Annals from Heartbreak Central

2008-05-01T09:41:00.003-05:00

Final Mock

2008-04-23T17:50:00.012-05:00

As we all must know by now, Miami has inked Jake Long to a 5 year, 57 million dollar contract. Congrats, and a cookie if you can name the last offensive lineman drafted #1 overall.

2. St. Louis Rams: Chris Long
3. Atlanta Falcons: Glenn Dorsey
4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Vernon Gholston
6. New York Jets: Matt Ryan
7. New England Patriots: Derrick Harvey
8. Baltimore Ravens: Branden Albert
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis
10. New Orleans Saints: Keith Rivers
11. Buffalo Bills: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
12. Denver Broncos: Chris Williams
13. Carolina Panthers:Ryan Clady
14. Chicago Bears: Jeff Otah
15. Detroit Lions: Leodis McKelvin
16. Arizona Cardinals: Jerod Mayo
17. Kansas City Chiefs: Gosder Cherilus
18. Houston Texans: Jonathan Stewart
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Thomas
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rashard Mendenhall
21. Washington Redskins: Phillip Merling
22. Dallas Cowboys: Mike Jenkins

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Calais Campbell
24. Tennessee Titans: Limas Sweed
25. Seattle Seahawks: Kenny Phillips
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: Desean Jackson
27. San Diego Chargers: Antoine Cason
28. Dallas Cowboys: Jamaal Charles

29. San Francisco 49ers: Quentin Groves
30. Green Bay Packers: Aqib Talib
31. New York Giants: Dan Connor

Cowboys (61):DaJuan Morgan. Why Morgan? He's a talented player who projects as both a free and strong safety. While raw and injury prone, he should become a regular contributor if given some time to learn the craft. That makes him a great fit here; Ken Hamlin will likely become a free agent after this season, and Roy Williams' future is just as unsure as our knowledge of how many times he will be burned by a tight end.

Cowboys (92): Jeremy Zuttah. Zuttah's strengths are his versatility and athletic ability. (Starting to see a pattern?) As SI announcer guy will inform you in the video below, Zuttah is a workout warrior, finishing amongst the top OL performers in four different events. He is probably a developmental prospect, but there's no need to rush with our line. It will be good to rest easy, however, knowing that an injury to Andre Gurode will no longer knock out any semblance of an offense. Plus,I'm pining to get a replacement for Kyle Kosier. ;)

Cowboys (163) Frank Okam. Without a question my favorite semi-obscure player in this draft. Okam transcends the adjective 'massive'; he's the largest defensive player in this draft pool. Okam is a powerful run stopper and demands multiple blockers; the definition of a nose tackle to me. When I brought his name up to Norm Hitzges a few weeks ago, he dismissed Okam as being too tall to play the nose. Bullocks! I've never understood how that was considered a slight. His flaws? He's an underachiever who takes plays off. He won't be asked to start here, so there's no reason to think he won't be productive during his limited snaps. In addition, he hails from my favored university, and-best of all- he scored a 39 on the Wonderlic score, which (very) roughly translates to an IQ of 138. This is a football player who plans to go to law school. Please, Jerry, make this happen!

Cowboys (167): Peyton Hillis. There aren't many needs on this team, but fullback's one of them. Deon Andersen showed some promise while on the field, but sustained a major injury that may persist in plaguing his career. The biggest thing I look for in a fullback is the Moose factor; I want to see him block. Unfortunately, reports on all of the top fullbacks in this class have been very inconclusive on that front. The consensus, however, appears to be that Hillis is the most capable in that respect. Also a capable receiver who ran well out of the backfield, he could conceivably take over as the team's third running back.

Cowboys (235) Matt Flynn. There's nothing wrong with grooming a young backup QB, and this draft should have some fine options available in the later rounds. Flynn hails from the national champion and displays a lot of the traits you want from your backup QB. He takes care of the ball, displays good accuracy, and shows a never-say-die attitude. Adept at eluding pass-rushers and blessed with enough speed to cut between blockers and parley the situation into a sizable gain. Flynn lacks arm strength and isn't quite as proven as you'd expect an LSU senior to be, but is a solid young prospect nonetheless.

Cowboys complete trade for Pac-Man Jones

2008-04-23T17:34:00.004-05:00

Per Mort, It's done.
A conditional fourth this year, possibly more if he fulfills certain stipulated performance markers (or gets on the field, what a novel concept).
Supposedly, the Boys will be reimbursed if he does not get reinstated, and they've reworked his contract into a four year deal with NO guaranteed money.
What I found interesting was the mandated handout to charity. Wow, that's an enormous sum-even for a pro athlete. Step in the right direction, though. Let's hope he doesn't disgrace his new pals into refunding the check a few months later.

NFL Mock Draft, Take 3

2008-03-23T09:50:00.006-05:00

Merry weekend, all. In the wake of recent thrilling developments like Pro Days and Surgeries, I've taken it upon myself to write up the third of my unnecessarily premature mocks. Enjoy!

Remember, the criteria I operate by is as such: I don't conduct trades, I don't factor in sudden fits of insanity (Millen and Davis, don't spread the sickness!), and I can't be held accountable for docking your favorite prospect from the first round. Enjoy!

1 Miami Dolphins : Chris Long
2 St. Louis Rams : Vernon Gholston
3 Atlanta Falcons: Glenn Dorsey
4 Oakland Raiders: Jake Long
5 Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Clady
6 New York Jets: Darren McFadden
7 New England Patriots : Leodis McKelvin
8 Baltimore Ravens: Matt Ryan
9 Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis
10 New Orleans Saints: Keith Rivers
11 Buffalo Bills: Malcolm Kelly

12 Denver Broncos: Jeff Otah
13 Carolina Panthers: Chris Williams
14 Chicago Bears: Rashard Mendenhall
15 Detroit Lions: Phillip Merling
16 Arizona Cardinals: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
17 Minnesota Vikings: Derrick Harvey
18 Houston Texans: Mike Jenkins
19 Philadelphia Eagles: DeSean Jackson
20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Limas Sweed
21 Washington Redskins: Quentin Groves
22 Dallas Cowboys (from Cleveland Browns): Jonathan Stewart
23 Pittsburgh Steelers: Brandan Albert
24 Tennessee Titans: Devin Thomas
25 Seattle Seahawks: Kenny Phillips
26 Jacksonville Jaguars: Kentwan Balmer
27 San Diego Chargers: Felix Jones
28 Dallas Cowboys: Aqib Talib
29 San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis Colts): Antoine Cason
30 Green Bay Packers: Reggie Smith
31 New York Giants: Dan Connor

The newest Cowboy?

The New-look Mavericks: What we know

2008-03-15T23:21:00.003-05:00

There's something to be said for judging a product that's far from finished. Which is why although I staunchly opposed to the Jason Kidd trade from the moment I first heard about it, I was willing to keep a semi-open mind on it. I wouldn't oppose the trade on principle as I did the Joey Galloway trade (trading two first round picks to add a receiver to a mediocre team= absolutely asinine. every time). Kidd's numbers are incredible, his league-wide praise is awe-inspiring. There was plenty of reason to believe that the trade would make the Mavericks better, and for that I did not feel compelled to vow against ever watching the Mavs play again.
Dateline: Right freaking now. The sample size we've been granted is sufficient to make a reasonable analysis of what old Kidd has infused into this ballclub. They've played the elite teams, competed with the pushovers, gone on a lengthy road trip and played successive games at home. What can we draw from what we've seen?
For one, this team's more motivated than it was before the deal. Dirk's driving to the hole a lot more and it doesn't have as much to do with Kidd giving him the ball at opportune places and times as it does with Dirk realizing that the clock is ticking. Damp has lost all traces of David Lafleur Hands syndrome. The games they seemed to resign to losing before the clock started? They seem to have been left behind.
In addition, there's no question that this team is better at distributing the ball than it used to be. The difference is pronounced; they're unrecognizable from the squad that we had seen since the departure of Nash. Dirk's playing with passion, but that's not all it is. He's getting good looks. Stack, a guy who will take a shot whether It's a good idea or not, is getting more good shots with the decision made for him. Brandon Bass has become a very legitimate 7th man.

However, the good comes with plenty of detriments. The Mavericks have yet to beat a really good team since the trade. One can say that the games have, for the most part been close. That's true. One can say that they have mostly been on the road. Also a fact. However, the fact remains that close isn't good enough, and as things stand right now this team would play more games Away than at Home. Their defense has slipped. Kidd's unable to keep up with the elite point guards of the West and isn't quite as good at defending the playmaking 2 as we'd heard from his proponents. His ability to make quick and brilliant decisions in facilitating shots is breathtaking; his lack of judgment in taking shots of his own can be appalling. The rebounding hasn't been what we anticipated.

This team has played in every setting, and the polarities they've encountered make evaluation difficult. The one mathchup I thought would be especially telling (vs. the streaking Rockets) was marred by the Dirk suspension. They had several chances for statement games and barely blew it (The Lakers come to the forefront). Am I less violently opposed to this trade than I am dissapointed? Yes. That's an improvement from my stance of weeks ago. We'll have to wait and see what is forthcoming from this squad; because as much as I thought at this point we'd have something to either hang our hats with pride or heads with shame with, It's premature. Let's give it a while.

Ridiculously Premature NFL Mock, Take 2

2008-03-03T10:48:00.005-06:00

The combine has concluded, and teams are doing what they do every year Speculating on any and every player possibly available for them. You can't lend a minute bit of credence to anything that's said during this period of time, but being the sports experts that we are, we choose to do so anyway. So, here's the second of my pointless but enjoyable mock drafts. Again, I'm not going to make any trades or allow for the insanity of Matt Millen. These selections are made based on need, player ability, salary demands, and the way grilled cheese is cooked in Detroit on a certain Saturday Morning.

1. Miami: DE Chris Long
2. St. Louis: DT Glenn Dorsey
3. Atlanta: QB Matt Ryan
4. Oakland: DT Sedrick Ellis
5. Kansas City: LT Jake Long
6. NYJ: RB Darren McFadden
7: New England: DE Vernon Gholston
8. Baltimore: LT Ryan Clady
9. Cincinatti: S Kenny Phillips
10. New Orleans: CB Leodis McKelvin
11. Buffalo: WR Limas Sweed
12. Denver: LT Jeff Otah
13. Carolina: OLB Keith Rivers
14. Chicago: QB Brian Brohm
15. Detroit: RB Rashard Mendenhall
16. Arizona: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
17. Minnesota: DE Phillip Merling
18. Houston: RB Jonathan Stewart
19. Philadelphia: LT Chris Williams
20. Tampa Bay: WR Desean Jackson
21. Washington: WR Malcolm Kelly
22. Dallas: CB Mike Jenkins
23. Pittsburgh: G/T Brandon Albert
24. Tennessee: CB Aqib Talib
25. Seattle: RB Felix Jones
26. Jacksonville: DE Derrick Harvey
27. San Diego: DT Kentwan Balmer
28. Dallas: WR Early Doucet
29. San Fransisco: LB Dan Connor
30. Green Bay: CB/S Reggie Smith
31. New York: LT Gosder Cherilus

Wheelings and Dealings

2008-02-29T14:25:00.004-06:00

It's the first day of NFL free agency, and things are getting done at a dizzying pace. First and foremost, things that concern us directly: The Cowboys are sending Nose Tackle Jason Ferguson, who played barely enough snaps to count on one hand throughout last year, has been dealt to Tuna. The Dolphins will trade sixth round selections with us this year and give us their 6th round selection in 2009. I don't like this deal; Ferg is a very solid nose tackle who fills a void nobody else on the roster can (He's really, really fat and plays defense). Tank Johnson can try playing NT, but the results will probably be pretty mixed. I'm not putting down Tank, who I am a fan of, but It's not an optimal situation for him. We didn't get much here other than salar relief, and Bill specializs in finding good players late in the draft. I don't think he cares much about dropping his sixth round selection twenty-seven slots.

The Browns reached a long-term agreement with Derek Andersen. This was the right decision; when you have a good QB, you lock him up. Supposedly, he gets 3 years and 20 million dollars. That's a pretty reasonable rate for a top 10 QB. I see Anderson as a Marc Bulger-type; he's got a lot of nice pieces around him and knows how to use them. He won't dazzle you, but he gets the job done.

The leading candidate for most perplexing move in sports since Juwan Howard got maxed out: Who here has heard of Tommy Kelly? He's a 27 year old Defensive Tackle on the Raiders. Kelly was an undrafted free agent who's played for four years and registered 13 sacks. He played all of seven games last year, and in fact will be coming off of reconstructive knee surgery. How much is this man worth?
Apparently, Al Davis thinks It's something in the tune of... oh, 7 years and 50 million?
That's not a typo, people. An unspectacular defensive tackle with an average track record coming off knee surgery just got paid more than the combined lifetime salary for everyone who will ever read this post. The Raiders are just silly.

The Packers slapped the franchise tag on Corey Williams a week ago, and now they've sent the defensive tackle to Cleveland for a second round pick. The Browns can completely skip out on Saturday of the draft, as they've dealt both of their first-day picks to the two best teams in the NFC. Williams is a really good player, he piled up 51 tackles and 7 sacks last year. Supposedly, he's going to agree to his own lucrative deal. Advice: Talk to Tommy Kelly's agent.

In other news... Teddy Bruschi got re-signed, Jonathan Vilma will probably be dealt to New Orleans, Asante Samuel may sign with Philly, Javon Walker is being linked with the Bovine Brethren in rumors (A trade won't happen, but don't rule out a signing once he doesn't need to get paid 8 mil+), Isaac Bruce got released (No, thanks), Randy Moss will be re-signed with the Patriots (don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise), Kris Jenkins got 5 years and 35 million dollars from the Jets, Shaun Rogers was dealt to Cincinatti for third and fifth round picks, Jerry Porter got 5 years and 30 mil from the Jaguars, and The Raiders are looking at Gibril Wilson. This makes me giggle; they have Michael Huff already. If they'd like to trade Huff, count us in!

Flozell Adams Skips out on Free Agency

2008-02-28T20:10:00.003-06:00

Possibly the most outstanding unit on the Cowboys' roster last year? The offensive line.
3 pro-bowlers. A total of two player-games lost to injury. A substantial rushing attack and terrific pass protection for a quarterback who thrives like few others when given time. A few hours ago, Jerry Jones ponied up the cash to ensure that the unit would remain potent for the forseeable future, inking Flozell Adams to a deal reportedly worth 42 million (15 guaranteed) over six years. The figures look scary at first glance, but very few players finish out deals this big. I suspect that Flo will play at most four additional years, then either retire or get cut. The possibility that he retires a Cowboy is now great. Flo should be a contributor for as long as he plays here; his contract pretty much states as much. He'll only be getting that seven million a year if he's worth it. I like this signing. Can we afford ot make a big splash in free agency now? Nope. But we didn't need to, and frankly I'm not sure there is anyone out there worth the money that he will command.
In other news, Marion Barber got the highest tender (2.5 million) and Chris Canty the second highest (2 mil). A team will have to surrender its first and third round picks to sign Barber or its first to add Canty, and in either case the Cowboys have the opportunity to match the opposing offer and retain the player. I'd say there's the outside chance that someone (Seattle would be the frontrunner) takes Barber at that rate, but I wouldn't count on him nor Canty leaving. Tyson Thompson and Oliver Hoyte were released, Thompson for his ineptitude and Hoyte because of his disposable nature. Julius Jones hits free agency tonight, and he won't be back. So does Keith Davis. I'd like to see KD back here, but if he gets an offer for a starting job he won't be retained. The same goes for Nate Jones and Jacques Reeves.
It's good to talk football again! Hockey made me dozy.

Mo and Luz talk hockey!

2008-02-27T09:58:00.004-06:00

I are super-excited to present an all new feature here at AFHC. Seeing I stopped compiling hockey knowledge before the turn of the century, I've called upon some friends of mine to lend their opinions on the sport of frozen water and toothless jaws when the time is ripe. The Stars made a big trade yesterday, and I deemed it an exemplary time to debut a new feature which may not advance past the inaugural phase. Note that dialogue has been rendered coherent, a testament to my editing prowess seeing as I was speaking to my New York born-and-bred analysts on a bad phone, and they both appeared to be immersed in a cacophonous scene of their own.

Loz: The Stars are getting a good player, but I don't know if this really puts them over the top. Mike Smith is a great young goalie who's going to start in Tampa Bay for years to come. Richards is OK, but he doesn't put Dallas in the same conversation as Detroit. Turco's proven himself to be very inconsistent in the playoffs, and the Stars probably should have kept their backup goalie.

Mo: I'm not sure I agree with you about Smith. It seems like the Stars have been able to develop young goalies for quite a while now, and It's not like Turco's ancient. He's still a very good goalie who shut out Vancouver three times in one playoff round. What I don't like about this deal is that the Stars gave up Jokinnen. That's a guy who could be as good as Richards within a few years; he's cheap and in his early 20s. Richards probably makes the Stars slightly better this year.

Loz: They may be better, but how much so? The Stars need Smith, he's proven himself by now. Turco's not a full-time starter in the same way that the really elite goalies in this league are, and the Stars are going to give up more goals now that Turco no longer has his safety net.

Mo: They'll be fine defensively. Stars defensemen have always been good at limiting the other team's opportunities. I think this gives them firepower to hang with almost anyone, and It's just a question of who's going to knock off the Redwings. Other than them, the field is clear.

Damn, that really was terrible. Hockey talk is such a buzz-kill. However, that fulfills my yearly obligation to you hypothetical hockey fans. You know, until that day when your sport officially gives up and stops counting itself amongst The Big Three.

Ridiculously Premature NFL Mock Draft, Take 1

2008-02-19T19:23:00.005-06:00

I know It's an exercise in futility and, like, 80% less useful to most of you than reading more angry Maverick rants. But I like the draft. I love the draft. So there.
This draft stands apart for a number of things; and the first, and most clearly apparent, is the lack of truly elite talent at the top of the board. The consensus best player (Arkansas' Darren McFadden) would barely have squeezed onto a list of ten from last year's crop. That doesn't reflect badly on the overall strength of the draft, however. There is a great deal of depth at a number of positions, most of them of interest to the Cowboys. Defensive Backs are a dime a dozen near the top, although none merit a top 15 selection. There could be as many as five runners selected in the first round. Wide Receivers are similarly deep, with DeSean Jackson headlining a group of three or four who could easily fit into the first 31.
Disclaimer: This is not a player ranking, although I may do one of those soon. This is my prediction of which team will select what player at a particular spot. And no, I am not going to be predicting trades.
On with the useless bit of fluff!
1. Miami: Sedrick Ellis
2. St. Louis: Jake Long
3. Oakland: Glenn Dorsey
4. Atlanta: Matt Ryan
5. Kansas City: Chris Long
6. J-E-T-S!: Darren McFadden
7. New England: Kenny Phillips
8. Baltimore: Leodis McKelvin
9. Cincinatti: Vernon Gholston
10.New Orleans: Mike Jenkins
11. Buffalo: Keith Rivers
12. Denver: Ryan Clady
13. Carolina: DeSean Jackson
14. Chicago: Brian Brohm
15. Detroit: Jeff Otah
16. Arizona: Aqib Talib
17. Minnesota: Phillip Merling
18. Houston: Rashard Mendenhall
19. Philadelphia: Gosder Cherilus
20. Tampa Bay: Malcolm Kelly
21. Washington: Mario Manningham
22. Dallas: Felix Jones
23. Pittsburgh: Chris Williams
24. Tennessee: Limas Sweed
25. Seattle: Jonathan Stewart
26. Jacksonville: Derrick Harvey
27. San Diego: Kentwan Balmer
28. Dallas: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
29. San Fransisco: Brandon Albert
30. Green Bay: Antoine Cason
31. New York: Dan Connor

Mavs management relent to Cuban's impatience, condemn team to impending abysmality

2008-02-13T18:26:00.004-06:00

stupid, Stupid. STUPID!
It's primarily a blessing to have an owner as committed to winning as Mark Cuban. He's incredibly involved, desperate to win, passionate to a fault. The third surfaced today.
According to innumerable reports, the Mavericks have traded (deep breath) Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagana Diop, Devean George, Maurice Ager, and two first rounders to New Jersey in exchange for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen, Antoine Wright, and a second round selection.
My question is this: If Devin Harris doesn't get injured a week and a half ago, does this happen? I think not.
If the Mavs don't embarrass themselves in front of Philadelphia and Detroit, does this happen? I don't believe so.
And that's what irks me. This isn't a move done in the best interests of the team. Kidd isn't going to take the Mavericks over the top any more than Harris would. He's thirty-five, and even a physical freak like him declines at that advanced stage. Exceptions only occur with the inclusion of Brian McNamee into the picture. For this player, the Mavs dealt a rising star ten years younger and three members of their rotation (Although Stack will probably be back in a month)
. What's that? We also gave up any minute chance to add good young players in the next two years?
Freaking fantastic. Excuse me for not writing more, but I've got a Mark Cuban portrait to tear to shreds.

Cowboys Roster Evaluation: Receivers

2008-02-10T11:41:00.000-06:00

Greetings, ye comfortably outspread masses! I've held out on this one for a while, primarily due to that bane of all humans (Trigonometry) and a quest to finish Season 2 of Arrested Development (A venture I'd highly reccomend to one and all). But let's get back to business. Today's write-up will focus on the Cowboy prospects at wide receiver and tight end. As usual, I'll begin by running down the current guys in order of prominence and value, then move on to evaluating potential draftees and finally free agent or trade additions.

1. Jason Witten. I know he's a distant second in the Prominence bracket, but whatever you do, don't disparage Jason Witten in my presence. Witten's impact on this team's offensive attack is immeasurable. He's one of the premier blocking tight ends in all of football, and happens to be arguably the best of them all when it comes to receiving. 96 receptions, 1145 yards, 7 TDs. The numbers speak for themselves. Anyone who's watched the Cowboys knows that Witten is Tony Romo's secrity blanket; he makes the big 3rd down plays, he always manages to fall ahead of the first-down marker, and he is one of the toughest players I've ever seen strap on a helmet. Not to say that the headpiece is necessary for a player of his capabilities; I need not remind anyone here of the timeless play against Philadelphia in which he had his helmet dislodged but rumbled on and recorded his longest reception of the season. He's the consummate professional and from all indications a stellar human being. The icing on the cake? The 5th year Tennessee 3rd rounder played this season at the age of Twenty Five.

2. Terrell Owens. This was a terrific year for a large number of the NFL's most infamous, as much-maligned players like Jamal Lewis and Randy Moss revitalized their careers with terrific seasons mired in contentedness. Perhaps most conspicuously inconspicuous amongst that list was our very own star wideout. The 4 year old was a playmaker in every sense of the word. Through fourteen and a half games, TO registered 81 catches, 1355 yards, and a stunning fifteen touchdowns. He seemed virtually unguardable with anything less than a fully devoted secondary. The best part? The only popcorn necessary was that which TO resolved to consume in a celebratory antic. Hyde has become Jekyll. Owens is evidently unaffected by human eventualities like age and prolonged rehabilitation for serious injuries. Barring the unforseen scenario in which he loses immortality, TO will likely submit two or three more productive campaigns.

3. Patrick Crayton. Crayton was thrust into immense shoes this season and delivered beyond all expectations. While not nearly the deep threat that Terry Glenn posed, Crayton proved himself more than a capable #2 receiver playing primarily in the slot. The heartbreaking lapses in the playoff game notwithstanding, Crayton proved that his hands were as good as anyone's on this team. He doesn't have the breakaway speed many imagine when seeing his slight build, but Crayton is quick and elusive. An exemplary third receiver who will likely return to that role next year, Crayton will earn fourteen million dollars over the next four seasons. Not a bad haul for a seventh-round selection out of Northwestern Oklahoma State.

4. Terry Glenn. It may be unconventional for me to list a player who recorded a single reception throughout this team's schedule at #4. Throughout his career, however, Glenn has been a terrific player. Drafted first overall by Tuna's 1996 Patriots team, Glenn has been one of the top deep threats in the NFL when healthy. He's also been a consistently excellent route runner with good hands. His slight, fragile frame is probably the thing going most prominently against him, and that's all that held him back from being an elite player throughout his twelve seasons. Glenn may not be retained for next season, as he will likely opt for microfracture surgery which has ended the career of many an athlete. His contract, however, is very reasonable (1.74 million) and could be restructured further.

5. Sam Hurd. This undrafted free agent has an aura of determination to him. Full of charisma and dead-set on becoming a great receiver, the 22 year old Hurd has shown flashes of what is to come. He lacks the speed to consistently seperate, but can make catches downfield. Hurd has very reliable hands and will fight as hard as anyone for the ball. Most of his receptions come in the air, whether his momentum propels him horizontally or vertically. I'm a big fan of Sam, and if given time I could see him becoming a very capable slot receiver in this league.

6. Anthony Fasano. Many looked at his selection in the second round as dubious. Fasano's not a very good blocker and can't stretch the field any further than most fullbacks. I believe he was taken with the intent of an impending transition to the two-tight end offense. He has, however, disappointed during his first two seasons. Fasano seemed a good receiver during his Notre Dame days, and the Cowboys need that aspect of his game to resurface. He isn't as elusive as described, and while he is courageous, that doesn't translate to production in this case. Fasano will need to step up his game to cement his spot firmly behind Jason Witten on this team.

7 . Miles Austin. 6'3, 215, and speedy. The combination tantalized the Cowboys enough to bring Austin on despite a lack of refinement and hands of stone. While promising, Austin's biggest contributions have come on kickoffs and Defensive Pass Interference Penalties. Frankly, he's not a receiver at this point-just an athlete. A terrific athlete, but one whose game does not translate to the wide receiver position right now. It'd be a shame to see it, but I have a feeling Austin may not be on the team next year. He simply has not shown enough in two years to warrant a spot over the next talented project...

8. Isaiah Stanback. There's no reason to believe that Stanback will be any more successful than Austin, but there's no basis for belief otherwise. Stanback is the unknown; that guy likely to bite you in the ass if you give up on him too early. A natural athlete who actually got drafted by the Orioles despite not playing college baseball, Stanback played QB for the University of Washington but was seen by most as a wildcard coming into the NFL. People had him tabbed at positions as varying as cornerback, running back, and finally wide receiver. He sat out this entire season, both to rehabilitate from injuries and to learn the position. Stanback did return a few kicks, however, and looked impressive doing so. I'm not raising my hopes too high for the immediate future, but for Stanback, the only way to go is up. And the slope could be tremendous.

Tony Curtis. He's succeeded Mike Vrabel as the NFL's best endzone threat. Curtis turns everything he catches into six points. Whether this is due to his enormous frame, cool goatee, or superhuman abilities remains unknown. This mysterious, legendary figure transcends a ranking, and is only listed behind everyone else due to his inhuman humility.

I'm not a fan of drafting first-round wide receivers. The bust rate is high and they're rarely ready to contribute right off the bat. It seems likely that the Cowboys will select a WR fairly early in this years draft, however, due to the fact that their best receiver is 34 and they lack proven commodities behind him.
If anyone wants to bet with me on the odds that they draft another tight end, though, I'm willing to go 10:1. Seriously.

Desean Jackson. The concensus top wideout in the draft, Jackson's.... really, really fast. The Ted Ginn comps are very valid, although to me he seems to be a bit more refined and an even better return man. He's small, though, and his route running could use some work. Jackson will likely be gone before a score of teams make their selections, but if he's there at 22 expect The King to debate the selection long and hard.

Limas Sweed. I hear Roy Williams, and It's a good comp in many respects. When I look at Limas Sweed, though, I see Vincent Jackson. Williams is more of a possession receiver, Sweed and Jackson are big guys with good hands who go up for the deep ball with a fair deal of regularity. I love Sweed's game, and the only thing holding him back from a mid-first round grade is newly established injury concerns. He looked solid as a rock coming into the season, but since then has suffered two worrisome injuries. He'll likely be a late first or early second rounder unless he shows up at the combine and wows people with a no-longer maligned 40 time.

Mario Manningham. Michigan fans fell in love with Super Mario, and It's very likely that the team selecting him will wind up reaping the same windfall. Manningham is fast, strong, and has good hands. His blocking leaves much to be desired and he doesn't escape well from jams, but aside from injuries there's nothing else not to like about Manningham. A concensus first-round talent that could go as early as #15 but will likely fall to the mid-20s. Marvin Harrrison's an awfully ambitious comp, but if everything works out there is that chance.

Early Doucet. Unlikely to become anyone's top threat, Doucet is probably the safest pick of the bunch. He's not especially big, fast, or generally talented. But his hands are excellent, he's elusive, a good blocker and an all-around hard worker. Doucet has never really been 'the man' at LSU, and should play a similar role in the NFL. He compares to our own Patrick Crayton in more ways than one. I expect to see Doucet taken in the early second round, but a team looking for a low-risk contributor could spend their first selection on him.

Malcolm Kelly. Similar to Sweed, Kelly's a big old Texas boy with good hands who's been blessed with enough speed for occasional big plays. He's not quite the deep threat that Sweed presents, but offers less risk of sitting on the IR for prolonged stints. He's a very talented athlete who is known for huge games, but inversely does not offer consistent production on the same level as most first round players. If a lot of things fall into place, he could be a player similar to Braylon Edwards.

There's really only one free agent target who interests me. That's the Bears' Bernard Berrian. Berrian is the consummate deep threat and has been pretty much the only admirable part of the Bears' offense during the past two seasons. Despite the total absence of anything resembling a supporting cast, he's been a consistent threat both in the ball-control offense and when Rex Grossman found it in him to air it out. The catch, as always, is money. Will Berrian want to be paid like a #1, or will he take 6 million or so to play second fiddle to TO?

There are several trade targets who have been mentioned in conjunction with America's Team. The first, and most oft-debated, is Detroit's Roy Williams. Roy is a terrific slot receiver, perhaps the surest-handed big WR in all of football. He's stated his desire to get back to Texas, and the Lions have been linked to rumors involving a first day selection returning in his stead. I don't see it happening; Jerry doesn't need to take on any more highly-paid receivers, and Williams certainly will be that. He's also quite prone to injury. As much as I'd love it, I remain doubtful.
I'll address the second, although I believe the possibility of his arrival to be on the 'extremely low' end of the scale. I'm speaking of Chad Johnson. Ocho Cinco is a king-sized personality and a terrific player. I don't want any possibility of TO returning to his dissatisfied persona, and believe that bringing CJ in here could have that effect. It would make our receiving core beyond incredible but cause more trouble than It's worth.

Weep, Massachusetts! Weep!

2008-02-04T19:22:00.000-06:00

It's about time.
I'm not one to delight in the misery of others. We have enough sports sadness of our own in this city. But the residents of the greater New England region, and Boston in particular, simply had it coming.
We used to root for Boston's teams. The Red Sox were the lovable losers; always doing their best to usurp the mighty empire that was the Yankees, limping along in a sad parody of the once-great franchise that was the Celtics, winning unlikely games against unlikely teams. They Patriots who upended the Rams' paradisal year were truly fun to support.
No longer.
Amongst the crimes of the Patriots: Taunting last year's super bowl champions upon beating them in the regular season with completely baseless expletives, beating teams by thirty points just to prove a point, planning a championship parade, and trademarking 19-0 before the Super Bowl-and that only scratches the sharpest visible point of a veritable iceberg.
Their fans bought into the hype. I'd like to blame them, but I can't. As unquestioning followers, we react on emotion and instruction. When our team is pumped up, we follow their lead. Moreso based on the region we inhabit, and so especially relevant for obnoxious Northeastern fans, but this rule stands for everyone, everywhere.
The Pats had it coming to them. and for the first time ever, I went through a game cheering the improbable continued good fortunes of the New York Giants.
Incidentally, if it turns out that New England did film that Rams practice, Bellichick is going to be suspended for a full year. I kid you not, and neither does this site.

Man, what a game. And a reminder to us all: Don't tease the sports gods, or you're going to end up with more horror than heroism.

A New Hope

2008-02-02T20:12:00.001-06:00

Smiling, dual-thumbs-up Mark Cuban represents everything we stand for in this town, and henceforth on this blog. If you're here for the first time, welcome. Let me give you a short thistory of Or's Sports Blog: I started this thing in May of '07, intending to cover transactions of every kind throughout sports and locales. At some point, however(And this is where the old-timers can pay attention again) I realized that I wasn't getting too much out of this format-frankly, I don't give a crap about the Charlotte Bobcats' draft strategy. Don't get me wrong, I'm stil fascinated and in love with all things involved with the practice of being a GM. But my dreams extend only to the teams I care about. And after giving it some thought, I decided that focusing upon the teams in general rather than giving my readers a concentrated assessment of the Rangers' search for a middle reliever was a much healthier route for my sanity and a more enjoyable one for those kind enough to grace my URL.

