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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Focus on something that you have a passion for and hone that skill; it will make you feel confident about your ability." ~ Victoria Justice, Actress/Singer
TRENDING: 3 burning questions for special teams; 3 burning questions for the safeties. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRWNDING: Blackhawks possible interest in Cody Franson makes a lot of sense. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Bulls take another shot at a player with upside; Backcourt problems solved? Bulls sign Summer League standout. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: As advertised: Jose Quintana stars in Cubs debut; Despite absence from trade rumors, Melky Cabrera showing why he should be on contenders' wish lists. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Deere win propels DeChambeau to Open at Birkdale; Cabrera Bello wins Scottish Open in playoff; Park tops amateur Choi to win U.S. Women's Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Denny Hamlin delivers first Cup win of season for Joe Gibbs Racing; Kyle Busch wins New Hampshire Xfinity race from the pole for third win of year. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: USMNT beats Nicaragua 3-0, wins Group B; Dax McCarty says Gold Cup opener was his worst for club or country this year; Bradley, Dempsey, Howard join USMNT for Gold Cup KO rounds. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
TRENDING: Venus Williams falls in Wimbledon final to Garbine Muguruza; Roger Federer beats Marin Cilic to win 8th Wimbledon title in lopsided final. (See the Tennis section for Wimbledon Updates and Tennis News).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Up Front: Who Invested in the Offensive Line?
By Josh Sunderbruch
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(Photo/Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports)
One football truism is that a good team is built by investing in the offensive line. Chicago fans in particular have had reasons to doubt the team’s offensive line over the years, and I have to admit that I was never really sure where Chicago placed in terms of investing in its line. Was it as bad as I remembered?
To answer this question, I looked at a five-year window (from 2009 to 2013) and considered what sort of investment teams tended to make up front. As a very modest sort of check against disaster, I ruled out any player who failed to take the field in at least one game. I picked the older window because that makes it possible for fans to draw their own inferences about how things played out after these drafts took place.
Overview
Overall, 176 linemen were drafted, for about 5 or 6 players per team (or to put it another way, a little more than one lineman per year per team). 44 of those players were picked inside the first fifty selections (1.4 per team), and 81 players were picked over the first 100 selections (2.5 per team).
By far, the leaders in terms of investment over this time were the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Jaguars only invested 4 picks, 3 of those were with a Top 50 selection and all four were within the Top 100. Two of them were first-rounders, and a total of 4720 “Jimmy Johnson” points of draft value were spend across just four players. By contrast, Kansas City drafted 7 players over 5 years, but only two of them were in the Top 50. Even the Chiefs fall short of the 9 offensive linemen drafted by Pittsburgh over these five years, and while Green Bay drafted 8 players in this time, only two of them were taken with a pick in the Top 100.
At the other end of the spectrum, Carolina (501 points, 2 total selections, and 1 player in the Top 50) and New Orleans (535 points, 4 picks, and no players taken in the top 50) suggest either confidence or disregard. Other truly low-investing teams were the Texans, the Jets, and the Falcons—all of whom spent less than half of the average amount of draft capital on the offensive line during this time. Actually, taken together, these five teams invested roughly as many draft points in their lines as Seattle, which came in fourth overall.
During this same time, the Chicago Bears invested 1523.3 “chart points” in the offensive line. That’s below the 1776.5 mean and the 1530.3 median. The 5 total picks were also below the median and a hair below the mean.
Outcomes
Let’s be clear about something—it is really hard to draw any sort of cause-effect relationship in a sport like football by looking at win-loss ratio and connecting it to any single variable. However, even if there were a way to do this, it would take a lot of generalization, because there’s just too much consistency in how teams approach drafting the offensive line. Looking at how many teams spent “high” draft picks doesn’t help, because only two teams spent three Top 50 picks, and five spent none; three-quarters of the league took 1 or 2 players in this range (as a side note, looking at “value” of picks doesn’t help, because of course teams with losing records and higher draft picks spent more on their offensive line—they had more points to spend). Additionally, there is likely to be some regression to mediocrity by all teams, especially with scheduling.
Consider this—the top five teams in terms of investment in the offensive line (points-wise) were Jacksonville, Kansas City, St. Louis, Seattle, and Philadelphia. For the five years under study, 2 had winning records and 3 had losing records; accepting a two-year stagger (to account for the players actually settling in and making their impact), there are two losing records, two winning records, and one team (the Chiefs) at the .500 mark.
Meanwhile, the bottom five teams in terms of investment (the Falcons, the Jets, the Texans, the Saints, and the Panthers) had three winning records and two losing records in this time; with a two-year stagger that became four winning records and one losing record (the Jets).
During this time, the team with the least invested in its offensive line (Carolina or New Orleans, depending on which measure you want to use) contended for a Super Bowl. So did a team with the most (Seattle or Pittsburgh).
Back to the Bears
Chicago invested what was actually an average amount in the offensive line in terms of total draft capital, in terms of number of picks, and in terms of number of high picks. What ultimately seems to have mattered in their case was not how much they invested but rather the quality of the players that they invested in, plus the luck those players experienced. The bad luck represented by Gabe Carimi’s misfortunes represent a lost step in keeping up with the league.
However, Pace’s apparent strategy of spending about a pick a year on the offensive line, sometimes for a Cody Whitehair in the second and sometimes for a Jordan Morgan in the fifth, seems to represent just typical policy in the NFL. There is certainly no clear evidence that more investment is needed, and while many of us might envy the current line enjoyed by Dallas, their fortune seems to be more linked to the quality of the decisions they made, not the draft capital that powered those decisions.
3 burning questions for special teams.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/USA TODAY)
1. Connor Barth, Year 2 (right?)
“I think every job is a competition,” said special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers in May. “You get to this level, and you’re looking at positions where there’s only one of them. All those guys understand that, not only from them competing with guys on this field in our camp, they’re competing with 31 other teams, and the guys on those depth charts.”
2. Kids in the (Return) Game
The Bears' leading punt returner last season was the now-departed, injury-plagued Eddie Royal and his 19 returns (one touchdown) came in just nine games. They could give cornerbacks Bryce Callahan and Cre’Von LeBlanc chances, but they’ll also give fourth round rookies Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen looks. Both will make this team and camp will sort out how much they’ll be relied upon on at safety and running back, respectively. Jackson had big-time success in that role at Alabama, but is coming off a broken leg. Cohen was mostly kept off returns his senior season at North Carolina A & T so he wouldn’t get worn down as the starting running back. One he did take, however, wound up with him scoring only to be called back by penalty.
Kickoff returns would seem to be pointing towards free agent signee Bennie Cunningham, whose 27.2-yard average with the Rams was third in the NFL and virtually matched his career average. He has the fourth-most kickoff return yardage since making the league as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Incumbent Deonte Thompson led the league with 35 returns a year ago and finished sixth in average at 23.0. But depending how healthy the wide receiving corps is through training camp, Thompson may be facing a numbers game at the position. Joshua Bellamy is a virtual lock to make the roster because of his Teams prowess. If Cam Meredith, Kevin White, Markus Wheaton, Victor Cruz and Kendall Wright all earn spots as well, where would that leave Thompson?
“He’s a good athlete, he’s had good averages and production in this league,” Rodgers said of Cunningham. “He’s a thicker body (5’10, 217), incredibly smart, a hard worker. There’s a lot to like about what he does. Contact balance is another thing he does well. He’s a compact player and he’s strong, so generally speaking, arm tackles aren’t something that’s gonna bring him down.”
3. Roster balance, with effective puzzle pieces.
After the oft-criticized Joe DeCamillis exited along with the Marc Trestman/Phil Emery Era, the Bears’ overall special teams rankings (as computed by the Dallas Morning News) rose from 26th in 2014 to 12th in 2015 under Rodgers. But last season, it slipped back to 27th. Their punt coverage sunk from 14th to last in the league and their kickoff return average plummeted from third in the NFL two years ago to 18th last season. Their only improvement in the four units was in kickoff coverage. Finding effective parts during roster cut-down time is a balance that’s difficult to find for a team with such regular roster turnover.
Dave Toub has been missed. But with a squad that’s been injury-plagued the past two seasons and will have an offense learning on the fly with a new quarterback, this phase must stay away from critical mistakes. That’s especially crucial in the first month, when the defense will be tested by four high-powered offense in a 19-day span.
3 burning questions for the safeties.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
1. Who starts at free safety?
Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson appear to be the headliners of this competition heading into training camp. Amos is an interesting player, not having an interception in over 1,800 career plays but receiving high marks from the folks at Pro Football Focus, who dubbed him a “secret superstar.” (https://twitter.com/PFF/status/883827042168565761) But coming off a season in which the Bears only forced 11 takeaways, Amos is hardly guaranteed to keep his starting gig. Enter Jackson, the fourth round Alabama safety who has good range and showed solid ball skills while in college. Provided he’s fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in October, Jackson will have a shot to start as a rookie.
