Kerry Wood is no longer what he once was to most Cubs fans. He is no longer the pitcher who pitched so flawlessly up until game 7 of the 2003 NLCS and got the Cubs within a game of the World Series. To my generation of Cubs fans, Kerry is our Ron Santo. Kerry has never lived up to the expectations placed upon him by Cubs fans, but in Kerry's defense it is not for a lack of effort. The guy simply could never stay healthy, and while some people question what was wrong with Prior all those years, Kerry always had a real injury and always suffered massive setbacks.
Kerry Wood returning to Chicago after 2 years is a godsend. Kerry is home, he is right where he belongs; locking down the 8th inning for the Cubs. With Kerry, Marshall, and Marmol at the back end of the bullpen, the Cubs may just have the best bullpen in the NL central division. After looking at Kerry's numbers since he became strictly a reliever, he has been extremely dependable and been lockdown in key situations and big moments. Kerry was absolutely unhittable after getting traded to the Yankees and it was probably some of his best work as a pitcher in his career. With the Yanks, Wood had a 0.69ERA and 31 k's in 24 innings. I know his numbers were terrible in 09 with the Yankees, but again Kerry was injured for the better part of that campaign. With the Cubs in 08, and the Yankees last year, Kerry has been able to really find a niche when being a part of a contending team. Why Kerry ever signed on to play with the Indians I will never know. I know 2yrs/20 mil is a pretty convincing reason, but he could have signed numerous other places for near the same price and been on a contender. Cubs fans should be applauding Kerry for taking far less money to come back to Chicago to play for the Cubs for a fraction of what he could have earned. Not only did Kerry take a pay cut, he also took a 1 year deal. Kerry wants to be here. He is a Cub through and through, and Kerry wants to be here when we win. It will happen. Whether that comes when Kerry is still on the roster or in the front office is to be determined, but I am glad Kerry Wood is back on the North Side of town, and hopefully he will be here for the rest of his career.
Prediction for the season. Kerry Wood, 55 IP, 4-3 W-L record, 77k's, and an ERA of 3.25.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Dream Job : Cubs PA Announcer
I mean seriously, are the Cubs really opening up this position to just anyone? Well sign me up, the wife will be taking out the Flip Cam tonight and filming me saying, "And starting at shortstop, number 13, Starlin Castro." like 500 times. Going to be awesome. And yes I will post it for you all to see. And by you all, I mean the 10 people who currently check this blog out....
The super best friends: Lebron hate
Well, I know I wanted to keep this focused on what was going on in the world of Chicago sports, but due to the fact that we are in a real dead time for sports with college hoops being so unbearable to watch I figured I would talk about my hate for the Heat.
Last night, I was watching the Oscars, which was horrendous, and due to it being so boring and just god awful, I watched the 2nd half of the Heat-Knicks game. All I can say is that whoever thinks the Heat will coast to the Eastern Conference Finals is basketball dumb. The super best friends do not know what they are doing when the game is on the line. The Heat this year have two wins where they have won on the final shot. Guess who hit the big shots? If you guessed any of the might triumvirate that is LBJ, Wade, or floppy sue Bosh, you would be mistaken. Eddie House and Mike Miller are who hit the big shots. Oh yea, and they both stink. Last night as I watched that game and thought back to the Heat Bulls game, they played out almost identically. The Heat had an 84-80 lead in both games and wound up losing both games by 3 and 5 points. In both games, the Heat had a chance to tie it and that shot went to Lebron in both games. While I know MJ didn't make every game winner, it seemed that way because he always got a good look and gave his team the best chance to win. What he didn't do was throw up horrible shots and break the backboard on his jumpers like Lebron. The guy is just not clutch. Eric Spoelstra needs to start giving those game winning shots to the only guy on his team with any guts: D-Wade. He atleast has a track record of knocking down shots. I don't see this team getting passed the 2nd round the way they are playing now. They simply lack the toughness that a team needs to advance in the playoffs. They are a combined 0-6 against the Celtics, Bulls, and revamped Knicks. While they destroy the dregs of this league, they cannot beat anyone who is actually good. Bulls in 5 in the second round if they have to play the Heat, home court or no home court advantage. Not only would they get out toughed by the Bulls, they'd get out coached as well. Bring it Super best friends.
