Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Tom Musick2019-11-01T22:58:19-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/tom-musick/rss2019-11-01T22:58:19-05:002019-11-02T21:10:52-05:00Chicago Bulls find finishing touch with tougher defense, hold off Detroit Pistons
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Andre Drummond and Wendell Carter Jr. battle for the ball during the second half Friday at the United Center. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Paul Beaty/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>This time, the Bulls stood their ground in the fourth quarter.</p><p><b>Zach LaVine </b>scored a team-high 26 points, <b>Otto Porter Jr. </b>added 22, and the Bulls held on for a 112-106 win over the Pistons on Friday night at the United Center. The Bulls led by as many as 16 in the first half before falling behind with 3:46 to go, but they closed the game on a 13-6 run to snap a three-game losing streak.</p><p>“I thought we rebounded the ball better in the fourth quarter,” coach <b>Jim Boylen</b> said. “I thought our defensive effort and our communication was better. And I thought we made some big-time shots, which is important. It’s something we haven’t been doing.”</p><p>LaVine sparked the strong finish with back-to-back three-pointers to turn a one-point deficit into a five-point lead.</p><p>But it was Porter’s play that drew the loudest praise from Boylen. Porter, who entered the game averaging 8.8 points on 31.8 percent shooting, gave his best effort of the season, shooting 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.</p><p>“Otto, I thought, had that look in his eye like he wasn’t going to let us lose,” Boylen said. “He was aggressive. He was confident. He has a size advantage at the three with ball skills. I thought he did a great job.”</p><p><b>Wendell Carter Jr.</b> also stood out, posting a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.</p><p>“He embraces his role on this team,” Boylen said. “He’s a tough young dude.”</p><p><b>Lauri Markkanen</b> added 14 points but watched from the bench in the fourth quarter after sustaining an unspecified injury. Boylen claimed he didn’t know the details but said Markkanen was available to come back late in the game. Instead, Boylen stuck with <b>Thaddeus Young</b>, who contributed on both ends of the court.</p><p>“We’ve played good enough offensive basketball to win,” Boylen said. “We haven’t played good enough defensive basketball to win. We got those clouds out of the way today, and I thought we were better defensively.”</p><p><b>Hello, old friend</b></p><p><b>Derrick Rose</b> wasn’t the only former Bull who got a raucous ovation Friday. So did <b>Joakim Noah</b>, who watched the game from a suite with his young daughter on his lap. Fans roared when Noah was shown on the scoreboard sporting a bushy beard and a purple headband.</p><p>The Bulls played a brief highlight reel from Noah’s playing days. His daughter happily pointed at him after realizing the man in the video was her dad.</p><p><b>Not ready yet</b></p><p>Forward <b>Chandler Hutchison</b> (strained hamstring) missed his sixth straight game. Boylen said he was hopeful Hutchison could travel for Sunday’s game against the Pacers.</p><p>“We’ll see how that plays out,” Boylen said. “Hopefully he can practice [Saturday] with us, and hopefully we can move forward with it. Obviously, it’s a long process, and it’s frustrating for him and frustrating for us.” <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2019/11/1/20944796/bulls-pistons-tougher-defenseTom Musick2019-11-01T22:53:58-05:002019-11-02T09:16:49-05:00Ex-Chicago Bull player Derrick Rose is replanted and blooming
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Derrick Rose drives against Luke Kornet during the first half Friday at the United Center. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Paul Beaty/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>Derrick Rose is healthy again.</p><p>He’s happy, too. Now 31 and coming off the bench for the Pistons, he’s filled with perspective.</p><p>“I’m piecing it together,” Rose said Friday. “When I was [in Chicago], I guess I didn’t have enough time to allow the city or the [front] office to see that. But I was still learning my rhythm. I was still learning who I was as a man — as a person, too — so I had a lot on my plate.</p><p>“Now that I’m here, I have three kids, I’m settled, I’m more mature now. I’m in a different state of mind and a different place in my life right now.”</p><p>To many Chicagoans, Rose remains a favorite son. Bulls fans gave him a standing ovation when he entered the game midway through the first quarter Friday night. He waved as a familiar chant swelled: “M-V-P! M-V-P!” </p><p>More cheers followed the first time he dribbled the ball up the court. A few minutes later, when Rose stood at the free-throw line to complete a three-point play, the “M-V-P!” chant returned.