Cubs ink Marmol - 3 years $20 mil

Chicago Sun-Times - The Cubs may not know how they’re going to start this season, but they know how they’ll finish for the next three years after locking up closer Carlos Marmol to a three-year, $20 million deal.

The deal, which was announced today, gives the Cubs some payroll relief on the front end, with a $3.2 million salary this season, then rises sharply to $7 million next season and $9.8 million in 2013 –- the year he would have become eligible for free agency.

Good signing by the Cubs.  Marmol is straight up filthy, and he even lowered his walk rate last year.  They have their 9th inning in good hands for three years or at least until Marmol's elbow explodes.

Rose vs Rondo - not a debate

So over at ESPN.com they are having this Derrick Rose vs Rajon Rondo, who is the best PG in the East debate.  Now I know this isn't really a debate and they just posted this to get two big markets to click their page, but whatever they put the bait out there and I took it.

I'm not about to just bash Rondo here, even though we know he plays like a dirty bitch, but he is really good PG.  He is a great passer and has possibly the best court vision in the game (up there with Steve Nash).    As PGs go he is about as good as you can get on defense and has won and NBA Championship.  I mean I get it, he is really good and he is the 2nd best PG in the East.  The problem for him in this debate is Derrick Rose is the best PG in the NBA.

Derrick Rose is averaging 25 and 8 so far this year and is the unquestioned leader on a 36-16 team that is only 2.5 games behind Rondo (or should I say Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Rondo) and the Celtics.  DRose is a superior scorer, he runs the offense great (doesn't have Rondo's passing ability, I'll give him that), he is unbelievably explosive, and is the player the team leans on.  Rondo an all-star in his own right, plays with three other all-stars, Rose plays with none.

The reason this isn't a debate is simple, there is no way the Bulls would trade Rose for Rondo.  No way in hell.  If Rose and Rondo switched places the Bulls are significantly worse, and the Celtics are slightly better (significantly better off in the long run once the old guys start going away).  Who is the ball going to at the end of the game with Rondo running the Bulls, Luol Deng?  That is not good.  Rose wants the ball late in the game, Rondo wants nothing to do with it, because he knows he can't shoot and more importantly is a horrendous  free throw shooter.  

Rose just outplayed Deron Williams and Chris Paul in consecutive games and showed everyone he has the best PG in the game belt right now.  Rondo is not in the class of those three and is a liability on offense late in the game, and DRose is developing into a straight up killer at the end of games. Stacey King says it best, "Too big, too fast, too strong, too good".

The best thing about this debate is that we are going to get to watch it play out on the court and in the playoffs for years to come, and that is going to be great to watch

PS - Rondo is a dirty bitch, and he wanted nothing to do with fighting Hinrich in 2009 playoffs

Baseball is Back - Cubs pitchers and catchers report

Woooo! Cubbies! Woooo! Kerry Wood! Woooo!

Cubs pitchers and catchers report to camp today, which is awesome because it means we are only three days away from the White Sox pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. But seriously its just a great day when pitchers and catchers report.  It means that spring is coming and the snow is melting, hell they are saying that it might actually get up to 60 this weekend.  

And actually I don't think the Cubs are going to suck as much as most people do. Don't get me wrong I would love for them to suck and its not like they are going to be good, but I don't think an 80 win season is out of the question.  That's not terrible for a rebuilding team.  Cubs' fans just need to remember they have like $60 millions coming off the payroll after this year and they are going to throw it all at Pujols, so you have that going for you...which is nice.

As a White Sox fan I'm most excited for the return of Kerry Wood to north side.  When will the first time I hear a Cubs' fan call him Kerry Woods?  I say before opening day.  How many saves does Marmol have to blow before they want him as the closer?  Two in a row for sure, but it might not even take that much.  

Cubs fan or Sox fan, it doesn't matter right now, because baseball is back and I can't wait to get in some stupid drunken bar arguments about it.

Support Harry Baals

Wane.com - Renaming a government center after a former Fort Wayne mayor, Harry Baals ended up on national and even international media’s radar recently, complete with its fair share of interesting headlines to go along with it. 

Thousands of people voted online to name the new city-county building in his honor. But that probably won't happen because of his name

What do you mean that probably won't happen?  Why are you having people vote on this if it doesn't matter who wins the election?  As far as I know Ft. Wayne is in Indiana which is part of the U.S. of A. Doesn't that mean when you have an election, the winner of the election...wins?  The people of Ft. Wayne, IN want to honor the great mayor Harry Baals and name the city-county building after him and that is what they should get.  Who runs Ft. Wayne? Hosni Mubarek?  I'll tell you who doesn't run Ft. Wayne, a man with the integrity and vision of Harry Baals.  Harry Baals built Ft. Wayne, show the man some respect.

Harry Baals center aside, the best part of this video is Don Austin, he is the man.  It seems pretty clear that Baals is supposed to be pronounced "Bails", but Don Austin just doesn't give a fuck.  I mean at the 1:34 mark during the conversation with Jim Baals, he clearly states that the name is pronounced "Bails" and not "Balls", but then he instantly goes back to pronouncing the name "Balls".  Why does he do that?  Because Don Austin realizes you don't make a viral video by talking about Harry "Bails".  "Balls" gets you noticed and Don Austin has them, and that is why he won't be in the 108th media market long.  I can't wait to 

see him doing the weekend WGN news next to Jackie Bang in 5 years.

But seriously, the Harry Baals Center needs to happen.  I know people are gonna make fun, but guess what, they will also know that Ft. Wayne exists.  As they say, any publicity is good publicity.

PS - I'm sure this crazy bitch is helping the cause.