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Chuck's Daily Check In - 12.23.18

GAME NIGHT FROM CLEVELAND: Bulls (8-25, 3-13 on the road) at Cleveland (8-25, 5-12 at home) TV: NBC Sports Chicago Neil Funk and Stacey King 6PM CT tipoff. RADIO: 670 The Score: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington, Steve Kashul. 5:45 CT Pre.

LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 16 ppg. Cavs: Clarkson: 16 ppg. LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 7 per game. Cavs: Nance Jr. 7 per game. LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Arcidiacono: 3 per game. Cavs: Nance: 3 per game.

LAST MEETING: November 10, 2018 at the United Center. Bulls 99, Cavaliers 98. Jabari Parker with a big game-saving block on Collin Sexton propelled the Bulls to a win. Ryan Arcidiacono was terrific. The Bulls had a healthy lead only to see the Cavs storm back.

CCI PREVIEW: The Bulls are going to ride Lauri Markkaken as much as they can and they should. He is a gifted offensive player and when teams lose him on the perimeter Markkanen will make them pay. Kris Dunn is playing excellent basketball averaging 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists over the past four games. I’m going to love the Dunn-Sexton matchup. Expect Dunn to play him physical. Larry Nance Jr. brings a ton of energy to the Cavs and is a developing player. Like the Bulls, the Cavs are a banged up ball club. Love, Thompson, Henson, Hood are all out. J.R. Smith is chillin' at home until the Cavs deal him. Cleveland dealt Kyle Korver to Utah for Alec Burks.

Washington 149, Phoenix 146 3 OT: Game of the night in the NBA. I was glued to NBALP. The Wizards Thomas Bryant with an NBA season high going 14-14 from the floor. He finished with a career-high 31 points and 13 rebounds. Bradley Beal registered his first career triple double. In 54 min, he scored 40 points, dished out a career-high 15 assists, grabbed 11 rebounds. John Wall missed the game with flu-like symptoms. After playing a triple OT game, the Wizards are in Indiana tonight.

Philadelphia 126, Toronto 101: Embiid and Simmons combined for 53 points and 23 rebounds.

Oklahoma City 107, Utah 106: Paul George recorded his first career 40+ back/back games. The Thunder won their fourth straight game.

Golden State 120, Dallas 116: Kevin Durant scored 29 points. DeAndre Jordan pulled down 23 rebounds for the Mavs.

Houston 108, San Antonio 101: James Harden with 39 points, 10 assists. Chris Paul is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.

Miami 94, Milwaukee 87: Giannis held to nine points on 3-12 from the floor. The Bucks scored only eight first-quarter points and went 9-43 from 3 point range.

Los Angeles Clippers 132, Denver 111: The Clippers handed the Nuggets their worst loss of the season. LAC outscored Denver 80-50 in the paint.

Thanks for reading CCI. Reach out to cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter @ctsbulls. Always a pleasure!

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/chucks-daily-check-122318

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Warriors vs. Mavericks watch guide: Lineups, injuries and player usage

Warriors vs. Mavericks watch guide: Lineups, injuries and player usage originally appeared on nbcsportsbayarea.com

After taking full advantage of inferior opponents in their last two games, the Warriors hope to do the same Sunday when they face the Mavericks at American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 3 p.m. with Warriors Pregame Live, with tipoff scheduled for 4:10. All coverage can be seen on the MyTeams App.

The Warriors (28-14) have won three in a row, with the last two being decisive wins over the Chicago Bulls (146-109) and the New York Knicks (122-95). Those games mark the only time this season that the Warriors have won back-to-back contests by at least 25 points.

Consistency, however, has been elusive for the defending NBA champs, who have just two win streaks of at least four games.

Routing Dallas will not be easy. Though the Mavs (20-22) have been no better than mediocre this season, they have proven they can compete with the Warriors. The teams split the first two meetings, with the Mavs posting a 112-109 win Nov. 17 in Dallas and the Warriors taking a 120-116 victory Dec. 22 in Oakland.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Warriors

F Kevin Durant F Draymond Green C Kevon Looney G Klay Thompson G Stephen Curry

Mavericks

F Harrison Barnes F Maxi Kleber C DeAndre Jordan G Wesley Matthews G Luka Doncic

INJURY REPORT

Warriors: C DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles tendon rehab) and C Damian Jones (pectoral muscle surgery) are listed as out.

Mavericks: G Dennis Smith Jr. (mid-back tightness) is listed as questionable. G Jose Juan Barea (R Achilles' tendon rupture) is listed as out.