</p><p>The love is mutual.</p><p>“I grew up here,” said Rose, who now wears No. 25 to honor Ben Wilson, a fellow Simeon High School standout who was gunned down before he could chase his own NBA dreams. “I’m from the inner city. Everything I represent, I think about Chicago first.”</p><p>The Bulls could have tried to bring Rose back this offseason but instead looked elsewhere for depth at point guard. Rose has no hard feelings.</p><p>“I kind of had Detroit in my mind right when free agency opened up,” he said. “My relationship with [Pistons executive and former agent Arn Tellem] — that’s the reason why I signed so quickly. . . . I kind of felt like I owed it to him.</p><p>“It’s funny how when I get to Detroit, it’s kind of like here. It’s a hard-working town. Everybody appreciates the game. There’s a rich history of winning, and they’re used to a gritty way of playing. I think I represent that.”</p><p>Asked if he could see himself returning to the Bulls before his career is over, Rose chuckled. But he didn’t say no.</p><p>“You’ve probably got to ask [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] about that,” he said. “All of that is out of my hands.”</p><p>So is the possibility the Bulls could retire Rose’s No. 1.</p><p>“I mean, I’m from here,” Rose said. “Who wouldn’t want their jersey [hanging next to Michael Jordan’s] and everybody up there? But it’s not up to me to decide that.”</p><p>Regardless, Rose feels good. And he’s not apologizing for the way his Bulls tenure ended after a series of injuries, rehabs and declining play.</p><p>“I think when I was here, I was averaging like 15 or 16 [points per game], but you all wanted me to average 30,” he said. “It’s the honest truth. You all wanted me to play a certain type of way, but then to understand what I was going through at the time or whatever it is, it was just confusion.</p><p>“What I learned from it is that I had to stay true to myself, I had to listen to my body, and if I didn’t, [there’s] no way I would have got to Year 12 doing something for others. I had to think for myself and do things for myself and my family. And look where we’re at right now.”</p><p>Healthy. Happy.</p><p>“The biggest thing is I stayed true to myself,” he said. “I remained myself throughout all of this. There’s no way in hell I would have been here if I didn’t do that. I would have been out the league five or six years ago. My body would have been torn down — I would have just been out of it. So the biggest thing out of my story is remain yourself and stay true to yourself and listen to your body.” <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2019/11/1/20944788/derrick-rose-detroit-pistons-chicago-bullsTom Musick2019-09-15T14:57:53-05:002019-09-15T16:24:02-05:00Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo leaves game with right ankle injury
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is helped in the dugout by trainer PJ Mainville after being injured against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning Sunday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>David Banks/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>Injuries keep piling up at the worst possible time for the Cubs.</p><p>On Sunday, Anthony Rizzo needed to be helped off the field after spraining his right ankle. He was trying to field a bunt when he lost his footing in the infield grass.</p><p>Initial X-rays that were taken at the ballpark did not reveal a fracture, the Cubs announced. Rizzo is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the ankle sprain.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here’s the video of Anthony Rizzo’s injury. Just horrific. <a href="https://t.co/Li77GQAU88">pic.twitter.com/Li77GQAU88</a></p>— Cubs Live (@Cubs_Live) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs_Live/status/1173315324407681029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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</div></div><p>Rizzo writhed in pain as trainers attended to his injured ankle in the top of the third inning. He barely put any weight on the leg as he hobbled toward the dugout with the help of the team’s medical staff and teammate Jason Heyward.</p><p>The Cubs already are without star shortstop Javier Baez for the rest of the regular season. The team also placed shortstop Addison Russell on the seven-day concussion list before Sunday’s game and has been without key contributors such as Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras for various parts of the season.