The Grand Crosstown Slam

Posted: July 27, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 3 of the Crosstown Cup, this time on the Northside at Wrigley Field.  Jason Hammel is seeking  his 10th win of the season and third in a row.  He’s taking on Anthony Ranaudo in his first start for the White Sox since coming over from the Rangers in May.

Hammel would put a base runner per inning for the first three innings.  Ranaudo in turn would walk Fowler and Rizzo in the 1st inning but wouldn’t allow another base runner through three.

Hammel would give up the first extra base hit of the game with a double to Todd Frazier in the 4th.  But it would be the 5th inning when Anthony Ranaudo would get his first base hit of the year launching a line drive to right center for his first home run of the year.

Hammel would make it through a full seven innings, striking out seven while only walking two and giving up the one run on five hits.

Ranaudo makes it all the way to the top of the 6th be for giving up a one out solo home run to Kris Bryant tieing the game at 1.  Ranaudo gets the first two outs in the top of the 7th.  He would then walk Jason Heyward prompting a visit to the mound.  Javier Baez would knock his 11th home run of the season driving in Heyward and putting the Cubs up by two runs.  Robin Ventura decides to bring in Zach Duke who walks Tommy La Stella only to be removed for Carson Fulmer.

Hector Rondon enters the game in the top of the 8th retiring all three batters.

With Fulmer still in, he starts the 8th by hitting Bryant, then gives up  single to Rizzo.  Ben Zobrist smacks his 18th double if the season driving in Bryant with Rizzo ending up at third.  Miguel Montero walks and that is all for Fulmer as Jacob Turner enters the game.  With the bases loaded Addison Russel would launch a grand slam to left center for his 12th home run of the year.  Jason Heyward gets a single but Jacob Turner would get out of the inning.  Cubs up 8-1.

Tonights the night that we’ll get to see Aroldis Chapman in a Cubs uniform.  He starts off by striking out Jose Abreu.  He gets Todd Frazier into a full count and gets him to ground out to Russell.  Avisail Garcia would get called out on strike three, which homer Hawk Harrelson would immediately say “that was not a strike.”  While Chapman didn’t get the save, he looked great and the Cubs won!

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

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Let’s call it Wednesday

Posted: July 27, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, basketball, football, sports, Uncategorized
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I really use to have an interest in inter-league play. Remember I said use to. Inter-league play is just a shell of it’s former self and a lot of the time I don’t even notice that a series is an inter-league match up until it’s over. I always wanted to know who was going to DH for a National League team and watching the American League pitcher bat could be entertaining. Now there’s an inter-league series pretty much everyday and it’s really just taken the luster off of it. This week we have the Chicago teams matching up in what they call the Crosstown Cup. At least I think that’s what they’re calling it now. To me now it’s just a 4-game series between two teams. Is there anyone out there that still is interested in an inter-league series or are you like me and it’s just another series in a 162 game season. I would love to get your point of view on inter-league play. Are you like me and you’re no longer interested because of the oversaturation of games or is there another reason you’re down on inter-league play. Also if you’re on the other side and you still enjoy inter-league play let me know why you still enjoy watching it. Feel free to leave your comments here or e-mail me SportsTimeRadio@Hotmail.com.

As NFL teams get ready to open camp one of the biggest question still out there is; who’s going to be the New York Jets quarterback. Last seasons starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets remain stalemated in contract negotiations as training camp opens on Wednesday. The sides have not talked about a contract recently and remain far apart. The Jets and Fitzpatrick appear to be far apart on what Fitzpatrick’s value is. In February, the Jets offered Fitzpatrick a three year, $24 million dollar contract, according to sources. It included $12 million in the first year, but only $6 million in each of the last two years. Fitzpatrick is 33 and made $3.25 million last season. He ended up having his best season as a pro. He threw for a career-high 3,905 yards and a Jets team record 31 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. The Jets went 10-6 last season after going 4-12 in the 2014 season. If not Fitzpatrick then who. Geno Smith appears to be the first quarterback in line. Smith appeared in one game last season going 27 for 42. He threw two touchdowns and one interception while throwing for 265 yards. Bryce Petty was drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 draft; so could he be an option at quarterback. The Jets also have this years 2nd round draft pick Christian Hackenburg in camp; so is there a chance that he might win the job. The Jets have stated that they don’t expect Hackenburg to be the teams starting quarterback, but if Fitzpatrick and the Jets can’t come to a contract agreement you’d think they’d go with whichever quarterback gives them the best chance to win. Who’s the Jets starting quarterback Week 1?

