So here we are at the All Star Break, and both the Cubs and White Sox are about 14 games out, thought the Cubs have the better record.
Both teams are sellers as we approach the deadline for non-waiver deals. Both teams have a few chips. The Sox have Alex Rios and Jake Peavy, both of who they would love to more. The Cubs have Matt Garza, who may be the best available pitcher in baseball, if not for the fact that he is a free agent at the end of the year.
Others could go as well. I've read that the Sox wouldn't mind moving Alexi Ramirez and of course they'd let Adam Dunn go at the drop of a hat, if there was a taker. They've already moved lefty reliever Matt Thornton to the BoSox. The Cubs have already moved Scott Feldman, and I would guess they would consider trading Edwin Jackson for the right amount of prospects. Likewise with David DeJesus, Kevin Gregg, and Nate Schuerholz, if the deals make sense. Like Dunn, the Cubs also would move Soriano provided they don't have to eat every last bite of his contract, and Carlos Marmol.
Here's how I feel about trade deadline deals. There are a couple of reasons to make trades. First, you want salary relief. (See Alfonso Soriano.) Second, you have a young player coming up the ladder who you want to make playing time for. Third, you can get players who likely can help you in the future.
As a Cubs fan, I've seen too many of the "salary dump" types of deals where the players coming back are little more than minor league roster filler, no matter how management tried to spin them. That was a different management team. This year it's different. It seems perhaps the Cubs have people in place who can actually evaluate talent.
Still, I wouldn't trade a guy like Kevin Gregg for nothing. Cash in on him, yes. He's been really good as closer since being signed off the major league scrap heap, and if someone wants to give the team one of those players who can help you in the future, not just minor league filler but a true prospect, by all means deal him. But to trade him for this year's version of Micah Bowie, I don't think I'd do it. First, he doesn't cost much. Second, there is no young player pushing for innings in the closer role. Third, he is helping the team win a few games.
See, I feel these two teams still have an obligation to their fans to try to put a major league quality product on the field. This obligation will continue unless they slash ticket prices to minor league levels or something not much more than that. If someone tells me that they are "building for the future but sacrificing the present", I will tell them that I don't feel I should pay premium prices for an admittedly inferior product, especially one that is inferior by design. I'm all for getting better, but I still don't have to spend my money on bad baseball.
Right now Kevin Gregg makes the Cubs a little better. If they can get a real prospect for him go for it. But don't deal him just to be trading him, and have some B-level prospect come back to the organization in return. I feel the same way about Schuerholz, Scott Hairston and others. They are major leaguers and I'd like to see them stay around.
Unless they bring back real prospects in return, as we all expect Matt Garza to do. Maybe not that quality of prospect, but still - guys with a major league future.
Let's see what happens now...
*****
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Bulls Post-Season Wrap-up
So the Bulls season ended with one of their better games in the playoffs as they took the Heat to the final seconds and had a good look - no, two good looks - at tying the game with a three. But alas, it didn't happen, and the Heat take the series in 5.
Mark Silverman on ESPN1000 just asked what the big picture was for this Bulls team next year.
I submit that it should be a fairly rosy picture. Everyone should be healthy to start the season, and everyone should be in their proper places. The starting point guard should be Derrick Rose, and Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson (if they resign him) should be playing the amount of minutes and against the players where they should have the better of the matchup. Hinrich showed his worth this year, I think - he's not a scorer, but he does do a better job of passing and defending than most any other Bull. Depending on matchups, he could start at the two guard or back up the point guard.
Carlos Boozer seemed, to me, to play far far better when Hinrich was playing point guard than when he wasn't. Would this be a way to get some real value out of Boozer? What if he was putting up a double double a night in part against second teamers? Start Boozer, play him 3 or 4 minutes, bring in Taj until the second team comes in and make sure Boozer and Hinrich get plenty of minutes together.
Backup center: A weakness for this year's team. Mohammed was okay in his limited minutes, but the Bulls ended up using Taj as the back-up center quite a bit, it seemed to me. Or Boozer, with Deng at power forward.