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Anthony Rizzo being helped off the field for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a>. <a href="https://t.co/opMQoe3Nw0">pic.twitter.com/opMQoe3Nw0</a></p>— Tom Musick (@tcmusick) <a href="https://twitter.com/tcmusick/status/1173313762427846658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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</div></div><p>Rizzo entered the day hitting .289 with 26 homers and 93 RBIs. He drew walks in each of his first two plate appearances Sunday before his injury.</p><p>The Cubs trailed the Cardinals by three games for first place in the National League Central entering Sunday.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/9/15/20867334/cubs-first-baseman-anthony-rizzo-leaves-game-with-right-ankle-injury-piratesTom Musick2019-09-06T23:06:36-05:002019-09-06T23:07:15-05:00White Sox fall without manager Rick Renteria
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<img class="Image" alt="Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo lays on top of Adam Engel after forcing him out during the seventh inning Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c6d2ffc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/768x431+0+35/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FvElKw6fTJaIWNPRcKohccuDEx3k%3D%2F0x0%3A768x502%2F768x502%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28384x251%3A385x252%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F19175819%2FScreen_Shot_2019_09_06_at_11.02.23_PM.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1ede7af/2147483647/strip/true/crop/768x431+0+35/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FvElKw6fTJaIWNPRcKohccuDEx3k%3D%2F0x0%3A768x502%2F768x502%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28384x251%3A385x252%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F19175819%2FScreen_Shot_2019_09_06_at_11.02.23_PM.png 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo lays on top of Adam Engel after forcing him out during the seventh inning Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Matt Marton/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>The pain started to become unbearable for White Sox manager Rick Renteria.</p><p>A torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder prevented him from sleeping well at night. Small movements and seemingly ordinary tasks such as shaking hands caused more pain to shoot through his body.</p><p>“He was trying to wait to [have surgery] until the offseason,” said bench coach Joe McEwing, who managed in Renteria’s place Friday night against the Angels. “We told him, ‘Get it done. Don’t go through the pain. Get it done now. We got you.’ ”</p><p>Renteria did his part. The Sox tried to do theirs.</p><p>Tim Anderson belted a towering two-run homer, Jose Abreu matched his career high with his 107th RBI of the season, and Lucas Giolito pitched like an ace yet again as the Sox opened a three-game series. But the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead for Giolito, as Aaron Bummer surrendered a game-tying, two-run homer to Brian Goodwin in the eighth, setting up a 5-4 loss after Justin Upton’s solo homer off Alex Colome (4-3) in the top of the ninth.</p><p>Goodwin was an injury replacement for Mike Trout, who left the game in the fifth because of discomfort in one of his toes. His status is day-to-day.</p><p>Renteria, who underwent his surgery earlier Friday, will miss the rest of the weekend series and hopes to rejoin the team for Tuesday’s series opener against the Royals.</p><p>The Sox seemed to be in capable hands with McEwing, the former big-league infielder known as “Super Joe” during his playing days with the Cardinals, Mets, Royals and Astros. It was only appropriate that two players with whom he works especially closely, Anderson and Yoan Moncada, enjoyed strong games on a night with him in charge.</p><p>Anderson singled and scored in the first before clobbering his 16th homer in the fifth. He stood near home plate and admired the view for several seconds as the ball sailed beyond the wall and landed deep in the Sox bullpen.</p><p>Anderson entered the night with a .332 batting average, which led the American League. He’s trying to join Sox legends Frank Thomas (1997) and Luke Appling (1936, 1943) as the only players in franchise history to lead the league in hitting.</p><p>“It would put a feather in his cap, the organization’s cap, from scouting and player development to our staff as well, of continuing to see the maturity throughout the years,” McEwing said. “It’s so impressive to see what he’s gone through on a daily basis and the adjustments he makes throughout the season, from the beginning of spring training until now, and the understanding of what pitchers are trying to do to him now.”