👋 Good morning!

Were you watching Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record on Sunday?

Scoring 895 goals is an unbelievable accomplishment, and I think it’s safe to say that just about anybody at the Isles-Caps game on Long Island was there for the chance to witness history.

But am I really the only person who thought it was a little awkward to pause the game halfway through the second period for a half-hour while the NHL threw a little celebratory ceremony?

The Capitals have played the Islanders twice in the playoffs in the last decade! Can you imagine if LeBron James had broken the NBA’s scoring record at the UC and received a king’s welcome?

Cubs, White Sox ‘pens blow Sunday Funday

Both the Cubs and White Sox led through seven innings on Sunday. Both the Cubs and White Sox lost on Sunday.

A combination of peculiar managerial decisions and poor bullpen outings turned the end of the weekend into a frustrating finish.

• Up two entering the bottom of the ninth in Detroit, White Sox reliever Fraser Ellard quickly loaded the bases, recording just one out before being replaced by Jordan Leasure.
  
  Leasure faced two batters, walking a run in against the first before allowing a walk-off double to Spencer Torkelson.
  
  

• The Cubs’ blown finish was a slower burn as the San Diego Padres clawed back from a 7-3 deficit throughout the afternoon. After tying the ballgame in the eighth, the Padres threatened again in the ninth, putting two runners on with one out against Cubs closer Ryan Pressly.
  
  Pressly nearly escaped the jam, inducing a perfect grounder for a double play, but a Justin Turner error at first base allowed Fernando Tatis Jr. to score the go-ahead run.

Is there any loss in sports more thoroughly unenjoyable than a bullpen loss? Granted, the Cubs’ loss was caused in part by an error, but the point remains.

As for the White Sox, it felt like the culmination of the first truly bad managerial performance from rookie skipper Will Venable.

As CHGO’s Sean Anderson noted during Sunday’s CHGO White Sox Postgame show, the CHSN broadcast mentioned that the White Sox’s bullpen was inactive as Ellard struggled. Then, Leasure was suddenly warming as Venable slow-walked to the mound to yank Ellard.

Anderson later tweeted that he heard differently from somebody else in Detroit who said Leasure was warming two batters before coming into the game, but it’s a quick turnaround regardless.

Bullpen mismanagement is excusable when a pitcher simply fails to execute, but the onus is on the manager when it comes to making sure the pitcher is actually loose and ready before being inserted into the action.

Add in the fact that Venable opted to have Brooks Baldwin lay down a sac bunt with two runners on to bring up Jake Amaya earlier in the game, and it equals a less-than-stellar showing for the first-year manager.

The good news? It’s only been nine games for Venable, and as Sean put yesterday, we’re still ways away from Pedro Grifol levels of bad.

On the north side, the Cubs’ bullpen woes lie strictly in the execution rather than the utilization. It didn’t matter whose number Craig Counsell called; they didn’t have “it”.

The problem is that bullpen woes are becoming somewhat of a recurring theme. Yesterday was the second Sunday in a row that several shaky relief appearances have bitten the Cubs in the keister. Unfortunately for Chicago, it was just the second Sunday of the regular season.

So, is it too early to press the panic button, or is this “David Robertson, come on down” territory? At the very least, one might think we’re closing in on Ryan Pressly’s removal from the closer’s role.

GO DEEPER: The CHGO Cubs Podcast debated what’s next for the Cubs’ bullpen.

Quick Hits

• 10th Seed Freeze Out: A pair of weekend wins has the Bulls within spitting distance of locking up a home play-in game. A one-game lead on the Miami Heat for the No. 9 seed in the East, which is essentially a two-game lead thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker, means the magic number for a postseason game at the United Center (Jerry’s wish) is down to THREE. Bulls play the Heat on Wednesday.
  
  Coby White continued his insane post-deadline stretch in Sunday’s win against the Charlotte Hornets, posting 37 points on 12/16 shooting, including hitting 6/8 from deep.
  
  

• Hall of Fame! Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Sky legend Sylvia Fowles are headed to the Naismith Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class. Donovan’s greatest achievements came as head coach at the University of Florida, where he won back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007 with Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer. Fowles was a three-time All-Star & two-time Defensive Player of the Year with the Sky.

Bulls (banners) are back.

Today!

• 📺 CHGO Bears @ 12 on YouTube 

• 📺 CHGO Blackhawks @ 2:30 on YouTube 

• 📺 CHGO Bulls @ 5:30 on YouTube

• ⚾️ Cubs vs. Rangers @ 6:40 on Marquee

• 📺 CHGO Cubs POSTGAME on CHGO Cubs YouTube