Performance of the Week

Congratulations to Mark Buehrle, the first Pitcher to ever win the POTW Award here at ChiSportsNews. In the last week, Buehrle has made two starts, is 2-0, has only 7 K's, but has an ERA of 0.60, and a WHIP of 0.93. He's only walked two batters in those two starts, which cover 15 combined innings. Congrats Mark Buehrle, you've done the best over the last week!

Turnabout's Fair Play

The White Sox swept the Cubs out of the South Side on a game that was interesting to say the least. With some very questionable calls in the first couple innings, Sweet Lou was arguing with the 1st base umpire when ejected by the home plate umpire (who was 20 feet away from the conversation) and the White Sox went on to roll, 5-1. Congrats to the Sox, who regained that Chicago Swagger (while taking it away from the Cubbies) with a counter-attack-like sweep on the North Sider's.

The Cubs are needing Soriano and Zambrano back badly. Two pitchers started in this series that weren't on the opening day roster (Marshall, Gallagher) for the Cubs, and Zambrano would've been scheduled to pitch in both series'. Carlos Quentin raked in The Cell like Aramis Ramirez did at Wrigley. The Cubs have lost 5 of 6, and the White Sox are rolling once again. The Sox need to be paying attention to the Twins, however...as do the Cubs to the Cardinals of St. Louis.

As Promised...Introducing Derrick Rose and Sonny Weems!

DERRICK ROSE



SONNY WEEMS

More Sabathia

Ken Rosenthal says that any team that trades for him will "gain an exclusive window to sign him long-term before he reaches free agency." That makes things very interesting, and acquiring him much more tantelizing. The Cubs are front runners to acquire him, along with the Rays and Brewers. The Rays probably have the most talent in the minors, but the Indians would probably prefer to trade him to the National League. Sabathia is sporting a sub-2.00 ERA in his last FOURTEEN starts. Think about that stuff in the National League...

Kenny Williams happy with Roster

KW sees no reason to change the White Sox' roster at the moment, saying he hasn't assigned scouts to any team to watch any potential player that may be traded. Some Sox fans think another burner (Juan Pierre, maybe?) should maybe be looked at, as the South Siders really lack speed. But KW is content with Dewayne Wise, and it's hard to argue with that.

Draft Awards

Here they are...my draft awards.

BIGGEST WINNERS:

3. Deborah Ledford
Deb is the proud single mother of Brook and Robin Lopez. Congrats to her; she not only raised two boys alone, but raised them right and now has to Professional Basketball playing Sons (one 'Sun').

2. Miami Heat
Picking Michael Beasley was the right pick for Pat Riley (though admittedly, I never thought he would do it.) It all worked out in the end for Pat, who ended up getting Mario Chalmers and Darnell Jackson in the 2nd round....both guys were picked too late.

1. New Jersey Nets
What didn't the Nets do? They traded away Richard Jefferson and his bloated contract for Yi Jianlian (smart move), then went out and grabbed the aforementioned Brook Lopez (10th pick), a strong PF in Ryan Anderson (21st pick), and STOLE Chris Douglas-Roberts with the 4oth pick. They may have picked up 3 starters in a 5-hour stretch.


BIGGEST LOSERS:

3. Denver Nuggets
It's not so much that Denver didn't have any picks in the draft...it's just that when it happens two years in a row -- something's wrong.

2. Knicks' fans
There's a decent chance that Danilo Gallinari will work out for you guys. hahahahahahah

1. Mario Chalmers & Chris Douglas-Roberts
Being labeled the potential "steals of the draft" meant you got drafted WAY too low. Keep your heads up, guys...you'll have solid NBA Careers.

BEST NAME DRAFTED:

Ante Tomic - Utah Jazz
How awesome will it be to see someone with "A.Tomic" sewn into the back of his jersey? Marketing Genius!

BEST DRESSED:

O.J. Mayo - Memphis Grizzlies:
Should've gone to Miami -- where his style would fit. He'll struggle starting off in Memphis (just a hunch).

JOAKIM NOAH AWARD (Worst Hair):

Robin Lopez -- Phoenix Suns
Poor Robin...the hat didn't even fit.

