Bleacher Report - Articles by Sam Brown

Why I'll Blame Kenny Williams

Sam Brown — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:07:36 -0400

A few days ago Kenny Williams explained how making the playoffs this season means more to him than with any other team. He went on to explain that because no one thought he could compete and go young during the same season, a playoff appearance would give him the "I-told-you-so" stump to speak of for the next few years.

But Kenny Williams put together a .500 team—just about what all the analysts said he'd do.

In fact if you look back on the opening day roster Kenny Williams swung and missed in several instances. Remember Josh Fields, third baseman of the future? Kenny thought he could help this team win now and in the future. He didn't and won't.

Kenny also told us not to worry about trading away Javy "Little Game" Vazquez, because the combination of Clayton Richard, Jeff Marquez, Bartolo Colon, and Jose Contreras could hold up the back end of the rotation. They didn't.

The two veterans were ineffective at best, and Marquez has yet to throw a pitch in the big leagues. Williams appeared to trade Richard in May and then did so in August, just as the young left hander was starting to win big games.

It's hard to say Williams gave his manager a chance to win when he only gave him three real big league starters.

Kenny Williams left his bullpen largely intact from last year despite the fact that it became very hittable down the stretch last year. Surprise, surprise, the same thing has happened in 2009.

Sure the emergence of Gordon Beckham and the mediocrity of the division have prevented Williams from looking totally bad. But this team could still end up well below .500 before it is all over. It could also still win this thing. If this team misses the post season I will blame Kenny Williams for failing to improve last year's team.

Kenny, you haven't proved anyone wrong.

Forget the Rivalry, This Year the White Sox and Cubs Just Need Wins

Sam Brown — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:46:06 -0400

Last year when the two Chicago teams met in June, both were in first place and in command of their respective divisions. Not only were city bragging rights on the line but also the series gave both teams a chance to see how they stacked up against one of the other top teams in baseball.

Both the Sox and the Cubs held serve, sweeping in their respective ballparks—though the Cubs play in a rotting museum, not a stadium.

I love this rivalry.

As a White Sox fan it is the highlight of my season, the ultimate proving ground for this year’s club. It isn’t that the Cubs are a measuring stick, because well, the only thing the Cubs organization is a measuring stick for is how to not win.

The series does give me insight into which White Sox players can come through in the clutch in a high-pressure series.

This season is a bit different for both clubs.

Coming off division championships, neither the Sox nor the Cubs have looked like sure bets to repeat. The Sox can’t hit, then they can’t pitch, then they can pitch but not hit, and then hit but not pitch and so on. The Cubs have been hurt, Carlos Zambrano has been throwing hissy fits, and the bullpen has been a roller coaster ride.

Simply put, both teams need to win every series to get back in the race for their division. Sure the rivalry makes it exciting but there is urgency this year as both teams are flirting with falling out of the race.

Not surprisingly, White Sox fans are more cognisant of this fact.

We see a young offense missing Carlos Quentin, an up and down starting five that just can’t seem to consistently hand the stellar bullpen the lead, and a gun slinging GM ready to blow the whole thing up at any moment. We know the Sox need to make their move in the next few weeks or else.

As for the Latte drinking crowd over in Wrigleyville, it is a different story.

For some reason Cub “fans” and sports talk show hosts alike continue to suffer under the delusion that the Cubs have the best team in the National League despite what their record is.

They ignore the overrated pitching staff, yes that’s right, Ryan Dempster is not a guy you want pitching for you in the playoffs (see 2008 NLDS Game One).

Wait, Rich Harden is hurt?

Wow, never saw that coming.

Big Z inconsistent and prone to throwing childish fits?

You could have fooled me.

The bullpen is awful, Milton Bradley can’t stay on the field, or hit for that matter, Aramis Ramirez, only now the best third baseman in the city, by default due to Josh Fields’ ineptitude, is on the sidelines until the All-Star break at best.

Not to be too harsh on the Cubs, but the point is both teams really haven’t proven themselves to be very good. Regardless of the rivalry both the Sox and Cubs desperately need to string some wins together or Chicago fans, both north and south will get tired of talking and thinking about Jay Cutler well before he ever steps on the field.

Both teams can still turn this thing around (of course it doesn’t really matter if the Cubs do because they won’t win anything in October) but they need wins now. And for the next three games the rivalry, for me, takes a back seat to getting the White Sox back on track.

The Life of Brian: Anderson's Big Chance At Redemption Finally Here

Sam Brown — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:09:22 -0400

In April of 2006 it was good to be Brian Anderson. How many rookies are called upon to play starting center field for a defending World Series Champion?

Anderson was a first-round draft pick and a proud product of a White Sox system that developed outfielders Magglio Ordonex, Carlos Lee and Aaron Rowand. Blessed with speed, power, and superior defensive ability Anderson was billed as a five-tool player who would make Sox fans forget all about the gritty but overrated Aaron Rowand.

That season, to take the pressure of his young center fielder, manager Ozzie Guillen asked only on thing of Anderson, catch the ball.

He did just that to the tune of a .994 fielding percentage and though Anderson had a miserable first half offensively he was in no way hurting a White Sox team that looked poised to return to the playoffs, ahead in the Wild Card race by as many as eight games as late as the end of June.

Things didn’t quite materialize for the Sox as their starting pitching broke down in the second half and after missing the playoffs it was easy to point at the rookie’s .225 batting average and call for an improvement in center.

Fair or not Anderson wasn’t given a second chance in 2007 because Kenny Williams brought in “grinder” Darin Erstad through free agency. Erstad couldn’t stay healthy, or be particularly effective when he was healthy, while Anderson struggled in AAA and seemed at odds with the brass of the White Sox.

A funny thing happened in the spring of 2008. Anderson came to spring training a changed man.

He played probably better than anyone on the team that spring and forced his way onto the roster after the man who drafted him, Kenny Williams, went so far as to say that though he had not lost confidence in him the White Sox General Manager believed Anderson would need to move to another team to truly blossom.

Throughout the 2008 season Anderson did everything that was asked of him. His numbers won’t scare anyone but in limited action he was a productive hitter, driving in 26 runs, and slugging 21 extra-base hits in just 181 at-bats. That is decent productivity for a guy who was lucky to get a start once a week.

Meanwhile the Sox once again went outside the organization to find a center fielder. This time it was Nick “Dirty Thirty” Swisher, who despite his clubhouse antics and positive demeanor hit just under .220, 12 points lower than Anderson and five points lower than Anderson hit in the ‘disaster’ that was 2006.

Swisher was eventually exposed as a “me first” player who sulked his way off the roster after being benched in September in favor of future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Junior.

Fast-forward to 2009, when Brian Anderson, despite a decent spring was passed over in favor of Dewayne Wise for the starting spot in center. But just a week into the season a struggling Wise hurt himself making a valiant catch in center and will be on the shelf for at least six weeks.

All indications are that Brian Anderson will finally get a second crack at being the starting center fielder for the Chicago White Sox. If he can hit anywhere close to the way he did this spring, .290 BA, .464 slugging, .375 OBP the Sox may not only have their center fielder for 2009, but for a few years to come.

As for Anderson he might just be able to get a little redemption after having to watch the likes of Darin Erstad, Jerry Owens, Nick Swisher, and an aging Ken Griffey Junior occupy the position he had handed to him on a silver platter in 2006. I, for one, will be rooting for him.

Bulls Sleepwalk in Revealing Loss to Bobcats

Sam Brown — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:47:53 -0500

To call the Bulls' effort tonight in Charlotte uninspired may be too kind.

With their playoff position hanging in the balance, the Bulls may as well have stayed at home in Chicago. They trailed by eight after the first quarter and would never get closer the rest of the way.

Vinny Del Negro’s squad was out shot, out defended, and out hustled by Larry Brown’s Bobcats, who have now won four in a row and are just a game behind the Bulls in the standings.

The Bulls' players and coaches will probably point to this loss as another example of the Bulls not being focused against lowly teams like the Bobcats, but something else is at work here.

The Bulls just aren’t as good as the Bobcats.

Derrick Rose couldn’t defend Raymond Felton or DJ Augustin, Joakim Noah couldn’t defend Emeka Okafor, and Vinny Del Negro couldn’t coach with Larry Brown.

When the other team has the advantage at center, point guard, and head coach, you are going to lose most of the time.

The blame can be spread more widely than that though.

John Salmons, in his first start as a Bull was awful, shooting 4-13 for just nine points and one assist. Ben Gordon led the Bulls with just 14 points on 6-15 shooting and five turnovers.

