Last night was the first opportunity I have had to take a look at the new look Bears and the Mike Martz offensive scheme. I was actually very excited to see it (prior to the game) because as long as I have been a Bears fan they have had a conservative offensive coordinator. Mike Martz doesn't believe in a conservative approach when it comes to offensive football. While I think that his system would eventually be good with the Bears' personnel if given time, that is something they don't have. If the coaching staff wants to remain in Chicago for longer than this season, they need to win and make the playoffs this season. With that being said, the game last night against the Cardinals was horribly disappointing.
The most obvious concern for most Bears fans is the offensive line. From what I saw, not one of them (including Olin Kreutz, who has been a mainstay on the O-line) can pass block. Chris Williams seems to be getting worse with more reps, which doesn't make sense. Lance Louis looks ok, especially when run blocking, but he has trouble with pass blocking as well. Frank Omiyale has been a disgusting mistake since they signed him before last season. He can't run block or pass block. Please, just give his job to Beekman or Metcalf. Give one of those guys a shot at it, because there is no way they can be worse than Omiyale. This is a unit that gave up 5 sacks to the Raiders, and last night 4 sacks to the Cardinals. That totals 9 is just over a normal game's worth of minutes. If the Bears are going to win at all this season, they have to protect the quarterback. 9 sacks in the last two games is absolutely brutal.
Then there is Jay Cutler. He has all of the physical tools, and all accounts are that he is a pretty smart guy. Then you watch him play, and he looks like a more cocky Rex Grossman. The opening drive interception was a killer. They had converted two third-downs, Hester and Aromashodu each made good catches on well thrown balls, and then Cutler throws a pick. The worst part was I think the receiver was open if he made the right throw. Knox had a step on Rodgers-Cromartie, and if Cutler throws a front shoulder lob, Knox makes the catch and turns up field for a big gain, possibly even touchdown. Instead, Cutler threw a bullet pass that Knox had to stop his route for, and Cromartie jumped it for the pick. The offense seemed to move the ball fine, and then would stall. A blocked field goal and a missed field goal didn't help. Six points isn't exactly great production, but some points are better than no points.
There were a few bright spots on offense that I could see. Johnny Knox continues to become a very good NFL receiver. He made 3 or 4 catches last night, most of them in traffic. Chester Taylor had a couple of long runs, and both he and Matt Forte looked very good in the screen game. I was impressed by how well the O-line moved downfield on a few of the screen passes the Bears ran. If yesterday's game is any indication as to how they are going to use Greg Olsen, they might want to think about trading him for something they could use, say a decent cornerback, or perhaps a fifth wideout.
One thing that I had a problem with was the play calling by Mike Martz, especially early in the game. The Bears had two drives that looked pretty good early in the game. The first ended with the Cutler interception (the play calling on that drive was alright, but the execution was poor). The next long drive started from the Bears twelve. They made several nice plays, and converted on a couple of tough third-downs, eventually moving the ball to around the Cardinals' 25 yard-line. On a first down play, just when the Bears were seeming to find a good rhythm, Martz called a reverse. The Cardinals sniffed in out, and the Bears were thrown for a 8 yard loss. Cutler had completed 4 out of 5 throws on the drive, and was starting to look good, and Martz interrupts that rhythm with a reverse? Inside the Cardinals' 30? Not a good play call. Later in the same drive, after the Bears had overcome that negative play to achieve a first down in the red-zone, Martz called for the Wildcat Formation, and Hester fumbled the snap. The drive stalled, and eventually the Bears had their field goal attempt blocked. The regular offensive formations and play calls were working. I understand that it is just the preseason, and it seems like a good time to try out some different play calls. But when you have something going, and have a chance for your team to gain the momentum in the game, you can't start experimenting with trick plays and weird formations. I hope Martz will realize that when the regular season starts.
The defense performed alright, at least in my opinion. The linebacking corps is depleted already (Urlacher won't play until the season opener with a calf injury, Briggs hurt his ankle, so he'll be out until week 1, and Nick Roach is out with a knee injury). I thought the replacements (Hillenmeyer, Tinoisamoa, and Brian Iwuh) played alright in their absence. The D-line should be alot better than the last 2 years. Peppers looked like he wasn't really playing all out. He still was able to generate some pressure, although he had no sacks, and even with the pressure, the Cardinals' QBs still made plays. The real problem for me is the secondary. The Cardinals made play after play, especially on third and long, and that was without Larry Fitzgerald in the game. Charles Tillman is not the cover man he once was, and Zack Bowman should not be starting. The safeties have been a problem too, but if the corners don't cover better than they did last night on third down, it will be a long season for the Bears defense.
Overall, a very disappointing effort last night. The Bears have alot of work to do before the season gets under way. I am still excited, and still feel like the Bears could be good if they put everything together. The problem is that I don't know if they can.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Chicago Bears Preseason
I haven't had a chance to watch either of the first two preseason games for the Bears this year. I usually do watch the preseason games, at least when the starters are in. I mean, it's the only football being played right now, and to tell you the truth, I would rather watch meaningless preseason football than Cubs baseball.
After the first two preseason games alot of people are concerned about the Bears' offensive line. Cutler was pressured so much in his first series against the Chargers that they pulled him out of the game. The coaching staff even came out and said that the reason he was pulled was because they were worried about the Chargers blitzing him. It was just the first preseason game, but you do need your starters to get reps against first string defenses, and first string defenses will blitz a decent percentage of the time, especially against pass happy offenses like the Bears will be this year. While I agree that Cutler shouldn't have played much after that, to actually come out and say that they were worried about the blitzing defense scares me for two reasons: One, it shows that the coaching staff might not have faith in our offensive line, which was the weakness of the team last season. Two, the coaching staff just told the rest of the defensive coordinators around the league that they are worried about teams blitzing them. I hope they plan on spending alot of time in practice protecting Cutler against the blitz if that is the case.
In the second preseason game against the Raiders, the Bears got off to a slow start, allowing the Raiders to score 10 points on their first two possessions of the game. After that, the first string defense settled down a little bit. Peppers recorded a sack and forced fumble, which the Bears recovered. The offense did alright as well. Matt Forte showed he has recovered the speed he lost last season when he ran 89 yards for a touchdown. Jay Cutler threw a touchdown pass to Johnny Knox, and didn't throw an interception. He was pressured an awful lot for just one half of play. The offensive line gave up 5 sacks in the first half before sitting in the second half while the backups played. The O-line has shown glimpses of being a decent unit, but they have also shown that they struggle to protect against the pass rush with any consistency. The Bears play the Vikings and Packers twice each, and they will attack the quarterback. Heck, even the Lions should be able to generate some pressure with Ndamokung Suh at Defensive Tackle. The Bears also have games against the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots, and Jets. All of those teams love to blitz and get after the quarterback.
With all of those things being said, I don't think the Bears have had that bad of a preseason, despite losing the opening two games by a wide margin (25-10 against the Chargers, 32-17 against the Raiders). While you would like to win the preseason games, the point is to figure out which guys end up on the roster for the regular season, when the games do count. You also want to get your starters adequate playing time to get them ready for a full game come week 1. From what I've heard (again, I haven't seen the Bears play yet this preseason), the starters haven't really been bad. The defense gave up 7 points in one quarter against San Diego, but had 2 "3 and out" possessions. They gave up 13 in a half against Oakland, but only 3 after the first two drives yielded 10 points. The offense has scored 17 points total in about 2 quarters worth (most of the starters didn't play much more than two possessions in the first game). There is definitely room for improvement, and they haven't been great. I still wouldn't get too worried about it just yet.
I am excited to get to see the game this Saturday against Arizona. I am hoping the starters play about 3 quarters worth. It would be nice to see the defense perform well, and the offense get into a rhythm. I still think the Bears could be decent this year, despite the subpar performance thus far in the preseason. There is no reason that the defense can't return to top 10 form with the addition of Peppers, and the comeback of Urlacher and a healthy Tommie Harris. If the O-line can protect Cutler somewhat consistently (that seems to be the big "IF"), the offense will be just fine. Cutler seems to be really focusing on making better decisions, and taking sacks, or throwing the ball away rather than making poor throws into the teeth of the defense. Hopefully they can get going in their last 2 preseason games before welcoming the Lions into Chicago for the season opener. I am psyched about the regular season starting soon. You'll probably see alot of football and basketball on the blog in the next several weeks. I am really excited about those seasons coming up.
As always, leave your comments and thoughts, even if you disagree, or think I'm an idiot. I love a good sports debate. Hope you enjoyed reading.
