Samford vs. Mercer Prediction: Picks and Betting Odds – Wednesday, January 15, 2025

On the one hand, there's not too much of a mystery here: Chris Flexen is a 30-year-old starter who made 30 starts for the White Sox last season, earning a 4.95 ERA along the way. With his experience, that's the platonic definition of a quality depth starter to have stashed in the minors. Plus, of course, the Cubs have dealt with some early-Spring injuries to starters Javier Assad and Brandon...

Today, Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that Cody Poteet, famous of the offseason's Cody-for-Cody trade, would start the team's Spring Training opener on Thursday. Because he has options remaining, and because the Cubs intend to stretch him out, you'd mentally have Poteet slated to open the season in the Triple-A Iowa rotation. It's possible he could wind up contributing out of the big league bullpen, depending on how things shake...

You almost never see a team talk as openly about trying to trade a player as the St. Louis Cardinals did this offseason with third baseman Nolan Arenado. Even less frequent is, after all that open talk, a trade doesn't materialize. Discussed as though it were the organization's top priority for the offseason, the Cardinals were unable to trade Arenado, coming off back-to-back down years, ahead of his age-34 season....

Significant injury news for the New York Mets and their parchment-thin rotation: https://bsky.app/profile/jonheyman.bsky.social/post/3lifk3t6qq22i The Frankie Montas injury is notable as it's a rotation hit to an NL contender, sure, but it's even more notable when it's an NL contender that opted to construct its rotation on moves like the Montas addition. His was a surprisingly ample signing in the first place, at two years and $34 million, with an opt-out...

If you haven't yet seen these Marquee segments they've been doing one-on-one with various Cubs players, digging in on some of the fundamentals, you should check them out. They are fantastic. I have really enjoyed the personal touch, and also just getting a little look behind the scenes on how these accomplished pros are thinking about the nitty gritty of the game. Here are four that I saw, and took...

MLB NEWS — I know I can't be the only one (outside of California) who's just so depressed at the trajectory of Mike Trout's career. Not only has he competed in ONLY three playoff games throughout his 14-year tenure (...and those games were played 11 years ago), but he's also been completely derailed by injuries. In fact, Mike Trout has played in more than 100 games just once since 2019...

The reunion that never was. Rob Zastryzny, the Cubs' second round pick in 2013, was an up-down part of the big league team from 2016 to 2018, and had returned this offseason on a waiver claim. Earlier this year, though, the Cubs DFA'd Zastryzny to open a 40-man spot, he cleared waivers, and then he opted for free agency. My hope from there was that Zastryzny, 32, might sign a...

A few injury updates for the Chicago Cubs ... Although he was expected to start hitting again this weekend after the oblique injury, Matt Shaw and the Cubs pushed things back: Matt Shaw says he's "pretty much cleared for everything, just maybe at a lower level, 70 percent" after feeling some left oblique tightness Monday.He was going to start hitting and throwing yesterday but Cubs pushed that back to tomorrow...

This morning, FanGraphs released their 2025 Top 100 Prospect Rankings, complete with ETAs, future value rankings, individual write-ups, and nifty distribution graphs of estimated probably future values (that's actually my favorite part). And while not much of this is necessarily news, as they released the Cubs organizational rankings earlier in the offseason, it's still a good heat check as we head into the season. But in case you forgot about...

Saw a thing this weekend about a new half-marathon record, and the thing about these kinds of records that just blows me away is how I could not even come REMOTELY CLOSE to running a SINGLE mile at the pace they sustained over a marathon or half. It's just a physical ability on a level I can't even wrap my head around. Like, hitting a baseball at the MLB level...

Rebuilding the offensive line is a top priority for the Chicago Bears under new head coach Ben Johnson. So while I find it to be good news that Bears General Manager Ryan Poles can lean on an offensive-minded head coach who understands the value of having strength in the trenches, there is a part of me that is worried about one particular position that has given Chicago fits in recent...

Before his rookie year kicked off, Caleb Williams said he drew inspiration from NBA star LeBron James to fuel his fire. But as the Chicago Bears quarterback enters his second season in the NFL, he needs to look no further than the latest batch of quarterback power rankings for inspiration. And because all of the greatest players tend to take the smallest slight to spark their greatness, there is a...

After giving ourselves a week to digest and dissect Super Bowl LIX, our attention can fully turn to the rest of the NFL offseason. And when it comes to the Chicago Bears, there will be an obvious focus on the 2025 NFL Draft. Yes, I understand that free agency comes first. We'll certainly tackle everything that comes our way on that front. But with that being said, champions are built...