Joakim Noah had four points and five rebounds. The list goes on and on. Derrick Rose was ineffective on either end of the floor, and Kirk Hinrich was no better.

The lone bright spot was Tyrus Thomas’s double-double, but he also turned the ball over three times and only shot two free throws.

The Bulls stunk.

It is very interesting to see the difference in coaching style between future Hall of Famer Larry Brown and future broadcaster Vinny Del Negro.

Brown was on his feet the entire game, hollering out plays and barking at his team. Put simply, Larry Brown actually coaches his team.

Vinny Del Negro, on the other hand, like during so many other Bulls losses, just sat on the beach looking clueless and miserable.

The Bulls have not only become maddeningly inconsistent, but also downright bad in their last four games.

If you take away Saturday’s miracle comeback, they really should have lost their last four games by very wide margins. It might be time to accept the fact that the Bulls, all of them, are just not all that good.

If you want me to say that that excludes Derrick Rose, because he can do no wrong, well then you aren’t watching the games. His inconsistency mirrors that of the team, and while he will surely be great one day, he is not great yet.

His defense is an increasing liability, and his shooting is up and down to the extent that he cannot be counted on yet to produce the bulk of the team’s offensive production.

I’m not ripping Rose, but just pointing out that he his part of the reason why the Bulls have struggled to gain ground in the playoff race.

Vinny Hangs Rose and the Bulls Out to Dry in Fourth Quarter Meltdown

Sam Brown — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:25:28 -0500

There are plenty of explanations for the Bulls fourth quarter meltdown tonight in New Jersey.

Maybe they just ran out of gas on the back end of a two-game, home-and-road stretch. Maybe it was because Derrick Rose got outplayed, out-manned, and out-talented by Devin Harris all night.

Maybe it was because Tyrus Thomas, with the game in the balance, started taking it upon himself to take and miss every shot. Maybe it was because Vinny Del Negro, in the midst of his team’s collapse decided to just let it happen.

Some coaches who watch their team go from being up four to down five in little more than two minutes might call a timeout.

Some coaches, after watching their rookie point guard gets schooled on both sides of the ball might sit him down and put in his bigger, more defensive minded back up. But not Vinny Del Negro, he just did what he seems to do best, let his players get white-washed when things start going bad.

Arguably this was not a game the Bulls would have easy time beating. Flying halfway across the country after last night’s home win to face a scrappy Nets team is no easy task. But what makes the fourth quarter meltdown, wait, is there a better word than meltdown? How about surrender? How about nosedive, or face plant?

What makes the game a tough loss is the fact that the Bulls led by as much as nine late in the third quarter. They were getting good contributions off of the bench and had a balanced attack going.

When things went bad early in the fourth Del Negro could have called a quick timeout and taken Derrick Rose out of the game. It was clear he couldn’t stop Devin Harris, who scored 19 of his 42 points in the fourth.

What’s more, Rose was ineffective on offense scoring just nine points. He looked lost offensively and certainly wasn’t scaring the Nets defenders at all.

If Rose can’t be an offensive force, and he is being lit up on the other end it is time to let Hinrich run the team.

What’s more, Hinrich was playing good ball in the third quarter. He ended up with 14 points and five assists in ten minutes less playing time than Rose. If you believe that the plus-minus statistics means anything Hinrich was plus 10, while Derrick Rose was a horrific -17, the worst on the team.

Vinny Del Negro left Rose and the Bulls out there to die last night, and he let the Nets pull even with the Bulls for ninth place in the East.

Chicago Bulls Season Hangs in the Balance Tonight in Milwaukee

Sam Brown — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:05:27 -0500

The next 24 hours may determine the course of the rest of the season for the Chicago Bulls. With the trade deadline looming Thursday afternoon, the Bulls head up the lake to Milwaukee tonight to face Scott Skiles and the streaking Bucks.

The Bulls currently sit 2.5 games behind the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot. With the Nets slumping, the Bucks, despite the losses of Micheal Redd and Andrew Bogut for the season, appear to be the team to catch for the final playoff spot in the East.

With a victory the Bulls would pull within a game and a half and pull even in the all important loss column. A loss would put them...

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Chicago Bulls Take Em Or Leave Em: Thabo Sefalosha

Sam Brown — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:44:29 -0500

Last week’s bone-headed inbounds play aside, one thing is generally true about Thabo Sefalosha: he doesn’t lose any games for you.

The third year guard from Switzerland plays solid defense and takes care of the ball. The problem with Thabo, and the reason he averages just under 17 minutes a game, is that he doesn’t really do very much to help a team win.

Supposedly he is a good shooter in practice, with range that extends out beyond the three-point line. He is long, strong, and has serious hops. So why hasn’t he contributed the way he should?

In fairness to Sefalosha he as been part of the Bulls logjam at the guard position for a few years now. One could make the argument that he hasn’t gotten enough PT to develop his game.

But the former first round pick got his chance to start the year after Vinny Del Negro basically willed him into the starting lineup. It quickly became clear that Sefalosha couldn’t make open shots and after missing 12 of his first 15 three point attempts he lost all confidence in his jumper.

The man does play exceptional on the ball defense, and unlike the undersized Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich, at 6-7 Sefalosha can play with the premier Lebron, Kobe, Vince Carter sized guards in the league.

The problem has always been on the offensive end where Sefalosha looks perpetually timid. The game seems too fast for him and he constantly passes up open jumpers.

His defense and athletic ability made him a first round pick three years ago but the Bulls patience with him might be waning. It is not clear how much trade value he really has considering the fact that he doesn’t play much on the sub .500 Bulls.

For all the talk of first round busts like Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas (who looks to be shedding that image) no one really mentions Thabo Sefalosha, who has done less than anybody.

So Bulls fans, Thabo Sefalosha, take ‘em or leave ‘em?

For more Bulls Take 'Em Or Leave 'Ems, along with game previews, recaps, and trade rumors check out:

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Chicago Bulls Throw One Away Thanks To Thabo Sefalosha

Sam Brown — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:38:58 -0500

In a move that looked strange from the outset, Vinny Del Negro put Thabo Sefalosha in the game with four seconds left. Thabo had only played six minutes all night, hitting no shots, scoring no points, and having no assists or rebounds.

Apparently Del Negro wanted some fresh legs in there to inbound the ball for what should have been a chance for the Bulls to win the game.

I figured Del Negro must know something I didn’t, that maybe Thabo Sefalosha is the best inbounds passer on the team.

But Sefalosha wasn’t the only strange part of the five on the floor at that pivotal moment. Rookie star Derrick Rose was on the bench leaving Ben Gordon as the sole offensive threat on the floor.

Everyone in the building knew where the Bulls were trying to go and to make matters worse Vinny seemed to draw up a play that gave Sefalosha one option that he had to wait several seconds for. The whistle blew and Sefalosha stared straight at Ben Gordon who was predictably double covered. Then Thabo, instead of finding his second option, which was Joakim Noah at the top of the key, simply threw the ball into Dewayne Wade’s hands.

I’m not sure who is more to blame, Sefalosha for his ineptitude, or Vinny Del Negro for putting his team in an almost impossible situation. After the inexcusable turnover...

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Chicago Bulls Take 'Em or Leave 'Em: Tyrus Thomas

Sam Brown — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:51:59 -0500

As little as three weeks ago you couldn’t find three Bulls fans in the country that had a positive thing to say about Tyrus Thomas, unless of course you count comments about his vast potential as a Beach Volleyball player.

Thomas was looking like a classic first round bust. The former LSU star seemed like a guy who came out of college too early and whose raw athleticism wasn’t getting it down anymore in the NBA.

He could block shots but not play good man-to-man defense. He could dunk the ball but not hit a lay up and a jump shot? Forget about it. When he touched the ball more than four feet from the basket fans cringed, anticipating the coming turnover or bricked jump shot.

But now Thomas is the talk of Bulls land. Some people have him in the center of the Amare Stoudemire trade talks, other say he is the key to turning the Bulls season around.

Here are the facts about Thomas’s recent play. He has scored in double figures in his last 8 ball games. In all but one of those games he has had at least nine rebounds. He has had a block and at least two free throw attempts as well. Even his jump shot has started to fall, a little bit.

Put simply, Tyrus Thomas is making a huge impact on the game each and every night out. He is developing right in front of our eyes, not into a middle of the road player, but into a star. Amare Stoudemire has one double double in his last six games. Tyrus Thomas has five.

And is this so hard to believe? Isn’t it just halfway through Thomas’s third season? Isn’t this the first season in which he has gotten an extended opportunity to start?

