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Chicago’s best places to cry in public
Two geese on Lake Michigan.
| Photo by Shutterstock
In a busy city, sometimes you have a bad day and need a place to let it out. We already know where to cry in public in New York, Boston, San Francisco, D.C., Philly and Seattle. But you know what? Chicagoans need places to hideout too.
Some people like to connect with nature and others like to escape in stacks of books or a dark movie theater. Whether you’re a weeper, prefer a quiet melancholy or want to disappear in a crowd—we have a list of Chicago’s best places to be sad in public.
Whatever is frustrating you, even if it’s just the weather lately, these are the spots you can go when you just need a minute. Where do you head to gain some perspective or quiet in the city? If you’re willing to share with fellow Chicagoans, drop it in the comments below.
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Source: https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-quiet-place-crying-public-place
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SB Nation Offseason Simulation: The fake 2019 Cubs
With a full month to look back on it, many Cubs fans can appreciate that the 2018 season was, on the whole and in a vacuum, quite the success. The Cubs got a breakout season from Javier Baez, survived the dreadful debuts of free agent signees Yu Darvish and Tyler Chatwood, enjoyed continued improvement from Jason Heyward’s bat, found a potential key rotation cog for the future in a rejuvenated Cole Hamels, and still finished tied with the most wins in the National League after 162 games. Of course, over about 36 hours in early October, the 2018 Cubs crumbled and meekly bowed out of the postseason. It was tough to stomach.
Thankfully, baseball provides a great reason for optimism: 2019 is coming! Sure, there may be some anxious free agent negotiations and even some snowstorms along the way, but 2019 will arrive soon enough.
This week, I had the pleasure of participating in the SB Nation Offseason Simulation project run by the good folks at Royals Review. Each team was represented by a general manager and teams negotiated free agent contracts with one super-agent who acted like a real agent, sometimes trying to upsell interested teams and occasionally eschewing the most cash for an opt-out, no-trade clause, or winning ball club. What follows is a summary of my approach to the Simulation, what actually happened, and what the Fake 2019 Cubs look like.
Approaching previous offseasons has been rather easy for me. Before the 2014 season, a crummy club still outside of its window of contention needed to continue to accumulate talent and flippable veterans. Before the 2015 season, it was clear that the Cubs were ready to take a leap. Before the 2016 season, it was clear that they were going to take another one, particularly with regard to spending. Before the 2017 season, very little needed to be done to tinker with a stellar squad. And before the the 2018 season, the Cubs needed an infusion of pitching talent, a search that would dominate the offseason. My Simulation strategies largely tracked those of the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer regime, even if the names weren’t always the same.
But this year? Good gravy, this year is tricky. The Cubs continue to have needs — a healthy closer and a resolution of Addison Russell’s status with the team stand out — but it seems that, more than anything else, a return to form from the likes of Kris Bryant, Jose Quintana, and Willson Contreras dominates the list. And what is the budget? Are the Cubs going to try to stay just below the luxury tax threshold of $206 million as a matter of course? Or is the club ready and willing to zoom into regular taxpayer territory if it means signing a young, generational talent in Bryce Harper or Manny Machado? Are the recent reports about fiscal constraints a dire warning that the purse strings will be tightened, a preemptive measure to avoid allegations of tampering if Harper does join Bryant with the Cubs, general front office misdirection, or something else entirely? Your guess is as good as mine.
One final note before I get to the goals: the Rangers GM was kind enough to do the Hamels-Smyly option-trade transaction that occurred in real life, so I approached the Simulation with that in hand — it is not a transaction I would have completed were I in Epstein’s shoes. But I’m not.
So, with all of that said, here were my primary goals in approaching the Simulation:
Win the 2019 World Series. This isn’t always my top goal — I oftentimes prefer talent accumulation in whatever form — but it was absolutely the driving force.
Accumulate Talent and Find Value. This is what the best teams do.
Test the Waters for Unloading Unwanted Salary. This is a new goal that I haven’t encountered before. Some of this is obvious: I hoped to find a taker for some/all of Chatwood’s remaining $25.5 million over 2019-20, Brandon Kintzler’s $5 million, and possibly Brian Duensing’s $3.5 million. Some less so: Jason Heyward just entered a two-year stretch of reduced no-trade protection (he can block deals to 12 teams), so I wanted to feel out the market for his $106 million remaining over the next five years. Similarly, Ben Zobrist has just one year and $12 million on his deal, but his no-trade clause just dropped to an eight-team no-trade list. If money is so tight, Zobrist may need to be considered, though surely the Cubs would seek to do right by him.
Acquire Major League or Major League-Ready Arms. The Cubs need some new bullpen arms, especially after Joe Maddon threw Steve Cishek an exorbitant 81 times in 164 games and given Brandon Morrow’s injury history. Similarly, the Cubs veteran starting pitchers have enjoyed a remarkable run of health. It’s going to expire at some point, and with only a rehabbed Adbert Alzolay and perhaps Justin Steele around as viable candidates to make a handful of important starts in 2019 (depending on your affection for Duane Underwood or Alec Mills), the Cubs could use another ready-to-go starter or two.
Find a Fresh Start for Addison Russell and Replace His Glove. In real life, I suspect that the Cubs will keep Russell or flip him in the next month. If the team planned to release him, I suspect that they already would have done so. Since he’s still on the team, I figured I’d flip him in the Simulation, not expecting much of a market.
Find a Defense-First Veteran Catcher. They’re everywhere.
Sign Bryce Harper. The Simulation always inflates costs, so I figured that Harper would end up somewhere around $450 million over 12 years, an average annual value of $37.5 million. That’s a lot, but the Cubs are about to print even more money via their broadcast rights. They’re in the select group of teams that can afford such an extreme expenditure, should they choose to do so.
When the Simulation began, I was regularly asked about the same group of players: Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Albert Almora Jr., and Adbert Alzolay. I received some solid interest in Victor Caratini and rising righty prospect Michael Rucker. I got one question about Jose Quintana, one about Carl Edwards Jr., and none about the rest of my bullpen.
Interest was certainly heaviest in Schwarber and Happ with Alzolay the third-most requested player. Probably the most enticing offer for Schwarber came from Atlanta who offered up lefty Kolby Allard and righty Kyle Wright. Wright was one of my highest targets, but Happ wasn’t enough to get him. I’ve long been an Allard fan, but while his results have been sparkling, his mechanics and arsenal have all backed up since his prep days. Beyond this, I’m irrationally attached to Schwarber just like most Cubs fans are. It’d take $1.50 on the $1 to move him right now, especially after his bat looked even better a year removed from his knee injury and his outfield defense showed similar strides. He just turned 25. He’s a necessary bat in the middle of the lineup for a World Series contender. Still, Wright was tempting, especially knowing the the Cubs will have to spend to keep members of their position player core in the coming years, necessitating the need for a cheap starter or two.
Easily the most exciting developments in the first day were possibilities with both the Twins and the Giants to talk about Tyler Chatwood. I had raised Chatwood to the Royals as a possibility for their rebuilding club, but they weren’t interested. But the Twins and Giants both saw a pitcher in his 20s with lots of upside and a low cost. The Twins conversation was initiated because of Minnesota’s interest in bringing back Brandon Kintzler. In real life, this is probably the Cubs’s best option as Kintzler recently thrived as the Minnesota closer. At one point, the discussion centered around a deal where the Twins would take Chatwood and Kintzler and send back outfielder Max Kepler. Now, Kepler likely doesn’t stick with the Cubs, but he’s a solid, athletic outfielder. I can do something with him. Kepler ended up getting pulled out for other talks, but the alternative Twins package of prospects outfielder Akil Badoo and righty Jhoan Duran was a dream come true. Unfortunately, it didn’t come to pass and Minnesota wisely used its cash elsewhere.
The Giants offer was similarly ideal. At one point, the framework involved the Cubs sending Chatwood and three prospects (righty Duane Underwood, righty Erling Moreno, and outfielder Nelson Velasquez) to the Giants for righty Jeff Samardzija, lefty Will Smith, and $39 million. Yes, you read that right: the Cubs would’ve unloaded all of Chatwood’s deal, gotten a good closer in Smith, and acquired Samardzija for free (to be flipped) at the cost of a few non-elite prospects. Alas, that deal also failed to pass due to financial considerations for the Giants involving other players.