ROTATION OUTLOOK

Warriors: With blowouts in their last two games, the Warriors have expanded their rotations. Every healthy member of the team has gotten minutes. They have been able to empty the bench in the fourth quarters, so the starters should be plenty fresh if needed down the stretch. 

Sizzling: Thompson is averaging 27.2 ppg, on 54 percent shooting over last six games. It is by far his best stretch of the season.

Also sizzling: Reserve PG Quinn Cook has shot at least 50 percent from the field in his last six games, 53.8 percent overall. Durant has scored at least 20 points in 29 of his last 30 games, including the last 15.

Mavericks: Though Smith is listed as questionable, he didn't fly with the team to Minnesota on Thursday. With him also being the subject of trade rumors, the Mavericks likely will play it safe.

Doncic averaged 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the first two meetings. He was clutch in a win Friday at Minnesota, with three go-ahead buckets in the final two minutes, the first rookie to accomplish that feat since Vince Carter in 1999.

Dirk Nowitzki, 40, missed the first two months of his final season while recovering from ankle surgery. He has played in 12 games, not once exceeding 16 minutes. Doncic is the team's scoring leader, at 20.0 ppg, with ex-Warrior Barnes at 18.1 ppg.

Dwight Powell, a Stanford product, has been the key big man off the bench.

Officials: Ed Malloy (chief), Ron Garretson, Jacyn Goble.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-vs-mavericks-watch-guide-201427432.html?src=rss

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Padres' Machado makes rare visit home to play Marlins

While with the Baltimore Orioles during the first seven seasons of his career, Manny Machado only made one visit to his hometown.

Now with the San Diego Padres, Machado won't have such a gap, as Miami will become an annual stop. Machado will make his first appearance at Marlins Park with his latest team in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

A graduate of Miami's Brito Private High in 2010, Machado played three games at Marlins Park a member of the Orioles in 2015.

Machado, who has yet to homer in Miami, returns home on a mini power tear. The third baseman is coming off a three-homer performance against the Atlanta Braves in the three-game series that opened the second half in San Diego. Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. robbed Machado of a possible fourth home run when he scaled the center field wall and snatched Machado's drive on Sunday.

Tuesday's series opener also starts a nine-game road trip for the Padres, a stretch that includes stops at the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. The Padres are still looking for their first post-All Star break win after getting swept by the Braves.

"We really believe in this group as a whole and I think we're getting to a point where that belief will pay off on the field shortly," Padres manager Andy Green said following Sunday's game, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. "It was a tough series that way. Didn't seem to have anything really go right."

Either former Marlins prospect Chris Paddack or left-hander Logan Allen will be the starter for San Diego on Tuesday.

The rotation is a bit in flux as the club awaits the return of left-hander Eric Lauer after the death of his father.

Paddack (5-4, 2.84 ERA) would be making his first career appearance against the organization that selected him in the eighth round of the 2015 draft. The Padres acquired the right-hander for reliever Fernando Rodney on June 30, 2016.

"It's the same game at the end of the day," Paddack said of facing the Marlins on MLB.com. "Nothing changes. It's a big league lineup and a big league team over there. But there will definitely be a little more adrenaline just with the mindset that this is the team that drafted me and then got rid of me."

Paddack, 23, has yet to exceed 97 pitches in any of his 15 career starts.

Allen, 22, is 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four appearances (three starts) this year in his first major league action. He last started on July 1 when he gave up six runs and seven hits over four-plus innings against the San Francisco Giants. Allen has yet to face the Marlins.

Rookie Jordan Yamamoto (3-0, 1.24 ERA) will start Tuesday for Miami. The right-hander from Hawaii got a no-decision when he limited the Braves to two hits in six scoreless innings in his previous outing on July 5. He will oppose San Diego for the first time.

The Marlins began their current six-game homestand with an 8-4 win over the over the New York Mets on Friday before their National League East Division rivals took the next two. In a 6-2 loss Sunday, Miami went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

"It was a tough day at the plate," Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas said Sunday. "To be honest with you, we've been putting good at-bats together, doing the plan that we're committed to do. Hopefully we can put some runs together the next time."

--Field Level Media

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/padres-machado-makes-rare-visit-home-play-marlins-004848031--mlb.html?src=rss

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Slumping Padres to face surging Cubs at Wrigley

Two teams distancing themselves from their rivals meet over the next three afternoons at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

But they are headed in opposite directions.

The Chicago Cubs are 5-1 since the All-Star break to open up a three-game lead in the National League Central.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres are 1-5 coming out of the break and are 4-10 over their last 14 games to fall further and further out of the second Wild Card spot.

While the Cubs appear to be at a threshold, the Padres are definitely at a crossroads, having just lost two of three games to the Miami Marlins after losing seven straight home games at Petco Park.