</p><p>Anderson also showed off his athleticism in the field at shortstop with an off-balance catch in the sixth.</p><p>Meanwhile, Moncada singled in his first at-bat and came around to score. He doubled in his next at-bat.</p><p>Have Anderson and Yoan Moncada surpassed coaches’ expectations?</p><p>“If coming into the season, in the moment, I had said ‘Do you think T.A. will be hitting .330 in September?’, what would your answer have been?” McEwing said. “So they’re exceeding — and we don’t want to put a limit on it.”</p><p>Giolito missed out on his 15th victory despite a strong performance. He allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings and climbed to eighth place in Sox history with 216 strikeouts on the season.</p><p>McEwing downplayed his role as fill-in manager for Renteria.</p><p>“I wish he was here,” McEwing said. “We miss him. He’s our leader. But we’re all in this together. It’s not about me — it’s about us.” <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2019/9/6/20853886/white-sox-fall-without-manager-rick-renteriaTom Musick2019-09-06T13:49:00-05:002019-09-06T23:14:12-05:00White Sox promote Mike Shirley to amateur scouting director
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mike Shirley. (White Sox photo)</p></figcaption></div>
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<p><b>Mike Shirley</b> remembers driving the back roads as an area scout for the White Sox. He never imagined those roads would lead him to the top of the team’s amateur scouting department. </p><p>Shirley, 49, was promoted to director of amateur scouting Friday as the replacement for <b>Nick Hostetler</b>, who took a position in July as special assistant to general manager <b>Rick Hahn</b>.</p><p>“Nineteen years of doing this — it’s been a truly rewarding experience for me,” Shirley said.</p><p>He’ll oversee the draft in his new role. The Sox have built one of the best farm systems in recent years by drafting or acquiring a bevy of highly touted prospects, including <b>Yoan Moncada</b>, <b>Eloy Jimenez</b>, <b>Luis Robert</b>, <b>Nick Madrigal</b>, <b>Zack Collins</b> and others.</p><p>Although Shirley came up as an old-school scout, he also places an emphasis on advanced metrics.</p><p>“We’re more innovative and further ahead than people realize,” Shirley said. “We may not talk about it every day. It doesn’t mean we don’t use those tools or resources to evaluate players or to have an advantage. We’re prepared for the future. The future of baseball is changing.”</p><p>The Sox traditionally favored college players in the draft, but that has changed in recent years as they have taken more chances on high school players. Shirley said it’s necessary to keep an open mind about all players in the draft.</p><p>“Younger players are getting here faster,” he said. “We want good players, whether they are 17 or 22. That was always the goal. There is no segment or directive [that] you must take high school players [or] college players. It’s our job to take the right players.”</p><p>Some of the players Shirley scouted over the years include <b>Chris Getz</b>, <b>Micah Johnson</b>, <b>Clayton Richard</b> and <b>Aaron Bummer</b>. Getz now works for the Sox as director of player development.</p><p><b>Garcia heads home</b></p><p>Utilityman <b>Leury Garcia</b> is in his native Santiago, Dominican Republic, following the death of his grandmother and is missing this weekend’s series. He’s expected to rejoin the team Tuesday for the series opener against the Royals. </p><p>Garcia is hitting .277 with seven homers, 38 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 127 games.</p><p>With Garcia out, Jimenez started Friday night in left field, <b>Adam Engel </b>started in center and <b>Ryan Cordell </b>started in right. <b>Tim Anderson</b> took over Garcia’s typical leadoff spot in the lineup.</p><p><b>For a good cause</b></p><p>Sox pitching prospect <b>Michael Kopech,</b> who’s missing the 2019 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, has pledged to grow out his hair through the end of the year so he can donate it to children undergoing cancer treatment.</p><p>Kopech is calling his effort — which will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and Chicago White Sox Charities — “Kopech’s Big Kut.” He’ll cut his hair before this winter’s SoxFest so it can be used for natural-hair wigs for kids.</p><p>Fans can qualify for a VIP experience with Kopech and other prizes by donating at whitesox.com/kopech through Sept. 30. <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/9/6/20853249/white-sox-promote-mike-shirley-amateur-scouting-directorTom Musick2019-05-26T15:57:59-05:002019-05-26T22:40:52-05:00Cubs’ Kris Bryant leaves game with injury after colliding with Jason Heyward
