Final Thoughts on Chicago Sports

Cubs Making Roster Decisions

The Cubs made a few announcements in the last two days worth commenting on. 

• Kevin Gregg has won the closer job.  I like this move.  Gregg has experience closing and hasn't given up a single run this spring.  Carlos Marmol, while a much better pitcher than Gregg, can better serve the team in the 7th and 8th innings, getting out of jams and being the bridge to the 9th.  If you can't get out of the 7th, there's nothing to save in the 9th.  Smart move by Lou, although I must say it does kind of suck for Marmol personally.  Closers get the big bucks.
• The Cubs released Paul Bako.  It was a curious move to replace the dependable backup backstop Henry Blanco for the aging and less dependable Bako.  Especially since signing Bako was going to save only a half a mil in payroll.  For that piddly scratch, you might as well have kept Hank White, the ultimate backup.  Now the job falls to the dangly-fingererd Koyie Hill.  He hasn't come within spitting distance the Mendoza line in the majors, but since getting his appendages restored, he's found his stroke in the minors.  So who knows, maybe he can hit his weight this year and I won't have to pine for Blanco on Soto's off days. 
• Finally, the Cubs are retiring number 31 in honor of both Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux.  300 Cubs wins on the nose, between the two.  Classy move by the organization. 

One other thing.  I was listening to The Afternoon Saloon the other day, and Harry opined that should Derrek Lee get off to a terrible start, maybe Micah Hoffpauir should get increased playing time at first base.  Bruce Levine nearly laughed his way back from Mesa.  (Harry pointed to a recent Trib article where 20 anonymous Cubs suggested Hoffpauir is one of the best hitters on the team -- better than Lee even).  I happen to think its not a completely far-fetched idea.   I mean, I'd give Lee a full six or eight weeks before I'd even consider benching him for even a day -- but I've got to admit that I'm intrigued.  Lee was pretty horrible last season.  Only 12 home runs after May 1st; just three homers after the break.  He led the league in double plays.  With all the RBI opportunities he had with Theriot setting the table, to muster only 90 knocked in is pretty weak.  Hoffpauir, on the other hand, won the PCL MVP by mashing his way to Barry Bonds numbers, and all he's done is hit for the last 15 months.  No, at 29 he's not exactly the next Pujols or anything, but its not inconceivable that he'd hit ten more HRs this year with 25 more RBI than Lee, given 500 at-bats.  I guess the real question is does that offensive gain outweigh the tremendous loss on defense.  Hoffpauir is a frickin statue with a glove. 

I guess its stupid to even speculate.  Hoffpauir ain't taking over for Lee any more than I am.  Our best bet to see Micah is during Bradley and Soriano's inevitable trips to the DL. 

St. Clair Signs with Browns and the inevitable Cutler talk

I don't understand it.  St. Clair isn't a star, not even close.  But he was solid.  He knows the offense.  He can start on both sides.  Even if they plan on drafting another tackle on day one of this upcoming draft, spending $9 or 10 million to keep St. Clair around as a swingman would have made sense.  I mean, they gave Frank Omiyale more than that, and he's got less playing time than St. Clair's socks. 

The Bears offered $5.5 million for 3 years.  Browns offered $9-10 million for three years.  This isn't exactly like the Vikings giving $50 million to Bernard Berrian.  The Bears were trying to save a mere $3 million bucks.  What for?  Cutler?

Speaking of, I humbly disagree with Perry.  (Welcome back, btw.)  Even if Jay Cutler is merely the next Jeff George, as Kiper says, he's still better than Orton, and he's still better than anyone the Bears have had since Sid Luckman.  Yeah, Sid Luckman.  No, the Bears don't need a QB as much as they need a WR, FS, RT, or DE.  But that doesn't mean they can't use an upgrade.  I like Kyle.  I really do. And if he could complete a 30+ yard pass every four games I'd like him even more.  He just can't.  He doesn't have downfield accuracy for shit.  Look at his completion percentage by yard distance this year:

1-10 yards:  65%  (260 attempts)
11-20 yards:  37% (86 att)
21-30 yards:  37% (46 att)
31-40 yards:  12.5%  (1 for 8)
41+ yards:  0%  (0 for 3)

Jeezus, that's horrible. Now look at Cutler:

1-10 yards:  69.5%  (285 attempts)
11-20 yards:  53% (156 att)
21-30 yards:  43% (53 att)
31-40 yards:  10.5%  (19 att)
41+ yards:  25%  (2 for 8)

Like I said, I like Orton.  But Cutler's just better.  The Bears can't draft a QB, and they can't groom a QB.  The franchise is CANCER to QBs.  If another team foolishly doesn't appreciate their maybe-not-great-but-still-very-good-QB, the Bears should be first in line in trying to acquire him. 

My only question about Cutler isn't his record as a starter.   He can't play defense and if you're bored check out Peyton Manning's record his first 2 years as a starter.  (16-16)  My only concern is his available weapons in Chicago.  There are absolutely no Brandon Marshalls or Eddie Royals to be found on the Bears roster.  There's not even a Brandon Stokely.  So that would take some getting used to.  Its basically the chicken-or-egg argument.  Do the receivers make the QB or the QB make the receivers?