Plenty of Bulls fans and Chicago media people still say it’s just a fluke. They are urging John Paxson to deal Thomas for Stoudemire because he is an All-Star and he sells shoes and is on commercials.

Now looks like the pivotal moment for Tyrus Thomas’s career as a Bull. If they keep him and his productivity falters he could be sat on the bench forever, or traded away for parts. If they trade him and he busts everyone will pat Pax on the back for the shrewd move. If he leaves and produces he’s the next Elton Brand.

But if he stays, and he keeps getting double-doubles every night than the Bulls have their answer for a inside scoring presence and Derrick Rose and Tyrus Thomas might be the next Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire.

Tyrus Thomas Bulls fans, take ‘em or leave em?

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Bulls-Pistons: Chicago Steals One from Detroit

Sam Brown — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:27:38 -0500

In a season full of late game meltdowns, missed buzzer-beaters, and overtime losses, the Chicago Bulls finally stole one back.

Down by as much as 14 well into the fourth quarter Tuesday night, the Bulls simply refused to lose. A clutch Ben Gordon four-point play on a do-or-die possession gave the Bulls a three-point lead. Unlike last week in Dallas, the Bulls were able to shut the Pistons down on the other end of the floor.

There are games in every season that stick out. Call them turning points, call them must-wins, call them whatever you want, but for teams that have successful seasons, for teams that surprise people, these are the type of games that get them there.

For the first time all season, for the first time in a few seasons, the Bulls refused to lose. They dug out of a huge hole after an abysmal third quarter performance. Tyrus Thomas and Derrick Rose made every big play they needed to down the stretch and the Pistons shooters went ice cold when it mattered most.

In the midst of the Amar’e Stoudemire trade talk, Tyrus Thomas is emerging as a star caliber player. Yes Bulls fans, you heard it, Tyrus Thomas is becoming a star before our eyes. He is a double-double machine, and a legitimate scoring option.

For all the games the Bulls have blown this year, they finally got one back. Coupled with the Nets' loss the Bulls now have 29 losses, as do the Bucks and Nets.

With one more game remaining before the break the Bulls can probably snag hold of the eighth spot with a win Thursday against Miami.

Only time will tell whether this win is a turning point, or a last gasp, but no one can deny that the Bulls are a different team than the one that was booed out of Chicago a few weeks ago.

Tyrus Thomas looks like a new guy, Kirk Hinrich helps the team off the bench, and even joking Joakim Noah is putting up decent production. The Bulls trailed the Pistons 90-80 late in the fourth. Tyrus Thomas made a huge three-point play and the comeback was on.

Hopefully the game reminded Vinny Del Negro that Ben Gordon is not afraid to make the big shot. D-Rose isn’t ready yet; let Big Shot Ben have a chance at the buzzer.

For this and other Bulls articles, game previews, recaps, and trade rumors check this out.

Chicago Bulls Survive Tough Trip, Look to Make a Playoff Push

Sam Brown — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:06:45 -0500

Things could have gone a lot worse.

When the Bulls let Chicago a few weeks ago they had lost four in a row and were getting booed nightly. fans were calling for Vinny Del Negro and John Paxson’s head on a plate. Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas were awful, Loul Deng was nowhere to be found, and even rookie sensation Derrick Rose was in a scoring slump.

The Bulls looked like a sinking ship and the road trip looked like it might deal the deathblow to the season.

But then things stated to go the Bulls way. Thomas and Noah stated playing better, Loul Deng decided...

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Chicago Bulls Take 'Em or Leave 'Em: Captain Kirk Hinrich

Sam Brown — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:25:19 -0500

When the Bulls selected Hinrich with the seventh overall pick in 2003 Bulls fans shook their heads. NBA scouts and talent evaluators chuckled. The book on Hinrich was already written they said. Sure he was a great college player but that he was a step slow for the NBA.

Evidently John Paxson saw something that they didn’t and went with Hinrich anyway. Now there were so many big names in that draft, from LeBron, to Dwyane, to Carmelo that Hinrich is easily lost in the shuffle. But one thing is clear, Kirk Hinrich isn’t a step to slow for anything, he is a quality, above average NBA point guard.

For the Bulls the question has always been just how good is their captain. His career averages of 14.2 points and 6.3 assists suggest he is a legitimate two-threat point guard. His turnovers have gone down every year and he is one of the most tenacious on the ball defenders in the league. But doubts remain in Chicago about their once beloved captain.

It was during the ugly '07-'08 season that Hinrich first came under attack. Like most of his teammates Hinrich had a terrible season and a team with a lot of expectations did nothing. For some reason Hinrich took a lot of the blame and everyone decided he was a terrible player who couldn’t run an offense.

After being hurt for much of this year Hinrich has returned and looked very good coming off of the bench. His shot still isn’t in midseason form but it’s getting there. The team, and backcourt mate Derrick Rose seem to play better when Hinrich is on the floor.

Hinrich is signed to a big time deal and is locked up for the Bulls for another two seasons. With the trade winds always swirling in Chicago and Derrick Rose clearly the point guard of the future Hinrich’s role on this team is a big question. Lots of fans say he should be traded to help bring back a frontcourt presence. Others say he makes a great sixth man off of the bench.

To his credit Hinrich has handled his bench role extremely well. He has no attitude whatsoever and has played hard.

With Ben Gordn going to free agency the Bulls should not trade Hinrich but move him to the shooting guard position. That way the Bulls backcourt will have two guys who can shoot and create shots for their teammates.

While Hinrich might not be able to score like an elite shooting guard he can defend most of them. The Bulls would then have Thabo Sefalosha as a third guard who can bring defense and passing off of the bench.

Well Bulls Fans, Captain Kirk Hinrich, take ‘em or leave ‘em?

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Bulls and Del Negro Overmatched By Yao and The Rockets

Sam Brown — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:50:08 -0500

Don’t buy those playoff tickets just yet.

After an encouraging three-game winning streak the Bulls took at step back last night in Houston; It took the Bulls nearly four minutes to get their first field goal.

Despite the slow start they were able to rally several times in the first half behind the hot shooting of Loul Deng. The Bulls trailed by just 3 points at the break and probably would have been ahead if not for their abysmal free throw shooting.

The Rockets, behind Yao Ming’s 28 points, opened up on the Bulls in the third quarter. Vinny Del Negro seemed completely unable to figure out how to stop the big Houston center. It seemed like he was content to allow Joakim Noah to try to play Yao one and one.

Noah was unable to do any such thing and he fouled out after playing just over 17 minutes. Del Negro, instead of doubling down on Yao down the stretch (a strategy that seemed to work early on), just kept letting the Rockets center dominate the game.

It seems that Del Negro really didn’t expect that to happen.

Despite Yao’s dominance the Bulls rallied early in the fourth to pull within five, but a pathetic three play sequence by Joakim Noah put the game back out of reach. After the Rockets missed a three ball out of the corner it looked like the Bulls would get a chance to pull closer.

Instead, Noah couldn’t get a clean rebound and the ball slipped off his hands out of bounds. He then got completely lost on the in bounds plays and allowed Yao to get an easy slam, making sure to foul him on the way. On the other end Noah missed a make-able tip in, then took another bad foul inside and was gone.

A five point deficit was quickly a ten point one thanks to Joakim Noak who continues to struggle with his consistency.

The night was not all bad for the Bulls. They fought tough all night and remained competitive. They turned the ball over just 8 times and got to the line 28 times. Unfortunately they shot just 60.7 % from the line.

Loul Deng led the Bulls with 28 points but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bulls miserable play down low. Sure, Tyrus Thomas had 14 point but he shot just 33% and had three turnovers.

Noah’s line was downright ugly, but not unusual for the former first round pick. In just 17 minutes he had 2 points, 6 fouls, and one, count them one rebound.

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Larry "Big Shot" Hughes and Chicago Bulls on the Trading Block

Sam Brown — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:58:34 -0500

It seems like it has been three years since Larry Hughes drilled a buzzer beater in Utah to give the Bulls a much-needed victory on their last West Coast road trip.

But it was only November, and few weeks later, after he hit a game-winner at home against the Knicks, Bulls commentator Stacy King began referring to the Bulls swingman as “Big Shot” Larry.

Since then, Hughes hasn’t been hitting any shots. In fact, he hasn’t hit any shots at all since being benched by Bulls head coach Vinny Del Negro after several weeks of crying about playing time.

It seems the fact that Hughes was averaging the fifth most minutes on the team was not enough for him. It seems that “Mr. Big Shot” Larry is a better name for an aging veteran who is too high and mighty to play off of the bench.

There is no question that Hughes wants to be on the trading block. He has been talking about it for quite some time.