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jason Heyward and Kris Bryant (17) of the Cubs collided in the sixth inning trying to make a catch against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Quinn Harris/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>The hard-hit fly ball from Eugenio Suarez looked trouble-some from the start. Jason Heyward tracked it from center field and sprinted for the gap. Kris Bryant ran toward the same spot from his position in right field.</p><p>Moments later, the outfielders collided. Bryant took the brunt of the impact and dropped to the ground. So did the ball.</p><p>The crash in the sixth inning was the scariest moment in a shoddy performance for the Cubs, who lost 10-2 to the Reds in the rubber match of a three-game series.</p><p>“It was a tough, bad game,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We got banged up a little bit. But that stuff happens. It’s part of the season. What you [measure] is how you bounce back from something like that.”</p><p>That depends on how quickly Bryant returns. He remained under evaluation by the Cubs’ medical staff after the game and was not permitted to speak with reporters.</p><p>Maddon said Bryant sustained an injury to his head and neck area. He wasn’t sure if Bryant would need to go through MLB’s concussion protocol and said the postgame evaluation would help determine his status for the upcoming series against the Astros. Bryant was cleared to fly south with the team.</p><p>After the collision, Bryant left the game, walking slowly off the field alongside a trainer. He fixed his gaze toward the ground in front of him and rubbed his forehead several times before he reached the dugout.</p><p>Heyward said he called for the ball on the play, but Bryant never heard him.</p><p>“We both fought hard to make a play,” Heyward said during a brief, terse interview with reporters. “We ran into each other.”</p><p>Did crowd noise make it difficult to hear one another?</p><p>“That’s part of it.”</p><p>Did Bryant call for the ball, too?</p><p>“I don’t know.”</p><p>Maddon blamed the breakdown on miscommunication in the outfield but acknowledged that noise and wind made for a difficult play.</p><p>“It is loud,” Maddon said. “Even when I go out there to see [Bryant], my goodness, everything is right in your face, and I could see where it’d be very difficult to hear one another. It’s just a combination of things. It’s probably the first time I think we’ve done that all year, so it’s going to happen at some point.”</p><p>The game marked Bryant’s eighth start in right field this season. He also has started 30 games at third base and two as designated hitter.</p><p>Maddon brushed off the notion that Bryant’s relative inexperience in right field might have contributed to the collision. The Cubs have shuffled their defensive lineup throughout the season, with players frequently rotating positions.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/26/18640648/with-home-run-totals-up-yet-again-should-we-be-discussing-peds-anew-mlb-drug-testing-cubs-white-sox" target="_blank" >With home-run totals up yet again, should we be discussing PEDs anew?</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>“I’ve seen some really stable outfielders, guys that are there all the time, do the same thing,” Maddon said. “[Heyward and Bryant have] been out there before together. [Heyward] has been in center and K.B. has been in right.</p><p>“It’s just . . . it happened. It’s going to happen again — hopefully not for a while — but I don’t worry about stuff like that.”</p><p>The Cubs gave up 17 hits, committed two errors and trailed 7-0 in the sixth. The pain began early with Suarez’s RBI single in the first, followed by Joey Votto scoring from third on a double-play grounder, putting the Cubs in a 2-0 hole. The Reds piled on with a four-run sixth.</p><p>Backup catcher Victor Caratini pitched the ninth, allowing two runs.</p><p>“It’s already in the trash can,” Maddon said. “They got us early — some well-placed ones. If it was a fight, it would have been stopped on cuts, right? That’s the old [Vin] Scully line. It’s just one of those things.</p><p>“This whole series, we’ve been giving up a lot of that stuff. So let’s flush it out and move on.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/26/18640783/cubs-kris-bryant-leaves-game-with-injury-after-colliding-with-jason-heyward-mlb-redsTom Musick2019-05-05T22:58:11-05:002019-05-13T18:38:12-05:00Cubs finish sweep of Cardinals with 13-5 rout, move into first place
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago Cubs’ Ben Zobrist, left, Albert Almora Jr., center, and Jason Heyward celebrate after the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 13-5 in a baseball game, Sunday, May 5, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: CXC124</p></figcaption></div>
