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I think he is paid handsomely and plays the bogeyman but also I think he is a genuinely powerful presence that can lead owners. The stuff where the league has been helping build the stadiums and guiding teams to bigger markets with its own loans, it's absolute domination of media and scheduling, he really is pretty good at understanding the business of the league. Silver and Stern before him, both powerful in steering league to new revenue and directions. Manfred just literally seems like a puppet. And yeah, I do think you can point to JR and his work to make owner solidarity the prime goal and why JR would hate a Steve Cohen, who may throw more of a fight at things which cost his franchise more individually in their ability to attract best players. For example, instead of doing things to attract the best players in Asia Pac to the MLB, he threw up barriers because some owners were upset at the contracts for those players. Granted, this is solved in the NBA via the draft, but still.

Starting off the day optimistic again that pace gets fired.

The problem is you don’t always find them when you need them. Sox need a great bullpen. If Hendriks goes down, it’s easy to see ours becoming a problem if we trade out crochet too.

Yeah the Sox may lose out. But teams looking for a sick return don’t usually sell a guy after their worst years. Especially for back end pitching when there is still plenty in FA. It’s all very stupid from their side, but Sox should explore it including 3 way to the few teams not expecting to compete.

So weird how this is specifically an MLB dynamic though. Maybe this is Bettman too, I don’t follow NHL.

I agree with this, trying to balance at the major league level is a fools errand. If we go after McNeil, it should be for our lower level pieces. Only add to ML right now, no subtracting, that already happens via FA etc

It’s time for some Ewing theory

Yeah, regardless of status (FA or on a team), mcneil is one of the top 5 2b you'd circle as a fit for the sox offense and needs. He's very good defensively, he gives you great contact, he's left handed, he walks. And he's available. Obviously I'd rather have Seager.

I don't know. I do think this year, with the schedule they had, it's hard not to say they were a 7-10 team talent-wise. But I do think the reasons they are worse personnel wise is as you said, he did not know how to do what he wanted to do offensively. So they diverted resources to TEs, they've got gadget players, they went after speedy receivers, etc etc. And all along they had a really nice unit for a power run game that he just doesn't want to lean into despite it being a really nice set-up for a rookie QB. It does just really suck for him, maybe he was just too young. But it's absolutely true when you watch last week, and look at the vikings, that it's hard to say Bears are a disaster of a team in terms of coaching. He finally figured out special teams. He was able to find a young, talented DC. But he was an abysmal offensive coach, and if he could have been more flexible there who knows. I do really look a lot more skeptically at these coordinators of fantastically talented offenses. Kyle Shanahan was so benefited by having to float around multiple orgs. Nagy was given one of the most talented skill position teams in the world and because they make every matchup hell, he thought he was the one creating the matchup issues. Matt LaFleur was likely helped immensely by his Tennessee "failure". But then you have Sean Mcvay. Who the hell knows.

I'll stand by point that while there will be smart orgs and not smart orgs, the gap between Cincinnati and Tampa now is much smaller than it was 3-4 years ago. Cincinnati's pitching development is aggressive and modern, having stolen Vanderbilts pitching coach and then Driveline's Boddy as their pitching coordinator. We'll see what they squeeze out of Greene, Lodolo, but they've done a great job scouting there since. And they have spent a lot in INTL free agency. Baltimore I hope fails, but they took the Houston Astros FO. They spend in intl free agency now. The gap is just no where near as large.

Uh, yeah I'll take the bet on Cherington there.

The reverse jinx

It is so similar to 2020, in that Manfred thought he was being a genius by waiting to negotiate until July suddenly found that the players were not moved at all by it and just demanded the original deal be put in place.

And with Biggs, the evidence surrounding me that Pace stays is becoming overwhelming. I will choose to ignore it. What do they know!

I know I'll be wrong but my gut still says that Pace goes. I think it's true George really, really likes Pace, thinks he's mostly done a good job, etc. But, I also think that the feedback he'll get is it will be hard to move forward with their goals with Pace hiring another coach. But this is some cope shit, probably. Really hoping for a big personality, big turnaround from the hire. Already annoyed that the rumors of Harbaugh are related to Las Vegas. Reminds me of when we let go of Lovie, and Andy Reid - man of the most consistent offense in the NFL at the time - becomes available and it's never even a thought that the Bears would go after him. I still say George McCaskey should give Belicheck ownership shares, name the new stadium Belicheck stadium, give him complete course of everything. Kraft already has his succession plan in place. I'm such a good owner.

I kinda agree with Hub honestly. I didn’t listen but assume it was more related to the offseason drama. If players can constantly benefit in MVP voting for intangible leadership and getting teammate buy in, why can’t they be hurt for the absolute opposite. Add to that his complaints look so shallow now. Seems like GB continuously grabbing DBs instead of WRs is looking pretty good! Randall Cobb is back…doesn’t seem to be the solution. Yeah, he’s very good. But Is his year so much better than Brady (who once again stayed on the field the whole year)? Anyway I’d go Cooper Kupp. That’s an insane year. We all know QBs are MVPs blah blah just like we all know Lebron James was actually MVP from like 2007-2020. Give the guy some bonus money.

It won’t matter if the bears are open to anything if everyone looks at the main decision maker as someone who can’t bring them talent but will survive them anyway.

Oh my god no I read what I wanted to read

When even “hiring bill belicheck” can fail, I don’t know what the heck template to follow. The bulls were so behind, with such a small front office and scouts network. I don’t feel like Bears are anti modern or anything as an org, they just keep hiring people that aren’t good. That’s rough! Im pro Harbaugh and hand over the reigns. I’d also be happy with Leftwich, Moore. Who knows.

so hub arkush says pace is out too according to "very good sources". Man let this weekend end sheeeesh

I think a lot of this stuff is hard to suss out with his decision to go to DET specifically to try to be more ball dominant. He's played for Donovan before, if he's okay with joining a winning team again and all that entails, I doubt you'll see anything close to his shot selection. I think I'd rather just maximize offense with Barnes, because how much are you going to slow down a nets anyway, and milwaukee will be a slog anyway where we'll probably be more concerned with offense. But if Grant reverts to Denver form OR can handle more of the second line duties with Coby as main scorers that can help maybe keep a fresher DDR or Lavine in playoffs.

I actually thought it was quiet last night, but also never really think the UC is that loud for Bulls games compared to Hawks or what happens at full sox games.

This may be true but like Wendell Carter, Pat was one of the youngest players in his class, and we were saying the same stuff about him and I just watch that dude be a completely different player than what he was a year ago. It is a classic now vs later thing, but I don't think our impressions of williams now are that accurate for what he can be. And he was showing aggressiveness like, just before he got hurt.

What are the odds the sox move a prospect off a position for defensive reasons anyway.