Jimmy Butler matured into a bonafide NBA player this year. Is he the starting two-guard next year? I think he's more of a small forward. Would I rather have Deng at SF? Sure, but Deng might also be the one guy on this team who could bring back real value in a deal. It would depend on what they could get for Deng in a trade as to whether I would consider moving him.
I'm not enamored with Marco Bellinelli, but I certainly wouldn't rule him out as the long range spot-up shooter and another backup two guard. I'm certain that Hamilton, who appeared to be poorly used in the playoffs, is going to be bought out and I won't have a problem with that, though I wonder if Rip's lack of contribution throughout the latter part of the year was his problem or Tom Thibodeau's problem. Thibodeau is a great coach, but he does seem to 1.) overwork his players a bit, too many minutes and too much pedal to the metal, and 2.) underutilize some players for whatever reason. As examples of the second, see Rip, Marcus Teague, and maybe even Vlad Rad. The guy ended up buried on the bench and really wasn't given any opportunity to contribute as far as I could see.
There will be a somewhat higher draft pick this year, and that may translate into a useful player, but with Thibodeau's tendency to sit young players, will it matter? With Rip going, will there be a spot for a veteran PF or center who can back up in the front court? Will some players look at the Bulls and say, now there's a team that can compete with Miami and I just might have a shot at getting to the Finals and getting a championship with this team, so I'll take the veteran's exception, or even the minimum, to play for them? (So many players seem to do that with Miami. There has to be someone who will do it with the Bulls...)
The Bulls got some real experience in the playoffs this year for players like Butler, Bellinelli and even a little bit for Marcus Teague. Can that translate to a much improved squad next year? Let's hope.
That's my big-picture view of the Bulls. Now it's on to watch the BlackHawks on their road to the Stanley Cup, then focus on the Cubs' rebuilding efforts this summer...
*****
Mark Silverman on ESPN1000 just asked what the big picture was for this Bulls team next year.
I submit that it should be a fairly rosy picture. Everyone should be healthy to start the season, and everyone should be in their proper places. The starting point guard should be Derrick Rose, and Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson (if they resign him) should be playing the amount of minutes and against the players where they should have the better of the matchup. Hinrich showed his worth this year, I think - he's not a scorer, but he does do a better job of passing and defending than most any other Bull. Depending on matchups, he could start at the two guard or back up the point guard.
Carlos Boozer seemed, to me, to play far far better when Hinrich was playing point guard than when he wasn't. Would this be a way to get some real value out of Boozer? What if he was putting up a double double a night in part against second teamers? Start Boozer, play him 3 or 4 minutes, bring in Taj until the second team comes in and make sure Boozer and Hinrich get plenty of minutes together.
Backup center: A weakness for this year's team. Mohammed was okay in his limited minutes, but the Bulls ended up using Taj as the back-up center quite a bit, it seemed to me. Or Boozer, with Deng at power forward.
Jimmy Butler matured into a bonafide NBA player this year. Is he the starting two-guard next year? I think he's more of a small forward. Would I rather have Deng at SF? Sure, but Deng might also be the one guy on this team who could bring back real value in a deal. It would depend on what they could get for Deng in a trade as to whether I would consider moving him.
I'm not enamored with Marco Bellinelli, but I certainly wouldn't rule him out as the long range spot-up shooter and another backup two guard. I'm certain that Hamilton, who appeared to be poorly used in the playoffs, is going to be bought out and I won't have a problem with that, though I wonder if Rip's lack of contribution throughout the latter part of the year was his problem or Tom Thibodeau's problem. Thibodeau is a great coach, but he does seem to 1.) overwork his players a bit, too many minutes and too much pedal to the metal, and 2.) underutilize some players for whatever reason. As examples of the second, see Rip, Marcus Teague, and maybe even Vlad Rad. The guy ended up buried on the bench and really wasn't given any opportunity to contribute as far as I could see.
