So the pro basketball season is slipping away. I imagine that eventually the morons...er, ah, the advisors of the players' union and the owners will come to an agreement, probably in time to get the Christmas Day games played. Meanwhile a lot of people are losing.
Not just the players, though they're losing plenty of money as they worry about whether the average salary should be 5 million or 7 million a year. Not just the owners, who probably have similar issues...they're just maybe not going to rake in quite as many hundreds of millions. And I won't talk about the fans who pay the bill, because at least we're not forking over money - we may come out ahead financially!!!
But what about all those peripheral folks - ticket sellers, concession operators, security guards, ushers, parking attendants, guys who support the media, the media itself, and the rest of the people who make sure that games go on as planned without a hitch? They're losing big time. And many of THEM can NOT afford to lose that money.
What about the businesses that depend on games for their own business? Mostly bar owners, but restauranteurs and sporting goods store owners and many others. They're probably losing revenue also.
Who's winning? Well, maybe hockey. More people might tune into a Black Hawks game now that D Rose and the Bulls aren't on the tube. So that might be a silver lining for someone else.
And let's not forget the real winners, the guys who get paid no matter how long this goes on...those advisors and attorneys who are picking holes in each side's arguments and proposals. They're winning big time!!!
Good for them, I guess...
*****
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Cubs bring in Theo Epstein to head baseball operations...
So, Cubs nation is beside itself with enthusiasm about the team's hiring of Theo Epstein away from the Red Sox. Epstein comes aboard as team president in charge of baseball operations, and will apparently hire a couple of guys from the Padres organization, GM Jed Hoyer and an assistant GM, both of whom have worked with him in Boston.
Theo has a big job ahead of him. He has to turn around the direction of this entire franchise. Even when they were winning, it felt like a fluke. It felt like the team was an injury or a bad year by a player or two away from falling from being competitive to being...well, being what they were last year. Almost a joke.
And that was pretty close to the truth.
I'm taking this whole thing with a grain of salt. I'm old enough to remember the enthusiasm around the hiring of Andy MacPhail, who, like Epstein, helped to build winners with the Twins. MacPhail was unable to get it done here, and his successor, Jim Hendry, did good things, but also created a mess with some of the big contracts he gave out. Whether that was his fault or he acted on a directive from higher-ups, he'll get the blame.
Where Hendry's regime, and Ed Lynch's and MacPhail's tenures before him, failed, in my humble opinion, was in their player development. Either they've failed with their player evaluation or they've failed with their development process, but for some reason the Cubs have not produced impact major leaguers at the positions.
(Yes, it's possible that Starlin Castro might be an impact player. But at 21, it's hard to not see the flaws in his game. Yes, he might correct them, but apparently he was allowed to develop with these flaws through his years in the Cubs' instructional system.)
Castro notwithstanding, there just haven't been enough impact players, either pitchers or hitters. With respect to hitters, "not enough" means virtually none until Castro.
Until Epstein corrects this, any success the team has is going to feel like a fluke again.
Theo addressed this as an idea, that a team would have solid prospects coming through the system at every position, so that they would never have to sign a free agent out of desperation. That seems like a solid goal to me, the kind of goal that would put this team on a course to win a whole lot more than it loses. If they are competitive every year, if they are almost always in the hunt for a playoff spot, and are actually in the playoffs 7 out of every 10 years, eventually, just by things falling their way, they'll probably get to and probably even WIN a World Series.
I am talking about "in my lifetime". I'd really love to see that.
So....guarded optimism from this corner. And a lot of wishful thinking...
Theo has a big job ahead of him. He has to turn around the direction of this entire franchise. Even when they were winning, it felt like a fluke. It felt like the team was an injury or a bad year by a player or two away from falling from being competitive to being...well, being what they were last year. Almost a joke.
And that was pretty close to the truth.
I'm taking this whole thing with a grain of salt. I'm old enough to remember the enthusiasm around the hiring of Andy MacPhail, who, like Epstein, helped to build winners with the Twins. MacPhail was unable to get it done here, and his successor, Jim Hendry, did good things, but also created a mess with some of the big contracts he gave out. Whether that was his fault or he acted on a directive from higher-ups, he'll get the blame.
Where Hendry's regime, and Ed Lynch's and MacPhail's tenures before him, failed, in my humble opinion, was in their player development. Either they've failed with their player evaluation or they've failed with their development process, but for some reason the Cubs have not produced impact major leaguers at the positions.
(Yes, it's possible that Starlin Castro might be an impact player. But at 21, it's hard to not see the flaws in his game. Yes, he might correct them, but apparently he was allowed to develop with these flaws through his years in the Cubs' instructional system.)
Castro notwithstanding, there just haven't been enough impact players, either pitchers or hitters. With respect to hitters, "not enough" means virtually none until Castro.
Until Epstein corrects this, any success the team has is going to feel like a fluke again.
Theo addressed this as an idea, that a team would have solid prospects coming through the system at every position, so that they would never have to sign a free agent out of desperation. That seems like a solid goal to me, the kind of goal that would put this team on a course to win a whole lot more than it loses. If they are competitive every year, if they are almost always in the hunt for a playoff spot, and are actually in the playoffs 7 out of every 10 years, eventually, just by things falling their way, they'll probably get to and probably even WIN a World Series.
I am talking about "in my lifetime". I'd really love to see that.
So....guarded optimism from this corner. And a lot of wishful thinking...
Monday, August 1, 2011
Cubs Farm System Inadequate?
Let me rant a bit more about the Cubs' minor leagues. I continue to hear people on talk radio, both callers and hosts, suggesting that the Cubs' minor leagues is in good shape and is the one bright spot in this organization.
I disagree.
If I understand correctly, the top non-pitching prospects in the system include DJ LeMahieu, Ryan Flaherty, Brett Jackson, Matt Sczur, Welington Castillo, Reggie Golden and the draft pick from this year (Jose Baez?). Already in the majors are young players Tyler Colvin, Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, and Tony Campana.
Aside from Castro, who, as a shortstop, hits really well with outstanding range and a great arm and who MIGHT be a really good player (he currently looks pretty good), no one screams out "future all-star" from that crew.
No I don't know what Baez, Golden or Sczur will do as they move up the ladder. Maybe they'll make quantum leaps as they move up and go from good to really good to great. Perhaps one or all of them becomes the major league star whose production has so far eluded the Cubs. But you just can't count on it.
Knowing that the Cubs have few outstanding, impact-type players in their system, what did they do this year? They drafted a high school player.
Drafting these youngsters is all well and good. But for this team, at this time, it sort of smacks of self-preservation. Why would I say this? After all, if you want to show production, you might be inclined to draft a college player who is really good. Picking as high as the Cubs picked this year, there should have been one or two of those types available. There usually are.
So why do I say that drafting from high school could be from self-preservation? Because you cannot evaluate these kids for at least 3 or 4 years, not really. So you can't say that the pick is a failure. Again.
All you have to do is look at Josh Vitters. Baseball America touted him as the best prep hitter in that draft. But he isn't showing much in the minors; certainly not enough to count on him in the majors next year. He looked good his first couple years in rookie, short season, low-A ball, wherever he played. But now, several years later, it's sort of looking like another busted pick.
Will the HS kid be Josh Vitters or will he be Joe Mauer? You don't know. The time frame for evaluating a HS player is longer than it is for an older college player. So you can't say Tim Wilken failed again.
Wilken's picks so far in the first round are underwhelming. Colvin showed flashes in the majors, but he's a flawed player anyway. Since then, we don't know about the pitcher he took from the college ranks last year (Hayden Simpson) or any others. So far it's not inspiring me as a somewhat casual watcher of the Cubs' farm system.
So it's a couple more years before we can really evaluate the latest first rounder of the Cubs. A couple more years before we can really evaluate the 2011 draft, and evaluate Tim Wilken.
Oh well.
*****
I disagree.
If I understand correctly, the top non-pitching prospects in the system include DJ LeMahieu, Ryan Flaherty, Brett Jackson, Matt Sczur, Welington Castillo, Reggie Golden and the draft pick from this year (Jose Baez?). Already in the majors are young players Tyler Colvin, Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, and Tony Campana.
