NBA Trade Deadline passed just a few hours ago...there was a lot of moves...pretty much all of them interesting...as in any sport with any Trade Deadline we see winners and we see losers...let's take a look at this together...
The obvious winners...
New York Knicks...by acquiring Carmelo Anthony the Knicks provide a 1-2 scoring punch of Amar'e aka S.T.A.T (Standing Tall And Talented) & Melo (on Twitter I saw Cabbie - @therealcabbie - suggest that it is now a matter of time until someone remixes Black and Yellow to STAT & Melo haha)...When Coach Mike D'Antoni was bought in to lead this Knicks team in 2008 it didn't make a lot of sense as the roster was not at all what D'Antoni would want to play his O-heavy style...now the Knicks are equipped to score...a lot of people think the Knicks gave up too much for Melo...not true at all IMO...Chauncey Billups replaces Raymond Felton at PG and the Knicks would have been looking at Deron Williams or Chris Paul to replace Felton in 2012 anyway...Knicks likely would have had to renounce the rights to Wilson Chandler anyway...the 2nd round draft picks are who cares...the 2014 1st round pick will likely be a brutal # as the Knicks will be a Top 5 team in 2014...really it is just Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov for Melo which is a trade you make 10 times out of 10 if you are New York...the criticism that their is no D in Melo doesn't play with me...the list of NBA players that do not play D hardily begins and ends with Carmelo Anthony...the Raptors for example have 12 players on their roster so we know that is at least 12 right away...truth is there are maybe 4-5 people on this earth that are better at scoring a basketball than Melo...also no guarantee that new CBA would allow the Knicks to get Melo in the off season (new CBA could have Franchise Tag allowing the Nuggets to keep Melo in Denver)...
Utah Jazz...the Jazz get a stud-in-the-making in Derrick Favors for a trouble making jackass like Deron Williams...there was no chance of the Jazz re-upping with D-Will long term so they would have lost him for nothing in 1.5 years...the Jazz also get the Nets 1st round pick this year and we will watch closely to see what # that pick ends up being...it is not Lottery protected so if that pick wins the Lottery then the Jazz are absolute bandits here
Teams I think are winners that may not be as obvious...
Atlanta Hawks...I like the trade that sends Mike Bibby to the Nation's Capital for Kirk Hinrich...Hinrich is an upgrade at this position for the Hawks...I am in the minority perhaps as I still like the Hawks as the #5 best team in the East slightly ahead of the Knicks
Cleveland Cavs...zero chance to have a happy and motivated Baron Davis here for the Cavs, and they are on the hook for $28 million owed to BD over the next 2 years, but none of that money is coming from us so we don't care about that...what I do like is it also comes with a #1 draft pick...the heavy sentiment is that this years NBA Draft is brutal, but I like the Cavs idea here that their Lottery pick, plus Clippers Lottery pick likely gives them 2 Top 10 picks to infuse some youth and talent into this roster...(I will say though that not trading Antawn Jamison is a swing and a miss as he would have fetched back an asset or two for sure)
Portland Trail Blazers...this team gets Brandon Roy back healthy one day, and the next they add Gerald Wallace...nice move...Wallace is a complete player who would help 90% of the teams in the NBA so to get him for 2 future draft picks, Joel Przybilla and back-up forward Dante Cunningham is worth the price
Teams and trades that were just meh...
Toronto Raptors...I like getting James Johnson for a #1 draft pick as that pick will not be in the Lottery, and Bryan Colangelo said in the DeMar DeRozan draft if DD wasn't available at #9 then they would have traded down and taken Johnson so they have had him on their radar for a while now, so that is a nice move, but the Raps are a meh as they have soooo many holes to fill and Trade Exception $$$ from the Chris Bosh trade so to only make 1 minor move is underwhelming and dissapointing...actually underwhelming and dissapointing are the words that best sum up BC's tenure as Craptors GM
Chicago Bulls...no trade for the Bulls may leave them as a very very good team...I thought an upgrade at the SG or SF position would have elevated them into "Great" status, but alas it did not happen
The Western Conference version of the Bulls are the Dallas Mavericks...very very good team, but no upgrade at PG and no scoring replacement for the injured Caron Butler leaves them at that level...I thought they had a chance to be elite with an upgrade or two
Shane Battier going to the Grizzlies for Hasheem Thabeet is meh to me...I think Battier is at the point in his career that he could provide a missing piece for a legit contender, which the Grizz are surely not...Houston looks to replace Yao with a project like Thabeet...meh
IMO the losers are...
New Jersey Nets...no idea why the Nets would trade Derrick Favors period...let alone in exchange for an ass like Deron Williams who is absolutely going to bolt via free agency in 2012...D-Will couldn't play for a legend like Jerry Sloan, he is going to hate hate hate the chirping of Avery Johnson...we will re-visit this disater in 2012 when Favors is an All Star and D-Will is wearing a different jersey in a different town (Kincks/Lakers/Magic/Mavs/Rockets will all be in the hunt for D-Will...amongst others...but management thinks he will re-up long term with the Nets?!?!)