There will be a somewhat higher draft pick this year, and that may translate into a useful player, but with Thibodeau's tendency to sit young players, will it matter? With Rip going, will there be a spot for a veteran PF or center who can back up in the front court? Will some players look at the Bulls and say, now there's a team that can compete with Miami and I just might have a shot at getting to the Finals and getting a championship with this team, so I'll take the veteran's exception, or even the minimum, to play for them? (So many players seem to do that with Miami. There has to be someone who will do it with the Bulls...)
The Bulls got some real experience in the playoffs this year for players like Butler, Bellinelli and even a little bit for Marcus Teague. Can that translate to a much improved squad next year? Let's hope.
That's my big-picture view of the Bulls. Now it's on to watch the BlackHawks on their road to the Stanley Cup, then focus on the Cubs' rebuilding efforts this summer...
*****
Friday, April 26, 2013
Bears' Draft - round one
Just a quick post to note that the Bears drafted OL Kyle Long out of Oregon with their 20th pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
Seems that it was a bit of a surprise. I heard one guy saying that the two surprises of the first round were Buffalo taking the QB they took and the Bears, who everyone thought would either go for Tyler Eifort if he was there, or a defensive player, probably a linebacker like T'eo (from Notre Dame) or Alec Ogletree, but maybe the corner (Trufant) who was drafted two picks later.
As of the end of the first round, T'eo and Kevin Minter are still on the board, along with some fairly highly thought-of QB's and a bunch of other guys who were at least discussed as potential first rounders.
The Bears only have 5 picks, and have to make every one of them count. Round Two starts tonight at 6:30 pm CDT, and the Bears once again have the 20th pick.
What are the chances of T'eo or Kevin Minter dropping to them?
Should they consider a QB if Barkley or Smith drop that far? (That might not be such a bad idea...especially if their new coach really likes one of these guys...)
*****
Seems that it was a bit of a surprise. I heard one guy saying that the two surprises of the first round were Buffalo taking the QB they took and the Bears, who everyone thought would either go for Tyler Eifort if he was there, or a defensive player, probably a linebacker like T'eo (from Notre Dame) or Alec Ogletree, but maybe the corner (Trufant) who was drafted two picks later.
As of the end of the first round, T'eo and Kevin Minter are still on the board, along with some fairly highly thought-of QB's and a bunch of other guys who were at least discussed as potential first rounders.
The Bears only have 5 picks, and have to make every one of them count. Round Two starts tonight at 6:30 pm CDT, and the Bears once again have the 20th pick.
What are the chances of T'eo or Kevin Minter dropping to them?
Should they consider a QB if Barkley or Smith drop that far? (That might not be such a bad idea...especially if their new coach really likes one of these guys...)
*****
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Loyola jumps to a new conference...
...but not that all-Catholic school conference.
They are dropping out of the Horizon League and going to the Missouri Valley Conference.
I hope it helps with recruiting. At Loyola's level currently, upgrading the players/talent is all that's really going to help them.
*****
They are dropping out of the Horizon League and going to the Missouri Valley Conference.
I hope it helps with recruiting. At Loyola's level currently, upgrading the players/talent is all that's really going to help them.
*****
Who are these guys?
Admittedly, I haven't been following along during this Cubs' offseason as carefully as I have in years past, but when they read off the lineup card, I'm surprised by how little I know about most players on the Cubs.
I know a few of them were there last year, guys like Valbuena (the third baseman) and Camp (the pitcher), but most of their bullpen and some of their rotation and even the free agents - I don't know much about them.
So, what do they have, going forward? Who's a part of this team when they're actually trying to be good again? I'd guess Castro, Rizzo, Samardzija, maybe Castillo (the catcher), maybe Barney, maybe Travis Wood and Jeff Russell. DeJesus, Schuerholz (sp?), Ian Stewart and Scott Hairston are probably elsewhere as soon as next year. We can only hope that Marmol and maybe even Soriano are elsewhere as well. And Edwin Jackson got a sizable contract but he's not untradable either.