BEST MOVE:

Pat Riley -- Miami Heat
Getting Mario Chalmers after passing on O.J. Mayo and every other PG he could've had, Riley made a great move. He got a PG that can start alongside D-Wade and Beasley in the 2nd round.

ISIAH THOMAS AWARD (Worst Pick):

Isiah Th....I mean...whoever is running ship in NYC these days.
After watching all these international stars flounder instead of flourish, the Knicks picked Gallinari over 20 guys that could've made a bigger impact. Come one guys...by now you have to know there's more Darko's than Dirk's in draft.






MORE TO COME...

Bulls take Rose #1, Weems #39

As almost expected, the Bulls took Derrick Rose #1 overall in the draft, to the delight of several Chicago fans. Rose instantly upgrades our backcourt, making Hinrich expandable. They went for a high-flying dunker in Sonny Weems (F-Ark.) with their 2nd pick. I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed. With Chris Douglas-Roberts (unexplicably) still on the board, and the impending contract dispute with Ben Gordon, I really thought the Bulls should take him.

Sonny Weems won the NCAA Dunk Contest last season as a Razorback, and is another Tyrus Thomas-like player with a bit more range. He's known for defense and dunks, which will help a player like Rose with his development.

Overall, a solid draft for the Bulls. Tomorrow I will have some awards for the draft, along with YouTube vids posted for the drafted players.

2008 NBA Mock Draft

(EDIT) As soon as I say "trades are doubtful", one emerges. Here's Mock Version 1.1

Here it is, my first ever NBA Mock draft. One round, complete with trades. The only way I will change this is if some sort of trade happens at least 2 hours before the draft begins, which is doubtful. So with no further adieu...

#1 - Chicago Bulls -- Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
The Bulls get their guy in PG Derrick Rose. Rose's leadership and drive-and-dish abilities will instantly help the Bulls spot-up shooters such as Andres Nocioni and Ben Gordon, and will help cutters like Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng.

#2 - Miami Heat -- O.J. Mayo, PG, USC
The Heat shock the world to the delight of the T-Wolves and take OJ Mayo with the #2 pick. Contemplating trading down, they eventually came to the conclusion that Mayo would be gone before the 4th overall pick regardless and take their player here.

#3 - Minnesota Timberwolves -- Michael Beasley, SF, Kansas State
Happiest team in the draft, the Wolves get the Rookie of the Year front runner with the #3 overall pick. Beasley instantly makes the Wolves a playoff contender.

#4 - Seattle Supersonics -- PICK TRADED to Milwaukee for #8 pick, Mo Williams, Future 2nd round pick.

#4 - Milwaukee Bucks -- Jarryd Bayless, PG, Arizona
The Bucks trade up to take the PG they want, fearing no PGs will be left by the #8 pick.

#5 - Memphis Grizzlies -- Kevin Love, PF/C, UCLA
Memphis needs a big man, and the decision comes down to Love or Brook Lopez

#6 - New York Knicks -- Eric Gordon, PG/SG, Indiana
The Knicks missed out on Mayo and Bayless, but take the big name over the speedy Westbrook. Gordon is ready for the NY Lifestyle.

#7 - Los Angeles Clippers -- Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA
The Clippers get the perfect PG for their system. Westbrook can run past a defense and has a good 3-point shot.

#8 - Seattle Supersonics (via trade with Milwaukee) -- Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
Lopez falls a bit further than some thought, but finds a (temporary) home in Seattle. Some think Lopez should go #5 to Memphis.

#9 - Charlotte Bobcats -- D.J. Augustine, PG, Texas
The Bobcats reach a little with a PG that they feel can be the PG of the future for them. Risky gamble that could pay off.

#10 - New Jersey Nets -- Danilo Gallinari, SF, International
The Nets love this guy, and they need to start looking for replacements for their aging vet's.

