Cubs Prospect Notes: International Draft, Wicks Four-Pitch Mix, More PCA Love, Alcántara, More

Get all the Tanner Scott jokes out of your system and then proceed to the part where the Chicago Cubs sign lots of guys on minor league deals, and this one has nothing to do with the Cubs whiffing on Scott this weekend. Suffice to say, they still have work to do on that front. The Cubs are reportedly signing reliever Trevor Richards to a minor league deal: The Cubs...

Yes. Yes. Yes. YES. This is excellent news, my friends. According to Jordan Bastian (Cubs.com), Cubs top pitching prospect Cade Horton has already resumed light throwing off a mound and "is on target for a normal Spring Training." YAHOOOOOOOOOO. Great News for Cade Horton That is HUGE, huge news. Sure, the Cubs may still elect to slowplay Horton to start the season (both for health/safety reasons, but also to limit...

Top Chicago Cubs prospect Matt Shaw was a heavy presence this weekend at the Cubs Convention, with the future big leaguer a prominent part of any conversation that didn't focus on Sammy Sosa or Kyle Tucker. That includes the front office panel, which spoke about the opportunity that Shaw has to win the third base job and run with it. The Cubs will want to have support around him, but...

At long last, the Toronto Blue Jays are no longer the bridesmaid. They are actually getting a guy they have wanted to sign for a while, and have another bat to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., at least for 2025. Jon Morosi reports that the Blue Jays are landing slugging outfielder Anthony Santander: Anthony Santander and Blue Jays are in agreement pending physical, sources say. @MLBNetwork— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January...

For years now - many, many years - it has felt like the Chicago Cubs were on the cusp of getting an All-Star Game. For one thing, they'd passed the 30-year mark since the last All-Star Game at Wrigley Field, and, what with 30 teams, that means lots of teams were double-dipping before the Cubs got their next one. For another thing, the renovations at Wrigley Field were truly impressive...

Pete Crow-Armstrong is fast. Very fast. In fact, according to the Statcast sprint speed metric, he's roughly tied as the second fastest runner in all of baseball behind Bobby Witt Jr. (and Witt has just 0.4 feet/second on him). For a little reference on how small of a gap that is, the second fastest Cubs runner according to Statcast, Nico Hoerner, is 1.6 feet per second slower than PCA, and...

The Little Boy is a big Minecraft fan, and yesterday he showed me something he's been working on for a long time: dude made a baseball stadium, complete with players on the field, clubhouses, and stands for the fans. Really impressive stuff, and a lot of fun. ... the only problem is that he made the Padres' ballpark, because he fancies himself a Padres fan. At least it's not the...

I have nothing but hatred in my heart for the Dodgers. I don't care where it comes from, whether it's justified, or what it says about me or the team I follow. I just f---ing hate the Dodgers. Top free agent reliever, Tanner Scott, is the latest to join the Los Angeles Super Team of Cowards Who Don't Want to Compete on a Real Team: Closer Tanner Scott and the...

CubsCon draws to a close today, and although the revelations were limited, it was definitely a weekend of positive vibes ... nice to see ... Nico Hoerner spoke about his offseason, but there wasn't much to update yet on his recovery from forearm surgery in October: https://bsky.app/profile/mmontemurro.bsky.social/post/3lg2cbplmqk2v If Hoerner isn't even throwing or hitting yet, it's still on the table that he won't be ready to go for the Japan...

With the Chicago Cubs Convention going on, team owner and chairman Tom Ricketts hopped on 670 The Score today, and was also quoted extensively in a piece at The Athletic. I wanted to spotlight some of the financial remarks, as those are the ones where Ricketts necessarily has an outsized role in the organization ... This is the one that seems to be getting the most play: Tom Ricketts on...

Ben Johnson's hiring by the Chicago Bears isn't officially official just yet. However, we can add the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs to the list of reputable reporters sharing the news that it is on the cusp of officially happening. Biggs reports (via Twitter/X) that Johnson is expected to make his way to Chicago on Tuesday, sign his contract, and begin his tenure as the Bears' head coach. Things have accelerated...

The Ben Johnson to the Bears stuff isn't officially official just yet. But when NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero is breaking the news, you can consider it to be a done deal. And once it does become official, Johnson's next step will be hiring a new staff. There is heavy lifting to be done, but I don't think he would take this job in Chicago thinking that there wasn't work...

It's happening. According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, Ben Johnson will be the Chicago Bears' next head coach once the two sides finalize a deal. Other league insiders are reporting it, too. This is bonkers: https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1881440007644385435 https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1881440006486761761 https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1881440239933337993 https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/1881440118009164082 The report comes shortly after NFL reporter Josina Anderson shared news that the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator was "deeply considering" taking the Bears gig. I guess those considerations have taken...