I may be in the minority here but I think the Kendrick Perkins/Nate Robinson to OK City for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic trade could be a lose-lose...for the Thunder I actually do like the idea of getting a player in return for Green who had already rejected a re-up offer from the Thunder and was about to become a free agent...but I am left thinking that Perkins is a major upgrade in D yes, but a major downgrade from Jeff Green (15 points per game) on O...I just think the way to beat the Lakers or Spurs is to Offend, not Defend...Lakers shoot under 50% on a regular basis, but their Champ D is their calling card in the play-offs so I do not like taking a step back on O...time will tell on the Thunder front as Perk is a nice player, but is currently out with an injury and has only played 12 games this season...For the Celtics - ?!?!...the Trade Deadline passed just mere hours ago and already the Celtics players are furious that the team would move Perk...This Celtics team was built to defend you better and be more physical/aggressive than any other team was capable of...that took a major hit with this trade...Doc Rivers has said a billion times that his starting line-up of Rondo/Allen/Pierce/KG/Perk is undefeated in postseason when they have been healthy...that is now done...IF the Warriors buy out Troy Murphy, or if James Posey becomes available, then the Celtics move looks a bit more palatable if they can get either player...or perhaps Rasheed Wallace...then the Celts would have added to their perimeter attack and the trade makes waaaay more sense...time will tell
I think the trade that interests me the most oddly enough is the Aaron Brooks for Goran Dragic trade...I am very interested to see what Dragic can do with increased playing time...he has been in the monster shadow of Steve Nash and will get a chance to show his stuff in Houston...If anyone can explain to me what the hell happened to Aaron Brooks I am all ears...this guy was a Top 10 PG coming into this season, but in 2010-2011 he may not even be Top 10 PG in the state of Texas...crazy drop off for Brooks, but perhaps the desert may be the place to rejuvenate his game
Send me your thoughts at craig.ballard@hotmail.com and follow me on Twitter @craigballard77
@craigballard77
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Melo trade
FINALLY the Melo drama is over...in the words of Swizz Beats and Jay-Z On To The Next One...who will be next drama?!?! Chris Paul?!?! Brandon Roy?!?! Deron Williams?!?!
As far as the Melo trade is concerned what I am left thinking is that this trade really speaks to the fear the NBA players have regarding how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will look...
Let's look at this together...
Carmelo wanted this trade now so he could be a Knick and sign the 3 year $65 million extension officially before the current CBA expires on June 30, 2011...For one thing in the new CBA for a player to make $65 mill it will take 5+ years...MAX contracts are likely to decrease in value and length from the current CBA to the new one
Also the new CBA may include a Franchise Tag which would have allowed the Nuggets to place the Tag on Melo and keep him in Denver going forward...(NBA cannot be pleased that the Suns (Amar'e) Raps (Bosh) and Cavs (Bron Bron) all lost their Franchise players with zilch in return)
If you are Melo and want to play for the Knicks why now? (unless afraid of how new CBA will massively favor owners) Firstly as a Nugget he would only have to deal with a sloppy Lakers team and a great Spurs team...that is only 2 contenders to deal with in the West...The East however has Bulls/Heat/Celtics/Magic so why go a worse team that is in a stronger Conference?!?! Also why have the Knicks trade away several role players that could end up being assets as your teammates in a matter of months?!?! This all points to Melo (and his power agent Leon Rose) being very afraid of a new CBA that will heavily favor the NBA owners, not the players...We know that in any labour dispute if one side is looking for major fundamental changes (like the owners are here) then the process is usually drawn out and ugly (example we remember the NHL owners insisted on numerous fundamental changes to their business during their last CBA bargaining sessions...the NHLPA insisted they would never agree to the drastic changes (Salary Cap...Salary roll-backs etc) but at the end of the day in order to resume play the NHLPA agreed to ALL of the changes insisted on by the owners)...In a future blog we will look together at the specific issues coming in the battle of NBA vs NBA Players Association
I do give the Knicks credit here...they learned from the Yankees errors with Cliff Lee...The Yanks refused to include SS prospect Eduardo Nunez (who?!?!) in a package to Seattle in exchange for Cliff Lee at the 2010 MLB Trade Deadline...that allowed Texas to offer 1B prospect Justin Smoak which allowed Texas' offer to surpass the Yanks offer as again and again the Yanks refused to add Nunez to any deal...The Yanks thought that even though they missed out on Lee at the Trade Deadline they would surely be able to sign him in the offseason and have him going forward...what actually happened was Lee helped Texas eliminate the Yanks in the Playoffs, and then he signed for much less with the Phillies in the offseason completely spurning the Yanks...the Yanks miscalculation meant that Lee never became a Yankee so the organization never had a chance to sell him on the fact that New York was the place for him going forward...complete (albeit rare) swing and a miss for the Yanks...the Knicks were not going to go out like that...Other teams had larger offers than the Knicks, but ultimately the Knicks did come to the table with all the players that the Nuggets wanted in return for Melo...Knicks knew all along that Melo was not going to sign the 3 years $65 million extension with any team but them so they knew they did not have to out duel the Nets and Lakers etc for Melo's services, but when push came to shove the Knicks did include all the pieces required to pull the trigger...The draft picks are all 2nd rounders (who cares) and one 2014 1st round pick, but the Knicks will be a Top 5 team in 2014 so that draft pick will suck anyway...
