Spring Training Miscellany: No Surprise Injuries Yet, Ross on Closers, Stroman Loves His Infield, Visuals Aplenty

Well, that's that. Alex Bregman is not joining the Chicago Cubs this winter and is instead reuniting with his former Astros coach (and current Red Sox Manager), Alex Cora, in Boston. And while I'm not particularly surprised by his choice of team - Boston has long been in the running for Alex Bregman (as well as other third basemen) - I am a little shocked at the deal. Alex Bregman...

One of the last two remaining qualified free agents is now off the board, leaving only Alex Bregman. Starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, whom many thought should have taken his Qualifying Offer from the Red Sox, is signing with the Padres. That sentence should surprise you greatly, given that the Padres, yes, have a need for starting pitching but also reportedly have no money. How are they doing this? Well, as...

Not very long ago, during his first full season in the Cubs organization (2022), Alexander Canario was kind of the hottest thing around. As a 22-year-old outfielder and legitimate prospect, Canario swatted 37 homers across three levels, eventually reaching Triple-A and destroying the level immediately (143 wRC+). As one of the primary pieces in the 2021 Kris Bryant trade, Canario seemed like a potential impact contributor at the big league...

A few health notes today from Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, with two days to go before the full crew officially reports for Spring Training: https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lhywujv5f22f As expected, Counsell is not going to make his Opening Day starter officially official until much closer to the date (but we all kinda know who it is going to be): https://bsky.app/profile/mmontemurro.bsky.social/post/3lhyz4quawk23 Counsell also said that everyone who has started will get stretched out...

It's not anything too terribly different from what he said earlier in the week, or what the front office said for that matter, but I thought it worth sharing Craig Counsell's latest comments on the state of the Cubs' offseason maneuvering. It's not quite over as far as Counsell is concerned: “No we’re not done. I don’t think you ever consider yourself done building a roster … I think we...

In case you forgot, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers will open up the 2025 MLB regular season well before the rest of the league. While most teams gear up for a March 27 Opening Day, the Cubs and Dodgers will square off in a two-game series on March 18 and 19 in Tokyo, Japan. But which pitchers can we expect to start for either team? The Cubs have...

The latest from the Alex Bregman rumor mill ... Just as we are obsessing about the possibility of an Alex Bregman signing, a whole lot of other constituencies are doing the same. The Cubs clubhouse, for one, but also Bruce Levine of Marquee and 670 The Score. Levine was on with Mully & Haugh today, saying that the reporting on this whole story has been bad, and he includes himself...

Whenever we contemplate a deal for free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, we mention how close it would bring the Cubs payroll to the first tier of the MLB luxury tax in 2025 ($241M). In short, absent a salary-shedding trade, any realistic Bregman contract would push the Cubs right up against the threshold, potentially leaving literally no room for mid-season maneuvering. But that's just for this season. Beyond 2025, and especially...

Took The Littlest Girl to Special Olympics basketball last night. We had fun. She wasn’t judged. I wasn’t judged. She simply got to be herself, welcomed by a community designed to support and include our family. Our experiences with Special Olympics have always been excellent, so if you ever have a chance to participate or volunteer, you should check it out. The Cubs have outrighted lefty Rob Zastryzny at the...

Today, the Chicago Cubs announced their 2025 promotional schedule, which you can find right here. For the announcement, the Cubs crafted a promotion Hall of Fame video, which actually did take me back to some of my favorites. Bonus appearance from Dansby Swanson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Dansby Swanson's hair at the end: We'll take five Dansby hair headbands pls and thank you. 😂Your 2025 Promo Calendar is here: https://t.co/xl9NjjhTM7 pic.twitter.com/95k9Zd6K6t—...

For all the discussion surrounding the Chicago Bears' needs along the offensive line, one player who does *NOT* need to be replaced is right tackle Darnell Wright. Moreover, I'd go as far as to plant my flag and say that Wright is a building block for this offensive line. Sure, the rest of the group is a mess. The Bears have to add three new starters to the offensive line,...

Travis Kelce will take some time before deciding his future, and the City of Brotherly Love will celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory on Friday—that and more in today's NFL Notes. Travis Kelce will take some time to decide his future Travis Kelce was visibly upset when he walked off the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday following a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl....