Amar’e Stoudemire signed a contract with the New York Knicks so he could announce his retirement as a member of the Knicks. Stoudemire came into the NBA straight out of high school. He was the 9th pick in the 1st round by the Phoenix Suns and went on to win the Rookie of the Year award with the Suns. Stoudemire averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 846 career games over 14 seasons for Phoenix, New York, Dallas and Miami. The 6-foot-10 forward/center was named an All-Star six times and selected to two All-NBA first teams. In Phoenix Stoudemire teamed with Steve Nash to form a formidable pick and roll tandem. Stoudemire may go play overseas. He has lucrative interest from China or he could join Hapoel Jerusalem, which is the Israeli team he co-owns. Stoudemire spent 8 seasons with the Suns. 4 1/2 seasons with the Knicks. He spent half of the 2014-15 season with the Dallas Mavericks and he played 52 games last season for the Miami Heat.

We’ve had a couple of deals in baseball this week. The Cubs made a big move and acquired relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman from the New York Yankees for pitcher Adam Warren and three minor league prospects. They Yankees received minor league shortstop Gleyber Torres, minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford. Both Torres and McKinney are Top 100 rated prospects. Warren was trade by the Yankees to the Cubs last off season for 2nd baseman Starlin Castro, but Warren struggled to find a spot with the Cubs and had just been optioned to Triple-A Iowa before being sent back to New York. Chapman will be a free agent at the end of the season and had express interest in signing an extension wit the Yankees while he was there; so could he return in the off season? Chapman should solidify the back end of a Cubs bullpen that has had some issues this season. The other deal saw the San Diego Padres send outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to the Toronto Blue Jays for Hansel Rodriguez a 19 year old right handed pitcher. Upton value increased this season. His batting average was just .256 with the Padres, but he’s hit 16 home runs and had driven in 45 runs. Upton has also stolen 20 bases this season. The Blue Jays did make another deal as they swapped relievers with the Seattle Mariners. Toronto had designated relief pitcher Drew Storen for assignment over the weekend and they where able to work out a deal with the Mariners to send Storen and cash considerations to Seattle for relief pitcher Joaquin Benoit. Details There are quite a few rumors out there and we’ll have to see which teams are going to make moves and which teams are just talking about making moves. Will the teams that are rebuilding like the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves or the Minnesota Twins start to deal some players as we move closer to the trade deadline?

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Southtown Cup so Far

Posted: July 26, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game two of the Crosstown Cup.  First I have to add, I can’t stand the name the series, it means nothing, I wish they didn’t play each other just because of the Crosstown Cup.  But it doesn’t matter because it’s on and Kyle Hendricks takes to the mound at the Cell and other the end looking to save himself in the eyes of the White Sox fans, James Shields and his third W with the Sox.

Shields would prove to have his best outing this season and as a White Sox.  He’s lost the last three starts so this is a huge start for him against the first place Cubs.  The Cubs would get five base runners through three innings.  Shields then retires six straight batters in the 4th and 5th.

Hendricks starts his game by walking Adam Eaton, then a single to Tim Anderson.  He gets the first out by popping out Melky Cabrera.  Jose Abreu sends a line drive to center scoring Eaton for the first run in the first inning.  Kyle redeems himself by striking out the sideman the second.  He gives up two singles in the third but doesn’t allow a run.

He seems to catch a grove making the 4th a 1-2-3 inning.  The 5th inning is almost as quick for Kyle but he gives up a one out home run to Adam Eaton for the second run of the game.