Last night, I was watching the Oscars, which was horrendous, and due to it being so boring and just god awful, I watched the 2nd half of the Heat-Knicks game. All I can say is that whoever thinks the Heat will coast to the Eastern Conference Finals is basketball dumb. The super best friends do not know what they are doing when the game is on the line. The Heat this year have two wins where they have won on the final shot. Guess who hit the big shots? If you guessed any of the might triumvirate that is LBJ, Wade, or floppy sue Bosh, you would be mistaken. Eddie House and Mike Miller are who hit the big shots. Oh yea, and they both stink. Last night as I watched that game and thought back to the Heat Bulls game, they played out almost identically. The Heat had an 84-80 lead in both games and wound up losing both games by 3 and 5 points. In both games, the Heat had a chance to tie it and that shot went to Lebron in both games. While I know MJ didn't make every game winner, it seemed that way because he always got a good look and gave his team the best chance to win. What he didn't do was throw up horrible shots and break the backboard on his jumpers like Lebron. The guy is just not clutch. Eric Spoelstra needs to start giving those game winning shots to the only guy on his team with any guts: D-Wade. He atleast has a track record of knocking down shots. I don't see this team getting passed the 2nd round the way they are playing now. They simply lack the toughness that a team needs to advance in the playoffs. They are a combined 0-6 against the Celtics, Bulls, and revamped Knicks. While they destroy the dregs of this league, they cannot beat anyone who is actually good. Bulls in 5 in the second round if they have to play the Heat, home court or no home court advantage. Not only would they get out toughed by the Bulls, they'd get out coached as well. Bring it Super best friends.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Well....jeez that went well......notes from the south
Ok, Cubs spring opener has come and gone and while its not exactly time to press the panic button like I did yesterday playing NCAA2010 vs. Mans, I would have liked to see Matt Garza not get totally rocked. Anyways, no big deal, Tyler Colvin can't catch fly balls, and Matt Garza can't get anyone out, but ya know what. Its all good. Its all good. Its all good. Gotta like the fact that Soriano was 3 for 3...At the same time, it doesn't matter. We got 5 weeks til opening Day, and it just great to have baseball back in my life.
As far as what is going on over in the Land of OZ. That dude just can't let things go. While I like Ozzie's fire, he also has the mindset of a 12 year old girl. Not exactly the most mature guy around. In fact, he could have came out of this looking like a real professional, instead of the manager who tells his blabber mouth loser son everything he talks to his players about. But, no, in typical Ozzie fashion he has to make a story of a complete non story by keeping this Bobby Jenks story in the headlines. News flash, Bobby Jenks sucks. He sucked last year. He sucked the year before, and if you look at the numbers, he gets worse every single year he takes the mound. For that reason alone the White Sox made a great decision to let Bobby go. They have a young kid in Chris Sale who is just electric, Santos, and Thornton, not to mention Jesse Crain who is a much better pitcher than Jenks and is playing for the White Sox for millions less. Great work by Kenny Williams. Ozzie Guillen, you're an idiot because you could have just made Jenks look like a guy with sour grapes, but every time you bring this up again, and comment again, you look like a moron and the child you appear to be. The appropriate response should have been, "Bobby was great for us the past 6 years, but it was time for the organization to move on and we wish Bobby nothing but the best." Now Ozzie, is that so hard?
As far as what is going on over in the Land of OZ. That dude just can't let things go. While I like Ozzie's fire, he also has the mindset of a 12 year old girl. Not exactly the most mature guy around. In fact, he could have came out of this looking like a real professional, instead of the manager who tells his blabber mouth loser son everything he talks to his players about. But, no, in typical Ozzie fashion he has to make a story of a complete non story by keeping this Bobby Jenks story in the headlines. News flash, Bobby Jenks sucks. He sucked last year. He sucked the year before, and if you look at the numbers, he gets worse every single year he takes the mound. For that reason alone the White Sox made a great decision to let Bobby go. They have a young kid in Chris Sale who is just electric, Santos, and Thornton, not to mention Jesse Crain who is a much better pitcher than Jenks and is playing for the White Sox for millions less. Great work by Kenny Williams. Ozzie Guillen, you're an idiot because you could have just made Jenks look like a guy with sour grapes, but every time you bring this up again, and comment again, you look like a moron and the child you appear to be. The appropriate response should have been, "Bobby was great for us the past 6 years, but it was time for the organization to move on and we wish Bobby nothing but the best." Now Ozzie, is that so hard?
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Derrick Rose is the Bee's knees
Now I know I am a little late on this post, but how about that Bulls Heat game on Thursday. After coming out and getting run out of the gym in the first 8 minutes of the game, Da bulls sent the Super Best Friends packing with another loss against a high quality opponent. If I had to hear Reggie Miller say one more time how the Bulls could not score without D-Rose on the court I was going to punch that dude in the face like Jordan did for 10 straight years. Nothing but praise for the Heat and their literally 3 good players, one of which who was 1-18 from the floor and had maybe the worst flop in the history of the NBA. In all my years of watching basketball, I have never seen a 6-11 big guy take a flop like that. That was embarrassing and was the cherry on top to an amazing night for Chris Bosh.