In a match of left-handers, the Padres will open with Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.04 ERA) Friday afternoon while the Cubs counter with veteran Jon Lester (9-6, 3.74 ERA). An added factor will be the weather. Triple-digit temperatures are expected for the first two games of the series.

This will be Lauer's first start since July 5. He had been away from the Padres on bereavement leave following the death of his father just before the All-Star break.

"He's a big part of our family," said Padres manager Andy Green of Lauer's absence from the team. "He's been through a lot with his family. I can't imagine what he's had to walk through over the last couple of weeks. We're here to support him. To have him here. Him getting back on the mound at Wrigley Field will be as cathartic an anything can possibly be for him. I know he really wants to pitch right now."

The 24-year-old Lauer has been, with one exception, the Padres' most consistent starter over the past two months. Over his last nine starts, Lauer is 3-3 (and the Padres are 6-3) with a 2.66 ERA and a 1.224 WHIP in 50 2/3 innings. He allowed exactly one earned run in seven of those nine starts.

Lauer's ERA has fallen from 5.75 to 4.04 over the last nine games.

He made one start against the Cubs during his 2018 rookie season. It did not go well. He gave up five runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts in two innings to suffer the loss (0-1 vs. Cubs, 22.50 ERA). Cubs hitters went 5-for-11.

Lauer had celebrated his 11th birthday just a week before the 35-year-old Lester made his Major League debut on June 10, 2006.

Lester will be making his 19th start of the season on Friday. It will also be the 14-season veteran's 400th career appearance and 399th start. Now in his fifth season with the Cubs, Lester has a 70-37 record and is a two-time National League All-Star who finish second and ninth in two NL Cy Young Award races.

"Jon is the ultimate professional," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said earlier this season while discussing Lester. "He is going to be there every fifth day and he'll give you everything he has. You can set your clock by Lester. That's a sign of being the ultimate pro. Pitchers like him are rare and getting rarer."

Lester will be making his eighth career start against the Padres. He is 3-1 with a 3.98 ERA and a 1.279 WHIP in 40 2/3 innings against the Padres, allowing 18 runs on 40 hits and 12 walks with 36 strikeouts.

--Field Level Media

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/slumping-padres-face-surging-cubs-wrigley-021331441--mlb.html?src=rss

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Getting to Know New Cubs Reliever Rowan Wick

In the relative roster madness begot by yesterday’s deadline, you might’ve missed the Cubs’ acquisition of Rowan Wick, a 26-year-old right-handed reliever from the Padres. Wick isn’t the most exciting pickup of all time – he was squeezed out of San Diego for roster-related reasons, after all – but he could be a good up-and-down reliever for the Cubs next season, which is something we know they’ll need. So let’s take a second and get to know him a little better, shall we?

Although he made his Major League debut as a Padre last season, his trade to the Cubs is not his first brush with the NL Central. The Brewers originally drafted Wick back in 2010, but he turned them down in favor of college and was eventually re-drafted by the Cardinals two years later.

Interestingly, he began his career as a catcher (2012-2013) before switching to the outfield (2014-2015), before being transitioned into a pitcher mid-way through the 2015 season. All of which means that he didn’t have his first full season as a pitcher until 2016. And you know what? It wasn’t half-bad. In fact, it was pretty impressive!

At High-A, this former catcher-turned-outfielder-turned pitcher delivered a 1.09 ERA (0.98 FIP) over 24.2 innings. That earned him a promotion to Double-A half-way through the year, where he posted a 4.12 ERA (4.10 FIP) in 19.2 innings. Again, remember: this was this dude’s FIRST pro season as a pitcher. Putting up a 4.10 ERA at Double-A under those circumstances is legit.

During his second time at Double-A (2017), Wick got far better results (2.08 ERA), despite similar peripherals, so the Cardinals bumped him up again to Triple-A. But that’s where things got a little derailed (5.40 ERA, 4.68 FIP).

So, last February, the Cardinals placed Wick on waivers and the Padres claimed him, sending him back to Double-A (where he dominated again with a 3.16 ERA and 2.78 FIP) before being promoted to Triple-A half-way though this past season.

Not unlike his experiences in Double-A, Wick’s second attempt at Triple-A went a lot better than the first in terms of excellent results (1.99) but weaker peripherals. In any case, the Padres promoted him to the big leagues, where his excellent 2.6% walk rate wasn’t enough to save him from too much hard contact and not enough ground balls. It was only a 8.1 inning sample, though, and his 3.40 FIP paints a far different picture than his 6.48 ERA. No matter which way you slice it, though, that sample is far too small to conclude anything serious. And his story is always going to be more than the stats, anyway.