For a while, it was not clear if the Bulls wanted to acquiesce to his request. With guard Kirk Hinrich’s return from injury still in question and guard Thabo Sefolosha’s shot nowhere to be found, the Bulls needed Hughes' scoring ability off of the bench.

The situation has changed dramatically.

Kirk Hinrich is back ahead of schedule and playing pretty well considering the amount of time missed. The team looks better with him and guard Derrick Rose on the court at the same time.

Sefolosha still disappears for long stretches, but has looked better when he is in the game. Rose and guard Ben Gordon are the team’s two leading scorers, making that four guards lodged in front of Hughes.

At this point, he is most certainly on the trading block, so why isn't he gone?

At first glance, Hughes looks like an excellent piece for a contending team to add. He is tall for a guard, can score, and plays very good man-to-man defense when he wants to.

Additionally, his huge $13 million per year contract expires after next season, giving the team much-needed salary cap space heading into the 2010 offseason.

That being said, there are two big stumbling blocks keeping Hughes from finding a new home.

The first one is the fact that he has basically said he will not accept being a bench player even though it is clear to everyone but him that is what he is at this point in his career. Even if a contending team wanted him, it would not be for him to play 35-minutes a game. His attitude has clearly scared a few teams off.

The other factor here is his giant contract. If the Bulls are to unload the costly veteran, they will need to get a player, or players, to match his salary. That could be tough since teams won’t want to give up a high-priced talent for a whiner like Hughes. The Bulls won’t want to take on another guy’s contact to watch him sit on the bench and joke with guard Lindsey Hunter.

For now, it looks like you might be finding a DNP next to Larry Hughes’ name for quite a while. What I am about to say next might make Bulls fans cringe, but we might see Larry get the minutes he wants on this team.

If Paxson pulls off a deal that sends Gordon, Hinrich, or Sefolosha to another team, Hughes slips back in the rotation. It might seem nuts but “Mr. Big Shot” Larry Hughes gives Pax some flexibility in the coming weeks.

For now though, he resided on the trading block, where he does not have to fight with anyone for minutes.

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Gordon

Sam Brown — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:58:25 -0500

Perhaps no current Bulls player elicits a wider range of responses from fans than Ben Gordon.

You ask one fan what he thinks of Gordon and he praises his prolific scoring and his ability to create his own shot. You ask another and all you hear about his how he is a ball hog who is playing for a contract, not playing defense, and killing the team.

The truth must be somewhere in between.

And now that the 2008-2009 season is looking more and more like a (*GULP!*) rebuilding season, it is time for the Bulls to decide just what they think of Ben Gordon.

When he burst on the scene in 04-05, Gordon was a sensation. For the first time since “you know who” the Bulls finally had a guy who fans wanted to watch carry the team in the fourth quarter.

Gordon only started three games that season and played an average of 24 minutes a game. However, his 15 points a game made him one of the league’s most explosive scorers when he was on the court. He made a habit of scoring 10 or more points in the fourth quarter almost every night.

The problem is that you could easily argue—and plenty of Bulls fans will—that Gordon hasn’t gotten any better during his four years in the league.

The stats largely back up that statement. His points have increased but only because his minutes have. His assists have stayed fairly steady while his turnovers have declined just slightly.

For the most part, Ben Gordon is still good at what he was good at his rookie season. He shoots 40 percent from long range, he is a great foul shooter, and he can get as hot as anyone on any given night at any single moment.

Defensively, Gordon is undersized as a shooting guard. I think fans often forget this, and unfairly label Gordon a defensive liability. On some nights Gordon may have a hard time shutting down a bigger guard like a Carter or a James, but he does play hard on every defensive play.

So the real question isn’t what Gordon will give you every night, because if he is anything he has been consistent. The question for Bulls fans: Is he a good fit on a winning team?

The notion that Gordon is a ball hog, in my opinion, is off base. The guy is a scorer, he has always been a scorer, and that’s how he was taught to play the game.

You can’t blame the guy for being what he is. He isn’t jacking shots to fill out his box score. He is jacking up shots to score points for his team and to help his team win the only way he knows.

I, for one, don’t blame him for it. He has played his whole career on a Bulls team that lacks any real offensive “go to” guy. Ben Gordon plays hard. He takes the ball to the hole and gets hammered in there by bigger players.

He gets to the line more than anyone on the Bulls team and is their leading scorer. Take away Derrick Rose and that lucky lottery ball and he is the Bulls' best player.

But does he fit in the team’s future?

John Paxson wants to see what players will fit in around Rose. Gordon seems like he should. Rose should be able to penetrate and kick to Gordon for three balls all day long.

For whatever reason, these two haven’t really clicked. It has sort of been a one-or-the-other situation. In any given game, the offense is either going through Rose or Gordon. That seems to suggest that the two do not really make each other better.

But does a Bulls team without Ben Gordon scare anyone else?

Who is going to score points? I know Derrick Rose is the man, but he isn’t designed to be a leading scorer type guy. At his best he should be a 17-point, 10-assist, Steve Nash type of player.

If you take Gordon away there is really no one on the team aside from Rose who can make his own shot.

Kirk Hinrich is a good player but is not at his best trying to play one-on-one basketball. Luol Deng is paid like a guy who can create his own, but he can’t.

Love him or hate him, Ben Gordon is a necessary component if THIS Bulls team is going to put on any kind of run for a playoff spot.

As for the future, who knows?

Ben Gordon—take him or leave him, Bulls fans.

Same Sad Story for Clutch-Less Chicago Bulls

Sam Brown — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:44:19 -0500

It's getting old isn't it? The Bulls played tough and fought hard through three quarters Tuesday night in the United Center. But it seems that a new president isn't enough to change the Bulls luck when it comes to performing in the clutch.

There was plenty of blame to go around on this night. The Bulls four guards combined for 13 turnovers and none were bigger than when Derrick Rose threw a pass away with the Bulls trailing by four with two minutes remaining. It was a struggle all night long for Rose who ended up with 13 points and four assists.

But no player epitomizes the Bulls fourth quarter ineptitude quite like Lou Deng. The 71 million dollar man usually is nowhere to be found late in the game. On this night he at least tried to score a few times down the stretch. Unfortunately he missed on two big possessions.

It isn't so much that Deng is underachieving, which he most certainly is, it's that he isn't even a player the opponent needs to be concerned about in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls are proving that they can play with the best teams in the league. Unfortunately they just can't beat anyone when push comes to shove. Derrick Rose has shown that he will most likely develop into a clutch, go to player. It might be hard for him to achieve that when he has no one to learn from on the Bulls.

Ben Gordon was the only one who showed up tonight in the fourth quarter, but he can be just as much as a non-factor in any given fourth quarter. Kirk Hinrich always seems a little too jazzed up to make big plays down the stretch. And as for the 71 million dollar man, well, he seems to only punch the clock for three quarters.

Improving Bulls Blow One Late at The Garden

Sam Brown — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:56:56 -0500

The Bulls disappeared when it really mattered Monday in New York. Though they trailed much of the game, the improving Bulls refused to let the Knicks pull away. For the first ten minutes of the fourth quarter the Bulls were the better team and were poised to win.

Then Tyrus Thomas messed up a steal, Kirk Hinrich missed a free throw and then a wide open three pointer. Any of those three plays would have virtually won the game for the Bulls.

Still the game still looked in hand when Tyrus Thomas pulled down a huge offensive board off of Hinrich’s miss with 47 seconds left and the Bulls leading by one.

Thomas could have down two things. He could have, and probably should have, kicked the ball back out and let Derrick Rose run some clock and try to score with around 24 seconds left. At the very worst the pressure would have been on the Knicks to score in their final possession.

But Thomas chose to go back up with the ball. Honestly he was all alone under the basket so it is tough to fault his decision. The problem was Thomas didn’t go up strong. Instead he put up an ugly shot and missed at point blank range.

He scores that ball and the Bulls win. Hinrich makes his free throws and the Bulls win. Thomas picks up an easy steal and the Bulls win.

Three plays that the Bulls had to screw up for the Knicks to steal the win, and the Bulls screwed them all up.

Thomas and Hinrich did both have very solid games up until that point so it isn’t like they lost the game for the Bulls. There were other positives including a career high 18 rebounds for Joakim “maybe he is a basketball player after all” Noah. Loul Deng looks to be revitalized with the return of Hinrich. But Deng was nowhere to be found late, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

There is no denying that the Bulls are playing much better since Hinrich and Drew Gooden have returned. In the last four games the Bulls could have, and probably should have, won all four.

There is plenty of time left for this Bulls team to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff conversation, but they can’t let games like this one slip away, not anymore.

