By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes
Fanboy media endorses Theo’s lies. Plus: Blackhawks In Typical Thrilling Playoff Mode; Bulls Get Bucks; Mock Journalism; The Other Baseball Team In Town; Tribute To Mark Grace.
Posted on April 17, 2015
Fantasy Fix: Good Betts And Bad Bets
By Dan O’Shea
Can you be less than two weeks into the baseball season and already feel you were dead wrong about a player’s fantasy value?
That’s how I’m feeling about Mookie Betts, 2B/OF, BOS. I had him ranked 15th among 2Bs in the preseason. Though I admitted at that point I might be undervaluing him, what I mostly saw was a guy who wouldn’t play second much with veteran Dustin Pedroia locked into that position in Boston, and someone who was maybe the fourth or fifth man in the outfield for the Red Sox.
Betts is not by a long shot the best fantasy value overall in the early going, but his two HRs, six RBI and two SBs make him the third- or fourth-ranked 2B in many leagues. So, anyone who bet on Betts appears to have gotten a bargain.
Posted on April 14, 2015
SportsMonday: Controlling Kris Bryant
By Jim Coffman
The day couldn’t have started worse for the Cubs. They watched on Sunday as DJ LeMahieu sparked an early four-run Rockie rally with a three-run triple. LeMahieu of course was the one of the guys the Cubs gave up in Theo Epstein’s first ill-fated trade way back in his first year in command. LeMahieu and Tyler Colvin were the ransom paid to acquire third-baseman Ian Stewart, who was a total bust on and off the field.
Posted on April 13, 2015
Spicoli And The Robot
By Marty Gangler
It’s amazing what one good decision can do. It can wipe out a lot of bad ones. Like a lot. And at this point in the Ricketts regime as keeper of the Cubs, Tommy Boy has made one correct decision and pretty much everything else has been horrendous: He hired Theo Epstein. And then Theo hired Joe Maddon.
If you remember, we here at the Cub Factor haven’t agreed with the punting of multiple seasons, but we are here now and the Cubs have a puncher’s chance this season and aren’t trying to punish your baseball sensibilities. With this being said, there is a real distinction between the baseball side and the business side.
Tell me this conversation hasn’t happened:
Posted on April 13, 2015
Not Yet Royal
By Roger Wallenstein
Finding anything positive about a miserable 10-1 Opening Day drubbing in Kansas City was a challenge. However, I was fortunate to be driving cross-country last Monday listening to the Royals’ broadcast on Sirius as the White Sox dropped the first of their four-game swoon to inaugurate the season.
This was the 47th Opener for Kansas City, a franchise born from major league expansion in 1969. Kansas City had been without a team for two seasons after Charlie Finley moved the Athletics west to Oakland. Denny Matthews was in the radio booth when those first Royals were introduced, and he’s been there ever since.
My familiarity with Matthews was limited, but after listening to him and his sidekick Steve Physioc for three hours, my admiration for his account of a lopsided game grew with each inning.
Posted on April 13, 2015
The Beachwood Radio Sports Hour #46: Wither Chicago Sports
By Jim Coffman and Steve Rhodes with Noahbattacola
Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs and White Sox all in trouble. Plus: The Chicago Fire Did Something This Week. Also: Wither College Basketball.
Posted on April 10, 2015
The Cubs’ Opening Week On Deadspin
From Clown Show To Shit Show And Back Again
1. Cubs Will Use This Ernie Banks Tarp To Hide Their Unfinished Bleachers.
Posted on April 10, 2015
Fantasy Fix: Deep Sleepers
By Dan O’Shea
There are never enough bench spots to accommodate everyone you want to take a flier on during your fantasy draft. There are always going to be a few guys who go undrafted, but who you’ll have on your waiver wire watch list as the season starts.
Here are a few very deep sleepers I’ll be watching closely in the first month of the season, ready to add them if they get hot and a DL stint or other excuse opens up a roster spot:
Posted on April 7, 2015
We’re Here, They’re Gone
By Roger Wallenstein
The cycle begins anew this afternoon in Kansas City. Before it’s completed, not only will we see leaves on the trees, but they will be tinted with orange, yellow and brown. For those of us who pay attention, we’ll either be bursting with post-season anticipation or wondering how long it will take Rick Hahn to axe Robin Ventura. Or somewhere in between if the team improves but fails to challenge baseball’s elite.
The journey begins with 99 and 89 losses the past two seasons along with declining attendance for the past eight. Prognosticators like Sports Illustrated predict that our athletes will improve another 10 games and lose just 79, finishing third behind the Indians and Tigers. Does that mean the number will dwindle to 69 in 2016?
Posted on April 6, 2015
SportsMonday: All Jumbotron, No Cattle
By Jim Coffman
No one was surprised, were they? Nobody who knows anything about baseball?
Because anyone who knows anything about baseball knew that a lineup with Starlin Castro batting clean-up, Mike Olt batting anywhere, the pitcher as the eighth-best hitter . . . that lineup will not generate competent short-term or long-term major league offense.
The first half of that statement began to play out in the Cubs’ punchless 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on Opening Night. And just to state the obvious: if Kris Bryant had been in the lineup, Starlin would not have batted clean-up, Mike Olt would not have been in the lineup and . . . well, I guess Jon Lester would have still batted eighth but somehow I’m sure that move would have seemed a little less desperate.
Posted on April 6, 2015