Aside from Castro, who, as a shortstop, hits really well with outstanding range and a great arm and who MIGHT be a really good player (he currently looks pretty good), no one screams out "future all-star" from that crew.
No I don't know what Baez, Golden or Sczur will do as they move up the ladder. Maybe they'll make quantum leaps as they move up and go from good to really good to great. Perhaps one or all of them becomes the major league star whose production has so far eluded the Cubs. But you just can't count on it.
Knowing that the Cubs have few outstanding, impact-type players in their system, what did they do this year? They drafted a high school player.
Drafting these youngsters is all well and good. But for this team, at this time, it sort of smacks of self-preservation. Why would I say this? After all, if you want to show production, you might be inclined to draft a college player who is really good. Picking as high as the Cubs picked this year, there should have been one or two of those types available. There usually are.
So why do I say that drafting from high school could be from self-preservation? Because you cannot evaluate these kids for at least 3 or 4 years, not really. So you can't say that the pick is a failure. Again.
All you have to do is look at Josh Vitters. Baseball America touted him as the best prep hitter in that draft. But he isn't showing much in the minors; certainly not enough to count on him in the majors next year. He looked good his first couple years in rookie, short season, low-A ball, wherever he played. But now, several years later, it's sort of looking like another busted pick.
Will the HS kid be Josh Vitters or will he be Joe Mauer? You don't know. The time frame for evaluating a HS player is longer than it is for an older college player. So you can't say Tim Wilken failed again.
Wilken's picks so far in the first round are underwhelming. Colvin showed flashes in the majors, but he's a flawed player anyway. Since then, we don't know about the pitcher he took from the college ranks last year (Hayden Simpson) or any others. So far it's not inspiring me as a somewhat casual watcher of the Cubs' farm system.
So it's a couple more years before we can really evaluate the latest first rounder of the Cubs. A couple more years before we can really evaluate the 2011 draft, and evaluate Tim Wilken.
Oh well.
*****
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Disgusted with the Cubs
Been a while since I've posted here. Part of that was the hangover from the Bulls' championship run. Part was the fact that the Hawks were out early, although the team that oustered them went on to the league finals (only to lose to Boston). And part was the lackluster performance of our baseball teams.
The Cubs have fallen apart. My preseason prediction was that they should be very competitive in the division. On paper, they looked to have a good rotation, a solid bullpen, a decent bench and a reasonably good everyday lineup.
It hasn't worked out that way. Starters have been injured, veterans look like they're disinterested, and the bullpen has been inconsistent bordering on ineffective. Quade looks lost as a manager, and Hendry and the new owner, Tom Ricketts, just keep spewing out the same "We'll be fine" type of lines.
They're not fine. And in my opinion, it all goes back to their farm system. I listen to callers on talk radio suggesting that one of the bright spots of this organization is their farm system. Well, I disagree. It's a lowlight. It's underwhelming. There is not a single guy in that system that doesn't have a question mark attached to his future status.
You can say that's true of all systems, and it is. But for the Cubs, there really is no one name that you say, "this guy has a chance to be a Hall-of-Fame quality major league star." Starlin Castro is the sole bright spot, and many experts seem to think he won't end up as a shortstop in the majors.
Darwin Barney, you say? Nice player. I like him. But he's a middle of the road ballplayer. Hard worker, grind-it-out type. Every team needs some guys like him. But he's not an impact player. If Barney goes down, the Cubs replace him with, well, any number of names.
Brett Jackson? Big question marks. Josh Vitters? Ditto. Tyler Colvin? Regressed significantly after his harrowing injury last year. No guys that make you the fan go, "Now THERE'S an impact player."
So why is this significant now? It's significant because they NEVER have developed an impact position player in the last 20 or maybe 30 years. Dunston and Grace were good quality major leaguers, but they aren't Hall-of-Fame quality stars. This failure has caused them to dive into free agency, overpaying for guys like Soriano and Fukudome and others. They've done okay with trades, getting ARam and DLee in their prime, but that prime is passed now. And ARam, Dempster, Zambrano, Soriano and Fukudome cause this team to not be able to spend money on free agents NOW, when they need new blood. The Cubs are destined to be mediocre or worse for a couple years because of it.
Tom Ricketts had better be careful or he'll lose a generation of Cubs fans. My kids don't care if they watch or now right now. A lot of that comes from me, since I don't really care if I watch this team either.
I hope this team can find some direction in the next few months, and start going in that direction.
*****
The Cubs have fallen apart. My preseason prediction was that they should be very competitive in the division. On paper, they looked to have a good rotation, a solid bullpen, a decent bench and a reasonably good everyday lineup.
It hasn't worked out that way. Starters have been injured, veterans look like they're disinterested, and the bullpen has been inconsistent bordering on ineffective. Quade looks lost as a manager, and Hendry and the new owner, Tom Ricketts, just keep spewing out the same "We'll be fine" type of lines.
They're not fine. And in my opinion, it all goes back to their farm system. I listen to callers on talk radio suggesting that one of the bright spots of this organization is their farm system. Well, I disagree. It's a lowlight. It's underwhelming. There is not a single guy in that system that doesn't have a question mark attached to his future status.
You can say that's true of all systems, and it is. But for the Cubs, there really is no one name that you say, "this guy has a chance to be a Hall-of-Fame quality major league star." Starlin Castro is the sole bright spot, and many experts seem to think he won't end up as a shortstop in the majors.
Darwin Barney, you say? Nice player. I like him. But he's a middle of the road ballplayer. Hard worker, grind-it-out type. Every team needs some guys like him. But he's not an impact player. If Barney goes down, the Cubs replace him with, well, any number of names.
Brett Jackson? Big question marks. Josh Vitters? Ditto. Tyler Colvin? Regressed significantly after his harrowing injury last year. No guys that make you the fan go, "Now THERE'S an impact player."
So why is this significant now? It's significant because they NEVER have developed an impact position player in the last 20 or maybe 30 years. Dunston and Grace were good quality major leaguers, but they aren't Hall-of-Fame quality stars. This failure has caused them to dive into free agency, overpaying for guys like Soriano and Fukudome and others. They've done okay with trades, getting ARam and DLee in their prime, but that prime is passed now. And ARam, Dempster, Zambrano, Soriano and Fukudome cause this team to not be able to spend money on free agents NOW, when they need new blood. The Cubs are destined to be mediocre or worse for a couple years because of it.
Tom Ricketts had better be careful or he'll lose a generation of Cubs fans. My kids don't care if they watch or now right now. A lot of that comes from me, since I don't really care if I watch this team either.
I hope this team can find some direction in the next few months, and start going in that direction.
*****
Friday, May 27, 2011
Oh, well...
...No more Bulls games to worry about. It was an exciting run.
Should be one more game. I'm not one to complain about refs changing the outcome of the game. But I'll complain about this one. I believe there is no way Miami comes back from the 4th quarter deficit with only 2 or 3 minutes remaining without an assist from the refs. The Bulls were backing off on defense, allowing James open looks at threes, because if they got near him they seemed to get called for fouls. Meanwhile, the Heat had their way with the Bulls defensively. No calls. The excessive T's made me think someone had it in for the Bulls in this game. In this case it manifested with the disparity in foul calls late in the fourth, allowing Miami to whittle points off the lead with the clock stopped.
Not to take anything away from James' greatness. He still had to hit every shot to win, and he did.
I didn't think the Bulls could win the series, but I do think they should have won last night's game, and it sort of leaves a sour taste in my mouth...
*****
Should be one more game. I'm not one to complain about refs changing the outcome of the game. But I'll complain about this one. I believe there is no way Miami comes back from the 4th quarter deficit with only 2 or 3 minutes remaining without an assist from the refs. The Bulls were backing off on defense, allowing James open looks at threes, because if they got near him they seemed to get called for fouls. Meanwhile, the Heat had their way with the Bulls defensively. No calls. The excessive T's made me think someone had it in for the Bulls in this game. In this case it manifested with the disparity in foul calls late in the fourth, allowing Miami to whittle points off the lead with the clock stopped.
