Give It A Rest, Jim Bowden

Here are six other managers (three in each league) who have done very well with much less than what Girardi and Washington have. They are my choices for the best managers in baseball thus far in 2012.

…

1. Bobby Valentine, Boston Red Sox
Fans and the media have criticized Valentine more than any other manager this year. However, when the dust settles, the fact remains he’s been the AL’s best manager in the first half of the season.

It has been a Boston baptism by fire for Valentine, as he’s had to contend with major injuries to his bullpen (Andrew Bailey), outfield (Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury) and starting rotation (namely Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz), unpopular trades (Kevin Youkilis) as well as failed trades (Marlon Byrd), and rotation experiments (Daniel Bard). He inherited unhappy coaches and players who obviously weren’t ready for a new leader and a different way of doing business.
Despite all of this, Valentine’s squad sits 38-34, a mere 1 1/2 games out of the second AL wild-card berth. Valentine has done a tremendous job of managing his bullpen. Alfredo Aceves has been a revelation as the closer, going 18-for-21 in save opportunities. Scott Atchison, Matt Albers, Rich Hill and Andrew Miller all have ERAs under 3.00. Their success stems mostly from Valentine’s ability to put pitchers in the best position to succeed. Will Middlebrooks and Felix Doubront are developing into good big leaguers while the decimated outfield has somehow helped contribute to an offense that has scored the second most runs in baseball. Love him or hate him, Valentine has this team within striking distance of a wild card berth despite a plethora of obstacles.

These are the words of ESPN’s Jim Bowden.  He’s working for ESPN and not a Major League organization because his observations of talent are clearly lacking, both on and off the field.  I’m guessing every current GM (and agent) is pissed this guy isn’t running some organization so they can rip him off in trades.  There’s probably a good reason the last seven teams under Bowden’s control failed to have a winning record.

Anyway…

Bobby Valentine, the best manager in baseball so far in 2012?  Are you nuts?  Not only is his opinion incorrect in my mind, but he also determines his opinion to be a “fact.” Ha!

I don’t even know where to begin with this one, but I’ll start with the “unpopular trades” section where Bowden references Kevin Youkilis. Bowden clearly fails to remember that Valentine was the one calling Youk out for underperforming nine games into the season, tearing up the locker room.  There was almost a mutiny led by Duston Pedroia.  Does that really seem like good managing to you?

 David Ortiz isn’t happy and he’s speaking out about team chemistry.

Buster Olney said he's heard of unhappiness "not in just one corner, but multiple corners, different parts of the organization -- on issues of communication, on issues of how things are handled, and it was really striking."

Nice work, manager.

Valentine also had a reported rift early in the year with GM Ben Cherington about Daniel Bard’s role and keeping Jose Iglesias in the bigs.

At the time Valentine wrote this article, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz had missed a combined three starts.

It’s disingenuous to claim that guys outperforming expectations (ie Atchison) have done so because of Valentine’s tutelage but guys underperformers have only themselves to blame.

So, many of his players hate him, the locker room is in turmoil, he called out one of his most popular players for no great reason, and his team is in the middle of the standings. 

Come on, Jim.



This post was originally published on sportscensure.blogspot.com

Chad Ford, NBA GMs are NOT Your Friend

Chad Ford put together no fewer than 14 mock drafts over the last few months. Today's version had a whole bunch of nuggets, tidbits, and "inside info"...or so he thought. It even included each team's draft board as if the guys in charge would actually tell him the truth so he could publish it on ESPN and all the other teams could read it.

Hilarious.

He confidently tweeted earlier in the week that he was feeling good about his top 13:

Whoops.

Turns out in his last mock he went 3-for-the-first 21 (including Anthony Davis whom everyone knew was going number 1).

Maybe, he will finally figure out that no intelligent team would allow their employees to give true information to a writer.



This post was originally published on sportscensure.blogspot.com

Daryl Morey Covets Middling Forwards, Not Dwight Howard

I’m pretty sick of the Daryl Morey love going on with NBA talking heads.  From Bill Simmons calling him Dork Elvis to all sabermetrically-inclined analysts wetting themselves over Morey’s work, I can’t take it anymore.

Two years ago on The Banter, I wrote this:

As the Rockets' season comes to yet another disappointing close tonight, I am left asking myself a potentially blasphemous question: is Daryl Morey overrated?

On a personal level, I am enamored with Morey. I have met him twice while attending his MIT Sports Analytics Conference (each of the last two years) and came away extremely impressed both times. He's approachable, well-spoken, and genuinely likeable in a Seth Rogen kind of way. Bill Simmons christened him "Dork Elvis" for his popularity among statheads.

Professionally, Morey is credited with revolutionizing player analysis by using quantitative analysis to greatly supplement his and his scouts' views. Many in the industry believe him to be one of the game's brightest managerial stars.

In a recent edition of his "NBA Future Power Rankings Column" (Insider access required), ESPN's Chad Ford ranked the Rockets 10th, based largely on the team's "management." In fact, of all 30 teams, he rated Houston second best in this category. Granted, this category takes into account more than just the GM, but Morey clearly steers this ship.

So, where's the problem?