White Sox Rumors and Opinions: Kenny, Please Don't Trade for Figgins

Sam Brown — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:21:02 -0500

The latest rumor off the hot stove has Jermaine Dye leaving the White Sox again. He has been traded three times already this offseason if you are counting at home. Hot stove writers have dangled the name of Chone Figgins in front of Sox fans for years, but this is the first time he has been discussed in a trade involving Dye.

The Angels' leadoff man is the long-sought-after replacement for the World Series winning legs of Scott Pods, and there is no doubt that Kenny Williams wants him bad. A look at the back of Figgins’ baseball card should cause some concern or Sox fans.

Figgins is a speedster yes, but injuries have slowed him down the last two seasons. In fact, he hasn't played more than 116 games since 2006.

Figgins’ slugging percentage, batting average, and on-base percentage all dropped substantially last season and his stolen-base numbers have declined each of the last two years.

These numbers all seem to indicate that Figgins best years may be behind him. Sure, the same thing could be said about Dye except for the fact that Dye’s numbers all went up last year.

With a speed guy like Figgins, leg injuries will always be a concern. The fact that Figgins hasn’t stayed healthy playing the last two years in sunny and warm southern California is discouraging enough on its own.

But Sox fans should be even more scared of how Figgins’ tender legs may react to the cold months of April, early May, and September in the whacky weather of the midwest. Chicago can be a tough place on hamstrings, just as Scott Podsednik, Alfonso Soriano, and Roger Clemons.

Would Figgins add some speed to the lineup if he were healthy all year? Of course he would, and an outfield of Figgins, Anderson, and Quenten would be above average defensively.

But if Kenny Williams is going to risk depleting his thunderous middle of the lineup for a speed guy like Figgins, he better kick the tires and make sure he isn’t trading for a lemon.

Why Vinny Del Negro Can't Coach the Chicago Bulls

Sam Brown — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:53:45 -0500

For weeks now, Bulls fans have known something was wrong with the coaching style of Vinny del Negro. The defense was far too soft, the rotations were far too odd, and the offensive game plan was non-existent. No one could quite put their finger on it, but something was wrong.

After Saturday’s inexplicable meltdown at home against the lowly Thunder, it was the words of Skinny Vinny himself that might have shown some light on the answer.

Vinny’s first comment about the game was to make excuses that “it’s tough” to win when “your captains are out.” Guess what Vinny? Every team has injuries, and they manage to beat teams like the Thunder.

Skinny then went on to criticize his team’s failure to take ownership of the team. According to Del Negro, he and his coaching staff can’t make the players take on that responsibility; it has to come from his veterans.

Guess what, Skinny: You are the coach of the team and you set the tone. You are the getting the paycheck to motivate your players and to set a standard of responsibility and hard work. It’s your player’s job to make plays yes, but you are the one that sets the environment.

But Del Negro has failed to set the environment time and time again. Clearly there is no emphasis placed on defense in practice, one only has to watch the games to see that. If you watch the offense, it is pretty clear that they don’t actually run any sort of offense whatsoever. Generally everyone stands around while Derrick Rose or Ben Gordon tries to score.

Larry Hughes wants out. What does Del Negro say? He understands but he has too many guards. A guy doesn’t want to play for you, bench him and play someone who does. Could you imagine Scott Skiles playing a guy who yaps like Hughes does?

Del Negro’s own comments seem to suggest that he admits the fact that he can’t properly run the team. As the interview continues, Skinny continues to throw his players under the bus by saying that “they’re the ones playing” and that if “if they can’t make good decisions then [he’ll] have to make good coaching decisions”

Wow, finally a suggestion that Del Negro should try to do something to help his team play better. Hey Skinny, isn’t it always the coach’s job to make good coaching decisions to help the team share the ball better and play better defense?

It is becoming so clear that Del Negro is in over his head with this roster. Remember the bulk of the team is intact that won 49 games two years ago, and that made three-straight postseason appearances under Scott Skiles.

Now if this “it’s all on the players” jargon was coming from a veteran coach with a proven track record I could understand it. But for a guy who is only a head coach in name and not in any true sense of the word it seems strange that he has thrown his hands up this early and basically said it’s not my fault the players have to step up.

If Del Negro wants the respect of his team he has to earn it, or demand it. He has done neither. Maybe Scott Skiles lost his players respect last season, but at least he came into town demanding it and benching anyone who didn’t buy into it.

When Tim Thomas sulked about playing time and refused to play defense Skiles told him just where he could stick it and plopped him on the bench and then kicked him off the team.

"Skinny" Vinny Del Negro sets no standard of play and seems content to watch loss after loss and simply keep talking about how good his rookie point guard is. But don’t listen to me, just listen to Vinny tell you how there isn’t anything left for him to do.

Please John Paxson, realize your mistake and let Del Negro not coach the Bulls from the stands instead of from the Bulls bench.

John Paxson Destroys Once-Promising Chicago Bulls Team

Sam Brown — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:02:57 -0500

It’s almost not worth watching anymore.

The Bulls renaissance that started three seasons ago has officially blown up in John Paxson’s face. After years of ineptitude, Scott Skiles and a young Bulls team rallied from an 0-9 start to put Chicago back on the NBA map in the 2004-2005 season. For a few seasons, it looked like the Bulls were back.

Then things started to go horribly wrong. John Paxson, after making several nice draft picks in the likes of Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon, and Loul Deng, began one of the worst GM runs in the history of Chicago.

Since drafting Gordon, Deng, and Duhon in a spectacular draft in 2004, Paxson has missed over and over.

First it was Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefalosha in a draft where the Bulls could have had so much more. Then it was the selection of Joakim Noah, possibly the worst first round draft selection in NBA history. The selection of Derrick Rose was a no-brainer, so Paxson is hardly off the snide.

But poor drafts do not tell the whole story. Back in 2004-2005, Paxson gave a huge contract to Tyson Chandler, who, after years of bad play, looked to be coming into his own. A year later, Paxson reversed field and traded Chandler to New Orleans where he has blossomed into an All-Star caliber player.

At the time, the move made sense because Paxson had spent close to 50 million dollars for Ben Wallace. With the addition of Wallace, the Bulls had a 49-win season and advanced in the playoffs for the first time since “you know who” was playing shooting guard.

Things looked to be moving in the right direction until John Paxson had to screw it all up. After a sub par, but understandable slow start to the 2007-2008 season, Paxson inexplicably fired Scott Skiles, the man who had hollered and shouted the Bulls back into relevancy in the NBA Central.

A few weeks later, he traded Ben Wallace. In little more than two years, Paxson had traded two 50 million dollar players within a season of signing them.

John Paxson has created the mess in front of him. Are Derrick Rose and Vinny del Negro really enough to rally the Bulls? Is Lou Deng’s huge contract just another Paxson goof?

Right now, the Bulls are in a sorry place. Yes they have a star in Derrick Rose, but it is unsure of what else they have. Lou Deng is a huge bust and Ben Gordon might be on his way out.

Thomas and Noah don’t belong on an NBA roster. Thabo Sefalosha still looks a year or two away, if he is coming at all. Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden are solid but unspectacular veterans.

The Bulls can’t score and they can’t defend. It is a wonder they have won as many games as they have so far. A season that once looked promising has started to look like a disaster.

One thing is for sure: The Bulls are no longer on the rise. They are back in the bottom of the pack with a team that is hardly worth watching. Thanks John Paxson, you are the architect of this disaster.

Bulls-Bobcats: Derrick Rose Stinks It Up in Brutal Loss to Charlotte

Sam Brown — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:10:55 -0500

The Chicago Bulls had no business losing tonight to the Bobcats, but they did just that.

For the first time all season Derrick Rose looked completely lost down the stretch. He looked every bit the rookie tonight as he shot 3-16 from the field and had big turnovers late in the fourth quarter.

Still, with all that the Bulls had a three-point lead with 18 seconds left when the Bobcats lofted up a terrible shot from the three-point line. But there was Derrick Rose, fouling the shooter and allowing the Bobcats to tie the game.

To be fair, replays seemed to indicate that the call was absolutely terrible. But it was still Rose’s game to win for the Bulls at the end of regulation.

Unfortunately, as he did all night long in big spots, he ignored the rest of his team and tried to shoot over Omeka Okafor. He could not shoot over the Charlotte center and his shot was blocked like it was all night.

Part of the blame has to go on Vinny Del Negro, who failed to adjust the offense when his star point guard was clearly struggling. Credit Larry Brown and his coaching staff with continually frustrating Rose in a way no other team has this season.

