Mike Mulligan and David Haugh conducted the daily 5 at 5 segment, debating a variety of questions.
-- White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech was excused from the first weekend of White Sox summer camp. Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana will be out for several weeks after surgery for a thumb injury that he suffered washing dishes. How does each development affect your expectations for the teams? Whose rotation is better?
-- Are you surprised or disappointed that Dodgers left-hander David Price and Braves right-hander Felix Hernandez are the latest players to opt out of the MLB season? Given the number of positive tests, including two unnamed White Sox players, do you doubt a season will take place? Even though MLB was proud of its early coronavirus testing numbers – initially 1.2% tested positive – was this a good or bad weekend for the sport’s return-to-play chances?
-- What are your thoughts on potential name changes for Washington’s football
team and Cleveland’s baseball team? Do you believe individuals like Washington coach Ron Rivera and Cleveland manager Terry Francona play an important role in that quest?
-- Green Bay CEO Mark Murphy believes “time is no longer on our side” when asked about the start of training camp amid the pandemic. Meanwhile, the NFL is reportedly close to reducing the number of players invited to training camp by 10 and also contemplating no preseason games at all after dropping the number from four to two last week. What would that mean for the Bears quarterback competition? Has Mitch Trubisky already won it by default?
-- What do you think about the NBA proposal to have the eight non-playoff teams
gather in Chicago in September for a mini-training camp and tournament inside another bubble environment? How should the Bulls view this opportunity? How likely is it to take place? How safe?