“He’s wired right, he understands the game, in the classroom setting, questions and answers, he gets it,” coach John Fox said of Jackson. “He’ll get plenty of time in Bourbonnais.”
2. What will Quintin Demps bring to the secondary?
Demps is 32 years old but doesn’t feel like an elder statesman — “I’m still in my prime, man,” he said last month — but was signed to bring a steady veteran presence to a malfunctioning secondary. Demps picked off six passes — more than half of the Bears’ turnover total — in 2016, but a year before that only managed one interception with the Houston Texans. But that fluctuation didn’t worry Demps, who said his mentality is to tackle first and cover his assignments and let turnovers come to him. It’s a mindset he’s already working to impart on his fellow safeties, even if he doesn’t see himself as the old guy of the group.
“There’s no formula to it,” Demps said. “Just do your job the best you can and you gotta use your instincts a lot. But you gotta do your job first and help out, and they’ll come to you.”
3. Will Deiondre’ Hall stick at safety?
Hall flashed potential at cornerback last year but the Bears (and Hall) saw a better opportunity to get him on the field by teaching him some flexibility at safety. The 6-foot-2, 201 pound Hall played some safety at Northern Iowa, so he’s not foreign to the position. The hope for the Bears is, at the least, Hall can provide depth at one position, but his ability to play cornerback as well should help strengthen his case to help out the Bears in 2017.
‘He had some experience there in college,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “When it comes down to picking your team and you’re taking nine or 10 DBs, if someone’s got versatility to play both of those spots, that helps, so we’re gonna see if he’s one of those guys.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks possible interest in Cody Franson makes a lot of sense.
By Satchel Price
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(Photo by Tom Brenner/ Getty Images)
The Chicago Blackhawks don’t have a lot of options left to improve their roster before next season, but they could invite free agent defenseman Cody Franson to training camp if he’s still available by then, according to 670 The Score’s Jay Zawaski.
Presumably how this would work is that Franson would sign a professional tryout contract for camp, and if both sides decide it’s worth moving forward together for the season, they’d sign a contract right after Marian Hossa is placed on long-term injured reserve.
That way, the Blackhawks would be able to use cap space freed up with Hossa’s LTIR status to add Franson to the roster without issue. Assuming he’d take a salary of around $2-3 million like he has over the past four years, it’s something Chicago could easily do if the steps came together.
It would also be a smart move for a team that’s not exactly stacked on defense right now. Franson wouldn’t necessarily be a game-changer, but among the options left on the open market, he’s the best available.
Franson has size (6’5, 224 pounds), the right-handed shot the Blackhawks need, and a track record of driving possession everywhere he’s been. Two of Chicago’s spots on the right side of its defense are already locked up with Brent Seabrook and Connor Murphy, but the third one is up for grabs with Ville Pokka and Jan Rutta among the contenders.
Neither of those players seems like a sure thing, so adding Franson would be a good way for the Hawks to hedge their bet. It would also give the team better depth to handle a potential injury, something that could really hurt an already thin defense at this point.
Everywhere he’s been, Franson has had a positive impact on possession. He’s never had a negative Corsi Relative at 5-on-5, according to Hockey-Reference. Last season with a bad Sabres team, he posted a 50.7 percent 5-on-5 Corsi, which was 5.2 percent higher than when he was on the bench. This despite taking more zone starts in the defensive end than the offensive end.
Franson is also not a bad point producer at even strength. He posted 0.9 points and 4.5 shots on goal per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play last season. For example, that’s better than Seabrook, who was at 0.8 and 3.8, respectively. If he got a bit of power play time, too, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Franson break the 30-point threshold.
And in October, there won’t be a ton of options for the Blackhawks to improve their team with Hossa’s LTIR cap space. Yes, they could just bank it and try to swing big before the trade deadline, but GM Stan Bowman’s track record there isn’t exactly glowing. Being able to get Franson without giving up anything but a bit of cap space would be a relatively low-risk move that could help stabilize a defense that’s in transition without Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Blackhawks sign Erik Gustafsson to 1-year contract.
By Satchel Price
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(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Gustafsson was the Blackhawks’ final remaining RFA for the summer. He received a qualifying offer from the team back in late June, and now he’s signed for the upcoming season.
The 25-year-old recently completed a two-year deal with the Blackhawks that he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He had a $667,500 cap hit on that deal, although his actual income was a bit lower given he was on a two-way deal that paid just a $70,000 salary in the AHL.
During the 2015-16 season, Gustafsson appeared in 41 games with the Blackhawks and showed some NHL ability. He recorded 13 assists at even strength, and posted a 53.7 percent 5-on-5 Corsi. The Hawks’ 5-on-5 Corsi that season was 4.6 percent higher with him on the ice than on the bench.
Last season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, Gustafsson continued to put up solid offensive numbers with five goals and a team-leading 25 assists in 68 games. In addition to more assists than anyone on the IceHogs, he also led the team in shots on goal (185) at a solid average of 2.7 per game.
That could make Gustafsson a potential option for the Hawks’ blue line next season, although he’ll be competing with Michal Kempny, Gustav Forsling, and Jordan Oesterle for playing time on the left side. It’s too bad he’s not a righty, as the Hawks’ only options there behind Connor Murphy and Brent Seabrook are Ville Pokka, Jan Rutta, Michal Rozsival, and a host of prospects.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls take another shot at a player with upside.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
The Bulls continue to add young players to the team's backcourt.
After signing Antonio Blakeney to a two-way contract as a result of his strong play with the Bulls summer league team, the Bulls have added former Lakers guard David Nwaba.
Nwaba was waived by the Lakers two days ago, but the Bulls have swooped in to add the 24-year-old guard.
Nwaba's didn't take a traditional path to the NBA. The Los Angeles native initially headed to Division II Hawaii Pacific, but redshirted and then transferred to Santa Monica College. After a standout year in JuCo ball, Nwaba wound up at Cal Poly, where he averaged double figure scoring for three years.
He went undrafted after that, but found a spot in the D-League. The Lakers gave him a 10-day contract in February and he stuck for the rest of the season. Nwaba averaged six points per game in just under 20 minutes per game. He played 20 games with the Lakers.
In his report on the move, The Vertical's Shams Charania said the Lakers waived him to free salary space in order to sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Nwaba is known as an athletic guard who is a good defender. He has upside and the Bulls may be in a position to give him a chance to play while the team moves to rebuilding mode this year.
Backcourt problems solved? Bulls sign Summer League standout.
By Tom Goldrick
(Photo Chicago Bulls)
Try telling Antonio Blakeney that Summer League doesn't matter.
The guard's strong play in Las Vegas over the last week earned him a Two-Way contract with the Bulls, meaning he can play for both the G League's Windy City Bulls and in the NBA.
Blakeney, 20, has appeared in four Summer League games, averaging 16.8 points, five rebounds and just under one steal per contest. It's pretty safe to say that he's been one of the squad's few bright spots in Sin City. While fellow guard Denzel Valentine has struggled to find his shooting rhythm, connecting on under 30 percent from the field this summer, Blakeney has shot 43.8 percent.
He didn't come out of nowhere, though. Blakeney had tons of hype out of Oak Ridge High School in Florida and was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game before taking his talents to LSU, where joining forced with 2016 No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons. That experiment didn't quite work out for Blakeney, who failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in both seasons and went undrafted in 2017.
For the Bulls, it's a chance to take a flyer on a young, athletic guard who proved he can shoot in college.
It also gives fans more chances to catch his absolutely nasty dunks, whether it's in Hoffman Estates or at the United Center.
CUBS: As advertised: Jose Quintana stars in Cubs debut.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/USA TODAY)
As much as the crosstown Jose Quintana trade stunned the baseball world, the full ripple effect won’t be known for years.
The Cubs now have another All-Star lefty to pair with Jon Lester through 2020 and team president Theo Epstein is already thinking about how Quintana’s team-friendly contract could create the payroll space to add another superstar and build a dynasty on the North Side.
We don’t even really know how good Quintana can be after spending almost his entire career on bad White Sox teams, never pitching in the playoffs and getting most of his exposure through MLB Trade Rumors.
But this is exactly what Epstein envisioned when he gave up two blue-chip prospects in last week’s blockbuster deal, exactly what manager Joe Maddon hoped Quintana’s presence would do for a quiet clubhouse after an underachieving first half.