After the first two preseason games alot of people are concerned about the Bears' offensive line. Cutler was pressured so much in his first series against the Chargers that they pulled him out of the game. The coaching staff even came out and said that the reason he was pulled was because they were worried about the Chargers blitzing him. It was just the first preseason game, but you do need your starters to get reps against first string defenses, and first string defenses will blitz a decent percentage of the time, especially against pass happy offenses like the Bears will be this year. While I agree that Cutler shouldn't have played much after that, to actually come out and say that they were worried about the blitzing defense scares me for two reasons: One, it shows that the coaching staff might not have faith in our offensive line, which was the weakness of the team last season. Two, the coaching staff just told the rest of the defensive coordinators around the league that they are worried about teams blitzing them. I hope they plan on spending alot of time in practice protecting Cutler against the blitz if that is the case.
In the second preseason game against the Raiders, the Bears got off to a slow start, allowing the Raiders to score 10 points on their first two possessions of the game. After that, the first string defense settled down a little bit. Peppers recorded a sack and forced fumble, which the Bears recovered. The offense did alright as well. Matt Forte showed he has recovered the speed he lost last season when he ran 89 yards for a touchdown. Jay Cutler threw a touchdown pass to Johnny Knox, and didn't throw an interception. He was pressured an awful lot for just one half of play. The offensive line gave up 5 sacks in the first half before sitting in the second half while the backups played. The O-line has shown glimpses of being a decent unit, but they have also shown that they struggle to protect against the pass rush with any consistency. The Bears play the Vikings and Packers twice each, and they will attack the quarterback. Heck, even the Lions should be able to generate some pressure with Ndamokung Suh at Defensive Tackle. The Bears also have games against the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots, and Jets. All of those teams love to blitz and get after the quarterback.
With all of those things being said, I don't think the Bears have had that bad of a preseason, despite losing the opening two games by a wide margin (25-10 against the Chargers, 32-17 against the Raiders). While you would like to win the preseason games, the point is to figure out which guys end up on the roster for the regular season, when the games do count. You also want to get your starters adequate playing time to get them ready for a full game come week 1. From what I've heard (again, I haven't seen the Bears play yet this preseason), the starters haven't really been bad. The defense gave up 7 points in one quarter against San Diego, but had 2 "3 and out" possessions. They gave up 13 in a half against Oakland, but only 3 after the first two drives yielded 10 points. The offense has scored 17 points total in about 2 quarters worth (most of the starters didn't play much more than two possessions in the first game). There is definitely room for improvement, and they haven't been great. I still wouldn't get too worried about it just yet.
I am excited to get to see the game this Saturday against Arizona. I am hoping the starters play about 3 quarters worth. It would be nice to see the defense perform well, and the offense get into a rhythm. I still think the Bears could be decent this year, despite the subpar performance thus far in the preseason. There is no reason that the defense can't return to top 10 form with the addition of Peppers, and the comeback of Urlacher and a healthy Tommie Harris. If the O-line can protect Cutler somewhat consistently (that seems to be the big "IF"), the offense will be just fine. Cutler seems to be really focusing on making better decisions, and taking sacks, or throwing the ball away rather than making poor throws into the teeth of the defense. Hopefully they can get going in their last 2 preseason games before welcoming the Lions into Chicago for the season opener. I am psyched about the regular season starting soon. You'll probably see alot of football and basketball on the blog in the next several weeks. I am really excited about those seasons coming up.
As always, leave your comments and thoughts, even if you disagree, or think I'm an idiot. I love a good sports debate. Hope you enjoyed reading.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Chicago Bulls season preview
I can't stand thinking about baseball anymore. The Cubs are absolutely brutal. The whole organization, from ownership to the players and managers, should be utterly embarrassed. So instead of writing about the Cubs, today I will shift to a different sport altogether.
I was one of the many idiots who got sucked into basketball free agency in July. This was easily the most significant free agent period in the history of the NBA. Lots of player movement throughout the league, and a dramatic shift in power from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference.
The Chicago Bulls had a weird season last year. They seemed to really put it together a couple of times, and then really lose it a couple of times as well. The Bulls did make the playoffs, losing to the top seeded Cavs in the first round, a 5 game series in which they were competetive, but not that close to winning most of the games. They struck out on the big three (LeBron, Wade, Bosh) in free agency, but they made several significant upgrades that lead me to believe the Bulls will be playing well beyond the first round of the playoffs.
I'll start the Bulls preview by going over their current roster, then maybe make some predictions later.
Starting Roster:
PG- Derrick Rose: Easily the best player on the Bulls. A 20 ppg scorer last year, who can drive and kick with the best of them. He averaged 6 apg as well, but that number would have been much higher if any of his teammates could shoot consistently from the outside. The hiring of Tom Thibodeau as head coach should dramatically strengthen his defense and rebounding. I have also heard rumblings that he has added a more consistent 3-point shot to his game. If that is true, look for Derrick Rose to become the best scoring point guard in the league. I would not be surprised if D-Rose was the starting point guard for the East All-Stars this year.
SG- Ronnie Brewer: I would expect Brewer to start most of the season due to his defensive prowess. Don't get me wrong, he will not stop LeBron or Wade, but he will make the top shooting guards in the league work hard for their points. He isn't a great shooting threat, but he can slash, and is a decent rebounder on the offensive glass. I thought he was a great addition because Thibodeau is going to preach team defense (just like he did in Boston), and Ronnie Brewer should fit that scheme quite well. I could see him averaging a line close to 12 ppg/3-4 apg/6-7 rpg/1 steal. If he does anything close to that, it would be a great season.
SF- Luol Deng: Luol has never quite reached the All-Star potential many NBA insiders predicted he would reach several years ago, but that doesn't mean he is a bad player. Anyone who averages 17 ppg/7 rpg is a solid NBA starter. There are some deficiencies in his game, namely his defense. He defends mostly against perimeter players, but does find himself in the post at time during a game, and he doesn't defend either particularly well. Thibodeau should help him improve somewhat in this area, but I wouldn't look for him to be making All Defense anytime soon. He also needs to improve his long distance shooting percentage. That being said, he is still a good slasher, can finish at the rim (with contact too), and is a decent mid-range shooter. Look for similar numbers to last season from Deng this year (17/7).
PF- Carlos Boozer: Major upgrade at Power Forward for the Chicago Bulls. Chris Bosh was the major prize at the PF spot by most people's standards this off-season, but I would put Boozer right up there with him, and ahead of Amare Stoudemire. The big issue with Boozer is his health. He seems to be 100% healthy right now, and if the Bulls can get 70-75 or more games out of him this season it would be a huge help. Boozer is a 20/10 guy, and those are few and far between in the NBA. He gives the Bulls a low-post scoring option who can play pick and roll, or pick and pop basketball, due to his outstanding mid-range jumper. He also has a very high field goal percentage for his career, making him an efficient scorer. Rose and Boozer should become a very formiddable scoring duo in the Eastern Conference this season. I would expect a 20/10 average from Boozer, or very close.
C- Joakim Noah: Noah had a bust out season last year, and in my eyes proved to be the most important player on the Bulls roster. He went down with the plantar fascitis (I think that's how it is spelled) injury, and missed 10 games in the later part of the season. The Bulls went 0-10, and fell out of the playoffs. Then he came back, the Bulls made a run, and snuck into the eighth seed, beating out the Raptors in the final weekend of the season. Say what you will about his personality (and hair), he is the most important player on the Bulls roster. He hustles, he rebounds, he scores on second chances, he dives for loose balls, he runs the floor on defense and the fast break, and he gets under the skin of his opponents. Not only that, but much like Derrick Rose, he elevates his game in the playoffs. He has the ugliest jump shot I've seen since Bill Cartwright, but somehow he seems to make a couple every game. I would expect his offense to improve, while his rebounding and defense remain consistent and stellar. Don't be surprised if Noah averages 15/11 (or close), and maybe between 1-2 blocks per game as well. I see All-Star caliber seasons in Noah's future.
Bench:
SG/SF: Kyle Korver: The Bulls wanted a three point threat, so they went out and signed the best 3-point shooter in the league last year (53.6%). That is what Korver will do, he shoots well and spreads the defense out. When Korver gets into the game, all he will have to do is knock down a couple of shots. Watch D-Rose take the game over when Korver is in with him. He is a great drive and kick option for Rose.
PG: C.J. Watson: The Bulls picked up Watson from the Golden State Warriors. He will serve as a back for Rose primarily, but could also play SG, although he would be undersized, and bigger guards would take advantage of that. He averaged 10 ppg coming off the bench for the Warriors last year, and he can flat out shoot the 3, which gives the team another option to spread the floor. He can score too. He had a 40 point game last year against the Knicks when he had the chance to start. Solid trade made by the Bulls.