So what would it take to get him?  I don't know, but I know what I'd give up.  First off, Orton.  They'll need a game-ready QB in return, and Orton's certainly a capable guy.  Then, of course, their number one pick in this year's draft.  Then what?  I think two number ones is too much, so maybe next year's 2nd rounder.  Then throw in a 5th rounder in 2011 or a young special teams ace.  Their hands are tied so they might be forced to take it. Sound good?

But, as I've been saying for the last two weeks to anybody who's asked...its not worth our time even discussing it.  Even if the Bears could put together a package, they WILL NOT spend the money.  He's owed $30 million dollars.  Thirty Million.  Even more than they are cancer to QBs, they are simply unwilling to spend money on other team's players.  So screw it.  Pretend I never said anything.

Bears Free Agency Review

The Bears have done very little to improve their team this offseason.  It's still early, but I am not impressed by their moves thus far.  Here they are:

1. Signed Frank Omiyale.  The big one!  The Bears gave $14 million to a guy with two career starts, and only 11 games total since his 2005 debut.  (He's fresh!)  Omiyale is expected to challenge Josh Beekman for a starting left guard, though he may eventually shift to right tackle.  The Bears have done well in picking free agent offensive lineman, so I'm not going to come down too hard on them.  But I must note that he wasn't on Scout's Inc's list of the top 200 available free agents.  So we're not exactly talking about a future All-Pro here. 
2. Re-Signed Kevin Jones.  This basically means that the Bears have zero confidence in Garrett Wofle, and his 3rd round pick is officially a bust.  Too bad.
3. Signed Josh Bullocks.  The free safety from the Saints started 32 games for them, but got benched half-way through last season.  Yes, the worst pass defense in the league benched him.  So we're not exactly talking about a future All-Pro here. 
4. Re-signed Marcus Hamilton.  Fourth-String corner played in two games for the Bears last year.  And somehow took up $10 million dollars worth of cap space.  He re-signed for the minimum.
5. Signed Brian Bassanez.  This former Northwestern QB got $13,000 guaranteed dollars to come work out for the Bears.  Thirteen.  Thousand.  Dollars.  I don't even think I'd travel to Lake Forest for that.  But at least we now have The Answer to our franchise-long QB black hole.  I'm stoked.

And that's it.  Remaining holes?

1. Wide Receiver
2. Safety
3. O-Line
4. Defensive End
5. Linebacker

Let's see, six picks in this year's draft...five holes.  Should be a piece of cake for Jerry.  He's even got one draft pick to spare!

It's early, so I'm not exactly giving up on 2009 yet.  But its not looking good.

Why I like the WBC

The World Baseball Classic is upon us, and I have to say...I'm a fan.  A lot of people rag on the WBC.  Sportswriters, fans, players, GMs, managers, radio hosts, bloggers.... everybody has an opinion.  And from what I gather, the opinion is near universal.  The WBC sucks.  Don't count me in that group.

Before I tell you why I like it, let me quickly summarize why people hate it:

• They don't want players on their favorite teams to get hurt
• March is for laid back spring training, not playoff atmosphere baseball (aka. Its not the way we've always done it.)
• Players should be concentrating on getting ready for the season, not overextending themselves
• USA players aren't ready, other countries are in mid-season form.
• It's meaningless

That about covers it, right?  Well, here's a point by point rebuttal.

• Players getting hurt?  Of course I don't want players to get hurt, but I'd be more pissed if they got hurt in a meaningless Spring Training game.  Every time you lace them up, you risk injury.  You want them to avoid injury, have them sit in a hyperbaric chamber all day. 
• People like to ramp up to postseason quality play.  They like to sit back and watch (or evaluate) players in the preseason without getting overly invested in the outcome.  I don't get this one.  Who doesn't like a playoff atmosphere?  Preseason is great for naps and little else.  WBC gets me on the edge of my seat.  I care about the USA.  I care about Cubs on foreign teams.  Even Fukudome.
• Again, I'm not asking them to do much more than they would in a preseason game.  Just play freaking baseball.  We're talking million-dollar athletes here.  Suck it up.  You can handle starting spring training a week early.
• Yeah, this kind of sucks from USA standpoint.  But it's not all about USA, you know.  The tournament could be done in November, but players are knee-deep in vacation in November and probably wouldn't like that either.  They could do it at the All-Star break, but all non-participants would have 2-3 weeks off.  There's no perfect answer here so lets leave it where it is.
• It's FAR from meaningless.  Spring Training is meaningless.  Most regular season games?  Meaningless.  (At least individually.  Even the best teams lose 50 games in a given year.  You lose two in the WBC and you're out. )  This is a notch below playoffs, baby.  You can see the enthusiasm in watching the players.  If it means something to them, it means something to me.  And besides, its not like my favorite MLB team has a chance at ever winning anything.  At least here I have a chance at the ultimate reward:  rooting for a champion.

So I watch.  And I love it.