In a dazzling debut, Quintana absolutely shut down Baltimore in Sunday’s 8-0 win, the Cubs roaring out of the All-Star break with a three-game sweep where they scored 27 runs and got the kind of pitching that can carry them into October.
Maddon didn’t hesitate when asked for his most encouraging sign this weekend: “Energy.”
“I really believe that if we play with that kind of internal fire, that energy,” Maddon said, “we’re going to win a lot of games in the second half.”
If this is how Quintana is going to respond to pennant-race pressure – and a sign that the defending champs have finally shaken off the World Series hangover – then Epstein’s front office will keep looking to add before the July 31 trade deadline and try to pack as much talent on the 25-man roster as possible.
Looking like a Game 1 starter in a playoff rotation – or Game 2 out of respect for Lester’s three World Series rings – Quintana struck out five of the first nine Orioles he faced and didn’t allow a hit until Adam Jones drove a ground-rule double into the left-field seats leading off the fourth inning.
At that point, the Cubs already had a six-run lead, the kind of offensive support Quintana rarely worked with while putting up a losing record (50-54) and getting 65 no-decisions since his big-league debut with the White Sox in 2012.
“That’s in the past right now,” Quintana said. “Honestly, sometimes I haven’t thrown the ball well, so it’s not about hitters. That happens. I’m just focused here and want to keep doing my job.
“I’m happy being here, and to see these teammates and how they play baseball. Every day is a good day, a good chance to get a W. I’m excited for that. I want to be part of that.”
Working quickly and efficiently on an 84-degree afternoon against a strong American League lineup, Quintana needed only 100 pitches to cruise through seven scoreless innings, allowing only two more singles and finishing with 12 strikeouts against zero walks.
It may have taken until Game 91 for a team that plays from behind and in scramble mode far too often, but Quintana probably put together the best pitching performance so far this season and made it look effortless.
“I really liked his routine on the mound,” Maddon said. “Really, tremendous focus per pitch. That’s what I took away from it. And then he’s able to execute. The ball had great carry at home plate. The curveball – not overusing it – using it at the right time. The changeup became more effective. But more than anything, I like the method. Deep breath, then he goes into his delivery, here comes the next pitch.”
Those 12 strikeouts matched the franchise record Matt Garza set in his Cubs debut on April 3, 2011. By early July that year, Garza said “we’re right where we need to be” after a comeback win in Washington left the Cubs 17 games under .500.
Where the Garza trade with the Tampa Bay Rays tried to patch things together and reopen a window that had already slammed shut, the Quintana deal showed a franchise that knows what it wants and where it plans to go.
The Cubs are now 46-45 after being at the .500 mark 21 different times this season. The clubhouse understood the message the Quintana trade sent loud and clear: It’s go time.
“He could really be a big boom to us, there’s no question,” Maddon said. “Everybody else saw it. All the other starters saw it. We grab a lead, and then he pitched really well with a lead. There was no messing around. There were no walks. There are no bad counts.
“He made them put the ball in play and he’s punching guys out. He gets to two strikes, he was burying the curve and elevating with the fastball. He just did everything really well. Coming over from the White Sox to the Cubs, middle of the season, there’s got to be something going on there. And he handled it extremely well.”
Joe Maddon knows it’s time to start pushing Cubs harder – except Wade Davis.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs gave Joe Maddon a shiny new toy last summer without handing over the instruction manual – or the manager never bothered to read it – or something else got lost in translation.
How to handle Aroldis Chapman became a recurring storyline, from his tone-deaf welcome-to-Chicago press conference to the first- and second-guessing even after winning a World Series Game 7.
As the defending champs try to find another gear after a stop-and-start first half, Maddon understands “now is the time to push it a little bit, absolutely.” Except with All-Star closer Wade Davis, who has already shown an ability or willingness to work multiple innings and notched the final out in a World Series for the 2015 Kansas City Royals.
“I learned early last year with Chappy that he didn’t want to do it,” Maddon said Saturday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. “When we first got him, I thought: ‘We’re good.’ And then I found out that it wasn’t so good, so we backed off. We had the conversation right there for the postseason and then everything was easy after that.”
Does Davis have a Santiago that you have to clear it with?
“I’m not aware of it,” Maddon said when asked about Chapman’s personal assistant who hung around the clubhouse and functioned as a go-between for the 100-mph closer and the coaching staff. “Santiago, we had a great relationship, it was awesome.
“But, yeah, with Wade, I don’t want to push him on that, unless it’s absolutely necessary, with or without Santiago.”
While Maddon can ride $155 million ace Jon Lester and new addition Jose Quintana – and make daily lineup decisions that aren’t as focused on the big picture – he’s not ready to extend Davis for four- or five-out saves: “I don’t think so, not yet.”
Because the Cubs purposely built a deeper bullpen this year with Koji Uehara, Carl Edwards Jr. and Pedro Strop and want to keep Davis performing at this optimal level (2-0, 1.74 ERA, 17-for-17 in save chances) for a full season.
“That would be like if everybody’s exhausted,” Maddon said. “Listen, I’m good with Koji. I’m good with C.J. Stropy’s been pitching really good in the eighth. I have no problem with any of that stuff.
“I’m saying when you get on a nice run when you start winning some games, the guys get fatigued, and then all of a sudden you may have to get an extra inning or an extra out or two out of somebody under those circumstances.
“Right now, we’re OK. But that would be the reason why I would do it, because if the bullpen’s fatigued, we’re on a nice little run right here, he’s rested, so let’s see him get four outs tonight. And I want to believe I’m going to ask him before the game ever begins.”
Chapman’s overuse in the playoffs is a story that won’t go away for the New York Yankees, who’ve already stashed him on the disabled list for a month (inflammation in the rotator cuff of his left shoulder) and watched him put up ordinary numbers (3.92 ERA, 8-for-11 in save chances) in the first season of a five-year, $86 million contract.
Lost amid that criticism of Maddon is how his aggressiveness in August 2015 – not caring about Jason Hammel’s feelings or Starlin Castro’s ego – helped transform the Cubs into a 97-win team that would come back for more.
“This second half, we do have to really push it a little bit,” Maddon said. “The first half, I was concerned about doing that too early. And I know (there were times): ‘Boy, that doesn’t make any sense. Why would you?’ Because the guys are fatigued from the last two years, and I thought if you get the whip out too soon, man, you will be done by the middle of August.
“Of course, we can’t just keep putting it off until tomorrow. (So) get the pitching right. Keep the bullpen in order. And to get back to the point about the lineups – make sure everybody still plays but you might push somebody a little bit more right now.”
Jake Arrieta knows the score with Cubs: ‘If I have to leave, I don’t want to leave without another ring’.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Jake Arrieta didn’t throw a baseball while relaxing at home in Austin, Texas, during an All-Star break the Cubs absolutely needed.
Walking the streets of Baltimore this weekend triggered memories, seeing where he used to live (when he wasn’t getting shuttled back to Triple-A), eating at one of his favorite restaurants, interacting with old Orioles teammates and appreciating the classic look and feel of Camden Yards.
Jose Quintana arriving here on Friday pointed to the Cubs filling a big hole in their 2018, 2019 and 2020 rotations and moving in another direction once Arrieta becomes a free agent after this season.
All these forces – decompressing from an all-consuming game, reminders of the struggling pitcher a Cy Young Award winner used to be and the dominos falling from the Quintana trade with the White Sox – made it seem like a good time to think about Arrieta’s future and how this could be his last chance to make history (again) with the Cubs.
“If I have to leave, I don’t want to leave without another ring,” Arrieta said after Saturday night’s 10-3 win set Quintana up for the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
The Cubs have scored 19 runs in their first two games after the All-Star break, but any sustained momentum will revolve around starting pitching. Arrieta kept an American League lineup off-balance for 6.2 innings in a steamy, hitter-friendly park, mixing in his cutter and changeup while limiting the Orioles to two runs (one earned) in the kind of controlled, efficient performance the Cubs desperately need if they are going to break out of their 45-45 pattern and make up those 5.5 games against the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies in the division and wild-card races.
It doesn’t even have to be the Bob Gibson/Sandy Koufax/Dwight Gooden/Randy Johnson-esque push that catapulted the 2015 Cubs and transformed the franchise’s identity. It won’t be Max Scherzer money. But super-agent Scott Boras will get Arrieta paid for his raw stuff, durability, big-game performances and good clubhouse reputation.
“I would love to stay,” Arrieta said. “That would be cool. But if it doesn’t work out, that’s the nature of professional sports.
“We’re all on the same page here. Regardless of how we played the first half, that’s the end goal – to get back to the playoffs and then just have the chance to roll the dice and see what happens in October. And hopefully we get to play in November.”
