White Sox Make Huge Splash with Lynn Trade

 

There was some big news broken by Jeff Passan right when everyone on the southside was getting ready to put their heads down on their pillows. 

Early reports have the 33 year old right hander coming to Chicago for Dane Dunning.  The White Sox are receiving a great addition to their rotation in Lynn.  He has recovered well from Tommy John surgery in 2016 and ranks 2nd in WAR among pitchers (Baseball Reference version) trailing only Jacob deGrom.

One of the best things about Lynn is the how he eats innings. In the past two seasons he leads the league with 46 starts and 45 of those he went at least 5 innings.  This will come in crucial in keeping the bullpen fresh with the bottom of the rotation featuring Dylan Cease and a returning Michael Kopech.

The big issue in the deal is the contact length for each player in the deal. Is one year of Lynn equal to six years of control of Dunning?  Dunning, the Sox's 5th ranked prospect, posted a sub 4 ERA in his first year back from Tommy John surgery for the Sox last season.

Ultimately, I think this is a deal that made sense for both teams. Texas, a franchise with  no contending hopes this season, get a cost controlled arm for the future and the Sox get one step closer to their first division title since 2008.

Would I have preferred the Sox made this deal at the deadline last season to avoid the game 3 debacle against Oakland? Absolutely, but the fact is the Sox now have one of the best playoff rotations in the American League.  Also, Lynn only costing 8 millions dollars allows the White Sox to free up money for right field and the bullpen.

** Fun fact for anyone still reading. Lance Lynn actually pitched in the last game Tony LaRussa managed. Cannot confirm if LaRussa remembers it but if Lynn ends up pitching in another World Series game 7 this season, then I think it is safe to say this trade will be remembered for a long time in Chicago **

The Unofficial Official End of the Nagy Era

 

Last week was a plea to Virginia and her bonehead kids to fire the General Manager. I swore that I would not give the current regime anymore time.  But this week I fell into the same trap once again.  A double digit halftime lead that still existed late into the fourth quarter gave me hope that maybe the season was not a complete dumpster fire.

What happened next even the most negative Bears fans could not see coming.  Stafford goes over 400 yards, Nagy refuses to run the ball, turnover, Allen Robinson forgets what a first down is and the Bears left Soldier Field with their sixth straight loss. 

A month ago, I wondered how a franchise could justify getting rid of a coach with an undefeated record against two division opponents. But the decision making today sealed his fate, Matt Nagy must go. 

This is a guy who in a press conference last years had to utter the words "I'm not an idiot." 

Well, David Montgomery had 11 carries for 62 yards & 2 touchdowns on the ground in the 1st half. He did not receive another carry until 2:27 left in the 3rd quarter. And only carried the ball six times the entire second half.

Sorry, Matt, but if one makes lineup decisions like one, calls plays like one and sounds like one, chance are you are soon to be an unemployed one.

Leave a comment below with who you'd like to see try and resurrect this franchise.

Ryan Pace Must Go

After another primetime national embarrassment it is clear changes are necessary for the Chicago Bears.  The change should start at the top with Ted Philips but since he has managed to hold a spot in the franchise for over 20 years, making a change at general manager is much more likely.

Pace has only one winning season in his six seasons with the franchise and has whiffed on the two biggest decisions a GM makes multiple times, picking a head coach and a quarterback. Pace's inaugural season was headlined by hiring John Fox and drafting Kevin White. After moving on from Fox he replaced him with Matt Nagy, an "offensive genius" who has not managed to raise the offense from the basement of the league.

The biggest problem I have with Pace is that he didn't do anything to improve this offense coming into the season. Anyone with two eyes could tell the Bears offense needed help.  

A quick look at stats in 2019 and where the Bears ranked:

17.5 points per game (29th) 296.8 yards per game (29th) 4.7 yards per play (31st) 5.3 net per attempt (32nd) 3.7 yards per rush (30th)
Pace looked at these numbers and decided to spend three of his top four draft picks on defensive players. Jaylon Johnson has been pretty solid as a rookie cornerback but the other two picks, Trevis Gipson and Kindle Vildor, have been ghosts. The two of them have combined for 14 defensive going into the Packers game tonight.

Shockingly when combined with the other offseason additions of Nick Foles, Ted Ginn Jr, Jimmy Graham and Germain Ifedi, the offense is a joke once again.

Pace is 0 for 2 on head coaches and 0 for 3 on quarterbacks. Those results do not warrant another opportunity to make either decision.  

The Texans, Jaguars and Lions have already moved from their GMs so if the Bears want the best candidate they need to move fast.  

I am open to any ideas as possible replacements, please leave a comment below with your top choices.