So basically, the theme of this blog is disappointment. That's not to say I've gone emo on you, I'm still as sane, rational and life-loving as always. It's simply an admission of reality; this town has given us more unfulfilled hope, more dreams falling right into our lap and crawling out while we daydreamed- than most of us could have imagined possible. The new name makes quite a bit more sense now, eh?
I've got to temper any presumed enthusiasm or headaches by stating that this will not be a daily event for me. I realize that some people grew disenchanted with this place, and that's very much my fault. I didn't post for a few months following the Cowboys-Patriots game. There's one basic reason for this: I bit off more than I could chew, and wasn't enjoying the process of blogging anymore. So I retreated to my various personas on other peoples' blogs, throwing in the occasional line-long reply to other peoples' posts. I'm back, baby. But I'd like this stint to enjoy a greater degree of permanence than my last one, so I'll be doing two posts a week if that. They will be polished posts, chock-full of whatever it is that made you people visit this site in the first place. I aim to please. But please, don't hold me to the expectations levied upon guys who do this for a living, or even the enormously devoted fans who run the SB Nation sites.

Thanks for dropping in. Do so often and you won't be disappointed.

Cowboys Roster Evaluation: Defensive Line

2008-02-01T08:24:00.000-06:00

While not quite the position of strength that the Linebacking corps presents, the Cowboy defensive line is strong in several respects. There is considerable depth, as was demonstrated by the lack of fallout suffered from a full year without the starting DT. There is a very good player who can play anywhere on the line, and the unit as a whole is startlingly young. The guys up front don’t pile on the sacks to par with teams like New York, but they occupy blockers very well and are stellar against the run.

Individual evaluations, again listed in terms of perceived value in my eyes.

#1: Jay Ratliff, Defensive Tweener: End/Tackle. Ratliff is a seventh rounder from Purdue who has exceeded the expectations of everyone other than maybe his mother and significant other. Ratliff is 6’4 and 298 pounds, having bulked up a bit for his role as a tackle this season, but has fluctuated below that in the past. His physical tools are solid but lacking in awe-value. Rat does everything well: He can overpower blockers, do his nickname proud by sneaking by, or even restrain himself and wait for the ball carrier to foolishly rush into his merciless clutches. He sets others up very well, and a lot of his best work doesn’t show up prominently in stat reports; I believe he led the team in QB pressures throughout the season. Rat is 26 and just signed a 5 year, 20.5 million dollar extension which should make all involved parties quite happy. Expect him to return to DE next year, for reasons I will go over later in the presentation.

#2: Chris Canty, Defensive End. Canty’s one of those guys who is declared a steal by EVERYONE on draft day. A projected first rounder who slid due to some injury/character issues, Canty lasted until the second to last selection in the fourth round. King Jerry was certain that the Patriots would pick up CC with the very next selection, and traded with Philadelphia to acquire the prior selection. The 25 year old Canty is an imposing presence. #99 stands 6’7, weighs 300 pounds, and flexes his considerable biceps in a signature move after every big play. He’s stout against the run, and overpowers defenders often. He’s certainly panned out better than most second-day selections, and there’s no reason to think that his future in Dallas won’t be a long and prosperous one. He is a restricted FA this year, but the team is expected to hang on to him.

#3: Tank Johnson, Defensive Tackle. Johnson’s taken a great deal of flak throughout his short career over his off-the-field problems, but anyone who’s invested more than a cursory glance into the situation knows that his role in these unfortunate incidents is greatly overblown. Johnson seems to be a decent guy who Kept It Real to too great an extent and has the wrong passion (Automatic weapons) but never set out to hurt a soul-again, the key word being off the field. Johnson isn’t one of those controversial figures whose play is unquestioned, he’s far from a superstar. But the aptly-named Tank is a force against both the pass and run. He can’t be manhandled with ease, and brings the occasional relentless bulrush, to the extent of almost knocking a QB’s head off (as was the case in one game this year, when Johnson actually got penalized for his sack being too highlight-reel worthy). Johnson’s 26 and signed to a shockingly reasonable contract for next year, and should fill a similar role to this past year: Backup Nose Tackle.

4. Jason Ferguson, Defensive Tackle. I’m going to catch some of the misplaced flak from Tank’s shooting range on this. Quarterbacks aren’t threatened by Ferguson, he made exactly ONE tackle this year, and he’s 33 years old. But when healthy (And he has been, historically, throughout 11 NFL seasons) Ferguson is the prototypical Nose Tackle: He plugs gaps, draws two blockers, and will allow nobody to run by little radius. He anchors the run-stopping game much in the same way that the Williams duo does for Minnesota, making everyone else’s job much easier. He should start next year, but allow for fairly measurable backup duty from the Tank.

5. Marcus Spears, Defensive End. I know, here comes the bitterness. Spears is decent in every way, and I may be shunning him because he’s a BP lovechild and a first round pick. And it’s probably unfair that I hate him when I didn’t lash too harshly at Bobby Carpenter, who isn’t even logging snaps. But I simply don’t like Spears; his overly jovial attitude whenever he’s in the vicinity (That’s the key word) of a substantial play, his inability to be the pass rusher we held inflated hopes for, and the retrospective fear based on the fact that he was almost selected instead of D-Ware at #11. But In all actuality, Spears is a very serviceable player. He’s solid against runners and can deliver mean hits and meaner raps.

6. Jason Hatcher, Defensive End. The 2006 3^rd round pick has caused dispute amongst the more devoted Cowboys fans; those who actually know his name. He’s a fairly effective pass rusher when in the game, although he hasn’t shown enough to be placed above Spears or Canty on the depth chart. He is what he is; a 25 year old with a decent deal of value to this team, and a lot of potential that may or not materialize if we give it a chance to. I wouldn’t feel comfortable inserting him into a starter’s role, but he’s a very suitable backup.

7. Stephen Bowen’s a fairly raw 23 year old who was picked up by the team last year after not being drafted. He’s likely going to be a backup in the foreseeable future, as he hasn’t shown enough snaps, or enough during his meager quantity of aforementioned plays, to justify much more. His one career sack was against Jon Kitna, I like the name of his college (Hofstra) and he has a semi-stache, which I approve of. Much like Justin Rogers, however, I can’t tell you much about him as a player.

Possible draftees: Ah, the most nebulous part of this whole process. I just love taking shots in the dark on players who will probably never impact the Cowboys directly. Again, let me preface this by saying that these are not in any way personal suggestions for draft day; I’m just listing guys who project around where the Cowboys will be picking as things stand now. In fact, I’d be very surprised if they picked a defensive lineman. I won’t concentrate on the three truly premium Defensive linemen in this draft, as they will likely all be gone by pick #6 or 7. Cursory mentions: Glenn Dorsey is likely a Kevin Williams, Chris Long a Jared Allen, Sedrick Ellis an enigma who offers everything but height, and will likely turn out the best of the bunch

But that doesn’t rule out some very good players who should be available late in the first round. In no certain order (Other than Longhorns guys first, because UT rox!), as I’m not going to rank these guys, here are a few.

DT Frank Okam is very comparable to another phenomenal Texas DT: Shaun Rogers. He can be dominating on some plays, but disinterested and sloppy on many others. If he ever realized that this game is a good way to get fawning and fortune, he’d become wildly successful in the NFL. However, I’m afraid to say I’m skeptical about taking him with a first-round pick after seeing what lazy payers are like.

DE Derrick Harvey is a physical specimen in the mold of our very own Demarcus ‘The Dominator’ Ware. He’s big, fast, has an exceptional first step and loads of potential. There have been questions about Harvey’s ability to stay at DE as a 260 pounder, as well as his abilities against the run. The chances are, Harvey won’t be there at 22. But if he is I’d jump on that as if it were Jessica Alba.

DE Calais Campbell is possibly the most vertically intimidating football player I have ever seen. He’s 6’8 and looks it, weighs a lithe (It feels very strange to type that with this number) 280, and takes advantage of his athletic gifts. To what extent, however, it remains to be seen. Campbell is gifted much along the same lines of a Julius Peppers. Much like Peppers, however, he can go through extended maddening periods of time in which he simply disappears. Campbell’s stock was as high as the Top 10 at one point, but he has slid precipitously and may even be a second round pick by now, albeit an early one.

DE Phillip Merling is more of a combo DE than the previous two specimens; he can get to the quarterback, but is not the prototypical pass rusher. He is more stout against the run than either of them, and the Clemson End has shown versatility in more ways than that one-he used to play tight end. Merling is likely a top 20 selection.

DT Kentwan Balmer was a very highly recruited high school star who is 6’5 and 300 pounds, yet runs a sub-5 40 yard dash. Balmer’s a complete player who is a productive tackler, yet can penetrate the line of scrimmage and create pressure. NC’s star is shooting up draft boards faster than any tackle, and may vault himself into the top 20. As it stands, he’s a late first round pick.

Prospective free agent pickups: Ah, the veteran addition. Scott Pioli has perfected the craft of picking up journeymen defensive players to surround his core with, and many aspire to that tactic. If Jerry decides to take his shot, expect a few things. Firstly, there will be no Albert Haynesworth signing. I don’t care how good he is; he played for a contract this year, and I don’t believe that the cleat to the face of Andre Gurode will be forgotten so quickly. Take note to forget any daydreams about Jared Allen; he will come at a very steep rate, and this team has other needs. I do love a dominant 25 year old pass rushing End from Dallas, though…

I really don’t see JJ signing any impact DLmen this year; he doesn’t need starters to a great extent, the backups are more than sufficient, and there’s not much cash to spare. But here is one name to keep in mind, just so I can cite this as a stroke of genius in a weird sequence of events.

Ebenezer Ekuban. I know, we went down that road before. But he’s been better since departing and will come cheap. He becomes this team’s best pass-rushing Defensive End and offers veteran leadership. Jerry’s shown he’s not one to pass on a good player because of mere bad blood in the past. The chances are slim, but I could see this transpiring.

Cowboys Roster Eval Continued: Linebackers

2008-02-01T08:22:00.000-06:00

First things first: I’d like to address a player who became a really hot topic during senior bowl week and I didn't get a chance to talk about in my Defensive back evaluation. That player is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Let’s start with some fun facts.
Cromartie is, indeed, the cousin of the peerless Charger cornerback named Antonio.
He attended-this is not a typo-Tennesee State. This is a result of not playing organized football until his senior year of high school.
He’s the most athletically gifted player in this draft. Bar none.
Cromartie’s 6‘3. He has a mysteriously unofficial 40 time, but most project him in the mid-4.3s. While slender at 180 pounds, Cromartie has the strength to jostle with most receivers. He’s been blessed with terrific agility and playmaking ability. Why is this guy not treated as the second coming of Deion? He’s got a couple of big question marks.
The first is his collegiate background. Hailing from TSU is by no means a plus to NFL scouting directors; when asked by Scott Wright about the toughest receiver he’s faced, he cited Efrem Hill of Samford. Hill is an undrafted Browns WR who has yet to catch a pass in the NFL.
The second concern is tied in with the first, and that is a supposed lack of polish. This is a common detriment listed for the really talented players; while they have vast athletic potential, they are not quite the finished products that the hard-hatted, cerebral players can be. Cromartie isn’t seen as ready for the unquestionably major trials that will come with a move from Division-II football to the NFL.
Comparison: Obviously, his cousin comes to mind. The Cromarties are similar players, and it is only natural to compare the two. Another name comes to mind, however; that of Rashean Mathis. Mathis is also a tall cornerback, attended a small school, and was not seen as proven enough to compete with the big boys. If DRC can live up to his potential, he could be as good as either of these shut-down Defensive backs.
I think Cromartie is a perfect fit for the Cowboys. Number one: They must be kicking themselves when considering the ‘06 draft, in which they had the opportunity to draft Antonio with the 18th selection and instead picked up the benchwarming Bobby Carpenter (read on for more on him).Cromartie was taken by San Diego one selection later. I don’t think Jerry will let a similar specimen get away.
Second: This team can afford to slide Cromartie in. Look at last year’s first round cornerbacks, Darrelle Revis and Aaron Ross. Both were selected as experienced college cornerbacks, and therefore thrust into the spotlight on their new teams. Cromartie, if drafted here, would be the third cornerback behind Newman and Henry- comfortably positioned in a spot from which he can slowly adjust to this league.

Now, on to the linebacking corps!

Demarcus Ware, Outside linebacker. There’s no way for me to give a fair critique of Demarcus Ware. I simply love this man too much. But I’ll try to be objective here. Ware placed third in the league in sacks, notching fourteen. He also forced four fumbles and held his own in coverage. Put this in perspective: Amongst all players with nine or more sacks, Ware was first in tackles. His closest competitor (Julian Peterson) had fully ten less. Ware is the most dominant outside linebacker in the NFL. He’s one of the top five defensive players overall. He’s solid as a rock, consistent as the sunrise. In short, he’s a player you can build a defense around. And he’s only twenty five.

Bradie James, Middle Linebacker. I’m going to catch some flak with this selection. It’s hard to argue against Greg Ellis in this spot, but hear me out. James has been a key cog in this defense during the last three years. He leads with both his words and his play, he shoulders the blame when it is due, and he plays every facet of his position. Bradie registered 101 tackles and three sacks. The former is certainly an impressive number, the latter does not seem that way-until one realizes that middle linebackers simply don’t put up major sack numbers. What I like best about James doesn’t have anything to do with his mentality or his physicality. It’s his knack for being in the right place at the right time. He can take advantage of opportunities; whether he sees a big hole in the middle of the offensive line or a wideout thinking himself clever, Bradie can usually be relied on to exploit the situation. He’s capable against the run, in coverage, and blitzing. He’s the type of middle linebacker everyone wants. Not a star, but a complete player in every way.

Greg Ellis, Outside linebacker. Games played: thirteen. Sacks: Twelve and a half. I won’t deny that Ellis was a dominant pass rusher when he came back from the injury he sustained against Arizona. I also won’t deny, however, that he has evolved into a situational player whose ceaseless whining is every bit as annoying as his blitzing acumen is a amazing. I’m starting to wonder about Ellis; while it can’t be denied that the defense is better with him in the lineup, could he be creating dissent in the locker room? Internal consternation has torn many a good team apart before. All it takes is one strong, veteran presence handing out dirty leaflets and besmirching the king for everyone with a beef to pound on the manor’s front door demanding extravagant signing bonuses and weekends off. That, combined with his age (32), are what caused me to place Ellis below Bradie James. I love his play. But he worries me nonetheless.

Akin Ayodele, middle linebacker. The invisible man. Ayodele isn’t very noticeable on the field or the stat sheet. He doesn’t turn the tide of games or run his mouth. But Ayodele is a solid cover linebacker with good run-stopping tendencies. He seems to be an endearing, personable guy to the media as well as his teammates. He never blitzes in this scheme, but has done so in the past. Ayodele’s capable; that’s the best one-word description I can come up with for him. If he’s your second Inside linebacker, you’re in good shape.

Anthony Spencer, outside linebacker. Spencer was drafted out of Purdue with the Eagles’ selection in this past draft. I didn’t agree with the selection because we had already invested enormous resources into our linebackers, and if you told me that Greg Ellis would play like he has I would have screamed bloody murder. But Spencer was sufficiently impressive, and as I stated Ellis sufficiently concerning in some areas- that I am more at peace with his selection than I once was. Joe Thomas, now a premier left tackle in this league, was asked about the toughest player he’d had to block in college. He named Anthony Spencer. Spencer’s a big linebacker who played mostly Defensive End in the NCAA, but seems to have adjusted well. He’s primarily a pass rusher who can defend the run adequately well. I didn’t get a chance to gauge his coverage abilities. Regardless of Greg Ellis’ future with this organization, Spencer is a darn nice piece to have.

Kevin Burnett, linebacker. Drafted out of Tennesee, seen as a playmaker- Burnett seems to have become a younger Ayodele. Don’t blow anyone up, don’t get burned. If you stay out of the highlight reels, you’re in good shape. I wouldn’t say the second round pick is a disappointment, just that he’s different from what he was perceived to be. A good special teamer who’s filled in well when needed at linebacker spots (Inside from what I’ve seen) who is only 25 years old. He’s a nice piece to have around and will definitely be retained.

Bobby Carpenter, Linebacker Tweener. The Ohio State grad formerly known as Captain Caveman should have kept the ‘stache. It was the one thing going for him. Carpenter ranks behind only Julius Jones and Roy Williams on the list of most oft-berated Cowboys, and It’s not hard to see why. He’s been limited to special teams during his first two seasons in the league. I’m not ready to write him off; there’s a reason guys get selected in the first round. A lot of them struggle at the forefront for various reasons, then become the players they were meant to look like all along. (See: Colombo, Marc) He may even become that player with this franchise. But It’s hard for most of us to envision that, simply looking at his track record with our team of choice.

Justin Rogers, linebacker. To be honest, I don’t know much about Rogers. I scoured the internet and came up with this: He went to SMU, likes to hunt (gave his grandmother a coyote rug), was drafted in the 6th round by the Patriots, and was a very undersized player when he first showed up to college. I didn’t really spot him on the field much this year, but that may be a good thing- He didn’t have the Nate Jones factor (Hi, I’m a situational player! You know me- I’ll be the dude eating a receiver’s dust!’).

I seriously, seriously doubt that the Cowboys will look for a linebacker in the early rounds of this draft. Just for the sake of preparing for all contingencies, however, I’ll run over a few of the guys projected to go in the first.

Keith Rivers, Outside linebacker. The USC senior is the most highly regarded of the LBs in this draft, and is projected in the top ten or fifteen by most. He’s got athleticism but lacks size (a mere 220 pounds) and is considered a hard worker. His tackling is reminiscent of the much-maligned Roy, as he will try to force fumbles and cameras, rather than wrapping up the ball carrier. He isn’t held in high regard as a coverage linebacker, but can blitz with the best of them. Best case comp: Jevon Kearse.

Dan Connor, Outside linebacker. The Penn State grad draws reports eerily similar to Bobby Carpenter’s: He’s considered solid in every aspect of the game, plays hard, and is considered polished-but has trouble shedding blockers and lacks strength. I can’t think of a great comp offhand, but Connor should become a solid linebacker, albeit never considered a superstar.

We move to the free agents. This class is highlighted by one standout (Lance Briggs) one young, exciting player (Karlos Dansby) and a bunch of mid-level guys mostly of the reliable, lunch-pail mold. This isn’t necessarily a rip on the class; teams like the Patriots have done great things with a lot of average FA pickups. And the Cowboys aren’t going to be looking for any superstar linebackers in the first place, we’re fine at that position. Just for Stool and Giggles, though, I’ll run down a few of the more highly regarded mid-range guys. We have the legendary Tedy Bruschi (although it remains to be seen whether he will retire) the highly-regarded Kawika Mitchell who is making a name for himself with the Giants, and Boss Bailey the Lion, who is good when not injured. Mid-level guys include Na’il Diggs, Darryl Blackstock, and Demorrio Williams.

I’d like to acknowledge Scott Wright’s NFL Draft Countdown (nfldraftcountdown.com) and Football’s Future (Footballsfuture.com) for a lot of my information. I gather my info from a lot of places and couldn’t possibly name them all without making this into a dissertation, but those two are my primary sources. Props to both of those sites.

I really need to space these out, rather than doing it all in one night :P
Hope you guys are enjoying them, though. I’ll address the defensive line next.

Not a secondary priority

2008-01-22T13:01:00.001-06:00

Howdy. In lieu of other things to fill my head this offseason (bashing on patrick Crayton doesn't count, I've yelled at him several dozen times internally in the last week) I've taken it upon myself to write up a rundown of every facet of this team's roster; evaluating the current players, their performance, expectations, and salary impact. I will also look at prospective additions to that facet of the roster. I will start with the most oft-lamented portion of this squad: The coverage team.
The format I will use is as such: I will begin by listing the relevant players, going from the one I value most to least. After running through the current performers, I'll turn to the potential newcomers.

Terrence Newman, cornerback. Honestly, there is only one fault I can find with T-New. He's only played for five years, yet he'll be thirty next year. Newman is the truest definition of 'shutdown corner', and he put forth, when healthy, his best season yet. I honestly cannot bring to mind the last time a wide receiver truly burned him in a game; the dropoff between a lead receiver covered by our #2 corner and a lead receiver covered by Newey is incredibly pronounced. He doesn't put up the greatest of numbers, but this can be attributed to the fact that quarterbacks simply don't throw his way. While it's true that he doesn't have the best hands, he can take advantage of a badly thrown pass often enough. If not for his (relatively)advanced age, N would be looking a huge deal in the eyes after next season. Keeping him is a priority, as the secondary is in shambles without Terrence.

Ken Hamlin, safety. I am still shocked by the contract Ham got last season. He was barely 26 years old, going into his fifth year in the league, and had established a stellar track record both in pass and run defense, showing the ability to play at either safety slot. Yet he settled for a contract worthy of someone trying to prove his worth; 1 year at 2.5 million. Needless to say, Hamlin has more than lived up to expectations. He was centerfielder in a defensive unit that sorely needed one, a big hitter and an opportunist with more awareness of the goings-on in his vicinity than we've seen since Darren Woodson. Keeping him will be a big priority, but we can't account for some team not changing its tune from last year and giving Ken a contract beyond his value. I see him getting four years at approximately sixteen million, and he's worth every penny of that to this team.

Anthony Henry, cornerback. The antithesis of Terrence Newman, Henry gambles regularly, gets thrown at even moreso, and therefore gets beat a lot but can also turn the tide of a game. He's still a usable second corner, but at 31 he won't be for much longer. While not a liability, he gets beaten fairly easily by most receivers who exhibit a semblance of speed. Henry is capable in run support, a decent tackler with good instincts. He's under contract for two more seasons at a reasonable rate, so don't expect a cut- but he could see his role on the team decrease through the time he has left with America's team.

Roy Williams, safety. Frankly, he earns a spot above Jacques Reeves purely on his past performances. Roy was a terrifically impactful player in college and in his first few years in the bigs, but has fallen off drastically since then. Still more than capable in run support, Roy can make the occasional big hit. But the frequency of the hits has decreased as his attempts at executing them have increased, and this is unacceptable. Too often he makes powerless tackles that fail to even impede the ballcarrier. Roy needs to return to the player he once was; we've all come to accept that he's a liability in pass coverage. But the least he can do is wrap people up once he gets there, knock out the occasional fumble when the situation calls for it, and capitalize with an interception every now and then. He's changing his number next year, in a straw-graspingly desperate move for a new beginning. Let's hope changing the 31 to a 38 is not a solitary move; that Williams actually makes an effort to return to the star player he once was.

Jacques Reeves, cornerback. A 4 year vet from Purdue, the seventh round draft pick has performed beyond expectations during his time here. That, however, is not necessarily an indication that he's a great asset. Reeves is a third corner; he has decent speed and coverage skills, is mediocre against the run, and can't cause turnovers with a great deal of regularity. The 25 year old is the magnet that must exist in the Cowboys' scheme; when Newman's receiver only gets a throw or two per game, the QB has to put it somewhere. Playing alongside Terrence can swell your tackle and INT numbers; Reeves hasn't taken much advantage of this. It will also cast you as the goat who gives up tons of plays; and he certainly has been typecast that way. Reeves is not terrible, every team has a third corner. He's a nice piece to have, and should be retained.

Nathan Jones, cornerback. Selected 18 slots ahead of Reeves in the '04 draft, the Rutgers alum has seen limited time throughout his tenure here. Keep in mind; 18 slots ahead of Reeves still leaves him a 7th rounder. Jones is not someone you want to hang out to dry, he's a backup and recognized as such. You need guys like this, look what they've done for the Giants and their incredible ruin of a secondary. When you create constant pressure, an inadequate secondary suddenly becomes sufficient. Jones will likely be back at an affordable rate.

At this point we move to prospective additions. This free agent crop is tremendously rich with high-level cornerbacks but almost devoid of safeties other than our own. The problem: The three elite guys (Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Marcus Trufant) will probably cash in to the tune of a long term deal at about 10 million per annum. This is far too much for the Cowboys to afford; they have their own needs to address. They likely will look to an inexpensive veteran , such as Drayton Florence or Shawn Springs, to fill a cornerback slot.

This year's draft is absolutely overflowing with first-round DBs. There are foreseeably six who should earn that distinction, and only one of them (Hurricanes safety Kenny Phillips) is widely projected to go off the board before our first selection at #22.

Mike Jenkins is the best of the rest. Jenkins has terrific size and speed, can force turnovers, sticks with receivers in both man and zone coverage. He's likely the most experienced of this group. He does, however, lack the sure tackling displayed by most and has some character issues. It may seem like a bit of a leap, but PacMan Jones' skill set and resume jumps to mind (Keep in mind, I wouldn't dare insinuate that Jenkins is ^&*@-ed up to quite that degree). Fun fact: He was born in Germany.

Malcolm Jenkins (no association) is probably the most talented defensive back in this draft. He's huge, runs a supposed 4.3 40, and QBs usually don't look his way. On the other hand, Jenkins is lacking in complementary tackles, does not break up many passes, and hasn't made many interceptions. Strangely, he has trouble with smaller receivers.The Ohio State grad could make someone very happy if things go right, but there is a big bust factor. A good comp doesn't come to mind, but Antonio Cromartie is the absolute best case scenario.

Antoine Cason is the 2007 Thorpe award winner. He's got decent size, good quickness, shows great awareness and terrific hands. He has home-run ability, having run back several of his picks for Six. He is, however, a bit lacking on bulk and struggles at bringing his man down. Despite his height, he has displayed difficulty in coping with large receivers. Best case comp: Marcus Trufant.

Aqib Talib is one of my personal faves. He's not quick, he's not one to turn an INT into a TD, but he makes plays of every kind. One of the larger cornerbacks you'll see, Talib displays excellent coverage ability, footwork, and hands. He's very stout against the run and has done great things against some very good receivers. One glaring problem is his lack of big-time speed, and that could come back to bite him down the road. My first thought when considering Talib was Ronde Barber, but that may be a bit steep. He's actually quite a bit like our very own Anthony Henry.

Reggie Smith is a very interesting prospect. The Oklahoma junior is a tandem safety-cornerback, and as one would expect is drawing many critics. There are those who say that his lack of a clearly defined role will hurt him in the long run, that in the NFL you must specialize in a single position to be truly good at it. I, for one, believe that knowing how to play in two (or in this case, three) spots is a major asset. Smith is the classic jack of all trades. Good in coverage, good timed speed, good change of direction and footwork, stellar at recognizing how the play breaks down and stout against the run. He won't cause sensation with anything he does, however, and that wil deter some people come draft day. I'm having a hard time finding a comp for this guy, to be honest. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Leodis McKelvin is yet another player who is useful because he fills multiple roles. McKelvin is fairly diminutive, not known primarily for his abilities as a cornerback, and comes from a small program. However, he's absolutely electric on kick returns and has shown all that one can show at Troy as a DB. Demarcus Ware's one-time teammate is shooting up draft boards, and rightfully so. He hasn't been tested to the extent of the big-conference coverage guys, but as I said-shown all he can. Comp: I'm having a hard time with this one too. I thought Devin Hester, but McKelvin brings more than that on defense.

That was exhausting. It's about time I found a use for the intervals of time between my classes, though =D
If you're looking for further information on all this stuff, I'd strongly recommend Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown and Football's Future.
Next on the docket: The linebacking corps!

Darren McFadden, the next 60 million dollar baby? Don't count on it.

2007-12-11T18:39:00.001-06:00

Darren McFadden is a premier player. He's far and away the most dynamic, capable, sure-thing running back in a draft year overflowing with them. He may be the best player in this entire draft class.
However fortunate he was to receive such physical gifts, the luck did not extend to this year's NFL standings. Let's take a look at the worst teams in the league this year.
Miami is absolutely freaking dreadful. I vomit several days' worth of spinach and saliva just imagining their squad.... and there goes a new keyboard.
There's one position they're quite strong at, though. Ronnie Brown was averaging a staggering 5.2 runs per carry and shouldering a great deal of carries before becoming sidelined prior to the season's midway point.
The Rams are fairly bad. Not quite as awful as most people may think upon glancing at their record (I can't recall another team that was hit by injuries this badly all at once). In adhering to St. Louis tradition, however, they have some terrific skill-position players, foremost amongst them feature back Steven Jackson.
The Raiders' offense looks like a collegiate one at times. Take a look, however, at their box scores during the last five games. Justin Fargas has been producing at an outstanding level. This is not to say that he's the long-term asnwer at the position, but It's something to consider. And if he keeps this sort of production up, the woebegone Raiders should look elsewhere with that top five pick.
Now we come to the Falcons. Oh good god. People enjoyed harping on Michael Vick, and I don't count myself amongst the minority who defended the man. But his lack of presence is being clearly felt in Atlanta. I've long held this theory about running quarterbacks: They cause the running backs to instantly look a ton more productive. The defense devotes people to staying back and watching the QB, and it not only keeps rushers on the edge rather than in his face-but allows the tailbacks room to move. The once-ageless Warrick Dunn has suddenly hit an insurmountable wall, and Jorius Norwood isn't getting enough carries to justify a starting spot to. And with the Petrino resignation, that situation will not become any less turbulent.
However, I think the Falcons go after a QB in this draft. Brian Brohm, Andre' Woodson, and Matt Ryan are all very, very justifiable names at the top of a draft board, and this team is in dire need of a QB after letting 2 good ones go this offseason.
The Jets may be the best fit. A third round pick begat Thomas Jones, but aside from a random 100 yard game against-of all teams- Pittsburgh, he's been merely mediocre in New York. McFadden would seem like a perfect fit, but for whatever reason most mocks I've seen have them going with a defensive player (Chris Long/Sedrick Ellis/James Laurinitis).
San Fransisco? Oh, how I feel for them. And for the rest of the league. Because this selection now belongs to the New England freaking Patriots. Perhaps one of the greatest teams in this league's history will wind up with a draft pick forseeably as high as #2. I fankly have no idea where NE will go with this pick, and it is possible that they draft McFadden to alleviate the sophomorely slumping Laurence Maroney, but I doubt they will spend two first rounders in three years on running backs.
The Ravens? Until this season, it would have been a perfect match. But Baltimore has found Wilis McGahee, and that relationship has gone satisfactorily. Mcgahee's playing like many foresaw before his big collegiate injury.
To be frank, I think the worst team that would certainly take McFadden if he fell into their laps is Cincinatti. And while they're certainly not a great squad, their pick shouldn't be higher than 7 or 8.
If McFadden's available for the Panthers' pick, he will be gone faster than a 12 oz steak in front of Tony Siragusa. But they aren't one of the truly woeful teams in this league. Not that they're anywhere near mediocre. The Chiefs? It'd make sense if they hadn't given Larry Johnson a record contract a few mere months ago. Da Bears? Same dilemma as the Falcons, accentuated by the fact that they made the mistake of taking Cedric Benson #4 not too long ago.
My point is this. I personally am not one of those who condones trading for the rights to Darren McFadden. But if Jerry makes up his mind and refuses to budge, the cost could be a lot more reasonable than what I'm hearing from most people.
And if he slides past the top 5, expect Jerry to frantically hit the phones directly prior to either the Panthers or Bengals.

Kobe Bryant is Still a Malcontent. And Leaves Change Color in Autumn.