#11 - Indiana Pacers -- Anthony Randolph, SF/PF, LSU

#12 - Sacramento Kings -- Joe Alexander, SF/PF, West Virginia

#13 - Portland Trailblazers -- PICK TRADED to New Jersey Nets along with 2nd round pick for Richard Jefferson

#13 - New Jersey Nets -- Brandon Rush, SG/SF, Kansas

#14 - Golden State Warriors -- Kosta Koufas, C, Ohio State

#15 - Pheonix Suns -- Jason Thompson, C, Rider

#16 - Philidelphia 76ers -- Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas

#17 - Indiana Pacers (Via Toronto in Jermaine O'Neal deal) -- Robin Lopez, C, Stanford

#18 - Washington Wizards -- DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M

#19 - Cleveland Cavaliers -- Marreese Speights, PF/C, Florida

#20 - Denver Nuggets -- JaVale McGee, C, Nevada

#21 - New Jersey Nets -- Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown

#22 - Orlando Magic -- Donte Green, SG, Syracuse

#23 - Utah Jazz -- Chris Douglas-Roberts, SG/SF, Memphis

#24 - Seattle Supersonics -- J.J. Hickson, PF, N.C. State

#25 - Houston Rockets -- Courtney Lee, SG/SF, Western Kentucky

#26 - San Antonio Spurs -- Mario Chalmers, PG/SG, Kansas

#27 - Charlotte Hornets -- Ryan Anderson, PF, California

#28 - Memphis Grizzlies -- Alexis Ajinca, C, International

#29 - Detroit Pistons -- Bill Walker, SF, Kansas St.

#30 - Boston Celtics -- DeVon Hardin, C, California

Uribe: "He Gone!"

According to Joe Cowley at the Sun-Times, Juan Uribe or Pablo Ozuna is going to be seen off the big-league team as soon as Paulie K. comes off the DL, and with DeWayne Wise playing better than both of them, Ozzie's got a tough call to make. Uribe's .215 average isn't quite cutting it, and Ozuna's a bit more versatile. Maybe they can get a little bit for him on the market, but it's not very likely.

Leiber to retire?

Paul Sullivan at the Chicago Tribune has caught up with Jon Lieber recently and learned where Lieber has decided retirement is still a possibility, and he'll reevaluate in October. It's a shame that Lieber has been used so sparingly out of the bullpen; he started out great in long relief. However, anyone that's thinking about retirement every day is someone who sounds like he's spending his last days in baseball.

Appologies...

For the 11 people who have viewed the blog, I apologize for the lack of posting over the last two days. Monday night I lost Internet access and just recently regained it. Some time today I will have a full first round mock draft, as well as any updates I can find. Thanks for sticking with me!

Performance of the Week

Every Monday I am going to attempt to give out an award for the best performance of the week. In this inaugural post, the POTW Award goes to none other than...Jermaine Dye! Dye has been simply raking in over the last week. His stat line reads 10/24 (.417 avg.), 7 Runs, 5 HRs, and 13 RBIs. That's a good month for a lot of players. Congrats Jermaine, you've done the best over the last week.


Honorable Mention: Aramis Ramirez, for his performance solely against the White Sox. (6/15, 4 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI)

Cubs Sweep Sox

In the first interleague series of the year between the two teams, the Cubs swept the White Sox convincingly; coming from behind in the first two games, and winning tonight 7-1. Aramis Ramirez hit is fourth homerun of the series (the most homeruns hit against the Sox by any player this year) and the Cubs went on to roll. AJ Pierzynski's hitting streak ended at 15 games as he went o-4 tonight. The White Sox' lead in the AL-Central has been cut to 1 1/2 games with the Twins winning tonight. It will be interesting to see the series next weekend, as bad blood has flared in the last few years between the two teams; the most recent incident occured with AJ and Michael Barrett last season.

White Sox @ Cubs

Two games into the series, and the Cubs are 2-0 against their cross-town rivals. Both wins have been of the come-from-behind variety for the North Siders, who refuse to lose at home. The White Sox very well may get their revenge, however, as the Cubs travel to the South Side next Friday for another weekend series.

Big Z Update

Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has gone on the 15-day DL, retroactive to his last start, according to the AP and Yahoo! Sports. The Cubs dodged a bullet after an MRI revealed only a minor right shoulder strain. Things could've been much worse for Big Z. With Zambrano only gone for 2 starts and Marquis and Lilly "getting right", it will be interesting to see if the Cubs go for broke and try to bring in a guy like C.C. Sebathia.

Zambrano to miss one start

Updating a previous item, Carlos Zambrano will miss his next start for the Cubs. Cubs fans, let's hope this is the extent of the injury. We've been accustomed to shoulder issues in the past, and it has typically not worked out too well.

Tommie Harris signs 4-year extension!

