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...
*****
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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...
*****
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