2007-10-17T10:39:00.001-05:00

Yaaaaaaaaaawn.
There's very little that annoys me more than the continuing saga of Kobe Bryant. Billion Dollar talent, ten-cent head. The guy's never ponied up to any blame, not once taken responsibility, and I can't remember the last time he made a decision to assist another at his own detriment.
This situation is just another example of the exasperating nature of Kobe. The man is a blessing and a curse in the greatest sense of the word.
Supposedly, he's going to either Chicago, Dallas, or Phoenix. I'm here to tell you that he's not going anywhere.
It's another bit of acting by Bryant, another performance by Lakers' management-an attempt to prelude the inevitable trade. But don't confuse inevitable with impending.
Kobe's got two seasons to go before he can opt out and leave LA with nothing to show for their superstar. While they have him, there's no reason for Jerry Buss and co. to sell low on one of the 3 best players in the NBA. They'll milk his talent for all It's worth, and next offseason the highest approved bidder will claim Bryant.
What would Dallas give up to get Bryant? Howard and Terry seem to be the common factors in every suggested deal. They'd need to throw in either DJ Mbenga and Mo Ager, or alternatively DeSagana Diop; probably draft picks as well. That's one borderline all-star and a one-dimensional shooting guard, as well as two extremely raw youngsters and a late first rounder. Does that make LA better?
Chicago: Tyrus Thomas, Ben Gordon, and Tyson Chandler. Deal or no deal? If LA does this, it would be for potential. I really can't find fault with that way of thinking. But look at it this way; there is nothing remotely approaching a sure thing involved in this deal. Gordon is best used as a backup, and in LA he'd be the second best player on the team. Chandler is a good young center, but the Lakers are trying to develop their own. And Thomas could become Chris Bosh or Tyrus Thomas.
Phoenix: Marion+Diaw? I'm not convinced that Phoenix would do that, although it would give them the scariest threesome in history. Stoudemire straight up? I'm not sure that either club would pull the trigger; Phoenix because of his ability to dominate and his youth, LA because of his injury history.
To conclude: I simply don't see it. It may be me being overly skeptical, but this looks like showboating, overdramatization, making a mountain out of a molehill. Kobe Bryant will not be a Maverick on opening day, and he probably won't be a Bull or a Sun either.
But next offseason, I'll be watching.

What goes around comes around

2007-10-15T06:18:00.000-05:00

What have we said about the Cowboys throughout this year? They're terrific in the second half, capitalizing on enormous bruisers that wear people down. And any one of their receivers has the ability to take over a game in conjunction with the rest of the offensive unit.
Ouch. That can be an effective strategy when used against you too, can't it?
The Cowboys looked dead out of the gate. That was to be expected, they've been that way all season long. The 14-0 lead seemed insurmountable, however, when you consider that Dallas went three and out on consecutive game-starting drives. In fact, the fearsome Cowboy attack amassed negative yardage through their first 8 plays.
Yet somehow, they managed to make the game genuinely interesting for a while. They'd score 24 of the next 31 points, actually taking a 24-21 lead. At this point the fans were giddy, the players looked hopeful, and Bill Belichick stopped sullenly grimacing, and instead looked sullenly contemplative. For a very short while, anyway. Because the Patriots would score 27 of the next 30.
What happened? It's really quite simple. Dallas put up a great fight yesterday, but a couple of things buried them. First and foremost was allowing the Patriots those lengthy early possessions. I believe the Patriots reached 20 plays before the Cowboys had 10, and the Cowboys received to begin the match. The Patriot linemen wore our rushers down to their last breaths, and their receivers turned our secondary players' legs to grape jelly.
Additionally, these penalties have got to stop. The Cowboys' red zone woes were largely brought about by Flozell and Company, as our team regressed by 98 yards spread over 12 plays. One play represents the struggle with the zebra-men best of all: 31-24 New England, 4th and one. Marion Barber powers his way to a first down, and the Metroplex rises in glee. But a few seconds later, we vent our fury to the huddled masses following the game through media mediums, as the play is undone with five additional necessary yards, via a holding call. Dallas was forced to punt, Brady led the Patriots down the field for another score, and the Cowboys never got closer than 11 points.
Speaking of 11 points... what the profanity was up with going for a field goal down 14 in the 4th? Under that logic, you'd have to completely and utterly stifle the Patriots twice, which you have shown no indication of being able to do- then come back and score two more touchdowns. What the hell are the chances of that happening? On 4th and goal at the 4 against this opposition, you've got to go for that every single time. I consider myself as die-hard and faithful as any Cowboys supporter, but at that point I turned away from the CBS coverage in disgust and took out my frustration on the Madden-rendered Patriots.
What was good last night? Our running game and our run defense. Barber and Jones rushed only 14 times, mostly due to being behind for almost the full extent of the game. But those 14 rushes resulted in 98 yards, for an average of 7 yards an attempt. On the other end of the ball, Patriot backs rushed 26 times for only 70 yards- less than 3 an attempt. That same sort of play will be very important against the Vikings next week, as they're a team that heavily relies on the running game.

Random observations
This team badly needs Anthony Henry back.
So much for the fabled matchup of 81s. Barely 130 yards between them.
Demarcus Ware is a truly premier defender. I love this man.
Why was the Romo-Witten connection so intermittent? Our QB went to our TE twice at the end of the second, both very successful completions. But the ball barely got near him through the other 59 minutes.
The secondary got burned time after time, but for once it wasn't really Roy's fault.
The Patriots seem to force deeper kickoff than us.
Terrence Newman probably should have waited for that plantar fasciitis to fully heal. He looks slow, and what is he without speed?
Better luck next week.

The Conflict of Collossi

2007-10-13T22:40:00.000-05:00

5-0. The Cowboys hadn't done it for two decades. The winningest single-decade quarterback in NFL history couldn't take us there, neither could the league's all-time leading rusher or a historically effective offensive line. But questions emerge; questions that those lauded squads didn't have to put up with.
Is the secondary stable enough? Is Tony Romo sufficiently reliable? Are two runners really no runners?
And most prominent, has this team played anyone competent enough for us to anoint them into the class of elite clubs in the 2007-08 NFL based on numbers alone?
One thing is for certain. If the Dallas Cowboys are still undefeated by Sunday evening, the last of these questions will have been answered, for The Patriots are clearly a juggernaut in every way. The league's best passing game is accentuated by a fearsome running attack, for which the way is paved by a justifiably feared offensive line. The defensive secondary includes two superstars (Asante Samuel and Rodney Harrison), and the defensive line is up there with the very best, with cornerstones like Brushchi, Thomas, and Wilfork. Let this sink in: They have yet to score less than 34 points, and yet to give up 17. And they've played two or three teams probably better than anything the Cowboys have faced.
Can the Cowboys win? The Bills looked like they were going to last week, so sunshine does indeed use a canine's behind as a landing pad occasionally. But going in line with that euphemism, it doesn't happen often.
What will the Patriots do? Allow me to preface this assessment by saying that Bill Bellichick's greatness lies in his ability to adjust on the fly. If something's not working, he'll change it up.
I believe that Bellichick's perceptive enough to take a leaf out of the Bills'' incompetence last week. Buffalo was incapable of putting pressure on Tony Romo, and look what happened? Romo got comfortable and got careless. Bellichick has the personnel to force Romo into scrambling around in the pocket, but I regret to say that he won't-because he will have realized that this is where Romo is at his best. Bellichick will rush four or five for the entirety of the game, concentrating more on coverage and leaving a linebacker or two back to contain our relevant halfback. If Romo's performance last week was a harmless aberration, praise the gods and realize that you may have a shot at not only victory in this game, but in a playoff matchup for the first time in over ten years. But if my fears are proven to be well founded, woe and calamity.
Offensively, the Patriots will do what they always do. Brady is a completion machine, as automatic as it gets .They have a crop of receivers rivaling our own and a stalwart group of blockers to allow the league's best quarterback time to be his usual opportunistic self. Oh, they've also got a two-eheaded monster better than ours, with Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris.
If the Cowboys want to win this thing, they'll have to do everything right. Don't give an inch on either side of the ball; knock their feet out from under them and shove their faces into the turf, grabbing the ball in the process. Don't make mistakes, another 6-turnover performance will get this team absolutely routed. Force your own, and you've got a shot.
Asante Samuel's not exploitable, as he's one of the top cornerbacks in this entire league. But if TO is on anyone else, use him. I expect Jason Witten to be covered like a sleeping baby in a blizzard for the full extent of the game, so get creative. He can catch the ball through a regiment of thermal blankets and five shadows if It's well-placed. Trick plays are there for a reason; Jason Garrett, It's time to pull out ALL the stops. Leave not a stone unturned, any potential at an opportunity must be seized, turned over, and exploited to its full extent.
In short, It will take a lot for the Cowboys to win this one. This is not in any way a derogatory statement on America's True Team, because New England is very possibly the mightiest squad to have graced the green plains of the NFL since their upcoming opposition circa fifteen years ago.
Prediction
New England: 31
Dallas: 24

Unnoticed

2007-10-09T12:16:00.001-05:00

The local football team's taken the league by storm. Baseball's playoffs have taken a decidedly upwards turn, greatly spurred by the Yankee loss last night (How's that for an evening of delight?). College football is in full force.

But people seem to have forgotten that last year's top regular season NBA team exists.

I won't say I'm complaining. We all got a bit overexcited last year, some crowning them as the champs before the season was over, others-myself included- scoffing at the matchup against Clown Coach Don Nelson and his brand of basketball. It was not to be.

But yeah, the Mavericks are nearing another season. They come back with the squad almost entirely intact, as the only departee with any name recognition is the spare 3rd string shooting guard Greg Buckner. Notable additions include Trenton Hassell, Nick Fazekas, and Eddie Jones.

Low key additions, to be certain. Two one-dimensional players and a has-been who may not play as many minutes as Buckner did last year.

I like it.

The best core in the league is fully composed. All there is to do is add the supporting cast. Do we have that guy who can step in during a critical time and truly contribute? Do we have an Alonzo Mourning, a Fabricio Oberto, or, as we make use of the way-back machine, a Rick Fox?

I don't know, but this team has been adding candidates for the position. And this pleases me.

Dirk will be Dirk. He's vowed to come back with a better interior game, and I'm sure he'll post up more. But he'll still play his game, because that's what makes him great.

Josh Howard's a genuine all-star. We've tagged him as the MVP's sidekick for several years now, but last year we saw him take his game to another level. He's now part of the second tier; Those 10-15 players who aren't quite legitimate superstars, but are necessary to any championship team.

I believe that Devin Harris has a chance to join that tier as well. He's back motivated, rich, and still humbled by last season. He'll be the starting point guard this season, there should be no further experimentation with Jason Terry in that role. If he can refine his abilities to finish at the rim, the Tony Parker projections will materialize.

The shooting guard position is deep to an unprecedented level. There's the proven scorer in Jet, the hard-nosed sparkplug in Stack, the proven veteran is Eddie Jones, Trenton Hassell the defensive ace, and the inconsistent but usable Devean George. Minutes will be hard to come by, and I could see Devin and Josh's minutes getting cut simply because the depth here is so irresistible.

The Center position will be iffy until the return of Big Damp, but I believe that with 5 minutes a game from Fazekas, Nowitzki, and Mbenga we can hold down the fort.

Do us all a favor and don't predict a championship. Don't even predict 60 wins. Just know that there is reason for optimism.

Speechless

2007-10-08T23:23:00.000-05:00

4 interceptions in one half. 2 of them before the second completion. Six overall.
A kickoff return returned for a TD.
Dropped passes galore, four from the lead wideout.
A running game that looked completely impotent for large portions of the game.
Blockers who chose to look their worst against one of the league's worst defensive units.
A defense that allowed an unheralded rookie quarterback to complete 24 of his 31 passes.
It was ugly. It was disgusting. It was an eyesore, and awful, and downright obscene. And the Dallas Cowboys came out of it 5-0.
Sometimes you look back at games and you simply can't comprehend the outcomes. The Green Bay-Chicago decision yesterday was one of these. But tonight's was a far more radical example.
How the hell did the Dallas Cowboys overcome all of the insurmountable barriers mentioned above, how did they rebound from adversity, how did they show up in rare form when all hope was lost?
Damned if I know.
Jason Witten was big tonight. Tony Romo's security blanket executed his role perfectly on a night when he was sorely needed.
Patrick Crayton has established a rapport with Tony Romo. There's plenty of reason to rip on our QB, but he creates these mental bonds between he and his receivers that I've never seen paralleled.
Demarcus Ware is an animal, Jay Ratliff is making some of us scratch our heads about the Tank's necessity, Ken Hamlin looks like a better signing every day.
Key stat: The Cowboys have gone consecutive weeks without allowing an offensive touchdown. Allow that to sink in.
All that being said, I still can't figure out how this rabbit was unhinged from its headgear. Party on, Dallas. Next week will be a blast.

Ropers vs. Big Game Preview

2007-10-08T14:16:00.000-05:00

Analysts have a knack for declaring every game with a line greater than 10 points a 'trap game'. My question: Why the hell is there a double digit line if you genuinely believe that there's a good chance of an upset?

Call me cocky, call me overconfident. I deserve the distinctions, but you can't blame me for claiming them. The Cowboys have been dominant to this point of the season, the Bills awful in almost every respect. They have a promising young running back and a rookie QB who's exceeded expectations-through four games. The Bills' pass defense is unspeakably bad, their run defense not much better. The Cowboys are getting healthier by the week, despite Anthony Henry and Keith Davis sitting out this one.

It's hard to foretell Jason Garrett's intentions, as his greatest single strength is unpredictability. He's daring and fearless, and his players execute in a similar fashion. I expect to see the Cowboys exploit the pitiful secondary laid before them, forcing the Bills to commit a great deal of additional help to stemming the bleeding from the gaping wound caused by Tony Romo's reckless shenanigans. This will free up our dynamic duo of runners to soften up the defense in conjunction with our massive group of blockers, and the Buffalo defense will completely crumble... if I had to estimate, I'd say sometime in the middle of the third quarter.

The Bills will lead with a balanced attack, but most of all try to exploit Jacques Reeves. The man's played beyond expectations, but is still a liability at the second corner spot. Expect Ken Hamlin to lend a hand on that side of the field with fair regularity. Mershawn Lynch will make his way through a good group of offensive linemen and probably pick up his fair share of yards, albeit not enough to make a serious dent. He may be the best Running back the Boys have faced to this point, but that's more a detraction from previous opposition than an acknowledgment of Lynch's competence.

Both teams have strong special teams units. The Bills have the one punter who might be superior to our own Mat Mcbriar, that competition should be enjoyable to view. They have a good tandem of returners, and with Keith Davis out of the picture that could be especially problematic. I may give Buffalo a slight edge in this facet of the game.

To conclude, my fellow Cowboy supporters, I don't believe we have much to fear. This team will be playing for their coach's retribution, for recognition on Monday Night Football, for the preservation of their unbeaten record, and for momentum going into next week's delicious matchup with the Bostoners.
Prediction:
Dallas: 41
Buffalo: 14

Rangers: Season in Perspective

2007-10-03T08:48:00.000-05:00

Ebbs and flows.
Is there a more appropriate way to describe the 2007 Rangers? This had to have been one of the streakiest squads I've ever seen assembled. In fact, I honestly can't recall the last several times the Rangers had a winning or losing streak of less than three games throughout this year. The problem was as such: The season started with such a precipitous slide that the rest of the campaign became unsalvageable. The first months were absolutely awful, as Ron Washington's team compiled a record of 20-35. They proceeded to not have another losing month, but as stated above-the slide left this team beyond repair.
Despite all that, there are bright spots on the horizon. The one most oft quoted is the sudden surge of young talent. This is a valid point, as Eric Hurley is really the only player considered as one of the organization's top seven or eight players both prior to the season and in the current state of matters. The system depth behind the plate is fantastic. There is a shortstop prospect the likes of which we haven't seen in this city for quite some time. There are multiple promising outfielders at the low levels of the minors. And most importantly, there are pitchers accumulated to the point of overflow at all levels of the minor leagues.
Fortunately, though, hope stems not solely from the prospects. Players like Brandon McCarthy and Edinson Volquez exhibited flashes of talent to demonstrate the reason for the organization's commitment to them.
Michael Young somehow recovered from a forgettable slump, hitting .335 in the last five months to put up another 200-hit season. Jason Botts posted an on base percentage of .380 in September, holding true to his trend of acclimating to a league after a month or two of adjustment.
While good sense advises me to temper my enthusiasm for a 25 year old with few enough at bats to still be considered a rookie next season, David Murphy has me very excited.
Ian Kinsler posted the highest OPS on the team, stole successfully in 23 of his 25 attempts, and emerged from an injury a new defensive man- he who obviously had butter spread all over his glove during the first half of the year had replaced the condiment with gorilla glue.
Joaquin Benoit had the breakout year we'd all been waiting for, pitching seventy times, striking out eighty seven hitters, and posting a stellar 2.85 ERA. In a pressure role.
C.J Wilson came veritably out of nowhere to emerge as the closer in waiting, finishing 12 of his 13 real save attempts. His numbers were equally impressive to Benoit's until a late-season burnout inflated them substantially, but he's a young player whose workload potential will gradually rise.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia has already attracted his share of detractors,most of them pointing at his high strikeout rates and defensive incompetence. But keep this in mind: At the age of 22, the player Salts is most often compared to was still in the minor leagues, undergoing a position switch that left him frustrated. Mark Teixeira turned out alright.

Don't get me wrong, this team has needs. It didn't have a 25 home run hitter, nor a 100 RBi man, nor a starter with an ERA under five. Only two full-time players hit above .270.
Keep this in mind, though. This team suffered through a horrible series of injuries evidenced by only Michael Young playing more than 140 games, only Kevin Milwood logging 150 innings, and still posted a Pythagorean W-L record of 79-83. It's not difficult to imagine this team contending with only a couple of additions.
Believe in Jon Daniels, folks. I have confidence in his ability to assemble this team the right way, whether by signings, drafts, or trades.
Believe in Ron Washington, folks. His lineups are unconventional, some of his decisions spotty.
But he's the natural leader this team has lacked since Johnny Oates.
I won't ask you to believe in Tom Hicks, but I will allude to Daniels. I bet he can be pretty persuasive, even when it entails convincing grouchy old men to give dozens of millions to young club swingers.

Analysis of Another Relaxing Thrashing

2007-10-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

Wow.
Their opponents may be 2-13, but the level of pure dominance that has been exhibited by America's Team is simply stunning.
Romo is magic. I'm sorry, do you have a better explanation?
It's great to have Greg Ellis the player back. But Greg Ellis the person is a manipulative, whining douchebag. I'm not sure if I would have caved in Jerry Jones' shoes.
Demarcus Ware is Demarcus Ware. He's one of the top pass rushers in this league, and isn't exactly lacking in the other aspects of his game. Anyone rushing beside him is made immediately better.
This secondary is stout again. You can easily convince me that the opposing O-Line was the absolute worst in football yesterday, but that core of pass catchers remains terrific despite age. We shut them out.
MBIII and JJ both looked solid. They didn't break huge runs, but they very rarely flailed their legs in a vacuum. There was progress. I'm perfectly content with keeping the running game this way until both of those guys grow past their prime.
Put the Cowboys recievers in a hat. Next week, the one you pick may go for 150 yards. The way this team is playing, it could be Sam Hurd.
It could be Anthony Fasano.

BRING ON THE PATRIOTS, BABY!

Greg Buckner traded

2007-10-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit behind the times on this under-the-radar story, but the infamous Buck has been traded to Minnesota for the bigger, more athletic, younger, and generally more capable Trenton Hassell.
This looks to me like first and foremost a change of scenery situation, and secondly an attempt by Minnesota to reduce payroll.
I like this trade for the obvious reasons stated above. Buckner was a waste of a roster spot last year, Hassell is a truly good defender who can score from more than one spot on the floor. I don't expect him to win the job, but he'll contend with Jet for the starting SG spot.

Boys-Rams Outlook

2007-09-29T23:35:00.000-05:00

Merry weekend, readers.
I know you're all avidly anticipating another great match this sunday. I'm here to predict the outcome before the TV coverage, to rant and rave before Madden gets a chance to.
We kept hearing about how remarkably healthy the Cowboys were last year, and for good reason. The first month of this season has definitely provided us with a glance at the other end of the spectrum. But for all our woes, the grazers in San Louie have suffered a shakeup even more drastic.
Their offensive line, once a source of pride, now consists of one mainstay and four dregs from the lowliest crevices of the depth chart. Their quarterback is playing with two cracked ribs, putting on hold a fate that would sideline him for the remainder of the season. For reference, see Hank Blalock, who sat out around two months of this season to get one rib removed. Their running back, #2 on last year's rushing yards leaderboard to the prodigious LT, (who will inexorably begin playing like LT before long) is also on sick leave.
The Rams are faced with a decision. They can play to the strength of their talented, successful wide recievers and play the sort of game they usually do against a sketchy defense. Or they can do their best to keep their quarterback alive, going with eight yard outs for the entirety of the game.
If the former is true, it will be up to the front seven to exercise the sort of dominance they've been paid and recognized to maintain. Get pressure on what will be a justifiably nervous Bulger, and everything else will fall into place.
If the Rams choose the latter poison, it will be a collective effort headed by he who has seen the burden placed on his shoulders most over the years. Roy Williams is at his best near the line of scrimmage, where he can exert his monster-back mentality, physical tools, and decision-making ability to wreak havoc through blitzes, clothlines, and well-timed sidesteps in front of Torry Holt. Of course, that depends on Roy Williams.
All that said, I'm not too worried. The Cowboys defense has played progressively better as the season has progressed, although one may chalk that up to facing progressively inferior offenses. The Rams don't look too daunting to me with all the weapons they are missing.
Offensively, the Cowboys who have shown up during the last three games would score forty on this squad without blinking. I expect much of the same: Keep their unit on the field until they are drawing on fumes for sustenance, run it down their throat and up their gut with an occasional dagger through their collective hearts. Let Tony Romo be Tony Romo. Let our terrific conglomerate of receivers do their jobs, giving Tony enough open targets for him to do his thing with the usual adeptness.

My prediction:
Cowboys: 41
Rams: 14

The Baton Changes Hands

2007-09-24T13:08:00.000-05:00

There's a new power in the NFC, folks. Last night's fireworks show affirmed it for me.

Tony Romo is the greatest field general I've ever seen. The man makes the most incredible split-second decisions, and never EVER gets flustered. It's simply unbelievable.

Marion Barber may not be a #1 back. But good lord is he a terrific #2.

D-Ware finally shows up. It was good to see Ware and Anthony Spencer instilling fear into Rex on a regular basis, this should be a dangerous duo for quite some time.

The offensive line proves their mettle once again. Flozell drives me crazy with his inability to keep track of the game's pace, but the unit kept the CHICAGO BEARS contained. That's enormously impressive.

Anthony Henry is capitalizing on every opportunity that comes his way, and he could not have picked a better time. Terrence Newman's absence hasn't been nearly as noticeable as we all anticipated.

Roy Williams, you're enormously talented. And on the great majority of plays you're a force to be reckoned with. But for god's sake, Don't Hockey-check a tight end going over the middle! He outweighs you, he's got the momentum on you, and he's got the advantage of knowing what he's going to do. Dive at his ankles, bring the man down, and run back to the huddle. Your highlight reel does not need additional bulge.

Despite their woes on drafting contributors in day one of the draft, the Cowboys have done a splendid job of bringing in unheralded players who contribute. Marion Barber. Pat McQuistan. Keith Davis. Sam Hurd. Patrick Crayton. Jay Ratliff. Nick Folk and Mat McBriar. All put in very solid games yesterday.

Let's continue with the tangent of special teams players. Simply... wow. Besides for that blocked fieldgoal, I didn't see a single ST play I wasn't happy with. Most importantly, Devin Hester was completely stifled.

All in all, five gold A+ thumbs up. There can no longer be doubt about this offense, and the defense seems to be improving as they acclamate to Coach Wade's scheme.

I feel giddy!

Boys vs. Bears

2007-09-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

Merry sunday, folks.
This game's a big one. You didn't need me to tell you that, we've known it since the day the schedule was put up there. But recent events have augmented its significance even more so.
First off, this is the first game where the evidently formidable Cowboys offensive attack will face a truly worthy adversary. The Dolphins were supposed to be a test, but that unit shows very little resemblance to the one I'd known. Chicago, however, remains a stalwart unit. Despite voluntarily losing Tank the nose tackle, the Bears have what is probably the stoutest run stuffing squad in football. I maintain what I've said for the last several years: Brian Urlacher is from another world. As far as running back banes go, he's second to none, unparalleled, unchallenged. The ursines from the windy city trot out a mean pass rush as well, and their secondary is not an exploitable region.
Offensively? A different tale altogether. We all saw Trent Green make a complete fool of himself last week; Believe me, Rex Grossman is capable of being just as pathetic. The Bears' running game is slightly more potent than the Dolphins', but I attribute that more to teams being all too eager to take advantage of Rex's inability to be mediocre.

In fact, the majority of their points come from special teams. Devin Hester is their greatest offensive weapon, and that's no exaggeration. I mentioned Urlacher as a singular player; Hester is the same way. They've also been stellar on kickoffs, punt coverage, and field goals.

Why am I telling you things you're already very aware of? Because It's telling of the way this game will go. Firstly: The Bears' run D is terrific, yes. But the Cowboys rely on the run not as a primary option, but an alternative solution. Tony Romo has torn up two bad secondaries to this point, I won't deny it. And the Bears present an entirely different animal-but if there is anywhere on the defensive end where they are vulnerable, It's the secondary. That's not to say It's a weak secondary, as I think our hometown boys would be very glad to have one of that quality. But it is not near as stout as the frontline they trot out there. I expect the Bears to gameplan for a couple of things: Eliminating the Cowboys' rushing attack, and shutting down TO and Jason Witten. The first is doable, for as I stated they have immense capabilities in that area. The second will be far more difficult to pull off effectively.
See, this is the thing. TO and Witten are two enormous weapons, and they're Tony Romo's two favorite targets. But if there's anything we've learned about Romo throughout his time here, It's that he's not discriminant. If the Bears choose to assign four people to the task of clinging to two of ours, they're going to pay the price. Patrick Crayton's no star, but he can capitalize if the ball comes his way without a defender in his longitude. My point is this: The Cowboys have depth in their receiver corps, and they're going to use it.
Another thing that intrigues me about today's matchup: Bears' D-line vs. Cowboys' O-Line. Delicious!
What happens when the Bears have the ball? They run, run, run, and throw the ball in low-risk situations. Cedric Benson has made his way in this world by running around the line, not through it. Unfortunately for the famed alum of my favored university, this is where the 3-4 defense excels. If Roy Williams played like he did last week, (or in three full years at Oklahoma and two in Dallas with Woody by his side) Jay Ratliff continues to comfortably fill the Jason Ferguson void, and the Bears coaching staff proves too inflexible to alter their plan of attack they will likely be contained without too much irritation. Rex? He's the least of our problems. I don't know if anyone takes the time and stress to worry about Mr. Grossman, because quite frankly, he hasn't warranted that kind of respect.
If there's any team out there that can contend with the Bears in situations where the center doesn't hand the ball off to his QB, you'd have to think It's our own. The Cowboys have the best punter in football, a field goal kicker who has given no one any reason to doubt him, and a return game that has been consistently solid through two games. What I think will happen on punts: Mat McBriar either gives the ball an extraordinary amount of loft or kicks it completely away from Hester-perhaps even out of bounds. Kickoffs could be problematic, but we can feel comfortable maintaining faith in our boys.

Dallas is coming into a tough environment, playing a tough team, and may again be without four of their seasoned regulars. But they match up favorably with Chicago in enough ways for me to predict:
Dallas-20
Chicago-16

Tank Johnson to Join Cowboys

2007-09-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

Rumors of this potential transaction have been circulating for some time, but things are ramping up-Johnson has confirmed that he expects to become a Cowboy, and reports of the agreement have come from sources as credible as Fox Sports and the Cowboys' own site.
Analysis to come later, but at this moment: God, I hope Johnson is a changed man. Because this team doesn't look like it needs a new Nose Tackle badly enough to sign a criminal of this caliber.

Cowboys Train Dolphins to Turn Over

2007-09-17T18:25:00.001-05:00

That Dad Joke has been brought to you courtesy of the Norm Hitzges show. We're off to a roaring start, aren't we?

The last time a Cowboys team scored 35 points consecutively? The Landry years.

Tony Romo didn't really stand out statistically, But he did the important stuff.Let's give credit where credit is due, Jason Garret called a good game. But I believe Romo improvised for a large portion of the match.
I wasn't very impressed with either halfback, to be entirely honest. Neither came close to breaking a long run until the Miami defense unit was dead on its feet, and I saw a lot of 'Put on the Blindfold and charge recklessly in one direction'.
Big, big props to the offensive line. If Miami is stout in any area, It's their front seven. But last year's Defensive Player of the Year was equalized, and the rest of his squad followed in line. Colombo, Adams, and Davis especially deserve kudos.
Where oh where has D-Ware gone; where oh where can he be? 3 defensive starters are missing due to injuries, yet the most notable of the invisibles to this point has been perfectly healthy. It's too early to panic, but DeMarcus needs to step up.
Trent Green is simply awful. I used to think of him as the ultimate bus driver, but that injury he suffered last year may have changed him. Four picks? It's a credit to the Cowboys' banged-up secondary, but one need only take a very abstract look at the highlights to note the piss-poor quality of those passes.
I avoided tangentiality on the last point, but here we go. Congrats, Anthony Henry. A pat on the back for Roy Williams. Ken Hamlin, I was just kidding. You weren't a mistake! It was like stealing candy from a baby, but this Cowboys defense had some doubting its ability to perform a task as simplistic as that. You stepped up, secondary.
On the subject of Roy... props to Wade Phillips for using Roy like he should be used. The run defense was stellar yesterday, largely in part to Roy showing us why he was so highly-regarded at Oklahoma.
And also due to Jay Ratliff. I don't know whether he's big enough to grind with the Centers on a weekly basis, but I like what I've seen to this point.
Marcus Spears...
I'm pretty sure Bobby Carpenter's now on a different solar system from the rest of us, too. He's not even being talked about... what makes a top 20 pick who was considered 'safe' into a bench-warmer after a full year in the NFL? Damn, this list of transparent Cowboys first rounders is swelling to a truly unhealthy size.
On the subject of once-touted busts, what the hell is up with Ronnie Brown? The #2 pick in a draft should be better than borderline mediocre.
Anthony Spencer and Bradie James impressed me. The Phillips 3-4 isn't yet putting up gaudy numbers, but the explosiveness and volatility is there.
Joey Porter looks old. He's human, it happens. It goes to show you-stay away from old players, especially in free agency. If a team's willing to let their long-time veteran regulars leave without a fuss, something's up.

Passing to T.O. on 4th and 4? Ballsy. Capitalizing on a dazed and confused Dolphins D? Beautiful. T.O.'s TD celebration? Priceless.

Injuries Aplenty, and the Bovines bask in the Dome of the Dolphins

2007-09-16T11:24:00.000-05:00

As if the operating rooms in Texas Stadium weren't already booked to capacity...

Terry Glenn? He went for the option most conducive to a super bowl run this season , opting for surgery that will keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks with possible long-term detriments rather than a microfracture operation that would have kept him out of action for the season's entirety.

Greg Ellis? He's finally practicing, which elicits optimism-but temper your thoughts of sunshine and rainbows, for It'll take a while to polish off a buildup of rust as considerable as that one.

T-New? Game-time decision, but if I had to guess now I'd wager on his continued absence. Miami isn't exactly trotting out a receiving corp comparable to the Colts', and Wade Phillips should elect to keep his star on the road to recovery, rather than hinder his return.

Ferg? Out for the season. It's a bit hit, as the Mantain (You figure it out... if Manster's a viable term, so is Mantain) clogged up the run in a way nobody else on this line could do.

This one hurts the most, because there's no obvious candidate to fill in. Newman's absence bites, because Jacque Reeves is more raw than a frozen steak. Glenn's blows, because he's Terry Glenn. Ellis not being there is a pain in the ass, because this team is lacking in experienced pass rushers. But Ferguson's the most notable absence-not only because his injury writes off his season, but because he fills a rather unique role. I hate to quote myself, but... Mantain.

The question is this. Do we buy into Jay Ratliff's glorious team-exclusive last week, and proclaim him a mean, lean, wrongly positioned QB-terrorizing machine- or was that play the full extent of his 15 seconds of fame? Can Akin's brother Remi Ayodele provide quality play when necessary, or will he show us all why he was cut in the preseason?

Here's what to expect today.
The Dolphins will try a balanced attack offensively. The Cowboys are hurting both in pass and run defense, and Miami isn't especially strong in either. Expect ugly, ugly, ugly. Lots of dropped passes and dropped coverages, fumbles and missed tackles aplenty. What's a route, and what is this term 'Being in position to make a play'?
Conversely, the Cowboys' offense has been nothing if not stellar throughout their one game this year, and the Amphibious Mammals look to be a very stout defensive unit. We'll see some excitement when the Cowboys have possession of the ball, as Jason Garret will likely call a similar game to last week's: Mix it up. Get Witten involved down the middle, Throw a few deep ones to T O, Crayton, and Hurd, and hand the ball off to JJ and MB3 on second down. Don't ask me why, but it seemed to work. The differences begin here: Miami has the tools in place to stop this attack. Their pass rush is fearsome, their run stuffers even moreso. This will be a great litmus test for the offensive line in particular, as they get the chance to square off against a very good unit.