Not to take anything away from James' greatness. He still had to hit every shot to win, and he did.
I didn't think the Bulls could win the series, but I do think they should have won last night's game, and it sort of leaves a sour taste in my mouth...
*****
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Not looking good...
No, I'm not talking about the Cubs or the White Sox, though I could be.
Things aren't looking good for the Bulls in this best of 7 series with the Heat. Down 3-1 and going back to Chicago, the Bulls would have to win the next three. We haven't seen much evidence that they can do this.
Oh, they've been in the games, but at the end it seems the Heat just have too much. Too much talent. Too much luck. Too much star power.
I think the ball has bounced their way a lot in this series. Their bench players, the few that they use, at least, have made contributions. Hit big shots when needed. Gotten to rebounds and loose balls. Been effective when the superstars aren't on the floor. They've been good. And shots - well, shots have went down for them.
The Bulls on the other hand have had tons of problems with shots. Layups aren't dropping, nor are jump shots from all ranges. Rose's drives to the basket have not been resulting in enough points or free throws. The ball too often seems to land in the hands of Heat rebounders, and not Noah, Boozer, Gibson or whoever.
Hopefully the Bulls get at least one win out of the next three. It would have to be tomorrow night, since a loss then ends the series.
Keeping fingers and toes crossed and hoping for better bounces as well as better play.
*****
Things aren't looking good for the Bulls in this best of 7 series with the Heat. Down 3-1 and going back to Chicago, the Bulls would have to win the next three. We haven't seen much evidence that they can do this.
Oh, they've been in the games, but at the end it seems the Heat just have too much. Too much talent. Too much luck. Too much star power.
I think the ball has bounced their way a lot in this series. Their bench players, the few that they use, at least, have made contributions. Hit big shots when needed. Gotten to rebounds and loose balls. Been effective when the superstars aren't on the floor. They've been good. And shots - well, shots have went down for them.
The Bulls on the other hand have had tons of problems with shots. Layups aren't dropping, nor are jump shots from all ranges. Rose's drives to the basket have not been resulting in enough points or free throws. The ball too often seems to land in the hands of Heat rebounders, and not Noah, Boozer, Gibson or whoever.
Hopefully the Bulls get at least one win out of the next three. It would have to be tomorrow night, since a loss then ends the series.
Keeping fingers and toes crossed and hoping for better bounces as well as better play.
*****
Monday, May 23, 2011
Bulls vs Heat
I've been neglecting this blog for a long time now (partly because I see no evidence that anyone is reading it). Long enough to not comment on the Bulls' playoff run up until now.
The Bulls had trouble with the Pacers. Oh, they put them away in 5 games, but all but maybe one of those games were hard fought battles where Rose simply took over at the end and willed the Bulls to victory.
Similar situation with the Hawks. Took them 6 games, I believe, to put the Hawks away, and again, in all but maybe 2, the contests were hard fought and close. I blamed it on matchup problems. I felt that the Pacers, with their length, and the Hawks, with their physical frontcourt and their good defensive guards, presented problems for the Bulls up front and for their shooters. I thought that, come Miami, they would be able to win those matchups. I thought the Bulls would be stronger than the Heat at center and fairly even at power forward. And I thought their shooters, especially Korver, would be able to can some jumpers.
Instead, the Heat's future Hall of Famers have been running over the Bulls in games 2and 3. And Korver and others have been unable to hit the jump shots, whether they be open or contested. And the Bulls are NOT dominating up front. Not at all. After game 1, the Bulls have not played well. Miami has a great defense, to be certain. And it looks to me like the refs are giving the Heat an assist with the way they're calling the game. They're taking away Rose's (and Wade's) ability to drive and get fouled or get to the rim. In the Heat's case, this doesn't affect them so much. They still have Lebron doing his thing, and they have Bosh being a huge factor. And Haslem has come in and given them quality minutes off the bench, negating some of the Bulls' supposed advantage in that department. The refs are also allowing Miami to pack the lane and haven't called a single defensive 3 seconds on them, far as I've noticed, this series.
I think the Bulls could still pull out this series, but game 4 has become a must-win for them. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that they can do it...
*****
The Bulls had trouble with the Pacers. Oh, they put them away in 5 games, but all but maybe one of those games were hard fought battles where Rose simply took over at the end and willed the Bulls to victory.
Similar situation with the Hawks. Took them 6 games, I believe, to put the Hawks away, and again, in all but maybe 2, the contests were hard fought and close. I blamed it on matchup problems. I felt that the Pacers, with their length, and the Hawks, with their physical frontcourt and their good defensive guards, presented problems for the Bulls up front and for their shooters. I thought that, come Miami, they would be able to win those matchups. I thought the Bulls would be stronger than the Heat at center and fairly even at power forward. And I thought their shooters, especially Korver, would be able to can some jumpers.
Instead, the Heat's future Hall of Famers have been running over the Bulls in games 2and 3. And Korver and others have been unable to hit the jump shots, whether they be open or contested. And the Bulls are NOT dominating up front. Not at all. After game 1, the Bulls have not played well. Miami has a great defense, to be certain. And it looks to me like the refs are giving the Heat an assist with the way they're calling the game. They're taking away Rose's (and Wade's) ability to drive and get fouled or get to the rim. In the Heat's case, this doesn't affect them so much. They still have Lebron doing his thing, and they have Bosh being a huge factor. And Haslem has come in and given them quality minutes off the bench, negating some of the Bulls' supposed advantage in that department. The refs are also allowing Miami to pack the lane and haven't called a single defensive 3 seconds on them, far as I've noticed, this series.
I think the Bulls could still pull out this series, but game 4 has become a must-win for them. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that they can do it...
*****
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Cubs and Bulls
The Cubs open the season on April 1st against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's one of those years when a lot of us don't expect much from our team. And perhaps that bodes well for the Cubs - it's in years like this that no one is expecting much that the Cubs tend to do better.
The key for them is their pitchers. I mean, we know what we're getting with Dempster and with Randy Wells. I feel that both of them will do what they are capable of. Wells could be one of the better 4th starters in the league, and Dempster, while he is the opening day pitcher, is really more of a middle of the rotation type on a really good team.
That's where Dempster may end up, because there are two higher end talents in this rotation - Carlos Zambrano and Matt Garza. Both have the arms and the "stuff" to be top of the rotation types. Ideally they would be one and two in a good rotation. If they pitch up to their capabilities, and keep their heads in the game, they'll help make up a very good rotation.
The fifth starter appears to be Andrew Cashner, a young guy who was a number 1 draft pick of the Cubs only a few years back. He's got "stuff" and talent, too, and could pitch like a top of the rotation guy. Trouble is, as a virtual rookie, he is a question mark and could easily go the other way, too. In that case, I do believe the Cubs have options with several young players who showed that they could pitch in the majors last year.
The Cubs' bullpen should be okay, with Marmol, Wood and Marshall holding down the back end, and Samarzidja, Grabow and one other (Looper? Wellemayer?) filling out the pen. Bullpens are always a bit of a crapshoot, but the Cubs look solid enough there. Offensively, there are questions. But if Soriano can come back toward his career norms, Ramirez can bounce back in a contract year, and Pena can do something other than what he did last year and play good defense, they should be fine. I'm good with Soto, Castro, Colvin and Barney/Baker (at second), and Byrd in CF for now. Should be okay. We'll see what happens.
*****
The Bulls got beat by the Sixers, then dominated the T-wolves last night. Boozer had a great game without Noah on the floor, and after the game, Rose mentioned (in response to a question from a reporter) that he notices Boozer to be more aggressive when Noah isn't on the floor. It's a dilemma that the Bulls will need to figure out. We know Boozer isn't the greatest defensive power forward; he needs to be solid on the offensive end. It'd be nice if the Bulls could work it out over the course of the next couple weeks, before the playoffs. Noah, though, looks like he might be out for another couple games.
