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The Perfect Trade Partner For The White Sox That No One Is Talking About

By
Emmet McClain
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The White Sox have far and away been the talk of the offseason so far. By trading away Chris Sale and Adam Eaton, they have injected a handful of young, talented players with high-upside to their once barren farm system.

Most White Sox fans have been happy with Rick Hahn’s moves so far, but are starting to get restless knowing that players like Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson are still on the roster. Look, everyone knows that all three will eventually be traded. They just do not fit the long-term plan the White Sox have going forward. However, the one team that matches up perfectly with the White Sox is the one that has barely been talked about.

That team is the Colorado Rockies.

Rocky Mountain High

The Rockies have quietly built a very solid team this offseason and seem to be only a few pieces away from being a legitimate contender. Last season they actually scored more runs (845) than the Cubs, and that was without a full season from rookie sensation Trevor Story. This offseason, the Rockies have brought in Ian Desmond to boost the offense even more. What does not make sense, is that he is slated as of today to play first base.

All-in-all offensively, this team can already go head-to-head with the best teams in the league. If they can bring in a power-hitting first baseman, it would allow them to move Desmond to the outfield, giving them a more balanced offensive attack.

One player they can bring in to play first would be none other than Chicago’s Frazier.

Todd had a very productive first season with the White Sox. While his average of .225 was lower than normal, he still managed to belt 40 home runs, drive in 98, and get on base at a .302 clip. Playing half his games at Coors field, he could realistically hit closer to 50 home runs and drive in 115. Obviously Frazier is a natural third baseman, but first base is widely considered one of the easier positions to play. With him being a plus defender already at third, it should be a fairly easy transition to first.

Frazier Boosts An Already Strong Lineup

A projected lineup for Colorado including Frazier would maybe look something like this:

1 Charlie Blackmon OF

2 DJ LeMahieu 2B

3 Nolan Arenado 3B

4 Todd Frazier 1B

5 Carlos Gonzalez OF

6 Trevor Story SS

7 Ian Desmond OF

8 Tony Wolters C

9 (Pitcher)

The Return?

The White Sox could ask for OF prospect Raimel Tapia in return for Frazier. Tapia is the No. 71 prospect currently and is consistent in essentially every tool except for power, where he is slightly below average. If he fills out, his ceiling is a .300 hitter with 20 home run potential, while his floor is roughly a .270 hitter with 10-15 home run potential. He is also a formidable base-stealing threat.

With Frazier, this offense would surely be one of the leagues most balanced and consistent, and could easily compete with the likes of the Cubs. However, where the Rockies need the most help is in the run prevention department.

Last season, the Rockies’ record in one-run games was an abysmal 12-20. They also had below .500 records to weak teams like the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rockies desperately need another frontline starter and a solid bullpen arm to contend in 2017.

The White Sox just so happen to have both of those pieces in Jose Quintana and David Robertson.

The Blockbuster

Everyone knows Quintana has been the talk of the offseason. His career numbers (aside from his win-loss record, which is for the most part out of his control) are comparable to a low-end ace or a very high-end number 2. He will give any team a 3.55 or under ERA and 200+ innings. Perhaps the most enticing part about bringing Quintana to Colorado (besides his contract) is his ability to keep the ball in the park. He did give up 22 in 2016, but only 16 in 2015 and a mere 10 in 2014. Having a pitcher who can keep teams from hitting home runs is a prize any team would want, but none more so than the Rockies.

David Robertson used to be regarded as one of the top closers in the league, but after a below average 2016, his value has definitely dropped. That being said,  that does not mean that he cannot be an effective set-up man for Colorado. Especially with them just signing closer Greg Holland. In fact, with both Holland and Robertson, the bullpen for Colorado could turn from their biggest weakness, into a strength. The Sox would have to probably eat some of Robertson’s money, but if they can package both him and Quintana, the return would be nothing short of incredible.

The headliner in this deal would most certainly be shortstop/second baseman Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers is currently the No. 6 prospect in all of baseball. He has bat speed comparable to Javy Baez, and experts have compared his overall game to Troy Tulowitzki. Unfortunately, Rodgers is blocked by Trevor Story and the rest of Colorado’s dynamic infield.

Enter the White Sox, who can offer Quintana and Robertson for Rodgers (6), Jeff Hoffman (35), and Riley Pint (39).

Hoffman has a fastball that sits in the mid 90’s with late life, and also possesses a power curve. Pint actually has more upside than Hoffman, with his fastball consistently hitting 98 and the ability to touch 102. Some scouts are nervous that his violent delivery can lead to injury, and he struggles to consistently throw strikes; however, with a little fine-tuning, he should pan out to be the frontline starter many are pegging him to be.

Many Sox fans would undoubtedly be upset if the franchise acquires more pitching, rather than position players. Remember, a rebuild is about acquiring the best talent out there. This trade does just that.

