I honestly can’t remember the last time something as harmless and well-meaning as a simple farewell elicited so many emotions from me all at once.
Former Blackhawk and current Carolina Hurricanes starting netminder Scott Darling took to The Player’s Tribune to issue a formal goodbye to his beloved hometown of Chicago and what ensues is a roller coaster of bittersweet and monumentally inspiring emotion.
As Darling reminds us all, there’s always sunshine lurking behind even the most ominous of clouds. He’s living proof that there exists no obstacle that can’t be overcome.
Almora, Bryant, Schwarber, and Happ. The four 1st round draft picks of the Theo Epstein era have all been hitters, a philosophy that has been well documented, and proven successful on more than one occasion. However, with the Cubs bursting at the seams with bonafide batsmen, the team is in desperate need of impact arms – and Epstein just drafted two of the best pitchers in this year’s draft.
The first was LHP Brendon Little, who was taken with the 27th overall pick.
— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 13, 2017
Brendon Little, out of State College of Florida, and Alex Lange from LSU are two of the more polished arms in the 2017 draft and both own some truly filthy breaking balls. Lange, in particular, has been seen as one of the best arms in country when he can command his dive-bombing curveball.
Little has the stuff to be considered a top of the rotation type of arm, with a fastball that consistently hits in the high 90’s paired with his plus curveball and solid changeup. Little’s only knock is whether he has shown enough to be considered a top pick, only playing 15 total games at State College Of Florida. During his time with the Manatees, the six foot two inch Sophomore finished with a 2.53 ERA and compiled 133 strikeouts in 85.1 innings. Those numbers are excellent, but the sample size is small, making Little somewhat of a project arm. However, if the gamble turns in favor of the Cubs, Little could be the next ace of the future on the North Side. Alex Lange has been widely considered an absolute steal for the cubs at pick 30, featuring possible the best breaking ball in the draft.
#Cubs land Alex Lange out of @LSUbaseball – this is a guy the Cubbies can move up the ladder very very quickly. Hammer curveball
In three season at LSU, the 21-year-old amassed a career 2.88 ERA, 390 strikeouts with a 1.22 WHIP in 337 innings. Talking to scouts, Lange’s future with the Cubs might be the bullpen after losing some velocity on his fastball this season, dropping from 94-97 mph to 92-96 mph. If Lange wants to stick as a starter he will need to develop his changeup further, but his excellent combination of plus fastball and a plus curveball makes him a deadly late-innings option as well. Time will tell how these two are pan out for Chicago, but if there’s one guy Chicago should put their faith in, it’s Theo Epstein. The man keeps proving to all of baseball he’s eye for talent in unparalleled, and it seems as though he has netted himself two more gems in the 1st round for the Cubs.
Bulls fans no longer have the NBA playoffs to distract them from the ugly offseason that awaits. By all logical accounts, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo will return. Jimmy Butler won’t be traded. Nikola Mirotic will be re-signed, and next season’s roster will look very similar to the one that managed 41 wins and a first round exit as the 8th seed.
In their season-ending press conference, front office partners Gar Forman and John Paxson assured the media that coach Fred Hoiberg will return for the third year of his five year deal. They also gave the impression that their bosses, Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf, have faith in the GM and VP moving this Bulls team in the right direction. Fans in Chicago are starting to give up on the hope that either of the individuals who make up the cringe-worthy “GarPax” label will ever get canned and replaced.
Scholarships Revoked
Enter Joe Cowley, perhaps the biggest “stir the pot” member of Bulls media. The Chicago Sun-Times reporter, known for his willingness to say things others with press credentials won’t, appeared on 670 The Score’s Mully & Hanley Show Tuesday morning.
When asked to give Bulls fans a silver lining for the future, here’s what Cowley said:
“One thing I think Bulls fans should hang their hat on, I definitely think that the lifetime scholarships that have been handed out under Jerry Reinsdorf are about to be revoked under Michael Reinsdorf. People are being watched closely and I’d like to say that a couple people better get their résumés ready.” – Joe Cowley
Well that’s certainly something. It’s widely known that Michael Reinsdorf has taken over the day-to-day operations of the Bulls from his father Jerry, who’s 81 years old. The Bulls owner has always been a hands-off guy, very loyal to his employees. That’s true for his White Sox as well. But Michael? He’s a businessman, and perhaps a more ruthless one than his father. He’s all about this Bulls team making money. If fans start to abandon their loyalty (it’s already starting, actually) Michael won’t let some soft feelings get in the way of making changes to correct those financial losses.