Ben Gordon had 25 points, five assists, and just one turnover in a game where it appeared he was getting anything he wanted in the fourth quarter. Every time he touched the ball down the stretch he either got to the line or found a teammate for a shot.

But every time Gordon gave the Bulls the lead, Del Negro called Rose’s number again and again. He either turned the ball over or got rejected by the Bobcats.

It’s hard to blame Rose who has been such a stud for the Bulls. But his play is what lost this game.

All of the Bulls' supporting cast did their jobs tonight. It has to be the coach’s job to realize when his young star doesn’t have it or when the other coach is scheming to not let him take over the game. If Gordon’s number had been called a few more times down the stretch the Bulls probably would have won.

The loss marks another game in which the Bulls failed to even their record at five hundred against a team that they should beat.

I will end the article quoting Stormin Norm Van Leer: “They ain’t that good yet,” he said, in reference to the young Bulls.

Derrick Rose will have a chance at redemption tomorrow night after the first truly terrible game of his career.

And the up-and-down Bulls season continues.

Chicago Bulls and Big Shot Larry Win A Key Game Against The Knicks

Sam Brown — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:55:50 -0500

It has been a long time since a home win against the New York Knicks could be described as anything more than a given. But the Bulls victory last night was a big one.

The Knicks rolled into town with an identical record as the Bulls. Both teams are hovering at the bottom of Eastern Conference playoff picture. In what is sure to be a dogfight to get into the postseason, for Vinny Del Negro’s team, this is the type of game that can help you in the standings come April.

Make no mistake about it; under new coach Mike D‘Antoni, the New York Knicks have a good thing going. They dumped some dead weight salaries and some “me-first superstars.” What they have now is a young and energetic team that has bought into their coach’s run-and-gun style. This team will be in the playoff hunt with the Bulls.

Another important thing about last night’s win is that the Bulls won a close game with contributions from across the board. It was truly a team effort in a tightly contested fourth quarter.

Loul Deng continued to emerge from his early season coma to lead the way for much of the game.

But the solid play of Drew Gooden, Derrick Rose, and the clutch shooting of Larry Hughes was what mattered down the stretch.

This was the type of game that the Bulls could have let get away. This was exactly the type of game the Bulls have been letting get away for the last three or four years. But every time the Bulls lead evaporated and the Knicks looked prime to take control of the game, someone different stepped up for the Bulls.

Derrick Rose had a highlight drive to the lane midway through the fourth at a crucial point. Even Ben Gordon, in the midst of an atrocious shooting night, hit a big one down the stretch.

And Larry Hughes?

It might be time to start calling him “Big Shot Larry” if he keeps this up. It wasn’t just his game-winner with less than 30 seconds left; he also hit some big jumpers to pace the Bulls down the stretch.

Last night we saw the Bulls win a close game against a team that they will be contending with for a playoff spot. They won with contributions from all over the court and they did it when it counted. I can’t remember the last time they didn’t let a game like that one slip away.

Chicago Bulls Need a Shakeup Down Low

Sam Brown — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:05:32 -0500

This week started with so much optimism. The Bulls had just returned from their annual circus trip at a respectable 8-9 and appeared to be coming into their own. A stretch of winnable games lay ahead and Derrick Rose was the new SportsCenter sensation.

A lot has changed in 48 hours as the Bulls have lost to the Sixers at home and the struggling Bucks up the road in Wisconsin. Rose put together two strong games with two near double-doubles. Ben Gordon got hot at times including a unconscious run tonight in the third quarter that single-handedly got the Bulls back in the game, but they couldn’t close to less than five down the stretch.

One bright spot on an otherwise bad night was the fact that there was a Luol Deng sighting. Seems the former Duke star took a break from counting all the money in his fancy new deal to have a nice shooting night ending up with 21 points.

Now the Bulls sit at 8-11 and desperately need to rack up a few wins the next two weeks. They play beatable teams and they are mostly going to be playing at the UC. If they can win a few games and get to the .500 mark then we can start talking about the playoffs.

The problem is that it doesn’t matter who you play, or where you play if you get the type of play from your big men that Vinny Del Negro is getting. Tonight, Joakim Noah, Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas, and Aaron Gray scored 15 points, COMBINED. The Bulls big men scored 15 points total on a night when Andrew Bogut missed the second half with an injury.

It doesn’t get that much prettier when you go to the season averages. Drew Gooden has had a respectable enough season averaging 13.1 points. But the other three Bulls big men are playing like guys who should be bagging groceries.

Tyrus Thomas, so coveted by other teams in all last year’s trade rumors appears to have taken a step back in the form of 6.8 points per game. Joakim Noah is even worse at 3.4 points a game. Aaron Gray seems to be the only one of the three that is getting any better, but he ain’t no world beater either.

It is fashionable to rip Ben Gordon for his trigger happy ways and blame Larry Hughes’ attitude for the Bulls struggles. But this is all on John Paxson. This is a roster problem. He simply does not have good enough players on the inside.

Thomas and Noah are bad basketball players. Thomas will always make some exciting plays and will probably is serviceable as a good hustle guy as a seventh or eighth man off of the bench. His athleticism and “potential” still make him a worthwhile guy to keep. But can Vinny make him do 20 pushups every time he takes a jump shot?

Now, it could be the UCLA fan in me, but Joakim Noah looks worthless. This guy was a lottery pick? He’s too skinny to be a rebounding force in this league. He gets pushed around on defense and he is consistently beat down the court for easy baskets.

Offense? Forget about it. Even when he does pull down an offense rebound, he is no threat to finish and piss-poor at the line.

His is Ben Wallace without the body and the talent. If anyone would trade Paxson anything for Noah, he needs to be shipped out the door.

The Bulls situation is both promising and sad at the same time. With the excellent guard play of Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon, the Bulls have one of the most dynamic back court combinations in the NBA. You have to figure that Deng will snap out of his slump and start to play like the guy we saw a few years ago.

With the likes of Thomas, Nocioni, Hughes and Gray, the Bulls have the depth to compete with anybody’s second unit.

If Paxson would only see the writing on the wall and make a trade for a big man. Look it doesn’t have to be a star, just somebody who can be counted on to grab some boards, play some defense, and score around 12 or 13 points a game.

Give me Chris Kaman, give me Donny Marshall. Hell, go find me Antonio Davis, and get him out of retirement. It is just to depressing to watch Noah and Thomas suck this team down.

It’s early in the season still and this team could do something if Paxson makes a shrewd move or two. I think it’d be a mistake to trade Ben Gordon.

I may be the only one on Bleacher Report that likes the growing chemistry between Rose and Gordon but I think Del Negro agrees with me. Hughes is unhappy, so package him, Noah, and at next year’s draft picks and go get an average to above average big man. PLEASE!!!

"Big Game" Javy Vazquez Shipped Out...What Does It All Mean for White Sox?

Sam Brown — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:38:28 -0500

As of now, we don’t know exactly what the White Sox will receive in exchange for Javier Vazquez. Whatever the final package ends up being, though, one thing is for sure. The veteran right-hander has thrown his last pitch on the South Side.

The move adds the White Sox to a growing list of teams that includes the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks who were under the misconception that the talented right-hander would finally come into his own in their uniform.

Vazquez’s best year came in 2007, when he won 15 games for the Sox. He entered 2008 as the staff ace and looked dominant for a few stretches throughout the season. But this trade was a case of “what have you done for me lately?”

After being asked to step up by manager Ozzie Guillen in the final weeks of the season, Vazquez melted down and lost his last four starts while posting an ERA over 15.00. He blew a 3-1 lead in game one of the ALDS and would have been shipped to the bullpen had the Sox advanced to the next round.

In all fairness, Vazquez did win 12 games for the White Sox and had a ton of quality starts and pitched a ton of innings from 2006-08. No one has ever questioned his desire. If anything, the right-hander tends to let his fire get the best of him at times.

The trade leaves the back end of the White Sox rotation wide open. In-house candidates Clayton Richard and Lance Broadway’s names are the first that will pop on the depth chart. Both were called upon to pitch in big games during the 2008 pennant race, but Richard’s number was called more often.

Though he was inconsistent at times and he hurt himself with his glove seemingly every night out there, Richard held his own. For a rookie in a pennant race, he performed admirably. He threw seven innings of shutout ball in the Bronx before it all fell apart in the eighth. That is no small accomplishment for a team that was struggling in a pennant race.

Broadway has looked pretty good when called upon to start but his stuff doesn’t scare anyone. The fact that he is right handed actually helps his chances however as Ozzie most likely doesn’t want four lefties in his rotation.

