I have been honking the Illinois horn for weeks now, but the lllini just did scrape by in their last two games at the end of the regular season. Then they ran into an Indiana team desperate to win to keep its NCAA hopes alive. And speaking of that, Texas A&M is trying to take down Auburn under the same circumstances.
This is great for the Cardinals. The franchise goal is to contend every year and this makes that challenge easier. Media types and fans will call on the Cardinals to be more aggressive -- since just making the playoffs isn't such a great achievement any more -- but I am betting on business as usual. As we have seen, there is no way to ensure postseason success. A loaded roster can fall to a hot team in a short series. It happens year after year, The Cardinals know that better than anybody.
There is value to be found overseas, as the Cardinals proved with the Miles Mikolas play. Drew VerHagen looks like just what the team was looking for -- a low-cost veteran to add starting pitching depth and a long-relief option.
The MLBPA leadership voted 26-12 in favor of the deal. I don't see it as a great contract for the players, but it did address some player needs. The younger players are somewhat less exploited.
But . . . a lot of those guys making $700,000 earned sub-living wages for years in the minors. These guys, like the depth guys in the NFL working week to week with no guarantee, are the working class athletes.
The ad revenue generated in the new deal will more than offset money lost from your boycott.
And I could retire happily with the seven-digit settlement to the ensuing litigation. Easy money: Just pull the Michael Spinks move and then call a lawyer.
I can't see how that deal makes any sense for the Blues. They are awash in skilled forwards. If they are going to pull muscles with salary cap gymnastics, they need to add heft to the blue line.
That deal would make more sense, if it included one first-round pick and not two. That would have value for the longer term since Chychrun would be a bit of a project after struggling this season. That trade would give the blue line a more balanced makeup going forward.
That is a safety issue, creating more space between the fielder and runner on bang-bang plays. Slightly off-line throws to first create dangerous scenarios.
MLB reported that the owners voted unanimously in favor of the agreement.
Unless a player got a huge bonus coming out of high school, JUCO, college or the international market, those first several years of pro ball are lean. That is one more reason why elite athletes gravitate to other sports.
I believe that will be the case with Apple TV.
The minor leaguers have tried to create their own movement, but it's tough without the leverage of the MLBPA working on their behalf.
The Blues looked OK against the Rangers,, who would slaughter the Blues' AHL team in Springfield, Mass.
Robert Thomas is vastly improved in the faceoff circle this season, from 42.6 percent to 50.3 percent. Ryan O'Reilly has slipped some, from 58.8 percent to 55.1 percent. Brayden Schenn has slipped a bit too, from 52.3 percent to 48.5 percent. Those re the primary guys. That's just an individual success/failure thing. Don't blame the coaches. The secondary guys, Barbashev and Bozak in particular, have struggled. Joshua is good on the draw, so perhaps he can be part of the solution when the rest of his game catches up and allows him to fill the fourth-line role.
The Blues will try to re-sign Ville Husso. If the price gets too high, it gets too high. I'd be surprised if that's the case, but the team could decide to spend the money elsewhere. The last quarter of the season will set the market for Husso and the priorities for the Blues. If Husso wants to sign an extension now, I'm sure Doug Armstrong would have a price range in mind for him.
When the players go on waivers in the NHL, they can be claimed. Hence the reluctant to expose certain players to waivers.
I am with you on Brad Miller. I liked his bat here, until he cooled off, and he certainly held up offensively as a part-timer since leaving here.
Some of my colleagues insist on being thoughtful with their answers. I feel no such obligation.
I have been honking the Illinois horn for weeks now, but the lllini just did scrape by in their last two games at the end of the regular season. Then they ran into an Indiana team desperate to win to keep its NCAA hopes alive. And speaking of that, Texas A&M is trying to take down Auburn under the same circumstances.