Arrieta (9-7, 4.17 ERA) is starting to look more and more like the guy who beat the Cleveland Indians twice on the road during last year’s World Series. The thing is, Arrieta always thought he was The Man, even when he couldn’t stick in Baltimore.
“I joke with my friends,” Arrieta said. “I kind of tell them how I think I’m going to finish the second half. I don’t know if I’ll verbalize that to you guys, but I’m very confident.
“We didn’t perform the way we would like – all the way around – (in the first half). We expect better things from ourselves as a team overall. That’s the competitive nature of all these guys in this clubhouse. We want to get back to where we were last year. We want to get to the playoffs and have a shot to play into November again. It’s still within reach.”
WHITE SOX: Post-Quintana sweep shows how rough life could be for 2017 White Sox after trade deadline.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/AP)
Very few folks gave the White Sox bad reviews for the Jose Quintana trade.
Rick Hahn’s front office shipped out the team’s best pitcher earlier this week in a shocking crosstown swap that sent the 2016 All-Star hurler to the Cubs in exchange for that organization’s top two prospects. From the standpoint of the White Sox rebuild, it was a stellar move, the latest from Hahn, who also brought huge return packages of prospects back in offseason deals involving Chris Sale and Adam Eaton.
And more is expected. As the trade deadline approaches, several veteran White Sox have had their names brought up as trade candidates: third baseman Todd Frazier, relief pitchers David Robertson, Anthony Swarzak and Tommy Kahnle and perhaps even outfielder Melky Cabrera.
While the deals that have already happened and the deals that could follow have been great news for the farm system and the team’s future, the first series following the Quintana trade offered a grim picture of what things could look like after the team’s top performers are sent out of town.
Sunday’s 7-6 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners ended a sweep at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox 0-3 in their first three games after Quintana was traded.
Off the field, the White Sox have explained their feelings on Quintana’s departure: “It’s part of the game. It’s part of the business.” And surely they do feel that way. But on the field, at least the timing of these three results just didn’t look so hot.
“It’s always hard when we lose a teammate and a good person,” outfielder Avisail Garcia said. “But it’s part of the game. We’re here today. We don’t know tomorrow.”
But with Quintana dealt, trading season is officially on the South Side, and that means manager Rick Renteria and his players have been answering questions about more rumors and more deals for the past three days. It means they’ll continue to get asked those questions for the next few weeks.
And to add to the visual, Quintana made his Cubs debut Sunday, turning in a spectacular performance, allowing just three hits and striking out 12 in seven shutout innings. That was vintage Quintana, the kind of performance that, albeit quietly, made him one of the American League’s top pitchers over the past several seasons.
“I haven’t sensed that the guys are down,” Renteria said. “Their friend, their teammate — who threw very well today, obviously, in Baltimore — they’re pulling for him. They know that the game of baseball has elements that not everybody likes. You would like everybody to be on the same team as long as possible, but change occurs and they’re pulling for him.”
That kind of pitcher no longer exists on the White Sox starting staff. The team is hoping one day soon that guys like Carlos Rodon and Michael Kopech and others can lead a fearsome rotation. As of now, it’s a patchwork quilt of the guys we saw this weekend. James Shields gave up four runs and watched his ERA balloon to 5.10 in Friday’s loss. Mike Pelfrey couldn’t make it five innings in Saturday’s loss and now owns a 4.64 ERA. Derek Holland gave up five earned runs in Sunday’s loss, his ERA now sitting at 5.18 after blowing a 5-0 lead.
And what about in the bullpen? If Robertson, Swarzak and Kahnle all get traded, who's next in line? Chris Beck? He gave up the game-winning home run to Nelson Cruz in the 10th inning Sunday.
Again, these kinds of things were happening before Quintana was traded, and his absence alone won’t change a trajectory that already had the White Sox heading toward a last-place finish in the AL Central standings. But without him, the present-day positives become more difficult to locate, and the focus will increase even more on what’s going on down in the minor leagues, where the future of this team is growing.
As for the guys who will play the remainder of the team’s 2017 schedule, they have to continue to go about their business knowing that Quintana won’t be coming back — and that others are likely to follow him out the door.
“We wish Q the best, obviously. We’re talking about him leaving, and we saw him perform very well today, too, so you’ve got to give hats off to him,” Holland said. “But at the same time, we can’t get caught up in those kinds of things. We’ve still got to play the game whether we lose a guy or we gain a guy, whatever it is we’ve still got to show up every single day. To get caught up in something like that, it’s just not right. It takes away from your teammates, too, it shows you’re not focused.
“The outcomes (this weekend) didn’t go the way we wanted to. Look at how each game was, they were close. We’re doing the right things, got to keep plugging away. Things are going to change, can’t get caught up in that kind of stuff.”
Report: Yankees, Red Sox scout Todd Frazier, David Robertson on Sunday...
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Among the 24,502 at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday were scouts for both the Red Sox and Yankees, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
Heyman reported that the rival teams are interested in White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier and closer David Robertson.
Frazier, who has been rumored to be on the move for the last few days, is seen as a solid fit for a Boston team that is struggling at the hot corner. Per Fox's Ken Rosenthal, a deal sending the 31-year-old power hitter to Boston "seems almost inevitable."
Whether David Robertson is packaged in that trade remains to be seen, but he is also drawing strong interest from another A.L. East team. The Yankees, Robertson's former team, need help in the back-end of their bullpen due to Aroldis Chapman's slow first half and health questions.
Robertson held a 2.81 ERA over seven seasons in the Bronx before signing with the White Sox.
Despite absence from trade rumors, Melky Cabrera showing why he should be on contenders' wish lists.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/USA TODAY)
There’s no shortage of trade candidates this July on the South Side.
With the White Sox in rebuild mode, a last-place team looking to collect minor league assets, producing veterans are expected to make a mass exodus out of Guaranteed Rate Field's home clubhouse.
The sell-off started earlier this week, when All-Star starting pitcher Jose Quintana was traded to the Cubs. Plenty more is expected to come. Todd Frazier’s name has been prominently featured in trade rumors over the past couple days, with the baseball world almost making it a foregone conclusion that he’ll end up getting dealt to the Boston Red Sox, who have a big-time need at third base. Out in the bullpen, David Robertson, Anthony Swarzak and Tommy Kahnle have all been mentioned as potential trade pieces before the deadline at the end of the month.
But what about Melky Cabrera?
The veteran outfielder’s name has been conspicuously absent from rumors, a head-scratcher considering his production of late. If contenders looking for a bat — or an arm — need convincing they just need to look at Saturday night’s game.
Yeah, it was a 4-3 loss for the White Sox against the visiting Seattle Mariners. But Cabrera put on a show, recording his major league leading eighth outfield assist in the first inning before going 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and a couple of runs scored.
On the season, Cabrera isn’t shockingly impressive with his .283/.329/.411 slash line. But he’s shaken a poor start. Heading into Saturday’s game, he was slashing .324/.367/.497 over his last 45 games, numbers that will jump up after Saturday’s four-hit performance.
But for the consistent Cabrera, who’s hit just a shade under .300 over his last seven major league seasons, he insists he’s just going about things the way he always has.
“I’ve just been doing my routine. I haven’t changed anything,” he said. “I think it’s just a matter of keep playing hard, take advantage of the opportunity that (manager Rick Renteria) has given me to play every day. I think the results are there. I haven’t changed anything.
“Good results, bad results, I come here every day to try to do my best and try to work hard and help the team to win games.”
That sounds like the kind of player contending teams would want to trade for, right?
“I know he kind of started out slow at the beginning of the season. But just the consistency I think he’s demonstrated probably most of his career. And it doesn’t matter who's throwing,” Renteria said. “I think he gives you from both sides of the plate an opportunity to either get on base, strike the ball and do some damage.
“Whatever the case might be, it’s been pretty fun to watch. It's been fun to watch him on both ends of the ball, with him having another assist today with a very accurate, strong throw to the bag. He continues to be the pro that he is. Very solid and at times shows to be an exemplary MLB player.”
While he might not be hearing his own name, Cabrera and his teammates have to face the reality that the clubhouse could look a lot different a few weeks from now. Dealing with all the trade buzz will be a constant challenge for a group of players whose front office has made it well known they’re not shy about selling and selling top players, like it did with Quintana earlier this week.
“They (the front office) are the ones that know what decisions to make,” Cabrera said. “From my standpoint, I can handle what I can handle and that’s just to play baseball and play baseball hard and to come here every day and do my job. They are the ones who know what is the best decision to make.”