Simple. The performance of a GM's team, not his academic credentials (Morey received his MBA from MIT), should do the talking, and in this case, I am not wowed. Despite inheriting a 52-win team, Morey's teams have won only one playoff series in his three years.

Let's look at Morey's history.

Less than two weeks into his new role as front office boss in Houston, Morey fired head coach Jeff Van Gundy on May 18, 2007 (after the team's third first-round exit in four seasons under JVG) and replaced him with Rick Adelman. Aside from JVG's disastrous 2005-6 season, these two coaches have had virtually identical success in Houston. A lateral move for the most part - although ESPN greatly benefited since JVG has proven to be a great TV commentator.

Under Adelman, in the 2007-8 season, the Rockets finished with the sixth best record in the Western Conference and lost to the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 2008-9 season, they finished with the fifth best record in the Western Conference and beat the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs before succumbing to the Lakers in the second round.

This year, they will not make the playoffs.

Morey might not have an open checkbook, but over the last three years, Houston has been in the top half of the NBA in terms of dollars spent on salary. Now, I understand injuries have played a role as Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady have missed significant time over the last three years for a variety of ailments. But again, the mark of success in the NBA lies in a team's performance, namely its playoff performance, and Morey's squads have failed in this regard.

Has he made good moves (his draft history includes the likes of Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry)? Yes.

Has he made great moves (ripping off the Knicks and Kings at the 2010 trade deadline)? Absolutely.

In the end though, just because a General Manager uses numbers in an innovative way, hires a dozen interns, and gets a nickname from a famous sportswriter, it does not make him great at his job.

Bottom Line: Morey might turn out to be one of the game's all-time greats. Unfortunately, thus far, the team has not markedly improved since he took over three years ago. Until that happens and the team makes at least one deep run in the postseason, I believe it is premature to call him one of the game's best.

**********

What has changed since then?

Aside from the Rockets missing the playoffs twice more, not much.  Just about everything I wrote still rings true.

What I didn’t realize then was that Morey was also a hoarder of middling power forwards.

Jared Jeffries, Brian Cook, Carl Landry, Jordan Hill, Luis Scola, Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Chuck Hayes, the list goes on.

His appetite is insatiable. How else do you explain trading for Jon Brockman and Jon Leuer?  Really, does anyone expect this Howard deal to go through?  I think Morey would be thrilled starting five of the guys I just mentioned.  

He’s not trying to trade for Dwight Howard.  He’s going to keep the 12th, 16th, and 18th picks so he can grab Andrew Nicholson, Arnett Moultrie, and Jared Sullinger.



This post was originally published on sportscensure.blogspot.com

Humblebrag or D-bag?

Should have read: I'm John Hollinger, and I don't give a f$&* about you. Too busy not improving my PER calculation.

John Hollinger, you are popular for about six hours per year, and that's only because information is limited around draft time. Someone wants your opinion? Be thankful.


This post was originally published on sportscensure.blogspot.com 

Time to Hang ' Em, Jamie

49-year old Jamie Moyer - and all his stirrup glory - just signed with his third team this season trying to give it yet another go.

This guy has won 269 games over his 25-year career.

Jamie, despite making only $60,000 in your rookie season, you have earned over $82 million in your playing career, and you are a dork. There's no way you blew through that money Antoine Walker style. I just can't picture you making it rain in South Beach. You are loaded.

There are ~200 players currently on big league rosters that were born after you made your Major League debut.

You pitched against a team that had a player-coach, Pete Rose. Oh yea, Rose just turned 71 years old in April.

You were the oldest player in the American League... in 2005.

You've given up the most home runs in the history of Major League Baseball.

Some players dream of reaching free agency. You've signed as a free agent 12 (!) times.

You throw 81mph. 

It's time to hang 'em and enjoy being old. And if you get bored, it won't be long before Just for Men comes calling.


This post was originally published on sportscensure.blogspot.com

A Crazy Month

Life

-May 30, 2012 will go down as one of the best days of my life. My daughter was born at 3:05am after an exciting 21-hour labor. She and mom are doing great.

Sorry I haven't posted in a month but I've had much better things to do.
______________________________________

Baseball

-Jason Bay
My favorite Mets blog, Amazin' Avenue, had a post the other day with which I will take a bit of umbrage. 

Writer Eric Simon takes offense that people booed Jason Bay after he got injured the other night against the Reds.  I'm not condoning the fact that some fans booed Bay when he got a concussion, but please spare me that we should give him a break because "he's trying his hardest." That simply isn't good enough.

Over the last two and a half years, Bay has been a disaster, and the Mets have paid him almost $40m.

Why are ticket prices so high? One reason is because of a high payroll, and as a fan I am perfectly happy paying to see the team play, but if you are not producing, and I have to pay more money because you are way overpaid, I am going to boo you and have every right to do so no matter how hard that player might be trying.

On the play in question, Bay looked lost trying to catch the ball and his misplay led to an inside-the-park home run (and his concussion). He just is not good at baseball right now and deserves to be booed.

I do respect Jon Rauch sticking up for his teammate. Seems like a class move.