The top of the 6th would Addison Russell would reach on a single and moves to second on Jason Heyward’s single to right but Javier Baez pops out to end the inning.  Shields gives up his fourth and last hit of the game to Tommy La Stella but the 7th inning ends on a double play.  He makes it all the way until the top of the 8th getting the first two outs but gives up his fourth walk of the game to be replace by Nate Jones to end the 8th.

Kyle gets the first two outs in the bottom of the 6th but after a single to Todd Frazier, Joel Maddon brings in Travis Wood who walks the bases loaded.  After a visit to the mound, he gives Tyler Saladino an RBI with another walk but gets Adam Eaton to ground out.

Joe Nathan enters the bottom of the 7th doing what he is supposed to, making it a quick 1-2-3 inning.  Pedro Strop enters the bottom of the 8th getting all three batters to ground out being the perfect setup man.

David Robertson enters the top of the 9th getting Heyward to pop out.  Javier Baez goes down swinging.  Miguel Montero is the last hope but grounds out to shortstop making no need for an Aroldis Chapman appearance.  Southsiders 2, Northsiders 0.

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Southside Won, Northside Zero

Posted: July 25, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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Jake Arrieta enters the season series against the White Sox looking for win lucky number 13.  He takes on Miguel Gonzalez who is looking for win three of the year.

Miguel would open up the game getting the first two batters to flyout but walks Anthony Rizzo.  Ben Zobrist ends the inning with a ground out.  Javier Baez would be the next base runner getting a single but an error by right fielder Adam Eaton would allow him to make it to second.  Baez try’s to score on Kris Bryant’s single to left field, but Melky Cabrera guns Baez down at home.  The 4th inning sees Zo walking and Wilson Contreras reaching on an error but no one would score.

Jake has been not so great lately but gets through the first two innings with just a walk to Melky Cabrera. He would get the first out in the 3rd inning but gives up a double to Tyker Saladino and scores the first run of the game on Adam Eaton’s single to right field.

Miguel Montero would leadoff the 5th with a single but no one scores.  With two outs in the 6th, Contreras singles and makes it to third on Jason Heyward’s double to right field.  Addison Russell steps into the box and gets called out on strikes.   Montero leads off with a double and reaches on Javier Baez’s line drive home run to left field.  Gonzalez gets the next two outs but Robin Ventura decides to bring in Zach Duke to close out the inning.

Jake makes it through the 4th and 5th only allowing Justin Morneau to reach on a single.  He gets the first out in the bottom of the 6th but walks Melky.  Jose Abreu reaches on a single.  However, Jake strikes out Morneau for the second out of the inning.  With two outs and one strike, Todd Frazier takes Jake deep to center field for a three run dinger.  He gets out of the inning by getting  J.B. Shuck to ground out.
Justin Grimm enters the 7th and makes it quick with a ground out and two K’s.  Grimm gets the first out but gives up a double to Melky and that would be enough for him as Carl Edwards, Jr enters the game walking Jose Abreu but gets Morneau to line out.  Carl strikes out Frazier to end the 8th.

Duke opens the 8th walking Zo and that brings in Matt Albers. Wilson grounds into a force out, as he’s forced out by Heyward. Russell walks but Montero strikes out to end the 8th.  Albers stays in for the save opportunity with lead off man Baez who doubles to right.  Fowler steps in the box, and Baez steals third.  Fowler would send a line drive th first that deflects off of Abreu allowing Baez to score.  With no outs, Kris Bryant sends one to Melky driving Fowler to third but gets gunned down at second for the first out for the top of the 9th.  Lefty Dan Jennings enters the game to take on Rizzo.  Rizzo drops one into left with just enough on it to score Fowler and reach first.  He stays at first as Zo flys out to right.  Wilson Contreras knock one righting the hole between first and second for a single.  Jason Heyward gets himself into a full count and strikes out to end the inning.