As sick as we all were about hearing/reading about the Melo drama I also have to give the Nuggets credit here too...take a look at the cock soup that teams have rec'd in return lately for Franchise players, then look at the haul for the Nuggs...Denver GM Masai Ujiri did a great job, and likely is not done yet...he now has several additional assets to continue to deal before Thursday's deadline...HEY BRYAN COLANGELO - stop talking to your tailor and get on the damn phones and see about filling some of the NUMEROUS holes that your brutal approach to GMing has created...fingers crossed...
follow me on Twitter @craigballard77 and/or email me your thoughts/comments at craig.ballard@hotmail.com
As far as the Melo trade is concerned what I am left thinking is that this trade really speaks to the fear the NBA players have regarding how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will look...
Let's look at this together...
Carmelo wanted this trade now so he could be a Knick and sign the 3 year $65 million extension officially before the current CBA expires on June 30, 2011...For one thing in the new CBA for a player to make $65 mill it will take 5+ years...MAX contracts are likely to decrease in value and length from the current CBA to the new one
Also the new CBA may include a Franchise Tag which would have allowed the Nuggets to place the Tag on Melo and keep him in Denver going forward...(NBA cannot be pleased that the Suns (Amar'e) Raps (Bosh) and Cavs (Bron Bron) all lost their Franchise players with zilch in return)
If you are Melo and want to play for the Knicks why now? (unless afraid of how new CBA will massively favor owners) Firstly as a Nugget he would only have to deal with a sloppy Lakers team and a great Spurs team...that is only 2 contenders to deal with in the West...The East however has Bulls/Heat/Celtics/Magic so why go a worse team that is in a stronger Conference?!?! Also why have the Knicks trade away several role players that could end up being assets as your teammates in a matter of months?!?! This all points to Melo (and his power agent Leon Rose) being very afraid of a new CBA that will heavily favor the NBA owners, not the players...We know that in any labour dispute if one side is looking for major fundamental changes (like the owners are here) then the process is usually drawn out and ugly (example we remember the NHL owners insisted on numerous fundamental changes to their business during their last CBA bargaining sessions...the NHLPA insisted they would never agree to the drastic changes (Salary Cap...Salary roll-backs etc) but at the end of the day in order to resume play the NHLPA agreed to ALL of the changes insisted on by the owners)...In a future blog we will look together at the specific issues coming in the battle of NBA vs NBA Players Association
I do give the Knicks credit here...they learned from the Yankees errors with Cliff Lee...The Yanks refused to include SS prospect Eduardo Nunez (who?!?!) in a package to Seattle in exchange for Cliff Lee at the 2010 MLB Trade Deadline...that allowed Texas to offer 1B prospect Justin Smoak which allowed Texas' offer to surpass the Yanks offer as again and again the Yanks refused to add Nunez to any deal...The Yanks thought that even though they missed out on Lee at the Trade Deadline they would surely be able to sign him in the offseason and have him going forward...what actually happened was Lee helped Texas eliminate the Yanks in the Playoffs, and then he signed for much less with the Phillies in the offseason completely spurning the Yanks...the Yanks miscalculation meant that Lee never became a Yankee so the organization never had a chance to sell him on the fact that New York was the place for him going forward...complete (albeit rare) swing and a miss for the Yanks...the Knicks were not going to go out like that...Other teams had larger offers than the Knicks, but ultimately the Knicks did come to the table with all the players that the Nuggets wanted in return for Melo...Knicks knew all along that Melo was not going to sign the 3 years $65 million extension with any team but them so they knew they did not have to out duel the Nets and Lakers etc for Melo's services, but when push came to shove the Knicks did include all the pieces required to pull the trigger...The draft picks are all 2nd rounders (who cares) and one 2014 1st round pick, but the Knicks will be a Top 5 team in 2014 so that draft pick will suck anyway...