But lets get to the main point of this post. D-Rose. dude dishes out humble pie on the reg to all these guys just like LBJ, the self proclaimed king of the NBA who hasn't won shit other than regular season games. When the game was on the line Thursday night, D-Rose did what D-Rose does and took over the game. He made some ridiculous shots and had faith in his teammates to make big shots when they needed to. The guys simply sweats positive energy and leadership. The only young player that shows the same tenacity and maturity as D-Rose is probably the Durantula. The way D accepts coaching, and the way he has improved his game is absolutely remarkable and enough credit cannot be given to him. We have to remember that he should be a college senior right now. The level at which he has elevated his game in just one year is amazing. Last year he was probably one of the worst 3 point shooters in the NBA. This year, if he's got space, count it. Kid is just fucking killing it this year and has brought about the reemergence of Bulls fandom in Chicago like never before. Did you see the game on Thursday, everyone was on their feet for the entire fourth qtr. I cannot remember the last time I saw that at a Bulls game. It is on this year in the Eastern Conference and I have no doubt that this Bulls team can take out any team in the league right now. Da Bulls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d32OeqbYbHg
But lets get to the main point of this post. D-Rose. dude dishes out humble pie on the reg to all these guys just like LBJ, the self proclaimed king of the NBA who hasn't won shit other than regular season games. When the game was on the line Thursday night, D-Rose did what D-Rose does and took over the game. He made some ridiculous shots and had faith in his teammates to make big shots when they needed to. The guys simply sweats positive energy and leadership. The only young player that shows the same tenacity and maturity as D-Rose is probably the Durantula. The way D accepts coaching, and the way he has improved his game is absolutely remarkable and enough credit cannot be given to him. We have to remember that he should be a college senior right now. The level at which he has elevated his game in just one year is amazing. Last year he was probably one of the worst 3 point shooters in the NBA. This year, if he's got space, count it. Kid is just fucking killing it this year and has brought about the reemergence of Bulls fandom in Chicago like never before. Did you see the game on Thursday, everyone was on their feet for the entire fourth qtr. I cannot remember the last time I saw that at a Bulls game. It is on this year in the Eastern Conference and I have no doubt that this Bulls team can take out any team in the league right now. Da Bulls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d32OeqbYbHg
Carlos Zambrano. Feast or Famine?
Well, quite frankly, this season's success depends upon two players earning their money: Big Z and the cock fighting king of the Dominican Republic, A-Ram. Without big performances from these two, you might as well just fast forward to 2012. Now we all know that Big Z is fucking joke, but sometimes that big fucking joke can really pitch. Last year, after apparently getting a brain transplant mid season, he came back and was essentially unhittable putting up an impressive 7-0 record and sub 3.00 ERA. Now, was this reality is the big question. Big Z appeared to learn how to pitch. He no longer is throwing in the mid 90s. He is relegated to the high 80s now and an array of sinkers and sliders. Was his awful early season performance due to poor coaching and head games by Lou? I don't know, but putting a guy in the bullpen after three bad starts, who is already a fucking lunatic is probably a really bad decision. While Big Z was awful, he is not a bullpen guy. Dude is a horse, and for the better part of a decade the rock in the rotation, opening day starts excluded. This season with Coach Q at the helm, I'm predicting big things for Big Z this year. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 14-7, 7.5 k/9, 3.46 ERA is pretty fair I think. Quade appears to be loved by the players and I have no idea why because he seems like a total energy and in your face guy, which most professionals think they are way to good for. In my opinion, a guy with his attitude is far more suited to coach the Chuninchi Dragons of the UIC 12' inch softball league , but what the hell do I know. Hopefully his attitude will rub off on these guys like Big Z, Rammy, and Soriano and they can play like the impact players they have been in the past. So to conclude, if Big Z can keep up what he started at the end of last year, things on the north side of town should be pretty promising.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Welcome to My World
This blog is meant to pretty much give you ESPN INsider without having any insiders and without making you pay 9.99 a month for it. Who gives a shit about the east coast and west coast. If that is all you want to read about then watch it on ESPN. I plan on covering predominantly Chicago Sports, as well as Big Ten hoops. My biases are towards two specific teams, the Cubs and the Hoosiers. Moving on, I hate the Sox, but feel I can write about them in an even tempered manner, and without too much hate. That is because most of my hate is towards White Sox fans, not the actual team. Anyways, I'm looking forward to writing this and taking you into the second half of the Bulls season and into the 162 game baseball season.
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