Per chicagobears.com, Tommie Harris signed a 4-year, $40MM contract extension today, making him the highest paid DT in football. This comes as a great sense of relief to all of us Bears fans, as we now have the best DT in football locked up through 2012. Now, time to get started on Devin Hester!

Zambrano to be sidelined?

Yahoo! Sports, in there game review of the Cubs/Rays game on Wendesday, June 18, talked a bit about Zambrano's current status. For those that didn't get to see the game last night, Zambrano left with 2 outs in the 7th with "shoulder discomfort". An MRI is schedule for sometime today, Thursday, and the outcomes will be posted.

This is disturbing stuff for the Cubbies, who a week ago were sitting high on the hog, enjoying their health and record. Now two superstars have gone down in a week (Soriano being the other) and there's some reason for concern in the locker room. The Cubs offense can't get going, they're still making silly mistakes on defense, and their best pitcher might be on the shelf for a while.

If there's any amount of time missed by Zambrano, you can bet phones will be ringing for previously mentioned starters such as C.C. Sebathia and A.J. Burnett.

Ozzie Guillen Poking Fun @ Lou Piniella?

Greg Couch of the Sun-Times has some interesting stuff for us today. An interview with White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen turned into a pissing match with one party not represented.

Says Guillen: "'Lou Piniella does two things better than me,'' Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said before Tuesday night's game against Pittsburgh. ''Managing and eating.''
...and later...
''It took them three weeks to find a [body] double for Piniella,'' Guillen said. ''For mine, you just go to a model agency.''

Of course we all know the Windy City Showdown is coming up, and with the White Sox long ball nowhere near as prominant as a week ago, some South Siders are worrying. Sounds like you can add Ozzie to that list, who would rather poke fun at Sweet Lou's weight than answer the baseball questions.

Murton Up, Patterson Down

Paul Sullivan of Chicagosports.com has reported that the Cubs have called up Matt Murton and sent Eric Patterson down. This could be, as Lou suggests, because the Cubs called up to left-handed players when Soriano went down. Or it could be, as the rest of the universe suggests, because the Cubs are attempting to trade Murton, hoping to maximize his value by calling him up for a month or so.

Konerko on the DL

This year has been strange enough for Paulie K., but yesterday something happened to him that he had never experienced...a trip to the disabled list. Scot Gregor reports from the Daily Herald that Konerko will take his first ever trip to the DL for a strained oblique muscle he suffered while batting in the indoor cages at the Sox home field. 15 days should be about it, and they're not going to miss his lackluster production.

Who To Take?

BEASLEY VS. ROSE

With the first overall pick in the draft, the Chicago Bulls can put themselves on the fast track to the finals if they make the right pick. Assuming they don't trade the pick, they've got two can't-miss prospects to choose from, however both players would play at solidified or crowded positions on the Bulls current roster. Let's start by going over the current players.

PG - Kirk Hinrich, Chris Duhon, JamesOn Curry
SG - Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha, Shannon Brown
SF - Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni, Demetris Nichols
PF - Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas, Cedric Simmons
C - Joakim Noah, Aaron Gray

Now of course, you can only have 12 players on an active roster, and the Bulls will add two in the draft. That would put this current total at 17, meaning five would have to be cut, no re-signed, put on IR, or some other trick GM's can use to keep players under their control without having them on the active roster. Speculation of the five that would not be on the roster at the start of the season would be Chris Duhon (not re-signed), Shannon Brown (cut), Demetris Nichols (not re-signed), Cedric Simmons (cut), and one other player. This other player could be JamesOn Curry, who saw very little playing time in his rookie year, but it's just as likely someone is placed on the inactive list.

So now the question is, do you add Derrick Rose to a backcourt with Hinrich, Curry, Gordon, Hughes and Sefolosha? Or do you add Michael Beasley to a frontcourt with Deng, Nocioni, Gooden, Thomas, Noah and Gray?

Beasley was 3rd in the nation in scoring @ 26.7 points/game and was first in the nation in rebounding at 12.6 rebounds/game. Those numbers are hard to overlook, especially considering he was a freshman in a tough conference (Big 12). He's a complete player, who has range out to the 3-point line, and can be lethal with his back to the basket. He has the ability to finish with either hand. His range and skills would allow him to play either the SF or the PF positions, and he's the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year honors, regardless of where he gets drafted.