Maybe the answer is to play Noah with the second unit? Or Boozer with the second unit? Start him, play him for 3 minutes, sit him for Gibson, then bring him back in when Noah goes out. Play him with Thomas or Asik. Gibson is better defensively, but does not offer the offensive weapons that Boozer offers. The Bulls back in the Jordan years always used to try to establish the post game right off the bat, whether it was Cartwright or Longley starting. Maybe the reverse needs to be done. Pull Noah after a few minutes, and establish Boozer in the post right away. Then bring Noah in with the second unit. I don't know...
Anyway, it looks like the Bulls stand a real chance of going far in the playoffs. I'm totally rooting for them!!!
*****
The key for them is their pitchers. I mean, we know what we're getting with Dempster and with Randy Wells. I feel that both of them will do what they are capable of. Wells could be one of the better 4th starters in the league, and Dempster, while he is the opening day pitcher, is really more of a middle of the rotation type on a really good team.
That's where Dempster may end up, because there are two higher end talents in this rotation - Carlos Zambrano and Matt Garza. Both have the arms and the "stuff" to be top of the rotation types. Ideally they would be one and two in a good rotation. If they pitch up to their capabilities, and keep their heads in the game, they'll help make up a very good rotation.
The fifth starter appears to be Andrew Cashner, a young guy who was a number 1 draft pick of the Cubs only a few years back. He's got "stuff" and talent, too, and could pitch like a top of the rotation guy. Trouble is, as a virtual rookie, he is a question mark and could easily go the other way, too. In that case, I do believe the Cubs have options with several young players who showed that they could pitch in the majors last year.
The Cubs' bullpen should be okay, with Marmol, Wood and Marshall holding down the back end, and Samarzidja, Grabow and one other (Looper? Wellemayer?) filling out the pen. Bullpens are always a bit of a crapshoot, but the Cubs look solid enough there. Offensively, there are questions. But if Soriano can come back toward his career norms, Ramirez can bounce back in a contract year, and Pena can do something other than what he did last year and play good defense, they should be fine. I'm good with Soto, Castro, Colvin and Barney/Baker (at second), and Byrd in CF for now. Should be okay. We'll see what happens.
*****
The Bulls got beat by the Sixers, then dominated the T-wolves last night. Boozer had a great game without Noah on the floor, and after the game, Rose mentioned (in response to a question from a reporter) that he notices Boozer to be more aggressive when Noah isn't on the floor. It's a dilemma that the Bulls will need to figure out. We know Boozer isn't the greatest defensive power forward; he needs to be solid on the offensive end. It'd be nice if the Bulls could work it out over the course of the next couple weeks, before the playoffs. Noah, though, looks like he might be out for another couple games.
Maybe the answer is to play Noah with the second unit? Or Boozer with the second unit? Start him, play him for 3 minutes, sit him for Gibson, then bring him back in when Noah goes out. Play him with Thomas or Asik. Gibson is better defensively, but does not offer the offensive weapons that Boozer offers. The Bulls back in the Jordan years always used to try to establish the post game right off the bat, whether it was Cartwright or Longley starting. Maybe the reverse needs to be done. Pull Noah after a few minutes, and establish Boozer in the post right away. Then bring Noah in with the second unit. I don't know...
Anyway, it looks like the Bulls stand a real chance of going far in the playoffs. I'm totally rooting for them!!!
*****
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Bulls and Hawks
I went to my first Black Hawks game in a long time last night and got to see them beat the Florida Panthers by a score of 4-0. Cory Crawford, the impressive young goalie, pitched a shutout as Kopecke (spelling?), Kane, Victor (can't remember his last name!) and Seabrook scored. All the scoring took place in the late second and third periods.
Hockey is perhaps the only game that is better to view in person than on TV, for the actual watching of the game.
*****
The Bulls are continuing to win, beating up on the Atlanta Hawks (yeah, those same Hawks that they blew a lead to a few weeks ago) and many other teams. I took that loss to the Hawks to mean that perhaps the Bulls weren't quite ready for prime time, but maybe the team simply took it as a learning experience, because they really haven't failed to put anyone away since. Not to say that they've won all their games (they did lose to the Pacers) but when they've had a big lead (more than once or twice) they've maintained it without letting the opponent back into the game.
Derrick Rose now appears to be the favorite for the MVP.
The Bulls are in first place in their conference, and that first seed could be very valuable to them in the postseason, assuming they can hold onto it. Everything about their schedule suggests that they could do just that!
*****
Hockey is perhaps the only game that is better to view in person than on TV, for the actual watching of the game.
*****
The Bulls are continuing to win, beating up on the Atlanta Hawks (yeah, those same Hawks that they blew a lead to a few weeks ago) and many other teams. I took that loss to the Hawks to mean that perhaps the Bulls weren't quite ready for prime time, but maybe the team simply took it as a learning experience, because they really haven't failed to put anyone away since. Not to say that they've won all their games (they did lose to the Pacers) but when they've had a big lead (more than once or twice) they've maintained it without letting the opponent back into the game.
Derrick Rose now appears to be the favorite for the MVP.
The Bulls are in first place in their conference, and that first seed could be very valuable to them in the postseason, assuming they can hold onto it. Everything about their schedule suggests that they could do just that!
*****
Thursday, March 10, 2011
It struck me...
...that I got a little schizo there after that bad loss to the Atlanta Hawks. In that post I'm suggesting that they aren't ready to win an NBA title. Two posts later, I'm raving about their team, their work ethic, their composition, their coaching and their star.
The points I made in that post after the Atlanta loss are valid, I think. I do seriously think the Bulls need an upgrade at the two guard, and it should be someone who can run the second team efficiently and effectively. It's this team's weakness. Wouldn't it be nice if, oh, say, Brandon Roy was at the two, and when Derrick goes out for a breather, Roy could stay in and slide over to point, or just sort of run the offense through him at that point. They can't do that with Bogans, Brewer or Rasual Butler (if he ever contributes).
Health is another concern - minutes are piling up on Rose, and Boozer got fouled (flagrantly) last night against the Bobcats and is out. But Noah should be relatively fresh as should be Gibson, and if Boozer returns, he should be relatively fresh also.
But this IS a team that could go far. Maybe to the Eastern Conference championship. Maybe to the league championship. Maybe all the way.
Nothing's a given, but you have to like this Bulls team at this point. They're ahead of where any of us thought they'd be. They've better than most predicted. That's due to Rose's growth as a player. But it's also due to having Boozer as an offensive threat to open up the outside and lanes for Rose and their shooters. And it's due to their defensive intensity, which I believe is a direct result of their coach.
Go Bulls!
*****
The points I made in that post after the Atlanta loss are valid, I think. I do seriously think the Bulls need an upgrade at the two guard, and it should be someone who can run the second team efficiently and effectively. It's this team's weakness. Wouldn't it be nice if, oh, say, Brandon Roy was at the two, and when Derrick goes out for a breather, Roy could stay in and slide over to point, or just sort of run the offense through him at that point. They can't do that with Bogans, Brewer or Rasual Butler (if he ever contributes).
Health is another concern - minutes are piling up on Rose, and Boozer got fouled (flagrantly) last night against the Bobcats and is out. But Noah should be relatively fresh as should be Gibson, and if Boozer returns, he should be relatively fresh also.
But this IS a team that could go far. Maybe to the Eastern Conference championship. Maybe to the league championship. Maybe all the way.
Nothing's a given, but you have to like this Bulls team at this point. They're ahead of where any of us thought they'd be. They've better than most predicted. That's due to Rose's growth as a player. But it's also due to having Boozer as an offensive threat to open up the outside and lanes for Rose and their shooters. And it's due to their defensive intensity, which I believe is a direct result of their coach.
Go Bulls!
*****
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
With a little bit of luck...
There are three elements, I think, that go into the making of an NBA champion. We got to experience that first hand here in Chicago, and may be experiencing it again.
The first is good coaching. Phil Jackson has a whole bunch of rings, and yes, he's done it with arguably the best players in the NBA at that given time, but he's still done it. He's a great coach. There are other great coaches out there. We in Chicago are hoping we have a great one in Tom Thibideaux. He's looking pretty good.
