Sam LaPorta Fantasy Week 8: Projections vs. Titans, Points and Stats, Start or Sit

Whether you're bullish (like PECOTA) or more conservative (like FanGraphs), the 2025 Chicago Cubs are probably your pick in the NL Central this season. By pretty much every measure — both data-driven and subjective — the Cubs are the class of their division. And yet, I believe they're one piece short of where they should have aimed to be. And I think they know it. First, let's discuss that "where they...

Having missed out on Alex Bregman, the Chicago Cubs today turned to ... Just kidding. These events have nothing to do with each other. The Cubs apparently felt they needed some additional infield depth at Triple-A (is everyone healthy?), and they've signed old friend Dixon Machado to a minor league deal, per the team transaction wire. Machado, 33 later this month, spent the last two seasons primarily playing at Triple-A...

Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer met with the media today in the wake of the team missing out on Alex Bregman, who ultimately chose the Boston Red Sox on a deal that'll pay him $120 million over the next three years, with opt outs after each of the first two years. There are deferrals involved that bring the value down, but it does sound like it was...

I enjoyed reading this, even if I want to make sure and caution as I share: these are FANTASY baseball rankings, which means there are certain performance factors that may not translate one-to-one to things we care about in the real world. Keep that context in mind. That said, these evaluations do offer you a different perspective on how players might perform in the season ahead - the writers, pundits,...

Fourteen years ago today, I became a dad. I have liked it, and her, very much. A small but interesting note up top, via the Sun-Times: the Cubs don't plan yet to put an artificial innings limit on Matthew Boyd from the jump this year, despite the fact that he threw just 73.0 innings last year in his return from Tommy John surgery (minors, bigs, and postseason combined). The 35-year-old...

Although he hadn't gotten a ton of attention in the mix of other available starting pitchers, I was curious to see where lefty Kyle Hart would wind up. If you don't even recognize the name, that's because he's this year's guy coming back from Korea. Those KBO pitchers don't always get a ton of attention, and they are rare to work out - though we don't have to look back...

The Alex Bregman free agency decision process is at a close, with the third baseman - turned second baseman - choosing the Boston Red Sox on a reported three-year, $120 million deal with opt outs after each of the first two years. The Chicago Cubs were involved to the end, but ultimately came up short. And I feel ........ Meh. Not upset. Not, like, happy or relieved or whatever. But...

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...

If you're trying to piece together what the Chicago Bears offseason will look like, then turn your attention to what new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had to say at his introductory press conference. Video via Bears Marquee on Twitter/X: “I think we’re always looking for talent acquisition, player acquisition ... that can help us grow as a defensive line.”Dennis Allen on potentially acquiring defensive linemen. pic.twitter.com/X0auBfJ5GM— Marquee Bears (@BearsMarquee) January...

The NFL released the list of player names who have been invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. You can check out the full list here. In the meantime, I have highlighted some names of players who play five position groups that the Chicago Bears should prioritize filling during the 2025 NFL Draft: OFFENSIVE LINEMEN Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas), Tyler Booker (Alabama), Will Campbell (LSU), Josh Conerly Jr....

Dear baby, welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You. That is the oversimplified breakdown of the message the New York Jets sent to Aaron Rodgers today as the team announced its break-up with the quarterback. Here is the actual message: We have informed Aaron Rodgers that we will be moving in a different direction at quarterback.— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 13, 2025 Ooh! A public break-up on the day before Valentine's...

It's Day 39 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Let the lead-in to this morning's set of Bullets remind you that you should do your shopping (if you haven't already done so). And if you don't have someone to shop for, use this opportunity to buy something nice for yourself. After all, you deserve it. The 2025 NFL Draft is in 70 days. And the more I...

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...

Believe it or not, all those "Fire AKME" tweets have not made their way to Jerry Reinsdorf's flip phone. Despite another underwhelming NBA trade deadline that featured another messy press conference, I'm not sure anyone expected news of a front-office shake-up to break. If there is anyone out there holding out hope, however, the Chicago Sun-Times is here to deliver some bad news. Joe Cowley reported on Thursday afternoon that...

In a shocking discovery, Chicagoans have not raced home to watch the Bulls this season. The once-raved-about franchise has slowly worked its way down the city's totem pole over the last decade, as the Bulls have registered one postseason appearance in the last eight years. Even more troublesome, they have made it to a lone Eastern Conference Finals since Michael Jordan's final season in 1997-98. For as loyal as this...

The All-Star break has just about arrived, and that means we're gearing up for the final push of the NBA regular season. This season has had no shortage of drama and intrigue surrounding some of the game's biggest names and where they could potentially move on to next. This week's NBA Notes has a few updates on some of those players, as well as some more news. Let's get to...

It wouldn't be a true All-Star Weekend without a nod to the GOAT. With Jordan Brand celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Air Jordan 1 this season, the company set up quite the homage to the iconic sneaker. Nick DePaula of Boardroom reported that 1,200 drones were used over the Bay Bridge this weekend to construct several very recognizable and larger-than-life images. DePaula shared photos and video of drones creating...

After a trade deadline that felt more like a wet willy than it did a high-five, Chicago Bulls fans need the All-Star break. The team suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Wednesday night and second in a row to the Pistons. When they pick things back up on Thursday, February 20, they will sit 22-33 with only 28 more games to go. That is, of course, if they don't end...

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...

Since the NHL is taking a couple weeks off in the middle of February for the 4 Nations Face-Off, why not take advantage of no Blackhawks games to chase and update our full two-round 2025 mock draft! With the calendar flipping to 2025, we're getting an increasing number of draft rankings and projections from folks who spend a great deal of time digging into take and profiles. Lots of things...

The NHL world is on pause for a couple weeks while we enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off, but that doesn't mean there isn't news being made around the game. Indeed, there was some important news that came from the NHL/NHLPA press conference before the game on Wednesday night that's notable. The World Cup of Hockey is coming back, the CBA negotiations sound like they're in a good place, there might...

It's been a little less than a month since we took stock of the Blackhawks' prospect pipeline but it's been a busy time. Chicago's pool was ranked fourth in the NHL by Scott Wheeler at The Athletic. The Blackhawks have five (5) prospects nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. They have the AHL All-Star Classic MVP in the fold. And they claim the first 50-goal scorer in the CHL...

Before we get into the fantastic hockey in Montreal last night, I'm going to start with some Blackhawks focused stuff because Scott Powers at The Athletic shared a terrific Q&A with Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson on Wednesday. They talk about a lot of topics, from Connor Bedard's development to finding him a running mate and how they're approaching spending money this summer and the draft. A couple items stood...

For the first time in a while, all ten of the Blackhawks' college prospects are in action this weekend. And, for those tuning in, we'll only have to search for four games on Friday and Saturday night because we've got some head-to-head action in Hockey East and the NCHC. Ryan Greene and Boston University will look to build off their huge win in the Beanpot championship on Monday night as...

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...