Rose was a freshman point guard for the NCAA Championship runner-up Memphis Tigers. Some think his best skills weren't showcased in the talent-loaded line-up Memphis put on the floor on a nightly basis. He can be a game-changer with his ability to drive and finish or drive and kick. He's a freakish athlete with a ton of upside.

Both players also have some red flags, as most 19 year old's do. Rose can get carried away and turnover prone at times, and isn't a great outside shooter. Beasley's not known for his defense and won't always show up in a big game situation (see NCAA Tournament game against SoCal).

Weighing all the positives and negatives against both players, you can see how tough of a call this is going to be for VDN and Co. Given the way the NBA is going right now with young guns such as Chris Paul, Deron Williams et al. my vote will go to Derrick Rose for the Bulls pick. He won't be as polished coming out of the gate, but I think will have the better overall career. He's got the big men he can toss the 'oop to (anyone else pictuing Rose-to-Tyrus?) and the shooters around him that can help make him a star. Hinrich or Gordon one will be traded, the other will play in the SG spot with Hughes. DR's ability to create and make the players around him better can't be overlooked here, and the Bulls will be back in the playoffs next season with this pick.

More AJ Burnett

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has more for us this morning. A quote from AJ himself:
''As of right now I'm a Blue Jay, and I'm going to pitch to the best of my ability as long as I'm part of this club,'' he said. ''But if something were to happen and I'd have the opportunity to go to a place where baseball is breakfast, lunch and dinner, that would be awesome.
''Right now my focus is with this club, but if something like that were to happen, I'd accept it with open arms.''

Burnett seems ready to get out, and has been pitching decent lately. However, the Jays are only 6 games out of the wild card race, and it's too early for any GM to give up on his team just yet.

Cubs scouting their own loss?

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has said that the Cubs may have actually gained something out of a loss last night, as they were keeping a close eye on Blue Jays starter AJ Burnett. Burnett is due $12MM a year through 2010, and the Jays will most likely be shopping him hard. There's probably better deals to be made by the Cubs for that price, but they wouldn't have to give up as many prospects.

Loaiza not released after all...

According to the AP on ESPN.com, Esteban Loaiza was not in fact released, but is headed to the DL with shoulder inflammation. I guess Kenny Williams didn't want to send him packing when he's get 3 innings under his belt for the White Sox.

Sox Serious about Lofton?

Jason Stark of ESPN has heard that the White Sox have put in the most serious bid for Kenny Lofton, but he balked at the idea of only getting paid $1 - 2 MM. It'd be nice to see Lofton back in a big league uniform...maybe an incentive-laden deal could get him in? Comments?

Scott Podsednik seeing Cubbie Blue?

Troy Renck of the Denver Post had an interesting tidbit of information today. Now that Ryan Spilborghs has been promoted up to the bigs, someone has to be sent down, shipped out, or just cut completely. Renck noted that the Cubs have been putting together a list of available left-handed hitting OF's, and Scott Podsednik may be on that list. Podsednik is only batting .222 in 90 at bats this season, but Cubs fans may look back to 2005 when he was a fixture on the South Side. He'd be relatively cheap, and could be productive. It would be another low-risk, high-reward type of acquisition, but one has to wonder how many of those type of players we can have in one outfield.

Loaiza to be released by Sox

Esteban Loaiza will be released today, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Loaiza signed with the White Sox just a few days ago, but had virtually no speed on his fastball in his 3 innings of work in a Sox uniform. Adam Russell, LRP, will be called up to take his place. Russell is currently 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA this season in Charlotte.

Cubs ink Ben Broussard

According to ESPN 1000 Radio, via mlbtraderumors.com, the Cubs have signed IF/OF Ben Broussard to a minor league deal. Broussard had batted .159 in 26 games with Texas earlier this season. Though the Cubs weren't thought to be in the mix for Broussard 24 hours ago, but the injury to Alfonso Soriano may have prompted Jim Hendry to find some LF help. Personally, I'm not sure playing Broussard is a better idea than pulling Felix Pie back up and giving him some more time. It will be interesting, however, to see the Cubs OF on days Fukudome gets off over the next month. There's a strong chance that on those days the Cubs will start 3 outfielders that weren't on the opening day roster (Reed Johnson, Broussard, Jim Edmonds).

