Praise for Hendry is Long Overdue

Yesterday's trade of Rich Harden further cemented the legacy of one of Major League Baseball's premier general managers. Possibly the most important part of any trade is timing, and once again this GM showed impeccable timing. So congratulations Jim Hendry. What, you thought I was talking about Billy Bean? With all due respect to Bean, the winner of any trade is the [read more...]

Donaghy’s Allegations Threaten Stern, the NBA and Beyond

Tim Donaghy's initial allegations of game-fixing have finally come to light. Interestingly, what was known months ago is being divulged just weeks before his July 14 sentencing date. The timing of the release of allegations cannot have been accidental as it has allowed the conversation surrounding Donaghy's claims to be framed in a way that casts the deposed official and his [read more...]

Personal Catchers = Pampered Pitchers

It's been a pet theory for decades in baseball. Certain pitchers just seem to respond better with a particular catcher behind the plate. Leading, in some cases, to managerial acrobatics that would make an Olympic gymnast take notice. The theory becomes especially difficult to test when you have a really good hitting catcher on your roster. How to insure that you'll [read more...]

Kerry Wood: For Cubs, Fans It’s Kerry When?

An annual rite of spring in Chicago is the speculation that this year will finally be the year that Kerry Wood puts it all together. A Cub since 1998, Wood has only 67 career victories, which works out to an average of fewer than ten per year. During that time, he missed the entire 1999 season and significant parts of 1998, [read more...]

Hart Surgery: The Ten People You Meet In Fantasy Land

Originally, when I started writing this column for Scoresdaily, I was supposed to be doing a weekly column presumably related to fantasy sports. I suppose that is why my column is listed under the content of fantasy on the site, in case anyone was wondering. And what a job I have done!ADVERTISEMENT Of the roughly 70 or so pieces I [read more...]

Passion of the Cubs Started Early – Too Early

For Chicago Cubs cronies, the controversy surrounding Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's new film, is old news. Sacrilegious, sure, but Northsiders have been for weeks dealing with the Passion -- of the Cubs.Perhaps the greatest threat to the success of either? Overwhelming expectations. Gibson's film is purported to contain the most graphic and realistic representation of the last hours of [read more...]

Signing Maddux: Wisely or Unwisely?

Several of my friends, all Chicago White Sox fans, have something to smile about this week.My friends have been glum since last summer with the hated cross-town Cubs winning the NL Central Division while the White Sox foundered just short of the playoffs. Their angst was only placated by the Steve Bartman foul ball incident and the Cubs loss to [read more...]

Ask Maddux or Rodriguez: Scott Boras is a Hall of Famer

Has an agent ever been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame? Most people in baseball see Scott Boras as everything that is wrong with the game. In an era where salaries have skyrocketed to the point that "normal fans" can't really attend games, where the Yankees are giving new definition to the word "unlimited spending", and where America's economy is struggling [read more...]

Cubs’ Hendry On a Roll

It's one thing when the team's on fire, but the general manager?GM's in Chicago should watch Jim Hendry operate right now. He's rollin'. Hendry remains quietly in the midst of one of the better GM streaks this city has seen in some time. A microcosm for Hendry's talents, the negotiations with Greg Maddux and difficult agent Scott Boras have been handled [read more...]