The second element is player acquisition. For all the abuse Jerry Krause took (and still takes) in Chicago from the fans, he did a great job of putting players around Michael Jordan who could complement their star and who could play together as a team. These guys were not slouches by themselves; Scottie Pippen is in the Hall of Fame, and Dennis Rodman should be. Horace Grant was a great power forward, too. But it was also about acquiring second team talent who could do what was needed to win games. Guys like Jud Buechler, Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, John Paxson and Bill Cartwright were not winning championships starting but by being role players who could play their role consistently.
John Paxson has done a good job surrounding his very own star, Derrick Rose, with talented players who complement his game well. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are very talented players on their own, as is Luol Deng, but it's the way they fit together that's making this Bulls team a force to contend with. And second teamers like Kurt Thomas, Taj Gibson, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer are guys who are playing their roles to perfection so far.
But the third, and perhaps the most important, is luck. Let's face it: The Bulls lucked into Michael Jordan when the Trailblazers took Sam Bowie instead of him. To be fair, I think they already had Clyde "The Glide" Drexler at the two guard, and they badly needed a big man, and Sam Bowie was a 7'1" post player who had a ton of talent. But had they taken Jordan, things would have been a lot different.
And this Bulls team lucked into the number 1 pick at the point in time where Derrick Rose was available for them to select. Even so, there was a bit of disagreement on whether they should take Rose, the point guard destined for stardom, or Michael Beasley, the 6'10" front court force that they had lacked for so many years.
(Krause was poor at drafting this position back in the old days - who can forget guys like Jason Caffey and Dickie Simpkins? Not that they were bad players - just not guys who you could plug into the starting lineup and not guys who were ever going to be stars in this league.)
Paxson had a bit of luck at the PF position, coming up with Gibson near the end of the first round a couple years ago. A decent role player for a very good team. An average starter on an average team. For this team, he's a role player.
Paxson also had the good fortune to be positioned well for the 2010 free agent class, which contained luminaries Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudamire, Chris Bosh and the guy Pax actually got, Carlos Boozer. (He might like to have Hinrich back, having dealt him to clear space in case Lebron or Wade actually decided to come to Chicago instead of trying to form a super team in Miami.)
Other teams have been lucky. How lucky were the Lakers to have been able to trade for Kobe Bryant? I want to say that Kobe was selected at the end of the lottery by the Hornets (13th, maybe) and then didn't play much as a player who came straight out of high school. That the Lakers were able to deal for him was a lucky stroke for them.
The Celtics were lucky to be in a position to surround Paul Pierce with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen when both were available. And if an injury could be lucky, how lucky was it that David Robinson got injured and had to sit out a year, putting the Spurs in position to draft Tim Duncan number 1 overall then pair him with a healthy Robinson almost immediately?
The Cavaliers were lucky, too, to get the number 1 pick in a year where LeBron came out of high school. Local boy gets drafted by hometown team...what a great story. They weren't good enough at the player acquisition part, nor at the coaching part, to allow them to win with LeBron there. The Heat were lucky that they could get far enough down in salary to sign both James and Bosh in one year but it remains to be seen if they have the other two parts intact.
It remains to be seen whether the Bulls, or Knicks, or Hawks or Magic or any of the other up and coming teams, can sustain it; whether they've done a good enough job of putting the other guys around their stars and whether their coaches can make things work ala Phil Jackson. But it should be fun watching to find out...
*****
The first is good coaching. Phil Jackson has a whole bunch of rings, and yes, he's done it with arguably the best players in the NBA at that given time, but he's still done it. He's a great coach. There are other great coaches out there. We in Chicago are hoping we have a great one in Tom Thibideaux. He's looking pretty good.
The second element is player acquisition. For all the abuse Jerry Krause took (and still takes) in Chicago from the fans, he did a great job of putting players around Michael Jordan who could complement their star and who could play together as a team. These guys were not slouches by themselves; Scottie Pippen is in the Hall of Fame, and Dennis Rodman should be. Horace Grant was a great power forward, too. But it was also about acquiring second team talent who could do what was needed to win games. Guys like Jud Buechler, Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, John Paxson and Bill Cartwright were not winning championships starting but by being role players who could play their role consistently.
John Paxson has done a good job surrounding his very own star, Derrick Rose, with talented players who complement his game well. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are very talented players on their own, as is Luol Deng, but it's the way they fit together that's making this Bulls team a force to contend with. And second teamers like Kurt Thomas, Taj Gibson, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer are guys who are playing their roles to perfection so far.
But the third, and perhaps the most important, is luck. Let's face it: The Bulls lucked into Michael Jordan when the Trailblazers took Sam Bowie instead of him. To be fair, I think they already had Clyde "The Glide" Drexler at the two guard, and they badly needed a big man, and Sam Bowie was a 7'1" post player who had a ton of talent. But had they taken Jordan, things would have been a lot different.
And this Bulls team lucked into the number 1 pick at the point in time where Derrick Rose was available for them to select. Even so, there was a bit of disagreement on whether they should take Rose, the point guard destined for stardom, or Michael Beasley, the 6'10" front court force that they had lacked for so many years.
(Krause was poor at drafting this position back in the old days - who can forget guys like Jason Caffey and Dickie Simpkins? Not that they were bad players - just not guys who you could plug into the starting lineup and not guys who were ever going to be stars in this league.)
Paxson had a bit of luck at the PF position, coming up with Gibson near the end of the first round a couple years ago. A decent role player for a very good team. An average starter on an average team. For this team, he's a role player.
Paxson also had the good fortune to be positioned well for the 2010 free agent class, which contained luminaries Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudamire, Chris Bosh and the guy Pax actually got, Carlos Boozer. (He might like to have Hinrich back, having dealt him to clear space in case Lebron or Wade actually decided to come to Chicago instead of trying to form a super team in Miami.)
Other teams have been lucky. How lucky were the Lakers to have been able to trade for Kobe Bryant? I want to say that Kobe was selected at the end of the lottery by the Hornets (13th, maybe) and then didn't play much as a player who came straight out of high school. That the Lakers were able to deal for him was a lucky stroke for them.
The Celtics were lucky to be in a position to surround Paul Pierce with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen when both were available. And if an injury could be lucky, how lucky was it that David Robinson got injured and had to sit out a year, putting the Spurs in position to draft Tim Duncan number 1 overall then pair him with a healthy Robinson almost immediately?
The Cavaliers were lucky, too, to get the number 1 pick in a year where LeBron came out of high school. Local boy gets drafted by hometown team...what a great story. They weren't good enough at the player acquisition part, nor at the coaching part, to allow them to win with LeBron there. The Heat were lucky that they could get far enough down in salary to sign both James and Bosh in one year but it remains to be seen if they have the other two parts intact.
It remains to be seen whether the Bulls, or Knicks, or Hawks or Magic or any of the other up and coming teams, can sustain it; whether they've done a good enough job of putting the other guys around their stars and whether their coaches can make things work ala Phil Jackson. But it should be fun watching to find out...
*****
Friday, March 4, 2011
Cubs this spring...
The Cubs are fighting in the dugout already, and making errors in droves this spring. We knew that this wasn't a good defensive team last year, but we didn't think we'd be getting significantly worse. Hopefully these early spring errors are just a matter of getting in the groove, so to speak, and things smooth out as the team progresses toward the regular season.
I'm trying to get excited about the baseball season, but aside from it being a harbinger of good weather here in the North, I can't find much to get worked up about for the Cubs. I mean, what's to get excited about? Matt Garza? A solid addition, but I can't see him as a significant improvement over what we had going into last season. Last year it was Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Wells and Silva. This year it's Z, Demp, Garza, Wells and either Silva or a young arm. Garza tons better than Lilly? Not until he proves it on the mound for me.
Upgrade at second? Last year it was Fontenot and Baker. This year it's DeWitt and Baker. At short? Last year it was Theriot. This year, Castro. First? Lee vs Pena. I was more excited about Lee's possibilities last year, coming off an excellent season, than I am about Pena's this year, coming off a relatively poor season.