The dark horse is Aaron Poreda, the hard throwing left-hander from California. He was only drafted last year, but with a strong spring he could jump ahead of both Richard and Broadway. The reason I mention the four-lefty possibility is that if Richard and Poreda fill out the No. 4 and No. 5 slots in the rotation, they would join Buehrle and Danks and leave Gavin Floyd as the sole righty of the five.

General manager Kenny Williams will most likely fill one of the rotation vacancies in house. The fact that he gave up Vazquez for no established major leaguers with significant contracts may indicate that he is ready to use the nearly $26 million owed to Vazquez over the next two years elsewhere. Williams may not be in the CC Sabathia derby, but this move does allow him to look at a Derek Lowe or a AJ Burnett.

I don’t think many White Sox fans will miss Vazquez. Unfortunately, he saved his worst for last in a White Sox uniform. It is quite possible that Williams will regret trading away a 12-win, 200-inning pitcher for the second straight year, but only time will tell. For now, the $13 million in salary will likely free him up to make another move or two.

Oh So Sweet: Derrick Rose Is The Next Great Point Guard

Sam Brown — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:40:14 -0500

Last night in Oakland Derrick Rose was the man down the stretch. He was clutch, go to, prime-time, a closer, and what ever other clichés you want to throw out there. His 12 points in the quarter don’t even tell the whole story.

Every time the Warriors pulled close toward the end there was Rose hitting jumpers with ease and getting to the basket with electricity and explosion. We all got a scare when he went down late but it sounds like he his okay.

With a player of Rose’s talent it is always easy to jump the gun on declare him the next great NBA point guard. But guess what? he is. For a Bulls franchise starved for a true star since you know who hung it up early, this Rose smells sweet.

His 18.8 point, 5.5 assist, and 4.3 rebounds a game suggest he has arrived as a superstar in this league. His relatively low 2.69 turnover average should only go down as he gets more and more experience.

Lou Deng and Kirk Hinrich may be paid like All-Stars but in Rose the Bulls have a legitimate shot to send a player to the mid season event for the first time in a long time. Even optimists figured it would take Rose a season or two to approach Chris Paul levels of productivity. Well he’s pretty close.

His scoring numbers are nearly identical and Paul’s superior assist numbers are slightly aided by the fact that he is surrounded by talented shooters and isn’t playing for a coach that really doesn’t even run an offensive system of any kind. Amazingly Rose has turned the ball over at a lower rate than Paul.

Rose’s numbers look pretty good compared to Steve Nash’s as well. Simply put, Derrick Rose is already one of the premier point guards in the league and he has only played 13 games. Derrick Rose and the Bulls will only get better. Bulls fans have waited long enough but they finally have another superstar on their roster.

Why the White Sox Won't Miss Nick Swisher

Sam Brown — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:42:50 -0500

After reading article after article about how great an acquisition Swisher will be for the New York Yankees, I think it is important to look at the trade from the perspective of the White Sox.

I was excited as anyone last winter when the Sox acquired Swisher for three unproven prospects. It seemed like Kenny Williams was getting a proven, young player with a ton of upside. He had the grinder mentality the Sox praise and he even could take a walk.

After a few months, however, Swisher’s act got tired. His goofy personality couldn’t hide the fact that his .218 batting average was hurting the team.

The typical baseball stat head response to that statement is that Swisher’s OBP was still relatively high at .350. They yell about how little batting average tells about a player’s productivity, etc.

Now admittedly, I don’t prescribe to this school of thought in any way. Hitters are supposed to hit. The reason they go up to the plate is to hit the ball hard. That is how you get on base, move runners over, and drive them all in one. Sure, base stealers can get away with walks instead of hits. That is because when Willy Tavarez takes a walk, he most likely ends up turning it into a double or triple.

For a guy like Swisher, the OBP obsession is misplaced. He isn’t slow, but he certainly doesn’t steal any bases. So, his walks are simply singles that don’t knock guys in from scoring position. Swisher is a power hitter. His role is to drive in runs; taking the walk just doesn’t really help get that done.

Swisher’s .218 batting average was the lowest in baseball for a player eligible for the batting title. Hear that Yankees fans? You just acquired the winner of the bizarro world batting title.

Ozzie Guillen benched Swisher by mid-September for career minor leaguer Dewayne Wise. Ozzie was sick of watching Swisher pop up and take called third strikes in big situations.

Now, maybe Wise didn’t get on base at a .350 clip over the last two weeks of the season and into the playoffs, but he did get hits, stole bases, and drove in big runs. Those were things Nick Swisher just wasn’t doing.

The fact that Swisher had been benched makes this trade a prudent move. Seven million dollars for a backup first baseman is too much. For Kenny Williams to get anything for the statistically worst hitter in baseball is pretty impressive.

The trade may have gotten him his fifth starter in Marquez and Juan Uribe’s replacement in Wilson Betimet. Kenny got two players who will contribute for a guy who played his way out of a starting job even on a roster decimated by injuries. Enjoy Yankee fans

What Is Kenny Williams Cooking Up for the Chicago White Sox?

Sam Brown — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:15:20 -0500

There is no stove hotter than the one burning on the south side of Chicago this winter. Coming off of an improbable division title, the White Sox are a team some people would expect to return most of their lineup.

Despite making the playoffs for just the fifth time since 1959, last season’s White Sox were a flawed bunch. At no time were those flaws more apparent than in their first round series against the Rays. After four games the younger, faster, and better defensive team won and went on the win the pennant.

The ink had hardly dried on the season when the rumors started flying. Paul Konerko to the Angels? Javier Vazquez anywhere but here? Jim Thome shipped out? For now, nothing has happened to change the roster, and Kenny Williams seems to be putting on his best poker face by saying he is confident in his youngsters stepping in to fill the voids at third and second base.

Anyone who has followed Kenny Williams knows that anything is possible. Vazquez, Nick Swisher, and now Jermaine Dye have all been reportedly put on the trading block. It would not be surprising if at least two of the three will be gone by March.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s examine the pressing issues facing Kenny Williams and the White Sox.

Second Base

With Alexei Ramirez’s impending move to shortstop, second base is the position that Kenny Williams is most likely to fill with an in-house talent. He has praised Chris Getz whose speed and grinder mentality would be a good fit. The recent acquisition of Jayson Nix would provide insurance for Getz. Orlando Hudson’s name has surfaced as well.

The reason I believe Williams will go in house at second is because it is a position where he can get away with youngster who struggles at the plate. Both Nix and Getz can field the ball and between the two of them one ought to be able to hit at least .250 or so.

Another possibility to keep in mind is that Kenny Williams shakes everybody up and makes a trade for an All-Star-caliber shortstop like Miguel Tejada, or Bobby Crosby. I for one would not put him past him.

Third Base

In the American League, it is essential that you get offensive production from this position. The annual Paul Konerko for Chone Figgens rumors have started again and this year they may be true.

Figgens has speed and can play a few defensive positions in an above average but not great manner. His ability to play third and center field would Ozzy the depth and flexibility that he is great at taking advantage of.

Getting rid of Konerko could pay off if his offensive numbers are truly declining. On the flip side, the Sox would have to hope that Nick Swisher’s numbers bounce back from last year and he provides the offensive production necessary out of the first-base position.

Cuban talent Dayan Viciedo is the wild card on the table. If Ramirez’s production convinced Williams that Cuban League talent transfers well to the South Side he may fork over the dough and make Viciedo the third baseman of the future. That could free Williams up to trade Fields or move him to first.

The downside of signing Viciedo and trading Fields is that the Sox wouldn’t have any insurance at third if the Cuban star struggles making the adjustment. Each player is unique and he may not translate to the big leagues as quickly as the "Cuban Missile."

Nothing is guaranteed but between Fields, Figgens, and Viciedo one of them will be the White Sox starting third baseman.

Center Field

Center is the annual concern or the Sox since the departure of the severally overrated Aaron Rowand. I know Rowand has improved a lot since leaving the Sox, but he was simply not a star player for the White Sox and I wish more fans could admit that.

This is another position where if Williams is serious about going young he can hope between Brain Anderson and Jerry Owens that he has a real big league starter.

If the Sox get a leadoff type hitter than Anderson may have the inside track in that particular competition if indeed it plays out that way. Willy Tavarez’s name has been thrown out there as well.

Last year the Williams gambled on hoping the young Anderson, Quentin, and Owens trio would produce a starter and we know how that turned out. Maybe he’ll see if lightening can strike twice.

Fifth Starter

Clayton Richard could fill this void if Javy Vazquez stays on the team. If Vazquez is traded than Richard would slide up to number four and William would have two slots to fill with youngsters. Maybe he will decide to trust Richard and hope between Lance Broadway, Aaron Poreda, or a yet to be determined youngster he gets his fifth starter.