The big question is: when might this happen? Cowley makes it sound as if GarPax – though he doesn’t mention them by name, the “couple people” isn’t very subtle – are on much hotter seats than Bulls fans previously believed. Will another .500 season and first round playoff exit next year be the final nail in the GarPax coffin we’ve all been waiting for? Will Michael have to convince his father that firing and replacing their longstanding front office is the right move? Jerry might be removed from the daily operations of the team, but as long as he’s breathing he still has the final say.
My advice for Bulls fans would be to take these comments for what they are, and nothing more. Cowley has a habit of saying lots of things before all the rocks are turned over. Sometimes he’s right, and he looks like a genius for being the first to say so. Sometimes he’s wrong. But Michael Reinsdorf putting GarPax on a much shorter leash than his father is definitely believable. Let’s hope Cowley’s right about this one.
The NBA draft is fast approaching, GarPax. Choose wisely.
Um…did Dennis Rodman just give the United States government a huge gift and a lesson in diplomacy? The retired Bulls forward arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea this morning, according to a report from CNN.
Rodman has visited North Korea and its dictatorial leader Kim Jong Un on several occasions. In fact, The Worm refers to him as a “very good guy.” Still, Dennis has insisted on his previous visits that his presence in North Korea is simply for the goodwill and growth of the game of basketball. No more. Don’t call him a diplomat.
After having had time to take in what Chicago has done over the past few months, it’s time for an apology. GM Ryan Pace actually did a great job building the Bears running back depth chart. No seriously, think about it for a second. As anybody knows the basis of any position group is simple. Having one superstar at the top and then hopefully a series of able bodies who can help carry the load if he’s hurt.
Before anybody stopped to think about it, that’s exactly what Pace did. He found his star in Jordan Howard, fresh off his Pro Bowl rookie season. He’d already drafted Jeremy Langford the year before and retained Ka’Deem Carey. Then he increased the depth even further with the addition of rookie Tarik Cohen during this past draft.
Bears running back depth chart is diverse and deep
Suddenly the Bears have four running backs, each under the age of 26, who were highly productive in college. They also have varying skill sets, adding even more versatility to the stable. This is before including underrated free agent Bennie Cunningham and his special teams value.
People believe that Langford and Carey were destined to be cut the moment Cohen arrived. That’s not necessarily the case. The point of any position on a roster is to make it as deep as possible. Those two have flashed enough in the past to warrant keeping around. Sure, they’re not superstars as hoped but that no longer matters. Howard has that taken care of. They can just be the extra bodies to keep him fresh.
Media love is growing
In fact the Bears backfield is garnering more praise by the day. Cameron DaSilva of Fox Sports ranked it the fourth-best in the entire NFL.
“Jordan Howard is entering just his second season in the NFL, but he’s already one of the most underrated running backs around. He finished second in rushing last season to only Ezekiel Elliott, racking up 1,313 yards and six touchdowns on only 252 carries. He averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry behind a not-so-great Bears offensive line, which was the most impressive part of his season.
Howard is going to carry the Bears’ offense again with the passing game likely to struggle, and a sophomore slump shouldn’t be expected. He said he’s lighter and faster this offseason, and he’s eager to prove he wasn’t a one-year wonder. Jeremy Langford and rookie Tarik Cohen – the Human Joystick – are good complements to Howard, as well, providing the Bears depth at running back.”
Most experts are making it out to seem like the Bears are a one-back team. It’s basically Jordan Howard and nobody else. They refuse to acknowledge that Langford, Carey and now Cohen bring something to the table as well. Don’t forget Langord had over 800 total yards as a rookie. He just never got going last year because he got hurt early in the season, allowing Howard to ascend. That happens. It doesn’t automatically make him a bad player.
Don’t be surprised if the backup dancers get their own solos at some point this season and knock it out of the park.
Rick Hahn has added another piece to the puzzle for the White Sox, drafting Missouri State 3B Jake Burger. Burger has soft hands and an incredible work ethic that should see him be able to stay at the hot corner longterm, but he could move to 1B or DH if the team thinks that is best. He has at least 20 home runs each of his last two seasons, and won Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, as he hit .343, belted 22 home runs, and knocked in 63. Comparisons are being drawn to Kevin Youkilis and Hunter Pence as he seems to get the job done, but sometimes ugly fashion.
Burger has plus-plus power to all fields and generates his pop from his strength as opposed to bat speed, but he also is advanced enough at the plate to hit for average as well. What is also important is that the White Sox drafted not only a good player, but filled a position of need, killing two birds with one stone.