</figure>
<p>The chant started in the eighth inning and gained volume as it spread through the ballpark.</p><p>“<i>Sweeep. Sweeep. Sweeep</i>.”</p><p>Cardinals fielders waited for the next pitch and pretended not to hear the crowd. Some Cubs fans leaned over the walls in foul territory and pantomimed sweeping a broom with exaggerated motions from right to left.</p><p>After an ugly start to the season, the mood has brightened on the North Side.</p><p>The Cubs cruised to a 13-5 win over the Cardinals on Sunday night to finish off a three-game sweep and win their seventh game in a row. The victory pushed the Cubs a half-game in front of the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.</p><p>“Everything has really been clicking for us,” said Kris Bryant, who hit a grand slam during a six-run eighth inning. “This is the type of baseball that’s super fun to be a part of.”</p><p>Since starting the season 2-7, the Cubs have won 17 of 22.</p><p>Reliable pitching has fueled the Cubs’ run, and the trend continued with a quality start from Jose Quintana in the series finale.</p><p>Quintana (4-1) allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two.</p><p>“To sweep this team is really important for us,” said Quintana, who is 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his past five starts. “Take first place right now and keep going like we’ve been playing the last two weeks. That’s a really good feeling.”</p><p>In their last 22 games, Cubs pitchers have combined to post a 2.48 ERA (56 earned runs in 203 innings). They have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of those contests and nearly did so Sunday if not for a woeful ninth inning from Tyler Chatwood.</p><p>A healthy dose of run production has helped, too.</p><p>Willson Contreras opened the scoring in the second when he belted a solo home run into the bleachers in right-center field. It was his ninth homer, which ranks second on the team behind Javy Baez (11). Contreras is only one homer shy of matching his season total from 2018.</p><p>David Bote, Anthony Rizzo and Contreras each finished with two RBIs apiece.</p><p>Ben Zobrist shined at the plate (2-for-4, RBI) and in left field, where he threw out Matt Carpenter and third base and made a diving catch on a sinking line drive by Yadier Molina. The plays preserved a narrow lead in the early innings when the game was anyone’s to take.</p><p>“He’s been a good outfielder for a long time,” Joe Maddon said. “He relishes that role. He works diligently, daily. We tell him in advance where he’s going to play, and he knows that, and he’s going to work there the day before. Not a surprise.”</p><p>What is a surprise is how quickly the Cubs have moved past their miserable start.</p><p>Maddon figured his team would be playing catch-up in the standings through Memorial Day.</p><p>“Whenever I have been with a team that has gotten in a hole, I’ve always thought about one game a week, try to pick up one a week, and then you get back to normalcy,” he said. “But it’s incredible how quickly we’ve been able to get our feet back on the ground.”</p><p>Bryant cautioned that more battles against the Cardinals await.</p><p>“We know it’s going to be a battle this whole year with them, with the Brewers, with the rest of our division, so it’s nice to kind of get this one out of the way early with three wins,” Bryant said. “That was just a weird start to the year. We all knew we had talent here.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/5/18620878/cubs-finish-sweep-of-cardinals-with-13-5-rout-move-into-first-placeTom Musick2019-05-05T18:19:50-05:002019-05-13T18:26:21-05:00Cubs' Javy Baez embraces national spotlight, and he is deserving of it
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez (9) after he hit a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton) ORG XMIT: CXC122</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Joe Maddon didn’t say yes. But he didn’t say no.</p><p>Instead, he let out a sigh as he pondered the question: Has Javy Baez become the best player on the Cubs?</p><p>“Based on what he did last year and what he’s doing right now, it’s hard to argue against the ascension he’s made within the group,” Maddon said. “He’s one of the best players in the game. … Write down 10 other names that can impact a game like he can in either league.”</p><p>The spotlight on Baez shined even brighter in front of a national television audience Sunday night. ESPN filmed a segment in which Baez and current analyst Alex Rodriguez walked through Wrigley Field and spoke about the player’s star trajectory.</p><p>The 26-year-old Baez said would like to spend his entire career with the Cubs. He also said he was determined to improve upon last season even though he hit .290 with 34 homers, 111 RBIs and 21 stolen bases and earned his first All-Star nod.