We go into a tie game in the bottom of the 9th and Mike Montgomery enters the game with the possible win on the line.  He gives up a single to Shuck who makes it third on Navarro’s sac bunt right on the first base line.  Tyler Saladino steps into the box and sends one right back at Mike that bounces off the mound and takes off for center scoring Shuck for the walk off win by the White Sox.  

Jake Arreita seemingly has come back to earth but we’ll let the Southsiders have this one as they’ll be watching the Cubs from their couches in October!

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Cubs take 2 from the Brew Crew

Posted: July 24, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Wrapping up the series against the Brew Crew, Jon Lester heads to the mound searching for his 11th win of the season.  He will be seeing the Brewers for the first time this season and with the directions both teams are going, this could be a positive for Jon as he takes on Junior Guerra who received a win in May against the Cubs giving up only three runs on five hits but saw Dexter Fowler leading off with a home run.

Lester doesn’t start off great by walking Jonathan Villar, who then steals second and third base and then scores on Hernan Perez’s sac fly to left field.  Lester would then give up three singles in a row to Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Chris Carter.  It would be Carter’s single that gives the Brewers their second run of the game.  

The second inning would be peculiar in that Lester strike outs three batters but a passed ball allows Villar to reach first and a wild pitch would allow Braun to reach on their strike outs.  He gets out the second and makes it a quick third by retiring all three batters in a row.  Despite giving up a walk to Jake Elmore in he bottom of the 4th, he gets caught stealing and strikes out the following two batters almost like it did in the bottom of the 3rd.  

Lester would start the 5th off by loading the bases with two walks and a double and that would be enough for Maddon as he brings Justin Grimm into the game and strikes out the first batter he sees for the first out of the inning.  Scooter Gennett would send a ground ball to left field adding two runs to the board scoring Bruan and Perez.  Grimm does get out of the inning without adding any more runs.  

The Cubs would be held to seven base runners through five innings that would not cross home plate.  The top of the 6th would see Kris Bryant leading off with a single and advancing to second on a fielding error by Scooter Gennett allowing Anthony Rizzo to reach first base.  Ben Zobrist sends a ground ball to right scoring Bryant but that would be all the runs for the Cubs.  

The bottom of the 6th would allow us to finally see Joe Nathan since his signing that placed him immediately on the disabled list.  He enters the game giving up a a monstrous triple to Jonathan Villar and then walks Hernan Perez who steals second base.  He gets his first out by striking out Ryan Braun, then Lucroy and Chris Carter.  It started out shaking but he calmed down and took control of the game.  

Junior Guerra would get the first batter of the 7th out but gets pulled from the game for Will Smith who gives up a single to Miguel Montero.  Matt Szczur reaches first on a fielding error by Jake Elmore at third.  Tommy La Stella would send a line drive to right field scoring Montero.  The Brewers then decide to intentionally walk Bryant.  Rizzo steps to the plate and clears the bases with a three RBI double to center.  This prompts the Brewers to change pitchers and bring in Tyler Thornburg.  Zo gets a single driving in Rizzo but is caught stealing second in a strike’em out throw’em out with Wilson Comtreras at the plate to end the inning.  Cubs 6, Brewers 4. 

Travis Wood enters in the bottom of the 7th getting the first out but walks Kirk and gives up a double to Elmore but strikes out Andy Wilkins and gets out of the inning by getting Villar to strike out.  

Pedro Strop enters the bottom of the 8th mowing through the heart of the Brewers line up.  

Blaine Boyer made it a quick top of the 8th.  The top of the 9th would see Szczur leading off with a single but gets caught stealing second.  He walks Fowler but Bryant strikes out for the second out of the inning and Rizzo grounds into a force out to end the inning.  

Hector Rondon comes into the game for the save opportunity and starts off striking out the first batter, gets the second batter to ground out but gives up a home run to Kirk.  Now with one run seperating the two teams Elmore steps into the box.  Rondon is able to catch Jake looking to end the game.  