I was heartened to see a few others buy into Chatwood’s rebound ability.
Around the time that the Chatwood deals began to fall apart, I made a breakthrough. One of the tricks of the Simulation is to find a player that somebody else really loves and seek value there. This often seems unrealistic, but there are plenty of real-world examples. Think Dave Stewart selling the farm to bring in Shelby Miller. Or Bill Bavasi falling in love with Erik Bedard and shipping out Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, and George Sherrill for him.
In my case, that player was Michael Rucker.
Arizona loved Rucker, seeing him as a Major League starter within a year. It’s not crazy given his meteoric rise from 11th-round pick to real prospect and Rucker just completed Double-A with eight strikeouts per nine and a WHIP of just 1.12.
I asked about two of my favorite Diamondbacks, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the offer from Arizona was Rucker for both: lefty Andrew Chafin and righty Archie Bradley. I snapped it up.
Transaction No. 1: Cubs trade right-hander Michael Rucker to Diamondbacks for left-hander Andrew Chafin and right-hander Archie Bradley
Chafin was one of my top three lefty reliever targets whereas Bradley fit into a big bunch of folks who could plausibly close but are best suited for setup work. They both fit swimmingly in the Cubs bullpen, and at a combined cost of $3.8 million via arbitration, they opened some possibilities.
Transaction No. 2: Cubs trade right-hander Brandon Kintzler to Twins for right-hander Jhoan Duran
Duran’s best-case scenario is that he turns into Kintzler in three years. But that didn’t matter: I wanted to (i) move Kintzler’s salary, and (ii) remove Kintzler’s memory from Cubs fans who couldn’t fathom how badly he struggled in blue pinstripes. This got done quickly after I went back to Minnesota.
Simultaneous with these trade discussions, I was negotiating with free agents. I targeted Harper and Machado for initial offers as well as Ian Kinsler, Jose Iglesias, and a bevy of relievers: Craig Kimbrel, Jesse Chavez, Jeurys Familia, Adam Ottavino, Andrew Miller, and Greg Holland. I also offered Garrett Richards a Smyly-style deal and sent minor-league offers to Jeff Mathis, AJ Ramos, and Logan Forsythe.
These approach to free agency showcased the parallel fronts of the Cubs offseason: if Harper or Machado might plausibly come to Chicago, they might open the checkbook in a big way. If not, they’ll likely dip their toes into the free agent waters but not much more than that.
Within 20 minutes of offering Harper $240 million over eight years, I was told that he had a 12-year, $400 million deal on the table. Well then. I dropped out on both big names...
But later that night, with the Chatwood talks progressing nicely, something happened: I heard murmurs from both San Francisco and Arizona that they were interested in Heyward. The returns would have been very low and I likely would need to include some cash, but after striking out in my conversations with Boston, Philadelphia, and the New York squads, I now had a viable path to clearing the space needed to sign Harper without screaming into the more onerous taxpayer penalties.
So I fired back: $420 million over 13 years with opt-outs after years three, six, and eight. If the Cubs do in fact sign Harper, I suspect that this will be the basic structure, though I’m not sure he’ll reach $420 million.
I also got bid up on Jose Iglesias to $5 million with $1 million in incentives before he accepted the offer.
Transaction No. 3: Cubs sign shortstop Jose Iglesias to a one-year, $5 million contract with up to $1 million in incentives
The Iglesias deal was key as he is the perfect defensive substitute/part-time starter to complement the middle infield with Russell removed. Speaking of, I floated Russell to the league and got serious interest from Toronto, Detroit, and San Diego. All three clubs were interested but didn’t want to pony up any type of premium for the troubled former star. In the end, that was okay by me as the clubs genuinely bid each other up from solid offers to this one:
Transaction No. 4: Cubs trade shortstop Addison Russell to Padres for right-hander Cal Quantrill and outfielder Edward Olivares
Olivares was a throw-in, a speed-first low-minors lottery ticket. But Quantrill. Oh baby, I love Quantrill. He had a rough 2018, but he comes with a tremendous, top-10 pedigree and could help the Cubs immediately. He was a perfect acquisition, the type of high-ceiling distressed asset that the Cubs might plausibly seek for Russell.
Shortly thereafter, the Red Sox decided that they had seen enough of Sandy Leon’s complete inability to hit in the Majors and non-tendered him. I was happy to save the day.
Transaction(s) No. 5: Cubs sign catcher Sandy Leon and second baseman Logan Forsythe to minor-league deals
The roster had largely taken shape at this point and it looked like the final outcome would be simple: either Harper signs with the Cubs for about $35 million per year and I trade Heyward, along with his right and center field defense, or he goes elsewhere and I keep Heyward, hoping for continued improvement with the bat while his plus glovework remains an asset.
That would’ve been a fine outcome, but writing out lineups left me with a problem that has been a problem for the last two years: who in the world starts things off? I’m a big fan of Ben Zobrist in the leadoff spot, but I’ll readily admit that there was one player who really caught my eye. Negotiations went remarkably quickly for such a risky transaction for both sides:
Transaction No. 6: Cubs trade outfielder Ian Happ, right-hander Cory Abbott, right-hander Jose Albertos, right-hander Oscar De La Cruz, and right-hander Tyler Chatwood to Royals for second baseman Whit Merrifield and right-hander Janser Lara
Before we proceed, please follow these steps:
Take a big, deep breath.
Take another big, deep breath.
Go to Merrifield’s page on Fangraphs.
Pick up you jaw from the floor.
Look at Merrifield’s age.
Realign your head from your confusion.
One more big, deep breath.
Read below.
Merrifield is the single most interesting trade asset in the game right now. He was a star in 2018 and an above-average regular in 2017. He led the American League in stolen bases in 2018 (45!). He plays good defense at second base and in center field. He hits for roughly average power. He isn’t even eligible for arbitration yet with just over two years of service time, giving his team four years of control. And despite his inflated .352 BABIP in 2018, it wasn’t that inflated: he routinely posts BABIPs around .330.
On the other hand, Merrifield turns 30 in January and isn’t yet eligible for arbitration. That’s alarming. Merrifield reached Triple-A in 2014 and simply couldn’t get out despite good production until late 2016. Merrifield’s power, while adequate, is not a meaningful asset. And a real chunk of his value in 2018 came from that .352 BABIP.
Merrifield is projected for a .274/.329/.405 batting line in 2019 along with 31 stolen bases and a dozen homers with good defense at both of the aforementioned spots. Put it all together and his projection calls for 2.7 WAR. That’s a really good player who just produced nearly double that in 2018 after a strong 2.9 in 2017.
The Royals originally asked for Happ, one of Alzolay or Miguel Amaya, and one of recent first-round pick Alex Lange, Albertos, or De La Cruz. Through negotiations, I dropped the Alzolay/Amaya piece to Abbott (who is a good prospect but not ready to help in 2019 and not a catcher!), and threw in two of the three pitchers from the last group in exchange for Lara and Kansas City absorbing all of Chatwood’s salary. Cubs fans should generally detest the team sending out prospects to shed salary, but in this case, I found this deal wise.
It’s possible that Happ alone is worth more than Merrifield, which would make this deal a real stinker. Unfortunately, between the strikeouts and inability to stick on the dirt defensively, it’s possible that Happ will be just a 1.5 to 2 WAR player. The extra win or so of jumping from Happ to Merrifield was worth the other pieces to me. But just as importantly, the fit of a player like Merrifield on a Cubs roster that needs to stop playing Happ in center, likely needs to spell Zobrist at second with regularity, and desperately has to find some speed kicks the value up in a big way.
Things were pretty well locked into place at this point as we headed to the penultimate day waiting for Machado and Harper. I continued poking around in trade discussions. A deal that the real Cubs would take but that I couldn’t quite do involved shipping Caratini to Oakland for injured righty James Kaprielian and recent comp pick shortstop Kevin Merell. I held out for glove-first shortstop Richie Martin as the secondary piece, even if I needed to add something for the A’s, but they used Martin more efficiently in another deal. That team has shortstops coming out of its ears.