VDN's Press Conference

Here it is, compliments of Bulls.com

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/press_conf/pc08_bulls_delnegro_080611.asx

Bears rollin' with Bentley?

Adam Schefter of NFL Network is reporting that LeCharles Bentley (cut by the Browns on Tuesday) has deemed himself "healthy, ready to play, ready to return to his Pro Bowl level," and could clear the lane for rookie RB Matt Forte and make his transition to NFL starter a much smoother ride. Several teams will be interested in Bentley, who hasn't played a down in two years due to three different injuries. Schefter notes that "Arizona, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Oakland and Pittsburgh" will all be interested parties.

Urlacher's Unexpected Appearance

Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times has a good article up today that speaks of positive news in Bear Nation (something we've not heard too much of in quite some time). First off, Brian Urlacher showed up to the OTA's yesterday, a move that was more than unexpected due to the contract disputes between him and the team. This was thought to be done as a "goodwill gesture" from Urlacher, possibly trying to open up the lines of communication. This appears to be a very smart move by Brian; taking the high road when it's possible.

Alex Brown had a great quote about Urlacher. When he was asked what it meant to have Urlacher in camp, he responded, ''It's like [asking] what does it mean to have gas in the car?'' Brown said. ''It ain't going to go unless the gas is in the car. He's the man, and it's great to have him out here.''

Also good news reported by Mulligan, player's agent Drew Rosenhaus (who represents Tommie Harris) showed his face around Halas Hall last yesterday, presumably to discuss an extension for the big DT.

Soriano to miss up to 6 weeks.

After an inside pitch hit Soriano in Wednesday night's game against the Braves., an X-Ray showed a broken bone in his left hand. This is a huge hit for the Cubs, as they lose not only their leadoff man and left fielder, but their homerun leader and a guy with 40 rbi's early in this season. This was not an intentional beaning; Soriano was down in the count and the pitch simply got away from Jeff Bennett. Soriano's expected to be out for 6 weeks. This really hurts the Cubs chances of moving way up on the NL-C while Albert Pujols is out, as Soriano's expected time off is twice as long. A speedy recovery is wished and prayed for Soriano, a typically quick healer.

C.C. in Chi-Town?

Per Buster Olney, if C.C. Sabathia becomes available, there's a good chance the Cubs would be aggressive. This would be a complete win-now move, as the North Siders would have to give up a lot of the farm in order for a 4-month rental, but could solidify the Cubs staff. Can you imagine having to face Zambrano and Sabathia a total of 4 times in a 7 game series?

On a more plausible note, SI.com's Jon Heyman has tossed out the Cubs as a possible landing spot if and when Kansas City's Gil Meche becomes available. Meche also has a much higher contract than his performance would most likely dictate, but would be aided by a move from the A.L. to the N.L., and would still be much cheaper than Sabathia would be should he sign any sort of extension.

Bears Backup: Kevin Jones or Ron Dayne?

Brad Biggs, of the Chicago Sun-Times, has learned of the desires of both Kevin Jones and Ron Dayne to play for the Bears this upcoming season. He notes, however, that Angelo in the past has decided to stick with in-house guys and see if any of them pan out (see: Mark Bradley Vs. Bernard Berrian.) Forte looks to be the feature back in Chicago, but there's always some unanswered questions about a rookie starting from the get go. With Forte, the other Adrian Peterson, and Garrett Wolfe already on the roster as tailbacks, it might not be easy to find room for another one and give reps to those already deserving.

Does JA roll the dice on a low-risk, high-reward type player in Kevin Jones? Does he go with the safer option in Ron Dayne? Does he revert back to whispers of Shaun Alexander or LaMont Jordan? Or should the Bears stick with what they have, and hope it turns out for the better?

Personally, I think Kevin Jones on the cheap would be a decent signing. If any of our RB's gets bitten by the injury bug early, we would have a decent backup plan, and he could help show Forte the ropes a little. However, that might aggravate Adrian Peterson, who has dutifully served as a back-up for several years, and is looking for more reps.