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Destination October

Posted: July 24, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The San Francisco Giants won for the first time in seven games, Saturday against the New York Yankees, taking the second game of the three-game series, 2-1, in twelve innings. Johnny Cueto hurled six innings of one-run ball (the run was unearned) and the bullpen matched him, while rookie Mac Williamson drove in both San Francisco runs.
After dropping the opener Friday night, when Williamson committed an eighth-inning error, leading to the Yankees’ third run, the Giants managed to regroup and finally snap out of their post-All-Star funk. Their six-game losing streak is the longest of the season, and if it weren’t for the Los Angeles Dodgers also encountering some technical difficulties, it could be worse. 
The Giants maintain their four-game lead as the Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-2, Saturday.
The Giants (58-39) and Chicago Cubs (58-38) remain on a collision-course for a confrontation in October. Though they have almost identical records, the journey to get to this point in the season, has been quite different for these two competitive clubs.
The Cubs blasted off to an incredible 25-6 record during the first six weeks of the season, while the Giants were merely mortal at 16-15. However, as the hare was to discover, speed is not necessarily the optimum approach. Best keep in mind that the race will be won not so much by the swift as by the durable.

Whereas the Giants have proven less than durable with a multitude of injuries, their relief corps has been stellar. Now with Hunter Pence, Ehire Adrianza and Joe Panik rehabbing and Matt Duffy only one or two more days away from beginning his own rehab stint, the team is gearing up for a second-half crusade.

The Cubs saw Dexter Fowler return to the lineup in style, hammering a home run in his first at-bat, and he has helped balance some of the low spots created by extended slumps from a couple of key players, Ben Zobrist and Justin Heyward.
The team is also activating Joe Nathan, 41, returning from Tommy John surgery, and this can’t help but strengthen the club. 

If we go back thirty games, we find the Cubs at 46-20 and the Giants at 40-26. Since then Chicago is 14-18 (43.75%) while San Francisco is 18-13 (56.25%). A big reason for that difference has to do with Chicago’s starting pitching during this period.

Over the last thirty games, Jake Arrieta is 1-2 with a 6.17 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP; Jason Hammel is 2-2 with a 5.88 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP; John Lackey is 0-4 with a 6.38 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP; and Jon Lester is 1-1 with a 6.86 ERA and a WHIP of 1.42. 

Of course, there is Kyle Hendricks and his 4-0 record with a minuscule ERA of 0.57 and 1.09 WHIP.

San Francisco’s pitching stats are not stellar over the same period but they reflect a consistency that has not varied dramatically, as is the case with the Cubs’ rotation. Of course it goes without saying that all players are going to have ups and downs over a full season, but the simultaneous struggles of four-fifths of the Chicago rotation, bears mentioning.

Most likely we are looking at a blip on the radar of a long, grueling season. With a six-and-one-half game lead over the Cards, the Cubs do have a small cushion upon which to rest, before they have to start getting nervous. 

The Giants have a four-game lead over the Dodgers, who just learned that their ace pitcher, Clayton Kershaw, has suffered a set-back in his bid to rehab from lower back issues.

The bottom line is that injuries and slumps are all a part of the game, and a team’s ability to handle this type of adversity will often determine its degree of success. 

Both of these clubs have experienced giddying heights to their respective seasons, to accompany the low points. Both teams are looking at the approaching trade deadline with great interest.

Chicago is said to be looking at Josh Reddick of the Oakland A’s, while also contemplating a Kyle Schwarber-for-Andrew Miller trade. The Giants are rumored to be interested in Boone Logan and even Carlos Beltran, while also checking out the aforementioned Andrew Miller, along with his teammate, Aroldis Chapman.

History has proven how impactful a key acquisition can be, and you should expect that this year will be no different. With almost identical records, both the Cubs and Giants have a little over a third of the season to refine their lineups and prepare for postseason-play.

See you in the NLCS.