Prediction:
Good Guys: 20
Bad Guys: 17

Under the Radar

2007-09-11T20:33:00.000-05:00

How does one make enormous military aircraft undetectable? Producing it in accordance with a design through which radar can't catch it. Apparently, Jerry Jones has succeeded in his quest to perform such an operation on the Texas Rangers Baseball Club.

The best team in baseball over the past two weeks? Not the Yankees, not the Mets, not the D-Backs or Angels or Indians. Your lovable, hapless, red-shoed Rangers.
The same Rangers who were projected for the #1 draft selection earlier this year. The same Rangers who didn't have a starting pitcher with an ERA under five and a half. The same Rangers who didn't have a 20-HR hitter until a few days ago, when the greatly underrated Brad Wilkerson smashed one (Yeah,that's a tease. More on Whiffy to come later).

Many things have gone into the resurgence that momentarily lifted them out of 4th place. The returns of Hammering Hank and Ace Edinson. Salty, Ian my religious brother, Frankie the Cat, and Wilk hitting like they're supposed to. Wes Litleton, Joaquin Benoit, and CJ Wilson proving their collective mettle.

All of these have contributed to the one thing that matters: Wins.
Some will say that they saw it coming early in the year; the inevitable Rangers rally late in the year, the same one that elicited so much promise and optimism for next year despite the overall record and divisional standing. But I can honestly say that not since the glorious 89-win spectacular in 2004 have I been this pleased with the Rangers as an organization.

The farm system is loaded. I truly mean this. There are few throughout all of baseball who can match it in depth, and while the top-end talent isn't quite Clayton Kershaw or Jay Bruce; it does include enough to keep me happy. the team is young at most positions; If one would project a lineup for two, three, or even four years down the road every replacement could theoretically be transplanted from somewhere in the organization. That's both a testament to the aforementioned minor league talent depth and to the appearance of franchise cornerstones on the major league level.

I don't know if the Rangers are a playoff team next year. I could be buying into late-season BS again. But I don't think so. And I'm freaking elated to see my team playing their hearts out in the only position they can hope to fill at this point of the year, with a goal in mind that I would have deemed inconcievable for the majority of the year.
Finishing with a record better than last year's.

Heavenly Bovine

2007-09-09T23:26:00.001-05:00

I know I didn't anticipate an outburst like that. From either side. Quick Notes:

Terrence Newman needs to get healthy. Fast.

I love the way Jason Garret's offense cut through the pathetic Giants retaliatory force.

MB3 is beastly. But let's not get ahead of ourselves and declare him superstar material yet... the Brandon Jacobs showing was a perfect example of what can happen when a situational back takes over a lead role.

Anthony Spencer's shown in one game more than Bobby Carpenter and and Marcus Spears did all of last year.

Roy Williams is still a liability. A changed man? Say it all you want, but I'll retain my empiricist stance on the theory.

The synergy between Tony Romo and Jason Witten is flawless. A thing of beauty.

I don't know if T.O. makes a single one of those catches last season. Now, there's a changed animal. Did he get superglue artificially grafted to his hands with that surgery?

The Offensive line, Leonard Davis in particular, looked really solid. It may have been feasting on a depleted Giants D core, but for the time being I'll compliment them on a job well done.

Jacque Reeves has some potential. That interception, for one, was the result of a great decision to hang in the dead zone. However, he looked utterly helpless on most plays. With some polish, the man could become a contributor.

Sam Hurd also has some potential-but we knew that. We just didn't realize how much of the rust had been removed.

Anthony Henry looks like a #2 corner. Ken Hamlin looks like the first competent FS since Woody.

NFL Predictions

2007-09-09T13:51:00.001-05:00

Merry sunday, readers. I hope you're enjoying your opening NFL weekend as much as I am mine.
On that same note, this seemed like a good time to set myself up for ridicule by announcing the results of my forays into the hazy realm of divination.
Disclaimer: These aren't your typical safe, predictable predictions . What I've done here is go against the grain and pick a possible darkhorse that few are looking at right now, but may draw attention down the line.

NFC MVP: Donovan McNabb. McNabb's ability has never been questioned. He's a top five quarterback if he stays healthy. If the Eagles' quarterback stays on the field long enough, I believe he can put out another season as good as 2004-and if that is the case, he'd be a definite nomination.
Honorable Mentions: Frank Gore, Matt Leinart, Steve Smith.

NFC Defensive Player of the Year: Demarcus Ware. The Phillips 3-4 will benefit many players, Ware most of all. The phenomenal pass rusher was held back too often in the leather-helmet Parcells scheme, and if Ware plays like another Phillips product*- minus the roids, of course- things could get ugly for opposing quarterbacks.
Honorable Mentions: Jevon Kearse, AJ Hawk, Julius Peppers.

AFC MVP: Jay Cutler. It's an enormous longshot, I know. But the one thing I can't get out of my head is the collective voice of draft scouts, who never once stopped lauding the abilities of the Vanderbilt junior. The possibility for a breakout year is definitely there.
Honorable Mentions: Phillip Rivers.

AFC Defensive Player of the Year: Asante Samuel. The franchise tag may not last forever. Samuel's playing for his payday- such motivation, when paired with his undeniable skill, could propell him into the Champ Bailey tier.
Honorable Mentions: Bob Sanders.
NFL Rookie of the Year: LaRon Landry. If the Ed Reed comparisons are accurate, the Redskins will have the most fearsome pair of safeties I've ever seen.
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Spencer, Greg Olsen.

Another order of business: You'll note the NFL power rankings on the sidebar to your right. I'll be updating these on a weekly basis.

*I'm not of the school of thought who believes that Ware is guranteed to be a Merriman, now that he's got Phillips' scheme. In my opinion, people make too much out of their similar draft positions. They're different players-both terrific, but very likely different. I'm simply stating that there's a possibility that Ware breaks out, given the opportunity to do so.

And on a final note... I don't think we'll see a very pretty game tonight. The Cowboys are banged up, the Giants are just bad. But ultimately I think the Cowboys will triumph... 24-20.

The return of Volqueso

2007-09-02T00:39:00.001-05:00

The standard’s not high for pitching in Arlington. It never has been.
The franchise has sought to change it in every way possible; drafting high schoolers and calling them up during the very same year, paying veterans without an established track record of success the big bucks; There was even an incident in which the organization tried out much-maligned outfielder and steroid lightning rod Jose Canseco on the mound.
History has come to show, though, that a decision maker must disregard all that he has seen in the past and hold true to this truism. Pitching is manufactured, not bought.
The tales and travels of Edinson Volquez are many for a young hurler. Once seen as the great bastion of hope for a franchise starved for arms, Volquez got a major league callup during a time when he was undoubtedly unprepared. Talented as he unquestionably is, Edison, as he was known at the time, lacked in development both on and off the field. He relied too much on his terrific heater and change of pace, neglecting the breaking pitch and not having control in any of the three. He was a thrower, not a pitcher. Rare back and watch them gape. Unfortunately, that stratagem doesn’t work quite as well in the bigs. Neither did his mentality. Volquez, ever confident in his golden right arm, was not one to bother with pitching coaches or lineup cards. The catcher’s pitch calling was a formality, to be ignored, and game film held the same level of appeal as Raymond reruns.
Needless to say, the major league whackers feasted on his deliveries with great eagerness, and Volquez threw progressively worse. Things were looking dim for the young fireballer, and a drastic measure was agreed upon by those in a position of authority.
Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor, formerly an employee of the Blue Jays in Toronto, had a plan in mind. Once upon a time, a talented pitcher by the name of Roy Halladay came under Connors’ tutelage. After Halladay struggled on the major league level, with the problems cited being a lack of control and maturity, Connor decided to hit the reset button. Halladay was sent to throw with the dregs and the toddlers: That mysterious bunch of performers who labor in A-Ball.
In retrospect, the move panned out. Halladay has 2 Cy Young awards to his name and consistently gets lauded for his preparation regimen.
Seeing little recourse, Connor decided that he had a new test subject for the Time Machine Plan, and Edinson Volquez was shipped from Spring training in Surprise to A-Ball in Bakersfield.

SEPTEMBER FIRST, LOS ANGELES OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA.
The rangers have called up yet another hurler. He’s one of the countless many who have made their way to the mound in the first inning of a game, the latest arrival in a varied and motley assortment. But somehow, fans get the feeling that this one is different.
He’s come a long way to be here. His forays began with some very low-profile struggles in a low-profile league. He was called up to pitch in the city of Frisco after seven starts, establishing a standard of success there. The pitcher then went on to embarrass AAA hitters for the Oklahoma City Redhawks.
The prodigal son had finally returned.
There was no fanfare heralding this game. The right-hander’s big-league debut had been covered extensively in newspapers, scrutinized ad nauseum on the air. This time around, it didn’t merit coverage anywhere near that level. The Rangers faithful had grown weary of the circus that this player had become. Untrusting of any who threw from the mound for their club, they treated the callup with disdain-a desperate measure from a club lacking major league throwers. And if the skeptics are amongst my loyal fan base, allow me this disclaimer- I don’t blame you.

Nevertheless, Volquez had evoked in me a certain degree of confidence for his abilities. Ask me, then, skeptics, why?
Because the man has evolved. He’s no longer the foolishly cocky youngster who drew back and fired with disdain to location or batter mentality and preference. No longer the naïve fool who believed that such an approach would work.
One may look at Volquez’s start today and deem it unsatisfactory. But I ask you this: Did you expect this?
Edinson Volquez wasn’t spectacular. He wasn’t dominant. And he wasn’t the Edinson Volquez that we’ll see in the future. Of that I am certain.
He threw well on a day when he didn’t have his best stuff. His fastball didn’t have its usual scorch, his changeup was mostly straight. But he overcame those limitations and Pitched-a concept most would have deemed beyond his vocabulary. He threw with intelligence and with knowledge, threw with purpose, and mustered up enough of his nastiness to escape the big inning. All against one of the better hitting teams in baseball, a team that has owned the Rangers since the arrival of Vlad the Destroyer.
I believe that Edinson Volquez benefited greatly from Mark Connors’ decision earlier this year. The team has retained a pivotal puzzle piece, one that most thought lose forever.
Embrace Edinson. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my belief that he is here to stay.

Reminder

2007-08-22T18:59:00.001-05:00

I don't bite. I'm an open guy, feel free to contact me. Feel like discussing an opinion in more detail? Have a suggestion for my next write-up? Want to rip on ESPN and all of its ventures with a kindred spirit? Email me! And tell your friends to do so as well!

Wednesday Quick-Hits

2007-08-22T17:39:00.000-05:00

Hello, gracious visitors. I haven't given you much material lately, and I'm going to serve up excuses like their stock is flying.
Damn, my bad. I forgot, nobody wants to hear about those. They're petty and irrelevant anyway, you readers are fortunate that I abstained from them.
To the point. There's not much out there I'd want to write about. For instance, the Cowboys have looked good lately. But It's the preseason.
And the Rangers have been noteworthy as of late, displaying an incredible aptitude for impatience at the plate. But because their new talent is unsavory, I'll give it no more than a cursory mention and hope it disappears just as quickly and mysteriously as my sunday paper.

Instead of an extended, boring post on Marcus Spears' dominance of third string Broncos, I'll briefly mention that Marcus Spears is a large, powerful human being and move on to other quick notes.

I like Kevin Milwood. I liked the man in Atlanta, I felt a contemptous fear toward him in Philly, and admired his work in Cleveland. After a solid first season, Milwood looked like a shadow of his former self throughout a large portion of the '07 tour of duty. However, he's starting to round into form as the #2 starter we all know he can be and remain unsatisfied with. He's put forth consecutive VERY solid outings, and I expect much of the same from him for most of his time in Texas.

I have a great feeling about the Bovine Brethrens' running game this year. Two players playing for their big contract, both of whom have showed significant promise in the past. An offensive line said to be on the rise. A receiving game that will surely draw defenders from heavily defending Messrs. Jones and Barber. I fully expect these two to unite and form what will become a very feared tandem of runners.

I don't know if Chris Webber is coming to Dallas or not. A few weeks ago, it seemed like a sure thing. But evidently, he's taking some time to evaluate his options. I do know this, though: He'd be a better complement to Dirk than any other big man the Mavericks have played beside or in place of everyone's favorite German. He sets picks, he passes well, and he has an inside shot. The only trait shared between the two is a mean midrange jumper and a lack of defensive presence. As long as he's not a full-time player, I'd be happy with the addition. 20 minutes a game, most at power forward but some scattered across the 5 for added offense sounds very good to me. Give me that over the squishy, scared, talent-deprived play of Austin Croshere.

I think Marlon Byrd is semi-legitimate. He's not the .350 hitter who was inciting gaping maws, but he's maintained an average in the .315-.320 range for long enough now that I can consider him a keeper for next year. I'd be supportive of abstaining from the plentiful FA Centerfield market and sticking with the inexpensive, productive Marlon Byrd who could outplay them all. I know, I sound like a fool here. It's Marlon Byrd I'm speaking of, not KGJ in his prime or the incredible Ichiro. But I really like him, both offensively and defensively. Call me a sucker, easily convinced by a mirage, delusional. You've got a perfect right to, but I like Marlon Byrd.

Michael Vick is an asshole. In addition, he's either had god awful advice or is borderline retarded. You've been granted physical tools to make us mere mortals wallow at your feet, granted an opportunity to make something huge of yourself. And you ruin it all by making decisions stupid enough to have an award show commemorating idiocy coined in your name. I don't know how to feel about Mike Vick; There's plenty of disgust, surrounded by mounds of wonder, all dwarfed by pity.

Random Ranger Notes

2007-08-15T18:57:00.001-05:00

Merry Wednesday. I apologize for my leave of absence, but the lull in activity presented a perfect opportunity for me to get certain affairs in order.
What I'll be doing today is running off numerous bullet points that pertain to recent Ranger events, and then offering analysis on them individually.
Botts and Cruz promoted from Oklahoma, Sosa and Wilk delegated to the bench. This flurry of announcements came directly subsequent to the Teixeira deal. The trade was more than an exchange of players; It was a move signifying a complete change of philosophy within the organization. It was the official declaration for what everyone knew 20 games in: The allotment of players currently running out there are not the allotment of a winning ballclub. It heralded an era of rebuilding, an era which every franchise hopes will be short and productive. But production in this case does not refer to the win column; Rather, It's more contingent on the clubs' gaining frequent mentions from guys like Jim Callis or John Sickels. Young, cheap, controllable talent.
Let's begin the assessment with players that will immediately impact the club. Cruz comes to mind immediately in this category. He's 27, immensely talented in every aspect of the game, and struggling as always. The man can hit a ball harder than anyone on the team, has a Howitzer, can run, and has even started taking some walks. But he's still striking out at a positively alarming rate, and beyond his short hot streak directly after being called up, he's been the same AAAA Nelson Cruz who's elicited drool from scouts and consternation for team officials.
Botts is more of a mystery. Jason hasn't been playing in the league for as long as Cruz, but is roughly the same age. He records his share of whiffs and hits for power, just like Nelly. Where do they differ? One of Botts' truly redeeming characteristics is his patience. The anomalous right fielder mentioned before him had long been known as a free swinger to match Vlad Guerrerro in quantity, while lamentably lacking his quality. Jason Botts, however, has long frustrated pitchers with lengthy plate appearances and a consistently stellar on-base percentage to accentuate his pop.
Neither has been terribly impressive in the big leagues. But if I had to select one over the other right now, I'd pass on the immensely talented dude and take big, dependable, Jason Botts. Frankly, he hasn't had the same opportunities in this league as his colleague. It's very possible that the man lacks for nothing but polish to become a Travis Hafner of Mini-Dunn.

CJ Wilson takes a stab at the closer role.
After Eric Gagne was traded, the question was posed to both Jon Daniels and Ron Washington. With the logical inheritant on the DL, which terrific young reliever would be assuming the role of closer?
Joquin Benoit and CJ Wilson have both put up breakout years this season. Benoit was another of the countless pitchers who bounce around in their respective organizations for years and years, always showing flashes of dominance but rarely manufacturing their stuff into production. He took his game to another level this year, however, and has been excellent in 63 innings of relief work. Wilson was a 5th round pick in 2001, a young lefty who had recorded a 3-12 season at Loyola Marimount. After suffering through numerous setbacks, the greatest of them being Tommy John surgery, Wilson has burst into the limelight. The straightedge Taoist intellectual has a 2.17 ERA, has pitched out of the pen in every role imaginable, and-get this-is schooling left handed hitters to the tune of .088.
The manager and his young counterpart in the front office both stated that they had yet to arrive at a decision; that the job was up for grabs. CJ Wilson got his chance on the first Save Opportunity following the departure of Excellent Eric, and he has maintained a grasp on that chance comparabl to that of an provoked Grizzly.
Any guesses as to how CJ Wilson has pitched in his last 10 appearances?
12 and a third innings.
0 Earned Runs given up, 0 total runs given up.
3 walks, 16 strikeouts.
1 win, 5 saves.
How many hits given up? It's between -1 and 1.
I've been called various bad names due to doting over CJ like I do. But that line is more than filthy. It's beyond ridiculous. It embodies dominance of a degree very, very rarely seen.
Needless to say, CJ Wilson can't keep pitching like Sandy Koufax on a good day. But if he can anywhere near this good...
'The position has been Filled!'

Beavan and Ramirez sign, Borbon, Gast, and Nash remain uninked.
I like Blake Beavan. I've liked him ever since Evan Grant started talking about him- around a year ago. It's hard not to... he's a big, projectable local kid with an incredibly confident demeanor who put up CJ Wilson numbers in high school. I did, however, agree completely with the Rangers in their contractual philosophy-don't overpay unless you're going to have to. In the end, things came down to this: The Rangers wanted Beavan. Beavan wanted the Rangers. Regardless of whatever crap he spewed about his stock potentially rising at Navarro junior college, everyone knew that it was almost preordained. Beavan stood very little to gain by neglecting to agree to terms, and the Rangers would suffer through a major embarrassment. So it made perfect sense for the two sides to come to terms on a deal for $1.5 million, a reasonable sum for a player of Beavan's talent. Don't expect to see much of the Irving righty this year, he'll likely do nothing more than get his scheduling in line with the Rangers' requests before the offseason rolls around. He should start at rookie ball next season, and expect him to progress through the system at a pace comparable to Eric Hurley's.
Ramirez is a different animal. He has similar fastball velocity to the local kid, but lacks refinement on his secondary pitches. He doesn't have the marketability or reputation of Beavan, and signed a deal worth around a half million less. He should progress through the minors at a greater pace than Beavan, though, as he shrugs off his lesser upside with refinement uncanny in a high schooler.
Julio Borbon, unfortunately, seems unlikely to sign with the Rangers before tonight's deadline. The Rangers took him 35th overall, and he was widely believed to be the top centerfielder available of this year's crop. The Tennessee product, however, hurt his product in the eyes of most teams by suffering an injury late in this past collegiate season. His advisor, the nefarious Borass, believes that Borbon can be a top 15-20 pick in next year's draft if he remains in school for his senior season. Obviously, then, getting him to agree to slot money is a pipe dream. If the Rangers offer comparable money to Beavan, which I sincerely hope is not the case (Borbon is a leadoff hitter who can't or doesn't walk, can't hit the longball, and has a puny arm in center field).

According to reports, Borbon has inked a major league deal with an $800,000 bonus, while fourth and fifth roudners John Gast and Garret Nash both went unsigned.

Uh, Barry? You missed something.

2007-08-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

Let's allow bygones to be bygones. There's a reason that I hadn't addressed the home run debacle until it was absolutely necessary- other than fervently praying that Barry Bonds would blow out his knee playing a game of pickup street hockey. The situation's just too complicated. The extenuating circumstances involved in this whole scenario are too numerous to list, and I'm sure you've heard them all reiterated ad naueseum.
What's done is done. Henry Aaron can no longer be officially associated with the home run crown, and It's a damn shame.
But all of the flaxseed oil in the world, all the brilliant chemists in San Fransisco, and every strength trainer lodging in Federal Correctional Facilities is insufficient to bring Barry Bonds a title just as respectable, just as admirable, and even more impactful than the one he now holds.
2297.Get used to seeing this number at the top of the list, folks. Henry Aaron played 23 major league seasons, and was the very embodiment of integrity, of passion, of perseverance.
And a tremendous hitter in every sense of the word. And that collection of numerals is his career RBI total, a number which Bonds cannot hope to approach.
A home run is a wonderful thing. With one swing of the bat a player can completely change the current of a game. The inherent greatness, of course, of the mightiest of blasts is the fact that not only the hitter but everyone who may have occupied the basepaths at the time of the shot comes around on the play.
But how is one to gauge the player's run production as a whole?
OK, that was a rhetorical. We all know the answer. But I'll repeat it anyway, just in case Alfonso Soriano is wondering what it is that's missing from his stat sheet. We call them 'Runs Batted In'.
See, this is the thing. Certain players, like the aforementioned once-reluctant Left Fielder, put up very gaudy longball numbers but manage to steer their teams mysteriously clear of the win column. Why? They launch what we like to call meaningless home runs. Solo shots, Drives when the game's outcome is preordained. And they fail to bring runners in any other way. Michael Young, for instance, has had two guys named Clarence from the guitar store hitting in front of him all season long. In addition, he's hit only five home runs throughout the entirety of this year. How many RBI is he on pace for? 90. Because the man knows when he needs to hit, when is team truly needs him to punch out another liner to left field. And he comes through in those desperate situations.
Barry Bonds, in contrast has 22 home runs and a league-leading on-base+slugging percentage (OPS, for baseball geeks like me) of 1.064. And how many runs is the famed slugger on pace to drive in?
Try 75.
There's a reason that people like to perpetually launch insults at Barry, while simply oozing with respect and adulation for Hank Aaron. And it has nothing to do with hat size or media receptivity.Aaron was simply a better player.
If you're not convinced by the plain RBI numbers, compare playoff statistics. Henry Aaron has a world series ring. He has a .363 postseason average, with 6 home runs, 16 RBI, and a .705 slugging percentage in 17 games.
One need only look at one stat to gauge our chemically augmented friend's struggles in prime time. Batting average in 48 postseason matches: .245.
The man of cream is hitting .250 in that most crucial of situations. So for all my kin, all ye like minded, all who look beyond the abstract and waste hours a day on baseballreference.com, Pay heed. For we no longer need to resort to the overused steroid arguement.
2296, people. A record that will stand a little while longer.
And the elusive world series ring? True champions only, Barry. End of the line.

The inevitable occurs

2007-08-07T23:01:00.000-05:00

I am sorry, Henry Aaron. I truly am.

Mavericks sign Eddie Jones

2007-08-03T17:37:00.000-05:00

Does that photo haunt you? That mysterious veteran bench contributor clad in black and red? Get used to seeing his face, albeit in friendlier garb.
Per the DMN, the 13-year veteran has agreed to a 2-year term of service. He will be paid 1.83 million during the first go-around.
This signing was one anticipated by many. It simply made sense for both sides; The Mavericks, once known as a team of jump shooters, were in dire need of one to come off the bench while providing decent play on the other end of the court. Jones has made his money, and is now searching for jewelry at the tender age of 35.
One may look at the Maverick stockpile of rotating 'swingmen' and regard this move with confusion. There is quite a quantity of prepared contributors at the two relevant positions, so why bring in an aging shooting guard way past his prime? Because they all fill the same role. Inconsistent scorers if at all, 'gritty', fairly good defensively. Jones is by no means a spring chicken, and he's not the all-NBA defensive player he once was. He's not a 20ppg scorer as was true in the late 90's. But Eddie Jones still brings a substantial amount to the table. The man's a capable scorer and a good passer, as demonstrated by his play after the injury of everyone's Least Favorite Flopper Dwayne Wade. And his defensive play is adequate, he's no embarrassment.
I don't expect the newest Maverick acquisition to play significant minutes, he'll get 15 at the most. But he'll be the ranking sparkplug behind Stack, providing instant offense from behind the arc when necessary. Because beyond Dirk and the Jet, there really is nobody on this team truly trustworthy when it comes to lobbing up 3s.
Now you can add a 35-year old swingman to this select group. For 1.8 million dollars, such an acquisition is a steal.

Rangers and Red Sox reach agreement

2007-07-31T14:29:00.000-05:00

With merely an hour to spare before the passing of the trade deadline, Jon Daniels made a move that few welcomed but fewer anticipated. He dealt Eric Gagne to the relief-heavy Boston Red Sox for starting pitcher Kason Gabbard, AAA outfielder David Murphy, and 17-year old rookie ball outfielder Engel Beltre.

Why Boston? To be entirely honest, I have no idea. The Red Sox have the fearsome 8th and ninth inning combo of Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon, arguably the most effective tandem in Major League Baseball. Gagne makes sense for any team in contention, being a dominant reliever. But the Red Sox don't need Gagne.
To me, this may have been as much a case of keeping the opponent from acquiring a player as it was actually adding him to one's own lineup. The Yankees are rapidly closing ground, and need bullpen help more than anything else. Unfortunately for their odds, Brian Cashman has decided to make every prospect with a name and two working arms untouchable-which obviously resulted in the Rangers turning elsewhere with their star closer, pulling the trigger on this deal.

Gabbard has put up some very respectable numbers with the Sox to this point. He's not a very projectable player, but should be a solid 4 or 5. He could, unfortunately, be a replica of the pitcher who took the hill tonight for the Rangers, John Rheinecker- a finesse pitcher who enjoys success in limited quantities, but ultimately gets shocked back to the reality.
I have heard favorable reports on the guy, with some going as far as to compare him to Kenny Rogers. The similarities are striking in some respects: Gritty left hander, good breaking and offspeed stuff, an ability to keep the ball down,very solid numbers... but at 25, Kenny Rogers still had a 95 mph fastball. Gabbard may throw a similar curve and change-up, but he has neither the heat of Rogers nor the craftiness Kenny came to acquire. I like him, but he's a #3 at best.

David Murphy, like Gabbard, was a low-ceiling, low-downside Boston first round pick out of college. He's fairly polished at this point, and has very little to prove in preceding locales of testing and development. Murphy plays all three outfield positions capably, although he is more of a natural at the corners. He hits for average and exhibits good discipline in the box, but is lacking in power. He will probably become a very usable fourth outfielder in the major leagues, but with a bit more development may become a Frank Cattalanatto type. And if you look at Frankie the Cat's full line of work, he's had what is altogether not a bad career.

Engel Beltre is the Jon Daniels' prize in this deal. The ridiculously young and skilled Dominican outfielder signed a $575,000 bonus in the previous year, emerging as one of the most highly touted foreign prospects in the world. It is exceptionally foolhardy to make projections for any player this young, but having more tools than a fully stocked Home Depot excites scouts to no end. Comparisons have varied from Ken Griffey the Younger to Barry Bonds... whatever. Don't get me wrong, It's great to stockpile guys like this. I thoroughly suggest you read this article by ardent Ranger fan 'Zywica' on Lonestarball.com. It is important to accumulate players of this caliber whenever possible, because quite simply they're not a dime a dozen. The Rangers have a firmly cemented and productive series of international baseball academies, and they have failed to bring in anyone this good since Ruben Mateo.

It hurts not to have Gagne. But in the long run I must echo my sentiments on the Atlanta deal: A win-win. I don't necessarily think that the Sox overpaid to get what will be for them a seventh inning pitcher, but I think that the Rangers got more than they would have from letting Eric walk in free agency.
And if Gagne genuinely did enjoy his time in Texas, if the heartfelt happiness he continually expressed actually was heartfelt, bring the man back this offseason. Let him close games for Kason Gabbard and David Murphy, and let him lead the welcoming committee for Engel Beltre's arrival in the big leagues.
I didn't mean to turn this into a tribute, but I truly salute Eric Gagne for being a consummate team player through his time here, for refusing to allow early frustrations to sabotage his season, for being a terrific example to every player on this ballclub. Eric, best of luck in Boston. Go get em.

TEIXEIRA TRADED

2007-07-30T10:32:00.002-05:00

Tex is a truly primo hitter. But there was no denying that his time with the Texas Rangers was limited, as the tick-tock of the 2008 offseason came inexorably closer. Dealing him was the only possible move, there was nothing to gain by hanging on to Teixeira if we are led to believe that the team is rebuilding.

Let me preface all this by saying that I have nothing against Teixeira as a person. Aside from a little hissy fit he threw over a harmless Dan McDowell comment, I haven't known him to be anything other than warm, open, and... nondescript. He hasn't been an off-the-field headline maker in the mold of local athletes like Terrell Owens. And he's been highly productive on the diamond, putting up numbers that lend to comparisons with the game's historical giants (Check his baseball reference if you don't believe me). Now he can do all that for a contender.

Let's address the pieces coming back for Teixeira. Jarrod 'soon-to-be-nicknamed' Saltalamacchia is a 23 year old switch-hitting catcher/first baseman who is said to have one of the smoothest swings out there. He's a high-upside guy who does everything offensively; hits for power, hits for average, does not strike out with too much frequency, and takes a decent amount of walks. He was initially thought of as mediocre defensively, but has reportedly worked hard to alleviate those worries. Most projections have him producing at about 85% of Tex's level.

Elvis Andrus is an 18-year old Carribean phenom that signed on with Atlanta at the tender age of sixteen. He's a slick fielder hitting in the .250 area in High A. Amongst other things, he's a fleet-footed six-footer who is said to possess 5 tools. His ceiling is sky-high, comparisons to Jose Reyes and Edgar Renteria are a dime a dozen. But he could just as easily become Joaquin Arias.

Matt Harrison is a 20 year old who has put up good ERA and WHIP numbers everywhere he's been. He's not a heavy strikeout guy, but will not walk inordinately many hitters either. A key stat: He allows only one home run throughout an average of 18 and a third innings. Another contributing factor: Harrison's a lefty. He recently injured his shoulder, but the MRI came back negative. Harrison has been compared to Tom Glavine, although I remain highly skeptical that he'll be anywhere near that echelon. He should be a decent 2 or 3 if he pans out. He's not as good as, say, Eric Hurley-but will probably hold the same value as a Kasey Kiker.

Feliz is kargely an unknown commodity. I wasn't able to find much info on the 19 year old righthander, but Braves fans did inform me that he has a fastball that can touch three numerals. That alone could allow him to pull a Bobby Jenks and close if he ever makes it up to the big leagues, but if he develops some secondary pitches and makes sure his head is securely fastened, he could become something special.

As of this afternoon, the Rangers acquired a FIFTH player in this deal. Beau Jones was selected in the first round of 2005 out of high school and is a lefthander who specializes in heat. He had a high level of success in A ball, but has struggled in High A.

Conclusion: This was a win-win. Atlanta has to win NOW, and they've put themselves in great position to overtake the ailing Mets by adding a primo bat and glove at first base as well as a very reliable lefty bullpen arm. The Rangers' priority is rebuilding, and by adding a promising 22 year old ready to step up to a starting job as well as some very promising players still unable to legally drink, they've facilitated that need. Many will tell me that Kotchman/Saunders was the better deal seeing as both are ready to step in and contribute right away, but I don't buy it. And don't bother quoting me Loney-Kershaw-Meloan, that was a pipe dream.
Jon Daniels, I approve.