To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure about Castro and Rizzo. We have to see what Rizzo can do for an entire season. And Castro so far looks better at short, but as late as the end of last year, there was discussion as to whether that was his position or not. (No questions about Castro's hitting.) Soler and Baez are coming, but can they be counted upon to be impact players? We've seen Josh Vitters and Ryan Harvey and a score of others come through and not make any impact. We've seen players like McGehee and Hinske be given up on by the Cubs and go on to have relatively (compared to other Cubs prospects) productive careers elsewhere. I know it's a new regime in charge of everything, including player development, but so far I haven't seen anything to inspire a ton of confidence in this team's player development.
To tell you the truth, as a Cubs fan for over 40 years, I'm really tired of watching, investing time and emotion in the Cubs, and ... of just WAITING TILL NEXT YEAR...
*****
I know a few of them were there last year, guys like Valbuena (the third baseman) and Camp (the pitcher), but most of their bullpen and some of their rotation and even the free agents - I don't know much about them.
So, what do they have, going forward? Who's a part of this team when they're actually trying to be good again? I'd guess Castro, Rizzo, Samardzija, maybe Castillo (the catcher), maybe Barney, maybe Travis Wood and Jeff Russell. DeJesus, Schuerholz (sp?), Ian Stewart and Scott Hairston are probably elsewhere as soon as next year. We can only hope that Marmol and maybe even Soriano are elsewhere as well. And Edwin Jackson got a sizable contract but he's not untradable either.
To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure about Castro and Rizzo. We have to see what Rizzo can do for an entire season. And Castro so far looks better at short, but as late as the end of last year, there was discussion as to whether that was his position or not. (No questions about Castro's hitting.) Soler and Baez are coming, but can they be counted upon to be impact players? We've seen Josh Vitters and Ryan Harvey and a score of others come through and not make any impact. We've seen players like McGehee and Hinske be given up on by the Cubs and go on to have relatively (compared to other Cubs prospects) productive careers elsewhere. I know it's a new regime in charge of everything, including player development, but so far I haven't seen anything to inspire a ton of confidence in this team's player development.
To tell you the truth, as a Cubs fan for over 40 years, I'm really tired of watching, investing time and emotion in the Cubs, and ... of just WAITING TILL NEXT YEAR...
*****
Thursday, March 14, 2013
New conference of Catholic schools...
Two posts in one day? Some kind of record for me recently...
I wanted to touch base on the report that several schools, including DePaul, St. John's, Marquette, and Notre Dame, are forming a new conference made up of all Catholic schools.
This is where Loyola should be. I know they're a founding member of the Horizon League. I was there when they formed it. It was then called the Midwestern City Conference, and included Butler, Oklahoma City, Oral Roberts, Detroit, Xavier, Evansville and Loyola, and maybe one or two more. That's right, Xavier. They were a founding member of this conference also. They didn't let that keep them from joining a better conference. Back then, they were often in the NCAA tourney as a representative from this conference when they went to that automatic bid system. They were good. They've gotten better because they're in a better conference. Of course, now Butler's gone too.
Loyola isn't good. But if they were playing ND and St. John's regularly, they might be. They might be able to recruit better players, and do better things.
Maybe there's going to be a requirement that the team play in a certain sized stadium, and the Gentile Center won't be big enough. But if they can, they should move to that conference.
Hey, a Jesuit is now pope, so why shouldn't LU embrace their religious background and play in this much better conference?
*****
I wanted to touch base on the report that several schools, including DePaul, St. John's, Marquette, and Notre Dame, are forming a new conference made up of all Catholic schools.
This is where Loyola should be. I know they're a founding member of the Horizon League. I was there when they formed it. It was then called the Midwestern City Conference, and included Butler, Oklahoma City, Oral Roberts, Detroit, Xavier, Evansville and Loyola, and maybe one or two more. That's right, Xavier. They were a founding member of this conference also. They didn't let that keep them from joining a better conference. Back then, they were often in the NCAA tourney as a representative from this conference when they went to that automatic bid system. They were good. They've gotten better because they're in a better conference. Of course, now Butler's gone too.