Burger’s makeup is another thing the White Sox probably love about him, as he is always striving to get better. Burger is a player willing to make adjustments and sacrifices for the benefit of the team.
Final Thoughts
Jake Burger is one of the best college bats in the entire draft. A slugger who can also hit for average, Burger should one day find himself in the middle of the White Sox lineup. Staying at third base is more than possible, but could be moved to first base or DH as well. A hard worker with a great personality, Burger should be welcomed with open arms to the White Sox organization. At the end of the day, this was a very solid pick by Rick Hahn and the rest of the front office.
Many NBA fans use a quote about Omar from The Wire when discussing the constant hot takes being thrown at LeBron “King” James. You know the one.
“You come at the King, you best not miss.”
The same might be said for LeBron’s former teammate and good friend Dwyane Wade.
Earlier today, the Bulls guard was engaging with fans on Twitter in an impromptu Q&A session. One disgruntled fan decided to take the opportunity to tell Wade how he feels about the money he’s making.
Yea I'm going in on @DwyaneWade today, the idea of the highest paid player on the team also being the weakest link is beyond frustrating.
First of all, let me say I’m also not thrilled by the thought of the Bulls paying an aging Wade $23.8 million next season, assuming he opts into the second year of his contract.
Secondly, the idea that Wade is the weakest link on this Bulls roster is absolutely preposterous. Is he the same player he was at 23? Of course not. Is he the same player he was when the Bulls courted him in the free agency summer of 2010? Not even. But the weakest link on a roster that features Michael Carter-Williams, Cameron Payne, Jerian Grant, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic? Please. Stop before you embarrass yourself.
…Too late. Wade fired back at the milquetoast fan.
It's okay bro. You can twitter finger @me to make yourself feel like you pay my salary or that you can beat me in anything in life https://t.co/oahdxaUJSM
Ouch. Take that, @ChicagoBullogne. You do not, in fact, pay Wade’s salary. Neither do I. Neither does any fan who’s disappointed in Wade’s likely return.
If Dwyane takes some heat and hate from his hometown’s fans, he can sleep easy knowing he has three championship rings and a Hall of Fame career in the bag. Bulls fans? Not so much.
By the way, I’ve had the (dis)pleasure of engaging with @ChicagoBullogne a few times in the Twitterverse. Recently, we got into a debate about whether or not LeBron owns the Bulls. The obvious answer, and the one that I repeatedly put on him, is “of course he does.” This guy seriously tried to cite regular season games in his argument, as if they meant something. As if LeBron’s teams being 16-5 against the Bulls in the playoffs; knocking them out of the playoffs 4 times in 6 years doesn’t mean he owns them.
United States diplomat Dennis Rodman is heading back to North Korea.
…The first half of that sentence was a joke, but the rest is real.
The former Bulls forward and NBA Hall of Famer was spotted at the Beijing International Airport today, and unnamed North Korean officials confirmed to CNN that he will arrive in Pyongyang on Tuesday.
Dennis declined to answer questions when confronted by the media at the airport.
Rodman has visited North Korea several times, including three separate trips between 2013 and 2014. In January of 2014, Rodman and other retired NBA players put on an exhibition basketball game for the dictator and his friends. The Worm described it as a birthday gift to Kim Jong Un, who Dennis refers to as a “very good guy.”
The five-time champion took lots of heat and criticism for his previous visits, but insisted his visits to the troubled nation are merely for the purpose of “basketball diplomacy.” Rodman did not bring up North Korea’s detention of certain U.S. citizens in his previous visit, and likely won’t discuss the four Americans currently being held by order of Kim Jong Un.
Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea have escalated steadily since Rodman’s most recent visit, specifically with regard to the developments in North Korea’s nuclear arms program.
Call me skeptical – and Dennis is my second favorite Bulls player ever – but I don’t think any progress for peace will be made on The Worm’s upcoming trip. He’s not the diplomatic type, as most NBA fans know quite well. Hopefully – for all our sake – it’s just basketball talk.
Everything changed on that fateful evening of April 28th, 2017. When GM Ryan Pace made Mitch Trubisky the #2 overall pick of the draft, the priorities for the entire franchise shifted. No longer is Chicago a team trying to build a classic roster with defense and power running. Now every possible resource must be directed towards making the young quarterback a success. That includes planning ahead to Bears 2018 free agency.
For those rolling their eyes and saying it’s too early to think about that, understand that this is how the business goes. At least for good teams. The best GMs are often thinking two, three or even four years ahead. Rest assured that Pace is already making plans for next year. Ones that involve making his prized, young quarterback the player he should be.