UPDATE: It's Happening. Check out our full, updated post for all of the up-to-date information. ***Original post follows*** This week's obsessive Ben Johnson watch is starting with a bang. NFL reporter Josina Anderson shares the news that sources around the NFL believe the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is "deeply considering" the Chicago Bears head coaching gig: https://twitter.com/JosinaAnderson/status/1881422886956650690?s=19 Josina Anderson isn't one of the highest-profile NFL newsbreakers. However, Anderson is a...

The Chicago Bears' search for their next head coach is underway, interview requests have been made, some interviews are scheduled, and I'm well into my head coaching candidate profiles here at Bleacher Nation. As I've been working through those and reading and listening to the conversation surrounding the search and the candidates, I've begun to move names up and down the board on the whiteboard in my office, so I...

To channel the words of iconic professional wrestling voice Jim Ross, business is about to pick up when it comes to the Chicago Bears' search for a new head coach. Ben Johnson, the team's presumptive No. 1 candidate, is available for in-person interviews as early as today after the Detroit Lions were one-and-done in the NFL playoffs. So if the Bears can move quickly and strike a deal with the...

Let’s take another look at a 2025 NFL Mock Draft! With Divisional Round weekend now behind us, the order for the 2025 NFL Draft is beginning to take shape. As we move closer to the league's biggest offseason event, the big questions arise: Will any new quarterbacks rise up the ranks and secure first-round spots? Will the Bears manage to select one of the top offensive linemen available, or will...

Day 15 of the Chicago Bears offseason. The temperature outside when I woke up had a "real feel" of negative-8 degrees. Please be safe and stay warm if you have to venture outside today. Call it a hunch, but I think the Bears will have a new head coach by the end of the week. Of their known candidates, the only ones whose teams are still in the playoffs are...

The Chicago Bears will have a new head coach in 2025. And like the team that fired Matt Eberflus on Black Friday, we're getting an early start on the search with this series that will profile potential head coaches for the franchise that resides at Halas Hall. Former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy isn't someone I thought I'd be writing about as a Bears head...

Day 14 of the Chicago Bears offseason. The No. 14 was my mom's favorite number. She wore it as a volleyball player in high school. Gerald Everett wore No. 14 for the Bears last year. Jim Harbaugh wore it for the team in 1987. The most memorable Bears player to wear it might have been Santonio Holmes, if only because it serves as a reminder that the Super Bowl XLIII...

The Chicago Bulls have ruled out Coby White ahead of Monday's late-night meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers. On the backend of a back-to-back, White is dealing with ankle soreness. He clocked 27.0 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night, struggling with only 9 points on 4-10 shooting. This marked White's lowest-scoring effort since Nov. 27, 2024, against the Orlando Magic. While we should keep an eye out...

While a five-game losing streak suggests the Chicago Bulls are on the brink of entering tank mode, the trade deadline remains the real test. The front office has a little over two weeks to finally press self-destruct. To be sure, rumors have continued to suggest that Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley are open for business, but how willing they are to do that business in earnest remains to be seen....

Well, the Bulls are starting to look like who we thought they were. Last night's 11-point loss to one of the West's worst teams, the Portland Trail Blazers, was Chicago's fifth-straight loss and three of those came against bottom-five teams in the NBA. While it's frustrating in real-time to watch, it's likely what's best for the franchise long term. Arturas Karnisovas has sat on his hands for three straight trade...

When I stepped outside to walk my dog this morning in sub-zero temperatures, I was sporting all the typical apparel: A hoodie, insulated winter coat, hat, gloves, boots, and thick scarf. My dog didn't look a whole lot different. The 15-pound Jack Russell Terrier was wrapped in her own puffy winter coat with four rubber booties. She hates the salt. Everyone else I encountered on my quick stroll had been...

The Chicago Bulls came out looking like a team eager to snap out of their four-game skid. Patrick Williams turned trade rumors into fuel, scoring 7 of the Bulls' first 9 points in versatile fashion. He drilled a three, got to the free throw line, and finished a two-handed jam after a nice dive cut to the rim. Meanwhile, Zach LaVine was getting just about anything he wanted against one...

The Chicago Bulls sound like they're having buyer's remorse. Only months after signing Patrick Williams to a five-year, $90.0 million contract in restricted free agency, Arturas Karnisovas is reportedly willing to move him, per the Chicago Sun-Times Joe Cowley. Williams is in the thick of his worst season yet, averaging a mere 9.3 points and 3.8 rebounds on 37.7. percent shooting from the field. "A source Saturday told the Sun-Times...