And what about if he does start hearing his name? What’s the mindset then?
“I don’t think about it. My focus is just to play baseball, come here every day and play baseball the best way that I can do it. I would like to stay here, but that’s not a decision for me to make.”
Conventional wisdom would lead a regular observer to believe that Rick Hahn’s phone should be ringing with inquiries about Cabrera, who’s hitting well and dispelling the notion that he’s a defensive liability with an octet of outfield assists.
Will Melky be on the move? Time will tell. But with an aggressive White Sox front office that shocked the baseball world with the Quintana trade, nothing will be a surprise anymore.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Deere win propels DeChambeau to Open at Birkdale.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
A whirlwind back nine at the John Deere Classic transformed Bryson DeChambeau from a much-discussed prospect into a PGA Tour winner.
DeChambeau started the day four shots behind Patrick Rodgers, but he closed with a back-nine 30 to put a charge into the crowds at TPC Deere Run. His 14-foot birdie on the final hole gave him a share of the lead, but when Rodgers bogeyed No. 17 and failed to chip in for birdie at the last it meant DeChambeau would be lifting the trophy after a final-round 65.
"I don't even know what it means right now," DeChambeau told CBS. "I've just been working so hard my whole life to try to do this. And to finally have it happen at the John Deere, where I started pretty much a couple years ago, is pretty incredible."
DeChambeau made history during the summer of 2015 when he became just the fifth player to win both the U.S. Amateur and the NCAA individual title in the same year. He turned pro last spring and won the first Web.com Tour Finals event to secure his PGA Tour privileges for this season.
While he gained notoriety for his unconventional approach and single-length irons, DeChambeau's season got off to a rocky start and he missed his eighth cut in a row at the U.S. Open. While he turned things around beginning with a T-26 finish at the Travelers Championship the very next week, he entered the Deere ranked just 114th in the season-long points race with his status for next season in question.
That's no longer an issue for the 23-year-old, who is now exempt on Tour through the 2018-19 season. He's also in the PGA Championship and Masters by virtue of his win, and as the top finisher not otherwise exempt at TPC Deere Run he also earned the final spot in the field for The Open at Royal Birkdale.
It may be an unconventional approach, one that includes physics equations and featured side-saddled putting earlier in the year, but it has now made him a winner on Tour.
"I think that's the true meaning of what I try and do is show everybody that look, there's plenty of ways to do it and I like doing it my way," DeChambeau said. "I feel comfortable doing it my way. Whatever way you want to do it out there, you can do it."
Cabrera Bello wins Scottish Open in playoff.
By Associated Press
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Rafa Cabrera Bello birdied the first hole of a playoff with Callum Shinkwin to win the Scottish Open on Sunday, securing his first title in 5 1/2 years.
The 405th-ranked Shinkwin left short a 4-foot par putt for victory on his 72nd hole to shoot a 4-under 68 in his final round and drop into a playoff with Cabrera Bello, who shot a course-record 8-under 64. Both were on 13 under par overall.
Returning to the par-5 18th at Dundonald Links, Cabrera Bello sent a 3-wood from 275 yards to within 8 feet. His eagle putt came short but he tapped in for birdie, leaving Shinkwin a 7-foot putt for birdie to force a second hole.
Again, his putt didn't reach the cup.
''One of the shots of my life,'' Cabrera Bello said about his 3 wood on the playoff hole.
The last of Cabrera Bello's previous two titles on the European Tour came at the Dubai Desert Classic in February 2012.
''I have been fighting for this win for many years,'' he said. ''Sometimes I did mistakes, sometimes it didn't work out for me. This is unbelievable.''
In his final round, Cabrera Bello made eight birdies and didn't drop a shot. On his 72nd hole, his approach landed on the bank and nearly fell into the burn. He chipped out and made a birdie that ultimately forced the playoff.
His win continues a stunning year for Spanish golf, with Sergio Garcia winning the Masters for his first major title and Jon Rahm - a rising star of the game - winning two titles, most recently at the Irish Open last week.
Shinkwin, who started the final round in a share of the lead with Ian Poulter and Andrew Dodt, led by a shot going down par-5 18th for the first time Sunday and only needed a par to be assured of victory.
His approach went left behind a greenside bunker and, after a long wait for his playing partner to play, Shinkwin chipped short of the green and the ball rolled back near the bunker. He three-putted from about 15 feet.
Shinkwin missed out on a first title of his career and settled for earning a place in next week's British Open, along with Matthieu Pavon of France and Andrew Dodt of Australia.
''Under the gun, I didn't miss a shot until the last hole,'' said Shinkwin, whose only bogey came on the 18th. ''I learnt I can compete with the best.''
Poulter was seeking a 14th worldwide win - and first since November 2012 - but was always playing catch-up after three-putting Nos. 1 and 4 for bogeys. He tied for ninth place alongside 2015 champion Rickie Fowler, who shot 70.
Park tops amateur Choi to win U.S. Women's Open.
By Nick Menta
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
With a round of 5-under 67, Sung-Hyun Park rallied to win the U.S. Women’s Open by two over 17-year-old amateur Hye-Jin Choi. Here’s how Park won her first major title at Trump National Bedminster:
Leaderboard: Park (-11), Choi (-9), M.J Hur (-7), So Yeon Ryu (-7), Carlota Ciganda (-6), Shanshan Feng (-6)
What it means: A five-time winner in Asia, this is Park’s first victory in the United States. In less than two full LPGA seasons, she had already racked up nine top-10 finishes, four runner-ups, and a tie for third at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Cordevalle, where she held the 36-hole lead. Three back to start the day, she poured in six birdies against a lone bogey. As Choi was making double bogey at the 16th hole, Park was rolling in a birdie from 6 feet at 17, taking her from tied with two to go to up two with one to play. A tricky up-and-down from a tight lie long of the final green saved Choi her par, and her victory was secured when Feng failed to hole-out for eagle moments later. Park is now the seventh South Korean in the last 10 years to win the U.S. Women’s Open.
Biggest disappointment: The amateur Choi stood on the 16th tee tied for the lead. At 17 years old, she was three holes from perhaps becoming the youngest major champion in history. But her tee shot at the par-3 found the water and the resulting double bogey ended her chances. Nonetheless, a birdie at 18 and a mini-meltdown from Feng left her in solo second.
Expensive mistake: Unable to win and playing from roughly the same spot over the 18th green where Park had just saved par, Feng stubbed her chip shot and ran her fifth shot past the hole. She then three-putted for triple bogey, a round of 75, and a tie for sixth at 6 under.
Round of the day: After taking herself out of the tournament on Saturday, Minjee Lee rallied back from a third-round 77 with a Sunday 66, featuring five birdies across her final eight holes. The late rally bumped her up into a tie for 10th.
Shot of the day: Park’s delicate pitch from over the back of the 18th green. She one-hopped her ball into the bank and watched as it trickled towards the hole, settling a foot from the cup. She cleaned up for par and locked up her first major.
Quote of the day: "I wanted to believe in myself." - Park
LPGA sets strict new player dress code.
By Golf Channel Digital
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
According to a report from Golf Digest, the LPGA has informed players a strict new dress code is coming, and any infraction of the rules will carry a hefty fine.
In an email sent directly to LPGA pros on July 2nd LPGA Player President Vicki Goetze-Ackerman outlined what would and wouldn't be allowed under the new rules, starting on Monday, July 17.
Goetze-Ackerman went on to explain that "penalties for violating the dress code will be a $1,000 and it will double with each offense."
Here are the full list of new dress code regulations:
• Racerback with a mock or regular collar are allowed (no collar = no racerback).
• Plunging necklines are NOT allowed.
• Leggings, unless under a skort or shorts, are NOT allowed.
• Length of skirt, skort, and shorts MUST be long enough to not see your bottom area (even if covered by under shorts) at any time, standing or bent over.
• Appropriate attire should be worn to pro-am parties. You should be dressing yourself to present a professional image. Unless otherwise told “no,” golf clothes are acceptable. Dressy jeans are allowed, but cut-offs or jeans with holes are NOT allowed.
• Workout gear and jeans (all colors) NOT allowed inside the ropes
• Joggers are NOT allowed
The LPGA's chief communications and tour operations officer, Heather Daly-Donofrio, offered the following statement to Golf Digest:
"The dress code requires players to present themselves in a professional manner to reflect a positive image for the game. While we typically evaluate our policies at the end of the year, based on input from our players, we recently made some minor adjustments to the policy to address some changing fashion trends. The specifics of the policy have been shared directly with the members," she said.