The woes of Kevin Garnett

2007-07-30T10:04:00.001-05:00

There are some subjects that I've spoken of ad nauseum. The large man whose eyes appear prepared to consume your soul is one of them. I'm a big fan of KG- It's not hard to be. He's a singular offensive talent who would be the top defender in a majority of the NBA's franchises. He's been nothing if not a class act with the otherwise pathetic Timberwolves franchise, and has done nothing that leads to suspicion of wrongdoing of any kind (Although the fact that this is worth mentioning may be more a denouncement on the everyday athlete than an endorsement for Garnett).
On the list of great athletes cast in a perpetual state of mediocrity and defeat, Garnett is first and foremost. He's shown a peerless devotion to the franchise that initially chose him, and this has been largely to his own detriment. While he could have sought a trade on many occasions, KG has remained steadfast and loyal throughout.
Until the situation became altogether desperate.
Minnesota is just... bad. Going to a Timberwolves game is like watching a Tom Cruise film. Whether justifiably or not, the main attraction commands so much of the attention that it becomes a 1-man show. In reality, though, the only other similarity between the two is the irreparable damage they can cause to one's ability to ever enjoy a similar performance. Because while Cruise is an over-hyped pretty boy who caught a few lucky breaks with superior talent surrounding him, Garnett is a legitimate superstar in his field surrounded by an abundance of poopoo and a lamentable lack of diamonds.
According to reports, the Celtics are close to a deal that would grant them the 10-time allstar. The likely deal would have them giving up Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo, salary hog Theo Ratliff, and likely Gerald Green and some first rounders.
The logical question is then: "Why, Or, are you declaring despair and angst for the superstar power forward? He'll be joining two legit stars in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in what should be a dynamic offensive threesome. Adding to the good tidings: Boston is in that region of the continent we like to refer to as the 'East'. Competition is tough to come by, as evidenced by their branch of the playoffs during this past year.
I'm unhappy for KG because he's joining Paul Pierce, who never learned to share. I'm unhappy for KG because he will be the only worthwhile defensive player on the squad. I'm unhappy for KG because tensions will likely run high with clashing personalities, and because I can't see any depth whatsoever left on that team.
I think that the Celtics are now prime contenders for a home court slot in the first round of the playoffs. This is a big step up not only for the franchise that finished with the second-worst record in the league, but for the superstar possibly joining it whose team had a decently placed lottery pick. But the Celtics could easily implode before getting anywhere worth mentioning in the playoffs. And when that happens, what happens to Kevin Garnett?
I feel sorry for you, Kevin. I truly do. Because you don't deserve a situation this laden with calamity. Bring on the scoffing- although I do realize that he gets compensated quite well for his suffering. But all basketball players do. And a player whose career has followed an eerily similar path with a different franchise is attending teammates' weddings in France with four championship rings and a reputation for excellence that has eluded KG due t extenuating to circumstances.

News Flash: Lofton to Cleveland.

2007-07-27T12:12:00.000-05:00

Well, the floodgates are down. Rushing water incoming.
As I've stated in the past, I'm generally happy with what Kenny Lofton has provided for this year. It's good to see I'm not the only one, as today Cleveland pulled the trigger on a deal with Texas, making the swap for 23 year old High-A catcher Maximiliano (wow, I love that name) Ramirez. Frankly I'm puzzled that the Tribe went after Lofton, their outfield situation is quite good and they probably aren't considering Lofton for a role greater than pinch runner and occasional corner outfielder. But I'm not one to complain.

There's not much out there on Ramirez. We do know that he's a very good hitter (.303/.408/.505), was drafted as a third baseman and is an abysmal catcher. He was sent over in the Bob Wickman deal of last season, one in a plethora of promising Braves prospects behind the plate. Ramirez is probably two years away, and will likely have transitioned to a corner infield position by then.

The return doesn't blow me away, but anyone convinced by reports that the Rangers were insistent on Andrew Miller is incredibly thick. Lofton wasn't going to contribute to a playoff run here, and I'm glad that he goes somewhere where he has a chance to obtain that long-awaited ring. I don't believe Cleveland can win it all this year with only two starters of any repute, but if they surprise me, great.

Look at the above poll for the latest Teixeira rumors.

Jon Daniels Report Card: Free Agent Signings

2007-07-25T12:03:00.001-05:00

Jon Daniels has done his utmost to deviate from the mistakes of his predecessor. He's been accessible almost to a fault, personable, friendly. His hire heralded change, and as stated in past posts, change as a concept was the important value at that time, not necessarily the specifics of the change itself. JD's held true to expectations in that regard- although all required to be different from Hart was an occasional interview with a local sports show and being seen outside of one's basement or the local golf course without a security detail.

Alas, Daniels has encountered the difficulties that most young GMs do. His most significant moves have backfired horribly, and he's failed in his attempts make any full-blown successes when it comes to player swaps. The biggest victory is probably the swap that brought in Vicente Padilla for Ricardo Rodriguez, and seeing as Padilla is now collecting a monstrous paycheck to pitch in AAA, it may have been subtraction by addition.

But when Daniels is critiqued, most fail to mention one facet of the three-cornered job. The 3 major parts of a GM's job are, obviously, Trades, Contracts, and Drafts. It is far too early to gauge JD's evaluation of amateur talent, but what of his decisions as they pertained to players on the free agent market?

Let's begin with the current staff 'ace'. Kevin Milwood was the best in a limited crop of pitchers willing to come to Texas, coming off a year during which he led the American League in ERA with the Indians. Milwood was in his prime, wanted to come here, and carried a general reputation of consistency. In his first year with the Rangers, Milwood posted a mediocre ERA of 4.52, but won 16 games and ate up 215 innings. The first stat is obviously unimpressive, but one must consider that Milwood was pitching half of his games in the hitter's altar that is TBIA.What he did was give the team a chance to win nearly every time he stepped on the hill, as well as represent that necessary Rock of Gibraltar that could pitch 7 innings and give the bullpen necessary time off. During this season Milwood's been somewhat rocky, although a lot of that can be attributed to early injury problems. All in all, quite reasonable these days for 12 million dollars a year.

While not free agents per se, Gary Matthews and Mark Derosa could have been let go by the Rangers with very few batting an eye. While JD can't fully take credit for bringing them back, then, he certainly contributed to the decision. And seeing as these two signed for barely above the minimum and posted years worthy of compensatory picks in this past draft, I'd have to assign a solid A for both contracts.

Now let us move on to this past offseason. JD let a significant portion of the team, but brought on some worthy replacements. The grading will represent not only the players brought in, but those let go. Let's therefore begin with:

Carlos Lee to Houston. We all knew when the trade was made that the chances of bringing Lee back were very slim. He got a ridiculous deal worth 10 digits from Houston, and while he's been good the Rangers certainly can't be faulted for taking their two picks and parting ways. I'd give him more points here, but it wasn't really a difficult decision to make.

Derosa to the Infant Animals: Personally, I was all for bringing the super-utilityman back. But if he wasn't going to contend for a starting job here, letting him go was the right decision. He got 3 years and 13 million from the Cubbies, and I don't fault them for the decision. I can't fault JD for his, though.

Gary Matthews Jr. to the Halos: One of the most trigger-happy moves I've seen in some time, from an unlikely source. Bill Stoneman has a hard-earned reputation as a methodical, obstinate, traditional Gm unwilling to make controversial decisions. But he gave 50 million dollars to the former ranger centerfielder; the career journeyman coming off of one all-star caliber year. Matching Anaheim's offer would have been asinine. GMJ is a good player, but not worth anywhere near 10 mil a year.

Adam Eaton to the Phillies: I never understood any of the hype around Eaton. He's got good-not-great stuff when healthy, and we've seen a firsthand glimpse of how often that comes along. He's also hot-tempered and displayed control problems during his time here. The Phillies drastically overpaid for intermittent decency in Eaton, It's only a shame that Texas didn't get a draftpick out of the centerpiece of the Young/Gonzalez debacle.

All in all, I'd give JD a B+ overall for his decisions to let people walk. The only guy I would have considered bringing back at such rates would be Mark Derosa-and even that would be iffy to pull off, seeing as he seemed quite content with Chicago as his destination.

Signees

Frankie the Cat. Catallanatto embodied the underrated, tool-less outfielder who usually put up good stats nonetheless. The move made sense for the Rangers, especially seeing as he played with the team in the past. His utter failure throughout this season is worrisome, but the real irritant is the fact that the Rangers had to give up their first rounder (#16 in the draft) to get him. I don't blame JD for the signing, it certainly seemed to make loads of sense. But there's no way around the fact that in retrospect, it was a mistake.
Grade: D-

Jamey Wright. He's always had the alleged and elusive 'stuff'. But he's also never delivered for anyone on a consistent basis. Wright has been decent throughout his intermittent 35 innings, but intermittent is the key word. He can't stay off the DL, and that certainly hurts his value. Wright blocked Kameron Loe throughout the first month of the season, but that only barred Kam from one or two starts, so not a significant deterrent to the extent of Sammy blocking Jason Botts.
Grade: C

Kenny Lofton. Coming off of a solid year in LA that many labeled an aberration, Lofton's signing prompted a lot of criticism-a 40 year old career mercenary who had always relied on speed. But Lofton's been nothing if not the consummate professional. He's hitting around .310, displaying a bit more power than he showed at previous stops, and stolen more than his fair share of bases. Big props to JD on this one, and It's a shame that the season didn't pan out as planned. I'd be very content with Kenny Lofton as my leadoff hitter and centerfielder in a stretch run.
Grade: B+

Sammy Sosa. Nobody expected anything. The prose is clunky, but it sums up people's sentiments to a tee. Samuel Peralta Sosa had last been productive 3 years prior, and was shipped from his team (Chicago, all ye absentminded) on bad terms. Sosa Isn't on pace for 40 home runs, and he likely won't post an on-base percentage over .300. But what he's managed to do is fill a spot in the middle of the order better than almost anyone. I hate to point at a singular stat in order to identify a player's worth, but the man has 69 RBi-and that's no laughing matter. I reiterate, he hasn't been great. He may not even be good. But he's done far, far better than anyone expected him to. And at the MLB minimum, he's been a bargain.
Grade: A-

Marlon Byrd. Another whose signing was given barely a cursory glance. Byrd was a well thought of prospect a while ago. This odd duck wasn't drafted until the age of 22, but vaulted through the Phillies system and into prominence in the early portion of this decade. He had played well for one year: 2003. All other indications had him pegged as a talented but mechanically flawed fourth outfielder. Jon Daniels brought him in to spring training, sent him down to Oklahoma. He was called up to compensate for injuries to Frank Catalanatto, and has wowed players, coaches, and spectators ever since. The Byrdman (to borrow the nickname granted to Marlon by Adam J. Morris) is hitting .352, has become a veritable triples machine, and has shown the versatility necessary to play all three outfield slots. I know It's Marlon Byrd, and It's very likely that he's going to regress into his standard level of play sometime soon. But I'd like to remain in Neverland a little while longer.
Grade: A

Eric Gagne. Injuries. Uncertainty. A history of dominance. All three trail Eric Gagne like badges worn on one's chest-irremovable, displayed prominently where one cannot bother noticing. JD knew the risks of bringing in the dynamic Canadian. Gagne has done nothing but save 16 games in seventeen opportunities, gradually eliminate any lingering doubts about his short-term health, and bring himself back to respectability. There's no doubt in my mind that he is the top reliever available to other teams during this stretch run-but I don't think he'll be dealt. Here's something nobody saw coming- Gagne seems content here. Not only content, but genuinely pleased. If the man is truthful and really does want to pitch here for the long haul, I sincerely hope that our dear GM is working on a deal to secure his services for many years to come. And if he goes? We're in great shape there, too... Gagne's numbers make him likely to be a type-A this offseason.
Grade: B+.

I realize that Daniels has erred-and erred significantly-on several occasions when presented with a trade. But one must realize that there is more to the job that straight up swaps, and JD has done that job with success that is absolutely shocking when put in contrast with the past mistakes of guys like Hart or-call me a heretic if you must- the Great Melvin.

Wading in the Tuna's Stagnant Pond

2007-07-23T18:52:00.000-05:00

Wade Phillips has coached quite capably throughout his career. Many attribute this to the talent he inherited at past stops, but Phillips has done nothing to suggest incompetence as an instructor, coordinator, and leader of men. There is an odd trend in his past; for every one of these positions, Phillips succeeded a great, or even legendary coach. The list contains such luminaries as his father Bum Phillips, Dan Reeves, and Marv Levy. Recently, it came to include some guy named Bill Parcells.

What is it that makes this situation different from the others? In all of the aforementioned cases, Phillips was taking over a proven group of players from his predecessor, taking with that group the expectations of the franchise and its followers. His career record (48-39) stands as a testament to his collective performance at all of these stops. His playoff record of 0-3 is not as worrisome as most would label it; Phillips never coached a truly great team, and coaches who break .500 in the playoffs don't often get away from their teams, much less get relegated to coordinator roles, no matter how prominent the franchise.

The dissimiliraty comes down to one thing: This is a fit.
Jerry Jones took his time in making this decision. This Isn't customary of the colorful owner, whose love for publicity has landed his team in trouble in the past. But in this case, Jones opted for the best decision possible to ensure the ressurection of the winning tradition in Big D. He passed over local legend Norv Turner and such hot named as Ron Rivera and Mike Singletary. Some label Phillips as 'boring', 'generic', 'vanilla'. But he's exactly what the doctor ordered.
The Cowboy offense was stellar last year. For a unit that hasn't added an internal first rounder since bloody DAVID LAFLEUR, they were downright amazing. But obviously converse to the allergic reaction to offensive playmakers is the fact that the Cowboys have allocated tremendous assets toward building a dominant defensive unit. The effect has been underwhelming, to say the least. The players seem to be there at every position on the board, but when game time approaches things simply fall apart. The man supposed to lead the unit, Roy Williams, looks like an idiot on every passing play. Bonus babies like Bradie James are publicly criticized by the quarterbacks of 3-13 teams for 'not having a clue'. First rounders like Marcus Spears and Bobby Carpenter are either horribly underutilized or playing far below their level of ability. Phillips comes from a system with players remarkably similar, as has been pointed out enough times for even the most casual sports fan in Chatanooga to catch on to.

Phillips didn't get a proper opportunity with the Saints. He was clearly a temp in Denver, despite coaching there for two years. He got his chance in Buffalo and fulfilled expectations.
However, it was not a suit personally fitted for his tastes by Armani himself. Defensively, a better match for Phillips' specialties could not be found. A large portion of this team's success will depend on Jason Garrett's ability to lead the offense and Tony Romo's ability to take his instruction to heart. Phillips, however, will fix what was in a state of tragic disrepair during last season.

No more lethargy, no more complacency. No more predictable bliztes, stationary linebackers, and scared safeties. If Phillips has his way, and the players seem intent on taking his tutelage to heart, the defense with 2 additions throughout an entire offseason will see drastic change this year.

If things go as planned, the outcome will be different. The outcome will be exciting. And the outcome will be success.

KG Alert and other NBA News You can use

2007-07-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Kurt Thomas goes to Seattle. Gee, what could possibly make the Sonics want a man who scores less points per game than he gets paid?
TWO future Phoenix first rounders helped in making the deal attractive.
Normally, this would raise worries on Phoenix's desperation to elude luxury tax hell, heralding complaints from numerous media luminaries about the ownership's lack of commitment. But not this time.
In dumping Thomas, the Suns have acquired a valuable trade exception worth the full 9 million dollars of Thomas' contract. And in this case, there's no question for 20 questions. Their next target is very apparent.
The charismatic, dynamic, singular, forward who is the definition of a superstar mired in mediocrity: Kevin Garnett.
Early indications on the once-promising Minn-Phoe trade front were promising, with KG publicly campaigning for a move to Arizona. For whatever reason, initial talks broke down. With these new developments, I believe that Phoenix has vaulted solidly into the forefront of the race. For all I know, It's even possible that they've got a deal predetermined with Minnesota based on the Thomas deal's finalization. Very resourceful of Phoenix to find other avenues to improve their ballclub, but this creativity could lead to their long-term downfall. Dealing two first rounders for technically NOTHING is worrisome at the least.
And in other implications, Seattle just got two unconditional first rounders completely free. Good god, It's great to be below the salary cap.

Steve Francis is a Houston Rocket again. It's a great story and all, but did miss the press release stating that the league would be using three Spaldings on the court instead of one?
Let me get this right... T-Mac requires that the offense run through him. Yao requires that the offense run through him. Steve Francis likes to pretend that he's in charge of all the other little dribblers on the court. So how in Morgan Freeman's name is that offense going to work? yeah, I realize he's a weapon. This weapon's barrel, however, may be pointing the wrong way.
Have a great weekend.
By the way, I condone the going-after of Mickael Pietrus.
Go Mavericks.

Let Bygones be bygones.

2007-07-19T18:11:00.000-05:00

One of the best leadoff men in recent history: Make me an offer.

Top 5 all time home run hitter: You'll take him? You really will?

Heroes of days long ago being shipped to facilitate rebuilding: Priceless.

And smart.

Sammy Sosa and Kenny Lofton have many things in common. They were both offensive stalwarts during significant portions of the 90s, both obviously advanced in their career.
Both have played far better than par for their personal courses for the Rangers this year. But only a delusional fool would think of their continued presence as part of the long-term solution.
It's been great having Sammy around, just for old time's sake. It was fun watching him hit number six hundred against the club everyone associates him with. But the man's got an on-base percentage under .300. He's hitting a miserable .213 against right handers. He can't even pretend to play defense. Dismiss the RBI numbers and he's one of the most undesirable everyday starters I've seen in some time.

The fondness I feel for Lofton is more comparable to the one I reserve for the Great Gagne. Why? He's produced. Lofton's given the Rangers a true threat on the bases, something they hadn't been able to boast of since the days of Goodwin. It also helps that he's been absolutely lights-out since his first month or two here, rebounding from early struggles that had him hitting at the Mendoza line to raise his average all the way up to .309. He's made his share of impressive grabs in center field, and done his share as far as working pitchers and taking walks. In other words: He's been the absolute epitome of a leadoff man.
Doh! He's 40!

I don't think the Rangers will get anything for Sosa. It will likely turn into a regrettable situation in which Jon Daniels needs to release his (sabremetrically) top run-producer in order to give deserving young players a shot at the top level.
Lofton's a diferent story, though. Teams have expressed interest in the career mercenary's services, and I sincerely hope that JD makes the right decision-pulls the trigger at the first sign of value coming his way. I don't think Lofton should necessarily be given away, but there's no point in holding out. He'll be worth a decent package, don't delay your rebuilding process by clinging to the sentimentality of keeping him around.

It'll be nice to get some fringe prospects in return for these two bygone stars. But priority one remains as such:
Make sure they're on another team before July 31st.

Heightened Expectations

2007-07-18T19:22:00.000-05:00

Hello again, readers! I don't have much to do beside read fan fiction on Harry Potter 7, so I resolved to continue on my entry from earlier today. As the above photo makes abundantly clear, this write-up will be covering the trade possibilities of one Eric Gagne.
I stated earlier that Teixeira was a mercenary for hire. Well, Gagne has not shown the same ruthless determination to milk the market that Tex has, but I believe that the odds are almost insurmountable of him signing a deal. And he's even more so of a rent-a-star than Tex, seeing as this year is the last on his deal.
But here lies the delicious portion of this situation: You can never have enough throwers. Ever. I don't care if you're Detroit in 2009, with more pitchers than a Beantown bar at midnight. Quality hurlers are a commodity every team is desperate to lay their hands on.
And quality is the key word with Gagne. He's posted an ERA of 1.23, blown one save in fifteen opportunities, and alleviated most of the injury concerns that surrounded him due to his last two years with the Dodgers. Simply put, he's been dominant.
It's this that makes me reluctant to deal him. Not only is Gagne singular in his ability to close a game, he's the type of electric presence that I simply love having. There are some players in sports that excite the fans simply by walking out onto the field, and Eric Gagne fits snugly into that category.
Now, what can the Rangers expect in return? The endless Ugueth Urbina comparisons are certainly fitting. But I don't think the Rangers will get the same sort of haul in this deal- Florida was being Florida, acting out of desperation, selling every possible commodity in preparation for a seasonal run for a world series to facilitate five more years of SUCK. Some will look at Adrian Gonzalez plus mediocre prospects, consider that Gagne is better than Urbina was, and suggest that a player of Kotchman or Loney caliber should be made available. Keep dreaming. Gonzalez was an unproven commodity, the latter two are hitting .300+ at the major league level at a young age.
But while you won't be getting prime pieces for Gagne, you could certainly recieve worthy compensation. Let's say, for instance, that Curt Schilling's injuries are worse than feared. The Red Sox theoretically prepare to move Jonathan Papelbon to the rotation (as they planned to do all along before discovering that he was a shut-down ender) and seek the man to pitch back-to-back with the tremendous Okajima. You wouldn't get Lester or Ellsbury, but could you pry away Manny Delcarmen? Unlikely, but possible.
Detroit develops a distrust of the usually steady but always scary Todd Jones? You can cross out Maybin, Miller, etc in a straight up deal. But would a desperate Detroit (highly unlikely) be prepared to swing a monster for both Texas' closer and their first baseman? In that case, we could see some serious young talent flying from system to system.
There will be a multitude of teams interested in Gagne. But as with Tex, Jon Daniels is demanding a bounty higher than the player's actual value. And I repeat my stance on this matter:
You go, Jon.
But eventually, let's make these damn deals happen.

Great Expectations

2007-07-18T08:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Wednesday to you all! Upon lengthy consideration, I've decided to blame my recent layoff on George Bush. It's trendy and hip!

Back to work! The day is approaching... the day before which all significant transactions must be finalized. The trading deadline is July 31st, and the MLB trade market has been incredibly tame to this point. I can't say I expected it, and judging by recent columns published by sportswriters far more knowledgeable than I, it does not appear like I am solitary in my surprise.
What is it that has contributed to teams' uncertainty to pull the trigger? It hasn't been the players on the block. Mark Teixeira, despite the first injury stint of his career, has looked dangerously sharp since returning. Eric Gagne has remained his dominant self. Kenny Lofton is hitting .310, and Joaquin Benoit (Although I still don't see him as a prime contestant in the trade game) has been steadily increasing his value.
The problem lies not with the players, but with the fans and the man supposed to be their leader...
Jamey Newberg!
I wish. That man's passion for the squad is incredible.
Tom Hicks!
... He hasn't related to the common man in the last several dozen years.
No, It's young Mr. Daniels. Understandably, he's wary about making trades early or recklessly. His history with inter-club dealings justifies this paranoia. The situation here is one that can be turned into a great strength for years to come, but mishandled could become another lamentable chapter in the Rangers' non-deviant history.
According to reports, Daniels has been asking for the farm in exchange for his commodities.
Good for you, Jon. Just don't overdo it
I'm all for demanding the moon in trades. But what people, namely Maverick fans, fail to remember is that is takes two satisfied teams to make a deal work.
Let us examine Mark Teixeira for a second. For the team curently holding him, he's a gold glove first baseman who has visited the DL once during his career, a .300 hitter with a +.400 OBP with 35 home run capacity.
From the perspective of the Angels, or Dodgers, or Red Sox: Teixeira is arguably not a top 5 first baseman, will be owed over fifteen million dollars throughout a little more than a year with the team, and... -direct quote- a little more than a year with the team.
Tex is an upgrade for almost any team. The Yankees don't need offense, but first base is arguably their weakest link. I get the feeling that George Steinbrenner is wary of entering a stretch run with Andy Phillips frequenting his starting lineup. The Red Sox have a terrific first baseman in Kevin Youkilis and an excellent DH who can pretend to play there in Big Papi. I've said since the beginning that I didn't understand their reported interest in Tex-It'd take too much wheeling and dealing on their part to make the situation work.
The Dodgers have understandably backed off from the leaders in the Teixeira derby-James Loney is a 23 year old rookie hitting .367.
The Angels are still reportedly involved, although with Kasey Kotchman producing consistently as he has I'm not certain why. I have no aversion to it, of course-the more bidders with laden farm systems, the better.
The Braves, Giants, and Orioles can all justify interest by pointing at their underwhelming first basemen.
But here's the catch: What can you recieve for Mark Teixeira? I can recall a Cowlishaw piece earlier in the year, which suggested a package of Ferocious Feline kids Maybin, Miler, and Blevlen. It was laughable then, and remains so. Dave Dombrowski would need to be more than drugged-he'd have to be acting in accordance with demands during a hostage crisis.
If you're Jon Daniels, do you pull the trigger on a straight up deal for Andrew Miller? For Noah Lowry or Tim Lincecum?
How about Brandon Wood? Kasey Kotchman?
They're all good players-and good players with youth on their collective sides. But I must admit, any of them, dealt alone, would not be worthy of the transaction.
I'm not sure more could be had for Big Tex. And Daniels is asking for the farm, moon, sky, and an autographed Derek Jeter bat.
This is what's preventing the deals from going through. And unfortunately, I have an uneasy feeling that it will be what prevents the trade from occurring at any time.

Off-Topic Sunday: Harry Potter 5 Movie Review

2007-07-15T21:55:00.000-05:00

Good evening, devout perusers. Dead horses are not worth beating, but for lack of a better introduction-there is nothing pertinent on the sports landscape. For lack of a better topic of discussion, then, I've prepared a review of the much-anticipated movie now out in theaters, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I realize that It's sort of a niche film, but so are most. And It's my blog, so shut up.

There are movies that are truly magnificent cinematic presentations, videos that captivate the audience with the quality of acting, writing, dramatic presentation, or plotline. There are also films that make their pretty penny by augmenting mediocrity with spectacular special effects. A third category is the film that entices viewers by promising the reenactment of a popular subject.

Unfortunately, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not a dramatic masterpiece. It fulfills to the exact specifications the later two, however. Let us begin with the acting. Daniel Radcliffe, despite a substantial paycheck and plenty of experience, still portrays Harry Potter poorly. I don't think It's necessarily a case of Radcliffe being a bad fit for Harry, but I do think that Radcliffe is a bad fit for any role requiring him to do more than stand still. The producers seem to realize this as well as the rest of us; there are numerous situations where Harry has a well-fitting line handed to him on a silver platter, but instead cedes to another of the actors-almost as if those executives in charge of the film are wary of exposing his obvious lack of talent.
I am impressed with the performances of Harry's sidekicks Hermione and Ron, however. Emma Watson is one of those characters that truly fits the role as it was stated in the books, and Rupert Grint has grown into his. Alan Rickman is, as always, the quintessential embodiment of Professor Snape. I don't believe a better actor could have been found for the part. Imelda Stauton is a decent Dolores Umbridge, she certainly captures the repulsive spirit of 'Poisoned Honey' (as JK so aptly put it) to a tee.
The post of Dumbledore has seen much turmoil over the years, and until today I wasn't too happy with Michael Gambon's Dumbledore. He seems to have far improved his grasp of the role, however. He was less of the jovial, pompous buffoon with the beard, more of the world's most powerful Good Guy.
I've never been happy with Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, and my tune has changed very little. He's not the fierce, freedom-infatuated, occasionally feral in more ways than one Godfather that we all continue to love through his existence in the deathly plane. He's too tacit, lethargic to be Sirius. He was at least able to convey his love for Harry, however, and that's a bit of a saving grace.

The special effects are predictably impressive. The skeletal thestrals are well done, Grawp the giant certainly lived up to massive expectations, and there was little at fault with the fleeting centaur scenes (other than their newly acquired inability to converse). The battle between the Heavily Bearded Mentor Soon To Die and His Evil Student From Years Past Turned Worthy Hated Adversary was terrific, truly one of the most impressive scenes of its kind that I have seen.

The writing was dissimilar from what I expected, but altogether not that bad. There was an inordinate amount of deviation from the lines in the book, but the replacements were for the most part passable. (My favorite line: As Umbridge is being harassed by Grawp and his friendly centaur companions, "Harry! Tell them I mean no harm!" 'I'm sorry, professor... I must not tell lies.')

The theme of the story was represented well. The fifth tale was meant to herald a second reign of darkness, and the film did that well. If Radcliffe did anything well, it was portraying a dark side when inhabited by or sharing the emotions of Voldy.

All things considered, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was a step up from its predeccesors. It took the necessary step forward and laid some solid groundwork for the next two films.
Final Grade: 7.5/10.

Past trades in Review: The Antawn Jamison deal.

2007-07-12T16:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday, readers. Some traditions deserve to be resurrected, if only temporarily. And such is the case today, as the utter inactivity on the sports landscape is a worthy reason to bring back the practice of Thursday Trade Reviews. Today's subject, as outlined by the large headline text, is the deal that sent Antawn Jamison to the Washington Wizards during the summer of 2004.

Background: Antawn had been one of two identically french-sounding forwards acquired by the Mavericks in the previous offseason. Jamison had previously plied his craft for the Warriors of Golden State, proving himself a capable scorer who specialized in bringing energy to the floor. He proceeded to play exemplary basketball for the disappointing 52-30 Mavericks, who lost in five games to the Kings of Kalifornia's Kapital during round 1. Donnie Nelson sought a transformation, and both of the Ant(oi/aw)n(e)s were shipped off. Walker was disposed of for Jason Terry, Allan Henderson and a first rounder that was subsequently passed off due to existing draft debts. Despite this sizable haul, however, the Jamison deal leaves the more significant imprint of the two.

Antawn Jamison was by no means a bad player during the '03-'04 season. Although he started only twice, he played in every game and was named the Sixth Man of the Year. Lamentably for young Antawn, freshly off his first playoff appearance, the great and all-knowing Donnie ruled him expendable. He was dealt to the Washington Wizards for 'troubled' swingman Jerry Stackhouse, has-been Christian Laettner, and the draft rights used to select Devin Harris.

In a nutshell, both teams got more than they bargained for. Jamison, though a doubtlessly solid player, had been nothing more than a sixth man nonetheless. Stackhouse was labeled a ballhog and clubhouse cancer who lacked the ability to compensate for those two detriments. The draft was seen as mediocre at best.

Antawn Jamison has reverted to every bit the player he once was. Through his three seasons as a wizard, he's averaged approximately twenty points and chipped in eight and a half rebounds. In addition, he was an absolute monster during the Wizards' short playoff run of this past season, averaging 32 points and 9.8 boards during a lamentably stunted first round series of four games.

Jerry Stackhouse is the vocal leader of the Dallas Mavericks. I don't know what to attribute to his complete turnaround, but most hypothesize that it is winning that changed Stack. He is not humble and never will be; that is what makes him so lovable. But he has become realistic, and does not demand the ball anymore. He accepts it when offered, and although his play is erratic the dividends manifest themselves often enough to keep him from being a liability.

Devin Harris has not yet lived up to the Tony Parker comparisons. But he is undoubtedly a keeper. He's shown three flaws to date: A lack of shooting range, proneness to injury, and physical weakness. The weakness is relegated only to that dimension, however, for Devin is as mentally tough a player as the Mavericks have had in a decade or more. He is relentless and determined, a good defender, and possesses quickness envied by 99% of this league's players.
He has not yet elevated anywhere near what most would term his 'peak', but most point guards are few to develop. Excuse his lack of outstanding statistics, and examine the concrete evidence- the team is as its best with Harris at the point.

Personally, I'd rather have what the Mavs got. But I'm sure there are those out there who will vehemently disagree. So let me attempt to wash away all premises of a bias, and rule objectively...

In conclusion, I'd have to call this trade a wash in terms of benefit or lack thereof received as well as given up.
But there's a second category, which simply examines the quality brought in by each team. And in this case, I'd have to declare a definite win-win. This transaction took players out of a bad situation and brought them into an optimal one all across the board.

Have a solid rest of the day.

MLB Awards at the Intermission: The Extraordinary League of Americans.

2007-07-11T17:33:00.000-05:00

Merry Wednesday, people! Today's presentation is, as promised, the AL's answer to the virtual trophy decisions of yesterday. The clash between these two leagues is as tame as things get in any sport; the long standing grudge they have for playing against each other obviously contributes to that in some way, as does the fact that one league has been clearly superior to the other over the past decade. But simply based on the way sports are run, players, teams, and leagues are given a blank slate at the beginning of every season. Which in effect, bringing to an end my little tangential rant, is why we have petty, pointless awards such as these.

AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero
This situation presents us with a perfect opportunity to debate over the true nature of the MVP award. But in my mind, it is attested to symbolize not the player whose performance transcended that of others, but the player who helped a contending ballclub to a greater extent than any other. A-Rod, as has been the case on numerous past occasions, has been far and away the best hitter in either league. However, the Yankees have proven to be such a debacle this season that I cannot award him this honor with a clear conscience. Vlad's home run and average numbers won't blow anyone away, although they are terrific. But he has managed to drive in 75 runs to this point, showing us once again why he is so widely feared. And for as long as the Angels maintain a stranglehold on the surprisingly competitive American League West, he's the clear favorite in my mind.
Maybe Next Time: Alex Rodriguez, Justin Morneau.