-Radio announcers
Yesterday, I went to a wedding in New Jersey and listened to a decent amount of baseball on the radio. I was left wondering how John Sterling has a job.

I listeded to four innings of the Yanks at Nationals game and heard these beauties:

+He refered to the team from DC as the "Capitals" twice.
+He reminded us when the score was tied in the bottom of the 11th inning that the Yankees would probably want this game to get to the 12th so they could win (have a little respect for your listeners, please)
+He pronounced Craig Stammen's name at least four different ways.
+As soon as the game went into extra innings, Sterling told the listeners at least seven times that Chris Stewart - the Yankees' backup catcher and only remaining position player at the time - would not be used unless of dire emergency (basically death of one of the eight position players still playing). It would have been more than seven if Joe Girardi didn't use Stewart the first chance he got with two outs in the top of the 12th.

Suzyn Waldman is terrible too, but everyone knows that already. I haven't heard 28 of these others crews, but I imagine that I would be in agreement about this list on Fangraphs.

On the flip side, Howie Rose and Josh Lewin - the Mets' announcers - were incredible. I listened to them on the way home for an hour and was thoroughly entertained the whole time. Yes, I am a Mets fan and might be slightly partial to their announcers, but even so they were very enjoyable despite the fact the Mets were losing. They mixed in relevant stats and stories, a novel idea.


-Mets
While I am on the topic of the Mets, congrats, Johan (two weeks overdue). That was a great moment in the middle of what has been a great season thus far. I told myself I wouldn't do it, but I'm a believer in the fact this team can make a run at the playoffs.

Food for thought: it would be slightly funny if the Mets played great for the next month and a half while the Cardinals faltered followed by a Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran deal.


-Jon Heyman
My least favorite writer is at it again with one of the worst articles that I have read about baseball, maybe ever. It pains me to link it because it will make it seem like people actually liked it, but here it is.

Scott Boras' henchman Heyman claims that former Yankees backup is now "human insurance." This is incredibly dumb on so many levels.


First, if Cervelli is "human insurance" then so too is every single minor leaguer.



No one should have to serve as human insurance. Especially, not this guy.

Second, Cervelli is better known for his ridiculous helmet than his on-field acumen. He has five career homers to his name in the Majors. Heyman would have you believe he's some kind of stud.

Third, what is up with that bio picture of Heyman. Sweet clown grip on the bat, bro.

Maybe worst of all, CBS' Danny Knobler, a writer who has served as a guest on one of my Banter podcasts and whom I respect, linked us to the article on Twitter by saying "Cervelli is living out of his car" making it sound like he was homeless or something like that. Not a fan of this move.


-Fantasy baseball injuries
Let me vent for a minute. This season the following players were all on my team and missed significant time: Jayson Werth, Nick Markakis, Carlos Lee, Jon Lucroy, Chris Ianetta (14-team, 2-catcher league so this actually matters), Brandon Beachy, John Danks, Brandan Morrow, and Derek Holland. We are barely one-third of the way through the season.

Not my year.


-Stony Brook
 How is awesome is this run by the Seawolves. I hope it lasts well into this week. Great story.
______________________________________

Basketball

-Here's my one and only 2012 NBA Mock Draft:

1) New Orleans: Anthony Davis, PF/C, Kentucky

2-60) No one cares

I love drafts. All of them. Any sport. Ever.

Or at least I thought I did. 

I have never been as disinterested in a draft as I am about this upcoming one. It's a one-player draft, and he's going number one. See ya later suspense.

The Cavaliers have reportedly offered the 4th, 24th, 33rd, and 34th picks for the top selection, and they were rejected in about 0.0004 seconds. Why? Because everyone not named Anthony Davis will be lucky to see a starting role in 2013 or an All Star game in their career.

______________________________________

Soccer

-Huge game for Croatia tomorrow against Spain. They can garner some respect in the soccer world if they can even squeeze out a tie. That might also be enough to get them through to the next round depending on the score. Call me crazy but if they advance, they have a shot to win the whole thing. Why not make a prediction:

Croatia 2, Germany 1

-My wife and I struggled for about 15 minutes trying to figure out what the Roman numeral "LVIV" was. Turns out, it's a city in Ukraine. Whoops.

Separated at Birth, Father's Day Edition

My daughter and me (circa 1983).

This is my life

Targeted advertisement to me on Amazon these days looks like this:

Video games and an athletic girl baby.

Awesome.

NFL Draft Grades

The three-day carnival known as the NFL Draft came to an end yesterday, and now it's time to way too prematurely grade the picks / decisions of your favorite teams. I am writing this article before reading any other pundit's grades so I am not influenced. We'll set a reminder in three years to see whose grades turned out to be more accurate.

A

Bengals: I'm about 96% sure that Cincinnati's scouting department consists of three dudes sitting around watching as much SportsCenter as possible. Ocassionally, they wil mix in a college game featuring teams ranked in the top 25. During the week, they'll troll the police blotter for potential prospects. This year, though, it worked. They found great value at defensive tackle in both the second (Penn State's Devon Still) and third (Clemson's Brandon Thompson) rounds. They also grabbed TE Orson Charles - probably best known to this point for destroying Florida's national championship trophy - who will provide another weapon for the Red Rifle. My favorite sleeper of the class is Boise State S George Iloka, who was drafted using the pick acquired from the Giants in return for LB Keith Rivers. For good measure, they added one of the top three cornerbacks in the draft, Dre Kirkpatrick who happens to have off the field issues, perfect. Plus, they grabbed national headlines thanks to the Mo Sanu phone prank story and for signing "troubled" Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict.