A Long Shot That Just Might Make Sense

Obviously this would be an incredible haul to give up. Trading three top 40 prospects in baseball is borderline insane. People may ask why other teams have not offered that type of package to the White Sox for Quintana’s services. The answer is actually simple: they are not as close to competing as Colorado. Pittsburg is a fringe wild card team. The Yankees are waiting for their prospects to develop and will compete in two years. Adding Quintana would not help them right away. Atlanta is rebuilding. Houston would not include Alex Bregman in a deal. Colorado on the other hand, is quietly right there. Adding one, or a package of Quintana/Frazier/Robertson puts them as an immediate threat to not only win their division, but make a deep postseason run.

A similar scenario would be Cleveland going all in last season and trading for Andrew Miller. The Yankees got a haul in return including top prospect Clint Frazier. When a team is a piece or two away from becoming a legitimate contender, you pull the trigger.

If the Rockies decided to go with either of these trades, their farm system would admittedly take a pretty substantial hit. However, they have the foundation in place to win in 2017. All they need are a power hitting first baseman, a frontline starter, and some bullpen help. The White Sox can offer literally all of that. These two teams just make too much sense at the end of the day. The White Sox get the talent they need to build for the future, while the Rockies load up for a very probable World Series run.

For now though, all we can do is wait and see what happens down the road.

Chicago Bears Senior Bowl Favorite Is Eerily Similar To Pro Bowler

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears senior bowl

The Chicago Bears Senior Bowl trip is coming to a close. Practices have concluded, leaving just the game itself to be played on January 28th. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox haven’t held back in their enthusiasm for the opportunity to coach the North team during the event. Both feel it’s a prime opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the top prospects in the 2017 NFL draft class.

Of course no position was going to garner more discussion than the quarterbacks. Ask around the media community though and the general feeling is the crop this year is fairly weak. Not much in terms of pure physical talent or polished ability. Nonetheless that didn’t stop some of the prospects from taking advantage of the opportunity. The Bears seemed intrigued enough to request a meeting with him.

Antonio Pipkin is one of lesser known small school prospects invited to the event. He hails from tiny Tiffin college located in Ohio. Not much was expected of him other than to be an extra arm to evaluate. Turns out he had a few admirers midway through the festivities. None more so than Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

It’s one thing if a QB coach or offensive coordinator does something like that, but a defensive guy? That’s interesting. So who in the world is Pipkin?

Javier Baez Dyed His Hair And Now Looks Like Eminem

By
Aldo Soto
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Javier Baez was recently honored with a street sign named after him in Humboldt Park. How did he celebrate? Dying his hair and now looking like the Puerto Rican Eminem.

Baez posted this on Instagram.

Will the Real Slim Shady please stand up.

Rajon Rondo Adds Fuel To The Bulls Dumpster Fire, Calls Out Leadership In Instagram Post

By
Aldo Soto
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jimmy butler defends rajon rondo following suspension bulls
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 05: Rajon Rondo #9 and Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls talk during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 5, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Bulls 111-94. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The shit-show continues with the Chicago Bulls. Leaders on the team are calling out teammates in the media. Other players are subtweeting and now Rajon Rondo has joined in on the fun that is a complete disaster.

After an embarrassing loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade lashed out on teammates, questioning their desire to win. Now, Rondo, who has been benched, called out the team’s leadership in a long Instagram post.

My vets would never go to the media. They would come to the team. My vets didn’t pick and choose when they wanted to bring it. They brought it every time they stepped in the gym whether it was practice or a game. They didn’t take days off. My vets didn’t care about their numbers. My vets played for the team. When we lost, they wouldn’t blame us. They took responsibility and got in the gym. They showed the young guys what it meant to work. Even in Boston when we had the best record in the league, if we lost a game, you could hear a pin drop on the bus. They showed us the seriousness of the game. My vets didn’t have an influence on the coaching staff. They couldn’t change the plan because it didn’t work for them. I played under one of the greatest coaches, and he held everyone accountable. It takes 1-15 to win. When you isolate everyone, you can’t win consistently. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a bad teammate. My goal is to pass what I learned along. The young guys work. They show up. They don’t deserve blame. If anything is questionable, it’s the leadership.

A photo posted by Rajon Rondo (@rajonrondo) on

It’s been nothing but drama for the Bulls in the past three seasons and it doesn’t seem to have an end in sight.

The Bulls Are Now Officially A Dumpster Fire

So, who’s side are you on? Are Butler and Wade going about it the wrong way, like Rondo suggests, or do you agree with everything they said? One thing is for certain, without a doubt Fred Hoiberg has once again has lost any control of the Bulls. That is, if he had any to begin with.

Flat out embarrassing for everyone involved. Acting like whinny teenagers instead of professionals.