I did sign a former A’s reliever that you’ll likely recognize:
Transaction No. 7: Cubs sign right-hander Jesse Chavez to a one-year, $4 million deal
Arguably the single most likely thing I accomplished.
Early in the afternoon, Machado signed with the Phillies for $433 million over 11 years with an opt-out after the fourth year, including a full no-trade clause. Even with regular Simulation inflation (about twenty percent), that raised an eyebrow or two. On one hand, it makes sense: Philly absolutely has to come away with one of Harper or Machado this winter. Their entire rebuild depends on it. On the other hand: dang.
I stayed in the Harper chase through the afternoon before it shot up to $485 million over 12 years. I contemplated whether there was a way to get to something like $500 million over 13 or even 14 years with opt-outs making the deal even more palatable, but I kept coming back to the same thing: if Harper costs the Cubs Bryant, Rizzo, or Baez, I’ll kick myself over it. I know that they need to win now more than they need to extend players in 2022 and beyond, but at some point, the Harper money gets so big that it doesn’t make sense. To me, $39.6 million per year has crossed that threshold, which is what Harper actually got: $515 million over 13 years from the Yankees with an opt-out after 2021. If that contract comes down the pike from the Yankees, he’ll be in pinstripes and not the Cubbie Blue variety.
To close out the simulation, I participated in a four-team trade that accomplished the following: the Twins acquired Gio Dingcong from the A’s, A’s acquired Lizardy Dicent from the Pirates, the Pirates acquired Edmond Americaan from the Cubs, and the Cubs acquired Kody Funderburk from the Twins. It was fully an excuse to write down those four glorious names.
I did try to find Duensing a new home, but instead he’ll come to camp to fight for a job as the Cubs prepare to vigorously employ the 10-day disabled list.
The final payroll and roster didn’t turn out exactly as I expected, but then again, it never does. Here are the payroll figures of the assembled 25-man roster* (there are too many guaranteed deals for a true 25-man roster, but you get the idea):
Catcher: $1.11 million ($1.11 million for luxury tax)
C Willson Contreras: $0.555 million
C Victor Caratini: $0.555 million
Infield: $48.7 million ($45.557 million for luxury tax)
3B Kris Bryant: $12.4 million
2B Ben Zobrist: $12 million ($14 million for luxury tax)
1B Anthony Rizzo: $11 million ($5.857 million for luxury tax)
SS Javier Baez: $7.1 million
SS Jose Iglesias: $5 million
2B Tommy La Stella: $1.2 million
Outfield: $24.21 million ($27.21 million for luxury tax)
OF Jason Heyward: $20 million ($23 million for luxury tax)
OF Kyle Schwarber: $3.1 million
OF Albert Almora: $0.555 million
OF Whit Merrifield: $0.555 million
Starting Pithcer: $83.1 million ($84.933 million for luxury tax)
LHP Jon Lester: $25 million ($25.833 million for luxury tax)
RHP Yu Darvish: $20 million ($21 million for luxury tax)
LHP Cole Hamels: $20 million
LHP Jose Quintana: $10.5 million
RHP Kyle Hendricks: $7.6 million
Bullpen: $37.45 million ($38.95 million for luxury tax)
RHP Brandon Morrow: $9 million ($10.5 million for luxury tax)
RHP Steve Cishek: $6.5 million
RHP Pedro Strop: $6.25 million
RHP Jesse Chavez: $4 million
LHP Brian Duensing: $3.5 million
LHP Mike Montgomery: $3 million
RHP Archie Bradley: $2 million
LHP Andrew Chafin: $1.8 million
RHP Carl Edwards Jr.: $1.4 million
Despite some big contracts, the Cubs offense remains on the cheap side for a major market team at $74.02 million. The pitching, however, breaks the bank, coming in at $120.55 million. Add it all up and the payroll hits $194.57 million. For luxury tax purposes, the payroll hits $210.76 million once the approximately $13 million worth of player benefits is added in.
That is an awfully interesting tally. The 2019 luxury tax threshold is $206 million. I figure that the Cubs will either exceed the threshold in a meaningful way, perhaps even nearing the enhanced penalties at the $226 million total, or they’ll try to stay below the $206 million tax line. However, it’s possible that they start the year in this space, climbing higher as necessary in July or working to drop back below the line if, heaven forbid, things go poorly in 2019.
The expected offensive lineups purchased by that amount are good. Really good. Enjoy!
Versus right-handed pitching
CF Merrifield
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
LF Schwarber
RF Heyward
2B Zobrist
C Contreras
Versus left-handed pitching
LF Merrifield
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
2B Baez
C Contreras
CF Almora
SS Iglesias
RF Zobrist
Finally, with the Steamer projections released within the past week, here is a look at the Cubs roster with WAR projections for 2019 and approximate playing time adjustments:
Bryant: 5.7
Rizzo: 4.2
Baez: 3.2
Schwarber: 2.9
Merrifield: 2.7
Contreras: 2.7
Zobrist: 2.5
Heyward: 2.4
Iglesias: 1.2
Almora: 1.1
Caratini: 0.7
La Stella: 0
Hendricks: 2.6
Darvish: 2.6
Quintana: 2.6
Hamels: 2.4
Lester: 2.0
Bradley: 0.7
Morrow: 0.7
Strop: 0.5
Chafin: 0.4
Edwards: 0.3
Montgomery: 0.3
Chavez: 0.1
Cishek: 0.1
Duensing: -0.1
In the end, the position players are projected for 29.3 WAR with an additional 15.2 WAR from the pitchers. That combined 44.5 WAR would rank sixth in MLB, narrowly ahead of the current projection for... the Chicago Cubs. How do you like that?
With another Simulation in the books, what do you think about this proposed version of the 2019 Cubs?
Source: https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/11/7/18068720/sb-nation-offseason-simulation-fake-2019-cubs
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The Bear Win In Minn Den, December 31, 2018
BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!
BEARRRSSSS
Haugh: Bears Play To Win, Just As Matt Nagy Said They Would - 670 The Score - Matt Nagy’s approach Sunday was consistent with his actions all season.
Emma: Bears’ Matt Nagy Defends Cody Parkey After Missed PAT - 670 The Score - The missed extra point was due to other circumstances, Matt Nagy said.
Bernstein: Bears Choose To Close Out Strong - 670 The Score - A dominating defense shined in arguably the Bears’ most complete performance.
Emma: Bears Will Host Eagles In Wild-Card Round - 670 The Score - The Bears finished 12-4 and clinched the No. 3 seed in the NFC.
Medina: Bears to Host the Eagles in the First Round of the Playoffs - Bleacher Nation - It's set! Bears and Eagles will play next week at Soldier Field!
Dickerson: Bears enter playoffs as NFC's hottest team after win over Vikings - ESPN - Credit coach Matt Nagy for setting the tone for a Bears team that could have rested in Week 17 but kept its momentum going with a win in Minneapolis.
Pedal-down Bears keep Vikings out of playoffs with 24-10 win - ESPN - Get a recap of the Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings football game.
Emma: Bears Rookie WR Anthony Miller Suffers Left Shoulder Injury - 670 The Score - The injury occurred to the same shoulder Miller dislocated in September.
Ellis: Khalil Mack basically put up better numbers than the entire Raiders defense - NBC Sports Chicago - One of this season's most fun comparison comes to an end.
Stebbins: Bears wide receivers Josh Bellamy and Anthony Miller fined for actions in fight against 49ers - NBC Sports Chicago - Bears wide receivers Josh Bellamy and Anthony Miller were each fined for their actions in a sideline fight that broke out against the 49ers on Sunday.
Refocused, NFL Week 17: Chicago Bears 24, Minnesota Vikings 10 | NFL Analysis | Pro Football Focus - The Chicago Bears defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 24-10, in Week 17 of the 2018 NFL season.
Meveau: Chicago Bears to Host Philadelphia Eagles in First Round - NBC Chicago - The Chicago Bears will host an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend at Soldier Field.