Eagles: Hello revamped defense. Philadelphia was abused last year on the defensive side of the ball, but a trade for LB DeMeco Ryans combined with the players they acquired in this draft will go a long way to changing that. The Eagles used four of their first five picks on very good defenders (including Banter-favorite CB Brandon Boykin from Georgia). I'm expecting DT Fletcher Cox, LB Mychal Kendricks, and DE Vinnie Curry to start right away. I also like seventh round lotto ticket RB Bryce Brown from Kansas State as a backup to Shady McCoy.

Packers: As witnessed by last season's playoff debacle, the problems in Green Bay were solely on defense. GM Ted Thompson took big steps towards rectifying that situation by using the team's first six draft choices on that side of the ball. The defensive tackles (Jerel Worthy and Mike Damiles) selected by the Pack should pay immediate dividends, and despite the fact new teammate Jermichael Finley didn't know who he was, first rounder Nick Perry will line up opposite Clay Matthews to attack opposing quarterbacks.

Steelers: That sound you heard from western Pennsylvania this weekend was Big Ben celebrating the fact that he won't be on his backside nearly as much this season. Pittsburgh spent their top two picks on offensive linemen (David DeCastro and Mike Adams) that will both be a huge upgrade over the patchwork line the Steelers employed last year.Washington DT Alameda Ta'amu and LB Sean Spence are made in the Steelers' mold too. In the fifth round, they took Florida RB/WR Chris Rainey who will add a new dimension to the offense. Solid from top to bottom.

Rams: This is more a reflection on the future value St. Louis was able to acquire rather than the players they selected this year which is impressive because this roster got a whole lot more talented. After the deal with Washington, the Rams have two first rounders in 2013 and 2014. In this draft, I loved the Michael Brockers, Trumaine Johnson, and Chris Givens picks. I also thought the risk of grabbing troubled babymaker Janoris Jenkins 39th overall is a worthwhile gamble especially since they have a great mentor for him in Cortland Finnegan. Nice work Jeff Fisher.


B

Bills: What an offseason for this team. Mario Williams got the train rolling, and it hasn't stopped. This is a very solid haul for Buffalo. CB Stephon Gilmorewill be an instant impact starter and so will G Cordy Glenn. LSU CB Ron Brooks was overshadowed by Morris Claiborne and the Honey Badger, but he will see time as at least a nickel back. What TCU LB Tank Carder lacks in measurables, he makes up for in heart and productivity.

Ravens: A classic Baltimore draft. They traded out of the first round and still managed to see a top-20 talent (Courtney Upshaw) fall into their laps. They solidified the interior offensive line with a couple guards that might contribute right away after Ben Grubbs left for the greener pastures of New Orleans. I also liked their picks of Temple RB Bernard Pierce (3rd) and Miami WR Tommy Streeter (7th). Efficient work, again.

Giants: Typical Jerry Reese. Just hung around and let the draft come to you. This guy makes the process look ridiculously easy. First round RB David Wilson will get touches right away and serves as an instant upgrade ober Brandon Jacobs. New York then grabbed LSU WR Ruben Randle in the midst of his inexplicable free fall to #63. Virginia Tech CB Jayron Hosley fell to the end of the third round, likely because of a failed drug test. If he can stay clean, these top three picks could be comparable to any other team's top trio this year. I didn't love four through seven but it's hard for me to question the maestro.

Cardinals: Michael Floyd will thrive next to fellow Minnesotan Larry Fitzgerald. Also glad they addressed the offensive line situation by taking three tackles with between rounds 4 and 7, including Nate Potter from Boise State, whom I likes as a third round pick. San Diego State QB Ryan Lindley can sling it and has to be thrilled at trying to compete with the underwhelming duo of John Skelton and Kevin Kolb for playing time.

Bucs: I think they reached a bit for Mark barron and Doug Martin but both will make an immediate impact. LB Lavonte David from Nebraska is a bit undersized but was a tacking machine in Lincoln. Sounds like Derrick Brooks to me. RB LaGarrette Blount should rent, not buy in Tampa after this draft.

Chargers: Clearly San Diego felt they needed to upgrade its defensive line as they used their top two picks to improve the front four talent. I loved South Carolina DE/LB Melvin Ingram, and I like UConn DT Kendall Reyes. I also like third round S Brandon Taylor from LSU and fourth rounder Ladarius Green from LA-Lafayette might be the heir apparent to Antonio Gates. To me, though, the best pick of the weekend was Michigan C David Molk in the seventh round.

Colts: Andrew Luck was a no-brainer, but I like the way that they revamped the entire offense. Seven of their first eight picks came on offense, including two tight ends, the position of choice for Luck's targeting while he was at Stanford. One of those tight ends also happened to be his college teammate Coby Fleener.