NASCAR: Denny Hamlin delivers first Cup win of season for Joe Gibbs Racing.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/www.nascar.com)
Denny Hamlin outran Kyle Larson in the final 25 laps to win the Overton’s 301, giving Joe Gibbs Racing its first Cup win of the season.
Driving a backup car, Hamlin led the last 34 circuits at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to give JGR its first Cup win since November 2016 at Texas Motor Speedway.
It’s Hamlin’s 30th Cup win and his third at New Hampshire.
The top five were Hamlin, Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick.
“I was doing everything I could to pace (myself),” Hamlin told NBCSN at the start-finish line. “I knew (Larson) had a very fast car. It just seemed like we were able to get off the corner pretty good. Really I just drove a pace there that I felt comfortable with, just in case we had to restart. I didn’t want to burn the tires up.”
Hamlin led 54 of the race’s 301 laps. The win was his first in 28 races since claiming victory in the regular season finale at Richmond last September.
Hamlin had to go to a backup car after crashing his primary in practice on Friday.
“Put us behind the 8-ball on Friday, but it’s cool to win one like this,” Hamlin said.
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Larson earned his seventh runner-up finish of the season and his second in a row after starting last due to failing post-qualifying inspection … Martin Truex Jr. led 137 laps from the pole and claimed his 14th stage win in Stage 1 … Daniel Suarez tied his career-best result by finishing sixth … Danica Patrick finished 13th, giving her consecutive top-15 finishes for the first time this year … Jimmie Johnson finished 10th after serving a pass-through penalty to start the race for a start violation.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: Erik Jones was eliminated in a one-car wreck on the Lap 41 restart from a competition caution. The wreck was caused by a flat tire, a result from contact on pit road. Jones finished last … Cole Whitt finished 38th after blowing an engine on Lap 68 … Joey Logano went to the garage on Lap 177 for a mechanical problem. He returned to the race just beyond the 200-lap mark. He finished 37th. Kyle Busch’s hopes of ending a 34-race winless streak ended when he was caught speeding while pitting on Lap 238. He was caught speeding again when he pit again on Lap 263. Busch, who won Stage 2, finished 12th.
NOTABLE: Toyota cars led 290 laps Sunday. They have led 869 out of 902 laps in the last three races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Dale Earnhardt Jr. led a season-high 10 laps in a strategy bid during green flag pit stops … Hamlin is the first driver to win in a backup car since Kurt Busch at Michigan in June 2015 … Denny Hamlin will join NASCAR America live from the NASCAR Hall of Fame at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday on NBCSN.
LUG NUT VIOLATIONS: Daniel Suarez and Kurt Busch each had one unsecured lug nut after the race.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “(Denny Hamlin) is probably the best short track racer there is out here. Especially, when it comes to short, flat tracks, but for me to get beat by him is not a cool thing, but I’m proud of that because Denny Hamlin, like I said is really good at this stuff.” – Kyle Larson after finishing second.
WHAT’S NEXT: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 3 p.m. ET on July 23 on NBC.
Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson remain 1-2 in NASCAR Cup standings.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/cupscene.com)
Even though he finished third in Sunday’s Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Martin Truex Jr. maintains control over the NASCAR Cup driver standings.
Truex leaves the Granite State still atop the points, holding a 38-point edge over Kyle Larson, who finished second in the race behind winner Denny Hamlin and just ahead of Truex.
Kyle Busch is third (-108), followed by Kevin Harvick (-119) and Hamlin (-169).
Click here for the NASCAR Cup point standings after Sunday’s race.
Kyle Busch wins New Hampshire Xfinity race from the pole for third win of year.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/nascar.com)
Kyle Busch ran away in the closing laps to win the Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway by 10 seconds over second place.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver led 77 laps from the pole and beat Ryan Preece, William Byron, Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski for his third win in six starts this year.
Busch took the lead during green flag pit stops, which he began with 30 laps left in the 200-lap race.
Busch’s biggest challenger, Keselowski, had to serve a pass through penalty after his last pit stop due to his gas can leaving the pit box as the No. 22 exited the box. Keselowski led 102 laps. The race saw 13 lead changes after only having three in 2016.
“You can’t always count on the fastest car to win the race, I guess ” Busch told NBCSN at the start-finish line. “We can count on teamwork. We had that today and my guys did a great job in the pits and they gave me a great piece in order to go out here and contend with them. We put the pressure on, kept them close enough that I knew when we pit they were going to have to pit right after us, probably in a hurry because we were going to have a lap of tires on them. Overall, just a great day.”
Stage 1 winner: Kyle Larson
Stage 2 winner: Brad Keselowski
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Ryan Preece finished second and led two laps in his first Xfinity start of the year. His career-best finish came in his 37th start. Preece also won and placed second in two support races at NHMS this weekend … William Byron finished third for his fourth top-three finish in the last five races … Ben Kennedy finished sixth for his second top 10 of the year and his first since finishing fourth at Talladega.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: David Starr brought out the only non-stage ending caution on Lap 30 when a brake issue caused him to spin and back into the Turn 2 wall. He finished 30th … Justin Allgaier left the race on Lap 84 for a transmission problem. He returned to the race on Lap 109 and finished 32nd … Rookie Spencer Gallagher had mechanical problem mid-race that caused him to finish 35th, 44 laps down.
NOTABLE: Only six cars finished on the lead lap … The race was stopped for roughly 45 minutes for rain that paused the race on Lap 31.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “This one is for all the short track guys out there that might never get the opportunity but work week in and week out with that modified,” – Ryan Preece after finishing second in the Overton’s 200.
Elliott Sadler continues to lead Xfinity points after 17 races.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
Elliott Sadler continues to have a stranglehold on the Xfinity Series points standings after finishing seventh at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The JR Motorsports driver continues to lead a team sweep of the top three spots. He has a 45-point lead over William Byron and a 90-point advantage over Justin Allgaier.
Sadler has led the point standings for all but two weeks in the season that is 17 races old.
Completing the top five are Brennan Poole (-192) and Daniel Hemric (-199).
Click here for the full standings.
SOCCER: Dax McCarty says Gold Cup opener was his worst for club or country this year.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Dax McCarty has been an injection of talent and leadership on the field for the Chicago Fire this season as well as a boost to media covering the team looking for a good quote.
In his six months with the Fire, McCarty has provided killer quotes and sound bites on multiple occasions. ESPN's Jeffrey Carlisle went to the well and picked up some notable thoughts from McCarty about his performance and the national team's as a whole at the Gold Cup, which closes out group play on Sunday.
McCarty, who started the 1-1 tie against Panama and came off the bench in a 3-2 win against Martinique, said the team knows it hasn't played well yet. With the Fire, McCarty has been one of the most consistent players on the team, but his performances haven't been as solid in the Gold Cup.
"It's funny, I've been having one of the best years of my career in terms of consistency, in terms of being really good for Chicago, playing at a high level," McCarty said in Carlisle's story. "I probably had my worst game of the entire year -- with the national team or with Chicago -- against Panama. That was frustrating."
McCarty also commented on how a lot of the newcomers to the national team have "looked a little bit anxious." This doesn't sound all that different from when McCarty said the Fire still had "a long way to go" back in April.
Fans of the national team fans will be hoping the U.S. men have the same type of turnaround that the Fire enjoyed not long after McCarty's comments.
Three things: USMNT beats Nicaragua 3-0, wins Group B.
By Andy Edwards
\
(Photo/AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
The following lessons were bestowed upon us during the U.S. national team’s 3-0 victory over Nicaragua on Saturday…
This was Jorge Villafaña’s chance; it was to be his Gold Cup; it was supposed to be his coming-out party; it was his audition for next summer’s World Cup — the one where he needed to step up and say, “I am the left back,” thus solving the USMNT’s biggest, longest-running problem. After starting the first and the third games of the group, we’re no closer to having found a full-time starter. It would have been nice, but at this point, we all knew better.
Villafaña’s weaknesses are, simply put, 1) he’s wasteful and unimaginative when overlapping on the attacking, and 2) he’s a second- (or third-) best in every two-man foot race. In the modern game, especially with two eyes focused on the World Cup 11 months from now, those are fatal flaws in considering the world-class talent he’d be up against in Russia.
At this point, either Greg Garza fills the superhero cape Villafaña so admirably tried, but failed, to fill, or DaMarcus Beasley is heading to his fifth World Cup.
Joe Corona… not a no. 10
Here’s what I wrote about Corona in my player ratings: “Scored a goal, missed a penalty, killed the majority of attacking movements during which he touched the ball. Business as usual.” Those are very bad qualities for a player deployed, on multiple occasions, as a no. 10. Do you know who’s proven quite effective in that de facto role, and is on this same roster?