PF: Taj Gibson: Gibson had a very solid rookie season as the Bulls starting PF. He will no longer start with Boozer in the fold, but will be a valuable member off the bench for the Bulls. He rebounds, shoots the ball well from mid-range, and plays excellent defense for someone who is a little undersized at his position. Look for him to spell both Boozer and Noah at times, and probably play 18-22 minutes per game off the bench.
C: Kurt Thomas: A nice veteran pick up for the Bulls. He won't play that much (12th man minutes), but will tutor Noah and Gibson about how to play consistently at the NBA level. He will get some minutes when the bigs are in foul trouble, or when the Bulls have big leads late in the game.
C: Omer Asik: This is a young Turkish player who scouts for the Bulls were very high on. He's 7'2" tall, and is a big body in the post. He can score some, but all accounts say that the Bulls were most impressed by his defensive ability. If he can rebound well and defend well, he should get solid playing time against Orlando, Boston, Los Angeles, and any other team with depth in the front court.
SG: Keith Bogans: Bogans was another veteran pick up. He'll likely see the same amount of time that Thomas will, but is another solid option should Deng, Brewer and Korver get in foul trouble. He can shoot the three well, and plays sound team defense, both high on the Bulls priority list going into the summer.
SF: James Johnson: Don't be surprised if Johnson ends up in the D-League. He has raw talent, but showed last season that he isn't ready. He needs to hone his skills, and learn how to appropriately transition to the NBA game. He won't be a major factor this year.
The Bulls are one of the deepest teams in the league. Their depth in the backcourt is solid, but they've vastly improved up front. The only team that should compete with the Bulls in the Central Division this year is Milwaukee, but I can't see the Bucks being able to beat the Bulls.
Predictions:
The Bulls will win at least 50 games. I went through the schedule recently, and just based on what I see on paper going into the season, I could see the Bulls winning anywhere from 50-59 games. If they won 59, I would be ecstatic. I don't think they will win 59, but at least 50 is likely, and 52-55 could happen. I will say at least a 50-32 record, if not better.
The Bulls will win one game vs. Miami. Everybody is going to be ready for the Heat this year. Very few teams will be able to compete with the Heat, but the Bulls are one of them. They play Miami at the United Center twice (once in January and once in February). They will win one of those home games. Expect Derrick Rose to have a huge scoring game in the win, and Joakim Noah to get in Bosh's and LeBron's heads.
The Bulls will win their division. I can't see Milwaukee winning 50 games, even with their upgraded roster. Cleveland will be competetive, but won't make the playoffs. Indiana is improved with the additions of Collison and Posey, but they won't compete with the Bulls this year. Detroit sucks.
The Bulls will get to the second round, at least. Whether or not they get past the second round depends on who they face. If the Bulls face the Magic or Celtics, they have a great shot to get to the Conference Finals. If they face the Heat, they will lose in a competetive series (6 or 7 games). I would personally love to see a Bulls/Celtics rematch from 2008. That was a great series, and with both teams making upgrades, it would be an interesting series again.
I could make some other predictions about the season, but I think I'll stop there. I love basketball. It is my favorite sport to talk strategy. It was fun writing about something other than shitty baseball. As always, leave your thoughts and comments if you'd like. Enjoy!
I was one of the many idiots who got sucked into basketball free agency in July. This was easily the most significant free agent period in the history of the NBA. Lots of player movement throughout the league, and a dramatic shift in power from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference.
The Chicago Bulls had a weird season last year. They seemed to really put it together a couple of times, and then really lose it a couple of times as well. The Bulls did make the playoffs, losing to the top seeded Cavs in the first round, a 5 game series in which they were competetive, but not that close to winning most of the games. They struck out on the big three (LeBron, Wade, Bosh) in free agency, but they made several significant upgrades that lead me to believe the Bulls will be playing well beyond the first round of the playoffs.
I'll start the Bulls preview by going over their current roster, then maybe make some predictions later.
Starting Roster:
PG- Derrick Rose: Easily the best player on the Bulls. A 20 ppg scorer last year, who can drive and kick with the best of them. He averaged 6 apg as well, but that number would have been much higher if any of his teammates could shoot consistently from the outside. The hiring of Tom Thibodeau as head coach should dramatically strengthen his defense and rebounding. I have also heard rumblings that he has added a more consistent 3-point shot to his game. If that is true, look for Derrick Rose to become the best scoring point guard in the league. I would not be surprised if D-Rose was the starting point guard for the East All-Stars this year.
SG- Ronnie Brewer: I would expect Brewer to start most of the season due to his defensive prowess. Don't get me wrong, he will not stop LeBron or Wade, but he will make the top shooting guards in the league work hard for their points. He isn't a great shooting threat, but he can slash, and is a decent rebounder on the offensive glass. I thought he was a great addition because Thibodeau is going to preach team defense (just like he did in Boston), and Ronnie Brewer should fit that scheme quite well. I could see him averaging a line close to 12 ppg/3-4 apg/6-7 rpg/1 steal. If he does anything close to that, it would be a great season.
SF- Luol Deng: Luol has never quite reached the All-Star potential many NBA insiders predicted he would reach several years ago, but that doesn't mean he is a bad player. Anyone who averages 17 ppg/7 rpg is a solid NBA starter. There are some deficiencies in his game, namely his defense. He defends mostly against perimeter players, but does find himself in the post at time during a game, and he doesn't defend either particularly well. Thibodeau should help him improve somewhat in this area, but I wouldn't look for him to be making All Defense anytime soon. He also needs to improve his long distance shooting percentage. That being said, he is still a good slasher, can finish at the rim (with contact too), and is a decent mid-range shooter. Look for similar numbers to last season from Deng this year (17/7).
PF- Carlos Boozer: Major upgrade at Power Forward for the Chicago Bulls. Chris Bosh was the major prize at the PF spot by most people's standards this off-season, but I would put Boozer right up there with him, and ahead of Amare Stoudemire. The big issue with Boozer is his health. He seems to be 100% healthy right now, and if the Bulls can get 70-75 or more games out of him this season it would be a huge help. Boozer is a 20/10 guy, and those are few and far between in the NBA. He gives the Bulls a low-post scoring option who can play pick and roll, or pick and pop basketball, due to his outstanding mid-range jumper. He also has a very high field goal percentage for his career, making him an efficient scorer. Rose and Boozer should become a very formiddable scoring duo in the Eastern Conference this season. I would expect a 20/10 average from Boozer, or very close.
C- Joakim Noah: Noah had a bust out season last year, and in my eyes proved to be the most important player on the Bulls roster. He went down with the plantar fascitis (I think that's how it is spelled) injury, and missed 10 games in the later part of the season. The Bulls went 0-10, and fell out of the playoffs. Then he came back, the Bulls made a run, and snuck into the eighth seed, beating out the Raptors in the final weekend of the season. Say what you will about his personality (and hair), he is the most important player on the Bulls roster. He hustles, he rebounds, he scores on second chances, he dives for loose balls, he runs the floor on defense and the fast break, and he gets under the skin of his opponents. Not only that, but much like Derrick Rose, he elevates his game in the playoffs. He has the ugliest jump shot I've seen since Bill Cartwright, but somehow he seems to make a couple every game. I would expect his offense to improve, while his rebounding and defense remain consistent and stellar. Don't be surprised if Noah averages 15/11 (or close), and maybe between 1-2 blocks per game as well. I see All-Star caliber seasons in Noah's future.
Bench:
SG/SF: Kyle Korver: The Bulls wanted a three point threat, so they went out and signed the best 3-point shooter in the league last year (53.6%). That is what Korver will do, he shoots well and spreads the defense out. When Korver gets into the game, all he will have to do is knock down a couple of shots. Watch D-Rose take the game over when Korver is in with him. He is a great drive and kick option for Rose.
PG: C.J. Watson: The Bulls picked up Watson from the Golden State Warriors. He will serve as a back for Rose primarily, but could also play SG, although he would be undersized, and bigger guards would take advantage of that. He averaged 10 ppg coming off the bench for the Warriors last year, and he can flat out shoot the 3, which gives the team another option to spread the floor. He can score too. He had a 40 point game last year against the Knicks when he had the chance to start. Solid trade made by the Bulls.
PF: Taj Gibson: Gibson had a very solid rookie season as the Bulls starting PF. He will no longer start with Boozer in the fold, but will be a valuable member off the bench for the Bulls. He rebounds, shoots the ball well from mid-range, and plays excellent defense for someone who is a little undersized at his position. Look for him to spell both Boozer and Noah at times, and probably play 18-22 minutes per game off the bench.
C: Kurt Thomas: A nice veteran pick up for the Bulls. He won't play that much (12th man minutes), but will tutor Noah and Gibson about how to play consistently at the NBA level. He will get some minutes when the bigs are in foul trouble, or when the Bulls have big leads late in the game.