I would have been a lot more excited about Coby Fleener if he had ears, but the Colts' draft was still solid.

C

Jaguars: I really like Jacksonville's first two picks, WR Justin Blackmon and DE Andre Branch. Jacksonville finally listened and grabbed an impact, playmaking receiver. They also selected a player in Branch that will start immediately. Then they went and ruined the whole thing by taking a punter, yes a punter, in the third round. Two steps forward, one step back.

Lions: The Good- Detroit picked an offensive lineman to help protect Matthew Stafford; they used their last six picks on cornerbacks and linebackers (three each); they grabbed Ryan Broyles, a favorite of mine in this draft. The Bad- Their offense was not the issue last year, the defense was; waiting until the 85th pick to address this issue is not smart; OT Riley Reiff isn't that good. Neither Good Nor Bad- Three of Detroit's eight picks came from Oklahoma.

Browns: I love Trent Richardson despite the history of highly drafted running backs being less than stellar. I also like the selection of QB Brandon Weeden because it probably means Colt McCoy won't be taking snaps for this team next year. Unfortunately, they still don't have any wide receivers of consequence. Greg Little can't carry this crew by himself and without a threat through the air, I'm not sure how the ground game will be effective at all.

Jets: I would have preferred Melvin Ingram over Quinton Coples in the first round, but we need to trust Rex. If WR Stephen Hill can be as good as pundits think, he'll be a steal in the second round. After that though, it's a mixed bag. I like the safety they picked in the seventh round (Antonio Allen) more than the one they selected 55 spots earlier (Josh Bush). They also failed to pick a replacement for overmatched OT Wayne Hunter. I did like the pick of WR Jordan White, a player I asked the Jets to take last week.

Panthers: It's tough to dislike Luke Kuechly. He was one of the most productive college linebackers in the history of college football, but the track record for drafting linebackers in the top-10 is poor at best. Carolina hasn't had the best luck with injuries to first round linebackers either (Dan Morgan, Jon Beason, Thomas Davis). The rest of the class is unexciting too.

Cowboys: The Cowboys went all-in on one player as they moved up eight spots in the first round to acquire LSU CB Morris Claiborne, but it cost them their second round pick. For a team that finished 8-8 last season, I don't think this was the best use of resources.


Dolphins: If I gave these grades after the first round, it would have been an F because I'm not comfortable mortgaging the next three-to-five years on a quarterback that predominantly played wide receiver in college. The good news for the 17 Miami fans that exist is that the rest of the draft was decent. OT Jon Martin will start right away, Lamar Miller was a bargain at the top of the fourth round, and I have a soft spot for uber-productive receivers like WR Rishard Matthews (91 catches, 1,364 yards, and 8 touchdowns as a senior at Nevada last year).

Titans: I didn't think wide receiver was a pressing need to Tennessee unless Kenny Britt is behind schedule in his recovery from injury. Still, Baylor WR Kendall Wright could be a weapon for QB Jake Locker for the next ten years. The rest of the class is ok, but I'm not sure they got anything more than backups and special teamers for the upcoming season.

Redskins: This is the RGIII draft for Washington. Everyone knows that. The thing I don't know is why they grabbed QB Kirk Cousins in the fourth round instead of getting their top prize another weapon. The Skins didn't have a second rounder and that's not a luxury this team can afford. If RGIII becomes a superstar, this grade will seem way too low, but I'm just not a fan of the other picks.


D

49ers: San Francisco knew their defense was world class and focused on offense. They reached for their top two picks, WR AJ Jenkins and RB LaMichael James, but at least they fill positions of need.

Vikings: They moved back one spot at the top of the first round, picked up some extra picks, and still got the player they seemingly wanted, OT Matt Kalil. Unfortunately, that was the only pick in this whole class that I really like. UCF CB Josh Robinson - the fastest player at this year's Combine - can run like the wind, but that doesn't necessarily translate to being a good football player.

Patriots: Kind of a buzzkill draft for New England. Their top two picks - Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones - will definitely help right away, but after that I don't see it. Last year when they had just a so-so draft we could say at least they got a future first rounder as part of their haul. Fans in New England can't be that thrilled that this is all the Pats came away with after having extra picks in higher rounds for what seemed like the last five years.

Bears: To me, they reached a little for Boise State LB Shea McClellin in the first round, but WR Alshon Jeffrey was a nice pick in the second. The reason they are graded so poorly is because they failed to address the offensive line problem. Obviously Jay Cutler will need time to make throws to Jeffrey and newly acquired Brandon Marshall, but no player selected by Chicago will help with that issue.

Texans: Defensive ends Whitney Mercilus and Jared Crick should help fill a small portion of the gaping void left by Mario Williams' departure, but I don't see value in the rest of this class. They cut Eric Winston earlier in the offseason but then waited until the sixth round to address the position. Their two third round picks gained more noteriety off the field than on. G Brandon Brooks wasn't invited to the Combine, and WR DeVier Posey was one of five Ohio State Buckeyes suspended to start the year.