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

As a former non-pitcher, Wick has very low mileage on his arm and probably more remaining upside than you’re used to seeing with a 26-year-old relief-only minor leaguer because of his late start and the learning curve (just refer back to his results in his second stop at each level for something to dream on).

Moreover, while it’s hard to be sure, Wick strikes me as the sort of pitcher who’s going to be more about contact management than anything else. We can’t see how much hard or soft contact he was allowing in the Minors, but his groundball rate was excellent at Triple-A with the Cardinals (51.1%), Double-A with the Padres (56.5%), and Triple-A with the Padres (47.5%). And given that his ERA often far outperforms his FIP, I’m betting there’s some major soft contact in there. And, hey, that 31.3% strikeout rate at Double-A last season isn’t nothing, even if it’s not what we should expect in the Majors.

So with all that in mind, hey, sure, I really like this pickup for the Cubs – at least as much as you can like a no-risk, medium-reward, right-handed reliever, who’ll primary be stashed away at Triple-A Iowa and used only as extreme depth until he proves himself otherwise. But that’s a lot!

Oh, and maybe he can pinch-hit from time to time!

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2018/11/21/getting-to-know-new-cubs-reliever-rowan-wick/

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What’s Ahead in 2019, According to Taris Real Estate’s Patrick Buck

Written By Editor on January 2, 2019

• 900 West• 900 West Washington• Peter Buck• Taris

2019 is fully underway, just six weeks after you finally stopped putting “2017” on that one check you still have to write each month.  The news channels are full of people predicting things good and bad for the next 364 days, so we asked Patrick Buck, managing director of Taris Real Estate what he thinks lies head.

Peter Buck, Managing director of Taris Real Estate

Mr. Buck sees six key things happening in 2019:

Condos come back in a big way

Federal Reserve lowers interest rates

Vista tower sells out

Preckwinkle is the next mayor of Chicago

Google puts a second headquarters in Chicago

Trump resigns

You may remember Taris from projects like the recently completed 900 West, and Beacon Place up in Lake Forest.  But you may not know that it reaches into retail property in England, and condos in the Czech Republic.

Author: Editor

Editor founded the Chicago Architecture Blog in 2003, after a long career in journalism. He can be reached at chicagoarchitectureinfo@gmail.com.

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Source: https://www.chicagoarchitecture.org/2019/01/02/whats-ahead-in-2019-according-to-taris-real-estates-patrick-buck/

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13 of Chicago’s Most Epic Champagne Deals

Prime & Provisions’ food and Champagne spread

| Photo by Prime & Provisions [Official Photo]

Champagne has become a beverage synonymous with specials occasions, so it’s no surprise that during the holidays the French wine flows. Not to be confused with other sparkling wines from around the world—like Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava—Champagnes, from the namesake region in eastern France, carry a unique terroir, beloved for their creamy body and notes of toasted brioche.

Typically, these coveted wines cost a pretty penny, but in the name of generosity and the holidays, a number of Chicago-area restaurants and bars are knocking back prices, even on major labels like Krug and Dom. There’s even a P2 deal in there. Below, where to sip the good stuff at prices that won’t break the bank.

Read More

Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

Source: https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-champagne-deals-chicago

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Minor League Wrap: Iowa keeps winning; Weber keeps hitting for South Bend

Because I know you’re concerned:

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs silenced the Nashville Sounds (Rangers), 8-4.

Colin Rea started and got his second win. He allowed four runs on seven hits over six hits. Two of the hits were home runs—one to a rehabbing Rougned Odor and the other to Matt Davidson. Rea walked two and struck out six.

Rowan Wick had two innings of perfect relief, striking out three. Dakota Mekkes pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. He walked one and struck out two, but did not allow any runs or hits.

Shortstop Addison Russell had three RBI courtesy of a two-run double in the fourth inning and a bases-loaded walk in the second. Russell went 2 for 4 with the walk.

Right fielder Johnny Field had a two-run double in the fourth inning and an RBI double in the fifth. He was 2 for 4 with the two doubles and the three RBI. Field scored once.

DH Dixon Machado was 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. He scored twice.

Every I-Cub in the lineup had at least one hit except Donnie Dewees, and he reached base on a walk and had a sac bunt.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were overpowered by the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins), 4-0.

Starter Tyson Miller was the hard-luck loser tonight. Miller pitched six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.

The Smokies only had four hits tonight and catcher Jhonny Pereda had two of them. He was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were stuck in the mud against the Carolina Mudcats (Brewers), 3-1.

Erling Moreno pitched the first four innings and took the loss. He allowed two runs on just three hits. Moreno did walk four while striking out three.

