Latest coaching hire shows Bears new regime gets it

The moves started the day after the final game of the regular season at Halas Hall with the Chicago Bears. Within the first week General Manager Jerry Angelo and Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz were out and change was in the air.

It started with the hiring of Phil Emery as the new GM, who is known by his peers as the "hardest worker in the room." Then the promotion of Mike Tice to offensive coordinator gave a sign the run game would be a focal point for a team with a back the likes of Matt Forte toting the rock.

Now, with Tuesday's announcement of Jeremy Bates as the new quarterbacks coach, the same man who held the same job in Jay Cutler's final two years in Denver, the direction of the team is very clear. That direction, which lacked a little with Angelo at the helm, now revolves clearly around Cutler and rightfully so. With an aging defense, the offense is clearly what needs to carry the team and has the most room for growth.

In an article today in the Chicago Tribune, Steve Rosenbloom rips the Bears for the lack of of No. 1 receiver. Well, if we can tell anything in the first month or at least weeks of the Emery era at Halas Hall, that will likely be priority No. 2 this offseason. The first, of course will be figuring out which way to go with Matt Forte. He will most certainly be a Bear next season, but the question will be whether or not he will be franchise tagged.

I like the direction things are going. I know it's in the early stages, but making Cutler happy has to be paramount and most tied to the team's success. If you doubt that, remind me again how the last month and a half went in the regular season. He has his guy on board that will keep him comfortable and grounded. In the two years with Martz calling the shots for the offense, it seemed at the start of both seasons the Mad Scientist wanted to do it his way before he had to be wrangled in and shown which way to go with things. I don't see that happening with Tice and Bates leading Cutler and the offense.

What moves will the Bears make this offseason in the first year of the Emery Era? Time will tell, but know that it will be much more thought out and much better for the team than what we saw in the Angelo Era.

Nothing but love as Bill Hall signs with Yankees

His bobble ranks as one of the favorites in my vast collection. He is the man that made magic with that pink bat on Mother's Day a few years back. Bill Hall (He's still Billy Hero in the 223) signed with the Yankees today and after I got through making jokes about Mr. Hall to my favorite Yankees fan (Vaughan is also a fan of the champion G-Men), I am really happy for him.

Now don't get me wrong, I would not have wanted him on the Brewers and before you jump on me for that, hear me out. Since he hit 35 home runs and drove in 83 and had a .271 batting average in 2006, a year after he hit .291, the man hasn't done much of anything at the plate. Now maybe the Brewers are to blame after moving him all over the diamond defensively, but for the money they paid him it didn't work out. He is a .248 lifetime hitter, but hit .211 last season in 199 plate appearances in 61 games before the Giants sent him packing.

Playing in 120 games in 2010 with Boston he hit .247, so maybe there's hope for a guy to come in making $600,000 and make a difference. Baseball history is littered with guys that have struggled and reinvented themselves and had a second wind in their career. It certainly makes it hard for teams to cut a guy when he can play eight of nine positions on the field. For Hall, that counts the pitcher and not the catcher. But when he was called on to be a starter and play one spot in Houston he couldn't hack it any more.

With the Yankees he'll be an invite to spring training and will have no pressure to make the team. I have followed Bill's career and he has a good shot to make the team. If he's called upon to do more than be a bench guy, he will likely struggle. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts with the Yankees. All the fans on Twitter saying he will bring them closer to a title are crazy off a Super Bowl win. He is a great guy, but will not be the piece that puts them over the top. Get real now.

Yes, Bill Hall, I paid $40 and traded a regular bobble for you pink bat bobble and even have your jersey T, but I'm glad you are not a Brewer. Have fun spending time in the Bronx and getting the farewell gift bag set up for Derek Jeter's one-nigh stands. I'll enjoy watching you play ball this season (outside of Milwaukee).