Falcons: Hamstrung by last year's trade to acquire WR Julio Jones which cost them their first rounder, Atlanta's haul was pretty underwhelming. They got good value with C Pete Konz from Offensive Linemen University, but I'm not sure that this class will provide more than one or two long-term starters.


F

Broncos: Denver finished 8-8 last season. They were lucky to make the playoffs largely because of the ineptitude of the rest of their division and the heroics of Tim Tebow. Tebow is gone, having been replaced by a guy named Peyton. This was a vital draft to continue the momentum of turning this team into a serious contender in 2012. Unfortunately for them and their fans, the haul was pretty terrible. There's not one pick that I love (even Brock Osweiler whom Swag and I picked to go in this exact spot in our mock). Peyton can't be happy right now.

Chiefs: Using a high first round pick on a player that was not productive at all in college leaves me scratching my head. DT Dontari Poe was the star of the Combine, but I'm not buying the hype. The rest of the draft is also way too blah for my liking. Kansas City has a chance to win the AFC West next year, but this draft won't be the reason why.

Seahawks: Bruce Irvin looks more like a situational pass rusher than an every down defensive end. It's hard to justify spending a top-15 pick on a niche player. They also used their third pick on quarterback that won't be higher than third on their depth chart this year. Hard for me to find even one pick I would have made myself.

Raiders: Notice a trend here? That's three of the four teams in the AFC West that ended up with F grades from me. At least Oakland can take a bit of solace knowing they didn't lose much ground on the division over the last three days. For what it's worth, Arizona WR Juron Criner intrigues me a little.

Saints: They dealt this year's first rounder for RB Mark Ingram during the 2011 Draft, and their second rounder was stripped because of bounty-gate. This was a terrible draft for New Orleans. They better get Drew Brees signed long term because this team can use some positive PR.

Third-Year Juniors declaring early for draft : Alvester Alexander (Wyoming), Vontaze Burfict (Arizona State), Tiree Eure (Minnesota), Cliff Harris (Oregon), Aldarius Johnson (Miami), Donte Paige-Moss (North Carolina), Ken Plue (Purdue), Darron Thomas (Oregon), Johnny Thomas (Oklahoma State), and Phillip Thomas (Syracuse) all had eligibility remaining after their junior seasons. Each of them decided to declare for the draft, surrendering eligibilty, and each went undrafted. Happens every year, but it still never makes sense to me.

Darft Preview: New York Jets

As I eluded to in my New Year’s Day blog, the Jets have a plethora of needs and holes to fill on the roster.

Not sure if you heard, but they traded for Tim Tebow, solidifying the backup quarterback spot and hopefully motivating Mark Sanchez to do bigger and better things.  This drops the need to address the position down the list.

The Jets also signed LaRon Landry which eliminates the dire need to select a safety.

That leaves the team with these holes remaining, in order of importance:

Pass Rusher: As a fan, it was incredibly frustrating to watch the lack of pressure being applied on opposing quarterbacks. This must have driven Rex Ryan crazy. He was forced to dial up blitzes repeatedly, and even those didn’t have much success.

Playmaker: In terms of addressing this need, the Jets signed WR Chaz Schilens. In other words, they still have a need for playmakers. I’ve mentioned on a number of occasions that this team relied way too heavily on Big 10 players at the skill positions. Plax (Michigan State), Santonio Holmes (Ohio State), Derrick Mason (Michigan State), Shonn Greene (Iowa), and Dustin Keller (Purdue) were all supposed to play important roles in the 2011 offense. That is not a winning combination.

Offensive Lineman: Wayne Hunter needs to be replaced. Not much more needs to be said.

Linebacker: Bart Scott’s career is on its last legs, and Bryan Thomas is slowing as well. Calvin Pace can look great one week and very mediocre the next. Aside from David Harris, this is a position in transition.

Depth: It’s a luxury every team covets but few actually have. Injuries, namely to Jim Leonhard, late in the last two seasons have played a part in derailing their Super Bowl aspirations. It will be important to plan for the possibility/probability of injury. Running back depth behind Greene and McKnight wouldn’t hurt. Neither would some offensive line depth and a developmental quarterback.

If not for a late-season injury, Broyles might have been a second round pick. Let's hope the Jets capitalize.

Ideal Jets Draft

1 (16): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

2 (47): Bruce Irvin, DE/LB, West Virginia

3 (77): Nate Potter, OT, Boise State

5 (154): Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

6 (187): Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State

6 (202): Sammy Brown, DE/LB, Houston

6 (203): Tank Carder, LB, TCU

7 (232): Dan Persa, QB, Northwestern

7 (242): Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan

7 (244): Josh Dworacyzk, OG, LSU

*I tried to find a way for the Jets to take Georgia CB Brandon Boykin (aka one of the famed “Georgia Brothers”) but there were too many pressing needs elsewhere.

Weekend Thoughts and Observations

-What a great weekend. Saw a whole bunch of people that I rarely see, and it was awesome.

-We went to the Mets game Saturday where they almost blew the game in the most Mets-ish way possible. After taking a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the 8th with no one out and runners on first and second, Ike Davis managed to get himself picked off first by catcher Buster Posey. One dead. In the same at bat, David Wright got himself thrown out trying to steal third. Rally ended.