Fascinating Draft Stats That Prove Ryan Pace Must Hit On #3 Pick

By
Erik Lambert
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bears #3 pick plans

It’s hard not to be excited about Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace. After a slow start to his tenure with the team in 2015, it feels like the young executive is coming into his own. His most recent draft class is still being talked about in NFL circles. Leonard Floyd finished among the leaders in quarterback sacks for rookies. Cody Whitehair was an All-Rookie center. Jordan Howard? Only the second-leading rusher in the league and on his way to the Pro Bowl.

It’s that kind of draft productivity Chicago hasn’t seen in years. Hopes have risen for what Pace can do in 2017, but so have expectations. This will mark his third year in charge. Everybody knows that the typical timeline for progress to happen with an NFL team under a certain regime is three years. That means he has to get this looming draft right.

The thing is a lot of people don’t quite grasp just how much might be riding on what happens in the next few months. Pace certainly does. He’s a football historian just like most fans, former players or scouts. There could be potentially disastrous consequences, personally and professionally if he doesn’t do his job.

The Cubs Celebratory Booze Is Surprisingly Affordable

By
Gus
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There’s no way around it so let me just come out and say it.

It’s a slow news day in the land of the Chicago Cubs.

However, it was revealed yesterday the type of champagne the Cubs used to celebrate their post season victories and I have to say, I was quite intrigued by what I read. I guess I should clarify now and tell you that the liquid goodness the team was spraying all over the place technically wasn’t even champagne, it was wine.

If you’re like me and drink neither wine nor champagne, it sounds weird as shit saying the Cubs were spraying wine all over the place in a celebratory demeanor but to be technical, it can only be champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France. Since the booze the Cubs were using comes from California, it’s considered to be wine.

Now that we got that out of the way, one would assume the brand of wine that teams use to celebrate their championship victories would cost hundreds of dollars. I was pretty shocked when I realized that the same nectar of the Gods that the Cubs were drinking and spraying is actually very affordable for the common folk.

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The Bulls Are Now Officially A Dumpster Fire

By
Sean Sears
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For those of you who missed the Bulls 119-114 loss to the Atlanta Hawks you didn’t miss much, as Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade combined to score 73 of the Bulls 114 points and still couldn’t win this game late. However, if you wanted an update on the current state of this Chicago Bulls teams, take a glance at twitter and you’re bound to find a glorious haul of hilariously depressing material that informs even the casual Bulls fan things are not going well.

For starters, Jimmy Butler straight-up told head coach Fred Hoiberg “No” during this stoppage of play, where it looks like Hoiberg is telling Butler to call a timeout at some point during this current set.

Jimmy ?

A video posted by Bleacher Report (@bleacherreport) on

I’ve watched this clip about 100 times and it still makes me laugh, however that was just the start for Butler and Dwyane Wade’s frustration, as both were extremely vocal on their team’s dismal performance late against the Hawks.

Wade got straight to the problem during his post-game interview, saying his teammates “Don’t care enough.”

“When you continue to be in these kinds of situations and lose games like this, everyone don’t care enough.” Said Wade. “You know, everyone just don’t care enough, you know it’s gotta mean that much more to you to win, and it doesn’t. So, I don’t know. I don’t know how you fix it, but it just doesn’t mean enough to guys around here to win ball games.”

Wade vented his frustrations further, even saying he couldn’t care about winning for this teammates anymore.

“It pisses me off, but I can’t be frustrated and I can’t care too much for these guys, they have to care for themselves. We gotta do better, we gotta do better of knowing when your shots are coming and knock them down. Just as a team, it’s gotta be better.”

Along with this, Wade clarified that he believes Jimmy Butler is giving every he has, but everyone else had to more or less get their shit together.

Alshon Jeffery Is Expected To Get Paid Similar To These Receivers

By
Erik Lambert
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bears alshon jeffery
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 08: Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Chicago Bears participates in warm-ups before a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on August 8, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Eagles 34-28. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Alshon Jeffery is far and away the biggest unanswered question for the Chicago Bears going into 2017. He’ll once again be a free agent this March. He’s coming off another up-and-down season. Despite putting up over 800 yards in just 12 games, he missed another four due to a suspension for PED violations. It’s just a frustrating situation all around.

Fans are fearful the team will elect to let him leave rather than risk overpaying to keep him. At the same time it would open up the team to the reality they’d be moving forward with Kevin White and Cameron Meredith as their top two receivers. Neither of them are proven at this point. Not the best plan for a team seeking a new quarterback.

Keeping Alshon is the smart play, but as always it comes down to money. This new Bears regime is finicky about handing out big contracts. If Jeffery makes a hard push for one, it could create a problem. So just how much is he likely to demand/get?