Shortstop Aramis Ademan was 2 for 4 and scored the lone Pelicans run. Left fielder Zach Davis was 2 for 2 with a stolen base.

Highlights:

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were dented by the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 12-6.

Starter Eury Ramos gave up a home run to the second batter he faced and things didn’t get a lot better after that. The final line on Ramos was six runs on nine hits over 3.2 innings. He walked three and struck out nobody.

Of the three pitchers South Bend employed tonight, Jack Patterson was clearly the best in his season debut. So of course, he was the one that got the loss. Patterson allowed one run on three hits over 3.1 innings. He walked one and struck out two.

Dalton Geekie gave up five runs, four earned, in the eighth inning. He did pitch a 1-2-3 ninth inning, though.

Shortstop Andy Weber went 3 for 5 with a double and three RBI. He also stole one base.

Center fielder Cole Roederer was 2 for 5 with a triple and a stolen base. Roederer scored twice.

Left fielder Nelson Velazquez went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored one run.

Third baseman Levi Jordan had a 2 for 4 night with a two-run double in the second. Jordan later scored that inning from second on a wild pitch and an error.

Source: https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/4/25/18517253/chicago-cubs-minor-league-andy-weber-addison-russell-cole-roederer-colin-rea

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You can now get Pat Hughes' World Series final out call in bobblehead form

You can now get Pat Hughes' World Series final out call in bobblehead form originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com

Two years ago Friday, the Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years.

Of course, Cubs fans will never forget this, but now there's a bobblehead to help them relieve the final out whenever they'd like.

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a limited-edition Pat Hughes-talking bobblehead. 

The bobblehead features Hughes sitting at a desk with a microphone in his hand. With the push of a button, it plays audio of Hughes' call of the final out of the 2016 World Series.

Check it out:

There are only 2,016 (get it?) of these bobbleheads being made; a portion are available for delivery before Christmas for $45, while the others will cost $40 and be delivered before the Cubs Convention (Jan. 18-20, 2019). 

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Cubs easily on your device.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/now-pat-hughes-world-series-163102668.html?src=rss

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MLBits: Mariners Complete Two Big Deals, Roberts Extension, Rizzo v. Hosmer, Portland’s Ballpark, Votto, Bauer, More

Although they might’ve otherwise snuck into a Lukewarm Stove, some official deals need reporting …

The Mets acquisition of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz is finally complete (that was a long one!). Cano and Diaz will head to New York along with $20M, while Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista, Justin Dunn and Jarred Kelenic will head out to Seattle to witness an epic teardown from the inside:

Speaking of the teardown, that’s not the only Mariners deal we need to report. Also official: Seattle will send reliever Juan Nicasio, shortstop Jean Segura, and reliever James Pazos (reported later) to Philadelphia for Carlos Santana and J.P. Crawford. If no money is exchanging hands in this deal, the Mariners will be sending roughly $67.5M worth of commitments to the Phillies while taking on just $36M in return (all back-of-the-napkin calculations), which sure looks like a bit of a salary dump … of a pretty darn good player in Segura. And that’s just not a good look.

Don’t get me wrong: as bad as it is for the sport as a whole, tearing down and tanking is still a good way to win in the future. HOWEVER, a big(ish) market team like the Mariners should NEVER prioritize money over returns. If anything, that should be their biggest advantage (i.e. cover as much money as you can to get the best possible return, i.e. buying prospects). Shame.

Earlier today, we discussed another potential Mariners deal, wherein they’d attach Dee Gordon and/or Kyle Seager to someone like Mitch Haniger – potentially to the Cubs or Cardinals, even.

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts has agreed to a four-year extension – adding three new years to his current deal – with the Dodgers. And despite the two World Series losses, that feels like a good decision for everyone involved. Just don’t tell Joe Maddon’s son:

I’m not particularly familiar with Tom Shieber, but the investigation he lays out to identify this otherwise never-before-seen image of a baseball game from the early 20th century is downright impressive:

Sunday’s notes at FanGraphs are full with plenty of interesting conversations and tidbits, including the public’s general disgust with Bill Madden’s choice to include Placido Polanco’s name on his Hall of Fame ballot (people love to be “different”). But one little fact I found particularly interesting and surprising was about one of our favorite Chicago Cubs: “Anthony Rizzo is 29 years old, broke into the big leagues in 2011, and has 635 RBIs. Eric Hosmer is 29 years old, broke into the big leagues in 2011, and has 635 RBIs.”