As sick as we all were about hearing/reading about the Melo drama I also have to give the Nuggets credit here too...take a look at the cock soup that teams have rec'd in return lately for Franchise players, then look at the haul for the Nuggs...Denver GM Masai Ujiri did a great job, and likely is not done yet...he now has several additional assets to continue to deal before Thursday's deadline...HEY BRYAN COLANGELO - stop talking to your tailor and get on the damn phones and see about filling some of the NUMEROUS holes that your brutal approach to GMing has created...fingers crossed...
follow me on Twitter @craigballard77 and/or email me your thoughts/comments at craig.ballard@hotmail.com
Saturday, February 19, 2011
NFL vs NFLPA
So we are NFL fans and we are concerned...I hear you...truthfully I am downright panicked...the NFL and the NFLPA have enough major issues, enough angry rhetoric, enough combative actions already that all point to the NFL owners and the NFL Players Association being way apart on agreeing to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement...the current CBA expires on March 4, 2011...we did see potential progress recently when the two sides agreed to enter into Mediation...but still there are issues that have huge gaps between the two sides...
Let's see what we are looking at...
Now I would issue a warning here that a lot of what you are going to see will not make sense...multibillionaires arguing with multimillionaires about how to divide the spoils of a $9 billion per year industry does not compute to most...and as in all labour disputes/work stoppages in sports it is us, the fans, that actually suffer...
Here is as good a place to start as any...right now the Owners get $1 billion off the top of the approx $9 billion annual revenue, and then the remaining $8 billion is split at approx 60-40 in the players' favor...the owners want to start the new CBA talks by adding an additional $1 billion off the top to take that to $2 billion before splitting the remaining $7 billion with the players...the owners want the players share to be cut to approx 40-42 percent (that % of revenue would make the NFLPA the lowest percentage Union in pro sports)...the players, as you can imagine, were not impressed...NFLPA offered to eliminate the $1 billion off the top (certainly not allow it to grow to the $2 bill the owners want) and then have a seemingly fair 50-50 split of the $9 billion...the owners declined...the NFLPA feared the owners would decline as they seem convinced that the NFL owners are intent on a work stoppage so as to force a major financial swing in their favor...heck the home page of the NFLPA has a ticker counting down to midnight on March 3, 2011 called "Lockout Watch"...yikes...NFL owners saw that in the NHL dispute a few years ago that the NHLPA insisted all through their labor dispute with the NHL owners that they would not give in to salary roll-backs, salary cap etc and the owners locked the players out until it all happened...W for the owners...looks like the NFL owners may follow that strategy...word is the owners will get approx $4 billion in TV money irregardless of if a season happens or not in 2011...so the owners "war chest" looks to be strong giving them an opportunity to absorb a lenghty work stoppage...can the same be said of the NFLPA?!?!...The PA did tell their players in early December 2010 to at least save their last 3 game checks, and previously warned players to work with their advisors to prepare for a way to have $ for 2011 as there is a great chance there will be no paychecks in 2011...Historically speaking no Union has been beaten worse in negotiations than the NFLPA...
We know the owners want to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18, while reducing the preseason to two games...(Side Note - that is a game changer...is 1,000 yards rushing impressive in a 18 game sched?!?! How about 1,000 yards receiving?!?!)...Bonus structures of all contracts will have new looks to them...For the NFLPA you do not want your players to have 2 games per year added on...the average career of an NFL player is only 3.4 years as it is...the only good point I have ever heard Steelers LB James Harrison make is how can the NFL be fining players left and right in the name of "players safety", but want to add 2 more grueling games to the schedule each year...
Another issue is how rookies get paid...the NFLPA proposed a 4 year max for 1st - 3rd round draft picks with 3 years for draft picks after that...they also want the players to be able to negotiate the contracts individually... The owners want a rookie wage scale that will have a set $ amount at each draft spot, so no individually negotiated contracts, and those contracts would be valid for up to 5 years...also owners want the first opportunity for a player to renegotiate a new deal, or extend a contract, to be after 3 years...owners also want fixed bonuses, and those bonuses to be paid over the length of contract, not lump sum...and the contract and bonuses will be void "if the player does not toe the Club's line in every way" (that wording or interpretation of the owners proposal is from NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith...not happy rhetoric)
All of the above issues really have most concern for players in the 3-5 years experience category which makes up the majority of the NFLPA...the fight has just begun...owners are set up for a work stoppage...players fear a work stoppage, but feel it is coming...How will you and I be spending our Sundays in Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec of 2011?!?! God help us in Jan and Feb 2012 when we should be in playoff mode...time will tell...
Send me a note on this, or any other blog entry...follow me on Twitter to @craigballard77
craig.ballard@hotmail.com
Let's see what we are looking at...
Now I would issue a warning here that a lot of what you are going to see will not make sense...multibillionaires arguing with multimillionaires about how to divide the spoils of a $9 billion per year industry does not compute to most...and as in all labour disputes/work stoppages in sports it is us, the fans, that actually suffer...