C: Omer Asik: This is a young Turkish player who scouts for the Bulls were very high on. He's 7'2" tall, and is a big body in the post. He can score some, but all accounts say that the Bulls were most impressed by his defensive ability. If he can rebound well and defend well, he should get solid playing time against Orlando, Boston, Los Angeles, and any other team with depth in the front court.
SG: Keith Bogans: Bogans was another veteran pick up. He'll likely see the same amount of time that Thomas will, but is another solid option should Deng, Brewer and Korver get in foul trouble. He can shoot the three well, and plays sound team defense, both high on the Bulls priority list going into the summer.
SF: James Johnson: Don't be surprised if Johnson ends up in the D-League. He has raw talent, but showed last season that he isn't ready. He needs to hone his skills, and learn how to appropriately transition to the NBA game. He won't be a major factor this year.
The Bulls are one of the deepest teams in the league. Their depth in the backcourt is solid, but they've vastly improved up front. The only team that should compete with the Bulls in the Central Division this year is Milwaukee, but I can't see the Bucks being able to beat the Bulls.
Predictions:
The Bulls will win at least 50 games. I went through the schedule recently, and just based on what I see on paper going into the season, I could see the Bulls winning anywhere from 50-59 games. If they won 59, I would be ecstatic. I don't think they will win 59, but at least 50 is likely, and 52-55 could happen. I will say at least a 50-32 record, if not better.
The Bulls will win one game vs. Miami. Everybody is going to be ready for the Heat this year. Very few teams will be able to compete with the Heat, but the Bulls are one of them. They play Miami at the United Center twice (once in January and once in February). They will win one of those home games. Expect Derrick Rose to have a huge scoring game in the win, and Joakim Noah to get in Bosh's and LeBron's heads.
The Bulls will win their division. I can't see Milwaukee winning 50 games, even with their upgraded roster. Cleveland will be competetive, but won't make the playoffs. Indiana is improved with the additions of Collison and Posey, but they won't compete with the Bulls this year. Detroit sucks.
The Bulls will get to the second round, at least. Whether or not they get past the second round depends on who they face. If the Bulls face the Magic or Celtics, they have a great shot to get to the Conference Finals. If they face the Heat, they will lose in a competetive series (6 or 7 games). I would personally love to see a Bulls/Celtics rematch from 2008. That was a great series, and with both teams making upgrades, it would be an interesting series again.
I could make some other predictions about the season, but I think I'll stop there. I love basketball. It is my favorite sport to talk strategy. It was fun writing about something other than shitty baseball. As always, leave your thoughts and comments if you'd like. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Chicago Baseball
The last couple of days have been tough for Chicago's baseball teams. The Cubs have dropped the first two games of their homestand to the red hot San Diego Padres (who saw them coming this year?). San Diego is just a tough team. They don't get down on themselves, they play good team baseball, and more importantly, they pitch unbelievably well. Their bullpen has been fantastic all season, and it has showed in this series already. In fact, as I am writing this, the Padres have a 3-1 lead after five innings in the third of a four game series at Wrigley. If the Cubs can't come back this afternoon, it looks like they'll need a win to avoid the sweep.
I don't know about any of you other Cub fans, but to me it seems like ownership and team management are looking to start rebuilding now. Most teams seem to wait until the end of the season to trade players, release players, and do their call ups and send downs with their minor league affiliates. However, this season the Cubs have made a few trades (Ted Lilly/Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for Blake DeWitt and 2 minor league pitchers, Mike Fontenot to the Giants for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford, and now a potential Derrek Lee trade to the Braves for players to be named later). That is quite a dramatic change in the roster. The Cubs seem to be giving up on their veterans and going to their younger players. Castro and Colvin I think will be very good players in the long run (Castro has all-star and gold glove potential). Marlon Byrd is a lock, and as much as Cubs fans would like to get rid of him, Soriano is staying. No general manager would take that heavy contract off the Cubs' hands.
I think giving your young guys a shot is a good idea, especially when we have no shot at getting into the playoffs. Byrd, Ramirez and Soriano are probably going to be the only veterans that will start frequently over the last 6 weeks of the season (and perhaps Kosuke). They might be the only veterans that make the starting lineup next season as well. It seems like the Cubs have a pretty good prospect at each position (or an established starter, guys like DeWitt and Soto). What they need to do is spend their early draft picks over the next few seasons on starting pitching. They need to find the next Mark Prior/Kerry Wood, and then not ruin them. Zambrano is out as the team ace (eventhough I think he still has some good pitching left in him), Dempster is a number 3 or 4 starter at best, Gorzelanny has been ok, but isn't a front of the rotation guy. I don't think the Cubs have a front of the rotation guy. They need to get that type of guy through the draft.
As for the White Sox, they have been scuffling while the Twins have been on fire. I am not a Sox fan, so this has been kind of fun for me to watch. I did enjoy last night's walk-off homer in the tenth by Jim Thome. That was a classic "Should have re-signed me" moment. I was watching it on the MLB Network, and they showed both broadcasts (Minnesota and Chicago). Hawk Harrelson didn't say a word. I don't know if he left the box, or if he was just too upset that he didn't talk or sign off from the game. It was kind of funny, although I know how he feels. I have seen my favorite teams play well and be in big games, and have a victory slip through their fingertips the way the Sox have seen their last 3 games fall through. They need to straighten out their bullpen. Kenny Williams gets alot of credit for putting the White Sox in position to compete for the division year in and year out, but he should have gone after another arm for the bullpen, and not an Edwin Jackson, or even an Adam Dunn. Some of that may be hindsight, but Jenks has struggled all year, and now the rest of their bullpen is struggling with him. They have to win the next two games in this series against Minnesota, or else the Twins will be very tough to catch.
It's been a tough week so far for Chicago baseball. Then again, it's been a tough century and then some for the Cubs, so what's another 6 weeks, huh?
I don't know about any of you other Cub fans, but to me it seems like ownership and team management are looking to start rebuilding now. Most teams seem to wait until the end of the season to trade players, release players, and do their call ups and send downs with their minor league affiliates. However, this season the Cubs have made a few trades (Ted Lilly/Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for Blake DeWitt and 2 minor league pitchers, Mike Fontenot to the Giants for minor league outfielder Evan Crawford, and now a potential Derrek Lee trade to the Braves for players to be named later). That is quite a dramatic change in the roster. The Cubs seem to be giving up on their veterans and going to their younger players. Castro and Colvin I think will be very good players in the long run (Castro has all-star and gold glove potential). Marlon Byrd is a lock, and as much as Cubs fans would like to get rid of him, Soriano is staying. No general manager would take that heavy contract off the Cubs' hands.
I think giving your young guys a shot is a good idea, especially when we have no shot at getting into the playoffs. Byrd, Ramirez and Soriano are probably going to be the only veterans that will start frequently over the last 6 weeks of the season (and perhaps Kosuke). They might be the only veterans that make the starting lineup next season as well. It seems like the Cubs have a pretty good prospect at each position (or an established starter, guys like DeWitt and Soto). What they need to do is spend their early draft picks over the next few seasons on starting pitching. They need to find the next Mark Prior/Kerry Wood, and then not ruin them. Zambrano is out as the team ace (eventhough I think he still has some good pitching left in him), Dempster is a number 3 or 4 starter at best, Gorzelanny has been ok, but isn't a front of the rotation guy. I don't think the Cubs have a front of the rotation guy. They need to get that type of guy through the draft.
As for the White Sox, they have been scuffling while the Twins have been on fire. I am not a Sox fan, so this has been kind of fun for me to watch. I did enjoy last night's walk-off homer in the tenth by Jim Thome. That was a classic "Should have re-signed me" moment. I was watching it on the MLB Network, and they showed both broadcasts (Minnesota and Chicago). Hawk Harrelson didn't say a word. I don't know if he left the box, or if he was just too upset that he didn't talk or sign off from the game. It was kind of funny, although I know how he feels. I have seen my favorite teams play well and be in big games, and have a victory slip through their fingertips the way the Sox have seen their last 3 games fall through. They need to straighten out their bullpen. Kenny Williams gets alot of credit for putting the White Sox in position to compete for the division year in and year out, but he should have gone after another arm for the bullpen, and not an Edwin Jackson, or even an Adam Dunn. Some of that may be hindsight, but Jenks has struggled all year, and now the rest of their bullpen is struggling with him. They have to win the next two games in this series against Minnesota, or else the Twins will be very tough to catch.
It's been a tough week so far for Chicago baseball. Then again, it's been a tough century and then some for the Cubs, so what's another 6 weeks, huh?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Great weekend for Chicago sports!
I don't know about anybody else but I thought this past weekend was a great weekend in Chicago sports.