The only bright spot might be the bullpen, where Wood and Marmol anchor a relief corps that may include Todd Wellemayer and Braden Looper, or may include a bunch of young arms. We don't know yet.
At least Sox fans have Adam Dunn to get excited about.
*****
I'm trying to get excited about the baseball season, but aside from it being a harbinger of good weather here in the North, I can't find much to get worked up about for the Cubs. I mean, what's to get excited about? Matt Garza? A solid addition, but I can't see him as a significant improvement over what we had going into last season. Last year it was Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Wells and Silva. This year it's Z, Demp, Garza, Wells and either Silva or a young arm. Garza tons better than Lilly? Not until he proves it on the mound for me.
Upgrade at second? Last year it was Fontenot and Baker. This year it's DeWitt and Baker. At short? Last year it was Theriot. This year, Castro. First? Lee vs Pena. I was more excited about Lee's possibilities last year, coming off an excellent season, than I am about Pena's this year, coming off a relatively poor season.
The only bright spot might be the bullpen, where Wood and Marmol anchor a relief corps that may include Todd Wellemayer and Braden Looper, or may include a bunch of young arms. We don't know yet.
At least Sox fans have Adam Dunn to get excited about.
*****
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Bulls lose a bad one...
I didn't get to see any of the game, just listen to most of the 4th quarter on the radio, but you could tell that it was going to go either way by the way the Bulls were playing versus the way the Hawks were playing. The Hawks were getting calls. They were hitting free throws. They were hitting shots, and getting boards. The Bulls - not so much.
It's a bad loss because they had this game in control. Even as I listened they still had a good lead, but I missed the part where they rolled off 14 unanswered at the beginning of the game, then took a lead of 19 points, finally to finish at half time up by 17. There aren't too many games where you have that sort of cushion and you end up losing.
Rose had a bad game, Boozer had his usual poor effort on defense but a lackluster performance on the offensive end. Noah was outplayed by Al Horford of the Hawks. Their bench did little.
It's hard to criticize Thibideaux, but I think he needs a bit of work on his rotations. If Kyle Korver didn't take a shot till the fourth quarter, something is amiss with your second team play. (He hit two of three, both were threes, then he missed the shot to end the game.) The great Bulls teams had Jordan and Pippen, and when Jordan went out, Pippen stayed in to "general" the team in MJ's absence. Then Pippen's breathers came when Jordan was in. The Bulls don't have this. All they have is Derrick Rose. They need a big time two guard or a small forward who can run the team in Rose's absence. Deng is a good player, but he isn't the type of player Pippen was. Could they use a better backup to Rose? Yes, definitely. CJ Watson is okay but he hasn't shown he can do the things he needs to do to run the second team effectively. When Rose is off, so are the Bulls.
Rasual Butler may contribute some shots down the stretch run coming up, but he isn't the answer either. I like this team a lot, but I don't think it is a championship contender this year. Maybe next...
*****
It's a bad loss because they had this game in control. Even as I listened they still had a good lead, but I missed the part where they rolled off 14 unanswered at the beginning of the game, then took a lead of 19 points, finally to finish at half time up by 17. There aren't too many games where you have that sort of cushion and you end up losing.
Rose had a bad game, Boozer had his usual poor effort on defense but a lackluster performance on the offensive end. Noah was outplayed by Al Horford of the Hawks. Their bench did little.
It's hard to criticize Thibideaux, but I think he needs a bit of work on his rotations. If Kyle Korver didn't take a shot till the fourth quarter, something is amiss with your second team play. (He hit two of three, both were threes, then he missed the shot to end the game.) The great Bulls teams had Jordan and Pippen, and when Jordan went out, Pippen stayed in to "general" the team in MJ's absence. Then Pippen's breathers came when Jordan was in. The Bulls don't have this. All they have is Derrick Rose. They need a big time two guard or a small forward who can run the team in Rose's absence. Deng is a good player, but he isn't the type of player Pippen was. Could they use a better backup to Rose? Yes, definitely. CJ Watson is okay but he hasn't shown he can do the things he needs to do to run the second team effectively. When Rose is off, so are the Bulls.
Rasual Butler may contribute some shots down the stretch run coming up, but he isn't the answer either. I like this team a lot, but I don't think it is a championship contender this year. Maybe next...
*****
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Trade deadline looms...
Today at 2 pm is the trading deadline in the NBA. Two significant trades have already gone down, and I know of two others of decreasing impact.
Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks was the first to be finished. Everyone knew it was coming. The Knicks want to put together their own triumvirate of stars, and everyone seems to think that Chris Paul will be their target this offseason or when he becomes a free agent. The Knicks gave up a lot. Did it make them a ton better? I just don't know. I know they beat the Bulls this year twice with what they had before. I tend to think the Bulls will match up better with them now than they did before.
Then, Deron Williams was dealt from Utah to New Jersey. NJ gets a star, but for how long? We'll see. They may regret giving up Derrick Favors for him.
In descending order of impact, the Wizards traded Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta. He's a guy I wish the Bulls still have. He's a great guy to have coming off the bench backing up both the point and the two. He can shoot some, can handle the ball, can play some defense. This could be an excellent deal for the Hawks. Could help them in the playoffs.
The last deal I know of at this point is the Bulls' trade of James Johnson to the Raptors for the draft pick they ended up with from Miami in the Chris Bosh deal. It will be a low first round pick, obviously, but JJ wasn't worth much more than that at this point. The pick may end up being trade fodder somewhere down the line, or it may just increase the cap space that the Bulls have next summer.
The talk in Chitown is that the Bulls are talking to the Grizzlies about OJ Mayo, and the Cavs about Anthony Parker. Parker could slot in without disrupting anything the Bulls have, if the Cavs would move him for that low first round pick. Mayo would cost a pick (or two) and a player - perhaps CJ Watson? For cap reasons, they'd have to include about two million of salary going back at the Grizzlies. But then the Bulls would again need a backup point guard.
We'll see what transpires in the next couple of hours...
*****
Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks was the first to be finished. Everyone knew it was coming. The Knicks want to put together their own triumvirate of stars, and everyone seems to think that Chris Paul will be their target this offseason or when he becomes a free agent. The Knicks gave up a lot. Did it make them a ton better? I just don't know. I know they beat the Bulls this year twice with what they had before. I tend to think the Bulls will match up better with them now than they did before.
Then, Deron Williams was dealt from Utah to New Jersey. NJ gets a star, but for how long? We'll see. They may regret giving up Derrick Favors for him.
In descending order of impact, the Wizards traded Kirk Hinrich to Atlanta. He's a guy I wish the Bulls still have. He's a great guy to have coming off the bench backing up both the point and the two. He can shoot some, can handle the ball, can play some defense. This could be an excellent deal for the Hawks. Could help them in the playoffs.
The last deal I know of at this point is the Bulls' trade of James Johnson to the Raptors for the draft pick they ended up with from Miami in the Chris Bosh deal. It will be a low first round pick, obviously, but JJ wasn't worth much more than that at this point. The pick may end up being trade fodder somewhere down the line, or it may just increase the cap space that the Bulls have next summer.
The talk in Chitown is that the Bulls are talking to the Grizzlies about OJ Mayo, and the Cavs about Anthony Parker. Parker could slot in without disrupting anything the Bulls have, if the Cavs would move him for that low first round pick. Mayo would cost a pick (or two) and a player - perhaps CJ Watson? For cap reasons, they'd have to include about two million of salary going back at the Grizzlies. But then the Bulls would again need a backup point guard.
We'll see what transpires in the next couple of hours...
*****
Monday, February 21, 2011
Derrick Rose at the All Star Game
The only Chicago Bull player to go to the All Star game was point guard Derrick Rose, who did not seem to have a stellar day.
I didn't watch the game, but a look at his line in the box score shows that he scored 11 points, with 5 assists and 3 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That was on 5 of 13 shooting, which isn't great. Derrick took more shots than anyone besides Lebron and Amare Stoudamire (for the East), but they each scored 29 points.