The day that Dane Brugler drops his first NFL Draft board should be a holiday, if only because I need it to fully get a grasp on which prospects rank where in the eyes of one of The Athletic's analysts. We haven't reached that point just yet. But I found myself digging into Brugler's 2025 NFL Draft Big Board yesterday and emerged thinking: Dang, there are a whole bunch of...

We are three days into the post-Super Bowl NFL offseason schedule and I have already learned one thing — it is never too early to include the Chicago Bears in a hypothetical scenario. ESPN's Adam Schefter shares his belief that the Bears would make a compelling case and be an ideal opponent for the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1. Check out the video from Schefty: When the NFL sits down to...

It's Day 38 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Does anyone want to call their shot and predict the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer for next year's game? I don't think anyone would've predicted Kendrick Lamar this time last year, so take that for whatever it's worth. Just let it be good and culturally relevant. Having Kendrick perform at the peak of his powers and hitting the stage one week after...

Even though the NFL coaching carousel has come to a stop now that the New Orleans Saints have hired a head coach, there is still one prominent opening to be filled — and it could belong to Ian Cunningham. The MMQB's Albert Breer reports that the Chicago Bears assistant general manager will interview Friday for the Jacksonville Jaguars open GM gig: Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham will interview for the...

With Super Bowl LIX in our rear-view mirror, it is time for us to fully immerse ourselves in the Chicago Bears' offseason plans. Sure, the Bears (and their fans) have been in offseason mode since early January late November after the firing of Matt Eberflus as the team's head coach. But now that the postseason is over, all 32 NFL teams have their sights set on building out their rosters....

Kellen Moore is extending his stay in New Orleans. Two days after the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome in New Orleans, the team's offensive coordinator is flying away to become the Saints' new head coach: Eagles OC Kellen Moore is finalizing a deal with the Saints to be their new head coach, per The Insiders. What was expected for more than a week will be official...

It's Day 37 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I can't believe the Justin Fields vs. Caleb Williams discourse is still happening online. It is absolutely unnecessary, friends. The Bears have bigger and brighter things ahead. And if the cards fall in his favor, so does Fields. Chicago's former starting QB proved to be a quality starter during his time in Pittsburgh and the Steelers could run it back with him...

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...

The Chicago Bulls had one goal tonight: Do not lose by 40 points. Mission accomplished! After a couple of sloppy turnovers and wide-open shots at the rim for the Pistons gave me deja vu, the Bulls finally started to act like enough was enough. Ayo Dosunmu did a great job setting an early tone, pushing the tempo in transition and prioritizing shots at the rim. Combined with some very solid...

The Chicago Bulls will finish Wednesday night's game without Patrick Williams. The team ruled out Patrick Williams in the third quarter of their matchup with the Detroit Pistons due to a knee injury. According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network, Williams walked to the sideline, threw his towel to the ground in frustration, and left to the locker room. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1889870368602779747 When and how Williams sustained the injury is...

Alright. Let's try and not lose by 40 tonight. Ready, break! Game Info Detroit Pistons (28-26) at Chicago Bulls (22-32) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Josh Giddey Ayo Dosunmu Matas Buzelis Nikola Vucevic Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham Tim Hardaway Jr Ausar Thompson Tobias Harris Jalen Duren © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as 6-point...

As if you needed confirmation, yes, the Chicago Bulls made franchise history when they walked into the locker room down 71-29 on Tuesday night. After scoring a mere 11 points in the second quarter and shooting 1-23 from downtown in the first half, the Bulls tied their largest halftime deficit in franchise history. They matched their infamous outing against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 29, 2018, when Klay Thompson...

One of the Chicago Bulls' biggest trade deadline moves wasn't a trade at all. Instead of entertaining multiple reported suitors for Lonzo Ball, Arturas Karnisovas opted to extend the veteran point guard. Ball reached a two-year, $20.0 million deal with the franchise, which Klutch Sports officially announced on Tuesday afternoon. For Ball, it put an exclamation point on what has been an emotional and borderline historic comeback season. He missed...

Things might not get much worse than the Bulls' 40-point home loss to a team that's two games over .500 – I'll start by saying that. But, if I were a 76ers fan right now, I might be every bit as fed up and angry with my team. The Bulls are at least (kind of) embracing the tank life after the trade deadline. It's going to get really bad, and...