Loyola isn't good. But if they were playing ND and St. John's regularly, they might be. They might be able to recruit better players, and do better things.
Maybe there's going to be a requirement that the team play in a certain sized stadium, and the Gentile Center won't be big enough. But if they can, they should move to that conference.
Hey, a Jesuit is now pope, so why shouldn't LU embrace their religious background and play in this much better conference?
*****
Harry Teinowitz gone from ESPN 1000
I noticed it a couple weeks ago and meant to find out why ESPN 1000 had gotten rid of afternoon co-host Harry Teinowitz from the show Carm, Jurko and Harry. I liked Harry. I thought he injected levity and irreverence into an otherwise not-very-attractive grouping. Yes, some of his jokes fell flat, but some didn't, and I thought the show was better for his input.
It seemed, however, that his co-hosts didn't like him much. First Dan MacNeal, who seemed to be happy to throw insults Harry's way, and didn't like it much when Harry returned fire. Now John Jurkovic (I don't know if I'm spelling that correctly), who does the same thing. When I'd listen, it would sound a little like bullying with Carmen trying to smooth things over and keep things focused on sports, which is where Carmen always seems to be focused.
I guess that the common denominator was Harry in these little on-air feuds...so maybe his personality in person was a problem. But over the air, it sounded like he just was being made the brunt of jokes. And the other two, especially Jurko, were a little too happy when he was gone and they were on their own.
I liked them, with Harry, as an alternative to the insulting and arrogant Bernstein and Boers on WSCR. I think Bernstein and Boers both are very intelligent, but I think they got the idea that their schtick of ripping their callers for their opinions is worth listening to. I know I switch over, even though I like their insights. Too uncomfortable listening to them trashing another fan as knowing nothing, or however they can belittle the caller's opinion.
Listening to Carm and Jurko the last few days on my drive home has NOT been as entertaining. Carm is likeable but Jurko just comes off as, well, kind of a jerk. At least they're not condescending and downright insulting to their callers, so I'll probably keep listening to them. But it won't be as fun. I'd rather listen to Waddle and Silvy. Or J. Hood. (Always have really liked Hoodie. He can be condescending at times, but usually he's pretty respectful of his callers/listeners. He's smart, informative, opinionated, and funny.) Or Lawrence Holmes on the Score. Thank God for Mully and Hanley and for Mac and Spiegs in the morning.
*****
It seemed, however, that his co-hosts didn't like him much. First Dan MacNeal, who seemed to be happy to throw insults Harry's way, and didn't like it much when Harry returned fire. Now John Jurkovic (I don't know if I'm spelling that correctly), who does the same thing. When I'd listen, it would sound a little like bullying with Carmen trying to smooth things over and keep things focused on sports, which is where Carmen always seems to be focused.
I guess that the common denominator was Harry in these little on-air feuds...so maybe his personality in person was a problem. But over the air, it sounded like he just was being made the brunt of jokes. And the other two, especially Jurko, were a little too happy when he was gone and they were on their own.
I liked them, with Harry, as an alternative to the insulting and arrogant Bernstein and Boers on WSCR. I think Bernstein and Boers both are very intelligent, but I think they got the idea that their schtick of ripping their callers for their opinions is worth listening to. I know I switch over, even though I like their insights. Too uncomfortable listening to them trashing another fan as knowing nothing, or however they can belittle the caller's opinion.
Listening to Carm and Jurko the last few days on my drive home has NOT been as entertaining. Carm is likeable but Jurko just comes off as, well, kind of a jerk. At least they're not condescending and downright insulting to their callers, so I'll probably keep listening to them. But it won't be as fun. I'd rather listen to Waddle and Silvy. Or J. Hood. (Always have really liked Hoodie. He can be condescending at times, but usually he's pretty respectful of his callers/listeners. He's smart, informative, opinionated, and funny.) Or Lawrence Holmes on the Score. Thank God for Mully and Hanley and for Mac and Spiegs in the morning.
*****
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