AL Cy Young: Dan Haren
Most of us like to think of these awards as highly contested. However, there is a clear lead horse in this race. Prior to this season, Haren was seen as a good pitcher, but nothing extraordinary. A solid two or three in the Oakland rotation, depending on Rich Harden's availability. Haren has stepped his game up several echelons, posting the lowest ERA in the American league (2.3) 10 wins, a terrific WHIP of 1.00, and 100 strikeouts. Without Haren epitomizing the qualities of an ace, the As would have been dead and buried right alongside their Texas rivals.
Try Harder! Can you feel the burn yet? Now can you feel it?: CC Sabathia, Josh Beckett, Johan Santana, Justin Verlander.

AL ROY: Hideki Okajima
The Boston Red Sox really did bring two Japanese pitchers on during the offseason. But with some dude named Dice-K hogging all the headlines, Okajima was nothing more than the fine script on page eighteen. After his unmitigatedly incredible first half, however, Okajima has clearly contributed far more than his endlessly hyped counterpart. The fan needs to look at one number to capture a snapshot of his success-an ERA of 0.83. LESS THAN ONE. There's a reason I put that in capitals- don't mistake it for a typo. The Scarlet Stockings' setup man has been absolutely nothing short of dominant throughout the season. While I'm still apprehensive about calling a 32-year old a rookie regardless of his lack of MLB experience, there's no doubt he's been the best first-year player in the bigs.
Maybe Next Year... Oh wait, You're only a rookie once!: Jeremy Guthrie.

MLB Awards at the Intermission: Senior Circuit

2007-07-10T22:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday, intrepid readers! As promised, today's entry will feature the very generic Approximately-Midseason trophy presentation. Tomorrow is set in stone for the superior league of Americans and their alleged allies, but on this night the league of old timers will look down their noses at their trophy-less counterparts.

NL MVP: Prince Fielder.
One of the true gifts the sport has going for it, Fielder showed plenty of power but not enough substance during his rookie season. He came back with a vengeance, and has played a first half that can only be described as 'monstrous'. 29 home runs, 70 RBI, an on-base percentage of .376. Fielder doesn't hit the ball, he smashes it to a pulp continually and during the following at bat waits tacitly by as the wary pitcher throws all around the strike zone. The Brewer first baseman has become one of this league's most feared sluggers at the age of 23, truly doing his legendary but disassociated ancestor proud.
Runners up: Matt Holliday, Miguel Cabrera, Chase Utley.

NL Cy Young: Chris Young.
Curses and calamities! I never thought I'd see the day when I would be despondent to hand a fictional award to the Princeton grad from Highland Park. But recognizing his dominance means re-approaching the fact that he was once a Ranger and happy to be one. Young has been the best pitcher in a staff that includes the spectacular Jake Peavy, and they hold the two best Earned Run Averages in the majors. An ERA perched right at TWO. There are other stats, and they are not insubstantial. But simply examine that one for the time being: If Young pitches eight innings and surrenders a measly two plate-crossers, he's had an outing below his customary level. Gah, it simply drives me insane. But to be realistic: While I and most of my peers were very fond of CY, nobody-NOBODY-pictured him being as good as this.
Valuable Mentions: Jake Peavy, Brad Penny.

NL Rookie of the Year: Ryan Braun.
Braun is foremost amongst an extremely solid group of players this season. The third baseman has emerged as yet another awe-inspiring piece of Milwaukee's incredible infield. a .350 average, 11 home runs in 163 at bats... sweet lord, the man's even stolen eight bases. Is there anything Braun can't do? He and his partner across the diamond will form one of the most feared duos we have seen in some time.
Worth Mentioning: Chris Young the Diamondback, Hunter Pence, Chris Sampsen, Josh Hamilton, Troy Tulowitzkiwhatsit.

Good night all!

An Unhealthy Dose of Reality

2007-07-09T21:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday loyal readers! Unfortunately, I must hold by my promise from yesterday- I simply cannot uphold the euphoria of Ranger optimism any longer than I must. Because as badly as I want them to be good, I am a realist at heart. And the truth points at a half-empty glass best served with several jagged pieces.
So as much as I hate to do it, today's presentation will be an analysis of the unmitigated failures that have graced this franchise with their collective presences. And what better (or worse?) place to begin than with the biggest 180 I've ever seen as a Rangers fan. And my peers, you know very well how much that means.
His acquisition was the biggest triumph the JD proponents had to point to. He was a sign of hope, a beacon declaring competency within Ranger talent evaluation. Vicente Padilla went through the majority of last season as the best pitcher in the rotation. He was a legitimate #2 for a large part of the year, and even a second half slump could not hold him back from adequacy. However, as is the case with many of these success stories, Vicente had an agenda. He was going into a contract year, and certainly capitalized. Padilla turned an ERA in the 4.5 area into a deal worth over 10 million a season over three whole revolutions of the 12-month cycle. The mysterious and shady Venezuelan has been a complete and utter unmitigated DEBACLE from the beginning of the season. It has truly been painful to watch Vinny this season, especially when recalling the RANGER pitcher who was so solid in the previous season. I can't think of a single major league player, including Jeff Weaver, who has underperformed to this extent. I shun you, Vicente. Oh wait, that doesn't matter! Because you refuse to talk to the dirty Americans in the first place!
One doesn't have to stray too far to find contestant #2 for the "Juan Gonzalez Ranger Stint #2 Award". Although there is nobody who even approaches Padilla's vast stature in this area, Robby Tejeda gives him a run for his money. Similarities run amok between the two. Both are of Central American birth, both credited as possessing stuff clearly above the average. And both shimmered with promise for a time, but then left us staring stupidly at the rusting piece of scrap metal that had once been so precious. Robinson absolutely wowed fans during the start of the year. If I recall correctly, his first four starts were all sparkling-highlighted by a shutout against the immensely dangerous Bosox of Beantown. Since then however, Tejeda has been... worse than Padilla, if such a thing were possible. An ERA topping seven over a period of several months is a precarious thing to hold. The only thing keeping him from placement in the Padilla category of 'Simply Disgraceful' is the fact that Tejeda did show promise in the aforementioned early portion of the year.
Clearing out the limited list I have due to... time restraints is not a player who has sat out significant portions of the season. I won't deny that Hank Blalock's rib removal didn't disappoint me, but that's not really a performance failure he could have any semblance of control over. And looking at pure statistics, many will advise me to pass on grass after seeing the third entry.
Ian Kinsler, what happened? Your nuclear lumber throughout the first few weeks taunted not only the fans, but apparently yourself. News Flash: You're no Babe, and I certainly hope for the sake of your public profile that you're not Barry Bonds. What happened here seems to be a massive change in strategy, as the already undercutting Kinsler altered his swing to a point where he could dislodge the branches of a California Redwood. Ian, you're a wonderful player. But you're not going to pace the rest of the contestants in a single season homer contest. I was mislead, Ron Washington was misled, but more importanly, Ian, and most lamentably, YOU were misled by your early success. I know, It's easy to fall into the trap. But nobody knows Ian Kinsler better than than.. surprise surprise, Ian Kinsler. And subsequently, adjusting a fine plate approach to facilitate a newfound power at the dish was a mistake. The numbers following the initial burst of lightning are telling; we were treated to little other than mere sparks. Ian, go back to Rudy. Get your swing redone, revert to what you had been doing in all the years prior-the same stance, swing, and discipline that led to so much success throughout your ascent in the minors as well as your fine rookie season.
And not to overdo the cold blanket routine, but I think I Rangers Captain could be just as bad in the field, whilst annoying the other team into submission.
That's all for today. Next to come: Mid-Season Leaguewide Awards!

The Rangers' Several Months in Review: Mr. Bright Side

2007-07-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

In keeping with the intermittent tradition of using song lyrics in the title, I've also found a very suitable topic of discussion for today's entry. As most of you know, the all star break festivities are imminently approaching in all of their splendorous glory, and we would be remiss to display our nonconformist attitude in this case. So as we continue to refer to single entities in the plural third person, the staff at PSTR brings you... a list of reasons for the formerly red-shoed Rangers to maintain a glass half full attitude. Do not fear, good readers, we will revert to our usual forms within a few days, ripping the Rangers just as passionately as before. But let's be happy and cheerful! The world is a happy place when Kenny Lofton hits home runs, right? Or maybe It's those Brownies I had... those Brownies, with all the weird filings... hmm.
First and foremost is a player most regarded with well-placed skepticism. This is a player who had pitched only on rare occasions throughout his previous two seasons, was taking the place of a well-liked, proven veteran, and was getting a fairly large contract with no stipulations to detract from it. A month or so into the year, I wrote Eric Gagne off as a bad signing. 12 pristine save opportunities later, I've changed my tune. Gagne hasn't received as many opportunities as most would have liked, but his mettle has been proven intact whenever he got the call. I realize that he's most valuable to this team in the form of a prospect or two, but I really do love seeing him pitch for Texas. If a long term deal can be worked out, JD, get to work.
Following close behind is a man who barely registered on the radars of most. Much like Gagne, he hasn't given us a large enough sample size to be truly awestruck. But when on the field, Marlon Byrd has been peerless in his ability to simply hit.
Yes, I said Marlon Byrd.
The same Marlon Byrd who acquired a well-deserved reputation as a journeyman; a spare part best taken in very limited quantities. The guy labeled as possessing every physical tool necessary, but never having the skill to utilize his ability. Well, Rudy Jaramillo's talents manifested themselves in yet another willing pupil. Byrd is hitting-double check this if you like- .378. That's enough to win a batting title in 90% of the seasons I can recall.
I do realize this is the part when people point out to me that he only has 143 at bats-and believe me, I'm not oblivious to that fact. But I can't disregard a man who's hitting damn close to .400 since obtaining the starting job in right field. If he can keep a pace remotely SIMILAR to this up, he'll be a type A free agent this offseason. Much like with the previous addressed subject: JD, get a pen and lawyer-authorized paper and force said utensils into your player's hands.
It's a sign of how lacking this category is when the third player mentioned has an ERA over 5. But Kameron Loe has exhibited consistent excellence since returning from his short stint as an Okie. If you're desperately seeking a glimmer of hope in the otherwise bleak figurative tunnel, Kameron will leave the light on for you. As I stated in my latest Rangers entry, he could very well be going through Ryan Drese syndrome. But in my wild, grasping desire to accept even the smallest tidbits of happiness as three-course tons of pleasure, I will stand by Kameron Loe and his contributions to the bleakness that this squad has become.
I feel there is only one player I can really put on the list. I know many will point to Brad Wilkerson and his outstanding HR/AB ratio as well as his tendency to look at more pitches during his at bats than most fans see all game long (take it as you will, personally I don't have that much of a problem with it as long as the walks pile up). But I can't put him on this list with a .228 batting average. It simply feels wrong. So instead I'm going to reference another guy who started slow but has worked his way up. I am speaking of the career journeyman who has maintained near-star status despite his city-hopping tendencies, Kenny Lofton. I was pleased when he was brought in, and my suspicions were proven correct. Kenny is simply a baseball player; he will hit, cover center field like a champ, and record steals like a pauper who's managed to disable the security cameras. I don't think he'll be traded, because most teams will see him as the guy they could have had for free this offseason. But from a purely statistical standpoint, there aren't many CFs I'd rather have for a stretch run than Kenny. He's hitting over .300, putting up an OBP 80 points higher, and he's stolen 20 bases. I can't remember a Ranger as active on the basepaths since... Tom Goodwin? Good lord, it seems to have been an eternity. Good times... but I digress. Kenny has done nothing but perform. And while a 40-year old may not be what your team should build around, It's a damn nice sight to see someone competent roaming the vast expanses.

Assorted Sportsy Quickhits

2007-07-06T08:03:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, all! I am sincerely apologetic about the hiatus, but I allowed my vacation from school to coincide with one from my daily writing practice in order to slack off properly. Lamentably, there still Isn't much to talk about. It still falls under my responsibilities to dissect whatever minuscule moves have been pulled off, however. So here we go!

Rangers win two of three against the division leading Los Angeles or alternatively Anaheim California Angels not hailing from San Diego or San Fransisco and Possessing a superior franchise to the other two.
Geeze, their moniker grows longer every day. Check back in a week and we'll probably have a descriptive analysis of the ballpark's landscaping, and several days later we'll be treated to a precise count of the mens' bathrooms within the premises.
But let's hold off on prodding the Angels' legal issues with various California cities and instead point and laugh in their general direction, consequential to losing 2 games to a hopeless Texas bunch.
Marlon Byrd completely mystifies me. He's taken the Gary Matthews routine and one-upped it in every way. If he can come remotely near maintaining that sort of batting average, some team will take a flier on a Type-A free agent, and the Rangers get two draft picks out of another brilliant JD signing (Success property of Jaramillo mechanics training, incorporated).
Eric Gagne should fetch a hefy bounty on the open market. He's been completely dominant throughout all...25 innings. You'd generally want to see more playing time out of your closer, but that blame lies solely at the feet of his team and cannot be attributed to any lack of reliability.
I hate to say this, but I think CJ Wilson could be a better pitcher for someone else. Don't get me wrong, It's great having him here- But he is so much better on the road than he is in Arlington. His ERA at home is a respectable 3.72, but on the road It's the Gagne-esque 1.45. Keep him while you can, he'll be a very reliable setup man for quite a while. But some smart team will look at CJ and see a closer, in which case you could get a very solid return for CJ.
Brad Wilkerson is the most frustrating player I can remember donning the Ranger uni. He hits three home runs one day, strikes out four times the other. But as much as he drives me crazy, I'm all for bringing him back. He walks enough to make up for all of those whiffs, displays great power when healthy, and has shown defensive versatility.
I don't know if the team will be able to deal Tex this year. A lot of the prospective squads have apparently lost interest, most likely prompted by his recent injury stint. And the potential deals seem to have lost a lot of their punch; I remember the day when Evan Grant suggested that both Cam Maybin and Andrew Miller could be had for Tex Alone- but now I doubt you could get either in a straight-up deal.
Robby Tejeda needs a tune-up. Pronto. Send him down to Miracle Hawkins over in Oklahoma, can it hurt? The man can't possibly pitch any worse than this.

On to the game that TV Ratings forgot: Basketball. I'd reference hockey as the more proper example, but I'm not sure they had any ratings in the first place.
Gerald Wallace and the Mavs dance around the mid level exception and refuse to commit to anything. I'm all for bringing Wallace in here. He's a premier defender, a slasher, and a rebounder. He fills every need that the team has. Unfortunately, players who can do all of that don't sign for the midlevel exception. If the Mavericks truly want him, they'd have to do a sign-and-trade, using a player like the annual scapegoat Jason Terry and inking Wallace to a four or five year deal at 10 per. I don't see it happening, because the Maverick hierarchy understandably wants to keep the team intact. But mark my words- there is more chance of me making the Olympic swim team than there is of Gerald Wallace signing here for six million dollars.
Grant Hill inks a two-year deal with Phoenix. The Mavericks were rumored as interested, and I'm glad they passed. Hill is washed up and fragile. I somehow doubt that Phoenix will get much out of him, but I guess It's a worthwhile gamble for a team lacking in depth.
Jerry Stackhouse inks a three year deal with inherently superior DALLAS. Yay! If you know me, I'm sure you've heard all about my Stack infatuation. This man brings pep and heart to the table like no other Maverick, he's in every way necessary. Don't be surprised to see Stack possibly maybe theoretically starting this season, although his minutes likely won't rise much.
Milwaukee is disinterested in trading the man known simply as Yi. I get the feeling this will develop into an endless circus throughout The next next next next Dirk's career. He says, she says, he wants, she bitches, and we all go about our business-then resume the debacle during the offseason. Yi will stay with the Bucks, he will likely stay unhappy, and there may be a scandal involving verbal commitment and an attempt at fleeing to some other team. [Yawn]

Y'all have a wonderful weekend! [Texas Twang off]

Belated News Flash: Rashard Lewis is (a?) Magic!

2007-07-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

I can't say I expected it. But Orlando has walked away with the highly coveted point forward, after inking him to a deal that could reportedly be worth as much as 90 million dollars over six years. If I have my facts straight, (Don't hold me to it) Orlando needs to work a sign and trade to sign him for the full6 year extent. Otherwise, they'd need to settle for 5.
My thoughts? Orlando is overpaying, no question. But they've also made themselves instant contenders, and pairing young Dwight with Lewis forms an almost perfectly transient inside-outside game. I'm fairly certain that the reason Lewis was taken over-for instance- Vince Carter, is his age. 'Shard is still only twenty eight years of age, Carter is in his thirties. The Magic is/are a young team and do/does not wish to change that.
Impact on others: Obviously, the Magi(c)(s) just got a major offensive upgrade. Resigning Darko seems unlikely, and he could become the newest in a series of Laker offseason posterboys turned failed experiments! Yay!

Message to Rangers Brass: Stick to the Plan.

2007-07-02T08:12:00.000-05:00

Rangers fans are finally feeling good about their team.
The Rangers from Arlington just completed [gasp] a winning month of June. They trounced the national league, to the dismissal of the critics, and proceeded to hold their own against such sizable opposition as the Scarlet Sox and Felines from Motown.
All without Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock.
It's fairly mystifying. Some attribute it to the dark-cloud philosophy, the same one that was applicable for the turnaround following the A-Rod departure. However, I don't know if this is the case. I don't know the man well, neither do I know anyone who does. But he does not seem like a person who is distinctly unpleasant to be around. A bit high strung, perhaps, but not someone you can't handle having on your team. Looking back, however, isn't that what we all said about A-Rod?
But my message to the Rangers is this. I love the fact that Kam Loe has caught fire. I am giddy every time Eric Gagne comes slowly jogging out of the bullpen. And Marlon Byrd, of all people, has caused me to have confidence in a member of the Ranger outfield. But don't buy into it. The Rangers are not contenders. Fact, truth, end of story. They're going through a solid stretch of the year just as we all knew they would. It's inevitable for all teams, as is the inevitable knee jerking that occurs whenever a streak occurs. But the Rangers need to stay the course. You were planning to be sellers this season? Adhere to that. If you can get Felix Pie for Eric Gagne, pull the trigger. If you're offered James Loney and 2 mid-level young pitchers for Tex, do it. This team needs to build for the trigger. We all talked about how pivotal this draft will become, and if that is the case ALLOW IT TO HAVE AN IMPACT. Don't allocate all of your resources toward quick contention when you know your next big influx of talent might be three years away.

Quick Notes: As I stated earlier, I love me some Kameron Loe. The fact that he's finally pitching like many thought he could warms my heart. But the realistic cynic in me tells me that he might just be going through Ryan Drese syndrome: A sinkerballer without overwhelming stuff does great for a little while, then his production begins to decline as the league catches on to the fact that an 88 mph four-seamer with no movement Isn't difficult to bash.
Of course, I'm chided by my better half, who states the all-applicable proverb: "You could use some baseball."

The Draft's Big Winners

2007-07-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

The question appears whenever one dissects an event of this kind. Does one grade a team based on the overall talent they hauled in, or on the job they did drafting whilst keeping their draft position and needs in mind? An specially applicable scenario is that of the Cowboys. They did not haul in a great amount of talent this year, but from my perspective seemed to make good decisions as far as the guys they did take, in addition to setting themselves up wonderfully for next year by acquiring the Browns' #1. I've decided to judge performance based on a year-to-year basis, meaning that in the aforementioned Cowboys scenario they would have received a middling grade, with expectations of a great upswing in next year's event. With that philosophy in mind, let's go down the list of teams who helped themselves most on draft day. Keep in mind that this is a grade assigned ONLY to draft picks. Trades and potential signings are thrown out the window.

#1: Seattle. Let's disregard the puzzling infatuation with small forwards for a moment and look at the pure talent the Sonics hauled in. First and most assuredly foremost comes Kevin Durant, potential mega-superstar. I repeat my assessment from before the draft: In any draft of the past 10 years that did not include a guy named Oden, Durant goes #1. And that includes the famed '03 draft. Adding Jeff Green seems like it forces Durant into a power forward role, but playing those two guys at the wing positions should become an incredible pairing that could easily remain dynamic for the next 10 years. In second rounder Carl Landry they've picked up a capable backup to Green who can also play simultaneously with the other 2 at the shooting guard position.

#2: Portland. As if adding the top cebter since Shaq wasn't enough, Portland is surrounding him with enough pieces to ensure a high level of play for many years to come. Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Kopponen were two of the five best international players in this extraaordinarily deep draft. Taurean Green was a steal in the late second round, and Demetrius Nichols is an NBA ready player. Give it a few years and Portland could become truly fearsome.

#3: Atlanta. The hopeless Hawks didn't add much depth this year. But they didn't really need much. They were in an awkward position at #3, where the clear best players available were all forwards-their only area of strength. They took the best one available in Al Horford, a safe pick who should work out even for this hapless franchise. They then picked again at 11 and shored up their biggest need at point guard, with Acie the Aggy. They picked up enough quality to negate their lack of quantity this year, and now the rest of the league will hope and pray for some good basketball from them this year. Phoenix getting a top pick next year would be disastrous for the rest of us, and remember-no stipulations this time. The pick is guaranteed.

#4: Golden State. I hate to administer a vote of confidence to Nelly's team, but in this case I just have to. Trading the immensely talented but vastly overrated Jason Richardson for the immensely talented young question mark Brandan Wright was a great move purely on the fact that they dumped a ton of cap space and acquired a 10 million dollar exception, usable for any tough trades. They didn't get their man in Yi, but were able to pick up another very talented young player-Italian Marco Bellinelli, who some have projected as almost a Ray Allen within a few years. They've taken a momentary step back, but will benefit from it in the long run.

Honorable Mention: I reserved this spot for the team aforementioned in the introductory paragraph-those who may not have had the resources to take top talent, but used their opportunities wisely. In this respect, no team stood out to me more than [sigh] the Spares from San Antone. Tiago Splitter will be a very solid player in this league, and grabbing him that late in the first round will pay dividends. Nabbing a troubled kid like Marcus Williams in the second round also makes a ton of sense. Williams is talented and has the kind of skillset that Coach Pop loves. And if he doesn't pan out- he's back on the street. Second round contracts aren't guranteed, so he has reason to shape up. (Besides the obvious incentive of playing for a true dynasty)

Yesterday

2007-06-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

What better way to begin an entry than bestowing upon it the title of a great Beatles song?
Frivolities aside, I've decided to dispense with the draft-day grades for the time being and instead focus on some of the rather shocking trades that took place yesterday. Why? Every columnist from Alaska to Moscow has a 'Draft Grade' piece up today. So I'm going to add a necessary and unexplored dissection to the afternoon browsers. However, readers, do not fear! You'll get your draft grades here... It'll most likely just have to wait until tomorrow.
Let's start right at the top, with the trade that not only took place before all others, but was the most significant. Rumors had been circulating about Ray Allen, but most, myself included, just labeled them as random baseless scuttlebutt, throwing them back in the Kobe for Maurice Ager and Big Damp pile. However, when Boston's #5 pick came along, the shocker thundered into Times Square and left me thunderstruck for the remainder of the night. Seattle traded their superstar, their franchise, the only reliable player on the squad-for the #5 pick in the draft (Small forward Jeff Green), a future second rounder, Wally Sczerbiak, and Delonte West. For lack of a better term, this trade... perplexes me. Boston's made the move that should shut Paul Pierce's yap up for a while. They will go from the second worst record in the league to contending for a playoff spot. My question:Why?
The way sports work, you try to be the best. Either you reach for the top, or you do your best to rebuild. Boston's held off the inevitable and thus condemned themselves to mediocrity. Congratulations. You've dealt a large piece of the future and likely won't get this big a piece of that valuable pie for quite a while. You'll settle for mid-round picks for a period, trying your best to rebuild around mediocre college talents whose games don't translate to the show and obscure foreigners whose faces you won't glimpse for several years.
Seattle: You had an incredible draft. Problem: You chose 3 terrific college players- and all of them in the 6'8-6'10 range. Essentially, Kevin Durant will need to play out of position for Jeff Green to even dream about being successful. Durant's pre-draft workouts don't lie, he's not very strong. Matching him up against NBA 4s would be a massive mistake. Either he gets physically dominated and comes out of every game bruised, battered, and bitter, or he wills himself to do nothing but lift weights, and therefore his overall game suffers. Putting your new cornerstone in jeopardy is a foolish, foolish venture. Another facet of the deal which people don't seem to want to consider is the fact that this seals the deal on Rashard Lewis. He's yet another 3, and Seattle obviously can't keep him. They've added a tremendous amount of young talent, but lost any semblance of veteran presence they had.

The next deal is one that worries me greatly as an ardent Maverick supporter. Golden State dealt the talented Jason Richardson to Charlotte for the rights to North Carolina wing Brandan Wright. The Warriors have set themselves back... temporarily. Richardson was the second option offensively, and losing him will hurt. However, in Wright they've brought in one of the draft's most skilled players. Give him a year or two to develop, and he could truly become a force. Another mistake by Michael Jordan, who joins the list of sports legends who fail in the management game. He feels that Charlotte is ready to win, and frankly I don't see it. They should make the playoffs... but what when?

The third major trade of the night involved Portland and New York. I like this move for both sides. The troubled Zach Randolph was dealt out of the newly rebuilt Blazers and to New York, for Stevie the fallen franchise and Channing Frye. New York dropped Steve's contract, and word has it that Portland will buy him out and let him go. (How's that for the list of potential free agents? Hrmm, interesting...) Portland released a character they desperately wanted and needed to get rid of despite his terrific post scoring skills and added a promising backup to young Oden in Channing Frye. This should make both teams better in the long term; a change of landscapes may be what Randolph needed.

And for the sake of giggles...
The Dallas Mavericks dealt the last pick in the draft to Orlando for North Carolina's Reyshawn Terry. At this point I expelled a sigh of relief- how could I possibly explain coming into a draft with 3 picks and spending all three on underdeveloped white guys who can't defend named Fazekas, Seibutis, and Rakovic? I thank you, Donnie Nelson, for feeling compassion for my woes. Reyshawn Terry may not play a single minute in this league, but you have spared Mavericks fans some agony.
By the way, what the hell is up with Orlando? They picked Terry at 44, then traded him for the rights to 60? Straight up? Sounds like a team that's doing everything possible to save cash...

Or's NBA Mock Draft: 21-40.

2007-06-28T14:48:00.000-05:00

I'm back!

21: Philadelphia: Rudy Fernandez
22: Charlotte: Derrick Byars
23: New York: Daequan Cook
24: Pheonix: Tiago Splitter
25: Utah: Wilson Chandler
26: Houston: Jared Dudley
27: Detroit: Nick Fazekas
28: San Antonio: Aaron Afflalo
29: Phoenix: Marc Gasol
30: Philadelphia: Josh McRoberts
31: Seattle: Morris Almond
32: Boston: Stanko Barac
33: San Antonio: Petteri Kopponen
34: Dallas: Gabe Pruitt
35: Seattle: Aaron Brooks
36: Golden State: Glen Davis
37: Portland: Alando Tucker
38: Philadelphia: Aaron Gray
39: Miami: Ramon Sessions
40: LAL: Taurean Green

You're good to go! The draft board is assembled as completely as I can possibly come close to pretending to be able to do it. Tune in to Norm at 6 (Or even better, visit him at Dave and Buster's) to witness what should be a flood of new drops and a plethora of retreads.

Or's NBA Mock Draft 1-20

2007-06-28T08:41:00.000-05:00

Merry Thursday to you all! The big day is upon us- the day during which teams select their cornerstones; their foundations for numerous years.
Please note before reading it that this is not simply a ranking of players in order of talent or projection. It's a projection of who the relevant teams will actually take at the position.
#1: Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden
#2: Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant
#3: Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford
#4: Memphis: Yi Jianlian
#5: Boston: Brandon Wright
#6: Milwaukee: Jeff Green
#7: Minnesota: Cory Brewer
#8: Memphis: Joakim Noah
#9: Chicago: Julian Wright
#10:Sacramento: Mike Conley
#11: Atlanta: Javaris Crittenton
#12: Philadelphia: Al Thornton
#13: New Orleans: Spencer Hawes
#14: LAC: Nick Young
#15: Detroit: Acie Law
#16: Washington: Rodney Stuckey
#17: New Jersey: Marco Bellinelli
#18: Golden State: Sean Williams
#19: LAL: Jason Smith
#20: Miami: Thaddeus Young

The next 20 will come sometime this afternoon.

NBA Draft Spotlight: Big Men.

2007-06-27T19:46:00.000-05:00

Merry Wednesday, good readers. The time has come to examine the big men available in this draft; those behemoths who dwell in that dangerous area we like to call 'The Paint'.
And what better place to begin than the most eagerly anticipated, earnestly beckoned, longingly yearned for center since Shaq Fu? Greg Oden is the complete package. He's a seven footer with an incredibly polished defensive game, athleticism and ballhandling to make some 2 guards envious, and a post game that flourished when unleashed. His upside is truly special, and it is very foreseeable to see him achieving it. In addition to his incredible game, Oden is exceptionally humble and hungry to win.A truly special prospect, the kind of big man who comes along once a decade.
Comparison: Bill Russell. In an absolute worst case scenario, during which his offensive game does not expand one iota from its current form, he'd be Dikembe Mutombo or Marcus Camby.
It is a testament to Oden that the dropoff is so significant to the #2 player on this list, not at all a black mark on Al Horford. Horford is the concensus third best player in the draft, and Florida's forward (Good lord, what a talented crop of 3s and 4s they eked out this year!) is very deserving of the honor, he'd easily be the #1 of last year's draft. He's 6'10 and possesses an array of talents comparable to Carlos Boozer's. He's a very good rebounder, a good defender, an above average passer and a solid shooter. But his game lies primarily in his post play. Horford is versatile, and was tasked with guarding Greg Oden for the majority of the two matches between Florida and Ohio.
Comparison: Somewhere between Emeka Okafor and Carlos Boozer. More scoring ability than Okafor but less than Boozer. Not quite the rebounder those two are, however.

The best international player in the draft is once again a large one! Yi Jianlian, a 7-foot mostly-forward from China (yeah, really!) has few weaknesses to speak of. Jianlian is a good handler, fundamentally sound, shoots exceptionally well for a man of his stature, is an exemplary passer...and the inevitable catch? His opposition has been... lacking to this point. He is reported to shy away from tough competition and his game declines when Yi comes under pressure. He's not a true post player, usually relying on a turnaround jumper or hook. And his toughness has been called to task in the past. He remains a worthy selection due to his terrific arsenal, but could take a bit of time to work into the game despite being 22 years old (Which, incidentally is under debate-some allege that he was actually born in 1987, not '84).
Comparison: Pau Gasol.

There are winners and losers in every draft. In this case, North Carolina University came out behind in a big way. Losing a player with the repertoire of Brandan Wright hurts badly- subsequently, he could be a lucky team’s next superstar. Wright is not just another of the supremely talented but unsure-about-translation-to-the-association players. He’s a player who, in addition to having the talent that can build a franchise from the ground up, also has the talent to contribute in an immediate manner. There’s very little Wright does not do well; he is a 6’10 guy who, when on his game, can slash to the basket with the ease and fluidity of Dwayne Wade. He’s also a 210 pounder who can pile up rebounds like a pissed off Kevin Garnett. He could use to improve his shot and add some weight, but other than that he’s the complete package.
Comparison: Amare Stoudemire.

There is no doubt that the talent most coveted within the basketball world is center talent. This is the primary reason that Greg Oden will almost certainly be selected ahead of Kevin Durant. And a major beneficiary of this windfall will be Washington’s Spencer Hawes. Hawes is a 6’11, 250 pound 19 year old. He’s displayed good post scoring skills anchored by very good footwork, is a good ball handler, runs the court decently for a man of his size, and is a great passer. Cons? He’s not particularly athletic, could use some work on his post moves, and plays atrocious defense. One can only hope that these faults will cease as Hawes matures and develops his game. Excuse the criticism, but I’m not very high on Mr. Hawes. He could become Brad Miller, and that’s all well and good. But I don’t see it happening, and when people have him slotted as highly as eight-I’m sorry, but frankly he’s not that good.
Comparison: Poor man’s Vlade Divacs.