Not a problem, right? Wrong. It's the Mets we are talking about here. In the top of the ninth, "closer" Frank Francisco surrendered two hits and a walk before being yanked. After a strikeout, Brandon Belt hit a lazy fly ball to shallow center. SS Ruben Tejada and CF Kirk Nieuwehuis miscommunicated and turned a surefire out (and victory) into a double* and a tie ballgame.

*The fact that this is considered a double in the book is a joke of epic proportions.

Thankfully, the Mets were able to score a crazy run of their own in the bottom of the inning to keep Terry Collins from jumping off a bridge.

-Oh yea, and before the game my friend GMoneyRHP were selected to be on SNY's Beer Money where we won a nice chunk of change. The episode will air in May, apparently.

-This article on NFL Draft prospects getting arrested was published on Friday morning. That night, Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard was arrested for fighting a cop. Coincidence? I think not.

-I read this article and thought to myself that the name Danny Ray Herrera sounds more like that of a presidential assassin than it does a Major League pitcher. Using your middle name should never be an option. Kinda like naming your son Adolf. Just don't do it.

-This week, Angels SS Erick Aybar signed a four-year $35m contract. Um, what? Erick f*^&*(&^'in Aybar? Do I have the decimal in the wrong place? Contract Negotiations 101: Don't offer a guy $9m a year when he's never hit more than 10 homers in a season regardless of how good he might be defensively. It's bad business

-I didn't watch one minute of the Fenway 100 Year Celebration, but holy crap Mo Vaughn looks enormous in this picture:

-I'm fairly certain Matt Kemp isn't a real human. 9 homers in his first 57 at bats and an OPS above 1.500. Wow.

NFL: Mock Draft 2.0 (Part IV)

Round Two

33.St. Louis (TSB): Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia - The Rams got their wide receiver in Justin Blackmon, now they grab the guy that will cover him in practice every day. A nice complement to free agent CB Cortland Finnegan.

34.Indianapolis (TSB): Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech - Draft Bible Chapter 4, Verse 10: When you take a franchise quarterback in the first round, get him either a receiver or an offensive tackle in Round 2.

Swag commentary: I didn’t know the Rams had a roster spot for CB’s, good to know they have them, be a good idea to fill them. Love the Stephen Hill pick, he’ll be a burner on that turf in Indy, same body type as another GT alum who plays in Detroit.

35.Minnesota (Swag): Reuben Randle, WR, LSU - Big body, above average speed, good compliment to Percy Harvin and Kyle Rudolph and another weapon for Christian Ponder to work with. Durable, something that’s the complete opposite of Percy Harvin.

36.Tampa Bay (Swag): Doug Martin, RB, Boise State - Need a compliment to LaGarrette Blount who’s a heavy downhill power back, Martin has great ability out of the backfield in the passing game and could be used right away on 3^rd downs.

TSB commentary: Two personal favorites of mine. Both good fits here. Martin’s a good character guy which is more than we can say for the incumbent in Tampa Bay so I think Schiano goes with him right off the bat.

37.Cleveland (TSB): Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State - Colt McCoy got his weapons in Round 1, now he gets his competition in Round 2.  Weeden is actually three years older than McCoy. If age wasn’t a factor (currently he’s 28), he’s a no doubt first rounder. It’s not like NFL guys last that long anyway. If you can get five years out of him, that’s a win.

Colt McCoy better not get too comfortable with this guy lurking

38. Jacksonville (TSB): Shea McClellin, DE/LB, Boise State – The Jaguars have plenty of needs on the defensive side of the ball, but none more so than at defensive end.

Swag commentary: Actually love Weeden as well, I think his maturity and experience in professional baseball should hold more stock than his age. I think he’s ready to handle the pressure in the NFL, and like you said, if you can get some solid years out of him, it’s a low risk-high reward move.

39. St. Louis (Swag): Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina – Rams have only 4 LB’s under contract on their roster, and they’re not too impressive. Brown is impressive: As a member of the UNC track team he set the school record in the indoor 60-meter dash with a 6.72 in 2009 (remember, he’s a linebacker). Had a 29-0 record as a high school wrestler. Translate to the NFL? We’ll see but I’d bet he’s better than what they have.

40. Carolina (Swag): Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina – Personally not a huge fan of Jeffery, but they could use a big target opposite of Steve Smith and Jeffery could provide just that. Not a burner, but can go up and get it for you.

TSB commentary: Brown is a freak athlete. He’ll look real good next do James Laurinaitis, maybe they’ll form a modern day Legion of Doom. I like Jeffery but I’m biased towards players that produce on the field.

41. Buffalo (TSB): Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers - Let’s get our Harvard boy some weapons on the outside.

42. Miami (TSB): Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas - See the Colts’ pick in this round for more details.

Swag commentary: Each quarterback would be happy with the extra weapons, like Sanu even though he had a mediocre showing at the combine – miraculously ran better at his pro-day.

43. Seattle (Swag): Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska - I think getting him here presents great value, he’s a complete LB and someone who could play right away in Seattle and help solidify that defense.