Neveau: Bears Beat Vikings to Finish Off Remarkable Regular Season - NBC Chicago - The Chicago Bears ended the season in emphatic fashion on Sunday night, beating the Minnesota Vikings to keep their division rival from reaching the postseason.
Mayer: NFL sets date, time for Bears playoff game - ChicagoBears.com - The NFL announced that the Bears will host the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC wildcard round of the playoffs at 3:40 pm (CT) next Sunday at Soldier Field.
Enter to win tickets for Sunday's playoff game - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears are headed to the playoffs and are giving fans the opportunity to win tickets to next Sunday's wildcard contest against the Eagles at Soldier Field.
Game recap: Bears head into playoffs with win - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs with a 24-10 victory in Sunday’s regular-season finale in Minnesota and will host the Eagles in the wildcard round next weekend.
Pace talks Nagy, Long - ChicagoBears.com - Bears general manager Ryan Pace spoke to play-by-play announcer Jeff Joniak on WBBM Newsradio 780 AM and 105.9 FM prior to Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
Medina: Round One Is Set: Bears and Eagles Will Play at 3:40 PM CT on Sunday at Soldier Field - Bleacher Nation - Bears and Eagles are playing the first Wild-Card Weekend game at Soldier Field since 1991.
Rams’ rout, other results didn’t change Bears’ approach – ProFootballTalk - All the Bears had to do was lose. A loss would have sent the Vikings to Chicago next week for a wild-card game. Instead, the Bears dominated the Vikings and now will have to play the defending Super Bowl champions. They don't seem to mind.
Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings Postgame Show: Bears Hit the Ground Running and Never Look Back (Bring on Philadelphia) - Chicago Audible Podcast - A comprehensive game recap with instant analysis and insight on the Chicago Bears Week 17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Stankevitz: Bears eliminate Vikings, will face Eagles in wild card round of NFL playoffs - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears landed a knockout blow to the Minnesota Vikings with a 24-10 win at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, ensuring they’ll play the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round of the playoffs next weekend.
Santaromita: Nick Foles got injured a week before the Eagles play the Bears in the playoffs - NBC Sports Chicago - A week before playing the Bears in the playoffs, Eagles quarterback Nick Foles picked up an injury in Philadelphia's regular season finale.
POLISH SAUSAGE
Dirk Koetter fired by Buccaneers – ProFootballTalk - Dirk Koetter seemed to know his time with the Buccaneers was up on Sunday and he has now reportedly been informed of his firing. Koetter has been fired after three years as the team’s head coach. Koetter was 19-29 during his time in Tampa.
Jets fire Todd Bowles – ProFootballTalk - On Monday, Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said, “Todd Bowles is our head coach.” On Sunday, Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said, “Todd Bowles was our head coach.” The Jets have announced that Bowles won’t return in 2019. It’s not a surprise.
Seahawks head to Dallas, hand Cardinals first overall pick – ProFootballTalk - The Seahawks are heading to Dallas, and the Cardinals are on the clock. After Seattle defeated Arizona today, the Seahawks are the NFC No. 5 seed and will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in wild card weekend.
NFL releases playoff schedule: Bears-Eagles Sunday Late Game – ProFootballTalk - The NFL released the schedule for next weekend. The playoffs start with a Texas doubleheader. Houston hosts the winner of the Colts/Titans game at 4:35 p.m. ET on Saturday followed by the Seahawks at Cowboys at 8:15 p.m. ET. ESPN has the AFC game and FOX the NFC game Saturday.
KNOW THY ENEMY
Report: Packers to request interviews with Josh McDaniels, Brian Flores – ProFootballTalk - The regular season is over for 30 of the league’s 32 teams and that means it is just about time for head coaching searches to kick into high gear. When they do, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe reports that the Packers are expected to request interviews with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McD...
Nick Foles says he’s dealing with soreness in ribs - NFL.com - Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles says he’s experiencing soreness in his “ribs area” after making an early exit during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-0 win over the Washington Redskins.
Philly Special Effect: Touchdown passes from position players to QBs on the rise – ProFootballTalk - The Eagles scored one of the most famous touchdowns in NFL history when tight end Trey - Burton threw to quarterback Nick Foles in the end zone in the Super Bowl last season. The NFL is a copycat league, and this year plenty of teams emulated the Eagles.
The Detroit Lions didn’t tank and I’m glad - Pride Of Detroit - Having a better draft pick would’ve been nice, but Sunday was too fun not to sit back and enjoy.
3 takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ victory over the Green Bay Packers - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions obliterated the Packers to close out the 2018 season.
Lions-Packers final score: Detroit ends season with first shutout in 22 years, 31-0 - Pride Of Detroit - Score updates and highlights live from Lambeau.
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings: Key information and first quarter discussion - Daily Norseman - Alright, chums, let’s do this.
Chicago Bears 24, Minnesota Vikings 10: Vikings fail to make the playoffs - Daily Norseman - Just a dismal Sunday in Minneapolis. Ken's Note: If by dismal, you mean spectacularly fun for Chicago, then yes it was :)
Cornerstone players injured as Packers take unnecessary risk in final weeks of 2018 - Acme Packing Company - Joe Philbin was coaching for his professional life. Players always want to play. The front office needed to step in and save Green Bay from itself.
Report: Aaron Rodgers left season finale versus Lions in an ambulance - Acme Packing Company - The concussion suffered by the quarterback apparently warranted further tests at a local hospital.
2019 NFL Draft Order: Packers get 12th pick in round one, second pick still TBD - Acme Packing Company - Green Bay’s loss on Sunday helped them move up a few spots in the draft.
Vikings knocked out of playoffs due to loss against Bears plus Eagles’ victory - Acme Packing Company - Minnesota just needed to win today to get in. Instead, they’re headed home early. -
2019 NFL Draft order: Detroit Lions have the 8th overall pick - Pride Of Detroit - Zeglinski: The Lions dropped three spots thanks to their Week 17 win. Ken's Note: Fantastic day for Bears fans in Lions world. Lions humiliate the Packers by shutting them out (and who doesn't love a good Packer humiliation), they cost Detroit a top 5 drat pick (yet another win) then they got to watch former high draft pick Eric Ebron play for the Colts like the Pro-Bowler that he is now that he has escaped from Detroit and think "what could have been" if he hadn't been stuck with crappy coaching and a crappy offense. Win, Win, Win.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON
Zeglinski: Windy City Gridiron picks Bears-Vikings 2.0 - Windy City Gridiron
It’s the 2018 regular season finale. Don’t worry, far more meaningful football is on the way.
Wiltfong: Chicago Bears activate Kyle Long - Windy City Gridiron
He’s back to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but he’s all out of bubble gum....
WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS
2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski
THE RULES
Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.
The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes. Unless otherwise stated, the Den is not an open thread, and profanity (including profanity only stated in pictures) is prohibited.
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WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.
Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2018/12/31/18162243/chicago-bears-2018-season-news-updates-analysis-game-sixteen-minnesota-vikings-eagles-playoff-nagy
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Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Reds (1:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread
The last time Jose Quintana faced the Reds (just over a week ago), he lasted just 5.0 IP, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. The last time Tanner Roark faced the Cubs (a couple days before that), he also allowed 3 earned runs over 5.0 innings, but he gave up 8 hits and 1 walk, against 6 strikeouts.
I’m taking the Cubs in the series-decided today.
But to that end … Is it just me, or does it feel like the Cubs have found themselves in rubber matches a lot this season?