The Cubs took two of three from the formerly first place St. Louis Cardinals, and in St. Louis no less. The starting pitching was great (Zambrano and Dempster both picked up wins. For Zambrano it was his first win as a starter since June, and for Dempster, it was his 11th win of the season, and 3rd straight winning start.). Dempster has been very consistent as a starter the last three years. His win in yesterday's ballgame gave him at least 11 wins in three straight years, including 17 in 2008. It was nice to see Derrek Lee heat up over the weekend with 4 homeruns, and eventhough the bullpen didn't pitch great in the ninth inning yesterday, Sean Marshall pitched very well (3 innings pitched, 0 runs over the weekend), and Carlos Marmol recorded back to back saves. Marlon Byrd continues to impress as well. He had 4 hits and an RBI in yesterday's game. The Cubs have had a miserable season, and just about everybody has had stretches of poor play. That is why it is so frustrating that they can win 2 of 3 against St. Louis on the road, but be swept by teams like Milwaukee, Colorado, and Houston. Let's hope they keep their newfound momentum going for the series with San Diego.
For those of you who are White Sox fans, this was actually a devastating weekend. The Sox lost 2 of 3 to the Tigers, and they blew late inning leads in both games. The White Sox continue to struggle in the back end of the bullpen, with Jenks blowing quite a few saves recently, and even J.J. Putz blew a late inning lead on Saturday night. To make matters worse for the southsiders, the Minnesota Twins, who had just beaten the Sox 2 out of 3 to take a 1 game lead in the A.L. Central prior to the weekend, swept a 3 game series against Oakland at Target Field in Minneapolis. That puts the White Sox 3 games back of the Twins going into their 3 game series in Minneapolis this week. It's far from over Sox fans, so hang in there. At least your baseball team is within striking distance.
The Chicago Bears preseason got off to a rocky start overall against the San Diego Chargers this weekend. The final score was 25-10, which doesn't really matter. The worst part was the injuries to several Bears players, including backup QB Caleb Hanie (shoulder), Safety Craig Steltz (ankle), Safety Major Wright (finger), and LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (foot). The starting offense looked good in their only series, generating a field goal. Cutler completed his only two passes to Johnny Knox for 47 yards, and Devin Aromashodu caught 4 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. The starting defense did give up a touchdown in 3 series, but the other 2 series they forced punts. The results from preseason football games mean absolutely nothing. I mean, last year the Lions went undefeated in the preseason before going 2-14 in the regular season. Eventhough they lost the game, I think the starting units got off to a decent start. Aren't you glad football is back?
The best part of the weekend for me was Scottie Pippen being enshrined in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Scottie was one of my favorite players growing up (a close second to Michael Jordan, of course). I still don't think people understand just how good he was. During the 1994 season (the year he led the team when MJ retired), he average 22 pts and almost 9 rebounds per game (8.7). He could score in a variety of ways. The bank shot from the wing was always my favorite Pippen shot. He had that perfected, and it seemed like he always knocked in 2-3 of those each game. He could handle the ball, drive to the hoop, he was a great passer (5.2 Assists per game for his career. Pretty good from the small forward spot). The best part of his game was his defense. He would guard the best player perimeter player on the opposing team every night, including point guards. I remember in the 96 playoffs (the 72-10 season), he defended Gary Payton at times during the Finals when Ron Harper couldn't. He also shut down Grant Hill, Glen Rice, and several other very good players who needed to score for their teams to win. He averaged 2 steals per game for his career, which is fantastic when you play as many as Scottie did. I also saw several hi-lights of Pippen's career, including his 1994 All-Star game MVP, and that infamous dunk on Patrick Ewing during the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Pippen was a great player, and deserves very much to be in the Hall of Fame. Great memories of great basketball with Pippen going into the Hall.
I am looking forward to this week. Hopefully some good baseball games, and the Bears playing the Raiders at home on Saturday night. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for reading.
The Cubs took two of three from the formerly first place St. Louis Cardinals, and in St. Louis no less. The starting pitching was great (Zambrano and Dempster both picked up wins. For Zambrano it was his first win as a starter since June, and for Dempster, it was his 11th win of the season, and 3rd straight winning start.). Dempster has been very consistent as a starter the last three years. His win in yesterday's ballgame gave him at least 11 wins in three straight years, including 17 in 2008. It was nice to see Derrek Lee heat up over the weekend with 4 homeruns, and eventhough the bullpen didn't pitch great in the ninth inning yesterday, Sean Marshall pitched very well (3 innings pitched, 0 runs over the weekend), and Carlos Marmol recorded back to back saves. Marlon Byrd continues to impress as well. He had 4 hits and an RBI in yesterday's game. The Cubs have had a miserable season, and just about everybody has had stretches of poor play. That is why it is so frustrating that they can win 2 of 3 against St. Louis on the road, but be swept by teams like Milwaukee, Colorado, and Houston. Let's hope they keep their newfound momentum going for the series with San Diego.
For those of you who are White Sox fans, this was actually a devastating weekend. The Sox lost 2 of 3 to the Tigers, and they blew late inning leads in both games. The White Sox continue to struggle in the back end of the bullpen, with Jenks blowing quite a few saves recently, and even J.J. Putz blew a late inning lead on Saturday night. To make matters worse for the southsiders, the Minnesota Twins, who had just beaten the Sox 2 out of 3 to take a 1 game lead in the A.L. Central prior to the weekend, swept a 3 game series against Oakland at Target Field in Minneapolis. That puts the White Sox 3 games back of the Twins going into their 3 game series in Minneapolis this week. It's far from over Sox fans, so hang in there. At least your baseball team is within striking distance.
The Chicago Bears preseason got off to a rocky start overall against the San Diego Chargers this weekend. The final score was 25-10, which doesn't really matter. The worst part was the injuries to several Bears players, including backup QB Caleb Hanie (shoulder), Safety Craig Steltz (ankle), Safety Major Wright (finger), and LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (foot). The starting offense looked good in their only series, generating a field goal. Cutler completed his only two passes to Johnny Knox for 47 yards, and Devin Aromashodu caught 4 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. The starting defense did give up a touchdown in 3 series, but the other 2 series they forced punts. The results from preseason football games mean absolutely nothing. I mean, last year the Lions went undefeated in the preseason before going 2-14 in the regular season. Eventhough they lost the game, I think the starting units got off to a decent start. Aren't you glad football is back?
The best part of the weekend for me was Scottie Pippen being enshrined in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Scottie was one of my favorite players growing up (a close second to Michael Jordan, of course). I still don't think people understand just how good he was. During the 1994 season (the year he led the team when MJ retired), he average 22 pts and almost 9 rebounds per game (8.7). He could score in a variety of ways. The bank shot from the wing was always my favorite Pippen shot. He had that perfected, and it seemed like he always knocked in 2-3 of those each game. He could handle the ball, drive to the hoop, he was a great passer (5.2 Assists per game for his career. Pretty good from the small forward spot). The best part of his game was his defense. He would guard the best player perimeter player on the opposing team every night, including point guards. I remember in the 96 playoffs (the 72-10 season), he defended Gary Payton at times during the Finals when Ron Harper couldn't. He also shut down Grant Hill, Glen Rice, and several other very good players who needed to score for their teams to win. He averaged 2 steals per game for his career, which is fantastic when you play as many as Scottie did. I also saw several hi-lights of Pippen's career, including his 1994 All-Star game MVP, and that infamous dunk on Patrick Ewing during the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Pippen was a great player, and deserves very much to be in the Hall of Fame. Great memories of great basketball with Pippen going into the Hall.
I am looking forward to this week. Hopefully some good baseball games, and the Bears playing the Raiders at home on Saturday night. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Cubs vs. Cardinals game was fun
Yesterday I went to the Cubs vs. Cardinals game in St. Louis with my wife and her family. It was a lot of fun. I always enjoy going to the ballpark in St. Louis, eventhough I don't like the Cardinals. In fact, I can't stand the Cardinals, and it's mostly because they are always good. Since I was a kid it seems like they have been right there at the top of the N.L. Central. I can't remember the last time they just sucked.
Anyways, the new Busch Stadium is a very nice place to watch a baseball game. There is not a bad seat in the stadium, most seats put you right on top of the action, and you have the St. Louis Arch in the background, which is pretty cool too. I still love Wrigley Field, and would much rather go there to watch the Cubs play, but St. Louis closer, and much, much cheaper.