Mark ONeill

Game 2

Posted: July 23, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Day 2 at Wrigley Field North and John Lackey is searching for his eighth win of the season.  His last appearance in May against the Brewers, he only gave up  a run on four hits but did not get a decision as the Cubs lost by one in the 13th inning.  He’s taking on the 23 year old righty, Zach Davies, who is facing the Cubs for the first time this season sporting a 6-4 record.

Dexter Fowler would not lead off this game with home run.  Anthony Rizzo would double but that would be in all the action in the first.  Wilson Contreras and Addison Russell would walk in the second but again no runs.  Kris Bryant would single in the third but no runs. Davies would retire the next nine Cubs but is still taken out in the top of the 7th after giving uo a leadoff single to Ben Zobrist.  After getting Contreras out, Will Smith would replace Davies.  After giving up a single to Heyward, Russell would drive in Zo, giving the Cubs their first run of the game.  

John Lackey would strike out the first batter but gives up a single to Scooter Gennett but Lackey gets the second out.  Jonathan Lucroy would get into a full count after several foul balls and Pat Hughes more or less calling it, Lucroy sends a line drive to left center for a two run home run.  

Lackey would add a couple base runners in the second and third but doesn’t earn anymore runs.  In the top of the 4th, he would give up a solo home run to Kirk Nieuwenhuis sending Bernie down the slide again.  Lackey makes it through the 5th and 6th inning with no issues.  

Clayton Richard enters the game in the bottom of the 7th giving up a double to Hernan Perez, then hits Ramon Flores.  Maddon would bring Adam Warren in.  Jake Elmore would pinch hit for Will Smith sacrifice bunting to push both runners up but Warren gets out of the inning.  He would stay in for the 8th, gets two outs but puts Ryan Braun and Lucroy on. Maddon would bring in newly acquired Mike Montgomery who gives up a three run home run to Kirk Nieuwenhuis putting the Brewers up 6-1.  

Carlos Torres would come in giving up a single to Zo but would close out the game giving the W to the Brewers.  Lackey would be charged with a Loss today putting him at 7 and 7 on the season. 

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

How was your week?

Posted: July 23, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, basketball, hockey, Uncategorized
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Derrick Rose is a member of the New York Knicks. Now I’m not sure if Knicks fans should take Rose’s last interview as confidence in his new team or if he needs to be drug tested. Rose implied that the Knicks are a “super team” in the same class as the Golden State Warriors. Rose never specifically says who has put the Knicks in that class and uses terms like “some people” and “they’re” when mentioning who has the Knicks in that class. Golden State set a record for regular season wins with 73. The Warriors went to the NBA Finals for the second season in a row. After winning the NBA title in 2014-15 season they did lose last seasons finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers. So what did the Warriors do to try and help ensure a trip back to the NBA Finals. They signed the top free agent on the market Kevin Durant. Last season the Knicks won 32 games and didn’t qualify for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Now besides Rose the Knicks have added Brandon Jennings to back up Rose, Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee in free agency. Rose, Noah and Lee should join Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis in the Knicks starting line up. While it looks like a solid starting line up for the Knicks and Jennings can score off the bench I think Rose may have put up too high of expectations for his new team. If the Knicks are going to get anywhere close to the “super team” rose has said they would be, he’ll have to stay healthy and play close to the form that won him the NBA MVP award in 2010-11. Rose played in and started 66 games for the Chicago Bulls last season. Those where the most games he’s played in since his MVP season. Rose’s scoring average fell to 16.4 points per game last season. Rose has never been a great shooter especially from behind the 3-point line. 29.3% last season and for his career he’s shot 30.2% from behind the 3-point line. Are the Knicks a super team? I’m not so sold on that, but they should improve on the 32 win team they where last season and may find their way into the Eastern Conference playoffs next season. Derrick Rose Stats

It’s that time in the baseball season where everyone is trading everyone to everybody. Outside of the talk there was actually a trade this week as the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago Cubs came to an agreement on a 4-player deal. The Mariners sent left handed pitcher Mike Montgomery and and minor league right hander Jordan Pries to the Cubs for minor league 1st baseman Dan Vogelbach and and right handed minor league pitcher Paul Blackburn.