Here is as good a place to start as any...right now the Owners get $1 billion off the top of the approx $9 billion annual revenue, and then the remaining $8 billion is split at approx 60-40 in the players' favor...the owners want to start the new CBA talks by adding an additional $1 billion off the top to take that to $2 billion before splitting the remaining $7 billion with the players...the owners want the players share to be cut to approx 40-42 percent (that % of revenue would make the NFLPA the lowest percentage Union in pro sports)...the players, as you can imagine, were not impressed...NFLPA offered to eliminate the $1 billion off the top (certainly not allow it to grow to the $2 bill the owners want) and then have a seemingly fair 50-50 split of the $9 billion...the owners declined...the NFLPA feared the owners would decline as they seem convinced that the NFL owners are intent on a work stoppage so as to force a major financial swing in their favor...heck the home page of the NFLPA has a ticker counting down to midnight on March 3, 2011 called "Lockout Watch"...yikes...NFL owners saw that in the NHL dispute a few years ago that the NHLPA insisted all through their labor dispute with the NHL owners that they would not give in to salary roll-backs, salary cap etc and the owners locked the players out until it all happened...W for the owners...looks like the NFL owners may follow that strategy...word is the owners will get approx $4 billion in TV money irregardless of if a season happens or not in 2011...so the owners "war chest" looks to be strong giving them an opportunity to absorb a lenghty work stoppage...can the same be said of the NFLPA?!?!...The PA did tell their players in early December 2010 to at least save their last 3 game checks, and previously warned players to work with their advisors to prepare for a way to have $ for 2011 as there is a great chance there will be no paychecks in 2011...Historically speaking no Union has been beaten worse in negotiations than the NFLPA...
We know the owners want to expand the regular season from 16 games to 18, while reducing the preseason to two games...(Side Note - that is a game changer...is 1,000 yards rushing impressive in a 18 game sched?!?! How about 1,000 yards receiving?!?!)...Bonus structures of all contracts will have new looks to them...For the NFLPA you do not want your players to have 2 games per year added on...the average career of an NFL player is only 3.4 years as it is...the only good point I have ever heard Steelers LB James Harrison make is how can the NFL be fining players left and right in the name of "players safety", but want to add 2 more grueling games to the schedule each year...
Another issue is how rookies get paid...the NFLPA proposed a 4 year max for 1st - 3rd round draft picks with 3 years for draft picks after that...they also want the players to be able to negotiate the contracts individually... The owners want a rookie wage scale that will have a set $ amount at each draft spot, so no individually negotiated contracts, and those contracts would be valid for up to 5 years...also owners want the first opportunity for a player to renegotiate a new deal, or extend a contract, to be after 3 years...owners also want fixed bonuses, and those bonuses to be paid over the length of contract, not lump sum...and the contract and bonuses will be void "if the player does not toe the Club's line in every way" (that wording or interpretation of the owners proposal is from NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith...not happy rhetoric)
All of the above issues really have most concern for players in the 3-5 years experience category which makes up the majority of the NFLPA...the fight has just begun...owners are set up for a work stoppage...players fear a work stoppage, but feel it is coming...How will you and I be spending our Sundays in Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec of 2011?!?! God help us in Jan and Feb 2012 when we should be in playoff mode...time will tell...
Send me a note on this, or any other blog entry...follow me on Twitter to @craigballard77
craig.ballard@hotmail.com
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Jose Bautista contract
My name is Craig and I am a Jays fan...time for another AA meeting here folks...by now you know our AA meetings are to look at the work of 2nd year Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos...
The latest move is one that seems to have real risk and reward involved...that is the long term signing of Jose Bautista...5 years...$8 million in 2011...$14 million for '12, '13, '14, and '15 with a $14 million Club option in 2016...
The risk aspect is clear...30 years old now with only 1 full great MLB season under his belt...But it is the reward part that has me excited...
I like the idea of signing Bautista to a long term deal and making him the face of the Franchise...
In the short term this is a Jays team that lost 350 runs this offseason by having Vernon Wells, John Buck, Lyle Overbay, Fred Lewis all change addresses...the names replacing that O are Corey Patterson, Rajai Davis, Juan Rivera, Scott Podsednik (minor league deal with invite to Spring Training) and of course rookie C J.P. Arencebia, and hopefully a healthy Travis Snider...we see potential here for a lot of lost O so re-upping with a slugger like Bautista makes sense to me...
Also...
If you are the Jays you are sure to lose the Arbitration with Bautista...Jays offer for 2011 was $7+ million while Jose and his Reps asked for $10+ million...as per the rule the Arbitrator can only choose one of those or the other...cannot come up with a nice and peaceful in-between #...the season turned in by Jose in 2010 was sure to have him receive in the double-digit millions...
Also...
