TSNs Jack Armstrong offers his thoughts on trade rumours involving Rudy Gay, the struggles of Michael Beasley, the development of Paul George, the future of Scott Skiles and the Raptors need for wins this week. 1. RUDY GAY (Grizzlies): Lots of chatter out there about this guy being on the trading block and the Toronto Raptors being interested. Bottom line, you take a look at the Raps and there is no doubt that they have a significant need at the 3-spot and he would be a nice fit. It will be interesting to see how the new Grizzlies ownership group handles this situation. I totally agree that theyve got to make a big money decision regarding the salary cap/luxury tax hit, considering the size of their market and how its perceived by the fans. My advice to them would be to go for it this season and give this group a chance to mix it up with the best teams in the West and see how it shakes out. After that, all bets are off. There will be a market for this guy, even though hes owed over $37 million the next two seasons. Hes a very good player but a very expensive one, considering the more punitive luxury tax on the horizon. Lots of teams will look into it but believe me, finances will have a huge role in that decision by teams thinking of acquiring him. Is he a guy that puts you over the top and is he a day-to-day impact guy? Very expensive question to ask. 2. MICHAEL BEASLEY (Suns): On his third team after being the second pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. Lets be real, it hasnt worked out yet. He averaging only 9.6 ppg and 3.5 rpg. Hes shooting an abysmal 37% from the field and only 31% from 3-point range. Not good. Certain guys never figure it out. Could he be one of them? Possibly. As a fifth-year player, hes getting closer and closer to that crossroads where he has to make a decision how he wants his career to be defined. Currently, its underachievement. Time to get with it. 3. PAUL GEORGE (Pacers): His team is an impressive 21-14 without Danny Granger even playing a game; thats quite an accomplishment. A big reason is the fact that George has taken that next step as player. Hes averaging close to 17 ppg and gets after it on the glass at 7.4rpg. Hes become a very reliable and trustworthy player for head coach Frank Vogel. Hes shooting the ball well from 3-point range at 38% and is a willing passer (3.7apg). Hes got a solid mid-range game and competes hard each night. He has been given a bigger piece in the Pacers puzzle this season by necessity, its force-fed his development and hes responded. Im not sure if this team is Eastern Conference Champion material but theyll be a tough out come springtime and a big reason why is the growth of this guys game. 4. COACH SCOTT SKILES: Fired this past week by the Milwaukee Bucks, the third head coach already shown the door this season. My recommendation to coaches - rent dont buy! Believe me, I know having lived it myself. I laugh about it now but it was NO fun living it. Skiles did a good job in all three places he coached (Phoenix/Chicago/Milwaukee), getting discipline established and a proper style of play. Yet as the clock ticked year-to-year, his effectiveness waned and his patience ran thin. Is he a good coach? Yes, definitely. Can every player play for him? You gotta be thick-skinned and tough. Will he coach again? Id say down the line when a team is looking for a fix in a turnaround situation, hell be considered. Ive seen lot worse coaches working games in this League over the years. 5. GOTTA GET WS (Toronto Raptors): I said it on Monday and Ill say it again. They need to go 3-0 vs. Philly, Charlotte and Milwaukee in the remainder of this homestand. Theyre five games back of the last playoff spot and thats a tall order indeed. Considering they started 4-19 (only one team in NBA history has come back to make the playoffs with a record like that) and have dug themselves a major hole, this week is a must to even have their names legitimately considered a slight possibility to miraculously secure a playoff spot. The Raptors are a woeful 0-5 in Atlantic Division games and 0-2 vs. Philadelphia. Theyre two games behind the Sixers in the standings and wins against them on Wednesday and next Friday in Philadelphia would be a huge help. The midway point of the season will arrive next Sunday after they play the Lakers at home. How time flies. To get into the hunt, another major push will be necessary. Were at that point here in the next few weeks. wholesale jerseys free shipping .C. Romero from the Cleveland Indians for minor league infielder Carlos Rojas. wholesale jerseys china . 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BALTIMORE -- Its hard to determine which was more impressive: Chris Tillmans domination of the White Sox, or the how the Baltimore Orioles mistreated Chicago ace Chris Sale. Tillman allowed one hit over seven innings, Nick Markakis drove in three runs and Baltimore cruised to a 6-0 victory Tuesday night to extend its winning streak to four. Lew Ford homered for the second time in two nights and Adam Jones hit his 100th career home run for the Orioles, who moved a season-high 14 games over .500 (71-57) and remained atop the AL wild-card standings. The only hit against Tillman (7-2) was a dribbler by Dayan Viciedo in the fifth inning that shortstop J.J. Hardy couldnt snag with an attempted barehanded pickup. "If J.J. isnt making the play, then no ones making the play," said Tillman, who lamented his four walks more than that one scratch hit. "There were plenty of games where I had better stuff," the right-hander insisted. "There were some spurts there when I kind of got out of whack." Brian Matusz worked the final two innings, allowing one hit in completing Baltimores seventh shutout. Sale (15-5) gave up four runs and six hits in four innings, his shortest start of the season. Coming off a 13-strikeout win over the Yankees, the left-hander lost for the second time in six starts since July 21. Asked why he was removed after only 75 pitches, Sale replied, "Just came to me after the fourth and said thats it for the night. You dont want to get that call. I didnt do anything to help our team win tonight. I kind of put them in a tough spot, pulling the starter after four. I got no one to blame but myself. Thats as bad as it gets." Chicago manager Robin Ventura said, "It was just one of those evenings it didnt look like he had it." It was the fifth straight road loss for the White Sox, who won six in a row at home before dropping the first two of this four-game series. It was Chicagos most lopsided shutout defeat of the season. The Orioles have won 12 of 15 at home as they continue toward theirr first winning season in 15 years, but their scintillating play has not attracted large crowds at Camden Yards this week.dddddddddddd Only 12,814 showed up for this one, slightly more than the 10,955 on Monday night. Those in attendance saw an impressive pitching performance by Tillman, who has as many wins this year as in his previous three seasons combined. "Tillman shut down one of the games best offences," Jones said. "Those guys are hitting . He shut that lineup down." After Sale struck out the first two batters in the second inning, Baltimore used a single by Nate McLouth and two walks to load the bases for Markakis, who drove in three runs with a double to centre. "It was almost like I hit a brick wall," Sale said. "The first couple of (batters) I felt like I was dialed in, throwing strikes. Then it just got away." Ford made it 4-0 in the third with a drive to left, making it seven straight games in which Sale has given up at least one home run. The last time Ford homered on successive nights was in 2005, when he homered in three consecutive games with Minnesota. Manny Machado delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Jones hit an opposite-field shot to right in the seventh. The drive ended a career-high 110 at-bat homerless drought and gave him 25 for the season, tying a career high. Earlier this week, the slumping Jones said he was on "a vacation." Asked if was back, he replied, "I booked the flight back home. Im on standby or something. I dont know. But thats why youve got 25 guys here to pick you up." NOTES: McLouth had a season-high three hits. ... LHP Joe Saunders will make his Orioles debut on Wednesday night, starting against Chicago RHP Dylan Axelrod, who was recalled by the White Sox from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. Axelrod replaces Gavin Floyd, who was placed on the 15-day DL with an elbow injury. ... The last time Baltimore was 14 games over .500 was June 21, 2005 (42-28). ... Chicago C A.J. Pierzynski went 0 for 3 and is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. ' ' '