It's Day 43 of the Chicago Bears offseason. The wildly successful Four Nations tournament replacing the NHL's all-star game should provide the folks at the NBA and MLB to do something similar with their midseason showcase games in the future. But I still do not have an idea of how the NFL can fix the Pro Bowl. Maybe there is no fix. After all, not every problem has a solution....

We're under two weeks away from the NFL Combine, so that means draft talk is about to heat up in a big way. The Tennessee Titans own the first overall pick in this year's draft, but how they will utilize it? Will they take one of the top quarterbacks on the board despite this class not being quite as highly thought of as last year's? Would they opt for one...

It's Day 42 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Did you know that Sid Luckman, widely acknowledged as the greatest quarterback in franchise history, wore No. 42? Well, if you didn't, then you do now! Chicago Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham is one of five finalists for the vacant Jacksonville Jaguars general manager's gig. Cunningham interviewed with the team on Friday and was among those set to advance to the...

The 2025 NFL Draft is 68 days away. As of right now, the Chicago Bears have eight picks — including four in the top 75. How this team goes about using its picks remains to be determined. And while what happens in free agency will go a long way toward determining how the Bears move on NFL Draft Weekend, it is never too early to look at what league insiders, analysts,...

The Jacksonville Jaguars' interview process as their search for a new general manager continues. And it will include Chicago Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero has the latest on the Jaguars' GM search: The #Jaguars are lining up in-person second interviews for their GM job next week, with #Packers VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and #Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham among others on the...

It's Day 41 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I began watching Taylor Tomlinson's stand-up comedy routines around this time in 2023 at the suggestion of a friend who thought I could use a laugh. The suggestion came at a time when I was dealing with depression and anxiety. I wasn't eating or sleeping. I was straight up having a bad time in life. But that Netflix special made me laugh...

The Chicago Bears are reportedly set to bring on another coach with college ties to Ben Johnson's new staff. Oregon State Offensive Line Coach Kyle DeVan is reportedly taking his talents to Halas Hall: The #Bears are expected to hire Oregon State offensive line coach Kyle DeVan, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.DeVan, who was an NFL offensive lineman from 2008-12, was as an assistant offensive line coach in 2015 with the Saints,...

Nikola Vucevic dominated the headlines well before Zach LaVine was sent to the Sacramento Kings. If you asked many of those who either watch or follow the Chicago Bulls closely, they would have likely had the big man No. 1 on their "most likely to get traded" list. While LaVine had put together a similarly strong offensive season, Vucevic was producing the best shooting display of his career and doing...

I glanced at the clock as I glided into my parking spot – 6:55 p.m. CT. When I first called to place my pizza order, I was worried I wouldn't be back in time. Sure, we live in an era where you can pause and rewind live television, but why wouldn't you prefer to watch a historic star-studded event in real-time? I snatched the bacon and pineapple pizza (don't judge)...

The Chicago Bulls have three days to scarf down junk food and not stretch a single muscle in their body. The race to the bottom starts on Thursday! To be clear, the Bulls' chances of finishing with Top-5 lottery odds are extremely slim. Washington, New Orleans, Utah, Charlotte, and Toronto have all but locked up that area of the draft board. However, the sixth and seventh spots remain up for...

I remember sitting in my parent's basement in 2011 when Blake Griffin watched a Kia roll onto the hardwood in Los Angeles. The suspense was perfectly built to both his and the broadcast's credit. Ominous music blared through Staples Center speakers as Griffin watched the car move into position with a motivated stare. Baron Davis popped his head out of the sunroof to let us know we were moments away....

Matas Buzelis struggled to leave his mark on the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Taking the floor after fellow rookie Stephon Castle, the Chicago Bulls' forward didn't play it safe. Buzelis lined up underneath the rim and attempted to bounce the ball through his leg and into his same hand for the flush. While he got close, Buzelis ultimately failed to complete the dunk in the allotted 1 minute and...

Mac McClung held nothing back in his first dunk of All-Star Weekend. Trying to become the first player in NBA history to win three consecutive dunk contests, McClung walked onto the court and immediately snatched a pair of car keys. The Orlando Magic two-way contract guard waved in a Kia, immediately providing fans with flashbacks of Blake Griffin's famous 2011 dunk contest slam. However, McClung raised the bar. Stationing the...

The NBA will have some words for Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama. The two Spurs tipped off All-Star Saturday Night as teammates for the annual Skills Challenge. A timed obstacle course that features passing, shooting, and dribbling drills, the youngster and the veteran thought they found a loophole. When it came time to shoot the three different jump shots, they each chucked the three balls at each rack into the...