Look on the bright side: There is no way the Chicago Bulls lose by 40 points to the same team a mere 24 hours later, right? Right???? SOMEBODY SAY "RIGHT!" © Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images Arturas Karnisovas has refused to use the word "rebuild," claiming that he prefers "transition" shortly after the Chicago Bulls' underwhelming trade deadline. The front office leader also continued to preach a message centered around respecting the...

Do you think Arturas Karnisovas will use the word rebuild now? The Chicago Bulls front office leader said he doesn't like the word following another underwhelming trade deadline for his franchise. Yet, his team continues to show this is exactly what they need to pursue. What unfolded at the (legitimately) Madhouse on Madison on Tuesday night was one of the most embarrassing performances in franchise history. Even by tanking standards,...

Let's play two! Well, two nights in a row. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1889310301960519866 Game Info Detroit Pistons (27-26) at Chicago Bulls (22-31) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Lonzo Ball Coby White Josh Giddey Ayo Dosunmu Nikola Vucevic Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham Malik Beasley Tim Hardaway Jr Ausar Thompson Jalen Duren Feb 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles...

The Chicago Bulls will play their third straight game without Lonzo Ball. The veteran point guard sat out the team's matchup with Minnesota, as it was the backend of a back-to-back. An illness forced him to remain sidelined for Chicago's battle with Golden State, and Ball has entered this week still dealing with that sickness. With that being the case – and the Bulls staring at another back-to-back set before...

It's Wednesday, Feb. 12 and there hasn't been a Blackhawks game in (counts on fingers) too many days. But there will be professional hockey to watch tonight! The 4 Nations Face-Off begins this evening with Canada in action against Sweden. Unfortunately for Blackhawks fans, there's only one current Chicago player involved in the tournament. Teuvo Teräväinen is skating for Finland for a week. The games on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday...

On Wednesday, the NHL opened the ballots for the league's All-Quarter Century Team for fans to participate. You can vote for ten (10) players from across the NHL. Fans can vote online or on the artist formerly known as Twitter, using the hashtag #NHLQCTeam AND one of the following: Full player name (with or without spaces) Player #firstandlastname Player's Handle on X The Chicago Blackhawks who are eligible for fan...

Another day without Blackhawks hockey to watch, but we did get an update on the voting for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. The Blackhawks have five (5) prospects nominated, and Chicago knows how to handle voting (often, people... multiple emails... let's go). So when I saw Boston University co-captain Ryan Greene is the only Blackhawks' prospect in the top ten, I was both surprised and disappointed. Let's go here, people!...

Because there's no Blackhawks hockey this week and we're waiting for the games to begin at the 4 Nations Face-Off, I wanted to dig in with some prospects and catch up on their development this season. I've shared some of the conversations I had with Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel from Minnesota thus far this week. Without question the hottest name in the Blackhawks' training camp this fall was a...

On Tuesday, Scott Wheeler at The Athletic released his mid-season updated top 100 drafted NHL prospects rankings. I'll throw this breakdown in here right up front from Wheeler: 28 players from the 2024 draft, 32 from 2023, 29 from 2022, eight from 2021 and three from 2020. It’s made up of 69 forwards and 31 defensemen (of which 13 are lefties and 18 are righties). The Blackhawks were tied with...

Earlier this week I chatted with Minnesota's two Blackhawks prospects, Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore. I shared some of what Rinzel had to say about his game, the Hobey Baker, turning pro and more on Monday evening. I enjoyed the conversation with Moore, one of the first-ever repeat World Junior Championship gold medal winners for USA Hockey. Let's start right there with the World Juniors because, as you know, I'm...

The only hockey game on the calendar on Monday was the championship of the Beanpot. And ya know what? Boston University handled their business and won it! Blackhawks prospect and BU co-captain Ryan Greene was credited with two shots on net and won 11 of 20 faceoffs for the Terriers in the win. https://twitter.com/terrierhockey/status/1889152694394278093?s=51&t=ESwYjOKcGL_TWWx-NV4tsw Teuvo Teräväinen is going to rep the Blackhawks for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off in...

Right now, all of the trade talk around the Blackhawks is focused on Ryan Donato -- and rightfully so. He's having a career year with 19 goals, has a lovely $2M cap hit in a walk year and is a great, energy, character player. Donato is the kind of guy contenders overpay for at the deadline every year. Whether the Blackhawks move him or not is going to be an...

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...

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...