The game was actually pretty exciting. It was unbelievably hot, and you could tell it was affecting some of the players on the field, most notably Chris Carpenter, starting pitcher for the Cardinals. He just didn't look right. Normally he is very sharp, getting ahead in the count with 4-seam and tailing fastballs, then finishing off hitters with a good change-up, and a devastating curve ball. However, in yesterday's game he fell behind quite a few hitters early, and couldn't seem to put anybody away when he got two strikes. He didn't pitch horribly, but you come expect Carpenter to bring his best stuff to each game, and to me it was pretty clear that he didn't have it in this game. After having a 1-0 lead on the Matt Holliday sac fly going into the second inning, Carpenter gave up a first pitch lead off homer to Aramis Ramirez in the second inning, a one out Marlon Byrd double, and then a two out RBI double to Koyie Hill. That is when I knew something wasn't quite right with Carpenter. The homer to Ramirez didn't surprise me, it was a hot day, the ball was jumping in batting practice, and Ramirez has good power to all fields. But giving up an RBI extra base hit to Koyie Hill (who struggles to hit against any other team's worst starter) made me think that the heat was getting to Carpenter.
Derrek Lee also hit a solo homerun in the third inning (his second homer of the series), and that was all the Cubs would need. I was hoping to get a better showing from Starlin Castro, who looks like he could be a perennial all-star for years to come. I was also hoping to see a good performance from the pitching staff, and (holy crap) it actually happened.
When I originally saw the pitching match up for the game (Capenter, 13-3, 2.95 ERA vs. Zambrano, 3-6, 5.70 ERA) I expected the Cardinals would win by at least 3 or 4 runs. However, Zambrano pitched a fantastic game in just his second start back from his trip to the restricted list in June. He was getting ahead of hitters all game, and only ended up with 2 walks in the game, which doesn't sound fantastic when you consider that his counter part didn't walk any Cubs hitters, but Zambrano has struggled with control all season. Yesterday he started to look like the Carlos Zambrano of 2-3 years ago, which was refreshing to see.
Big Z did get into some stressful situations during the game. In the first inning he had runners on second and third with only one out and Matt Holliday at the plate. He managed to give up only one run (a Holliday sac-fly), and really kept his team in the game early. After getting 3 runs of support in the next two innings, Zambrano cruised through 4 innings, and got the first 2 outs of the fifth inning before a walk and back-to-back singles loaded to bases for Holliday again. He kept his poise on the mound, talked to his teammates and pitching coach, and eventually got Holliday to ground out to third. Zambrano did give up one run in the sixth inning on a Randy Winn RBI base hit with two outs. He exited the game at that point with 5 2/3 innings pitched, 2 runs allowed, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. He lowered his ERA from 5.70 to 5.27. All signs of a positive outing from Big Z.
Then came the bullpen. Marcos Mateo retired his only batter faced to get out of the sixth inning. Sean Marshall pitched a solid 1 1/3 innings, hi-lighted by a strikeout of Albert Pujols to end the seventh inning. Carlos Marmol looked pretty dominant. He recorded a 5 out save, which included an overwhelming strikeout of Allen Craig (3 straight sliders down and away) with Pujols on deck to end the game. The only blunder of the game happened in the bottom of the ninth, when Aaron Miles took second base on a wild throw to first from Ramirez. At that point many Cub fans (myself included) were just waiting for the implosion, but it didn't happen. Carlos Marmol looks like he could be the most dominant closer in the N.L. Central, if not the entire N.L., when he has control of his pitches. If he can throw his fastball for strikes and locate it well, nobody can hit him. That slider is nasty.
Overall it was a very fun game. If you ever get a chance to go to the Cubs/Cards rivalry in St. Louis, do yourself a favor and go. The stadium is state of the art, and most of the Cardinal fans are really pretty good about the rivalry. Lots of friendly fire and jokes about the baseball teams, but not a whole lot of truly ridiculous hate. Also, while the beer prices seem awfully high ($8.50 for one), it is a 24 oz. can if you leave your seat and go to the vendors on the concourse. Not bad for a big beer at the ballpark.
Anyways, the new Busch Stadium is a very nice place to watch a baseball game. There is not a bad seat in the stadium, most seats put you right on top of the action, and you have the St. Louis Arch in the background, which is pretty cool too. I still love Wrigley Field, and would much rather go there to watch the Cubs play, but St. Louis closer, and much, much cheaper.
The game was actually pretty exciting. It was unbelievably hot, and you could tell it was affecting some of the players on the field, most notably Chris Carpenter, starting pitcher for the Cardinals. He just didn't look right. Normally he is very sharp, getting ahead in the count with 4-seam and tailing fastballs, then finishing off hitters with a good change-up, and a devastating curve ball. However, in yesterday's game he fell behind quite a few hitters early, and couldn't seem to put anybody away when he got two strikes. He didn't pitch horribly, but you come expect Carpenter to bring his best stuff to each game, and to me it was pretty clear that he didn't have it in this game. After having a 1-0 lead on the Matt Holliday sac fly going into the second inning, Carpenter gave up a first pitch lead off homer to Aramis Ramirez in the second inning, a one out Marlon Byrd double, and then a two out RBI double to Koyie Hill. That is when I knew something wasn't quite right with Carpenter. The homer to Ramirez didn't surprise me, it was a hot day, the ball was jumping in batting practice, and Ramirez has good power to all fields. But giving up an RBI extra base hit to Koyie Hill (who struggles to hit against any other team's worst starter) made me think that the heat was getting to Carpenter.
Derrek Lee also hit a solo homerun in the third inning (his second homer of the series), and that was all the Cubs would need. I was hoping to get a better showing from Starlin Castro, who looks like he could be a perennial all-star for years to come. I was also hoping to see a good performance from the pitching staff, and (holy crap) it actually happened.
When I originally saw the pitching match up for the game (Capenter, 13-3, 2.95 ERA vs. Zambrano, 3-6, 5.70 ERA) I expected the Cardinals would win by at least 3 or 4 runs. However, Zambrano pitched a fantastic game in just his second start back from his trip to the restricted list in June. He was getting ahead of hitters all game, and only ended up with 2 walks in the game, which doesn't sound fantastic when you consider that his counter part didn't walk any Cubs hitters, but Zambrano has struggled with control all season. Yesterday he started to look like the Carlos Zambrano of 2-3 years ago, which was refreshing to see.
Big Z did get into some stressful situations during the game. In the first inning he had runners on second and third with only one out and Matt Holliday at the plate. He managed to give up only one run (a Holliday sac-fly), and really kept his team in the game early. After getting 3 runs of support in the next two innings, Zambrano cruised through 4 innings, and got the first 2 outs of the fifth inning before a walk and back-to-back singles loaded to bases for Holliday again. He kept his poise on the mound, talked to his teammates and pitching coach, and eventually got Holliday to ground out to third. Zambrano did give up one run in the sixth inning on a Randy Winn RBI base hit with two outs. He exited the game at that point with 5 2/3 innings pitched, 2 runs allowed, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. He lowered his ERA from 5.70 to 5.27. All signs of a positive outing from Big Z.
Then came the bullpen. Marcos Mateo retired his only batter faced to get out of the sixth inning. Sean Marshall pitched a solid 1 1/3 innings, hi-lighted by a strikeout of Albert Pujols to end the seventh inning. Carlos Marmol looked pretty dominant. He recorded a 5 out save, which included an overwhelming strikeout of Allen Craig (3 straight sliders down and away) with Pujols on deck to end the game. The only blunder of the game happened in the bottom of the ninth, when Aaron Miles took second base on a wild throw to first from Ramirez. At that point many Cub fans (myself included) were just waiting for the implosion, but it didn't happen. Carlos Marmol looks like he could be the most dominant closer in the N.L. Central, if not the entire N.L., when he has control of his pitches. If he can throw his fastball for strikes and locate it well, nobody can hit him. That slider is nasty.
Overall it was a very fun game. If you ever get a chance to go to the Cubs/Cards rivalry in St. Louis, do yourself a favor and go. The stadium is state of the art, and most of the Cardinal fans are really pretty good about the rivalry. Lots of friendly fire and jokes about the baseball teams, but not a whole lot of truly ridiculous hate. Also, while the beer prices seem awfully high ($8.50 for one), it is a 24 oz. can if you leave your seat and go to the vendors on the concourse. Not bad for a big beer at the ballpark.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Mark Buehrle is the Greatest Pitcher of All-time?
Ok, first let me preface this post with the hilarious back story. A couple of weeks ago I went back to my parent's neighborhood in Schaumburg for the yearly block party. A few of my buddies from back home, and even a few of their buddies, came over, and we tossed back several beers, played bags, and did what every group of straight guys do: talked sports.
By about 2 a.m. there was a small group of men left out in the street drinking and talking about baseball. That is when one of the group members made a very bold (bold = drunk) statement: "Mark Buehrle is the greatest pitcher of all time!". Now right away everybody else launches into our arguments for why Buehrle is not even in the discussion for best of all time, but this guy was hammered drunk. He wasn't a little buzzed, or even "Oh look, the dude who is normally too uptight has had a few and is now singing karaoke" drunk. This guy was "Oh crap, he's dancing with the coat rack and peeing in the grandfather clock" drunk.
