davell

I really thought Hedges would be OK in AAA. But he's been so bad, I agree, just flip him and Tseng.

As if pitchers ain't got enough to worry about.....They're being targeted by the homeless.

5 5 1 1 2 5, on 86 pitches, is the final line for Hatch.

Its why I want them to be aggressive with Lange. He'll be in the exact same boat as Hatch this time next year.

Hatch is 22.

I think you're underestimating what the East looks like after these moves. The Pacers, Hawks, Magic, Nets, and Knicks are all as bad as we are. The Suns too, especially since they're now back in retank mode. Add in a few wins against below average teams, of which there are a bunch.....I do think this is a 30 win team.

Basketball metrics are too weird, for me to use with any certainty. I don't think there's any question Oladipo would move directly into a starters role, just as he did with OKC and Orlando. I don't even think his contract is bad. Its just the going rate nowadays. And I think most teams would easily value a guy that's already got a starting track record, with decent numbers, to a mid round pick, or any of the Sabonisish type of young guys the Bulls have.....Meaning Portis, Valentine, they're all just guys with no success at this stage. Just a guy that was drafted top 20 or whatever..... As for Jimmy recruiting.....You were putting all your eggs in THIS basket of FA or the next, because that's all you had him for.....What happens when you watch him strike out? Its not a knock on Jimmy either. I don't think you'd see too many guys want to come in and play in Chicago.....Wade did, because of the money, and because he's from Chicago and Miami was dicking him around and he was hurt.....The Bulls can win out on non-max guys. But, the max guys want to surround themselves with a better top guy than Jimmy. Not to mention, I think anyone would have questions about trusting our FO to put together the finished product. After those 2 years, are you prepared to super max Jimmy? Because if you don't, you know he'd leave. Then you're paying him THAT in his decline years.....And stuck in 35-45 win hell for that contract too. I'm definitely pro-tank. I'm not UPSET with what we got as the return. Even if I did expect at least a bit more.(keeping pick 16 and getting a future 1st from Minny too, is what I'd say was fair) But, it put us down this track, which I think was correct. Mainly, because I don't think his value would do anything but go downwards from here. And unfortunately, Ainge is just sitting in a locked room, doing his best Gollum imitation, when it comes to his picks. So, I'm past even thinking Boston was realistic. Going forward? I can poke holes all over the place. This team isn't bad enough to do the intended tanking. I'm not seeing them trying to add assets, by taking on shitty contracts.....Rondo was supposed to do that, maybe the TPE will, or our cap space, if we're operating under the cap. I'm still not sure, but think we're trying to operate above, so the TPE can be used. At any rate, they need to add more picks and youngsters, while getting rid of Wade and Lopez, if there's any takers for him.(looks like teams aren't in need of bigs). Because I'll gladly admit that trading Jimmy is stupid, if you're still going to be a 30+ win team, which I think this is.....

Absolutely correct. Other than Oladipo would have been the 2nd best player on the Bulls.

How valuable are future picks from a team that you're dealing a superstar for? The Nets trade is obviously the best example of a team that got beyond desperate and forfeited 10 years of viability for 1 year of a potential run. That trade is looked at as the biggest deal of buffoonery ever. Look at the Demarcus Cousins deal. The Kings got a future first round pick in this draft and it ended up being number 10. A good spot to draft a quality player, but not a franchising changing position. Who's the star talent traded at the deadline in the last five years that yielded an amazing return? Again, looking at the Cousins deal, people thought the return was pretty weak. That's the nature of deals in the NBA. Star players aren't going to be bring back what we think they're worth. Again, would I have preferred a package that SSR said he would have done for Butler a couple pages ago? Of course. The Bulls would have too, but if its not there, its not there. And you're seeing what the market will offer you for a top 15 player (George) in their year before FA and its not pretty. Then, if you still want to keep Butler, is he, as a 29 year old, going to be worth a supermax deal? The Bulls clearly didn't love Jimmy enough to offer him that years down the road and look at him as the franchise cornerstone for the next Bulls Championship run. So trade for a star instead of trading one. With what lol? Oladipo and Sabonis beats the horsefeathers out of anything we could have offered for George.

Paredes has some qualities that make catching interesting. But, even though I don't see him sticking at SS, I think I'd just move him to 3B, or maybe 2B. He's holding his own in the MWL as a hitter. While I think part of it is he's just advanced, there's no way I'd say he's definitely not going to hit enough to play a certain position yet. It MAY wind up being the case, but its far too early to say that. I'm very encouraged at his results this year. They're better than I was expecting.

Schwarber HR

Justin Steele goes 6 4 1 1 1 5, on 78 pitches. He's really putting things together this year.

Kershaw has had some bad circumstances that have contributed to his playoff numbers, hasn't he? It seems like he gets taken out and every inherited base runner scores, due to his pen. Plus, they inexplicably throw him on short rest every year too, I think. He's not been great, but I don't think he's David Price level of gacking.

Honestly, we've got 3 starting pitchers. Lester, Hendricks, and Montgomery. If the rest of the team is firing, Arrieta can stay in it too. But, Lackey and Butler aren't 5th starters on a playoff team. We need to get a guy quick. And if we do grab a cost controlled guy, then I'd still try to add some sort of rental depth guy too over July.

In former Cub news, Paul Blackburn is making his major league debut for Oakland right now. Don't remember how Oakland got him from Seattle, but if there's anyone who doesn't remember, he was part of the Montgomery deal.

Ha, in writing that out, it went thru my mind too.

Evidently, David Price got into it with Eckersley, who works for NESN. Its his second media blow up in the last month. If we don't go get Verlander at the deadline, I'd say he's a decent possibility. If for no other reason, than I'd bet Boston would give him away, mostly for just having his contract off their books.....He's expensive, but if they kicked in a bit, I'd say we'd be a good fit.

Felicio gets 4/32. Wonder if that opens up a trade of Lopez now? If Rubio netted a1st, I'd think he would too.

I'm calling his 3rd one now, so I don't horsefeathering get beat again.

2nd bomb for Schwarber

God, I love him.

That is a fake account, but it doesn't change the fact that Ainge is sitting there in a pile of draft picks and passing up George and Butler, when either was his for the taking. Hell, he could have had both.

Oladipo and Sabonis is what they gave up.....

Well, he can get that 3 year deal for over 90 there and only there. Plus, if him and Russ(who can opt out next year) like playing with each other....Why not? They get more money there than both going to LA.....

Wooooooooow. horsefeathers, David beat me. Blake Griffin takes 5/173 to stay a Clipper. Hayward or bust for Boston now?