Latest news with #CitySeries
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chicago White Sox honor Pope Leo XIV with new Rate Field artwork commemorating his 2005 World Series attendance
In the days and months before he died in July 2020, Ed Schmit received comfort in phone calls from an old friend. 'Father Bob,' as Schmit knew Robert Prevost, was then a Catholic bishop in Peru, but Schmit and Prevost shared a bond forged through their Southside roots, their work at St. Rita High School in Chicago — and their mutual love of the Chicago White Sox. During those phone calls in Schmit's final days, fighting a battle he couldn't win against pancreatic cancer, he always told Prevost the same thing, one of Schmit's daughters, Heidi Skokal, said Monday. And what Schmit said to Prevost was this: 'Father Bob, I know you're going to be the next pope. I may not be here to see it, but I'll definitely be looking down' when it happens. Skokal paused to collect herself and continued through the tears, remembering her father. 'I'm sure he is' looking down, she said. Skokal recounted the story after the White Sox unveiled a mural in honor of Prevost, now known around the world as Pope Leo XIV. The artwork is on a pillar near Section 140 at Rate Field, where in 2005 Prevost and Schmit and members of Schmit's family cheered on the Sox during their victory against the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the World Series. In the hours after white smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel on May 8, Chicagoans celebrated one of their own and basked in Prevost's ascent to becoming the first American-born pope. Amid the memes and revelry, though, some locals began asking the important questions: Where did Prevost's baseball loyalties lie? An erroneous report first suggested Cubs fandom. A now-viral photograph set the record straight: There was the future Pope Leo XIV at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, in White Sox garb, standing next to his good friend Schmit, a longtime season-ticket holder whose seats remain in the family. 'I don't want anyone to think he's a Cubs fan,' Schmit's grandson, Eddie Schmit IV, said Monday, 'because he's not a Cubs fan. The Pope is a White Sox fan, and we have proved that.' Eddie knows. He was there that night in 2005, just 5 years old, and from what he recalls, his grandfather carried him into the stadium. And now there's the mural. It takes up a pillar in the lower concourse down the third base line, and features Pope Leo XIV in his papal regalia, in a pose that suggests he's offering a prayer or a blessing — an act of service these days, perhaps, for the Sox. Above his head, there's also a photograph from the Fox broadcast of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. Late in that game, a camera panning the crowd captured a moment that's now gone viral. There are two outs in the top of the ninth and Bobby Jenks is about to close out a 5-3 Sox victory — and there's the future pope, standing alongside the elder Schmit's son and grandson. They all look a bit nervous in the screenshot, but soon had reason to celebrate. Game 3 photos: Cubs beat White Sox 6-2 for City Series sweep at Wrigley Field Column: City Series ends with a minor skirmish — and a Cubs sweep of the White Sox at Wrigley Field White Sox leave the door open — and Cubs take advantage for 3-game sweep: 'This is a tough place to play' Chicago Archdiocese to celebrate Pope Leo XIV with Mass at Rate Field Column: White Sox are making the Cubs look great by self-destructing in the City Series About a dozen members of the Schmit family attended the unveiling of the Pope Leo XIV commemoration on Monday. Skokal became emotional at the thought of her family's connection with the man they all know as Father Bob. He'd officiated family weddings and provided blessings for newborns. He'd worked at the high school dear to them all and, yes, gone to baseball games, too. 'There's other times I was here with Father Bob and my father,' Eddie Schmit III said, 'and we enjoyed the game, you know, and had a beer or whatever and watched the game and relaxed and just talked about everyday stuff … 'Father Bob was just a natural and he's just humble. And he's just like us. 'He's an everyday guy, believe it or not.' Ask anyone in the family, though, and they'll say the elder Ed Schmit always knew. He used to say it all the time, especially during his final days: 'Father Bob, you're going to be the next pope.' Schmit didn't live long enough to see it happen. But he was here with the future pope that night in 2005, and shared a moment the White Sox have now preserved and honored. And on Monday, his daughter figured he was here in his own way, looking down.