So with that in mind, I decided to take a look for myself, and see exactly where I would put Mark Buehrle in the history of great pitchers.
Now, just let me start by saying that I think Mark Buehrle is a very good pitcher. Here are his career stats and hi-lights:
11 seasons played, 145 wins- 106 losses, .578 win%, 10 consecutive seasons of 10+ wins, 15+ wins 5 times (19 wins in 2002), MLB leader in innings pitched twice (2004, 2005), 1,249 career strikeouts, 502 career walks, career ERA of 3.82, and of course, 2 no-hitters (no-hitter vs. Texas in 2007, perfect game vs. Tampa Bay in 2009). He has also been an all-star 4 times, won a Gold Glove in 2009, and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting for the American League in 2005. (All stats for this post were found on the baseball-reference.com website. Very cool site if you are interested in baseball history and player stats).
Those are fantastic numbers for any pitcher, don't get me wrong. Add to those numbers that he won a World Series with the White Sox in 2005, and it wouldn't shock me to see him as a Hall of Fame candidate by the time his playing days are over. However, the argument was that Mark Buehrle was the greatest of all time. So, let's compare his numbers to some pitchers who have been considered the best to ever play.
Cy Young (played from 1890-1911): 22 seasons, 511 wins-316 losses, won 30+ games in a season 4 times, career win% of .618, 2803 career strikeouts, 1217 career walks, career ERA of 2.63. I know Cy Young played in a completely different era, and pitchers nowadays don't start 40 + games in year. However, Cy Young won a better percentage of the games he started than Buehrle, had a lower ERA, and also got the award for best pitcher of the year in both leagues named after him. To me, that puts Cy Young right up there with greatest pitchers of all time. Also note that Cy Young is the career leader in wins. Nobody will ever win 512 games in a career. Heck, if a pitcher gets to 300 wins now, that is the major accomplishment.
Sandy Koufax (played from 1955-1966): 12 seasons, 165 wins-87 losses, won 25+ games in a season 3 times, career win% of .655, 2,396 career strikeouts, 817 career walks (almost 3-1 K/BB ratio), averaged 9.3 K/9 innings for his career, 6 consecutive all-star appearances (1961-1966), 1963 MVP, MVP runner-up in 1965 and 1966, 3 time Cy Young winner (1963, 1965, 1966). 4 no-hitters (1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, which was a perfect game against the Cubs). 4 time World Series Champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, all with the Dodgers). Career ERA of 2.76. Again, a different era than Buehrle, but Koufax was an unbelievable strikeout pitcher. He actually held the record for stikeouts in a season (382 in 1965) until Nolan Ryan broke the record years later. His win percentage is higher than Buehrle's, his K/BB ratio is way better, and he won 4 World Series. I really wish I could have seen him pitch. One of the best pitchers of all time, and maybe the best left-handed pitcher ever.
One more pitcher, just for fun.
Nolan Ryan (played from 1966-1993...holy crap): 27 seasons, 324 wins, 292 losses, career .526 win%, 5,714 career strikeouts (MLB record), 2,795 career walks (MLB record), 20 game winner two times, 7 career no-hitters, and tied for most no hitters in one season (2 in 1973). 8 time all-star, Cy Young runner up in 1973. World Series Champion with 1969 New York Mets. Nolan Ryan was the best strikout pitcher in baseball history. He currently owns the career strikeout record, and single season strikeout record (383 in 1973). Although Buehrle has a better win percentage, Nolan Ryan had a better career ERA (3.19). I can't see Buehrle winning as many games, or pitching many more no hitters. Nolan Ryan, because of his strikeout numbers, is considered one of the best pitchers of all time.
I will stop the comparisons there, but you get the idea. I didn't even get to pitchers like Satchel Paige, Bob Gibson, Goose Gossage, Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, and the list goes on and on. Heck, you may be able to argue that Mark Buehrle isn't even in the discussion of the best pitchers in the game today. Anyways, that's my view on it. This guy at the block party just wouldn't let it go. In fact, he got so upset that we were so adamant about our stance, that he ended up leaving the party (he actually drove home. I hope he's ok, I haven't heard from him since.). It was a hilarious argument though. I am not saying that Mark Buehrle can't achieve these kinds of numbers. He is only 31, so 200 wins seems like a good possibility. I can see how Buehrle would eventually be a Hall of Fame Candidate, but never in the discussion for Greatest Pitcher of All Time.
Go ahead an leave your own thoughts if you'd like to contribute to the argument. I won't usually be posting things like this, mostly it will be my thoughts on Chicago sports games, team and player moves, standings, playoffs, and stuff like that. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend.
By about 2 a.m. there was a small group of men left out in the street drinking and talking about baseball. That is when one of the group members made a very bold (bold = drunk) statement: "Mark Buehrle is the greatest pitcher of all time!". Now right away everybody else launches into our arguments for why Buehrle is not even in the discussion for best of all time, but this guy was hammered drunk. He wasn't a little buzzed, or even "Oh look, the dude who is normally too uptight has had a few and is now singing karaoke" drunk. This guy was "Oh crap, he's dancing with the coat rack and peeing in the grandfather clock" drunk.
So with that in mind, I decided to take a look for myself, and see exactly where I would put Mark Buehrle in the history of great pitchers.
Now, just let me start by saying that I think Mark Buehrle is a very good pitcher. Here are his career stats and hi-lights:
11 seasons played, 145 wins- 106 losses, .578 win%, 10 consecutive seasons of 10+ wins, 15+ wins 5 times (19 wins in 2002), MLB leader in innings pitched twice (2004, 2005), 1,249 career strikeouts, 502 career walks, career ERA of 3.82, and of course, 2 no-hitters (no-hitter vs. Texas in 2007, perfect game vs. Tampa Bay in 2009). He has also been an all-star 4 times, won a Gold Glove in 2009, and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting for the American League in 2005. (All stats for this post were found on the baseball-reference.com website. Very cool site if you are interested in baseball history and player stats).
Those are fantastic numbers for any pitcher, don't get me wrong. Add to those numbers that he won a World Series with the White Sox in 2005, and it wouldn't shock me to see him as a Hall of Fame candidate by the time his playing days are over. However, the argument was that Mark Buehrle was the greatest of all time. So, let's compare his numbers to some pitchers who have been considered the best to ever play.
Cy Young (played from 1890-1911): 22 seasons, 511 wins-316 losses, won 30+ games in a season 4 times, career win% of .618, 2803 career strikeouts, 1217 career walks, career ERA of 2.63. I know Cy Young played in a completely different era, and pitchers nowadays don't start 40 + games in year. However, Cy Young won a better percentage of the games he started than Buehrle, had a lower ERA, and also got the award for best pitcher of the year in both leagues named after him. To me, that puts Cy Young right up there with greatest pitchers of all time. Also note that Cy Young is the career leader in wins. Nobody will ever win 512 games in a career. Heck, if a pitcher gets to 300 wins now, that is the major accomplishment.
Sandy Koufax (played from 1955-1966): 12 seasons, 165 wins-87 losses, won 25+ games in a season 3 times, career win% of .655, 2,396 career strikeouts, 817 career walks (almost 3-1 K/BB ratio), averaged 9.3 K/9 innings for his career, 6 consecutive all-star appearances (1961-1966), 1963 MVP, MVP runner-up in 1965 and 1966, 3 time Cy Young winner (1963, 1965, 1966). 4 no-hitters (1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965, which was a perfect game against the Cubs). 4 time World Series Champion (1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, all with the Dodgers). Career ERA of 2.76. Again, a different era than Buehrle, but Koufax was an unbelievable strikeout pitcher. He actually held the record for stikeouts in a season (382 in 1965) until Nolan Ryan broke the record years later. His win percentage is higher than Buehrle's, his K/BB ratio is way better, and he won 4 World Series. I really wish I could have seen him pitch. One of the best pitchers of all time, and maybe the best left-handed pitcher ever.
One more pitcher, just for fun.
Nolan Ryan (played from 1966-1993...holy crap): 27 seasons, 324 wins, 292 losses, career .526 win%, 5,714 career strikeouts (MLB record), 2,795 career walks (MLB record), 20 game winner two times, 7 career no-hitters, and tied for most no hitters in one season (2 in 1973). 8 time all-star, Cy Young runner up in 1973. World Series Champion with 1969 New York Mets. Nolan Ryan was the best strikout pitcher in baseball history. He currently owns the career strikeout record, and single season strikeout record (383 in 1973). Although Buehrle has a better win percentage, Nolan Ryan had a better career ERA (3.19). I can't see Buehrle winning as many games, or pitching many more no hitters. Nolan Ryan, because of his strikeout numbers, is considered one of the best pitchers of all time.