</p><p>“Last year, I had a great year but in the second half I felt a little tired,” Baez said to Rodriguez. “A lot of people didn’t see it, but every day I came to the field and Joe was like, ‘Are you good? Are you ready to play?’ Obviously, I’m never going to say no.”</p><p>Maddon said Baez deserves all the positive attention he is getting.</p><p>“The thing you don’t see – you don’t see his work ethic,” Maddon said. “You don’t hear him in the dugout. You don’t see all the little things that he does. This guy, he’s playing baseball like he was 12 on a sandlot in Bayamon, (Puerto Rico). That’s what he’s doing, and he’s having a blast. But he’s doing it at a high mental level that everybody else appreciates, too.”</p><p><b>Pajama party</b></p><p>You might think Taylor Davis had a hard time getting to sleep the night after clubbing his first career home run – a grand slam, no less.</p><p>You would be wrong.</p><p>“I actually got to sleep pretty early,” Davis, 29, said with a laugh. “Me and my wife are like grandparents.”</p><p>Has Davis always been an old man in disguise?</p><p>“Yes, always,” he said. “We bed our two dogs, we drink our tea at night and we go to bed.”</p><p>The main difference this time was a slew of congratulatory text messages and newfound fame on social media, where he estimated that he gained 4,000 followers on his Instagram account. His latest photo shows him dropping his bat and looking up toward his grand slam.</p><p><b>On the mend</b></p><p>Victor Caratini took batting practice on the field for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand.</p><p>Three weeks have passed since surgery for Caratini, who hit .571 (8-for-14) with a homer and five RBIs in his first six games before the injury. The 25-year-old initially was projected to miss 4-6 weeks, and that timetable remains intact.</p><p>Reliever Xavier Cedeno (left wrist) pitched one-third of an inning for Class AAA Iowa. He is slated to pitch again Monday.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2019/5/5/18619336/cubs-javy-baez-embraces-national-spotlight-and-he-is-deserving-of-itTom Musick2019-05-03T23:45:00-05:002019-05-13T18:44:28-05:00White Sox' Kopech learning patience in recovery
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>During a throwing session on flat ground in spring training, Michael Kopech holds a baseball, inadvertently revealing the scar he had from Tommy John surgery. John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Michael Kopech wants to pitch today.</p><p>Not tomorrow. Not the next day. Not the day after that.</p><p>But the 23-year-old knows he has to take things easy in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.</p><p>“I would say that the physical rehab of the whole process is actually not that difficult at all,” Kopech said Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field, where he and fellow injured pitcher Dane Dunning are visiting for a few days. “It’s the mental side of it that’s kind of tough. It’s a lot of waiting and you have to be patient.</p><p>“You can ask most of my teammates, I’m not the most patient person in the world. That’s been a learning curve for me but I’ve really embraced it. I’ve learned a lot from it and I’m at a point where mentally I’m in the best position I could be in.”</p><p>Physically, Kopech also is improving. He is throwing from 120 feet in his long-toss program, and he threw on flat ground this week for the first time since undergoing surgery in September. He said doctors told him he was 42 percent along in his recovery plan.</p><p>Kopech will return to the White Sox spring training facility in Glendale, Ariz., next week to continue his comeback. He watches the big-league team on TV when he can, and he thinks developing more patience could help him become a better pitcher.</p><p>“Throwing wise, it’s coming out easy,” Kopech said. “I’m learning to have more feel. I’m not really at a point where I’m putting too much stress on what I’m doing because I know I have a lot of time left. I’m excited about where I’m at.”</p><p><b>Brace yourself</b></p><p>Dunning, who is about six weeks out from his March surgery, is several months behind Kopech in his recovery from Tommy John. He recently had a bulky arm brace removed and was cleared to do strength exercises but likely will not throw for a couple months.</p><p>“The brace was there to help, but it’s a pain,” Dunning said. “It always slides down. It’s really exciting, the day I got it (off). Small victories. Especially with this, it’s a lot of small victories, and that was definitely a victory.</p><p>“(Now), when I go out in public, I don’t get people saying, ‘You’re Robo Man.”