Montgomery will give the Cubs some immediate help out of the bullpen. Montgomery has appeared in 32 games for the Mariners; 2 of them being starts. He has and ERA of 2.34 on the season. Lefties are hitting just .164 against Montgomery this season. Pries is a 26 year old pitcher who was pitching in Triple-A for the Mariners before the trade. He was 2-1 with an ERA of 3.85 in 7 games. Pries has spent 6 seasons in the minors and is 40-24 with an ERA of 4.41. He’s appeared in 109 career games with 93 of those as a starting pitcher.

Vogelbach was moved up to Triple-A for the Cubs. He got just 32 at bats there and was hitting just.125. Vogelbach has spent 6 seasons in the minors. He is a career .281 hitter and has 60 home runs. Vogelbach was blocked at 1st base with the Cubs by Anthony Rizzo; so turning him into a solid bullpen piece was a smart move. Reports have also said that Vogelbach is a below average defender. Now in the American League he’ll be able to spend time as a DH. Blackburn was one of the top rated pitchers in the Cubs  organization.  Blackburn is 22 years old and has been pitching in Double-A for the Cubs. He’s made 18 starts and is 6-4 with a 3.17 ERA. Over 102 1/3rd innings Blackburn has 72 strikeouts to 26 walks.

This looks like a deal that could benefit both teams. The Cubs needed bullpen help especially left handed bullpen help. Montgomery should supply that for the Cubs and down the road there’s a chance he could move into the starting rotation, but right now his value is in the bullpen for a World Series contender. The Mariners find themselves 4 1/2 games out of the wild card and the A.L. West lead. While it’s a reasonable total and the Mariners could move up they have to jump 4 teams to get a wild card spot and that’s a lot even with 66 games left in the season. Being that the Mariners got prospects you just never know, but Vogelbach has hit at every level and will get a shot in the majors with Seattle. Blackburn is young and has good numbers, but you just never know as a pitcher. We might have to wait and see how this deal turns out for Seattle.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed the #1 overall pick in the draft Austin Matthews to a 3-year entry level contract. Matthews 18-year old from Scottsdale, Arizona, immediately became the face of the Maple Leafs’ franchise when they selected him first in last month’s draft. Matthews deal includes the maximum entry level salary of $925,000 per year plus potential bonuses that could add up to an average annual value of $3,775,000. Matthews says he will spend most of the summer at home in Arizona, preparing for the season and the World Cup of Hockey, where he will play for the North American under-23 team in September. The Leafs also signed 23- year old forward Josh Leivo to a two-year contract. Leivo was a third round pick in the 2011 draft. The Maple Leafs are coming off a season where they won 29 games and accumulated 69 points. The 18-year old Matthews and the 23-year old Leivo are part of Toronto’s youth movement as they try to rebuild their team. Will it be enough to get the Maple Leafs into the playoffs or are they still a year away from making there?

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Cubs Brewing in Milwaukee

Posted: July 22, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs head to Milwaukee for the weekend and depending on the whether up there, despite being in a dome, it can be very humid with the roof closed.  Let’s hope Jason Hammel has been eating his potato chips with sea salt as he searches for win number 9 against the Brew Crew.  Jimmy Nelson is looking for his seventh win of the season and his first in three starts against the Cubs.

 Dexter Fowler is back.  He gets into a hitters count and launches a lead off home run and he’s back!  Scooter Gennett would cause an error allowing Kris Bryant to reach first and would steal second.  Wilson Contreras walks but Heyward would ends the inning with a ground out.  Cubs up by 1.

Jimmy Nelson loads the bases in the second by throwing the ball away to allow Addison Russell to reach first.  He walks Miguel Montero and Jason Hammel reaches on a bunt.  With the bases loaded, Fowler is up again this time sends a ground ball to left bringing both Russell and Montero for his third RBI since returning from the DL.  Bryant reaches on a fielder’s choice with Hammel out at home.  Anthony Rizzo sends a fly ball to center scored as a sac fly as Fowler scores.  Cubs 4-0

Jason Hammel flys through the first two innings but gives up a leadoff single to Hernan Perez.  Perez ends up at second after Nelson’s sac bunt and steals third with Jonathan Villar at the plate who ends up walking but is picked off to end the inning.  Hammel has a quick 4th but not before giving up a one out home run to Ryan Braun.  Cubs 4, Brewers 1.  