Intrigue surrounds the troubled frame of Boston College’s immensely talented Sean Williams. Williams is a headcase, the guy who makes you want to scream for his wasted talent. His antics got so bad during this past season that he was permanently dismissed from the university. Why, then, take a player that can’t keep his head aligned out of the crime world and into his profession? Because Sean Williams proved himself as one of the top defenders in all of college basketball. Williams has the lateral quickness and perimeter ability to guard shooting guards, and his 7’5 wingspan in addition to jaw-dropping leaping ability made him college basketball’s top shot blocker. Williams has an unpolished offensive game and could be a far better rebounded if he put some effort into the endeavor, but don’t count on it. However, if the team picking him brings him into a stable, steady atmosphere where people know their place, there’s always the chance it rubs off. Williams needs to go to a good team pronto-that is the only way he will attain his potential. Inversely with the player preceding him in Hawes, I think Williams is actually an undervalued player. I realize that picking him is treading on hot coals, but the potential benefit is great enough to make the risk meritorious.
Comparison: Amare Stoudemire if put in the right situation.

The situation of Brazilian big man Tiago Splitter is a complex one. Splitter has entered and withdrawn from the draft numerous times already, mostly based on the fact that his current Euro team has him on contract and would require a 4.5 million dollar buyout to let him go. Splitter is 6’11 and plays both the power forward and center positions, although he spends more time at the former than the latter. A prototypical skinny big man, Splitter does not have much of a shot. However, with his handy ability to create his own opportunities he more than compensates for this deficiency. But Splitter’s greatest strength lays on the other spectrum: Regardless of the competition, he has always delivered defensively. I do realize the flaw of such a comment, seeing as NBA clashes could prove far more difficult than contending with Marc Gasol a couple of times a year. But he has given nobody any reason to doubt his prowess as a defender.
Comparison: Fabricio Oberto.

Mavs Factor: There are a couple of interesting names who could be available at 34. The foremost is Pau’s brother Marc, who resembles an inferior Mehmet Okur. The second, and someone I’d be more interested in, would be LSU’s Glen Davis. He’s certainly not tall enough to play center consistently at the top levels, but would make a very useful substitute for Dirk, or come in for the Diopampier conglomerate when post scoring is needed. However, I think It’s a definite possibility that the Mavericks trade up in the event that a Williams or Splitter slides to 25 or so. A package could be built using almost certainly this year’s second rounders, and possibly a spare part such as Austin Croshere or big lumbering Pavel (He’s still on the payroll, somehow… common thievery!).
Oh, and all of you theorycrafters who speculate about Donnie trading for a top 10 pick somehow-don’t count on it. Teams greatly overvalue their picks this time of year. Actually, let me rephrase. Teams not completely foolhardy overvalue their picks. Atlanta is a horribly run organization, evidenced by the fact that Luke Ridnour for the #11 pick is even being spoken of. I think I could win a negotiation with that organization.

Tomorrow I will bring you… the Mock Draft! 1-20 in the morning, 21-40 later in the day!

My Thoughts on the KG Situation

2007-06-26T20:09:00.001-05:00

It's an exciting week for those avidly following the association, during a time when all of the games are... over for a while. Not only is there endless draft prep going on, but the usual speculation and rumors caused by hurt feelings and moody prima donnas is quite apparent. We all know about Kobe the Kantankerous Kreator of Kaos and his bipolarally reminiscent doings. And doubtless, most of you have heard the latet rumors involving Kevin Garnett and a flight to Hollywood.
I think this would be a mad move. For both teams.
What are the Lakers accomplishing? Here are the pros: Their superstar is happy again, and they get to pair him up with another of the top 10 players in basketball. The cons: They just got older. And they have nothing, absolutely NOTHING, to put around those two. If LA gives up Bynum, Cook, Odom, and a first rounder (as is rumored)The player of greatest import remaining on the roster would be...Kwame? Oh good lord help us. 2 players can't win a championship on their own, no matter how good. Even with dominant Shaq on the team, the Lakers needed players like Rick Fox and Robert Horry to put them over the top. And that was in a league with less top-end squads.
Minnesota? They're adding Odom, who is in no way a #1 guy. He takes a backseat, and there's no emerging superstar in sight. Bynum is an interesting young player, but nothing more. There are hundreds of projects flying around this league, and I really don't see the reason for the amount of value attributed to him. And the #19 pick? In this draft, that's a nice asset to have. But at best they'll grab a *good* starter, or take a wild swing at a guy like Sean Williams in hope he achieves his potential. (More on him tomorrow) They've taken a step forward toward rebuilding, but I think the most logical move would be to trade Odom as soon as they receive him. Get a good young player or a collection of picks. And if LA leaves out even one part of this deal, turn it down. Don't deal KG for the sake of dealing KG.

NBA Draft Spotlight: Swignmen

2007-06-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

Happy tuesday to you all! Apologies far and wide for my lack of a publication yesterday, but I got held up writing research papers. Is there anything more annoying and time-consuming than a research paper? Anything more frustrating? Within my time on this earth, I have yet to find it.
Today I'll shed some light on the 2 and 3s in the draft. I originally intended to cover 1 position a day, but again, I don't have the necessary time to do that anymore. So today will be the 2/3s, tomorrow the mammoths at power forward and center, and on Thursday I'll put up my own mock of the first 40 picks in the draft.

It's true that my time covering these events is limited. But nevertheless, I can't remember a forward who's intrigued me more than Kevin Durant. Durant is just a straight up stud. He's 6'10 and at 18 has plenty of time to grow even further. His wingspan is comparable to that of some Boeing models. He's the best shooter at either forward position since Dirk. Durant's an athletic marvel who can run up and down the court all day, and perhaps most importantly: He has the passion to win, and win now. All I've ever heard about Kev suggests that his lifelong dream, from the time he was a tyke, was to someday play in the big leagues. Therefore, despite bench pressing less than me, I think Durant has the ability to become a truly special player in this league-and I'm not talking KG special. The sky is the limit, and Durant could end up going up there with the Birds, Magics, and Jordans. Supersonics, I envy you this day.
Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki/Tracy McGrady. If he develops, he could actually be the best of both players. I'm entirely serious-he's got all the athleticism and fluidity of T-Mac and all the prowess, grit, and sniping ability of the Big German. The absolute worst case scenario? He'll be a borderline all star like Rashard Lewis.

Durant is far and away the top player at these two positions. But the second best is no slouch: Fellow small forward Jeff Green of Georgetown. He's a dude who does nearly everything well, and is a polished enough player to make an immediate impact in the association. Green's 6'9 but possesses ball handling skills far better than the norm for a man his size. He's also a terrific passer and possesses a developed post game. He's a smart player who's never been a detriment to a locker room. He exhibits a varied defensive game, being able to match up with most 2s and the majority of 4s. If he has a weakness, It's his mediocre shooting ability.
Comparison: Boris Diaw.

Defense wins championships. And those looking for it will turn to Florida's Cory Brewer. With outstanding athleticism, relentlessness, and experience, Brewer is the best defender in the entire draft. He's a winner along the same lines as Durant, and is as humble as they come. He does not yet possess the offensive game that would surely push him above the rest of the terrific forward cast, but could easily be the second best to translate to the league.
Comparison: More capable Josh Smith.

The next player on the list is a bit of a mystery. Al Thornton is no spring chicken as far as college players go. Thornton is an athletic marvel, wearing a 6'7 frame but displaying startling speed and leaping ability. The lithe duo-forward from Florida State is surprisingly raw for a player of his age, but he has his talents. While Thornton's shot is good, his greatest strengths lie in physical toools, and he translates these into a solid defensive game, good rebounding skills, and an ability to run the court endlessly. His basketball IQ is not enviable. However, his potential is very high. Comparison: Corey Maggette.

The first real shooting guard on the list is USC's Nick Young. He's a smart player who stands at 6'6 and 206, displaying average strength and speed for his build. His passing is mediocre, and his defense can be overly reckless. But Young wows people with his wingspan (7'0), leaping ability (44") and shooting ability. He is fearless and greatly confident, and his defensive versatility is terrific. He lacks the potential superstar factor evident in a lot of the previous mentions, but is a safe bet as a contributor for many years to come.
Comparison: Josh Howard, slightly lower upside.

Quite often, one will see players whose playstyle is completely out of whack with their size and role. Julian Wright is one of these players. He's guarded shooting guards, but displays a 9 foot standing reach. He can pass with the best of them, but his shooting is extremely suspect. Wright has lit up the stat sheets in many ways, and is reminiscent of a Kirilenko or Hughes in this aspect. He blocks, steals, scores (albeit not a well as some would like) and rebounds very well. It's probably the thing attribute stated more than any other; but Wright's greatest strength is his freakish athletic ability. His combination of strength and speed will take him farther than anything else. If his defense develops, he could become...
Comparison: Andrei Kirilenko.

I am a staunch opponent of stereotypes. But all too often, people will come along to justify the not necessarily unjustified. Rudy Fernandez, a Spanish guard, stands at 6'6 and weighs 172 pounds. He is a good shooter and is said to be very coachable and hardworking. His greatest weakness, other than being the embodiment of the walking beanpole, is a supposed lack of toughness. His offensive game is explosive and polished, and he displays a balanced inside-outside game. However, Fernanzed is still a 19-year old project, nothing more. If he spends more time around the weight bench and improves his defense he could
Compares with Manu Ginobli. I know most wil label me a stereotyper as well for lumping together all skinny, explosive, raw Euro guys. But the skill resemblance is striking.

Oddly shrouded in mystery is the size of Daequan Cook. He is listed anywhere between 6'3.5 and 6'6. Obviously this causes some problems when evaluating Cook, but here is the information widely known. He is a shooting guard primarily and exclusively, lacking the ability to play the 1 or 3. While this may appear confining, Cook's skills may help him retain attractiveness to prospective teams. He is unfortunately raw and lacks the ballhandling abilities to dominate other guards one on one or run an offense. However, he's very quick for a 2 guard and has a vast amount of untapped potential. Some liken him to current Cavs dissapointment Larry Hughes. However, I think that, if he speculatively reaches most of his potential...
Compares with Jason Terry. The tweener build, the inconsistent defense, the mediocre ballhandling skills and the explosive feet. Give Cook time to refine his shot, and you get two distinctly similar players.

Honorable Mentions: Derrick Byars, Jared Dudley.

Mavs Factor:
Ah, again we turn the spotlight to everyone's favorite franchise! The team probably won't target a shooting guard with the 34th pick. However, listening to Norm throw out random completely unfounded ideas (Did anyone else hear his Larry Johnson 'rumor' today? Dream on...) apparently passes the trait to listener. Last week, he suggested a trade-up with Houston, the franchise inhabiting the 26th slot. It's very possible this guy will be gone by then, but if Marco Bellinelli is available It's not inconceivable that the deal is made. Alas, Bellinelli also adds to the stereotype constantly plaguing Euros: Raw, skilled, quick, lithe. He's a project with a lot of promise, one of the best players in Italy. His defining factor is his jump shot, which has some comparisg him to a lesser Ray Allen. I don't see him approaching that borderline superstar level, but he's certainly a player to keep an eye on as long as expectations are held off for several years.

NBA Draft Spotlight: Quarterbacks.

2007-06-24T14:12:00.000-05:00

Pleasant Sunday, valued readers! With the NBA Draft looming so quickly, I feel any time is a good time to discuss possibilities, probabilities, and potential. For every day this week I will break down one position, analyzing the strength and depth of talent available for that particular spot by, obviously, looking at the players likely to be chosen. We'll start with those who stand tall as midgets to their peers, yet would still appear quite large to most of us. The point guards!

This draft is often heralded as being an exceptionally strong one. Yet one of its few weaknesses lies in the lack of truly good quarterbacks available. Mike Conley Jr. tops the list, but the son of the renowned track and field star has many questions surrounding him. He's very quick, a good passer, and relentless. He's shown nothing to dissuade anyone from handing him the ball with a game on the line. Nevertheless, he is thought to be very raw, and most experts suggest that he should have waited several more years before declaring eligibility for the draft. His shooting leaves much to be desired, and at 6'1 he could be physically dominated by larger guards such as Baron Davis and Deron Williams. But he's the best there is this time around, and look for him to get taken in the top 10.
Comparison: Devin Harris, Higher Upside.

He didn't take his team to the final four, much less the finals. But Acie Law showed enough this past season to cement himself as a top college point guard. Law doesn't possess the terrific speed or passing skill of Conley, but he does everything well. His weaknesses are few, far between, and not exactly glaring. He can shoot, he can drive, he can pass, he can D up, and perhaps most importantly, he wants the ball when it matters and has the ability to force it into the hole. A&M's Star will slide because he's lacks Conley's ability to take over a game, but there's no way he gets past Miami at 20 (and could be selected as early as 10).
Comparison: Chauncey Billups/Jason Terry.

He's big. He's fast. He's got heart and ability. He's Javaris Crittenton of Georgia Tech, and follows in the Conley mode of game-changing athletes with a high risk factor due to their lack of experience. While not quite the speedster that Conley is, Crittenton makes up for it by being a full 4 inches taller. He possesses similar passing abilities, and is solid, although inconsistent, on the defensive end. His spot up shot leaves much to be desired, and he could have used a few more years at GT. Regardless, Crittenton will cause teams to twist and turn as they dwell on their point guard selection: The 6'5 pointguard with the physical tools, or the sure thing in Acie Law? It's too close to call at this point. In trying to find a fit for Javaris, I encountered a problem. Because while he could very well be...
Comparison: Steve Francis, he could also become
Just another toolsy athlete who fades into anonymity.
I'm in no way knocking him, but that's the plain fact of the matter. There's a large bust factor here, which is why I ranked Law higher.

While most believe Messrs. Crittenton and Law to be in a higher class, some would point out the talents of Rodney Stuckey. He's another in a crop of large point guards, and draws on his strength to push around his peers. Stuckey's a talented slasher and a good shooter, but his passing has been labeled as merely mediocre. His defensive talents are widely heralded, but there is doubt about his ability to keep up with NBA point guards on both ends of the floor.
It's tough to draw similarities to a player with only one year of NBA experience, but...
Comparison: Randy Foye

Oregon's Aaron Brooks shares a name with the NFL journeyman. Unfortunately for himself, that is what he may become in his own league. He's a shooting guard in the body of a very undersized 1(5'11,160), which automatically dismisses any consideration as a starter. What he could very well become is a team's sparkplug, what with his Earl Boykins-like quickness and shooting ability. He won't be able to guard very many players at the top level but should retain the ability to run around disrupting everything in his vicinity. But hey, those players can be valuable as well. Never underestimate a firestarter.
Comparison: Nate Robinson

Maverick Factor: Gabe Pruitt Apologies to my interstate (or hopefully international!) readers, but the Mavs remain my primary focus. So I'll do a little piece on a player from that day's particular slot who may be a possibility. While some would look at Pruitt and scoff at me, saying that he's just a lesser Devin Harris, I think he's a different player. Harris is a slasher whose primary detriment is his shooting, Pruitt an unpolished but talented 3 point heaver.I wouldn't condone the pick, as I feel the future of the position lies in Devin Harris. But I think It's possible that Mavs management has mistakenly lose confidence in his development.
That's all for today, folks. Tomorrow we'll cover the shooting guard position.

The NBA Trade Spectrum

2007-06-21T18:19:00.000-05:00

I realize that most readers are probably looking for an in-depth analysis of Sammy Sosa's lengthy stint with the Rangers, and how much his milestone means to the organization. But this Isn't going to be an endorsement for Sammy's Rangers HOF bid (More to come on that truly elite pedestal at a later point). In light of yesterday's NBA developments, I've decided to take a look at the most likely possibilities and impossibilities to occur in the next few months, weeks, or perhaps..... days? Read on!
(Placement on the list is based on a combination of star value and probability)
First and foremost, Kevin Garnett. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The downward plunge of the Timberwolves is truly sad, because their superstar has battled tooth and nail to win the big one since coming into the league 12 years ago. Alas, he has nothing whatsoever to show for it. 1 playoff stay past the first round isn't necessarily impressive, and very understandably KG wants to take his immense talent elsewhere. However, in an astute decision he Isn't looking for a change simply for the sake of a new atmosphere. Vetoing the proposed deal that would have sent him to the Celtics was the right move; that situation would have been minimally better than the Wolves', if at all. Garnett has reportedly requested for a deal to be sprung with the Suns, and regardless of his desires it seems like the most likely possibility. Why? First: The Suns are bursting to make some changes. As most teams that exit from the playoffs do, they are overreacting; screaming doom and gloom. Secondly, there is a deal in place that would not only make sense fiscally, but as far as reasonable exchange is concerned. The deal most often discussed involves Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw. This would grant Minnesota two very nice players to build around for seven or eight years at the very least, in addition to shedding the attitudinal albatross that Garnett has become. The Lakers are a distant possibility, and the Bulls even more distant. The Mavericks and Rockets retain their pipe dreams.

Rashard Lewis. The city's soon-to-be savior idolizes him, he's coming off a terrific year, and the franchise finally has hope (due to said savior). But Lewis will very likely be moved during this offseason. Why? The Sonics are paying him 12 million dollars to play the same position and bring the same game to the table as Mr. Durant, and charming as their potential hookup may be, they, like every other franchise, would like to save money (See the story of the Tennessee Titans, Steve McNair, and Vince Young). The list of potential targets has been very murky, but if I had to pick the frontrunner as of today It'd be Houston. They are grasping at straws for anything that will get them past that proverbial first round barrier, and adding a hometown guy to fill a position of need would make some sense. I just don't know what they could give up to make it happen.

Zach Randolph. He's one of the top post players in all of basketball. He's in his mid-20s. He puts up 23 points and 10 rebounds every night. So what is it that compels the team with the first pick in this year's draft to shop him with such fervor? Hmm, let's see...
He's completely incapable of playing defense. He fails to display any sort of athleticism, has got a worrisome injury history and a massive contract to go along with off the field problems. These detriments don't detract from his great talent, but they certainly serve as a reminder to all those who may wish to pursue Randolph: Be wary.
Prediction: He stays in Portland. I really haven't the foggiest idea of where he would go, although his sizable contract presents the most likely hypothetical for a deal involving...

Kobe Bryant. I retain my belief that I have a higher chance of contracting kryptonian powers of heat-vision and flight than Bryant has of being moved anytime soon. It's intrigue that lands him on this list, not any likelihood of occurrence. Chicago? They have nothing to compel the Lakers to deal. LA is looking for a superstar. Minnesota in a superstar swap? Lakers management would need to be afflicted with a permanent bout of insanity. Phoenix? Doubtful. It would take Stoudemire and Diaw, and I don't know if the Suns would do that. And all of you Devin Harris+Maurice Ager+DeSagana Diop+38 second rounders theorists-back in the basement, from whence you came! And never offer your bilge again! I feel silly even bringing it up, because the chances are none to... negative figures. But the deal that makes the most sense would involve aforementioned dual persona headcase/postpresence and the rights to Greg Oden. Why would LA do this? They get the most dominant big man coming out of college since Shaq and a very usable 4 to play beside him. Why would Portland? The star power Bryant brings would drive up their attendance, sales, viewership... hell, I'd expect free cookies at the entrance. Miracles shall come forth. They'd become immediate contenders for a home court spot-and for a very long time. You'd be matching up last year's ROY with the best player in the game and a solid, emerging 4.
That's it for today. Have a good-scratch that, awe-inspiring weekend unmarred by lawnmowing and family trips to the arboretum, but chock filled with apple pie and Silver Boot Baseball!

Jon Daniels gets Re-upped

2007-06-19T13:09:00.000-05:00

Let me prelude today's piece by stating that I listened to Norm today. And if you, the reader, did the same, you will think that I am simply copying and pasting his audio into HTML format.
But bear with me here- I promise, no dad jokes today.
Daniels hasn't delivered this team to the promised land yet. He came herladed with tons of hype and endless optimism-but then again, Tom Hicks could have announced that I was taking over the team and recieved applause at that point, because the bottom line was that it resulted in the dismissal of local whipping boy John Hart. Daniels has exhibited a lot of the traits Hart seemed to lack: A willingness to make the big, risky transaction, the ability to add to a competitive squad during the middle of the season, and an openness with the general populace. But his reign has been marred with disasters like the Soriano deal and legendary debacles like the Young+Gonzalez switcheroo.
Nevertheless, I was very happy with the announcement of JD's extension. It's only one moer year, aye. But it gives Daniels the breath of fresh air he needed. He can no longer be leveraged against to make a deal he may not fully believe in for the sake of retaining his job, and may be content to sit on his assets rather than spending wildly (ala Caminiti, Galaragga, Chan Ho, Juando, Todd Van Poppel... and on and on). This is a wise decision because it keeps the club's future in mind, not the immediacy of reckless spending aimed toward motivating fans to purchase more tickets and Coors Lights.
In adddition, it brings stability to the organization. This is a very important facet in any management body, as is clearly evidenced by the Rangers' complete lack of ability to develop their own talent. Most attribute it to the fact that there's a new scouting director every year, and I really can't blame them. Consistency is key. Let Daniels learn on the job, and perhaps he can become your Dombrowski, your Minaya, your 90's Indians era Hart. Leave him hanging, and you are sacrificing your club's success. Plain and simple. Unless his performance has been consistency and unmitigatedly awful, keep the man around.
This uncharacteristic endorsement of actions committed by the Texas Rangers Baseball Association is not in fact a gesture of approval, nor a plea to the reader to purchase more of said vouchers or beverages whilst watching the product on the field. The writers and/or producers of this article share an opinion independent of Major League Baseball, inc. and its affiliates.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled afternoon browsing.

NBA Draft-Winners and Losers

2007-06-17T19:27:00.000-05:00

This is a topic that should have either been addressed several weeks ago, or within a period of several years. An integral part of good drafting, of course, is the ownership of good positions within said pool, with which one can employ the practice of good scouting to obtain the future of a franchise. So in many cases, histories are written on the back of draft lottery programs. However, scouting and foresight is just as big a part-hence, my suggestion of several years' hiatus pending a review. However... I lacked the presence of mind necessary to write extensively on the outcome of the ping-pong balls and therefore will do so now; in lieu of a time machine and with a desire to write about -cue Norm drop- Interesting Kids! So here, I present to you,
The Chronologically Out of Place NBA Draft Lottery Lucky List!

#1: Portland. It seems redundant to even say so.Portland somehow managed to procure the most coveted draft position since the year of King James whilst establishing themselves as a young team to be trifled with. They now have the rookie of the year playing shooting guard, one of the top post scorers in the league paying power forward, and an emerging talent in Tyson Chandler playing beside him. Oh yeah, and in case I neglected to mention as such- they're all youthful. Landing this draft pick is a dream come true- an occurrence which should turn turn them into a truly top team for the next 10 years. It would take a true buffoon to mess up this situation, and frankly I'm not too fearful for their sake-more for the rest of the league's sake. Adding Oden to the mix makes a lot more sense, as they are in need of a center far more than a forward. I'd put the odds at about 5:1 that they take him. Not a knock on Durant, but It's a position of need and-quite frankly- Oden's a 5. Durant isn't.

#2: Atlanta. I know what most are thinking. The top two in this draft are spectacular talents, beyond that the players are not perennial franchise cornerstones! But the reason I rank Atlanta this highly on the Four-Leaf-Clover list is the fact that they managed to procure a top pick, rather than surrendering it to Phoenix as part of that travesty of Joe Johnson signing. The Hawks will still manage to obtain a very, very serviceable piece here. Cory Brewer, Joakim Noah,Brandon Wright, Al Horford, Mike Conley, The-Chinese-dude-who-some-compare-to-Pau... you get the point. Slight hitch, however: If Atlanta has a strength It's the team's depth and talent at the forward positions. They've invested vast resources into those spots already, and a majority of the top talent this early beckons from that plateau. So if any team will trade their pick-It'll be Atlanta. Keep in mind they have another choice at #11, where maybe-just maybe- they could take Conley (But most likely will settle for Acie Law or Spencer Hawes). Much gratitude to the Hawks, though, for nabbing the #3 selection- Adding a fledgling prodigy to the Suns would have given the other 29 Association clubs endless nightmares.

#3: Seattle. Once you saw that Atlanta and Portland were already secured firmly in their places, I'm quite certain you didn't need Miss Chloe to predict the next team on the list. Seattle, very much like Portland, lucked into a superstar whilst putting a not-entirely-horrible team on the court. Sure, they had problems. Myriads of them. But bottom line, they've got Ray Lewis. They've got Rashard Lewis. They have tradable parts like Earl Watson and some salary cap wiggle room. They will now have the most talented shooting forward to come along since Dirk Nowitzki. Mark my words on this one- Seattle will be a prodigious force for years to come. And it will all be attributed to Durant-because he has it. He's not the guy who wants to be the first NBA millionaire (Hallo there, Bron-bron) nor the dude who changes his mind with variations of the weather (That's you, Mr. Laker wearing a number nearly identical to the King's). He just wants to play basketball-and look good doing so. He'll put up his share of 40 point games, but he won't gloat about them or walk away without an assist. But I digress... the Sonics are a bunch of lucky SOBs. This may be just the ticket to keep them in Seattle.

Nelson Muntz: "Ha-Ha!"

#1: Phoenix. They weren't anywhere near the worst team in the league. So why are they bemoaning their fate? Because they lost out on a possible top 5 pick due to Atlanta-no pun intended- winning the lottery. While it is true that they receive an unconditional first rounder next year, the sense of immediacy that lingers due to Steve Nash's inevitable aging prompted Suns fans to cross their collective fingers-and utter collective profane statements. Getting an OJ Mayo next year would ease the pain, but... if he's not paired up with the conductor of the whole operation, they are not even breaking even. So bemoan your fate, Phoenix fans! I gloat in your sorrow and still shiver in realization of what nearly became a reality.

#2: Memphis. I shall refer to them by a new moniker: Team that tanked a majority of their closing games, A. The truly humorous part is that they were not the most erroneous perpetrators of this crime-that being our next entry. Back on track, though- they held the greatest probability of winning the jackpot. And instead, they dropped to... number four. That hurts. And if they trade Pau Gasol this offseason, It'll hurt a lot more. They could field a team as awful as Atlanta's '04-'05 squad (the same team that won less games than 3 NFL franchises that year). I am quite certain that Jerry West will be more than pleased to depart.

#3:Boston. Team that tanked a majority of their closing games... center stage, posing for that mugshot with David Stern casting a stern glare over its management....and inwardly gloating at their misfortunes. The franchise long known as the league's pride and joy went so far as to bench their top player whilst holding a second-half lead. A truer embarrassment to the collection of organizations we know as the NBA does not come to mind. Very fittingly, they got their just desserts. Projected to wind up with aforementioned highly hyped UT star Durant,they will now have to settle for a lesser forward. I feel very much justified in deviating from the norm-and in this case, not offering any words of consolation to the Celts. A well deserved streak of bad luck; and may it plague any others who throw games.

Honorable mention: Philly. The 76ers managed to drop (or is it rise? hrmm) to #12 despite fielding one of the worst teams I can ever recall seeing. I remember a game in which the Mavs played them last season-I had to see the extraordinarily exasperated but resigned to his fate coach on the sidelines to reassure myself that it wasn't a D-League team. They need help... badly. And It's a shame they didn't catch a break in a draft class this good.

Sob, people of Dallas. The city weeps with you this day.

2007-06-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

Today marks the anniversary of the fateful game 3 in last year's NBA finals. with 6 and a half minutes to go, the Mavericks seemed to be an unstoppable juggernaut, beating the hapless, derelict Heat down as if they were cardboard in the way of a jackhammer. Then Dwayne Wade went ballistic, Gary Payton got lucky, and Dirk missed a free throw. And the Mavericks never recovered.
It was supposed to all be OK, because the Mavericks had retained a degree of intensity and competitive spirit all throughout the regular season, posting the 5th most regular season wins IN HISTORY. Then 67 wins go right out the window as Don Nelson and his Warriors topple Goliath, launching two deadly pebbles right at the skull of the giant that ended up proving fatal (Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, for those who didn't follow the analogy). This will go down as the playoff defeat in NBA History.
Now that's just basketball. Let us turn to the great game of football, the barbaric sport practiced nearly exclusively in our fair land. The Cowboys were riding first class on the gravy train and it was going full steam ahead. Led by the best young quarterback in the game who happens to date Carrie Underwood, they were simply rolling; making some think of Peter King's preseason prediction of them in the super bowl as prophetic. Romo played fairly well in his first playoff game, and was poised to win it. He came onto the field to perform one of his more trivial duties; that of holding the ball for the field goal kicker. Then he did something he'd never done before. Not even in practice.
He fumbled the snap.
(OK, lots of innuendo material right here, refrain from the puns)
Oh yeah. And the Rangers are the worst team in Major League Baseball. But at least firing Buck Showalter and hiring Ron Washington has made the clubhouse a happy place where players can frolic in the sunshine amidst blooming flowers and artificial rainbows!

Weep, metroplex area sports fans. For recent history has been brutal. But know that good times lay ahead. Because that's how it always works.
At least that's how it usually works. The Rangers are screwed no matter what they do.
Excuse today's unusually short entry, it was meant to be a forum reply to a despondent Cavs fan and... degenerated into me spewing venom and hatred for fate.
Good night.

Additional Redundantly Early NFL Power Rankings: 6-10

2007-06-12T17:07:00.000-05:00

Merry Tuesday, good readers! I present to you the product of limited labor and plenty of boredom.

#6: Denver Broncos. The wild stallions from the mile high city have decided that the time is ripe to add the final pieces to the puzzle. They've made some fairly significant additions in free agency, augmenting what was already a rock-solid squad. I was deeply shocked that this group didn't make the playoffs last year, and hoist the blame onto the slumping shoulders of Jake the Snake. Fortunes should improve this time around, but a lot of that is contingent on...
The X Factor: Jay Cutler. This is one of those guys who was so often proclaimed to be underrated that I fear he's become vastly overrated. I don't doubt that he can become a good NFL QB, but let's give it a bit of time. If he steps into the limelight and shines as so many seem to think he will, this team could be a super bowl contender. Otherwise... Expect this year to be no different than the last.

7: New Orleans Saints. The best feel-good story in decades was a resounding success, lasting until the NFC finals last season. This young squad is back in full and can't wait to show up the doubters. Many would label them just another one-year-wonder Cinderella story, but I choose to abstain from that crowd. Color me hoodwinked.
The X Factor: The Offense. I know, It's a broad spectrum. But the fact remains that the scoring came out of nowhere; and while It's very easily attributed to the emergence of Stars (i.e. Bres, Bush, Colston) who had not been on the team in previous years, I don't know if they can sustain it. I think so, I hope so, but there's a small part of me that still doubts this sudden meteoric rise.

8: Philadelphia Eagles. There are several cutoff points on this list: The first, teams with truly elite talent, ends with San Diego. The second, the really talented teams who also have a noticeable flaw, ended with New Orleans. The Birds from the City of Brotherly Shove begin a new one; teams that are mostly solid, but probably not super bowl contenders. Don't get me wrong: Philly is a very good squad. They're solid all around the board, especially showing their mettle late last season. But here's what worries me: All of that was piloted by Jeff Garcia. This team is going to...
The X Factor:Bank on Donovan McNabb to win its games, and frankly his recent history suggests that playing every day is no longer a strength. If he displays the consistency of super-bowl year Donovan, great. The NFC East should be in the bag. But if he does not, the team lacks the capable backup to manuever them around the final stretch.

9. Cincinatti Bengals. The feline lords are an exciting bunch; one reminiscent in almost every way to the Colts of four or five years ago. You've got your stud quarterback, the consistent RB, the lead wideout and the very good #2. Unfortunately, they also duplicate those Colts' lack of defensive presence. The blame partly lies at thee feet of players' off-field conduct, sometimes I think there are more Bengals defenders in county prison than off it.

The X Factor: Act like a bunch of human beings. The team is hugely talented, it just needs to find a way to keep everyone away from the cells. If the players can somehow be inspired to act like good samaritans, they can go far.

#10: Dallas Cowboys. Call me a homer, I've certainly been guilty of the crime in the past. I believe that these Cowboys can do some fairly special things if things pan out. I see a situation very much like Denver's. A talented team that's addes some pivotal pieces and will come to depend on their young, untested quarterback to lead them through the year. Wade Phillips' Defense should result in a lot more big plays, both for the defense itself and the other team. I'm optimistic as to the end result, however.- probably because I saw, scared, undisciplined play out of these bunch when they were coached by the Tuna. The cowgirls will depend on, as I stated....
The X Factor: He was Captain America, Part II during his first five or six games. Then everything fell apart on the football field. He started throwing interceptions left and right, getting sacked, making bad decisions. He fared fairly well during the playoff game against the Seahawks... until that fatal mishap with the Grammatica field goal. Nevertheless, I still have faith that Tony can lead us out of the wasteland and into the promised land. And Carrie Underwood is... err, very talented.