I will stop the comparisons there, but you get the idea. I didn't even get to pitchers like Satchel Paige, Bob Gibson, Goose Gossage, Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez, and the list goes on and on. Heck, you may be able to argue that Mark Buehrle isn't even in the discussion of the best pitchers in the game today. Anyways, that's my view on it. This guy at the block party just wouldn't let it go. In fact, he got so upset that we were so adamant about our stance, that he ended up leaving the party (he actually drove home. I hope he's ok, I haven't heard from him since.). It was a hilarious argument though. I am not saying that Mark Buehrle can't achieve these kinds of numbers. He is only 31, so 200 wins seems like a good possibility. I can see how Buehrle would eventually be a Hall of Fame Candidate, but never in the discussion for Greatest Pitcher of All Time.
Go ahead an leave your own thoughts if you'd like to contribute to the argument. I won't usually be posting things like this, mostly it will be my thoughts on Chicago sports games, team and player moves, standings, playoffs, and stuff like that. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Welcome to my Chicago Sports Blog!
Hello everybody. My name is Kevin, and I am a rabid Chicago sports fan. I follow all of the teams with great interest, including the White Sox, who I am not even a fan of (I am a Cubs fan, eventhough I know they are pathetic). This is my first blog, and I am very excited to share some of my opinions about Chicago sports with you, and hear some of your opinions as well.
I thought I would begin by just sharing how I feel this is a very exciting time to be a Chicago sports fan. The Chicago Blackhawks just won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years, and although they have seemingly gutted the team of their role players, their core remains completely intact. With the players they have added through trades and call ups from their AHL affiliate (Rockford Icehogs), the Hawks seem poised to have a strong season in defense of their Stanley Cup Championship.
The Chicago Bulls had arguably the best off season in the NBA besides the Miami Heat (a very distant second place, but still.). Derrick Rose looks like the real deal, Joakim Noah should have a breakout season, and adding Carlos Boozer, a 20 point/10 rebound power forward as a true low post scoring presence can only help this team. Add to that a long distance shooting threat in Kyle Korver, a slashing, defensive guard in Ronnie Brewer, a healthy Luol Deng (who hasn't reached his potential, but still averages 17pts/7rebs), C.J. Watson, and possibly Rudy Fernandez (trade rumor), the Bulls should be an exciting team that could challenge the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season.
The Chicago White Sox (I don't like them, but do respect them), have been on fire since May. I think their pitching staff (Buerhle, Danks, Garcia, Floyd, Jackson) is top notch, and they would be better had Peavy not been lost for the season (although he struggled for the most part before the injury). Carlos Quentin looks like he's found himself again, and Paul Konerko is playing some of the best baseball of his career, and he has had an excellent career on the south side. While I do not (and will not) cheer for the White Sox, I have to respect how they've battled back from a tough start. Major League Baseball is always better when Chicago is involved in a pennant race, even if it is the White Sox.
The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, have been unwatchable for the better part of the season. It kills me that they could win 3 out of 4 from the Phillies (should have swept) right after the all star break, take 2 out of 3 from the Cardinals (could have swept), and in between those series lose 4 out of 6 to the Astros. Zambrano's dominant days are long gone, Randy Wells has had a sophomore slump, Ryan Dempster became his normal self again, and we've already traded arguably our best starting pitcher, Ted Lilly, along with a fan favorite, Ryan Theriot, to the Dodgers. That being said, even though the Cubs are a long way from the playoff race, there have been some bright spots. Carlos Silva was a steal for Milton Bradley (thank you Seattle Mariners), Marlon Byrd is the type of role player that you need to have on a winning team (kind of like Mark DeRosa, hustles, plays great defense, runs out every ground ball and pop up, and hits no matter where you put him in the line up), and Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin are great pieces to build on for the future. This season has sucked, but during these seasons the best thing to do is look on the bright side.
Last, but certainly not least, the Chicago Bears. Many people would disagree with me on this, but I think the Bears could have a great season. Brian Urlacher is back healthy, Tommie Harris is back healthy, and the addition of Julius Peppers could return this defense to their 2005/2006 form (as long as the secondary can be at least average). The offensive line should be better (Chris Williams has a full year of football under his belt, and Roberto Garza has moved from Right Guard to Left Guard, opening the other guard spot for Lance Louis, who has looked good so far in training camp). Matt Forte got some much needed help in the backfield with the signing of Chester Taylor. Brandon Manumaleuna was a great pick up at the third tight end (he can block in the backfield, on the line, and he can catch the ball. Plus he has played in Martz's system before). The wide receivers should be improved. Hester and Knox could have breakout seasons, and the emergence of Devin Aromashodu would make this offense dynamic. As long as Cutler cuts down on his 26 interceptions from a year ago, I can see the Bears winning 10-11 games, and possibly making the playoffs as a wildcard team.
I don't know about everybody else, but I am excited about what is happening in Chicago sports. You might disagree with me on some of the points I made about each team, and that's cool. I always love a good sports debate, so if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to chime in. Thanks for reading.
I thought I would begin by just sharing how I feel this is a very exciting time to be a Chicago sports fan. The Chicago Blackhawks just won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years, and although they have seemingly gutted the team of their role players, their core remains completely intact. With the players they have added through trades and call ups from their AHL affiliate (Rockford Icehogs), the Hawks seem poised to have a strong season in defense of their Stanley Cup Championship.
The Chicago Bulls had arguably the best off season in the NBA besides the Miami Heat (a very distant second place, but still.). Derrick Rose looks like the real deal, Joakim Noah should have a breakout season, and adding Carlos Boozer, a 20 point/10 rebound power forward as a true low post scoring presence can only help this team. Add to that a long distance shooting threat in Kyle Korver, a slashing, defensive guard in Ronnie Brewer, a healthy Luol Deng (who hasn't reached his potential, but still averages 17pts/7rebs), C.J. Watson, and possibly Rudy Fernandez (trade rumor), the Bulls should be an exciting team that could challenge the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season.
The Chicago White Sox (I don't like them, but do respect them), have been on fire since May. I think their pitching staff (Buerhle, Danks, Garcia, Floyd, Jackson) is top notch, and they would be better had Peavy not been lost for the season (although he struggled for the most part before the injury). Carlos Quentin looks like he's found himself again, and Paul Konerko is playing some of the best baseball of his career, and he has had an excellent career on the south side. While I do not (and will not) cheer for the White Sox, I have to respect how they've battled back from a tough start. Major League Baseball is always better when Chicago is involved in a pennant race, even if it is the White Sox.
The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, have been unwatchable for the better part of the season. It kills me that they could win 3 out of 4 from the Phillies (should have swept) right after the all star break, take 2 out of 3 from the Cardinals (could have swept), and in between those series lose 4 out of 6 to the Astros. Zambrano's dominant days are long gone, Randy Wells has had a sophomore slump, Ryan Dempster became his normal self again, and we've already traded arguably our best starting pitcher, Ted Lilly, along with a fan favorite, Ryan Theriot, to the Dodgers. That being said, even though the Cubs are a long way from the playoff race, there have been some bright spots. Carlos Silva was a steal for Milton Bradley (thank you Seattle Mariners), Marlon Byrd is the type of role player that you need to have on a winning team (kind of like Mark DeRosa, hustles, plays great defense, runs out every ground ball and pop up, and hits no matter where you put him in the line up), and Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin are great pieces to build on for the future. This season has sucked, but during these seasons the best thing to do is look on the bright side.
Last, but certainly not least, the Chicago Bears. Many people would disagree with me on this, but I think the Bears could have a great season. Brian Urlacher is back healthy, Tommie Harris is back healthy, and the addition of Julius Peppers could return this defense to their 2005/2006 form (as long as the secondary can be at least average). The offensive line should be better (Chris Williams has a full year of football under his belt, and Roberto Garza has moved from Right Guard to Left Guard, opening the other guard spot for Lance Louis, who has looked good so far in training camp). Matt Forte got some much needed help in the backfield with the signing of Chester Taylor. Brandon Manumaleuna was a great pick up at the third tight end (he can block in the backfield, on the line, and he can catch the ball. Plus he has played in Martz's system before). The wide receivers should be improved. Hester and Knox could have breakout seasons, and the emergence of Devin Aromashodu would make this offense dynamic. As long as Cutler cuts down on his 26 interceptions from a year ago, I can see the Bears winning 10-11 games, and possibly making the playoffs as a wildcard team.
I don't know about everybody else, but I am excited about what is happening in Chicago sports. You might disagree with me on some of the points I made about each team, and that's cool. I always love a good sports debate, so if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to chime in. Thanks for reading.
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