Relatedly, I found these two graphs rather interesting, as well (NOTE: Not for any particular reason, other than just how good and relatively consistent Anthony Rizzo has been over the past several years, even compared to other (historically) good players like Eric Hosmer):

And yet … Anthony Rizzo is probably not the hitter Joey Votto has been throughout his career (and Rizzo has been VERY good):

According to ESPN (further detailed here at FanGraphs): “A group seeking to lure a Major League Baseball team to Portland announced that it has signed an agreement in principle to develop a 45-acre waterfront site.” The deal was announced on Thursday and was revealed alongside artist rendering of a new ballpark. According to FanGraphs, the site could be the destination of one of the long-anticipated expansion teams *or* it could serve as an alternative for a team to move (the Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Angels are/have all recently dealt with stadium disputes). My guess is an expansion team, but either way. If you get a chance check out the renderings at FanGraphs, because the stadium concept and details look really cool.

And finally … this poor guy never stood a chance:

… which is probably why he fell down!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNOW. I KNOW. I’LL BE HERE ALL WEEK.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2018/12/03/mlbits-mariners-complete-two-big-deals-roberts-extension-rizzo-v-hosmer-portlands-ballpark-votto-bauer-more/

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ICYMI: Bulls split two tight ones with Hawks; Blackhawks fall further back in playoff race

ICYMI: Bulls split two tight ones with Hawks; Blackhawks fall further back in playoff race originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com

The Bulls had an epic four-OT thriller in Atlanta and then played another one down the wire against the Hawks two days later while the Blackhawks slipped further behind in the playoff race.

Bulls

The Bulls played one of the most epic games in recent memory on Friday night. They beat the Atlanta Hawks in four overtimes (not one, not two, not three...). Some wild numbers came from the 168-161 Bulls win, including Trae Young joining rarified air with his stats.

As if that wasn't enough Bulls-Hawks basketball, the two teams met in Chicago on Sunday. This one also went down to the wire, but this time the Hawks got the win.

In other news, the playoff eliglbility waiver deadline passed with Robin Lopez still on the Bulls. No buyout for him.

Blackhawks

The Blackhawks' playoff hopes are on life support after a rough weekend in California. The Kings, which entered Saturday's game with a 10-game losing streak, beat the Blackhawks 6-3. A forgettable start and a sloppy defensive effort doomed the Blackhawks in the loss.

A day later, the Blackhawks dropped a 5-2 game at the Sharks. At the end of the day, the Blackhawks sit eight points out of a playoff spot with 16 games left on the schedule.

Bears

The NFL Combine continued this weekend. Matt Nagy talked about the state of the Bears' offensive line, among other things. John Mullin had more Bears-related observations from Indianapolis. Also, a wide receiver prospect got compared to Kevin White (Is that a good thing?) due to his combine showing.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/icymi-bulls-split-two-tight-025300101.html?src=rss

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MLB notebook: Rangers ink RHP Lynn

Right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn signed a three-year contract with the Texas Rangers, the club announced Tuesday.

The overall value of the deal is $30 million, including a $4 million signing bonus, The Athletic reported. Lynn will get paid $8 million in 2019.

Lynn, who has spent most of his seven-year career as a starter for the St. Louis Cardinals, pitched last season for the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees, combining for a 10-10 record with a 4.77 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings.

Lynn went 3-2 with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts for the Yankees, also making two relief appearances. He was dealt by the Twins in a trade deadline deal. Lynn's career record is 82-57, with a 3.57 ERA.

--The Chicago Cubs and free agent infielder Daniel Descalso have reached a two-year deal, the club announced.

The deal is worth $5 million with a club option for 2021 which could bring the overall value to $8.25 million for the veteran utility player, according to reports.

Descalso, 32, played the past two seasons in Arizona. He began his career in St. Louis, playing five seasons with the Cardinals, the club that drafted him in 2007. He's a career .240/.324/.370 hitter.

--The Washington Nationals announced the signing of Matt Adams to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2020.

The burly first baseman will make $4 million in 2019, according to multiple reports. Adams hit .257 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs in 94 games with the Nationals last season before the St. Louis Cardinals claimed him off waivers on Aug. 21.

The 30-year-old Adams is a .266 career hitter with 96 home runs and 332 RBIs in 707 games. He has hit 15-plus home runs five times in seven seasons.

--Former nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran is poised to join the New York Yankees as a special assistant to general manager Brian Cashman, according to multiple reports.

Beltran, who played with the Yankees from 2014-16, is expected to play a role in the recruitment of superstar free agent Manny Machado, according to the reports.

Machado and his representatives are meeting with the Yankees on Wednesday in New York. Though it's not clear if Beltran will be a part of those meetings, he does share the same agent as Machado -- Dan Lozano of MVP Sports Group.

--The Minnesota Twins announced they will retire Joe Mauer's number sometime during the 2019 season.