Trade Review on a Monday!

2007-06-11T10:20:00.000-05:00

I know, I'm not adhering to my own policies. Thursday is rerun day. But this weekend's Mil-Tex series afforded too great an opportunity to pass up. Here's a short rundown of what went down in that particular deal. Around trading deadline time,the Rangers had been hovering slightly above five hundred for the majority of the year, and holding their own in the AL West. They therefore went out and acquired the top bat available, Carlos Lee, and another outfielder, young Nelson Cruz. In return, Milwaukee got former top closer turned unsuccessful setup man Fransisco Cordero, mediocre outfielder Kevin Mench, and former blue chipper waylaid by injuries Laynce Nix.
Lee went on to play well for the Rangers for the remainder of the year, and Cruz hung out in the outfield sometimes and looked pretty. Mench did the same thing he had been doing for the Rangers; hit .280 or so with mediocre power. Nix sat on the disabled list and played Xbox. But Cordero reemerged as a top closer for the Brew Crew.At the end of the year, Carlos Lee bolted for the Houston Astros and their 100 million dollar offer sheet. The Rangers received the 17th and 44th (I believe) picks in this draft as compensation, which they used on starter Blake Beavan and reliever Neil Ramirez.Fast forward to this season:
CoCo Cordero had been absolutely flawless until this weekend. He had given up ONE run all year-yes, one, count it-and converted all 22 of his save opportunities, striking out 35 hitters within that span. Mench and Nix did their thing, continuing to operate in mediocrity and inactivity, respectably. And Nelson Cruz has struggled mightily, commencing in being sent to Oklahoma a week ago. All this prompted many to endlessly rip on Jon Daniels for this trade.
But then this weekend happened.
A lot of the apologists, myself included, contended that trading Cordero was the right move, reasoning that he was simply incapable of pitching in this ballpark; whether it had something to do with the park's dimensions or with a psychological aversion to throwing a decent slider here. And I think that this weekend series proved those of us correct.
Cordero got the save opportunity on Saturday night. He came into the game leading 3-0 and retired the first two hitters without any problem. He then would go to two strikes on the NEXT FIVE HITTERS, eventually surrendering four two-run outs to blow the save in dramatic fashion. And this is the man who had given up ONE, UNO, ECHAD run all year long. And as if this were not enough, he came into last night's game and blew another save, surrendering a ninth inning run to Marlon Byrd (the same hero of Saturday's game).
The man simply cannot pitch here.
I don't doubt that Cordero has been absolutely dominant everywhere else he's played. And I know that Carlos Lee bolted after 2 months here. But you cannot blame Jon Daniels one bit for making the move, seeing as Cordero was simply not going to be a successful pitcher for this team. So let's run down the deal once more:
Rangers
Middle of the order slugger,2 months
Talented young outfielder who can't seem to produce, immediate future
Blake Beavan
Neil Ramirez
Brewers
Top closer, immediate future
Mediocre Outfielder
Oft-injured ineffective young centerfielder.
I know it sounds cliche, but only time will tell. As far as total production, the nod certainly goes to Mil. But I can certainly understand Daniels' reasoning for pulling the trigger, and if Beavan and Ramirez develop... well.

Unneccessarily Preiliminary NFL Power Rankings

2007-06-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

In lieu of a philosophy revealing draft or big-time trade rumors of any significance, I've decided to fall in line with the cool kids and predict the regular season success of every franchise several months before the onset of training camp. Bite me, those who choose to wait and make logical speculation! I'm wild, crazy, and raring for some football!
This will be conducted in the usual fashion for this kind of thing; I'll be working my way from the top down at the rate of five teams a day. Enjoy!

#1: Indianapolis Colts. Some cite the fallout super bowl teams are so very prone to. Others would point to free agent losses like Dominic Rhodes, or the complacency of a team that's done everything there possibly is to do. But I look at this team and I see Peyton Manning, the ultimate competitor. I see a defense featuring many players in their prime, back nearly whole. And I therefore see a team that will very likely post the bet record in the league. Prediction:13-3

#2: New England Patriots. The team's gone in an entirely different direction, redefining what everyone thought was true about Boston's Brady Boys. Bill Bellichick's team, signing top free agents! Trading for headcases! Drafting college brawlers! My gut tells me that the genius who was Bill Parcells' primary disciple will handle it all with his usual aplomb; however, I'm still worried about what could theoretically happen the first time Randy Moss offers Tom Brady a snort in the locker room, prompting Brandon Merriweather to take a swing at the two of them and Adalius Thomas to show off his paycheck and mutter something about the disabled list. Prediction: 13-3

#3: San Diego Chargers. The most dynamic, young, exciting team in the league underwent major changes this offseason without losing a single significant player to free agency. How? The coaching staff was stripped bare from the top down. The headcoach, both coordinators; hell, I think they even had some position coaches bolt (No pun intended, my apologies). The team will be different with Norv Turner running it. The former OC savant is in awkward position; on one hand he'd have to be unequivocally awful to have a bad season with this team, and on the other anything short of 14 wins will be considered a failure. I'll be very interested to see what direction this franchise takes. Prediction: Prediction:12-4

#4: Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are old. The Ravens are old school. The Ravens can't score. Regardless, the Ravens still maintain enough of their dominant Super Bowl Defense to compete in any game they get themselves into, and their stellar offensive line paves the way for what should be another fairly successful running game. Willis McGahee wil help them loads if healthy, and the only thing to watch for is the inevitable decline of mainstays like Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden. Prediction:12-4.

#5: Chicago Bears. Da Ursines are back without sustaining much damage. They dealt lead back Thomas Jones in a move that really does puzzle me-the only justification here is the "Former Top 5 Pick!" sticker on Ced Benson's back. Much like the Ravens, you can always depend on the D's consistency while sighing endlessly at the pitiful passing attack. If I were generally managing this squad I would have made it my priority to sign Jeff Garcia; but alas, I'm just an unemployed guy with a blog. They'll be the top team in the startlingly mediocre NFC yet again, and yet again the most exciting player on the team lacks a real position. (Hint, his name is Devin) Prediction:12-4.

The Revealing Nature of the Ranger Selections

2007-06-08T17:53:00.000-05:00

The Rangers were presented with an opportunity yesterday that is nearly unprecedented. By allowing everyone of value to walk this past offseason, they acquired quite the crop of early picks. This crop consisted of five picks in the first 54-and just to punctuate further the amount of picks brought in by other clubs, the Rangers gave up their own first rounder (#16) when they signed Frank Cattalanatto from the Blue Jays.
Jon Daniels and his staff know very well how integral this event is. The opportunity will not present itself again: A plethora of such early picks in a draft laden with talent is a rare thing. So when asked about the team's position on making selections as it pertains to the prospect's signability, Daniels insisted that he who holds the almighty checkbook had authorized substantial increases in the amount of bonuses handed out. The metroplex rejoiced.
Now, let me preface this by stating that I'm very pleased with every Ranger pick of a player I know remotely of. Blake Beavan, Mike Main, and Julio Borbon were all very solid based on their draft position. Beavan and Main are top 10 or 15 talents and Borbon was a definite first rounder and projected in the top 25.
However, there was talent available definitely superior to those three guys. Let me run this possibility by you:
With the 17th pick in the MLB draft, the Texas Rangers select Blake Beavan
With the 24th pick in the MLB draft, the Texas Rangers select Rick Porcello.
With the 35th pick in the MLB draft, the Texas Rangers select Matt Harvey.
Porcello is the concensus top high school pitcher since Josh Beckett. Harvey is comparable if not better than Beavan. I'm a serious Beavan fan, not only for the feel-good factor of selecting a guy who is truly homegrown, but for his tremendous cockiness and competitive spirit. But many have displayed qualms about his mechanics, his command, and the fact that he only really throws two pitches-which however dominant they may statistically appear at the high school level, will need to come up a notch for him to join the ranks of successful two-pitch MLB starters.
The only one that comes to mind is some guy by the name of Randy Johnson.
But, back to the Rangers philosophy. Main and Borbon were both very solid picks at their respective positions. But Porcello is a VERY serious talent. The Tigers cannot believe their luck on this day-they've augmented the best crop of young pitchers out there with another stud. The Rangers balked on the selection because of one obvious mitigating factor: He is a Boras client. The same theme runs true for Mr. Harvey.
Shame on you, Tom Hicks. Shame on you for pinching pennies during a desperate situation. Shame on you for spreading misinformation to the masses. And shame on you and your front office for refusing to discuss your failure to adhere to your personal philosophy.
I hope with all my heart that Beavan, Main, Borbon, and every other Ranger selection of significance rises to the big league level and develops into a superstar. I'm a fan of the franchise, and I am true blue. Your awful management cannot dissuade me from liking my team. But I will not allow you to make a single penny because of me. I won't buy your tickets ticket, I won't pay for your TV packages, I won't even buy an effing baseball card. Not until you decide that the time for change is ripe.
And I dissuade every reader to adhere to the same philosophy. Fight thrift with thrift.

Rerun Thursday Is Back!

2007-06-07T08:40:00.001-05:00

In a day dominated by the MLB draft, I find myself constrained by my promise to review the AJ Pierzinsky deal. Curse me for making promises ahead of time without recalling events that are scheduled to occur. But no matter, we'll go over that first thing tomorrow!
OK, back to business. Dateline: November 14, 2003. Brian Sabean is sitting in his office pondering the situation of his franchise. He sees a team that is, for lack of a better term, archaic. His squad is also focused around satisfying one man, that being Big Bat Barry. Regardless of these deficiencies, the team was literally a hair's breadth of contact on a filthy K-Rod fastball away from a world title. Sabean's catcher, Benito Santiago, is retiring at the tender age of 38 despite stellar play during the previous season. He fit in well with the other senior citizens donning their Giants uniforms, but decided Miami was a better place to live out his years. The GM obviously felt pressured to at least hold ground in that position, and searched for a catcher to fill the newfound void.
Meanwhile, Terry Ryan is watching a young, underfinanced team work its magic in an inconspicuous AL central. Help is on the way, as top prospects like Jason Kubel, Justin Mornaeu, and Joe Mauer are making their way up. But Terry Ryan also realizes that there's no harm in adding to the stockpile, and his revelation coincides with Sabean's dilemma. Hey, you know what I have? A .300 hitting catcher in his prime with a reasonable expiring contract and a hot head! What a perfect short-term solution for a shortsighted fool!
Ryan could have picked one major prospect, like the highly mediocre Jerome Williams. However, he saw a several players within the organization that he felt were very undervalued. The first was Joe Nathan, who had put in a successful stint in the bullpen but for some reason or another was viewed as easily replacable. The second was Boof Bonser,a first round pick fallen out of style. And the last was an unknown commodity, a throw-in guy with a high ceiling but little chance of developing it. Let's call him Fransisco Liriano.
AJ Pierzinsky acted in his typical mercenarial way, playing one decent year for San Fransisco and bolting to the Chicago White Sox. The Giants had a respectable year but fell short of their '02 mark, losing to the trophy-destined Marlins in the NLDS.
The Twins are still in control of all 3 players they acquired. Joe Nathan is one of the very best closers in the game, possibly the most consistent there has been since Mariano Rivera had a fastball.
Boof Bonser is now pitching in the big leagues. He's pitched 168 innings over these past two seasons, posting a 4.18 ERA and striking out 163. He's an asset any team would love to have: a 26-year old #2 starter.
Fransisco Liriano got his callup last season and emerged in a whirlwind, dominating major leaguers left and right. His stuff is very likely the very best in the entire MLB:His repertoire features a high nineties fastball with movement, allegedly the best slider in the game, and a changeup comparable to the one thrown by the best pitcher in the game, teammate Johan Santana. He's had a major setback lately, requiring Tommy John surgery that renders him incapable of playing this entire season. However, expect him back next season and with a vengeance. This is a true blue chip #1.
Brian Sabean's complete ignorance in all things trade becomes clearly evident. He dealt a proven young bullpen arm, a first round pick, and a pitcher with incredible upside for a 1-year rental of a catcher who was merely decent during his time in San Fran.
Advantage.... I'm not sure. It's hard to decide between the Minnesota Twins and THE ENTIRETY OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.
Teehee
Or out.

NBA Free Agency Crystal Ball, part 2

2007-06-05T19:14:00.001-05:00

Hello again, and merry tuesday. My apologies for the delays during this past week, I got bogged down by various assignments. But no matter-let us proceed to the subject at hand.
#3:Rashard Lewis, SF,27,Sea. The common attribute between the best free agents available this year is the fact that they are all opting out of existing deals. Lewis could make 22 million dollars over the next two years, and as I stated in my article a short time ago, will probably not make much more elsewhere. But his slot on the squad will be filled by incoming superstar Kevin Durant. (For an in-depth analysis on the Lewis dilemma, see http://sportsdeals.blogspot.com/2007/05/rashard-lewis-is-desirable-somewhere.html)
Bottom line: Lewis will likely be resigned to a 4 or 5 year deal at 10-12 mil and traded to a team looking for that missing link. (My prediction at this point: Houston) There's an off chance that one of the teams with ample cap space goes after him, and a decision of that variety would make more sense for him than any of the other top guys, seeing as he is only 27. But i still don't see it happening.
For the sake of filling up space and adding a snazzy graphic, here is another widget. Speaking of widget, isn't that a great word? It somehow brings to mind a mallet while also being the sort of thing you'd call a pet hamster.
#4: Gerald Wallace, swingman, 25, Char. Wallace is virtually anonymous, shocking when you consider his accolades this past year. Indulge in his little e-card, if you would.
Keep in mind he's also widely regarded as a defensive force, and you have a Josh Howard clone here. Needless to say a 25 year old who plays all-out with success on both ends of the court should be a real commodity. I don't see Charlotte letting him go, but if they do the ensuing bidding war could be fierce-expect a max deal for five or six years.
#5: Mike Bibby, PG, 29,Sac. Bibby was once held in renown as one of the very best point guards in the NBA, and frankly I don't see why so many have leapt hastily off the bandwagon. The man didn't put up mind-boggling stats last year, but I attribute that to the fact that his team is woeful more than anything else. Bibby is a team player and one who has remained true to his skills and consistent throughout the entirety of his career. Perhaps I'm a bit biased in his favor based on the constant whippings he gave Stevie Nash in Mavs-Kings matchups in the days of old. But those games notwithstanding, I hold him in high regard. As little as they have behind him at the 1, I still expect the rebuilding Kings to allow him to walk and try to tread water with another young project. In this case, one of the cap-flexible teams should pull the trigger.
Alow me to present Mike Bibby dribbling on the open court.

NBA Free Agent Preview

2007-06-03T18:14:00.000-05:00

Hello there, and happy Monday to you all. Whilst the hype machine that is constantly and irrevocably following Lebron James has shaken the basketball landscape and thereby obscured everything else, I decided to hide mine eyes from the horrible spectacle of an NBA finals without my Mavvy Mavs, and instead concentrate on something more palatable...
Making a list! And checking it repeatedly!
OK, maybe in this case not much backtracking is needed. But either way... I digress. One of the things I really like about the association is its knack for getting all of its dealings done within as compressed a period as possible. It's the only sport I can bring to mind in which some of the off season dealings are conducted in the middle of the playoffs. Yes, draft lottery, we're looking your way and hope to raise enough protest to force your dismissal sometime very soon. The draft itself is conducted less than two weeks after the final trophy presentation; which from one end of the spectrum gives the coaching staff and front office limited time to scout players; but from another end allows the league to maintain some attention directly following their last game. Free agent negotiations begin a mere pittance later, on July the first (Although signings are not official until eleven days later).
So what I've done here is gone through all the lists; examined all the players who may or may not be technically restricted or free to negotiate with teams other than their current franchise within a certain period of time allowing that a lucrative financial deal is on the table. I've ranked them in order of significance; the higher the player's quality, the more prominently he will feature onto the top of the list.
#1: Chauncey Billups,31,PG,Det. This is a sticky situation that I could see developing several different ways. First, the situation:
Billups has an option for the coming year at a meager 6-7 million; he will obviously decline this. However, most hold strongly to the belief that the Pistons will retain their point guard, signing him to a nice long offer sheet worthy of his contribution to the franchise. However... I have a slight hunch that the unceremonious beating Det was handed by the fledgling Cavs squad may complicate matters.
As things stand, only five teams are under the cap: the hapless Hawks, the New Orleanhoma Hornets, da Bulls, the fierce but unenviable felines from Charlotte, and the far more dangerous Raptors from the country up north. I personally don't think any of these would display significant interest in signing Billups for 13-14 million a year outright. So what seems likely is either the Pistons resigning him for that sum, or... outside chance...
the Pistons decide that their horrible conference final is a herald of things to come and blow the whole thing sky-high; in doing so, deal Billups for whatever they can get. As I said, It's an outside chance. But a possibilty nonetheless, especially considering that teams even better than them (Phoenix, for instance) have vowed to make major changes.

#2: Vince Carter,30,SG,NJ. Vince can't share. Vince doesn't care. Vince is quickly losing hair. But regardless of these faults, Carter remains a dynamic scorer who could be potentially attractive to many teams in need of that player they believe to be the missing link. Personally, I think he'd be making a mistake by opting out of the 16 million dollars he's owed this season. But Obviously, It's his prerogative. Not mine. A is the situation with Billups, however, he is not a young player. While not necessarily in decline, he's reached his upside already. None of the four aforementioned teams with cap space should go after him; the Raptors would make slight sense if not for the fact that he began his career there and demanded a trade. My prediction? He gets a three or four year extension for fourteen million or so to stay in Jersey. (As with Billups, there is an outside chance of a sign and trade, however unlikely).

That does it for the top two, more to come tomorrow!

Surprise, It's Rerun Thursday!

2007-05-31T14:48:00.000-05:00

Seeing as this day lacks juicy rumors beyond what we have heard for the past weeks, not to mention breaking news, I decided to experiment with what I will call 'Moves in Review'. In these entries we will look back at transactions through our 20-20 restrospect goggles, subsequently critiquing both ends of the deal. I hope you'll excuse the general flood of Dallas-area information I examine, but those are simply the moves I know best. (That is not to say, of course, that I won't be looking back upon the AJ Pierzinsky deal-so come back next Thursday!)

Today I've decided to run down Ranger GM Jon Daniels' first major action in his new job: The trade that rented Alfonso Soriano to the Washington Nationals.

Now, before looking at the raw production of the involved subjects lsat season let us examine the background information surrounding Alfonso Soriano and Brad Wilkerson-the two lynchpins.

Soriano, of course, came over with AA straggler Joaquin Arias in the Pay-Rod deal of 2004. He had hit 77 home runs in the previous two seasons, in addition to stealing 76 bases. He came to texas and posted a batting average of .274 over the next two years, hitting 64 home runs and driving in 195 from spots in the order as various as 1 and 4. His talents were never truly utilized in this stop of his career, as manager Buck Showalter forced Sori to shy away from his dynamic nature on the basepaths. In addition, he lacked the testicular resilience to force Soriano into a more natural left feld role, instead prompting AL batting champ Mike Young to move to shortstop.

There's no doubt that Soriano a disappointment in Texas. In reality there was no way he could have fulfilled expectations; he was percieved as the trade off for Alex Rodriguez. But what he managed to do was underperform-to the fans, and more importantly to the king of micromanagers, Buck Showalter.
Nobody ever received confirmation on this fact, but most believe that Daniels pulled the trigger at the behest of his manager. Between Soriano's blatant refusal to play the outfield (Which, interestingly, disappeared during his free agent year)and his Buck-angering demeanor (To be quite honest, though, is there anyone good enough for a micromanager?), at some point Showalter tired of his prize second baseman.
Brad Wilkerson came into the league in 2001, labeled as a tough, gritty player who exhibited talents in every facet of the game; power, plate discipline, defense, speed. He put up solid years in 2002 and 2003, his first couple of full-length seasons. But in '04, Wilkerson broke out by hitting 32 home runs. He gained the dubious moniker of being the Montrewashington ExpoNats' best hitter, and if the Rangers had attempted to trade Soriano for him straight up that offseason, they would have been sent away with tail tucked in shame.
Unfortunately for Brad, the coming season did not pan out. His home run total dropped by 21, his on base percentage by .023. Nevertheless, many dismissed this as a simple off-year; apparently Daniels counted himself amongst them.
Soriano went on to have a career year in Washington. Surprise surprise, the move to left field that he dreaded so much turned out to be the very thing that helped him earn a 136 million dollar payday from the Cubbies. However, when looking at his stats from last season, something is fishy... his 46 home runs contrasted rather badly with only 95 RBI. While this is partly to blame on the dreadful lineup the Nats trotted out there, something must be said about his penchant for hitting meaningless homers.
Wilkerson fared far worse both in financial strength and on field performance, however. He was injured for over half the year, and when on the diamond performed exceedingly poorly; hitting only .222 and playing defense below his usual standard.
The other principals Texas recieved in the deal were Armando Gallarage and Terrmel Sledge. Sledge was dealt to San Diego as part of the horrendous exchange later in the offseason, Gallaraga is wallowing in AA mediocrity keeping Mr. Arias company.
Washington got nothing other than Soriano officially, but they will collect two picks early in this year's draft as compensation for Soriano's departure.
All in all, the trade looks like an utter disaster. Washington recieved a monster season and two draft picks, Texas an oft-injured outfielder who has failed to deliver, an unimportant piece in an AWFUL trade, and a fading prospect. There isn't a doubt in my mind that when I grade this trade, I have to present...
Advantage: Washington.

Rashard Lewis is desirable somewhere

2007-05-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

People like to lump pro sports together; and in many ways this is a great mistake. One of the major discrepancies between the major sports is the way the entirety of the free agent system operates. Baseball and to a lesser extent hockey see a plethora of players jump ship regularly, picking up enormous contracts along the way. However, in the NFL and NBA the situation varies greatly. Truly primo players hit the free agent market once a decade (a la Shaq signing with the Lakers) so in the end teams end up haggling for a whole bunch of mediocre players who they hope will 'fit' into their specific system.
Rashard Lewis is a very nice player on an awful Seattle team. He signed a rather lucrative deal three years ago if I recall correctly,and could have remained in Seattle for a further 2 years for 22 million dollars. However, Seattle encountered an incredible stroke of luck on the night of the draft lottery. We all know of the buzz surrounding the two players projected to go in slots one and two in this year's draft (And if you dispute either of these players being in one of those slots, you are either on some incredible crack or a close relation to Mike Conley).
But I digress... Kevin Durant will go to Seattle at #2, barring any unforeseen consternation in the Portland front office or Mike Conley's sister being named Sonics GM.
Durant is 6'10, Lewis is 6'10. Durant's greatest stregth is his shooting ability, Lewis' defining trait is his shooting ability. They both play the small forward position. They are both skinny, athletic guys with Texas roots.
But Rashard Lewis is eight or nine years older, far higher paid for a shorter period of time, and lacks the upside of the UT prodigy. Therefore, Lewis saw that his role on the squad would be greatly diminished; and in fact he was a likely trade target even if he did keep the last two years of his deal. So Lewis opted out.
As you can see (Thank you, NBA, for this nifty system with which I can communicate handy dandy stats with a cool picture of the player in question!) Lewis is a very useful scorer, although a below average rebounder for his size. His defense is questionable but not awful, and his passing not terrible. (Keep in mind, the ONLY player on that Seattle team worth passing to is Ray Allen, so his lack of numbers in that category doesn't concern me)
His move is unconventional, in this light: His opt-out wasn't a move executed to try for a bigger payday. If I recall correctly, there is only one team in the association under the cap this offseason-Charlotte. So the likelihood is that he will leave in some sort of sign-and-trade, allowing Seattle to take their next franchise superstar and still get something for their second best player. Lewis would probably demand an extension from whichever team the Sonics would potentially deal him to; and he has the right to do so, as he is technically a free agent. But that should not be too large an issue, he's not an old player, nor did his work ethic come into question after he signed that 40 million dollar deal not too long ago.
To be honest, no team especially stands out to me as a perfect fit for him. Obviously the area team bias is in contention here; so allow me to offer up a deal I'll cite from a certain broadcaster who hails from the greatest sports station in the known galaxies (Skin of Sportsradio 1310 the Ticket).
Most crazy speculative deals fans have debated this offseason have included Jason Terry. It's not that we don't love the guy; to the contrary, most of us think he's wonderful both as a player and person. But he's just not a very good fit; too much of a score-first guard to play the 1, too small to play the 2, not quick enough for the one and not physical enough for the 2. He'd be optimal as a lightning rod of a sixth man playing either position, but Jerry Stackhouse takes most of the bench minutes already, and the team would lack a starting 2. In addition, he has a contract that while not unfeasible is sizable enough to factor into most major deals.
To Skin's deal... this one would send Terry and Erick Dampier to Seattle in return for Lewis and point guard Earl Watson. Personally, I think the exchange favors Dallas as far as player talent is concerned. It would allow the Mavs to run a lineup of Harris,Howard, Lewis, Nowitzki, and Diop with Stackhouse, Watson, Ager, Croshere, Mbenga, and hopefully a FA like Mikki Moore off the bench. Lewis doesn't fill a need; he's not a pass-first point guard or a post presence. But by essentially replacing Terry on the starting lineup, he offers the same game with 7 additional inches on his frame. In essence, he adds several more rebounds to the team and allows Devin Harris enough minutes at the 1 to properly develop his game. I am a big fan of the underrated Earl Watson, though. He isn't much of a scorer, but a solid perimeter defender with sizable passing ability. He'd be a terrific backup to Harris.
In conclusion, Lewis will be traded. It'd be nice to have him in Dallas. I'm tired. Good night.

Kobe Bryant is exasperated. Also, there are reports of Vitamin C in orange Juice.

2007-05-29T17:03:00.001-05:00

The best player in basketball wears the number 23.
His size identifies him as a prototypical swingman. He has the ability to singularly take over a game in several different ways.
He didn't win a playoff game this year.
At this point those who didn't read the title do a double take thinking that I've totally turned a blank stare to the Association since the Mav collapse, and don't know of the Cavalier run over in the pitiful eastern conference.
But then they'll realize I'm actually talking about he who dons the purple and yellow; he who ran Shaq out of town; he who passed up future championships to satisfy his precious ego .He who remains the most dynamic, unparalleled force in the NBA.
Anyway... the prima donna has hatched out another of his frequent fits. This time, he wishes to be reunited with longtime Laker player and exec Jerry West. That's all well and good, West did great things with the team. Kobe undoubtedly wants his squad to return to prominence (As long as everyone and their dog knows that it is in fact HIS squad). However... is Bryant really in any position to bemoan the state of the franchise? In reality, his stubbornness and immaturity are the reason that LA has fallen to where it has.
This sickens me. This guy sees the world as his oyster; a piece of seafood set to revolve around his person and act in accordance to his wishes(To rather confusingly combine two often misused cliches). He is oblivious to his own mistakes, and views developments on a purely personal level: How will this impact ME! Will I score more points? Win more championships? Come onto more hotel employees? Gain more scrutiny?
Sorry, that last part was slightly uncalled for. Kobe enjoys privacy as much as the next guy... especially if it pertains to the third distinction I mentioned.
If I were a Vegas oddsmaker, I'd set the chances of Kobe going elsewhere at an infinitesimal level. It's simply not going to happen. To get Kobe, a team would have to give up either a comparable superstar (Lebron) a top 2 pick in this year's draft+some serviceable pieces (Zach Randolph and the #1) or a combination of youngtalent too steep to justify(Think Chris Bosh+Andrea Bargnani+ any scrub player with a bloated contract). In short, the Lakers aren't giving up their identity without getting incredible, primo value in return around which they can build for the next 15 years. And the teams going after Kobe simply aren't going to sanely give up on their own long term future for 5 years of dominant Kobe.
So to conclude, Kobe is a whiny little expletive. He won't win a thing until he realizes that basketball is a team sport; and while he's perfectly capable of dissecting any defense in this league, he seems to be incapable of digesting this simple fact.

The Teixeira Conundrum-Speculation

2007-05-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

Mark Teixeira is a star.
He is 27 years old, hits for power, hits for average, fields like the gold glover he is. He has no noticeable character flaws and says all the right things. Most would look at all of these facts and see him as a franchise cornerstone, the type of guy to hang on to for preferably his entire career.
Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Why? The exact reasons for which he is so desirable.
Tex will be a free agent after the 08 season. He is represented by the baseball Antichrist, Scott Boras-and if anyone believes he will settle for a contract under 9 figures, I will personally guarantee that naivety is one of their primary character traits.
However, for some the question lingers. Tex is a home-grown player, the only significant player of that variety the organization has produced since Juan Gonzalez in the late 80s. His developement is a testament to scouting department, the minor league staff, the GM himself-for that matter, the entirety of the Texas front office. Dallas is not a small market, and Tom Hicks has in the past shown himself very capable of doling out the cash for an asset (And some considerably less valuable-see Chan Ho, Juan Gonzalez signing #2). This case is different, however, in several ways: Firstly, the team was for the most part bidding against themselves. In addition, these were two mercenaries; players out for nothing but the money. Teixeira stands to collect an enormous payday, but he has stated without end his desire to win as a major factor in his ultimate destination.
For this reason, then, doubts arise about the Rangers' ability to retain him. And with the team struggles during this awful season, cries have rung out from far and wide, imploring Rangers GM Jon Daniels to get a deal done.
The longer the team holds on to Tex, the more his value will diminish. A little more than a year ago, a straight up deal for Jake Peavy probably would have worked. Now, nobody expects as much as a #2 starter in return-nor do they want one. The state of the team is deplorable enough that most fans are actually clamoring for the club to go on rebuilding mode; deal anyone and everyone who has no future with the club, get a solid crop of youngsters to augment an extremely thin minor league system, and wait for the future.
Who are the probable suitors for the superstar first baseman? Allow me to rank them in order of probability, according to my humble speculation.
#1: Yankees. The team whose farm system was the laughingstock of the MLB has made great gains in that area throughout the last year, combining good drafting with good trades to accumulate a very deep, not to mention top-heavy group of youngsters. In addition, we all know the drama revolving around Jason Giambi; and even if he were to remain with the club he is more fit for a DH role much like David Ortiz plays in Boston. We all know about George Steinbrenner's financial flexibility, as well as his relationship with aforementioned baseball antichrist. A package that might work would send highly touted right fielder Jose Tabata and righty Humberto Sanchez. I also have an interesting idea which would help alleviate the Yankees' pitching woes, but that's for another day.
#2: Los Angeles Dodgers. Their first base situation is a mess- They've been playing a combination of the awful Olmaedo Saenz, the shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, and the second baseman Jeff Ken at the position. While the latter two are good players, neither is a natural first baseman. The Dodgers are badly lacking in power hitters, and have a plethora of young players to deal from. A Scott Elbert+Jonathan Broxton package would be optimal, although I'm not sure if the Dodgers would bite. If they don't perhaps James Loney could take the place of one of them.
#3: Baltimore Orioles: The superstar hails from the area and has displayed interest in returning, stating that it is somewhere he'd be delighted to play. Kevin Millar and Aubrey Huff make up a highly overrated duo of first basemen, they are by no means a permanent solution. Brandon Erbe and Nick Markakis would get the job done here.
#4:Anaheim Angels. Yes, I failed to refer to them as the Los Angeles California Angels from Heaven not hell commanded by God almighty who is non denominational of Anaheim USA. They are in a similar situation to the Dodgers: They need a big bat, are major contenders in a division without a great team, and have many prospects to barter. I'd look at a deal of Nick Adenhart and the Angels' current first baseman, Casey Kotchman- a solid, but not spectacular player. The impediment here is the fact that the Angels rip Texas to shreds as is, and adding another weapon to the division leader would cause much consternation within the Ranger front office.
#5: Boston Red Sox. I'm surprised at the amount of people who have brought this team up as the likeliest trade partner. I'd say the Sox are a long shot at best, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there's that little issue where Tex feels he was treated badly by the Red Sox when they drafted him in '98. It's said he harbors a minor grudge against the organization. In addition... Boston has a top notch first baseman in Kevin Youkilis already, who they retain at far cheaper. However, if for some odd reason the Sox were intent on picking him up, the most logical package would include Jacob Ellsburry and Jon Lester.
Well, those are the top 5 candidates in my estimation. I hope you enjoyed the first piece and decide to frequent my blog in the future!