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Today in hgI made the journey to the South Facet to examine in on a crew on the finish of their rope.
A day later, I used to be 38 miles north to go to a crew solely in the beginning of the tip of their rope.
And, after all, I additionally watched the Cubs, the uncommon Chicago crew in any type of playoff hunt, bumble away two much-needed video games in Atlanta by way of a worn-down bullpen, Seiya Suzuki’s ill-timed Brant Brown impersonation and a few defensive miscues that introduced again painful reminiscences of 2004’s collapse. Whereas this crew is, no less than, likable, they’re torturing their followers on a nightly foundation.
Such is the glamorous lifetime of a Chicago sportswriter. Does anybody have some Connor Bedard apply highlights I can mainline?
Whereas we await the Cubs’ playoff destiny, it’s not laborious to determine the place the White Sox and Bears are. They’re prisoners of their very own self-inflicted distress. Nobody feels dangerous for them as a result of they exist, it appears, solely to make their followers really feel dangerous.
On Tuesday, new White Sox GM Chris Getz tried to place a courageous face on the yeoman’s job in entrance of him. Whereas the Sox nonetheless have some expertise at their major-league degree, it’s a part of an all-time terrible season. Successful a World Collection was once the not possible dream, however the Sox’s wretched assortment of gamers and training managed to perform a very not possible job: Getting Kenny Williams fired.
“I feel that there are plenty of gamers on this crew and plenty of items that may assist a crew win a division and have some success on the major-league degree,” Getz mentioned. “Nonetheless, what’s greatest for us within the quick time period and long run, that’s going to take type of a deeper dive. For me, it’s coming in right here and (determining) foundationally the place are we with completely different departments so we will keep away from these excessive swings. That’s been the main focus and can stay (the main focus). As we transfer by means of October and November, we’ll begin focusing extra on what we have to do to place the perfect crew ahead for subsequent yr and years additional.”
To be extra succinct: The White Sox are screwed and Getz is aware of it. However there are solely so many of those jobs and this one fell into his lap.
Getz mentioned that the primary resolution he must make — since he’s already mentioned he’s not firing the overmatched supervisor — is whether or not to select up shortstop Tim Anderson’s $14 million possibility. On one hand, it makes plenty of sense to guess on a rebound season from the previous All-Star. On the opposite, Anderson was one of many least worthwhile hitters in baseball this yr, whereas enjoying a moribund shortstop. The crew might have gotten extra manufacturing out of a current-day Ozzie Guillen. A minimum of he’d have the dugout cracking up.
The sensible play can be choosing up Anderson’s possibility after which exploring the commerce market now and subsequent season.
Whereas chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who’s one way or the other getting worse on the job of proudly owning a crew yearly, claimed that hiring Getz from inside was a quick cross towards success, it’s clear that the Sox are headed for extra sustained drudgery within the coming yr (and past).
They don’t have any pitching and actually not a lot else apart from Luis Robert and Dylan Stop. If Eloy Jiménez is wholesome, he’s an offensive power, however that “if” is larger than Frank Thomas.
Jiménez helped energy the Sox to an early lead over Arizona on Tuesday earlier than the D-Backs scored … 14 unanswered runs. The Sox adopted that up with a 3-0 loss Wednesday, their 98th of what was alleged to be a aggressive season.
Getz’s long-term focus must be a full-scale, sure, rebuild of the group, beginning with the big-league crew. Does Getz have what it takes to try this? Will Reinsdorf, a recognized meddler, even let him?
Jerry, no less than, is aware of the Sox aren’t value protecting collectively. Getz has to know that too.
“I’m definitely not coming in with any kind of biases as a result of we’ve received gamers that, maybe, I’ve recognized higher than others,” Getz mentioned. “I feel objectively talking, it’s placing collectively the perfect crew that we will. So if meaning we’ve received to maneuver on from some gamers or herald different gamers to create competitors, we’ll have to try this. I feel it’s my obligation on this place to do the perfect factor for the Chicago White Sox, and I’m decided to take action.”
Till Rick Hahn and Williams received canned, Getz was simply the man accountable for a nasty minor-league system. Now he will get to wheel and deal, maintain press conferences and sit within the big-boy seat of a major-league crew. (Properly, the White Sox, however nonetheless.)
“I feel anybody that may be a sports activities fan would get pleasure from being within the seat for no less than a time frame to probably improve their roster,” he mentioned. “So talking candidly, I’m fairly enthusiastic about that chance.”
Talking of alternative, the Bears have one this week. They’re enjoying the equally depressing Denver Broncos at house. That ought to portend to their first win, proper?
In spite of everything, Denver is coming off a 50-point loss to Miami, whereas the Bears solely misplaced by 31 factors as a result of the Chiefs benched Patrick Mahomes within the second half.
Nevertheless it’s telling that the Bears are 3 1/2-point house underdogs to a crew that’s 0-3 and simply misplaced 70-20. As somebody at Halas Corridor identified to me Wednesday, who do you belief extra to win a sport: Sean Payton and Russell Wilson or Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields?
Good level.
Fields placed on a downcast, mumbly press convention, every week after he sparked a spicy information cycle by hinting that his teaching has him enjoying robotic. Is he defeated or simply sick of the Bears media? Possibly just a little of each.
One factor is for positive: His promise of an “F it” sport in Kansas Metropolis shortly turned a “For F’s Sake” type of efficiency. He went 11-for-22 for 99 yards, a landing and an interception with 47 yards speeding.
Fields is just one (main) a part of a failing crew. The protection, which misplaced its coordinator final week, was rubbish as soon as once more with Mahomes in a position to get Travis Kelce a straightforward landing to point out off in entrance of his new buddy Taylor Swift. Actually, Mahomes might’ve schemed a landing to Swift too.
The Chiefs went 10-for-14 on third down. Via three video games, the Bears “protection” is giving up a third-down conversion charge of … 60 p.c. To be truthful, opposing offenses are additionally 2-for-3 on fourth down.
Good factor Eberflus was employed for his defensive acumen. He’s additionally accountable for the protection now that Alan Williams is gone for, uh, causes. Eberflus, who’s 3-17 in his NFL head teaching profession, ought to excel doing two jobs directly. Possibly he might additionally do the goofy sideline interviews throughout breaks and man a grill on the Waldron lot.
It’s solely Week 4, however we’re already careening to the purpose of the season the place we focus extra on draft place — Might GM Ryan Poles land the highest two picks in the identical draft? — than Fields’ arrested improvement.
The Bears do have two winnable video games arising towards Denver and at Washington, adopted by a house sport towards the Vikings, who additionally stink.
So in principle, the Bears might flip it round. Nevertheless it’s not wanting promising.
The extra I hear Eberflus and Fields discuss concerning the crew’s “execution,” the extra that outdated quote from John McKay involves thoughts.
I’m in favor of it. That goes for the White Sox too.
(High photograph of Bears quarterback Justin Fields going airborne as Chiefs linebacker Willie Homosexual makes the deal with: Denny Medley / USA In the present day)
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