Best-case scenario: Kelyn Rowe is a no. 10. Worst-case scenario: he’s a better no. 10 than Corona, even if still slightly miscast. He’s not a brilliant chance creator, like a traditional no. 10, but he’s an effective circulator of the ball, something he does with good tempo and security. Unfortunately, he’ll either be released from camp this week, or find himself buried on the depth chart once the first-teamers make their way aboard for the knockout rounds.
The wings are, uh, also a problem
This isn’t a lesson from Saturday, per se — more so of the last few months — but other than left back, the player pool is most shallow on the wings.
If Christian Pulisic’s ultimate home is as a no. 10 for the USMNT (many, including myself, think it is), we’re picking two from the following group of non-winger wingers: Fabian Johnson (true position unknown), Darlington Nagbe (central midfielder), Bobby Wood (center forward) and Jordan Morris (center forward).
Watching Chris Pontius on Saturday, following wide shifts from Paul Arriola and Gyasi Zardes over the last two weeks, I suddenly feel very unwell when faced with the prospects of attempting to score goals next summer.
Bradley, Dempsey, Howard join USMNT for Gold Cup KO rounds.
Associated Press
(Photo/Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Forward Clint Dempsey, midfielder Michael Bradley and goalkeeper Tim Howard are among six additions to the U.S. roster for the knockout phase of the CONCACAF Gold Cup as coach Bruce Arena opted to add some of his most experienced players.
Arena also added forward Jozy Altidore, midfielder Darlington Nagbe and goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Sunday. Gonzalez’s application to change affiliation from Mexico to the U.S. was approved by FIFA last month, after the deadline for setting the 23-man roster for the group phase.
Goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Sean Johnson were dropped along with midfielders Alejandro Bedoya, Cristian Roldan and Kelyn Rowe, and forward Dom Dwyer. Arena had planned in advance to replace Guzan, Johnson and Bedoya.
Bedoya is expecting the birth of his second child next week.
The U.S. plays its quarterfinal Wednesday in Philadelphia against a third-place team from another group, likely Honduras, El Salvador or Jamaica. The opponent was to be determined Sunday night.
Using a mostly junior varsity group, the Americans opened with a 1-1 tie against Panama and wasted a two-goal lead against Martinique before winning 3-2. The U.S. defeated Nicaragua 3-0 Saturday night, getting an 88th-minute goal from Matt Miazga to win Group B by edging Panama based on total goals.
Each team is allowed to make up to six changes in the 24 hours after finishing the group stage, and the additions must come from the 40-man preliminary roster submitted in early June.
“We have added some experienced players,” Arena said in a statement. “The players leaving all made a good impression, and I’m optimistic for their future with the national team program.”
Dempsey has 56 international goals, one shy of Landon Donovan’s American record. Dempsey, Bradley, Howard and Altidore all are regular starters when the full national team player pool is called in, and Nagbe appeared in the first seven U.S. matches this year after Arena replaced Jurgen Klinsmann and started his second stint as coach.
The U.S. improved to 32-1-4 during the group stage of the Gold Cup and 6-0-5 since Arena returned.
Updated USMNT roster
Goalkeepers: Jesse Gonzalez, Bill Hamid, Tim Howard
Defenders: Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Hedges, Eric Lichaj, Matt Miazga, Justin Morrow, Jorge Villafana, Graham Zusi
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta, Paul Arriola, Michael Bradley, Joe Corona, Dax McCarty, Darlington Nagbe, Chris Pontius, Gyasi Zardes
Forwards: Juan Agudelo, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris
Rashford brace guides Man United past LA Galaxy in friendly.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester United was off and running on Saturday as Jose Mourinho’s side dispatched of the LA Galaxy comfortably at the StubHub Center.
New additions Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof featured for United after half time in the victory.
The Galaxy were always going to be overmatched in the friendly, but Curt Onalfo’s group did manage to score twice in the second half via Giovani dos Santos’ double.
Man United will continue its preseason tour of the United States on Monday when Mourinho and Co. face MLS side Real Salt Lake, before taking on Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona as part of the International Champions Cup.
NCAAFB: Title game rematch? Notre Dame AD “would love to play” Alabama.
By Bryan Fischer
(Photo/Getty Images)
The 2013 BCS National Championship was a meeting of college football heavyweights as Alabama and Notre Dame squared off for the seventh time in the schools’ illustrious history. The game itself turned out to be anything but interesting after kickoff though as the Crimson Tide ran right over the Irish on their way to a 42-14 bludgeoning and complete a run as back-to-back national champions.
While many Notre Dame fans would love to forget that night in South Florida, a rematch could be in store for the two programs down the road in the regular season. In a wide-ranging interview with the Indianapolis Star, Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick discussed a multitude of issues surrounding the football program and specifically addressed scheduling philosophy. The team recently added several SEC teams like Arkansas to their future schedules and it appears a rematch with the Tide could also be in the cards as well.
“Alabama is one of those opponents we would love to play. I hope we do get that done,” said Swarbrick. “It was interesting to see the list of teams we’ve never played (from the SEC, which include Mississippi State, Auburn and Kentucky). I frankly didn’t know it. I have a great relationship with the Auburn athletic director (Jay Jacobs), and I’d love to figure out how to do that. There’s something to be said for ticking off everyone on that list until you can say you’ve done it over the history of this program.”
The Fighting Irish are no stranger to going South as they’re scheduled to play an SEC school in each of the next four years. Alabama recently hired a new athletic director in Greg Byrne and it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see the two AD’s find time to schedule a game or two considering how many high-profile matchups are already on the docket for both sides.
Either way, given how scheduled out things already are for Notre Dame and Alabama, any such meeting would surely be several years into the future. That should give Irish fans plenty of time to erase that national championship game from their memory.
Ohio State responds to suit filed by Chris Spielman against the university.
By John Taylor
(Photo/Getty Images)
Chris Spielman was one of the greatest players to ever pull on an Ohio State uniform. Now, he’s at odds with at least one arm of his alma mater.
The Associated Press is reporting that the former Buckeyes linebacker filed an antitrust lawsuit in a Columbus federal court on what was described as the behalf of former and current OSU football players. Named in the suit are OSU and IMG, with Honda and Nike being named as co-conspirators.
At issue is the university’s marketing arm using the likenesses of Spielman and others on banners that have corporate logos slapped on them. From the AP:
The complaint targets Ohio State marketing programs and contracts that promote the university using likenesses of athletes, including a Honda-sponsored program of 64 banners hung around Ohio Stadium featuring photos of former players.
In addition to Spielman, some of the other Ohio State greats whose pictures appear on those banners include running back Archie Griffin, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 1975; lineman Jim Stillwagon, who played on the 1968 national championship team; and Mike Doss, a safety who played on the 2002 national championship team.
All are among the athletes Spielman is suing on behalf of, said Brian Duncan, a Columbus attorney who represents Spielman.“My concern is about the exploitation of all former players across this nation who do not have the platform to stand up for themselves while universities and corporations benefit financially by selling their name and likenesses without their individual consent,” Spielman said in a statement to the AP.
The former Buckeye great expounded on his feelings in a subsequent radio interview.
Spielman is seeking above $75,000 in the suit, with any money he receives being donated back to the university for the benefit of student-athletes. The two sides had previously attempted to work out a deal prior to the filing.
In a statement, OSU athletic director Gene Smith responded, somewhat, to the lawsuit.
“We immensely value our relationships with all of our former student athletes,” Smith stated. “Ohio State is aware of the lawsuit that Chris Spielman has filed, and we are in the process of reviewing it.”
NCAABKB: Division I Men’s Basketball Committee redefines quality win.
By Rob Dauster
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
There’s a change coming to the way that the NCAA will evaluate what is and what is not a good win in regards to the NCAA tournament selection committee this season.
On Thursday morning, the NCAA sent out a release from the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee announcing that they will be placing a “greater emphasis on winning road games” by changing the way that the team sheets used by the selection committee are organized.
Here are the specifics:
For the past several years, team sheets have divided results into four columns: results against the top 50 teams in the NCAA’s Rating Percentage Index; 51-100; 101-200; and any team ranked 201 or lower. Effective with the 2017-18 season, team sheets will place greater emphasis on where the games are played rather than the ranking of each opponent.
There still will be four separate columns, with the first column consisting of home games against teams ranked 1-30, neutral-site games against teams ranked in the top 50 and road games against opponents ranked in the top 75. The second column will include home games against teams ranked 31-75, neutral-site games versus teams ranked 51-100 and road games against teams ranked 76-135.To translate, what this essentially does is that a top 30 win at home is now equivalent to a top 75 road win, which is justified given how difficult it is to win on the road. This should also create an incentive for top teams to play true road games in non-conference play.