By my quick count, it happened against Texas (loss), Milwaukee (loss), Pittsburgh (win), Arizona (win), Arizona again (win), Milwaukee again (win), Cincinnati (loss), Washington (win), and now Cincinnati again. There just hasn’t been a ton of early series wins (and it also technically happened against the Angels, but that series hasn’t been completed yet). Oh, well. Just get it done today. Go Cubs.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (30-20) vs. Cincinnati Reds (23-28) – Sunday, May 26th at 1:20 CT on WGN, 670 The Score
Starting Pitchers
Reds: Tanner Roark (R)
versus
Cubs: Jose Quintana (L)
Chicago Cubs:
Kyle Schwarber, LF
Kris Bryant, RF
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Javy Baez, SS
Willson Contreras, C
Jason Heyward, CF
David Bote, 3B
Daniel Descalso, 2B
Jose Quintana, P
Cincinnati Reds:
Nick Senzel, CF
Joey Votto, 1B
Eugenio Suarez, 3B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Jose Iglesias, SS
Jesse Winker, LF
Jose Peraza, 2B
Curt Casali, C
Tanner Roark, P
Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/05/26/pre-gamin-cubs-at-reds-120-ct-lineups-broadcast-info-game-thread/
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2018-19 MLB free agency by position: Catchers
The World Series is over and awards season is upon us. You all know what that means. The hot stove is on and it’s time to take a detailed look at the free agent market and what it means for the Cubs.
This post is the first in a series looking at the free agent market in a variety of ways. I’m going to start with a look at the market for catchers.
The market
The 2018 free agent market for catcher is headlined by the Dodgers’ Yasmani Grandal who was one of only seven players to receive a qualifying offer. If you think that number seems low, you’re right. That is the lowest number of players to ever receive a qualifying offer. It’s two fewer than last year’s nine, which had tied the previous low.
Here are the 2018 free agents who spent at least some time at catcher in 2018:
2018 Catcher Free Agents by fWAR
Player Primary position Additional positions Age (for 2019) 2018 Salary 2018 QO 2018 Opt Out 2018 fWar 2015-18 fWar 2018 Team(s)
Player Primary position Additional positions Age (for 2019) 2018 Salary 2018 QO 2018 Opt Out 2018 fWar 2015-18 fWar 2018 Team(s)
Yasmani Grandal C 1B 30 7,900,000 Y 3.6 11.3 LAD Wilson Ramos C 31 10,500,000 N 2.4 6.5 TBR, Phi Kurt Suzuki C 35 3,850,000 N 2.0 4.9 Atl Robinson Chirinos C 35 2,250,000 N 1.6 6.1 Tex Martin Maldonado C 32 3,900,000 N 0.9 3.1 LAA, Hou Matt Wieters C 33 10,500,000 N 0.9 3.5 Was AJ Ellis C 38 1,250,000 N 0.8 2.4 SDP Nick Hundley C 35 2,500,000 N 0.8 4.0 SFG Devin Mesoraco C 31 13,000,000 N 0.7 0.5 Cin, NYM Jonathan Lucroy C 33 6,500,000 N 0.6 7.5 Oak Brian McCann C 35 17,000,000 N 0.5 6.4 Hou Rene Rivera C 35 2,800,000 N 0.3 0.9 LAA, Atl Chris Gimenez C 1B 36 545,000 N 0.0 1.5 CHC, Min Evan Gattis DH C 32 6,700,000 N 0.0 4.0 Hou Drew Butera C 35 2,300,000 N -0.3 0.5 KCR, Col Jose Lobaton C 34 1,250,000 N -0.3 -1.1 NYM Jeff Mathis C 36 2,000,000 N -0.5 -0.8 Ari Bobby Wilson C 36 433,640 N -0.5 -0.9 Min, CHC Sephen Vogt C 34 3,065,000 N N/A 3.7 Mil
Data compiled from Sportrac, Fangraphs and MLB Trade Rumors by Sara Sanchez
I’m going to set aside Evan Gattis here because he only caught two games for the Houston Astros last year and seems destined to be a designated hitter in the American League. Looking at the rest of the field, a few things jump out to me.
The cream of the crop
Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos are in a league of their own. Both are on the young side of 30, both were worth over 2.5 fWAR in 2018 and indicated they can sustain that production. Both are offensively oriented catchers who will command big money and a starting job. Neither is without concerns. Grandal has some defensive issues that were glaringly obvious in the 2018 postseason. In fact, he’s sixth among active players in career passed balls in only seven seasons. Ramos has torn his ACL twice, once in 2012 and again in 2016.
Even with those problems, Grandal and Ramos are the cream of the catcher free agent crop. I looked at catchers with 400 PA to ensure Ramos was included in the numbers. Both Ramos and Grandal were in the top 5 in fWAR (Grandal was second and Ramos was fifth). Ramos had the highest wRC+ among catchers with 131, Grandal was tied for third with 125. Very few teams have a catcher who isn’t an offensive liability so look for both Grandal and Ramos to get favorable deals as a starter.
The value veterans
After Ramos and Grandal there are a couple of other categories of catchers on the board Kurt Suzuki and Robinson Chirinos are both positive value catchers but they are also both 35 years old. Neither is likely to get a deal of more than two or three years, and most teams would be presuming they’d need another option to start at some point in that window. It remains to be seen what deals will look like for 2019, but neither Suzuki nor Chirinos made more than $4 million in 2018, and I doubt they will top that this offseason.
Don’t call it a comeback
Jonathan Lucroy and Brian McCann were both once top tier catchers. They both have multiple seasons over 3 fWAR. It seems more likely that Lucroy would be able to channel another of those seasons at 33 than McCann would at 35, but both players offer a high risk/high reward option for teams who are willing to pay a bit more for past performance.
Other notes of interest
Martin Maldonado is not a great hitter, his career slash line is .220/.289/.350 but I’m sure I wasnt the only one watching his defense and the way he handled the Astros elite pitching staff in the postseason. He’s also relatively young in this class at 31.
A.J. Ellis is 38 years old, and is known to be a student of the game. He was famously Clayton Kershaw’s personal catcher with the Dodgers before he was traded to the Phillies in 2016 and he knows a thing or two about catching aces. He’s also been highlighted as a mentor for the Padres’ young catchers last year.
Devin Mesoraco had a 4.5 fWAR 2014 and has just never been able to replicate it. There is no way he’s going to get close to the $13 million he made last year but he’s another player who could has demonstrated he can have a big year in the majors if everything goes right and he’s relatively young in this class at 31 years old.
The Cubs’ needs
I’ll be really clear at the outset, the Cubs don’t need to go after a catcher this offseason. They have an All-Star starting catcher in Willson Contreras and a perfectly suitable backup in Victor Caratini. Even in a down year offensively Contreras was the third most valuable catcher in terms of fWAR. He was tied for second in the major leagues with 27 CS in 2018 (four behind Lucroy’s 31 and tied with Detroit’s James McCann). While I’m sure Contreras would like to improve on his .249/.339/.390 slash line from 2018, his career averages and hard hit rate suggest he will. The Cubs don’t need a starting catcher, so Grandal, Ramos, Lucroy, McCann and Suzuki are probably not in play for the Cubs this offseason.
It’s possible they could repeat what they did last year and look for a Chris Gimenez type to play a backup role. If that were the case, I’d look for them to maybe make an offer to former Cub Rene Rivera or maybe re-sign Bobby Wilson, who they added in early September of 2018 for a stretch run that never materialized.
A more interesting move, however, would be to look for a David Ross type to back up Contreras and provide some mentoring to the Cubs all star catcher. If they choose to go that route the obvious choice is Ellis. The only other options with similar experience would have to be the result of a trade, however a move like this would likely make Victor Caratini available in a trade, particularly since the Cubs have Miguel Amaya waiting in the wings.
Are there any catchers you’d want the Cubs to pursue in free agency or are you comfortable with Contreras and Caratini at that position for 2019?
Source: https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/11/5/18063416/2018-19-mlb-free-agency-catchers
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Fuchsia Lace Ruffle Dress // Friday Charades
This past Monday, Bob and I woke up to the best and most needed news: emails from our respective jobs announcing a snow day. The universe had a funny way of giving us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. Monday was a gift. After a long holiday break, rest was a priority. Therefore, we spent the entire day at home, attached to our separate work laptops, watching TV. We didn’t even talk that much, but being in each other’s presence was enough.
My History with Snow Days
I have a long history with snow days. Growing up, my Dad was a school superintendent. As such, he was in charge of making “snow day” calls for the entire school district. Getting an email from work about a “snow day” immediately transported me back to being a little girl – especially watching him weigh tough weather decisions.