Derrick did have a steal.
Not that it matters. What matters is that when the Bulls get back in action, Rose is at the top of his game, healthy, and has both Boozer and Noah finally on the court at the same time, something that has only happened 9 times, I think, this year!
*****
I didn't watch the game, but a look at his line in the box score shows that he scored 11 points, with 5 assists and 3 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That was on 5 of 13 shooting, which isn't great. Derrick took more shots than anyone besides Lebron and Amare Stoudamire (for the East), but they each scored 29 points.
Derrick did have a steal.
Not that it matters. What matters is that when the Bulls get back in action, Rose is at the top of his game, healthy, and has both Boozer and Noah finally on the court at the same time, something that has only happened 9 times, I think, this year!
*****
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Suggested Trade...Soriano for Young...
This isn't my idea; I've seen it proposed by Phil Rogers in the Trib and by some bulletin board posters.
Texas deals disgruntled 2nd baseman Michael Young to the Cubs for left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who would DH for them.
Young has 3 years at 16 million a year left on his contract. Soriano has 4 years at 18 million a year left on his deal.
I don't know if it's possible, but what if the Cubs paid half of that last year, and made up the difference between their deals for the next three years (that would be sending Texas 15 million dollars) and threw in a couple of decent prospects, say, Jay Jackson and Chris Carpenter? (I'd suggest a position player, but other than Brett Jackson, who they'll need if they deal Soriano, the Cubs aren't stacked with position player prospects...) Were I the Cubs, I'd be happy to get out from under Soriano and save 9 million dollars in 2014 and happy to get Brett Jackson an opportunity and happy to get a guy like Young to take over at second base for them.
One of the biggest problems with Soriano is that he blocks a young talented player and at some point the Cubs will have to relegate him to the bench. Or maybe not - Jackson plays CF, and Marlon Byrd is signed only through 2012. Byrd might be easier to move than Soriano, but if ever there seemed to be a deal where it might actually be possible to move Soriano, this is the one.
We'll see what happens...
*****
Texas deals disgruntled 2nd baseman Michael Young to the Cubs for left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who would DH for them.
Young has 3 years at 16 million a year left on his contract. Soriano has 4 years at 18 million a year left on his deal.
I don't know if it's possible, but what if the Cubs paid half of that last year, and made up the difference between their deals for the next three years (that would be sending Texas 15 million dollars) and threw in a couple of decent prospects, say, Jay Jackson and Chris Carpenter? (I'd suggest a position player, but other than Brett Jackson, who they'll need if they deal Soriano, the Cubs aren't stacked with position player prospects...) Were I the Cubs, I'd be happy to get out from under Soriano and save 9 million dollars in 2014 and happy to get Brett Jackson an opportunity and happy to get a guy like Young to take over at second base for them.
One of the biggest problems with Soriano is that he blocks a young talented player and at some point the Cubs will have to relegate him to the bench. Or maybe not - Jackson plays CF, and Marlon Byrd is signed only through 2012. Byrd might be easier to move than Soriano, but if ever there seemed to be a deal where it might actually be possible to move Soriano, this is the one.
We'll see what happens...
*****
Santo's replacement
I think I'll do these in two separate posts.
The Cubs announced that Keith Moreland would take Ron Santo's spot as analyst for WGN radio broadcasts of team games.
I was sort of pulling for Dave Otto; I like his low key style and I find his analysis fairly insightful. I've heard Moreland a few times and I think he did a pretty good job, so I can certainly live with him.
Moreland played right field on that 1984 Cubs team that almost went to the World Series. (We Cubs fans have to put up with an awful lot of "almost's"...) He was a good hitter, not as good in the field, as was noted in a line in the great Steve Goodman song "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request": "Watch Keith Moreland drop a routine fly ball..."
But he was a fan favorite, and a colorful personality.
Looking forward to hearing how he does with Pat Hughes.
*****
The Cubs announced that Keith Moreland would take Ron Santo's spot as analyst for WGN radio broadcasts of team games.
I was sort of pulling for Dave Otto; I like his low key style and I find his analysis fairly insightful. I've heard Moreland a few times and I think he did a pretty good job, so I can certainly live with him.
Moreland played right field on that 1984 Cubs team that almost went to the World Series. (We Cubs fans have to put up with an awful lot of "almost's"...) He was a good hitter, not as good in the field, as was noted in a line in the great Steve Goodman song "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request": "Watch Keith Moreland drop a routine fly ball..."
But he was a fan favorite, and a colorful personality.
Looking forward to hearing how he does with Pat Hughes.
*****
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Pitchers and catchers...
Some of my favorite words in pro sports are "pitchers and catchers report..." and it's coming up. I don't know the exact dates for either Chicago team but I think it must be sometime in the upcoming week.
So for the Sox, they have some solid pitchers coming. Their candidates for their rotation are John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle, and Jake Peavy, if he's ready. Chris Sale has apparently been working all winter to get a chance to start. So the Sox appear to be set with some combination of those six. Their bullpen is in a little more flux. They did sign the guy from the Twins (can't recall his name) and they still have Thornton and Sergio Santos, but Bobby Jenks is gone and their closer role is a little up in the air.
On the north side, the Cubs will go to camp with Zambrano and Matt Garza at the top of their rotation. Ryan Dempster slots in next, with Randy Wells, Carlos Silva and a couple of youngsters out of the group of arms that gave them starts last year competing for the back of the rotation. Their bullpen is a little more settled, with Marmol returning in his role as closer and many of the same names as last year.
Pierzynski and Soto return to backstop their respective team's rotation.
*****
So for the Sox, they have some solid pitchers coming. Their candidates for their rotation are John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle, and Jake Peavy, if he's ready. Chris Sale has apparently been working all winter to get a chance to start. So the Sox appear to be set with some combination of those six. Their bullpen is in a little more flux. They did sign the guy from the Twins (can't recall his name) and they still have Thornton and Sergio Santos, but Bobby Jenks is gone and their closer role is a little up in the air.
On the north side, the Cubs will go to camp with Zambrano and Matt Garza at the top of their rotation. Ryan Dempster slots in next, with Randy Wells, Carlos Silva and a couple of youngsters out of the group of arms that gave them starts last year competing for the back of the rotation. Their bullpen is a little more settled, with Marmol returning in his role as closer and many of the same names as last year.
Pierzynski and Soto return to backstop their respective team's rotation.
*****
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I've been remiss...
...in updating this blog.
But, as is well known, the Superbowl will be played on Sunday February 6th, and will pit the Green Bay Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is only noteworthy on a Chicago sports blog because the Packeers had to defeat the Bears to get there.
So: some one liners -
Cutler injured, took painkilling injection at halftime, tried to go in the second half, couldn't do it.
Todd Collins - useless.
Caleb Hanie - showed footwork, some speed, some poise. According to Chicago sports talkers Boers and Bernsie, none of this matters. He's a guy with a "pop-gun arm" (their characterization) who will never be backup in Chicago because Martz wants a veteran at backup. Come on... Todd Collins? Veteran? Let's try for quality not just years of service.
Defense - not great in first quarter, pretty good after that.
Receivers - adequate. Running Back - pretty good. O Line - stinks.
Two costly interceptions by a guy who hasn't played all year - without them it may have been a different outcome.
Rooting for: Steelers just because I can't bring myself to root for the Pack. But I don't care all that much about the outcome anyway at this point. It's not like the Bears are in it...
*****
But, as is well known, the Superbowl will be played on Sunday February 6th, and will pit the Green Bay Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is only noteworthy on a Chicago sports blog because the Packeers had to defeat the Bears to get there.
So: some one liners -
Cutler injured, took painkilling injection at halftime, tried to go in the second half, couldn't do it.
Todd Collins - useless.
Caleb Hanie - showed footwork, some speed, some poise. According to Chicago sports talkers Boers and Bernsie, none of this matters. He's a guy with a "pop-gun arm" (their characterization) who will never be backup in Chicago because Martz wants a veteran at backup. Come on... Todd Collins? Veteran? Let's try for quality not just years of service.