44. Kansas City (Swag): Kendall Reyes, DT, Connecticut - Run stuffing DT is something this team has been lacking since whiffing on 1^st rounders in recent years. Reyes wowed in his interviews, very intelligent and apparently picks up schemes very quickly. He’s light for a DT at a shade under 300, but very strong (36 reps at Combine). Could go higher than this.

TSB commentary: I was about to grab Reyes for the Eagles at 46 so I think this is a good area for him to go.

45. Dallas (TSB): Peter Konz, G/C, Wisconsin - Position of need. Could be in the league for 10+ years. Solid, if not spectacular player.

46. Philadelphia (TSB): Nick Perry, LB, USC - They got DeMeco Ryans a few weeks back, but Perry will help revamp this linebacking corps. Move over Penn State. USC’s the new Linebacker U.

Swag commentary: Like the pick for Dallas, they’ve long since needed help on the offensive line, this is a great pick here. Philly needs to pay attention to a lack of talent at LB, another solid pick.

47. New York Jets (Swag): Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State - Raw, but talented. If he had more experience or went to a big time school he’d be a first rounder “with upside”, big body and raw talent.

48. New England (From Oak) (Swag): Josh Robinson, CB, Central Florida - Absolute burner, if he can’t contribute on defense maybe he can take Julian Edelman’s spot on offense.

TSB commentary: The Jets definitely need playmakers so I like the thought process. I had Josh Robinson on the radar too. That’s twice now Swag. Watch yourself.

49. San Diego (TSB): Devon Still, DT, Penn State - Run stuffer that can clog the middle of this D.   

50. Chicago (TSB): Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma - The Urlacher/Briggs combo can’t keep playing forever. Time to plan for the future.

Swag commentary: Interesting going with Travis over Ronnell, but Travis was simply more productive and was much more durable. San Diego gets nice value with Still, who dominated the Big Ten.

51. Philadelphia (Swag): Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame - Been looking for something, anything, since Brian Dawkins left. Actually think Smith is a bit underrated going into this draft. Must be the fact ND hasn’t produced a productive football player since Justin Tuck.

52. Tennessee (Swag): Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin - Titans would’ve loved to have Smith make it to them, but will have to settle with shoring up the offensive line. Their head coach is a former offensive lineman, Wisconsin produces great lineman, would be a great fit here.

TSB commentary: Two Midwestern boys. Rumors have Smith going as high as mid-first round so this is nice value. Zeitler probably loves eating brats.  I can’t give an honest assessment of Zeitler’s playing abilities because even though I watched Wisconsin play nine times this year,  I don’t remember noticing this guy once. He’s a guard so that isn’t shocking, but I’m just being truthful.

53. Cincinnati (TSB): Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska -  First round talent slipping because of injury.

54. Detroit (TSB): David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech - Another first round talent. Lions can’t trust Jahvid Best anymore.

Swag commentary: Love David Wilson, think he should be considered to go higher than where he’s projected to go, Lions getting a special RB right here. Wouldn’t mind if he slid all the way to 63 though.

55. Atlanta (Swag): Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson - Not long ago considered the top TE in the draft… Atlanta needs a plan in place when ageless wonder Tony Gonzalez calls it a career. A year to learn from the best who ever did it should make for a seamless transition and a young reliable target for Matt Ryan.

56. Pittsburgh (Swag): Mychal Kendricks, LB, California - Outside of Lawrence Timmons the Steelers are pretty thin at ILB. Steelers need to inject some more youth to a unit that has been the core of their defensive success and keep them stopping the run.

TSB commentary: The Steelers love them some versatile LB/DE’s: Timmons, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Jason Worilds… Why not add Kendricks too.

57. Denver (TSB): Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State - Let him learn behind one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time with absolutely zero pressure on him this season.

58. Houston (TSB): Alameda Ta’amu, DT, Washington - One of my favorite names of the draft. Had to find a way for him to sneak into Round 2, and I think he fits nicely here.

Swag commentary: Couldn’t agree more with both these picks. Osweiler landing in Denver would be a perfect situation for both parties.

59. Green Bay (Swag): Lamar Miller, RB, Miami - Green Bay has been working with a committee of average RB’s for a while now, let’s throw a HR threat in there for a change. Just another weapon for Rodgers to use.

60. Baltimore (Swag): Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall - Ravens can fill the void left by Jarret Johnson’s departure with a young and hungry pass rusher who scouts call “one of the hardest workers in the 2012 draft class”. Nothing to not like here.

TSB commentary: The Ryan Grant experiment is winding to a close. I like Curry lined up opposite T-Sizzle.

61. San Francisco (TSB): Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati - He’ll swallow up some blockers so Patrick Willis can do his work.

62. New England (TSB): Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi - Matt Light replacement.

63. New York Giants (TSB): LaMichael James, RB, Oregon - The Giants can completely reverse course with their third down running back from Bandon Jacobs to LMJ. Bowling ball to pinball.

Swag commentary: Not like Willis needs help, but whatever I guess it’s fair to let him run around unblocked. Like the description of the Massie pick. Love the Giants pick, they need a RB behind Bradshaw to shoulder some of the load, James is one of those players who plays with a chip on his shoulder, should fight and win that spot.