During tricky weather situations, my brother and I would listen intently from a nearby room as our Dad spoke with other school superintendents in the area. We’d hear him weigh the pros and cons, the challenges for parents, teachers, staff and of course – the students. These conference calls would last for an hour, often longer, with each superintendent weighing in on the decision.
On one instance, while he was on the phone, my brother and I silently chanted from the other room, “Snow day, snow day, snow day, snow day!” (slowly getting louder as we said it while he was on the call). Another time, we were jumping in our living room between couches yelling loudly for all of them to hear. After that, I’m pretty sure my Dad took those calls from his office on another floor – lol!
Lessons about Snow Days
While snow days lead to cabin fever for parents and children, childcare issues, extra school days added for teachers…. safety comes first. One of the first things I learned about snow days from my Dad is, “A superintendent never wants to be the first to make the call, and he/she especially doesn’t want to make it alone.” Hence, why they decide to hold those conference calls. If one district closes, most others will too. If a big district stays open, similar ones follow suit.
Now, whenever I see “snow day” school alerts on the news, I know superintendents have carefully evaluated all options. They take the responsibility very seriously. No matter what decision is made, parents will call, email, and leave voicemails to complain. Students are thrilled (obvi), but superintendents are always an enemy in the parent’s eyes. In the end, my Dad’s best lesson was – the safety of staff and students is #1. He would listen and respond to every parent message no matter what. Yet, in the end, he always stood by the decision, since it was rooted in safety.
So parents – try to give your schools some grace on snow days (or lack thereof). They’re just doing their best : ) And bosses – think more like a superintendent. If local schools are closing, consider closing your office too. After all, there’s an army of smart and deliberate educators behind those snaw day decisions!
Now, speaking of the opposite of snow (lol), today’s post is from our trip to Miami a few weeks back. I brought along this gorgeous fuchsia lace ruffle dress – definitely a new favorite! I found it fits true to size, and it’s also available in petites! Lastly, be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post to read all of my favorite links from around the web!
Dress: Eliza J Fuchsia Lace Ruffle Dress c/o // Bag: Staud White Shirley Bag // Eyewear: Céline
Shoes: Tory Buch Clara Bow Mules also here // Jewelry: Julie Vos Florentine Hoops
Dress: Eliza J Fuchsia Lace Ruffle Dress c/o // Bag: Staud White Shirley Bag // Eyewear: Céline
Shoes: Tory Buch Clara Bow Mules also here // Jewelry: Julie Vos Florentine Hoops
Some of My Favorite Links Around the Web
Recently on Style Charade
Never miss a post – be sure to follow Style Charade on Bloglovin’!
Source: https://www.stylecharade.com/fuchsia-lace-ruffle-dress/
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River North condos back on track after months-long pause
Construction work on River North’s Bentham condominiums is once again underway, nearly two years after the 15-story development landed its first building permit. Although work on the project’s foundation started this spring, the site at the corner of LaSalle and Erie sat idle for months.
Developed and designed by Sedgwick Development, the Bentham calls for 31 three-bedroom residences priced from $1.3 million, a 53-space parking garage, and ground-floor retail space. It replaces the former Erie-LaSalle Body Shop building, which was demolished in early 2017. Construction was expected to take about 16 months, but that figure has likely slipped as a result of the delay.
The project’s slow start illustrates the inconsistent nature of downtown Chicago’s still-recovering condo market. While fancy new rental buildings seemingly can’t be built quickly enough, developments offering for-sale residences experience mixed results.
In River North, a handful of new condominium buildings such as 56 W. Huron, Renelle on the River, Three Sixty West, and Superior House managed to get off the ground. Others, like 808 N. Wells and 312 W. Huron, haven’t been so lucky.
The latest condo casualty could be a 12-story, 10-unit project at 61 W. Erie which won city approval in 2017 but never broke ground. On Thursday, crews at the site replaced marketing signage and temporary construction barriers with a more permanent-looking wooden fence.
LG Development’s Brian Goldberg tells Curbed Chicago that 61 W. Erie was disadvantaged because its small footprint provided room for just one parking space per unit—something that turned off high-end buyers. “We’re looking into other ways to use the property,” Goldberg said.
The vacant lot at 61 W. Erie gets a new, more permanent-looking fence.
Jay Koziarz
Source: https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/8/1/20750089/construction-river-north-condos-bentham-update
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Entries invited for 2019 SEAOI Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards
The Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) says it has started accepting entries for the 2019 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards.
Finalists selected by the SEAOI Board of Directors will present their projects at the group’s May dinner meeting on May 7 in Chicago. Then winners in each category will be selected by the Judges listed below, and announced at the Annual Awards Banquet on June 22.
Awards are given in the following categories:
Juror’s Favorite/Most Innovative Structure
Best Bridge/Transportation Project
Best Industrial /Utility Project
Best Renovation/Retrofit/ Preservation Project
Best Project—over $150 million
Best Project—$50 million up to $150 million
Best Project—$10 million up to $50 million
Best Project—up to $10 million
Lavicka Award—Small Firm/Small Project
Best Neighboring State Project—designer located in a state neighboring Illinois
2019 Judges are:
Mike Pfeffer, vice-president of architecture at Related Midwest, LLC representing construction/development;
Kevin Carmody, group publisher at V1 Media/Informed Infrastructure Magazine representing media;
Rebekah Scheinfeld, commissioner of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) representing government;
Robert Forest, partner at Adrian Smith Gordon Gill Architecture representing architecture;
Gianluca Cusatis, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University representing academia; and
Danielle Kleinhans, president/CEO at Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute representing structural engineering.
Entries must be received by SEAOI by Monday March 25.
Source: https://chicagoconstructionnews.com/entries-invited-for-2019-seaoi-excellence-in-structural-engineering-awards/
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Chuck's Daily Check In - 12.27.18
FINAL FROM THE UNITED CENTER: Minnesota 119, Bulls 94. (Bulls 9-26, 5-13 at home)
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 28 points. Minnesota: Rose: 24 points.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Carter Jr. and Lopez each with 9. Minnesota: Towns: 20.
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 7. Minnesota: Rose: 8.
CCI RECAP: Minnesota won the mini two game season series by jumping on the Bulls in the first quarter and never looked back. Triggered by the pace and scoring of Derrick Rose, Minnesota led by 23 at halftime. The Bulls scored 64 points in the paint and yet lost by 25. The Bulls inability to make mid-range and three-point shots coupled with the T-Wolves shooting nearly 50% from the floor made it a tough night at the office for the Bulls.
For the second time in as many games against the Bulls, Karl-Anthony Towns had a 20 rebounds performance. The jury is out on Minnesota and just how good they are in the loaded Western Conference but on this night the T-Wolves looked terrific.
The Bulls welcomed the return of Zach LaVine who scored 28 points in 26 minutes. He didn't commit a turnover and was a definite bright spot for the Bulls who saw their two-game win streak end in front of a sellout crowd at the United Center.
CCI IN THE LOCKER ROOM: Coach Boylen: "I thought Zach looked good and aggressive. I like it when he drives the ball and turns the corner. If you don't settle early, you get to the line, you get downhill. I thought all his shots were pretty good shots for the most part."
CCI GAME BALLS: Bulls: LaVine, Dunn. Minnesota: Rose, Towns.
UP NEXT: At Washington Friday.
Detroit 106, Washington 95: The Pistons went on a 25-2 run to start the second half. Andre Drummond recorded his 10th straight double-double. The Wizards have lost eight out of their last ten games and are 4-16 on the road.
Toronto 106, Miami 105: The Raps own the best record in the NBA at 26-10. Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points for Toronto. Best player in the East? Leonard or Giannis?
Phoenix 122, Orlando 120: The Suns won for the fifth time in seven games. Orlando has lost four straight.
Indiana 129, Atlanta 121: The Pacers matched a season high with 35 assists. Indiana has won 10 of 12 games.
Brooklyn 134, Charlotte 132 2OT: Joe Harris with a season-high 27 which included a driving layup with 3.4 seconds left in the second overtime. Spencer Dinwiddie is having a fabulous year as he registered 37 points and 11 assists OFF the bench. The Nets have won 9 of 10 games.