I love having the 2011 # at $8 million...the trade offers for Bautista in the last several months have been there so even if the Jays do one day trade Bautista they will have some other team absorb the remaining contract at $14 million per...AA already set a lofty precedent here by getting a team to absorb approx $81 million of Vernon Wells' albatross contract
Also...
Toronto has long been a city where Latin players can really thrive...dating back to the 80's when Epy Guerrero was bringing the Jays Latin talent like Tony Fernandez, George Bell, Carlos Delgado etc...Looking at the Jays now the likes of Bautista, plus guys like SS Adeiny Hechavarria and SS Yunel Escobar are key parts of the future of this Franchise and Bautista has already shown a leadership approach with these guys, and the other young talent too...AA was very clear that while he was deciding wether or not to pull the trigger on the trade to bring the seemingly troubled Escobar to the T-Dot that it was Bautista who was instrumental insisting he would be a role model and leader for Escobar to put him/keep him on the right "Team First" track...just look at the quotes from his teammates from earlier today upon hearing the Bautista contract...Jose was referred to as a "winner" and players noticed that this organization is ready and willing to reward performance
Also...
I don't worry at all that 2010 was a fluke season...It was the best season we have ever seen from a Jays player (check the Oct 9, 2010 blog entry I did on Jose Bautista's 2010 historic season... http://craigballard77.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-name-is-craig-ballard-and-i-am-jays.html ) We need to remember it was the September of 2009 where Bautista really began to understand his swing...understand his mechanics...understand how to square up a pitch consistently...he took that new found knowledge to Spring Training in 2010 and just continued to square up pitch after pitch...Jays Hitting Coach Dwayne Murphy has often commented on these things since Jose's breakthrough in September 2009 (Side Note - in Sept 2010 Edwin Encarnacion really caught fire...could he be the Jose Bautista of 2011 and really find his groove?!?!)
I personally see a lot more in the REWARD category over the RISK category with Jose Bautista and this new contract...time will tell of course...we likely felt good about the Wells signing at the time, same as Eric Hinske's contract...Adam Lind was sketchy in 2010 and he has a long term deal...Carlos Delgado had a contract that we would have liked at the time, but ended up handicapping the Jays financially for years...and of course at the time Alex Rios signed his extension a few years ago we were pleased, only to see him regress into a bum as a Jay...Erik Hanson...Randy Myers...Frank Thomas...etc...we have seen contracts not work out before, but we know around here in AA we trust and he really seems to love this signing and I see why...
Drop me a line with your thoughts...follow me on Twitter too @craigballard77 ...craig.ballard@hotmail.com
The latest move is one that seems to have real risk and reward involved...that is the long term signing of Jose Bautista...5 years...$8 million in 2011...$14 million for '12, '13, '14, and '15 with a $14 million Club option in 2016...
The risk aspect is clear...30 years old now with only 1 full great MLB season under his belt...But it is the reward part that has me excited...
I like the idea of signing Bautista to a long term deal and making him the face of the Franchise...
In the short term this is a Jays team that lost 350 runs this offseason by having Vernon Wells, John Buck, Lyle Overbay, Fred Lewis all change addresses...the names replacing that O are Corey Patterson, Rajai Davis, Juan Rivera, Scott Podsednik (minor league deal with invite to Spring Training) and of course rookie C J.P. Arencebia, and hopefully a healthy Travis Snider...we see potential here for a lot of lost O so re-upping with a slugger like Bautista makes sense to me...
Also...
If you are the Jays you are sure to lose the Arbitration with Bautista...Jays offer for 2011 was $7+ million while Jose and his Reps asked for $10+ million...as per the rule the Arbitrator can only choose one of those or the other...cannot come up with a nice and peaceful in-between #...the season turned in by Jose in 2010 was sure to have him receive in the double-digit millions...
Also...
I love having the 2011 # at $8 million...the trade offers for Bautista in the last several months have been there so even if the Jays do one day trade Bautista they will have some other team absorb the remaining contract at $14 million per...AA already set a lofty precedent here by getting a team to absorb approx $81 million of Vernon Wells' albatross contract
Also...
Toronto has long been a city where Latin players can really thrive...dating back to the 80's when Epy Guerrero was bringing the Jays Latin talent like Tony Fernandez, George Bell, Carlos Delgado etc...Looking at the Jays now the likes of Bautista, plus guys like SS Adeiny Hechavarria and SS Yunel Escobar are key parts of the future of this Franchise and Bautista has already shown a leadership approach with these guys, and the other young talent too...AA was very clear that while he was deciding wether or not to pull the trigger on the trade to bring the seemingly troubled Escobar to the T-Dot that it was Bautista who was instrumental insisting he would be a role model and leader for Escobar to put him/keep him on the right "Team First" track...just look at the quotes from his teammates from earlier today upon hearing the Bautista contract...Jose was referred to as a "winner" and players noticed that this organization is ready and willing to reward performance
Also...