Defense - not great in first quarter, pretty good after that.
Receivers - adequate. Running Back - pretty good. O Line - stinks.
Two costly interceptions by a guy who hasn't played all year - without them it may have been a different outcome.
Rooting for: Steelers just because I can't bring myself to root for the Pack. But I don't care all that much about the outcome anyway at this point. It's not like the Bears are in it...
*****
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Bears vs. Packers...
I was listening to Tom Waddle this morning, and they were playing back a take-off on Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if..." jokes with "You know you're a Packer fan if..." one-liners.
Waddle got off a good one, I thought. I don't know if it's original, but I chuckled.
"Did you hear that the library in Green Bay burned down last night?"
"No, really?"
"Yeah! Both books were completely turned into ashes! (pause for effect) And one of them hadn't even been colored in yet!"
Ba-dum-bum!!!
*****
Waddle got off a good one, I thought. I don't know if it's original, but I chuckled.
"Did you hear that the library in Green Bay burned down last night?"
"No, really?"
"Yeah! Both books were completely turned into ashes! (pause for effect) And one of them hadn't even been colored in yet!"
Ba-dum-bum!!!
*****
Monday, January 17, 2011
A look at the past
I'm a bit of a packrat, and while I was cleaning out old magazines today in my office, I came across an old SI that contained an article called "The Next Generation". The magazine is dated August 22, 2005, and the article is "SI's All-25-and-Under Team". Here's the names from the article:
Catcher Joe Mauer, age 22
1B Albert Pujols, 25 (honorable mention to Texiera, 25)
2B Rickie Weeks, 22
SS Bobby Crosby, 25
3B David Wright, 22
Utility Inf Jose Reyes, 22
OF Miguel Cabrera, 22
Grady Sizemore, 23
Carl Crawford, 24
SP's Rich Harden, 23
Jake Peavy, 24
Mark Prior, 24
Dontrelle Willis, 23
Carlos Zambrano, 24
Closer Francisco Rodriguez, 23
I thought it was sort of interesting that all of the starters have been related to Chicago teams in some way; 4 for the Cubs (two were Cubs at the time of the article) and 1 for the Sox. I thought it also interesting that not a single position player was from either organization in Chicago, and none can be associated with any of them either. FWIW...
*******
Catcher Joe Mauer, age 22
1B Albert Pujols, 25 (honorable mention to Texiera, 25)
2B Rickie Weeks, 22
SS Bobby Crosby, 25
3B David Wright, 22
Utility Inf Jose Reyes, 22
OF Miguel Cabrera, 22
Grady Sizemore, 23
Carl Crawford, 24
SP's Rich Harden, 23
Jake Peavy, 24
Mark Prior, 24
Dontrelle Willis, 23
Carlos Zambrano, 24
Closer Francisco Rodriguez, 23
I thought it was sort of interesting that all of the starters have been related to Chicago teams in some way; 4 for the Cubs (two were Cubs at the time of the article) and 1 for the Sox. I thought it also interesting that not a single position player was from either organization in Chicago, and none can be associated with any of them either. FWIW...
*******
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Cubs trade for Garza
The Cubs dealt 5 minor league prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Matt Garza, who went 15 and 10 last year with an ERA just under 4. He did not finish strong. I dont' have the exact numbers, but I think he was something like 2-5 with an ERA of over 5 to end the year.
Garza is a good pitcher; he will slot somewhere in that top 3 for the Cubs. The Cubs now have a pretty solid rotation with Zambrano, Garza, Dempster, Wells, and Cashner or one of the other rookies.
Is it a good move for the Cubs? I have mixed feelings. I think they are a solid enough team to compete in the NL Central for the top spot. I think they could possibly go to the playoffs with this team. But I don't know that they didn't give up far too much for Garza.
Chris Archer is/was a pitcher with a high ceiling. He could have developed into a major league pitcher as early as this season, though more likely 2012, which is apparently when the Rays expect him to arrive on the scene. Lee, the Korean shortstop, is also projected to be a major league middle infielder, with the range, speed and defensive ability to play short and play it wall. (His offense is a question.) With Castro at short, though, it seems the Cubs are set. They also have plenty of middle infield prospects, though perhaps none with as high a ceiling as him.
Brandon Guyer is a highly thought of outfielder. Of course the Cubs have Colvin in right, Byrd in CF with number 1 pick Brett Jackson coming up fast behind him, and Soriano entrenched in left for too many more years. So perhaps he was expendable, but I'd have liked to have him around for insurance in case Colvin doesn't pan out.
Chirinos, the catching prospect, had at least one other prospect (Wellington Castillo) between him and the majors, and so you don't mind his loss so much. Likewise with Sam Fuld. Fuld was a guy whose time in Chicago was past. No, the guy that I think they might live to regret losing is Archer.
Of course, all prospects are crap shoots. So I suppose you should take the chance on acquiring major league talent when it comes around.
As far as Garza, I've heard several people say that since he pitched in the AL East, he is going to a weaker league and division. But as a poster on the AOL Cubs board pointed out, he is going from a pitcher's park to a hitter's park, and he is going from a team with perhaps the best defense in baseball behind him to a team with a much more questionable defense. And yes, he did have to face the Yankees and Red Sox in his division, but the offenses in the NL Central are not terrible. The Reds and Brewers are both pretty potent and the Cardinals have the potential to be, also. Garza is also a fly ball pitcher coming to a park where some of those fly balls are going to end up in the seats.
Well, as a Cubs fan I have to hope for the best as far as results go. Garza does strengthen this team in the short run. He makes them more solid going into next season. Beyond that, we'll see if the organization regrets losing Guyer, Lee and especially Archer.
*****
Garza is a good pitcher; he will slot somewhere in that top 3 for the Cubs. The Cubs now have a pretty solid rotation with Zambrano, Garza, Dempster, Wells, and Cashner or one of the other rookies.
Is it a good move for the Cubs? I have mixed feelings. I think they are a solid enough team to compete in the NL Central for the top spot. I think they could possibly go to the playoffs with this team. But I don't know that they didn't give up far too much for Garza.
Chris Archer is/was a pitcher with a high ceiling. He could have developed into a major league pitcher as early as this season, though more likely 2012, which is apparently when the Rays expect him to arrive on the scene. Lee, the Korean shortstop, is also projected to be a major league middle infielder, with the range, speed and defensive ability to play short and play it wall. (His offense is a question.) With Castro at short, though, it seems the Cubs are set. They also have plenty of middle infield prospects, though perhaps none with as high a ceiling as him.
Brandon Guyer is a highly thought of outfielder. Of course the Cubs have Colvin in right, Byrd in CF with number 1 pick Brett Jackson coming up fast behind him, and Soriano entrenched in left for too many more years. So perhaps he was expendable, but I'd have liked to have him around for insurance in case Colvin doesn't pan out.
Chirinos, the catching prospect, had at least one other prospect (Wellington Castillo) between him and the majors, and so you don't mind his loss so much. Likewise with Sam Fuld. Fuld was a guy whose time in Chicago was past. No, the guy that I think they might live to regret losing is Archer.
Of course, all prospects are crap shoots. So I suppose you should take the chance on acquiring major league talent when it comes around.
As far as Garza, I've heard several people say that since he pitched in the AL East, he is going to a weaker league and division. But as a poster on the AOL Cubs board pointed out, he is going from a pitcher's park to a hitter's park, and he is going from a team with perhaps the best defense in baseball behind him to a team with a much more questionable defense. And yes, he did have to face the Yankees and Red Sox in his division, but the offenses in the NL Central are not terrible. The Reds and Brewers are both pretty potent and the Cardinals have the potential to be, also. Garza is also a fly ball pitcher coming to a park where some of those fly balls are going to end up in the seats.
Well, as a Cubs fan I have to hope for the best as far as results go. Garza does strengthen this team in the short run. He makes them more solid going into next season. Beyond that, we'll see if the organization regrets losing Guyer, Lee and especially Archer.
*****
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