Memphis 95, Cleveland 87: The Cavs missed their first twelve shots. Marc Gasol: 20-9-6. Cleveland has lost four straight.
Dallas 122, New Orleans 119: The Mavs ended a six-game slide. Luka Doncic scored 21 points, going 11-12 from the free throw line. Anthony Davis was, well, Anthony Davis: 32-18 but an all too familiar theme; Davis is spectacular and a Pels loss. It was New Orleans' fifth straight defeat.
San Antonio 111, Denver 103: DeRozan and Aldridge combined for 57 points. Don't look now but the Spurs are ballin'. San Antonio has won 8 of 10, knocking on the Rockets door for first place in the Southwest Division.
Los Angeles Clippers 127, Sacramento 118: LAC's Montrezl Harrell is having a rock solid first half of the season. He recorded 22 points, 9 rebounds and five block shots.
Good news for the Lakers and NBA fans as LeBron James avoided a severe groin injury in Tuesday's win over the Warriors. He's listed day to day.
Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out at [email protected] or Twitter: @ctsbulls. Always a pleasure.
Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/chucks-daily-check-122718
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Bryce Harper's longtime friend Kris Bryant says Harper isn't headed for Cubs
Bryce Harper's longtime friend Kris Bryant says Harper isn't headed for Cubs originally appeared on nbcsportswashington.com
After weeks of twists and turns and not enough information for any Nationals fan's satisfaction, the Chicago Cubs seem to be out of the race for free agent Bryce Harper.
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant seemingly confirmed the news on Friday night from the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Cubs Convention.
"He's not signing here," Bryant said as he sat down with NBC Sports Chicago.
Though there have been no official reports of whether or not the Cubs are completely out in the race to sign Harper, a word from one of Harper's longtime friends shouldn't be brushed aside.
Bryant and Harper took the field together in the 2016 MLB All-Star game, and faced off in the 2017 NLDS Cubs-Nats matchup.
The pair have known each other since grade schoool, and played for rival high schools in Las Vegas. But despite their history, Bryant says that they haven't chatted much about the situation otherwise, choosing to focus on preserving their friendship.
"I never bring it up to him," Bryant admitted. "I try to be a good friend to him, and not talk about baseball when he doesn't want to talk about baseball."
"Whatever happens, I wish [him] the best."
You can see more of Bryant's interview with NBCSC below.
MORE NATIONALS NEWS:
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/bryce-harpers-longtime-friend-kris-003051282.html?src=rss
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A Great Read About, and a Great Video on, the One and Only El Mago
Two must-consume bits about repeat All-Star Javy Baez today when you have some time.
The first is a quick MLB video about the man who deserves to be called El Mago:
And the second is an article that digs even more into Baez’s past than we’ve heard before, including a particularly terrifying story from his youth that among many things that shaped the way he has handled himself:
Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/07/08/a-great-read-about-and-a-great-video-on-the-one-and-only-el-mago/
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It will be hard to sleep - Foles reflects on 'crazy' year as Eagles earn playoff berth
Nick Foles reflected on a "crazy year" for the Philadelphia Eagles after the defending champions snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the NFL regular season.
The improbable hero of the Eagles' run to Super Bowl glory last season, Foles was much-maligned early in the campaign as he struggled to replicate his playoff heroics in the opening weeks.
Philadelphia endured an up-and-down season when usual starting quarterback Carson Wentz returned to the fray, and the Eagles' hopes looked to be hanging by a thread this month after a 29-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on December 9.
However, a back injury to Wentz put Foles back into the mix and he earned a third successive win on Sunday as the Eagles' 24-0 shutout of the Washington Redskins - coupled with the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Chicago Bears - secured a Wild Card berth for Philadelphia.
With Wentz unlikely to return, Foles now has a shot to repeat his achievements of the previous postseason, starting when the Eagles visit the Bears on Sunday, and he and his team-mates are relishing the opportunity.
"It's been a crazy year. It was really special as we were waiting for the other game to finish, as we were taking care of business on the field," Foles said.
"It's super exciting. It hasn't been an easy ride and you know, we got some help. It's really special. We get to keep on playing, we get to wear the Eagles jersey one more time, and you know, I'm really excited, the locker room is super excited, it will be hard to sleep tonight.
"I think the big thing I've talked about is, you know, there was never a quitting attitude. Though we might not have been winning all the games we wanted to, the guys never gave up. Never wavered. We just kept working, kept believing, kept communicating with one another. And sometimes it just takes time.
"We talk about going through adversity and it just shows that if you stick together, you lean on one another, you can do great things. So, we've got to keep doing that."
Head coach Doug Pederson added: "It's exciting. It's a lot of hard work that just paid off, and you know, it's what we set out to do, obviously. Obviously in this journey we didn't meet a lot of our goals but one of them was to get into the postseason and we were able to do that so we're excited for that.
"It was a lot of excitement, a lot of jubilation in the locker room and just told the guys congratulations, we're in the postseason, and I told them exactly - you know, what I mentioned earlier - we set out to get yourselves into the tournament, they've done that and we've got another opportunity next week."
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/hard-sleep-foles-reflects-apos-115613353.html?src=rss
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The Beeronaut & CBG Nik Cruise Sox Park
500 Level Skyline Deck
Back in the early 90’s Mark McDermott would host Halloween parties with Mensa International and invite the Chicago Beer Society over. The two groups would share homebrew made for the occasion. His work with The Examiner and Tribune Publishing pre dates anything our website has done. When the chance to talk baseball and beer with him at Guaranteed Rate Field came across the wire, we got more excited than we normally do.
Chicago notoriously both the most expensive and most affordable tickets in Major League Baseball. When compared to the ballpark on the other side of town, it’s Sox Park that gets the job done with their beer selection. This is the land of over 115 local beers. The wildly popular Craft Kave in right field led to an expansion in the upper deck this season. Craft Kave Express in section 540 compliments the experience downstairs and encourages cruising the entire park on gamedays.
lifesize bobblehead of All Star Jose Abreu
115 local beers
Revolution Tropic Hero
333 W 35th St
This stadium loves statues, fireworks, murals and killer pregame giveaways. The lower level for the most part is all about the 2005 World Champs. We actually enjoyed upstairs just as much because all those images focus on previous decades of Sox history.
New this season is the Chicago skyline photo deck. Clear sightlines to downtown and a photo platform in that iconic logo font are located near the ramp. The city’s name in cursive black script lettering is the same as it was on the road uniform they won the title in 13 years ago. Here is where we enjoyed Baderbraü’s South Side Pride for maybe the last time. It was announced early this season that the lager brewery located just 1.2 miles from the park was auctioning off its equipment 🙁
Oscar Gamble 31 HRs in ’77
RIP Baderbraü
long time ago when we were fab
1983 AL West ‘Winning Ugly’ logo
1 of the American League’s 8 original teams
The former Miller Lite Extra Bases Club was converted into Revolution Brewing’s #SoxSocial Tap. Tropic Hero and Freedom of Speech (sour peach session ale) are the latest tappings. The full beer lineup features 18 offerings. You could spend the entire game in this space. It doubles as a sports social lounge complete with couches, screens, vintage Sox table tops and authentic street tacos.
This is easily my favorite place to be in Chicago.
Of course there’s the standard park fare but treats like Elotes, Irish Nachos, Ice Cream Churro Sundaes, Chorizo Sausage and Comiskey Dogs celebrate this side of town in particular.
Comiskey Dogs
Hall Of Fame 2014, The Big Hurt
Carlton Fisk, Hall Of Fame 2000
Revolution’s #SoxSocial Taproom
35th St.
Modelo and Goose Island have the big sponsorship budgets, so they have the largest presence. But we root for crews like Pipeworks, Pollyana, Blue Island, Hop Butcher, Around The Bend and Maplewood, most who self distribute but still make their way to a big league stadium.
We can thank the Chicago White Sox for that.