Hammel leads off the 5th by walking Kirk Nieuwenhuis who scores on Perez’s double to left but he gets out of the inning.  Hammel starts the 6th off giving up a lead off double to Scooter Gennett.  Joel Maddon brings in Carl Edwards, Jr who gets out of the inning quickly.  Cubs 4, Brewers 2.

Travis Wood enters the 7th inning getting the first two outs but a throwing error by Montero puts Ramon Flores on to bring in Justin Grimm who strikes out Will Middlebrooks to end the inning.  

Nelson would also last only 5 innings.  Carlos Torres would enter the game for the Brewers working the 6th and 7th only giving up one hit with two strikeouts.  Corey Knebel enters the game in the top of the 8th and leads off with a walk to Contreras.  Heyward flys out but Russell singles on an infield ground ball.  Montero would drive in Wilson.  Tommy La Stella enters the game but goes down swinging.   

Pedro strop enters the 8th giving up a two out walk to Ryan Braun but gives up no hits or runs.  Despite Folwer’s lead off single in the top of the 9th, the Cubs go down with out adding any more runs.  Hector Rondon enters the 9th striking out Chris Carter but walks Jake Elmore.  He strikes out Perez and gets Flores to flyout to end the game.  Cubs win and Rondon is credited with a Save.

Go Cubs Go! 

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Cubs Crank Colon

Posted: July 20, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, post season, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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It’s a hot one in Chicago as the Cubs take on the Mets with Kyle Hendricks on the mound searching for his ninth win of the season as is Bartolo Colon. Both teams are searching for the win to take the series at Wrigley as the Cubs need this series after being swept in New York earlier this year.

Kyle would start off strong striking out the first three batters in the top of the first inning.  He would make it all the way to the top of the 7th inning giving up his first and only walk, his seventh hit of the day but gets the first out of the inning.  He would not give up a run in the game but it would be enough and Maddon would bring Carl Edwards, Jr for relief.

The Cubs would strike first and fast in the bottom of the 1st, with the bases loaded on Kris Bryant’s single and the back to back two out walks to Wilson Contreras and Jason Heyward, Addison Russell would send a line drive to left field driving in the first two runs of the game.  Cubs 2-0

After Kyle strikes out the top half of the 3rd inning, Anthony Rizzo would send a fly ball to right center field for his 23rd home run of the season.  This would put the Cubs up by 3.

Keeping with the every other inning of scoring, Kris Bryant would lead off the 5th with his 22cd double of the year.  No outs and Rizzo in the box, he takes the first pitch for a ball but gets a slider on the next pitch and takes Colon to right center field again for his 24th home run of the season.  The Cubs are now up by 6.

Carl Edwards, Jr would get Alejandro De Aza to ground out for the first out in the top of the 8th but walks Jose Reyes.  Maddon would visit the mound with the double switch, Travis Wood enters the game to get the second out of the inning.  His next two pitches to Wilmer Flores would be balls.  The third four-seam fastball, Flores would take to deep to left field for his tenth home fun of the season.  He does get out of the inning but the Cubs lead is dropped to four, Cubs 6, Mets 2.

Hector Rondon enters the 9th looking to not lose another game like he did last night, and gets off to quick start with two pitches gets the first out.  Kelly Johnson would swing on the first pitch cranking his fourth single of the day.  After a wild pitch, Juan Lagares would strike out.  Michael Conforto would foul off the first pitch.  He puts the second one into play for the third out to end the game and the Cubs take the series from Mets.

The Cubs are off Thusday and head up to Milwaukee for the weekend with Jason Hammel starting on Friday.

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

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