White Sox wait out Dodgers, sign Loaiza

More Rosenthal. The Dodgers had a deal in mind to trade the well-traveled Esteban Loaiza to the White Sox for Juan Uribe, but Kenny Williams balked at the idea of having to split the difference of the two contracts. Instead, the Dodgers recently released Loaiza, who was signed by the South Side at the pro-rated minimum, a move that allows them to keep trade-chip Uribe under their control. Another smart move from Kenny Williams.

Cubs showing interest in Fuentes?

Ken Rosenthal's got some good stuff today, noting that the Cubs might be interested in Rockies Closer Brian Fuentes. This would seemingly be a nice addition by the Cubs, depending of course on who they would need to give up. Currently, both Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol are on pace to make over 80 appearances each, and left-handed arm that is use to clutch situations could be very valuable. However, as Rosenthal notes, he's going to be an intrigue for virtually every contender up until the trading deadline.

Uribe wants to stay, Danks a long-term possibility?

Mark Gonzales of the Tribune has a good article today about both Juan Uribe and John Danks. Uribe, who has not played a game since May 31 in favor of hot-hitting Alexei Ramirez, has openly expressed his interest to stay on the South Side, noting that he loves the city and he's comfortable here. Things might not work out so pleasantly for him, however...middle infielders are scarce this year and he's a good candidate to be traded. Danks, who is represented by the same agent as Mark Buehrle, has said a multi-year deal is for Kenny Williams to decide on, but did say that it would make him, "very happy."

Brian Roberts not coming to the North Side

Though the talk of bringing Brian Roberts to the North Side was heavy during spring training, talks between the two clubs have cooled considerably since. According to Ken Rosenthal, the proposed deal by the Cubs in spring training that included right-hander Sean Gallagher, shortstop Ronny Cedeno, Class AA left-hander Donald Veal and Class A righty Jose Ceda was balked at by the Orioles, and it may have been the best thing that could've happened for the Cubbies. Cedeno has been a great option off the bench, Gallagher has been better than average for a spot-starter, and the Cubs get to keep some of the youth in the farm system.
There's no way the Cubs would offer that much now, and Rosenthal suggests a better trade option for the Orioles might be Roberts for Ricky Weeks of Milwaukee, a far cry from the level of talent the Cubs proposed.

White Sox Streak Ends at 7

Despite more good hitting from the White Sox, the Tigers overcame a 2-0 early-inning deficit to halt the White Sox winning streak on Tuesday night. The White Sox were the second Chicago team in as many weeks to be named MLB Team of the Week (The Cubs carried a 9-game winning streak through last week). Though the streak ended, don't look for it to last too long. The White Sox are 6.5 games up on the 2nd place Twins and are playing their best baseball of this young season. Kudos to the Sox, and for the sake of the South Side, let's hope it continues.

Introuducing: Vinny Del Negro

According to K.C. Johnson at the Chicago Tribune, Vinny Del Negro has been signed by the Bulls to be the head coach through the 2010-11 season with a team option for a third year. This move comes as sort of a surprise with Avery Johnson and Dwane Casey still in the mix, as VDN has no previous coaching experience. Del Negro has a talk task ahead of him early on; he needs to get a team that greatly underachieved last season back into the playoffs, and probably needs to advance at least to the second round to keep his job secure for the 2nd year of his contract. But look on the bright side, VDN, you do have your pick of Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley. The Bulls and VDN will hold a Press Conference @ 2:oo p.m. CST at the United Center on Wednesday, June 11.

Benson "Never a Good Fit"

According to David Haugh at the Chicago Tribune, Cedric Benson and the Bears weren't on the same page from the start. Says Haugh, "[Benson] wasn't crying because he was overcome with joy or pride...[or] over the honor of running in the city where Walter Payton ran." Benson was upset, according to Haugh, due to the fact that Jerry Angelo decided to draft him with the 4th overall pick in the 2005 draft even after Benson's people called JA shortly before the pick was made to tell him the numbers between the parties were too far off and a contract deal would not be easy to attain. Have no fear, Ceddy; you are now labeled a 1st round bust, drank your way out of a city that wanted to see you succeed, and are currently out of a job. Now there's something to cry over.

Up-And-Coming Blog

Hello all, and thank you for finding my page. I'm semi-new to the blogging world, but soon hope to be giving you news for the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, and even the Chicago Fire as often as I can get it. This will be your one-stop-shop for all things Chicago Sports. Check back in!