I don't worry at all that 2010 was a fluke season...It was the best season we have ever seen from a Jays player (check the Oct 9, 2010 blog entry I did on Jose Bautista's 2010 historic season... http://craigballard77.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-name-is-craig-ballard-and-i-am-jays.html ) We need to remember it was the September of 2009 where Bautista really began to understand his swing...understand his mechanics...understand how to square up a pitch consistently...he took that new found knowledge to Spring Training in 2010 and just continued to square up pitch after pitch...Jays Hitting Coach Dwayne Murphy has often commented on these things since Jose's breakthrough in September 2009 (Side Note - in Sept 2010 Edwin Encarnacion really caught fire...could he be the Jose Bautista of 2011 and really find his groove?!?!)
I personally see a lot more in the REWARD category over the RISK category with Jose Bautista and this new contract...time will tell of course...we likely felt good about the Wells signing at the time, same as Eric Hinske's contract...Adam Lind was sketchy in 2010 and he has a long term deal...Carlos Delgado had a contract that we would have liked at the time, but ended up handicapping the Jays financially for years...and of course at the time Alex Rios signed his extension a few years ago we were pleased, only to see him regress into a bum as a Jay...Erik Hanson...Randy Myers...Frank Thomas...etc...we have seen contracts not work out before, but we know around here in AA we trust and he really seems to love this signing and I see why...
Drop me a line with your thoughts...follow me on Twitter too @craigballard77 ...craig.ballard@hotmail.com
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Raptors interior "D"
For years now we as Raptors fans have lamented the complete lack of consequence at the rim that this team provides to deter opponents from attacking the basket...teams run lay-up drills vs the Raps on a game-by-game, year-by-year basis...the last time there was any shot blockers or shot changers in the paint for the Raps the names were guys like Oakley/Antonio Davis/Keon Clark...for years we as Raps fans have put up with would-be replacements for those guys that would provide toughness and skill in the paint...
We have said hello, and quickly get lost, to several players that the Organization has tried to use to plus the gaping hole of big-man talent in the paint...guys like Loren Woods...Eric Williams...Rafael Araujo (...ahem.......)...Charlie V...Robert Archibald...Rasho...Maceo Baston...Primoz Brezec...Nathan Jawai...Joey G...Michael Bradley...Nate Huffman...Garth Joseph...Zendon Hamilton...Jerome Moiso...Patrick O'Bryant...Pape Sow...Mamadou N'diaye...Greg Foster...Corie Blount...a whole lot of YIKES here folks...
To add insult to injury we see that Pacers C Roy Hibbert is averaging 1.8 Blocks per game this season...only Keon Clark and Jermaine O'Neal averaged more than that for the Raps in the 2000's, and Clark only played 46 games and O'Neal just 41 whereas Hibbert is already at 51 and counting...Hibbert was drafted by the Raps in 2008 only to be traded to Indy as part of the Jermaine O'Neal trade...in this recent off-season GM Brian Colangelo tried to acquire C Tyson Chandler from the Bobcats, but Charlotte owner Michael Jordan found a deal he liked better with the Mavs and Chandler is currently blocking 1.2 shots per game in Big D - more than any player in the T-Dot...
The obvious place to criticize here is the drafting and player-personnel moves that have failed to provide any skill in the paint...but I will add this to the mix too...how about the Coaches on the Raps bench...when I watch the Bobcats lately I am struck that they are getting production from Kwame Brown...in the last 4 years Brown has had one game where he got at least 13 points with at least 15 rebounds...in the month of Jan 2011 he had 2 of those games...has he found his game?!?! Perhaps, but I point to Bobcats Assistant Coach Charles Oakley as a guy who is working with Brown daily, and is in his ear during the games helping to coach and motivate Kwame...some of the Assistant Coach's contributions with the big men are obvious...Patrick Ewing works with Dwight Howard in Orlando...Kareem works with Andrew Bynum in LA...but there is much more out there too...
Let's take a look at the Assistant Coaches on the NBA benches that are improving big-men on a daily basis...
Sam Mitchell, Popeye Jones, Larry Krystowiak (Nets)...Afrain Griffin, Ed Pinlney (Bulls)...Herb Williams (Knicks)...Walter McCarty, Vitaly Potapenko (Pacers)...Tyrone Hill (Hawks)...Bob McAdoo (Heat)...Jack Sikma (Rockets)...Bill Laimbeer (T-Wolves)...Bill Cartwright (Suns)...plus we mentioned Oak/Ewing/Kareem...
We know a large issue in Toronto is that Jay Triano is not a NBA Head Coach...he does seem to do nice work as an Assistant Coach, but his in-game strategy leaves a ton to be desired...But we also see on the Raps bench a lack of a teacher/motivator/guide/sounding board to help out the big men...rookie Ed Davis is the future of this team as far as Power Forward and I see no one here capable of helping him progress his game...we have only seen fellow rookie Soloman Alabi for very short spurts in his 8 games as a pro, but his 0 NBA blocks also tell the story that there is no one here to develop and assist the big-men...
