Before Friday, I would have estimated the odds of third baseman Joe Crede returning to the White Sox next season at 15-20 percent. With Scott Boras as his agent, Crede is headed to the free-agent market at the end of the season likely seeking a deal in the five-year, $50-million range. That's a pretty steep price, but Crede is a pretty good player. Big money deals no longer send the Sox running for cover, but Crede's latest back problem almost guarantees his days on the South Side are coming to the end. The 30-year-old third baseman was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with back lumbar inflammation (translation: it's sore). Crede had back surgery last June and missed the rest of the season.

Devin Hester hopes to be back on the practice field by the end of the weekend, but it probably won't happen without a contract extension. Hester ended his two-day holdout by arriving early Friday morning and attending team meetings, but he did not participate in the afternoon practice. Bears coach Lovie Smith blamed it on a tight hamstring, but as soon as the Bears' purse strings loosen up, Hester will be 100 percent. Asked if he would return to practice without a contract extension, Hester said, “I have no comment on that.” Ar first, Hester joked that he showed up at Olivet Nazarene University for a free meal.

Pro Bowl return specialist Devin Hester attended special-teams meetings this morning but, according to a Bears team source, is not expected to participate in the 3 p.m. practice in pads, as talks about his contract extension continue. Still, Hester's mere presence has improved the mood around the ONU campus. "I’m not nearly as grumpy as I was yesterday, that’s for sure," said offensive coordinator Ron Turner, who expects Hester to be an integral part of the passing attack this season.

There is, as yet, no announcement on a contract extension for Pro Bowl return specialist Devin Hester, who was on the ONU campus in time for breakfast this morning but was not available to comment other than to say he was glad to be here. It also remains to be seen whether Hester will practice today at 3 p.m. without a new deal in place. But, by being here, he avoids the $15,000 a day in fines that the Bears are permitted to assess under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. A possible scenario is that Hetser dresses for practice but doesn't participate until his extension is finalized.

OK, who's Tim Wilken? He's the Cubs' scouting director, and his first draft was 2006. Wilken's fifth round pick that year was pitcher Jeff Samardzija out of Notre Dame (he played a little football there), and today, Samardzija becomes the first player from that draft class to graduate to the major leagues. Truth be told, the iconoclastic Wilken had Samardzija rated a lot higher "on the wall," but because of the football question, Wilken knew he'd probably get his man in the later rounds. In the world's worst kept secret, the Cubs called up Samardzija today to take the spot of Kerry Wood on the roster. Despite speculation to the contrary, Samardzija will not start this weekend. Instead, he'll go into the bullpen this weekend.

Devin Hester has arrived in Bourbonnais and is expected to practice at 3 p.m. The Pro Bowl return specialist missed the first two days of training camp in a dispute over the lack of progress in a contract extension that his agent, Eugene Parker, and the Bears have been discussing for months.

After Rashied Davis got behind the first-team defense, and specifically Corey Graham, who was filling in for Charles Tillman, to catch a long TD pass from Kyle Orton Thursday afternoon, safety Mike Brown threw a verbal flag. “Make sure you guys write that he pushed off,” Brown said of Davis' tactics. There was some contact, and Davis may have been flagged in a game situation, but he wasn't admitting anything afterward. “That's up to the refs,” Davis said, looking as innocent as possible. “There's no replay on judgment calls.” I told Davis it just looked like a good veteran move to me. “I don't know even know if I pushed off,” he said. “I was just running my route. The ball was in the air, I jumped up and caught it. Touchdown. Bears win. That's it.”

As expected, the Cubs placed closer Kerry Wood on the DL today with that persistent blister problem on his right index finger. Interestingly, they did not make a corresponding roster move. Yesterday, assistant GM Randy Bush told us in Arizona that Golden Domer Jeff Samardzija had put himself on the radar with his pitching for Class AAA Iowa. The fact that the Cubs did not make move today leads me to believe the Cubs will call Samardzija up tomorrow, if for no other reason, to give him a taste of the big leagues. Samardzija has pitched significantly better at Iowa than he did at Class AA Tennessee. A lot of film sessions _ in part geared toward getting Samardzija to hide the ball better _ apparently paid off.

The Bears signed free-agent wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen Thursday, and he was suited up and on the field for the noon practice, although he didn't participate. To make room on the roster, which remains at the NFL maximum of 80, fullback J.D. Runnels was cut. Runnels was a sixth-round pick in 2006 out of Oklahoma, and he palyed briefly in the only two games he was active that year. Runnels spent last season on injured reserve.

In today's noon practice, Kyle Orton gets his first chance of training camp to run the No. 1 offense, and he feels more prepared than ever because this past off-season was the first time he's had the opportunity to get frequent reps with the starters. Orton looks a lot more like an NFL quarterback this year, having lost about 20 pounds and done a lot of agility work in the off-season. The neck beard also looks much better, having been neatly trimmed. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner believes Orton has made huge strides since his rookie season of 2005, when he was thrown in as the starter for 15 games after Grossman was hurt and Chad Hutchinson (remember him?) bombed. The next three weeks will provide a strong indication of how much Orton has grown as a quarterback.