This plan is risky but if it works out the Sox could end up with four young talented young starters to anchor the staff for years to come.

There are plenty of free agent pitchers that could put the Sox staff over the top but to pony up for the likes of A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe Williams would surely have to clear out some contracts like Konerko or Dye.

This is the hardest spot to predict other than that I would imagine Richard at least gets every opportunity in the world to break camp as one of the starters.

Veterans on the block

Paul Konerko

Trading the undisputed team leader and franchise is no light matter. The White Sox would need to get a substantial return; Chone Figgens alone might not be enough. Konerko’s contract is huge though and moving him would free up a lot of space for a big name free agent.

Jermaine Dye

Dye would probably fetch an even bigger return than Konerko. But Dye’s bat was huge in 2008 as well as 2006. When he is at his best he is the most dominant hitter on the Sox as he hits for both power and average. Keeping him around in right field for one more year would allow the Sox to let Thome go after the year and move Dye into the DH spot.

Nick Swisher

I have to believe Williams traded too much for Swisher last offseason to trade him now while his value is so long. He is still young, can play several positions and gets on base. He could be the bounce back story of the year for the Sox.

Javy Vazquez

I was as upset as anyone last season when Vazquez single-handedly tried to end the White Sox season. But you can’t hide the fact that for his salary Vazquez is a very good bottom of the rotation type pitcher.

If Williams trades him he better have something in the works to make sure his staff doesn’t fall apart. Javy might not be a star but he is a solidifying element to any rotation.

Well I am sure in a few weeks a lot will have changed. I will end the article with a radical “I if I were the GM” lineup…

Chone Figgens 3B

Nick Swisher RF

Carlos Quentin LF

Miguel Tejada SS

Jim Thome DH

Alexi Ramirez 2B

AJ C

Josh Fields 1B

Brain Anderson CF

Buehrle

Danks

Floyd

Richard

Poreda

Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas Aren't Cutting It for the Bulls

Sam Brown — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:31:40 -0500

If you look at half the box score of the Bulls' 113-108 loss to the suddenly high-flying Atlanta Hawks you’d think the Bulls would have handed the young Atlanta team its first loss of the year.

Derrick Rose led the way with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Ben Gordon and Lou Deng both put in 19 points and Andres Nocioni chipped in 20 off the bench.

Even demoted starter Thabo Sefolosha managed to break through the lid that has generally been on the basket when he shoots and scored 13 points on 5-9 shooting.

That is just the type of all around effort that this Bulls team needs to win. Sure they may not yet have a dominating scorer, but that type of production should produce a win.

Unfortunately there are some other players whose names—and not much more—show up in the box score. Starting big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah combined for five points on 2-11 shooting. Both of them were out-rebounded by their rookie point guard and Thomas threw in three turnovers for good measure.

These are pathetic numbers for any NBA players, but what makes it worse for the Bulls is that Thomas and Noah are both top 10 picks. They aren’t rookies anymore, either. Their paltry offensive display doesn’t even tell the whole story.

The Atlanta Hawks' second-year pro Al Horford, a real NBA big man, dominated Thomas and Noah to the tune of 27 points and 17 rebounds. The Atlanta big man made it look easy. A lot of his baskets came when he simply beat the lazy Bulls big men down the court.

Thomas can leap out of the gym, but he is no basketball player. As for Noah I don’t really see what he can do for you on a basketball court. He can’t score, he can’t pass, he is too skinny to defend bigger players, and all he really seems good at is whining to the refs. Noah is like Ben Wallace without any of the talent.

It’s unfortunate because the back court of Rose and Gordon looks pretty smooth. Deng and Nocioni both play hard out of the three spot. The Bulls' big men are killing them and something needs to change quickly or it’s going to be a long road trip next week. Drew Gooden's return should help a little, but only a little.

Sure the Bulls haven't had a true big man, well, for a very long time. But at least the likes of Antonio Davis, Tyson Chandler, Othello Harrington, and PJ Brown did the little things on the court. They could all defend, they could all rebound, and they didn't turn the ball over. I would take any of those guys on the court over the pathetic Thomas and Noah.

Vinny Del Negro Must Learn from Team's Effort in Orlando

Sam Brown — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:21:09 -0500

Most professional coaches and athletes shudder at the mere mention of a “moral victory” or “good loss.” If there were ever a losing effort deserving of praise, the Bulls' performance tonight in Orlando would certainly qualify.

When it was all over the Bulls fell to 2-2, but the game should teach the Bulls and their coaching staff valuable lessons.

In what was their second road game, both against Eastern Conference playoff teams, the Bulls partially redeemed their embarrassing effort in Boston.

For much of the game the Bulls out-played, out-hustled, and out-hearted the Orlando Magic. In fact when Vinny Del Negro actually played his best players and benched most of the pathetic starting five, the Bulls looked like a playoff caliber team.

Which brings us to the first lesson Del Negro must take away from this game: Play your best players.

It is becoming very clear that the Bulls are at their best when former starters Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon are on the floor. After the starting five dug the Bulls into two different 17-point deficits it was the scrappy, inspired, and NBA quality play of Hinrich, Gordon, and Nocioni that got the Bulls back in the game.

At the end of the first half, those three, along with contributions from Derrick Rose and Drew Gooden, led the Bulls all the way back to within three. Del Negro’s team had all the momentum, but the rookie coach decided to start the second half with his miserable starting five.

The main culprits tonight were Tyrus Thomas and Lou Deng. Thomas shot 3-7 but committed four ugly turnovers and had no chance at holding down Dwight Howard. Deng, the Bulls’ $70 million man, scored one point and shot 0-8 from the field.

Derrick Rose had only one assist but looked much better when he had Hinrich or Gordon helping him out in the back court. Del Negro has praised Thabo Sefalosha’s spurts of good play. That is the type of praise worthy of a bench player and not a starting shooting guard.

If the Bulls want to compete this season either Hinrich or Gordon needs to be in the lineup to take some pressure off Rose. Aaron Grey had a nice effort and was the only Chicago big man who looked up to the challenge of battling with Dwight Howard, whose 22 points were barely enough to get the Magic the win.

The second lesson on display tonight was that Andres Nocioni is a warrior. With his bad boy style of play and offensive aggressiveness, he almost single-handedly got the Bulls a win. It is a shame that starters like Deng and Thomas can’t play with that type of heart.

This is an encouraging loss, but only if Vinny Del Negro uses it as a lesson. There is just no way he can stand there with his arms crossed and let the inept offensive play of his current starting lineup continue.

Either Hinrich or Gordon needs to be in the starting lineup. Derrick Rose looks so much better when he has an established NBA guard playing next to him.

As for other changes, I think Deng is too rich to be a bench player, but Tyrus Thomas must be on a shorter leash.

Bulls fans, could you imagine Scott Skiles letting Thomas take some of those ridiculous shots?

Bulls-Bucks: Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose Put Chicago Back in Business

Sam Brown — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:07:06 -0400

Yes, that's right—it was Kirk Hinrich that played a crucial role in delivering Vinny Del Negro his first win as an NBA head coach.

Going into the game, all the hype was about Derrick Rose. And in his debut, the rookie delivered in a big way. He barely missed a double-double, but still managed nine assists, 11 points, and just four turnovers. Throw in his three steals, and the rookie had a superb debut.

Rose wasn't the only youngster to have a big night. Tyrus Thomas notched a double-double, and was on the receiving end of a few electric plays started by Rose. Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and Drew Gooden all made solid contributions as well. It was a team effort in every sense of the word. But to me the most encouraging performance of the night came from the captain, Kirk Hinrich.

No one knew how the former starting point guard and highest-paid player on the team would respond to coming off the bench as the sixth or seventh man. If this game is any indication, Hinrich could be in for a very productive season. He played 26 very important minutes, just six less than the anointed Rose. His 15 points and seven assists all seemed to be big.

But more than anything the team seemed at its best when Hinrich was on the floor. The former Kansas star was able to give Rose a break when he needed it. When the two were on the floor together, they fed off of each other extremely well. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the game was in the balance it was Hinrich and Ben Gordon that put the finishing touches on the opening-night win.

Derrick Rose was impressive, but it may be the steady play of the old captain that gets the Bulls back into contention this season. John Paxson kept his core talent together. It may be that with all the attention focused on Rose, the Bulls' "veterans" can step it up and fulfill their potential.

Imagine if Deng, Gordon, and Hinrich have big years to go—along with an emerging Tyrus Thomas? Cay you say "Boston who?"