Mauer's No. 7 will be the eighth in club history to be retired, joining Harmon Killebrew (No. 3), Rod Carew (No. 29), Tony Oliva (No. 6), Kent Hrbek (No. 14), Kirby Puckett (No. 34), Bert Blyleven (No. 28) and Tom Kelly (No. 10).

Mauer, 35, was selected No. 1 overall by the Twins in 2001. The St. Paul native would go on to play all 15 major league seasons with the Twins, retiring after the 2018 season.

--Actress and director Penny Marshall, whose love of sports made her a regular in the Los Angeles celebrity fan crowd and helped inspire her to direct "A League of Their Own," died Monday night because of complications from diabetes.

She was 75.

Marshall directed 1992's "A League of Their Own," a fictional telling of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that was established during World War II.

--Field Level Media

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-notebook-rangers-ink-rhp-lynn-003726658--mlb.html?src=rss

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Bulls-Hawks combine for third highest-scoring game in NBA history

The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks combined for the third highest-scoring game in NBA history following four overtime periods.

Friday's clash refused to end as the Bulls eventually prevailed 168-161 over the Hawks after quadruple OT – a franchise-record score for Chicago.

The 329 points is the third most two teams have ever scored in a single game in since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.

The record stands at 370 following the Detroit Pistons' 186-184 victory against the Denver Nuggets in December 1983.

Hawks rookie Trae Young led all scorers with a franchise-rookie record 49 points while adding 16 assists.

Young's performance was the most points scored by a rookie this season, while he is the first rookie since Early Malone (1968) to put up more than 49 points and over 10 assists in a game.

The 20-year-old is averaging 40.3 points over his last three games.

Bulls guard Zach LaVine scored 47 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists for Chicago.

Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter Jr. each added 31 points for the triumphant Bulls.

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/bulls-hawks-combine-third-highest-050008962.html?src=rss

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Cubs tender contract to suspended SS Russell

CHICAGO -- The Cubs on Friday tendered a contract to suspended shortstop Addison Russell, who is eligible for arbitration.

Russell, 25, will miss the first month of the season after accepting a 40-game suspension late in 2018 after his ex-wife Melisa Reidy accused him of domestic abuse in a blog post. From the start, the Cubs have said they want to see Russell get help while also being a positive force on the issue.

Although the Cubs tendered him a contract for next year, it still doesn't mean Russell will suit up for them again. The move before Friday's deadline simply prevented Russell, who made $4.3 million last season, from becoming a free agent.

"While this decision leaves the door open for Addison to later make an impact for us on the field, it does not represent the finish line nor rubber-stamp his future as a Cub," team president Theo Epstein said in a statement. "It does however reflect our support for him as long as he continues to make progress."

The Cubs' Addison Russell will not appeal a 40-game ban for violating MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

Tommy La Stella, a fan favorite who set the Cubs' single-season record with 24 pinch hits last season, has been traded to the Angels, where he could earn everyday at-bats.

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The Cubs also tendered six other players: Kris Bryant, Kyle Hendricks, Carl Edwards Jr, Mike Montgomery, Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez

They nontendered Ronald Torreyes, whom they just traded for on Wednesday, as well as pitchers Justin Hancock and Allan Webster.

Russell issued a statement Friday offering his "heartfelt apology" to his family, his ex-wife and the team for "letting them down" with his past behavior.

"Since accepting my suspension, I've had time to reflect on my past behavior and think about the next steps I need to take to grow as a person," Russell said. "... I am just in the early stages of this process. It is work that goes far beyond being a baseball player -- it goes to my core values of being the best family man, partner, and teammate that I can be, and giving back to the community and the less fortunate.

"While there is a lot of work ahead for me to earn back the trust of the Cubs fans, my teammates, and the entire organization, it's work that I am 110 percent committed to doing."

Russell said he's taken responsibility for his actions, has complied with the MLB-MLBPA treatment plan, has sought out therapy on his own and has met with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and Epstein.

"The behavior that led to Addison Russell's suspension under Major League Baseball's Joint Domestic Violence Policy happened on our watch," Epstein said in a statement Friday. "... If we're willing to accept credit when a member of our organization succeeds on the field, what should we do if he engages in conduct off the field worthy of discipline from Major League Baseball?

"After a very thorough process, we have chosen to take action to try to become a small part of the solution for Addison, his family, Melisa Reidy and the larger issue of domestic violence prevention."

Allegations against Russell of abuse in his former marriage surfaced in 2017 on social media via a friend of Reidy, but the case didn't come to a head until late last season when a blog post attributed to Reidy described more detailed allegations, describing years of physical and emotional abuse. Reidy then agreed to meet with MLB investigators.

