Q. Does Dusty Baker realize that Sammy Sosa plans to report late to spring training again?
A. I haven’t had an opportunity to ask Baker about that yet, but Sosa recently assured me: “He got the message.” While Sosa was on vacation in Paris in November, he telephoned Baker to congratulate him on being named the Cubs’ manager. Perhaps the topic of Sosa’s spring training arrival date came up at that point, unless a poor connection created too much static on the phone.
Q. Will John Shoop be back next year? Please tell me he will be gone.
A. Sorry, I don’t have that type of authority. My sense is Shoop will be back. But if the Bears select a quarterback with the No. 4 pick in the first round, Shoop could become a de facto quarterback coach, while more of the play-calling could be shared with head coach Dick Jauron.
Q. What other major market has worse sports ownership overall than Chicago, in your opinion?
A. When it comes to major cities, Chicago ownership has been in a major slump for quite some time. Success is measured in championships, and we all know Chicago has been devoid of those since Michael Jordan packed up his sneakers. I can think of poorly run organizations in other cities, but many of them succeed in spite of ownership gaffes. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to mind in that category. But the perennially woeful Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals have not been able to overcome poor management.
Q. Do you think the new luxury tax feature in baseball’s collective bargaining agreement will create more parity in the game?
A. I posed that question to Cubs President Andy MacPhail, who was involved in the collective bargaining negotiations with the players association last year.
“I think it has already had an impact on how some clubs have approached their off-season,” MacPhail said. “For some clubs, the collective bargaining agreement will put more money in their pockets and they can apply that to the ballclub. Other teams will have greater restraints put on them compared to prior years as a direct result of the collective bargaining agreement.”
Q. Is there any chance the Bears can make the playoffs next season? Or will they be another long-range project?
A. Let’s see, the 4-12 Bears beat two of the remaining eight teams (Atlanta and the New York Jets) in the playoffs this year. And they lost to Philadelphia by six (19-13). So an optimist would believe the Bears are capable of, say, five more victories next season with better luck in the injury department and the addition of several key players.
Q Do you expect Illinois to contend for an NCAA title this spring?
A. Coach Bill Self has his Fighting Illini off to a 10-1 start. But Big Ten competition tips off this week and Indiana, Michigan State and Wisconsin figure to be among the nation’s best, as well. Illinois enjoyed a heavy dose of home games to start the season. The real test will come when experienced players such as senior Brian Cook are called upon to lead Illinois in hostile arenas the rest of the way.
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Have a question or an idea for Fred Mitchell? E-mail: AskFred@tribune.com