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Adjustments continue to pay off for Chicago White Sox 3B Miguel Vargas, who earned AL Player of the Week honors
Miguel Vargas is proof that adjustments can pay off. The Chicago White Sox third baseman made tweaks at the plate last month. And his production has been steadily on the rise. Last week, Vargas slashed .417/.423/1.000 with two doubles, four home runs, nine RBIs and five runs in six games. On Monday, he was named the American League Player of the Week for May 12-18. 'It means a lot,' Vargas said of the honor before Monday's game against the Seattle Mariners at Rate Field. 'After what I've been through the last year and this year early, to accomplish this type of thing makes me very proud and to trust to keep going.' Since April 23, Vargas is slashing .350/.418/.638 with five doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs and 13 runs in 22 games. During that span, the 25-year-old ranks third in the AL in average, fourth in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS (1.055) and tied for sixth in home runs and total bases (51). His adjustments included having his hands in a position where his first move would be a little bit higher. 'It means all the world to me for sure,' Vargas said of seeing results from the changes. 'Sometimes we don't get the result that we wanted and we get so sad about it. But when you've got weeks like this and you see a good process going on, you feel like you're back. You've got to keep trusting what you're doing and keep doing it.' Vargas had three home runs during the weekend City Series against the Chicago Cubs, including two on Friday. He homered again Sunday and had a brief conversation after getting hit by a Brad Keller pitch later in the game. 'I just wanted to know what was his favorite restaurant,' Vargas joked after Sunday's game at Wrigley Field. Vargas had a .139 batting average on April 21. It was at .245 entering Monday. 'We've talked for a couple weeks now about how his adjustments have been paying off,' manager Will Venable said. 'And they've continued to sustain and lead to an unbelievable performance for (Vargas). So super happy for him and just a great job by our hitting department, by (Vargas) for working extremely hard. 'He's been very consistent with everything that he's done from day one, and we're seeing the results on the field be very consistent as well.' The Sox acquired Vargas last July from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the three-team trade that included sending pitcher Michael Kopech from the Sox to the Dodgers and pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham from the Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals. Chicago White Sox honor Pope Leo XIV with new Rate Field artwork commemorating his 2005 World Series attendanceVargas hit .104 in 42 games last season with the Sox after the deal. He's been able to leave that in the past after rebounding from the slow start to 2025. 'That's something that I've been working on, being in the present and being where I am right now,' Vargas said. 'It's a process that I've been really enjoying and I want to keep my feet on the ground and keep going and having these types of moments. 'In general, I think I'm a better player than I was before. That's what my goal is every single year. Right now I'm in a pretty decent spot and I just want to enjoy it and be the best I can be every day.' Vargas became the first Sox position player to be named AL Player of the Week since Luis Robert Jr. from June 19-25, 2023. He's focused on continuing to grow. 'I think it can be better for sure,' he said. 'The sky is the limit for me and I want to reach it the most that I can and just enjoy the ride.' The Sox reinstated outfielder Austin Slater from the 10-day injured list on Monday afternoon. Slater retroactively went on the IL on April 11 and underwent surgery on April 15 to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. Slater entered Monday 5-for-20 (.250) with two doubles, one home run, one RBI and two runs in eight games this season. 'Any time you miss an extended period, you just want to get back out there to help any way you can,' Slater said before Monday's game. In Monday's corresponding move, the Sox optioned infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin to Triple-A Charlotte. The versatile Baldwin has a .215/.257/.331 slash line with six doubles, three home runs, 16 RBIs and eight runs in 44 games. 'He did a great job,' Venable said. 'Baldwin's been asked to do a lot really early in his career. And so with some of these guys coming back and getting healthy, it's going to be a little less playing time. And he's at a point in his career where he really needs to play. 'And we want to expose him to center field a little bit more, (and have) some more opportunity on the dirt (at shortstop). We just think really highly of him and want to give him a chance to have everyday at-bats.' Additionally, Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Charlotte on Tuesday. The Sox retroactively placed Benintendi on the IL on May 5 with a left calf strain.
Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Cubs call up 3rd baseman Matt Shaw from Triple A before tonight's series opener in Miami
The Chicago Cubs called up third baseman Matt Shaw from Triple-A Iowa on Monday for the start of a three-game series in Miami, sources told the Chicago Tribune. Manager Craig Counsell hinted at the move Sunday after the Cubs swept the White Sox in the opening round of the City Series at Wrigley Field, and it will be made official Monday. After Shaw hit two home runs for Iowa on Thursday, Counsell was asked if the team's top-ranked prospect had proved he is ready. 'Look, we're trying to win games and we're trying to put a player in a good position to succeed,' Counsell said. 'So I don't think there is any certainty in any of that. There's a time hopefully we're going to be able to say, 'Yes, let's give this a shot again.'' Shaw hit two more home runs Friday night, and general manager Carter Hawkins told the Tribune on Saturday that Shaw would be up 'sooner than later.' Now we'll see if some minor tweaks that led to success in Triple A can translate to the majors. Shaw hit .172 in 18 games with the Cubs after making the opening-day roster, with 18 strikeouts in 58 at-bats. He had a short spring training due to an oblique issue that delayed his start, but he was thrown into the starting lineup after the Cubs failed to sign free agent Alex Bregman. After his demotion, Shaw hit .286 with six home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games at Iowa with a .970 OPS, and his recent power surge showed he was ready for a second chance in the majors. The Cubs sent Pete Crow-Armstrong down last year after the center fielder struggled offensively. Crow-Armstrong quickly returned and took a couple of months to figure things out before blossoming in the second half of 2024. Crow-Armstrong is now a likely National League All-Star and an early Most Valuable Player candidate. The Cubs are hoping lightning strikes twice with Shaw, whom Baseball America ranked No. 35 on its Top 100 prospects list before the 2025 season. Infielder Nicky Lopez is expected to be traded or designated for assignment when the roster move is made official. Lopez is one of four players who have rotated at third base since Shaw's demotion. Gage Workman was DFA'd and dealt to the White Sox, who later released him. Vidal Brujan and Jon Berti will remain as bench players, with Shaw expected to get the bulk of the starts at third.
Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs' weekend, including how they plan to use Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cade Horton
The first round of this season's City Series ended Sunday at Wrigley Field with the Cubs' 6-2 win, the first competitive game of the weekend. The crosstown rivals won't meet again until July 25-27 on the South Side, where the importance of the series will likely increase if the Cubs remain in a tight divisional race. Here are three takeaways from the Cubs' weekend. Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled and scored leading off Sunday's game and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He's settled into the leadoff spot while Ian Happ remains on the injured list. Crow-Armstrong's 4.7% walk rate entering Sunday isn't what you typically like in a leadoff hitter, and Happ will return to his old spot when he gets back. 'Getting things going early is really nice all the time,' Crow-Armstrong said afterward. 'But I get a lot of chances to hit in the first of second innings anyway. There are ways of looking at hitting leadoff (batting seventh), by leading off the third inning. That's still early to me in a baseball game. Getting the party started is always fun.' Manager Craig Counsell said Friday it doesn't matter where Crow-Armstrong hits, and general manager Carter Hawkins reiterated that Crow-Armstrong's future batting spot remains uncertain. 'The skill set that he's shown thus far is more of a power-type skill set, so it's hard to reconcile that sometimes with a speed and defense kind of guy,' Hawkins said. 'He's shown the ability to hit the ball over the fence, and when you show that ability, you'd like to have some guys on base to do that. I wouldn't rule it out. 