The team is monitoring Russell's progress as he's been in counseling as part of his deal with the league. The Cubs want to see "self-improvement."

"We understand every action we take and word we use sends a message to our fans -- all of whom have their own unique experiences and perspectives, and some of whom have a personal connection to domestic violence," Epstein said. "The message we would like to leave you with is we take the issue of domestic violence seriously.

"There is a long road ahead for Addison, and we will hold him accountable. There also is a long road ahead for our organization as we attempt to make some good of this situation. We are committed to being a part of the solution."

Source: http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25419392/chicago-cubs-tender-contract-suspended-shortstop-addison-russell

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Ticket exchanges: 2019 season tickets

This post is for BCB readers who have season tickets and are looking for partners to share part of their package for 2019, or for people looking to get into a season-ticket package as a partner.

Please post your information here. A reminder, that any tickets posted for BCB readers or by BCB readers should be for face value only.

If comments are closed here please email me and I’ll reopen them.

Source: https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/11/6/18069442/ticket-exchanges-2019-season-tickets

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Chicago will still be a homebuyer's bargain well into the 2020s. But ... - Crain's Chicago Business

Chicagoans have an easier time affording a house than people in nearly all the biggest U.S. cities, and will keep that buyer's edge for at least the next few years, according to a nationwide forecast. 

Of the 20 largest cities in America, only St. Louis is more affordable now than Chicago, according to data released this month by John Burns Real Estate, a consulting firm for the homebuilding industry based in Irvine, Calif. 

The firm's forecast sees affordability staying steady for the next couple of years, while it gets harder in many major cities, including Washington, New York, Philadelphia and Seattle. 

A high affordability rating is the silver lining in Chicago's housing market, which has been among the slowest-growing in major U.S. cities for most of the past two years, as tracked by the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices.

"Chicago took it on the chin during the last downturn and is just getting up off the mat when it comes to economy and housing market recovering," Rick Palacios Jr., director of research at John Burns, said in an email to Crain's. While slowly rising home values keep existing homeowners' equity share in their homes thin, it's good news for people who want to buy a home in the next few years without stretching to afford it.

In places like Houston, Seattle and Denver, which are the least affordable cities and forecast to remain that way, buyers "look very stretched," Palacios said.

In the Burns housing affordability index, cities aren't compared to one another, they're compared to their own price history, figuring in variables such as incomes, home prices and employment growth, both past and projected.

Source: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/residential-real-estate/chicago-will-still-be-homebuyers-bargain-well-2020s

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Strop and Darvish Had Good Bullpens Today, Will Get Into Games Over the Next Few Days

The Chicago Cubs are dealing with a whole host of mild bumps and bruises right now, but the relative progress of potential early-season closer Pedro Strop and starter Yu Darvish are among the most important.

Strop, as you’ll remember, has been dealing with a mildly strained hamstring, but has gotten some good news lately. And Darvish is mostly fine, but had to exit his last start early because of a blister on his finger.

Cubs.com’s new beat writer this season, Jordan Bastian, shared the plan for each of them earlier this morning:

According to multiple reports on Twitter, Strop’s 22-pitch bullpen went well and without any issue. He’s expected to pitch an inning in Monday’s contest against the Red Sox, which, if that goes well could put him on track to be ready by Opening Day. With Brandon Morrow progressing well after November elbow surgery, but not expected to be ready until May, and with several other members of the bullpen still dealing with nagging issues, a healthy Strop right out of the gate could add a lot of stability to the Cubs pen.

Darvish’s bullpen, meanwhile, felt good after his bullpen, part of which you can see below:

I will point out that he had to stop at one point to readjust things (he had some sort of “oil” under a bandage that was affecting his grip, so he apparently removed that oil and put on a new, clean bandage, which made things feel better overall). In an interview with reporters after that session, he explained that decision and said that he’d pitch with a bandaid during at least the first few innings of his Minor League start on Sunday (woo! good news!), and if it feels good enough, he’ll try to let it go without the bandaid for the second-half of that start.

The idea, it seems, is to make sure he definitely doesn’t need a bandage and/or make the blister worse for the start of the regular season. So, yes, that seems entirely precautionary, and doesn’t bother me at all.

Bonus, “I put the pee on it”:

In fact, if it were up to me, I’d tell Darvish to keep the bandage on throughout the entire start no matter how good it feels, because why bother? In any case, this is very good news on both fronts.

Bottom line: Strop and Darvish had successful bullpens, and they’re both slated to pitch against real competition within the next few days.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/2019/03/22/strop-and-darvish-had-good-bullpens-today-will-get-into-games-over-the-next-few-days/