I lost my faith in Colangelo when he gave all the Free Agent $$$ to Jason Kapono a few years ago...I never believed that Jay Triano was a legit option as a NBA Head Coach...I did not mind hiring P.J. Carlesimo to assist this year...but all-in-all I am in favor of complete overhauls in upper management, and with the coaching staff...I can only hope that the culture of this team can be improved to the point where the roster, and the coaches, are able to provide a major upswing as far as how the Raps defend in the paint going forward...this past week alone we saw the Spurs and Trail Blazers come to town and each did whatever they wanted to do in the paint vs the Raps...unfortunately for us as fans that abuse is all too common vs our beloved Craptors...
Send me an email with your thoughts...and please join me on Twitter @craigballard77
craig.ballard@hotmail.com
We have said hello, and quickly get lost, to several players that the Organization has tried to use to plus the gaping hole of big-man talent in the paint...guys like Loren Woods...Eric Williams...Rafael Araujo (...ahem.......)...Charlie V...Robert Archibald...Rasho...Maceo Baston...Primoz Brezec...Nathan Jawai...Joey G...Michael Bradley...Nate Huffman...Garth Joseph...Zendon Hamilton...Jerome Moiso...Patrick O'Bryant...Pape Sow...Mamadou N'diaye...Greg Foster...Corie Blount...a whole lot of YIKES here folks...
To add insult to injury we see that Pacers C Roy Hibbert is averaging 1.8 Blocks per game this season...only Keon Clark and Jermaine O'Neal averaged more than that for the Raps in the 2000's, and Clark only played 46 games and O'Neal just 41 whereas Hibbert is already at 51 and counting...Hibbert was drafted by the Raps in 2008 only to be traded to Indy as part of the Jermaine O'Neal trade...in this recent off-season GM Brian Colangelo tried to acquire C Tyson Chandler from the Bobcats, but Charlotte owner Michael Jordan found a deal he liked better with the Mavs and Chandler is currently blocking 1.2 shots per game in Big D - more than any player in the T-Dot...
The obvious place to criticize here is the drafting and player-personnel moves that have failed to provide any skill in the paint...but I will add this to the mix too...how about the Coaches on the Raps bench...when I watch the Bobcats lately I am struck that they are getting production from Kwame Brown...in the last 4 years Brown has had one game where he got at least 13 points with at least 15 rebounds...in the month of Jan 2011 he had 2 of those games...has he found his game?!?! Perhaps, but I point to Bobcats Assistant Coach Charles Oakley as a guy who is working with Brown daily, and is in his ear during the games helping to coach and motivate Kwame...some of the Assistant Coach's contributions with the big men are obvious...Patrick Ewing works with Dwight Howard in Orlando...Kareem works with Andrew Bynum in LA...but there is much more out there too...
Let's take a look at the Assistant Coaches on the NBA benches that are improving big-men on a daily basis...
Sam Mitchell, Popeye Jones, Larry Krystowiak (Nets)...Afrain Griffin, Ed Pinlney (Bulls)...Herb Williams (Knicks)...Walter McCarty, Vitaly Potapenko (Pacers)...Tyrone Hill (Hawks)...Bob McAdoo (Heat)...Jack Sikma (Rockets)...Bill Laimbeer (T-Wolves)...Bill Cartwright (Suns)...plus we mentioned Oak/Ewing/Kareem...
We know a large issue in Toronto is that Jay Triano is not a NBA Head Coach...he does seem to do nice work as an Assistant Coach, but his in-game strategy leaves a ton to be desired...But we also see on the Raps bench a lack of a teacher/motivator/guide/sounding board to help out the big men...rookie Ed Davis is the future of this team as far as Power Forward and I see no one here capable of helping him progress his game...we have only seen fellow rookie Soloman Alabi for very short spurts in his 8 games as a pro, but his 0 NBA blocks also tell the story that there is no one here to develop and assist the big-men...
I lost my faith in Colangelo when he gave all the Free Agent $$$ to Jason Kapono a few years ago...I never believed that Jay Triano was a legit option as a NBA Head Coach...I did not mind hiring P.J. Carlesimo to assist this year...but all-in-all I am in favor of complete overhauls in upper management, and with the coaching staff...I can only hope that the culture of this team can be improved to the point where the roster, and the coaches, are able to provide a major upswing as far as how the Raps defend in the paint going forward...this past week alone we saw the Spurs and Trail Blazers come to town and each did whatever they wanted to do in the paint vs the Raps...unfortunately for us as fans that abuse is all too common vs our beloved Craptors...
Send me an email with your thoughts...and please join me on Twitter @craigballard77
craig.ballard@hotmail.com
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