Michael Jordan, Dominque Wilkins, Vince Carter, Zach LaVine ... and Matas Buzelis. When he completes a between-the-legs 720 from the free throw line tonight at the Chase Center, the rookie will join an elite club of all-time dunkers. The world isn't ready for what they're about to see! Oct 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives to the basket in the fourth quarter against the...

There may not be many things for Bulls fans to get excited about right now, but Matas Buzelis is absolutely one of those things (ok, maybe the only thing). Tonight, Buzelis will compete in the Slam Dunk Contest after being in the Rising Stars game on Friday night. To get ready for tonight's event when the Bulls' rookie forward will take center stage, it felt like a good time to...

Happy NBA All-Star Weekend, folks! Unfortunately, there are not any Bulls in the actual All-Star game this year (though, ex-Bull Zach LaVine should be there). But the organization isn't without a little bit of representation! At the very least, we get to watch probably the brightest member of the franchise at this point, Matas Buzelis, compete in multiple events. First offered a spot in the dunk contest, Buzelis was also...

Earlier this week I wrote about how the 2020 NHL Draft class is intriguing as we look ahead to the Blackhawks' future. The Blackhawks last few draft classes under the previous regime left the cupboard with some pieces to build with, which is good for the rebuild. But the 2019 NHL Draft has not worked out nearly as well as most NHL teams would have hoped. That isn't unique to...

Over the years as I consider the Blackhawks' top prospects and we converse about various rankings that come out, I like to occasionally consolidate lists that come out for the sake of comparing. Different analysts and writers have varying opinions of how they view the Blackhawks pipeline. At this stage in the Blackhawks' rebuild, this feels like an even more important time to consider how folks view the overall depth...

Let's start the party on this beautiful Monday morning with the eyeballs that were on the incredible USA-Canada game at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday night. Richard Deitsch at The Athletic gave us the numbers and some perspective on a huge night for hockey. ESPN said on Sunday that the United States’ 3-1 win over Canada on a rock ’em sock ’em Saturday night in Montreal averaged 4.4 million...

Only 12 times in the history of the OHL (OMJHL) has a player scored 70 goals in the season. Among the names to reach that number: Wayne Gretzky, John Tavares, Doug Gilmour and Eric Lindros. With his league-leading 56th goal on Sunday afternoon, Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis in on pace to join that remarkable list. I spoke with Lardis recently about his journey this season, one in which he has...

It's been a while since the Blackhawks played in emotionally charged, meaningful hockey. It had been a decade since the US and Canada faced each other in an international best-on-best tournament. The good people at Disney opted to put the 4 Nations Face-Off on ABC in prime time last night, and lemme tell you the viewing audience got their money's worthy. With all due respect to the hot garbage the...

I would absolutely love to have a whole lot of exciting, earth-shattering Blackhawks content for you on a Saturday morning but... they haven't played in a full week. However, tonight we get the big one: USA vs Canada in Montreal with the top spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off on the line. It's on ABC and ESPN+ and the puck drops shortly after 7 PM CT. I can't wait! Now...

The United States blew the doors off of Finland last night in the 4 Nations Face-Off, scoring six unanswered goals -- four of which came in the third period. Brady and Matthew Tkachuk led the way with two goals each; Matthew was named the game's No. 1 star. For Blackhawks fans, Teuvo Teräväinen was minus-one and skated only 10:34. His line with Erik Haula and Joel Armia didn't get on...

Since the NHL is taking a couple weeks off in the middle of February for the 4 Nations Face-Off, why not take advantage of no Blackhawks games to chase and update our full two-round 2025 mock draft! With the calendar flipping to 2025, we're getting an increasing number of draft rankings and projections from folks who spend a great deal of time digging into take and profiles. Lots of things...

The NHL world is on pause for a couple weeks while we enjoy the 4 Nations Face-Off, but that doesn't mean there isn't news being made around the game. Indeed, there was some important news that came from the NHL/NHLPA press conference before the game on Wednesday night that's notable. The World Cup of Hockey is coming back, the CBA negotiations sound like they're in a good place, there might...

It's been a little less than a month since we took stock of the Blackhawks' prospect pipeline but it's been a busy time. Chicago's pool was ranked fourth in the NHL by Scott Wheeler at The Athletic. The Blackhawks have five (5) prospects nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. They have the AHL All-Star Classic MVP in the fold. And they claim the first 50-goal scorer in the CHL...