bergs (No. 62 in rankings) will meet Clement Chidekh (No. 189) in the Round of 32 at the Open 13 Provence.Bergs is getting -225 odds to beat Chidekh (+175).Open 13 Provence InfoTournament: The...

Argentina Open Schedule Wednesday, February 12: Matchups & TV/Live Stream Info

There are two matches at the Argentina Open on February 12, the best being No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev versus No. 81 Dusan Lajovic. The Tennis Channel provides live coverage and highlights of all the major moments across tournaments during Center...

more cubs news