The Chicago Bulls will look to snap a four-game skid on their first Western Conference road trip of the season. I'm sure that will go over well! https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1880963424777040024 Look, there are far worse trips the Bulls could take. The Trial Blazers, Clippers, and Golden State Warriors make up the next three games. All three are beatable teams. At the same time, this is the exact thing we could've said about...

The Chicago Bulls have now lost five of their last six games. @ Pacers – 129-113 L vs. Wizards – 138-105 W vs. Kings – 124-119 L vs. Pelicans – 119-113 L vs. Hawks – 110-94 L vs. Hornets - 125-123 L Is the tank officially on!? While the Chicago Bulls remain No. 10 in the Eastern Conference, there is no doubt this last week has helped them significantly when...

To the likely dismay of Charles Lee and Billy Donovan, defense was optional on Friday night at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls quickly found themselves down to the 14th-seeded Charlotte Hornets, who started the night 5-7 from the field. Multiple defensive breakdowns forced Donovan to call one of his vintage early timeouts. Dropping four of their last five games, it felt like we could be in for another low-effort...

Jimmy Butler is set to return to the Miami Heat's starting lineup on Friday night after a seven-game suspension. All things considered, nobody knew if the veteran forward would suit up for the organization again. He reportedly requested a trade following weeks of reports about the Heat's willingness to listen to offers. Shortly after he made his desires known, the front office suspended Butler for what they deemed "conduct detrimental...

The game between the Canucks and Oilers got physical this weekend. And then it crossed the line -- a few times. On Monday, the NHL had to hand out punishments to a couple players who got launched from the game for dirty, dangerous hits. Among those sitting out: superstar Connor McDavid. McDavid and Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers each received a three-game suspension from the NHL Dept. of Player Safety for...

We'll see if the Blackhawks can string together two straight good games with a very good -- but struggling -- Carolina Hurricanes team in town. And you know who could probably give the Blackhawks an in-depth scouting report? Teuvo Teräväinen. A couple notes on the lineup you're going to read below: Pat Maroon is dealing with a back issue so he gets the night off and Philipp Kurashev will draw...

So let's take a minute to chat about this whole top line situation the Blackhawks have going on right now. I think a lot of us really like the idea of Frank Nazar being a second-line center behind Connor Bedard when he initially came up, and he was doing a really nice job at the dot and playing a good, defensively-responsible game. Then the Hawks threw him on the wing...

The Blackhawks won a game against a really good opponent -- again -- last night. Beating Vegas 5-3 was probably a result that some folks in the home town of the Golden Knights appreciated. The first period was one of the best they've played all year. The second was your classic wheels-about-to-fall-off that got bailed out by a late goal and the third period saw the Hawks get back on...

What if I told you the Blackhawks came out a little sluggish, gave up the first goal while chasing the puck and then... scored three times in the final four minutes of the first period? Yeah, it really happened. I swear it did. Nine different Blackhawks had a point in the period. It was something else. The Blackhawks out-shot the Golden Knights 13-5 in the first period. The next goal...

And so here we are. It's Saturday night in Chicago. Since beating the Kraken on Dec. 19, the Blackhawks are a stunning 2-9-1. And they get the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. The good news: Vegas played in Carolina last night and had to fly in overnight. So we can hope for a trap game against a tired team? Broadcast Info Puck Drop: 7:00 PM CTTV / Streaming: Chicago Sports Network (if/where available)Radio: WGN...

It's been a minute since we heard something about the NHL's revenues, but a report that popped up on Friday appears to indicate things are going quite well for the league. Marco D'Amico at RG Media reported that the NHL and NHLPA have agreed that, "effective January 30, 2025, the escrow withholding rate will drop from 6% to 0% for the remainder of the season." D'Amico also reports this may...

Usually I don't lead my bullets with something that isn't Blackhawks specific, but it's Saturday, the Blackhawks aren't playing well and didn't skate last night and... this is fabulous. Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made NHL history last night. He scored a goal -- and picked up an assist in a 5-2 win over the Sabres. The goal wasn't a cheap one, either. ALEX NEDELJKOVIC GOALIE GOAL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/VY3nmoV2jF— Sportsnet...

The Blackhawks lost last night in Nashville. If your concern at this point is lottery balls -- which I wouldn't blame you if it is -- then that's a good result (Nashville currently sits third in the order and have three picks in the first round in 2025). But when you look at the GameScore Impact Card from the game, you'll note that the top line was easily the Blackhawks'...

If Seth Jones hasn't been the most popular player on the Blackhawks' roster the past few years, Lukas Reichel's fan club has been vocal and consistent -- even if his play hasn't followed suit. Reichel has bounced up and down (and in and out of) the Blackhawks' lineup this season. He has never found a groove with any line since getting on a bit of a heater with Pat Maroon...