Topping that agenda? There is no arguing that it must be finding a credible wide receiver. To be fair there’s a chance Chicago already has one. Cameron Meredith or Kevin White may yet take that next step to the upper tier. As things stand now though? Nobody on the depth chart can be called a “keeper.” Just a lot of maybes.
That cannot stand.
Bears 2018 free agency should focus on Allen Robinson
Before going further it must be stated that there’s a strong chance most of the big name next year could be franchise tagged. Allen Robinson is no different. He’s a potential superstar for the Jacksonville Jaguars who went to the Pro Bowl in 2015 after notching over 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. At just 23-years old he’s got plenty of potential great years ahead of him. He knows that and could be looking for a big pay day next year.
This past year was a downturn for him though and there is reason to think the team might shrink from using the tag on him.
For one they will be in a bit of a salary cap bind. Accord to overthecap.com, Jacksonville is projected to have just over $9 million in space. Complicating matters further is the fact they’ll have other key free agents to worry about. Among those include Telvin Smith, Brandon Linder, Paul Posluszny and Josh Johnson among others.
So there is a possibility that Robinson could test the open market. This would be great news for the Bears. They have a huge need at the position as stated above. They’ll also, once again, have money to spend. Current estimates say they’ll have over $50 million with the ability to create loads more. For example, cutting Mike Glennon and Lamarr Houston alone would free up $19.5 million. So money isn’t an issue.
Perfect timing to hit hard
People were upset at Pace this past free agent period. They felt he didn’t push strong enough to sign big names on the market, instead opting for a large collection of second tier types like Prince Amukamara and Jaye Howard. In hindsight one might understand his thinking. The Bears are still a rebuilding team. One or two big free agents weren’t likely to change that. At least not until he was able to get the quarterback he wanted.
Now he has one. That means 2018 would be the perfect time to take the padlock off the wallet. Grab somebody like Robinson for the offense and then two quality defensive talents in the draft? That could set the Bears up in a big way for both the short and long-term. Granted none of this helps matters in 2017, but long-term strategic thinking is never a bad thing.
Robinson is 6’3″ and still very young. He’s the perfect sort of experienced target that can grow with Trubisky over the seasons to come. Combined with Jordan Howard and perhaps tight end Adam Shaheen? That would look like a pretty lethal offense.
The Cubs are scrapping their way through the season right now, currently 31-31, with a team that has struggled to find it’s identity beyond the reigning 2016 World Series Champions. Coming off a 6-4 home stand that saw the Cubs win the first five games, lose four-in-a-row, and salvage the final game, the Cubs are stumbling into a six-game road trip. In fact, the Cubs will play 15 of their final 18 games in June on the road, meaning the grinding is likely to continue through the remainder of the month.
With the inconsistent play, many people are pegging the Cubs to be major buyers at the deadline this season, as the team continues to be linked to pitchers like Sonny Gray and Chris Archer. However, while the pitching has been hot and cold all season, it could be easily argued that the Cubs most glaring issue is their lack of offense.
Courtesy of Fangraphs.com
According to Fangraphs, the Cubs own the second worse team batting average at .233, while hovering around the middle of the pack in RBI, home runs, runs scored, and OBP – only the Twins walk more than the Cubs. And according to ESPN, the Cubs are the worst team in baseball when hitting with runners in scoring position, batting a meager .216, with only 20 of their 86 team home runs have come with runners in scoring position.
The Cubs are in need of another elite on-base presence on their roster, as Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are the only everyday players on the Cubs roster that have an average or better OBP. And answer could be current Miami Marlin OF Christian Yelich.
The 25-year-old center fielder is having a slow start to this 2017 season, however he is still slashing .264/.341/.394 with seven home runs, 39 RBI, and an 9.8% walk rate. Yelich’s down season numbers on the Cubs are still good enough for him to be considered the 3rd or 4th best hitter in their lineup.
The former franchise player is reportedly on the block, along with essentially the entire Marlins team this season, according Chris Cotillo of SB Nation’s MLB Dish. I have also confirmed from a source that the Cubs have shown interest in Yelich, with my source saying that Yelich has been “mentioned as the type of player that would interest them.”
A source has informed me that the #Cubs are looking a potential CFs at the trade deadline and #Marlins Christian Yelich has been mentioned.
The Cubs have not directly said they are going after Yelich, just to be clear, but players in his mold are what they will be searching for at the deadline. This could mean Albert Almora’s days in Chicago are numbered, and I would have to assume Ian Happ would be included in any deal involving an OF or pitcher.
Expect Theo Epstein the Cubs front office to be major players for Yelich and other talents at the deadline.