'I mean, Shohei Ohtani hits leadoff. But I do think what we've seen from Ian and other elite on-base (percentage) guys, that's really where the leadoff guy starts to fit in. As that becomes part of Pete's game, that will become part of the conversation.' Hawkins believes Crow-Armstrong will be pitched to differently now that he's proven to be a home-run hitter, which theoretically should lead to more walks. But he added that as long as Crow-Armstrong keeps hitting the way he is, they won't worry about where he'll hit down the line. Cade Horton doesn't care how the Cubs handle him in his first major-league season. Whether he's a starter, or the Cubs use an opener, or he's put in the bullpen, he's still in the major leagues. 'At the end of the day, my job is to help my team win, so whatever way that is, I'm happy with what I'm doing,' he said Sunday. 'However they need me — bullpen, starter, whatever — it doesn't matter.' The Cubs used Brad Keller as an opener in Horton's first start against the New York Mets. Hawkins said that was to give Horton an 'easier landing' due to the strength of the Mets' lineup. 'And that being his first experience in Major League Baseball, having (Francisco) Lindor, (Juan) Soto and (Pete) Alonso 1-2-3 on the road in New York,' Hawkins said. Horton made his first start Friday against the White Sox and is scheduled to start Wednesday in Miami against the Marlins. Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet was in a similar situation as Horton last year with the White Sox, coming off an arm injury that forced the Sox to limit his workload to keep him pitching throughout the season and help his trade value in the offseason. Horton said he loves Crochet but wasn't paying attention to that. 'He's a phenomenal pitcher and it's been cool to watch him dominate, Horton said. 'I don't really watch the usage as much. I just turn on the TV and watch him pitch.' Hawkins said the Cubs have not mapped out Horton's schedule or put any limitations on him. 'There is no one that's been able to show definitively that the overall workload at some particular level is more dangerous or less dangerous,' Hawkins said. 'I think we all intuitively know that the more you throw, the more taxing it is. But we'll keep an eye on all our pitchers, inclusive of Cade, in terms of how their velocity is trending, how their delivery and their strength are trending. 'Someone like Cade, who hasn't done it in the big leagues, we'll probably have to keep a closer eye, but there is no set number (of innings).' Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are the only Cubs starters to have thrown 100 pitches or more in a start this season. Imanaga threw 101 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 11-10 win on April 22, and Taillon reached 100 in a 7-2 loss to the Mets on May 9. Horton said the last time he 'touched 100 pitches' was in the 2022 College World Series title game, when he started for Oklahoma and set a CWS record with 13 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings. He threw 107 pitches while allowing two runs, getting a no-decision in a 4-2 loss to Mississippi. In his first two outings as a Cub, he's thrown 77 and 79 pitches, respectively. 'I feel healthy, I feel good and I feel like I can go deep into games,' Horton said. 'They're going to be cautious, and I respect it.' Hawkins said the Cubs would not move Horton to the bullpen later this season to limit his innings. If they did decide to go that route, Hawkins said, it would be done 'to solve for the best roster.' Left-hander Drew Pomeranz notched the win in relief of Colin Rea on Sunday, his first since Aug. 7, 2021, when he played with the San Diego Padres. That was the last season the 36-year-old Pomeranz pitched in the majors, due to injuries. He's been a lifesaver in the Cubs' bullpen since being signed last month, with 9 1/3 scoreless innings over 10 outings. 'Feels just like I did when I stopped before,' Pomeranz said. 'Trying to string them along.' Pomeranz couldn't remember anything about his last 'W,' which came in relief of Yu Darvish in a 6-2 win over Arizona. 'In 2020 or '21?' he guessed. 'Reliever wins really don't mean the same. I wish I could pass it along to Colin. But we won. I'll take it.' Pomeranz said he enjoyed being part of his first Cubs-Sox game. 'It's funny to think that the Sox players just drove here from their houses playing an away game,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Game 3 photos: Cubs sweep the White Sox with a 6-2 win in City Series at Wrigley Field
Photos from Game 3 of the City Series between the Cubs and White Sox at Wrigley Field on May 18, 2025. The Cubs won 6-2 for the series sweep.