Just as important is the fact that the NCAA will begin to phase out the RPI beginning in 2018-19.
“The group also committed to continue studying various metrics the committee has at its disposal to evaluate teams, with the likelihood of a new metric being in place for the 2018-19 season,” the release stated.
TENNIS: Venus Williams falls in Wimbledon final to Garbine Muguruza.
Associated Press
(Photo/Getty Images)
Through it all, Venus Williams kept working, kept striving, kept eyeing yet another Wimbledon championship.
Through it all, through the difficult days of adjusting to life with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease, through the disappointing days of first-round losses that led to questions about retirement, through all of the accumulating years, she pressed on.
And on Saturday, facing Garbine Muguruza in the final, Williams had a shot at her sixth title at the All England Club — nine years after her last one and, remarkably, 17 years after her first.
Williams twice was a point from taking the opening set before unraveling completely, dropping the last nine games and losing 7-5, 6-0 to Muguruza, who earned her first Wimbledon championship.
“This is where you want to be. I like to win. I don’t want to just get to a final,” said Williams, at 37 the oldest woman to play in a title match at the grass-court major since 1994. “It’s just about playing a little better.”
She appeared ready to take control Saturday, ahead 5-4 in the first set and with Muguruza serving at 15-40. But Williams netted a forehand to close a 20-stroke exchange on the first set point. And on the second, she sent a return long. Muguruza would go on to win that game — and the next eight, too, to earn her third Grand Slam trophy.
Williams owns seven of them — five at Wimbledon in 2000-01, 2005, 2007 and 2008; two at the U.S. Open in 2000-01.
But her coach, David Witt, offered one explanation for the way everything came undone for Williams against Muguruza.
“It was just nerves,” Witt said.
“She never, I thought, looked like she was relaxed out there,” he added.
Williams arrived in England a few weeks after being involved in a two-car accident in Florida. Two weeks after the crash, a 78-year-old passenger in the other vehicle died. At a news conference following her first-round victory at Wimbledon, Williams was asked about the episode, and she tried to respond, before wiping away tears and briefly leaving the room to compose herself.
Witt said they hadn’t discussed what happened with each other once the tournament began, hoping Williams could “just focus on the tennis.”
Up until late in the first set Saturday, Williams did play quite well.
In 2011, she revealed she had been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that can cause exhaustion and joint pain. Williams has since spoken about how she turned to a plant-based diet and learned other ways to get by. A half-dozen exits from majors after her opening match made some think Williams might stop playing tennis, let alone return to its biggest stages.
“There were definitely,” Williams said this week, “some issues.”
But she never lost her love for the sport or a desire to get her game back in order.
“I’m just very surprised that she’s hungry to keep winning. She has won almost everything. She’s not (still) young, to be looking forward to all these matches. She just shows this toughness,” Muguruza said. “I don’t know if I will be like this at her age.”
The strongest initial sign of a renaissance for Williams came during a run to the Wimbledon semifinals a year ago. Then, this January, she got to the Australian Open final for the first time since 2003, losing to her sister, Serena Williams. And then came these past two weeks and her first appearance in the Wimbledon final since a loss to Serena in 2009.
“I’ve been in a position a lot of times this year to contend for big titles. That’s the kind of position I want to keep putting myself in,” Williams said. “It’s just about getting over the line. I believe I can do that.”
She was asked more than once by reporters Saturday whether the Sjogren’s or the accumulated fatigue or her age played a role in the way the match unfolded. But Williams deflected those questions, instead offering praise of Muguruza, whose power and precision gave the American problems.
“Credit to her,” Williams said. “She just dug in there.”
Williams hit five double-faults, three in one game and once to get broken to begin the second set. She finished with 25 unforced errors, more than twice as many as Muguruza.
“She started pressing in the second,” Witt observed, “and balls were flying out like you don’t see.”
This was Williams’ 16th Grand Slam final, second of 2017.
She sounded certain that it won’t be the last.
Asked during the on-court trophy presentation if she had a message for Serena, who is off the tour while expecting a baby, Venus said: “Oh, I miss you. I tried my best to do the same things you do, but I think that there’ll be other opportunities. I do.”
After all that’s gone on, why doubt her now?
Roger Federer beats Marin Cilic to win 8th Wimbledon title in lopsided final.
Associated Press
(Photo/Getty Images)
Roger Federer’s wait for No. 8 at Wimbledon is over.
He is once again the champion of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament, now more often than any other man in the history of an event first held in 1877.
Federer won his eighth title at the All England Club and 19th major trophy overall, capping a marvelous fortnight in which he never dropped a set by overwhelming Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday in a lopsided final that was more coronation than contest.
When it ended, with an ace from Federer after merely 1 hour, 41 minutes, he raised both arms overhead. A minute or so later, he was sitting on the sideline, wiping tears from his eyes.
Truly, the outcome was only in doubt for about 20 minutes, the amount of time it took Federer to grab his first lead. Cilic, whose left foot was treated by a trainer in the late going, was never able to summon the intimidating serves or crisp volleys that carried him to his lone Grand Slam title at the 2014 U.S. Open, where he surprisingly beat Federer in straight sets in the semifinals.
This one was all Federer, who last won Wimbledon in 2012.
That seventh championship pulled Federer even with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw in what’s still officially called Gentlemen’s Singles. Sampras won all but one of his in the 1990s; Renshaw won each of his in the 1880s, back in the days when the previous year’s champion advanced automatically to the final and therefore was able to successfully defend a title with one victory.
Federer had come close to bettering his predecessors but couldn’t quite do it. He lost in the 2014 and 2015 Wimbledon finals to Novak Djokovic, and in the semifinals last year after erasing match points to get past Cilic in a five-set quarterfinal.
With clouds overhead and a bit of chill in the air, the very first game offered a glimpse at Cilic’s apparent plan: go after Federer’s backhand. All five points won by Cilic in that opening stanza came via mistakes by Federer on that stroke. Conversely, all three points won by Federer in that game were thanks to forehand miscues by Cilic.
Understandably, there were signs of nerves for both.
Federer’s early play, in general, was symptomatic of jitters. For everything he’s accomplished, for all of the bright lights and big settings to which he’s become accustomed, the guy many have labeled the “GOAT” — Greatest of All Time — admits to feeling heavy legs and jumbled thoughts at important on-court moments to this day.
And so it was that Federer, not Cilic, hit a double-fault in each of his first two service games. And it was Federer, not Cilic, who faced the match’s initial break point, 15 minutes in, trailing 2-1 and 30-40. But Cilic netted a return there, beginning a run of 17 points in a row won by Federer on his serve.
It was as if the first indication of the slightest bit of trouble jolted Federer.
In the very next game, Federer broke to lead 3-2 with the help of three errors by Cilic and one marvelous point. Cilic tried a drop shot, Federer got to it and replied at a tight angle. Cilic got that and offered a slick response of his own but slipped and fell to the court, allowing Federer to flip a winner, eliciting roars from the crowd.
Federer broke again to take that set when Cilic double-faulted, walked to the changeover and slammed his racket on his sideline chair. Cilic then sat and covered his head with a white towel.
After Federer raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set, Cilic cried while he was visited by a doctor and trainer. At that moment, it wasn’t clear, exactly, what might have been ailing Cilic. During a later medical timeout, Cilic’s left foot was re-taped by the trainer.
Federer would break to a 4-3 edge in the third set and all that remained to find out was how he’d finish. It was with his eighth ace, at 114 mph, and he raised both arms overhead.
This caps a remarkable reboot for Federer, who departed Wimbledon a year ago with a lot of doubts. He had lost in the semifinals, yes, but more troublesome was that his body was letting him down for the first time in his career.
Earlier in 2016, he had surgery on his left knee, then sat out the French Open because of a bad back, ending a record streak of participating in 65 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. Then, after Wimbledon, he did not play at all the rest of the year, skipping the Rio Olympics, the U.S. Open and everything else in an attempt to let his knee fully heal.
It worked. Did it ever.
2017 Stage 15 Tour de France Summary
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On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 17, 2017.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1941 - The longest hitting streak in baseball history ended when the Cleveland Indians pitchers held New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio hitless for the first time in 57 games. The streak had begun on May 15, 1941.
1954 - The Brooklyn Dodgers made history as the first team with a majority of black players.
1994 - Brazil won a record fourth World Cup in soccer. They defeated Italy 3-2 on penalty kicks.
1954 - The Brooklyn Dodgers made history as the first team with a majority of black players.
1994 - Brazil won a record fourth World Cup in soccer. They defeated Italy 3-2 on penalty kicks.
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