–Nkosi
–Other Notes:
–The White Sox have the most uniform changes in baseball history
-The Sox have played at this intersection since 1910. Old Comiskey Park was located across the street 1910-1990
–Before every game, after every White Sox home run, and after White Sox victories, fireworks are exploded.
Blue Island’s Sun Standard
Source: https://www.chicagobeergeeks.com/2018/08/the-beeronaut-cbg-nik-cruise-sox-park/
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LENS 2019 - National Juried Photography Exhibition
LENS 2019
INTERNATIONAL JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
February 28, 2019 - MARCH 31, 2019
opening reception and awards March 2, 2019 5-7 PM
JUROR: NATASHA EGAN, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago
Perspective Gallery is pleased to announce our seventh annual juried exhibition of photography, LENS 2019. Photographers are invited to submit work for possible inclusion in the exhibition. All subject matter and photographic processes are welcome.
Natasha Egan is the executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP), where she was previously the associate director and curator since 2000. She has organized over fifty exhibitions with a focus on contemporary Asian art and artists concerned with societal issues, such as the environment, war, and economics. Egan has contributed essays to numerous publications and periodicals and lectures international. For over a decade, she taught in the photography and humanities departments at Columbia College Chicago, and holds a BA in Asian studies, MA in museum studies, and MFA in fine art photography.
SUBMISSIONS
Artists are invited to submit up to five (5) photographic images in JPEG form. Images must have been created within the past five years. Artists should complete the entry form and upload their images at: http://perspectivegallery.slideroom.com
ENTRY FEE
The fee for submitting up to five (5) images is $40. The fee is non-refundable.
Deadline for entries: January 14, 2019
Notification of acceptance: January 24, 2019
Deadline for delivery of work: February 17, 2019
Show opens: February 28, 2019
Opening reception and awards: March 2, 2019
Show closes: March 31, 2019
Pickup of hand-delivered work: March 31, 2019
Return shipment of work: April 3, 2019
AWARDS
Juror’s Award: $300
1st runner-up: $200
2nd runner-up: $150
SALES
Perspective Gallery will receive a 40% commission on any artwork sold during the exhibition. Artists will receive 60% of the sales price of any work sold. Perspective Gallery is a not-for-profit photography gallery whose purpose is to promote photography as fine art. Perspective is located in Evanston, just north of Chicago.
DELIVERY OF ACCEPTED WORK
All accepted work must be framed in a professional manner with hanging wire (no sawtooth hangers).
Work must arrive by February 20th.
SHIPPING ARTWORK
Artists shipping artwork must use UPS or FedEx, and include either an account number for return shipping or a prepaid return shipping bill.
Perspective Gallery will not be responsible for damage occurring during shipment to or from the gallery. Work must be framed using plexiglass, not glass. Work should be shipped in sturdy reusable containers, and packed using foam sheets or bubble wrap. Do not use packing peanuts. Shipping boxes must not exceed 60 inches in length. Work exceeding this size must be delivered and picked up in person. Insurance of artwork during transit to and from the gallery is the responsibility of the artist The gallery will insure all works against theft, damage, and destruction while they are at the gallery.
Artwork must be shipped to:
UPS Store
c/o Perspective Gallery
848 Dodge Avenue
Evanston, IL 60202
In-Person Delivery
Artists may hand deliver work to Perspective Gallery (1310 1/2 B Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL) between 12-5pm 2/14-2/17.
Questions?
email: [email protected]
phone: 224-200-1155
PERSPECTIVE
FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY
1310 1/2 B Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
HOURS: Thurs-Sat 12-6 PM, Sun 12-5 PM
www.perspectivegallery.org
224-200-1155
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Source: http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/calls-for-artists/lens-2019-national-juried-photography-exhibition
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Madeleine L’Engle’s Legacy: Science Fiction for Kids
Writer, wife, mother, daughter, friend—all these words describe the amazing Madeleine L'Engle. On what would have been her 100th birthday (November 29), take a look back at what made Madeleine Madeleine. Then look forward to the writers who were inspired by this icon of science fiction writing for kids.
Get to Know L'Engle
Becoming Madeleine: Written by L'Engle's granddaughters, this biography includes family photos, diary entries and letters shared for the first time.
Listening for Madeleine: Get a more in-depth look at L'Engle's life through interviews with family, friends and even fans.
Time Travel Books
A Wrinkle in Time: Travel through time and space with Meg, Charles and Calvin in L'Engle's science fiction classic.
When You Reach Me: This Newbery-winning mystery was inspired by A Wrinkle in Time.
Once Was A Time: Will Lottie find her way back to her family and friends after she's transported from 1940s England to 2013 Wisconsin?
Saving Lucas Biggs: Margaret travels through time to solve two murders in this sci-fi-historical fiction novel.
Check out Jason's Now is the Time blog for even more readalikes.
Source: https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/madeleine-lengles-legacy-science-fiction-for-kids/
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Bears re-sign Aaron Lynch
This move feels like a bigger deal that it probably should, but considering the untested depth under contract behind starters Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. it’s good to see Aaron Lynch back on a one-year contract.
The 26-year old Lynch played in thirteen games last season, making three starts, and he picked up 3 sacks and 8 quarterback hits. He was the first outside linebacker off the bench and he played in 33.6% of their defensive snaps.
There were three other free agent visits by Lynch in the last few weeks, but ultimately the chance to return to Club Dub was too much to pass up. “Where else would I want to be?” he told ChicagoBears.com. “This is where I want to be. It’s where I see my future.”
Lynch now re-joins the OLB room consisting of the aforementioned starters, as well as Isaiah Irving, Kylie Fitts, and James Vaughters.
Last week general manager Ryan Pace mentioned that defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris could see some snaps off the edge too.
What are your thoughts on Lynch returning?
Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2019/4/1/18291097/chicago-bears-re-sign-aaron-lynch-free-agency-agent-nfl-2019-edge-outside-linebacker-olb-need
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Quite a Trade Anniversary, the Rizzo Trade Tree for the Padres, and Other Bullets
To the non-Bears, or even the non-football, fans among you, today I dub you mandatory Bears fans. The Chicago football club is appearing in the playoffs for the first time in eight years, which is one year LONGER than the Cubs’ mini-drought between the 2008 and 2015 postseason appearances. Using that for context, you can appreciate the hype.
Meanwhile …
Pretty important anniversary, eh:
Although it wasn’t the first trade made by the new Theo-Jed-Jason front office (that was the trade that sent D.J. LeMahieu and Tyler Colvin to the Rockies for Ian Stewart and Casey Weathers (whoops)), getting Rizzo will always be remembered as one of the most important trades in the history of the Cubs organization.
Of the trade that primarily swapped Rizzo for righty Andrew Cashner, then-Padres GM Josh Byrnes said, “Having both [Yonder] Alonso and Rizzo in spring training would have been a little like having a quarterback controversy. We didn’t want that and we felt that Alonso might fare a little better at Petco Park.” Well, we can’t know what Rizzo would have gone on to do with the Padres, but we certainly know what he’s done with the Cubs. As for Alonso, whom the Padres had specifically gone out and acquired earlier that offseason, he posted a modest .271/.339/.386 (104 wRC+) line over four injury-filled years with the Padres. He was traded to the A’s in a deal that netted Drew Pomeranz, who pitched well there, and was traded to the Red Sox for Anderson Espinoza, who is still considered a good, but not elite, prospect. So … Rizzo for Espinoza anybody?
Bonus, here’s Rizzo high fiving his first base coach:
(Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
That 2011 season was Will Venable’s worst at the plate until his final year with the club a few years later (.246/.310/.395, 99 wRC+), but he can still say he smoked his teammate Anthony Rizzo (.141/.281/.242, 59 wRC+).
Bonus Rizzo because I happened to see it and it’s insane:
Javy Baez hanging out in Puerto Rico with Trevor Bauer is a thing that happened:
The Pirates are now 8% more gritty:
Two of my favorite pitcher highlights to watch, because how:
Let’s go. (And apologies for Hawk, but it actually is kinda funny …. )
Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/01/06/quite-a-trade-anniversary-the-rizzo-trade-tree-for-the-padres-and-other-bullets/
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