White Sox Zack Burdi Named One Of The Best Relief Pitching Prospects In MLB

By
Dan Fappiano
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One of the White Sox top prospects was named one of the best relief pitching prospects in the MLB. (Photo courtesy of the MLB)

As they lead up to their reveal of the top 100 prospects on January 28th, MLB Pipeline has been releasing their top ten prospects at each position.

Recently the site announced their top ten second base prospects. Coming in at number one was the White Sox Yoan Moncada. Moncada was acquired in the Chris Sale trade along with Michael Kopech and two others.

He was not only expected to be the best second baseman, but Moncada has a real chance of being named the best prospect in all of baseball. While Moncada may be the crown jewel of the South Side, he isn’t the only White Sox prospect getting love from MLB Pipeline.

Jonathon Mayo is a columnist for MLB Pipeline. In his latest mailbag, Mayo was asked this question from a fan:

Mayo responded by saying:

Actually, we haven’t given it much thought. Perhaps it’s unfair, but Minor League relieves do tend to be under-appreciated. Some of that stems from the belief that many relievers began as starters and couldn’t stick in a rotation. I don’t think that’s as true as it used to be. Just look at the last four National League Rolaids Relief Award winners (now the Trevor Hoffman award). Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon and Craig Kimbrel (won it two years in a row) never started a game.

Mayo wrote that relief pitching doesn’t get much credit amongst the prospect ranks. However he and other MLB Pipeline writers were able to compile a list of the top five relief pitching prospects in the major leagues.

That list read like this:

1. Joe Jimenez, Tigers
2. Zack Burdi, White Sox
3. J.T. Chargois, Twins
4. James Hoyt, Astros
5. Jimmie Sherfy, D-backs

MLB Pipeline ranked Zack Burdi as the second best relief pitching prospect in the major leagues. Burdi is currently the team’s seventh best prospect according to Fan Graphs.

Burdi has appeared in 26 minor league games and 38 innings. He holds a career 1-0 record with a 3.32 ERA and a 51/20 K/BB ratio. The former Louisville product was the White Sox first round pick of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Much has been made of White Sox prospect Michael Kopech throwing 110 MPH. However Kopech isn’t the only pitching prospect on the South Side who can break 100. Burdi has the ability to hit triple digits on any given pitch.

There’s a good chance that current White Sox closer David Robertson is traded before the end of the 2017 season. While it’s likely that Nate Jones would take over the closers role, it appears as if Burdi is the team’s closer of the future.

He is just 21, yet he has already reached AAA. There’s a chance he breaks camp with the team and an even better chance he ends the 2017 on the major league team. Burdi is the future of the White Sox bullpen.

Mayo is 100% correct in his assessment that relief pitching doesn’t get as much credit in the prospect ranks as starting pitchers do. A player like Lucas Giolito, who is coming off an injury riddled season, will be ranked much higher than Burdi, who is coming off an amazing first year in the pros.

However Burdi doesn’t need to be ranked in the top 100 to prove his worth. Whether he starts or ends the year with the club, the White Sox farmhand should continue the prove he is one of the best relief pitching prospects in the minor leagues.

When the Robertson trade saga eventually reaches its climax, Burdi should be on the shortlist of names to become the team’s closer. Regardless of a trade, Burdi is the team’s closer of the future and could end up being one of the best relief pitchers in the major leagues.

Zack Burdi isn’t Lucas Giolito, or even Reynaldo Lopez, but he is proving his worth as a relief pitching prospect. There is a good chance that the former Louisville Cardinal becomes a household name by the end of the 2017 season.

 

Feel free to continue the conversation on Twitter: @DFappiano14

There Will Finally Be A Real Stan Mikita’s Donuts

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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This weekend the NHL will bring the fictional Stan Mikita’s Donuts to life for a pop-up restaurant during their all-star festivities. Stan Mikita’s All-Star Cafe presented by Honda will be the official name but the inspiration is from the classic movie Wayne’s World.

The effort will be brought together by Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly to make use of the marriage of Hollywood and Hockey for the all-star weekend. No one is sure if there will be “sugar pucks” to eat but there will be round table discussions about hockey and Hollywood, player appearances and even screenings of Wayne’s World for the 25th anniversary.

Mike Myers said the inspiration for Stan Mikita’s was actually Tim Horton’s Donuts but since Wayne’s show was in Aurora he needed to connect it to Chicago. When Myers was a kid growing up Toronto he would choose to be the Blackhawks’ Mikita while playing street hockey. He felt that Stan looked like what a hockey player should look like and he always seemed to be clutch against the Leafs.

A whole generation of kids will remember his name from this movie but it is unfortunate that Stan Mikita will not be able to be there for health reasons. His family members will be there instead to share his stories.

In better news for Chicagoland residents, we can hope a similar pop-up will land in Aurora this summer. The city will be hosting a six month long celebration for the 25th anniversary of the movie.

 

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