</p><p><b>Scouting report</b></p><p>Luis Robert is focused on improving despite hitting .420 (34-for-81) between Class A Winston-Salem and Class AA Birmingham to start the season.</p><p>“I still have to learn things about the league, about the game,” Robert, 21, said during a conference call. “I just need to keep playing every day. I can’t tell you right now whether I’m ready or not for the majors.”</p><p>The Cuban outfielder can tell you he believes his power is here to stay. He hit zero homers in 50 games last season, but he already has eight homers in 21 games this year.</p><p>“Last year, the power wasn’t there, and it was something weird with the injuries and the thumb,” Robert said. “My swing was never there. This year, I’m completely healthy and feeling good and the results are there. This is the player that I am.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2019/5/3/18621741/white-sox-kopech-learning-patience-in-recoveryTom Musick2019-05-03T23:43:38-05:002019-05-13T18:43:08-05:00Chris Sale feels right at home in Red Sox’ win over White Sox
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale allowed no runs and three hits and struck out 10 in six innings Friday against the White Sox. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>For as long as he pitches in the majors, Chris Sale will feel different when he takes the mound in Chicago.</p><p>“It’s never not going to be weird,” Sale said with a slight grin as he stood near his locker in the visitors’ locker room. “It’s never not going to be something. Obviously, I pitched here it seems like a million times.</p><p>“I like this place. I’ve always liked pitching on this mound. Being here, it’s special to me.”</p><p>The lanky left-hander faced his former team for the third time since the White Sox shipped him to Boston after the 2016 season. He worked quickly on a cold, damp night, sending batter after batter on a slow trip back to the dugout.</p><p>The White Sox trudged to a 6-1 loss and gave Sale his first victory of the season in the process.</p><p>This time, there was no tribute video or standing ovation as there was the first time Sale returned to the South Side. But he did bring his herky-jerky delivery and a mix of fastballs, sliders and changeups that kept hitters off balance.</p><p>It was the finest start of the season for Sale, who struck out 10 in six scoreless innings. He scattered three hits and walked one while throwing 70 of 104 pitches for strikes.</p><p>Sale arrived to the park with an 0-5 record and a 6.30 ERA in his first six starts.</p><p>“Chris Sale is Chris Sale,” Rick Renteria said, dismissing the early-season struggles. “He’s a pretty dominant guy.”</p><p>Sale proved Renteria right by outdueling Reynaldo Lopez, who took a step back in his first outing since striking out a career-high 14 Sunday against the Tigers. Lopez gave up six runs in five-plus innings.</p><p>The performance spoiled a string of three straight quality starts for Lopez.</p><p>The 25-year-old looked sharp to open the game. He got leadoff hitter Andrew Benintendi to fly out to left field and he fanned Mookie Betts on three pitches, finishing him off with a 96 mph fastball over the outside corner.</p><p>Then things went sideways.</p><p>Lopez surrendered back-to-back hits before Rafael Devers clobbered a 436-foot, three-run home run to straightaway center field. It was the eighth home run Lopez has given up this season but the first in his past three starts.</p><p>In the sixth, Lopez gave up another mammoth blast, a 459-foot home run by Michael Chavis down the left-field line. That put Boston up 5-0, and the Red Sox added another run on a bases-loaded walk by White Sox reliever Jose Ruiz.</p><p>The White Sox prevented the shutout in the eighth when James McCann singled to drive in Adam Engel.</p><p>Rain-soaked fans perked up when infielder Jose Rondon took the mound in the ninth. He lobbed several throws so slowly they did not register on the radar gun, but he pitched around a pair of singles to finish with a scoreless inning.</p><p>“It felt good,” Rondon said. “It was fun. Definitely something I’d be willing to do again.”</p><p>Renteria said he wanted to save as many bullpen arms as possible. He said he would have not put a position player on the mound if the deficit were four runs or fewer.</p><p>“If it was within a grand slam, that’s my rule,” Renteria said. “That’s what I was saying, if we would’ve scored one more run, we probably would’ve pushed (Carson) Fulmer to give us an inning. But since we didn’t, it was (Rondon’s) job to do that. He threw on the side today, we actually had him throw a bit on the side to prepare him for this possibility.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2019/5/3/18621559/chris-sale-feels-right-at-home-in-red-sox-win-over-white-soxTom Musick