Grade the Trades (NFL Version)

Trade #1 Exchanging Tail Feathers

Arizona is acquiring a player to become the franchise's cornerstone who has spent most of his NFL career on Sundays doing what is pictured above. Glad Kolb escaped from Philly, but skeptical he is worth Rogers-Cromartie, a 2nd round pick, and a 5 yr./$63 million contract.

Arizona Cardinals acquire:

• QB Kevin Kolb

Philadelphia Eagles acquire:

• CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
• 2012 second-round draft pick

Wow. While it was no surprise to anyone that Kolb was headed to Arizona, the price for which he went is utterly astounding. The Eagles acquired a starting corner and a future second round pick (which Kolb was) for a quarterback who was, by and large, very unproven. Kolb has had 3 stellar starts in his career, and a few ordinary ones. Compounding things for Arizona, they signed him to a 5 year, $63 million contract.

That is A LOT to live up to for a player who has done nothing in the NFL thus far. Maybe Kolb turns into a Matt Schaub type, and blossoms in a new offense with the opportunity to play. Or, maybe he turns into Rob Johnson, struggling to live up to the hype generated by success as a backup.

Rob Johnson impressed in limited relief opportunities for Mark Brunnell. He parlayed that into a 1997 trade to the Bills in which the Jaguars acquired a first round pick and a fourth round pick. With that pick, the Jags chose Fred Taylor. With Johnson, the Bills had nothing but headaches.

For the Eagles, its a no brainer. They got value back (equal round pick) for Kolb, and on top of that shored up a need in their secondary. Begrudgingly, the Eagles came out of this outstandingly.

Grades   
Philadelphia Eagles  A+
Arizona Cardinals    D

Trade #2 Not So Bad, Chad

Ochocinco escapes a messy Carson Palmer situation in Cincy, and gets new life with the Pats. Doesn't he look like he'll fit right in with Belichick's hoody? 

 New England Patriots acquire:

• WR Chad Ochocinco 

Cincinnati Bengals acquire:

• Two undisclosed late round picks

So it's back to futility for the Bengals. Their QB retired. Their RB got arrested again. Now they have jettisoned their biggest remaining playmaker for the equivalent to a bag of balls. A few years ago, Chad would have gone for a late first/early second round pick. It's not that Chad is still an elite WR who was going to set the world on fire for Cincy next year, but he was at least a playmaker for them. I feel sorry for Bengals fans, and for Andy Dalton, that they have to go through things like this. Dalton now has next to zero proven offensive weapons, and will be learning the position from the immortal Bruce Gradkowski (signed by the Bengals this week to provide mentorship).

Why wouldn't the Bengals bring in Gradkowski to mentor Dalton? He learned from the best (#2 at right) in Oakland! 

The Patriots, on the other hand, have continued their practice of pulling off intelligent trades. They lost a weapon when they sent Moss away last year, and while Ocho has lost a step, he will never be accused of dogging it. I could certainly see him being rejuvenated under Tom Brady. My prediction is that Brady and Ocho will hook up for 85+ balls, 1,000+yards, and 5-8 TD.

Grades   
New England Patriots  A
Cincinnati Bengals    C

Trade #3 Pat Albert

"Hey hey hey! Billy Bels won't make me take no shuttle test"

New England Patriots acquire:

• DL Albert Haynesworth

Washington Redskins acquire:

• 2013 fifth-round draft pick

The Redskins have really gotten screwed over by the whole Albert Haynesworth situation. They have paid (and owe) him millions and millions of dollars for doing almost nothing. Shedding him truly is "addition by subtraction." Because of his extreme contract, they aren't able to get much in return in this deal. However, from an organizational standpoint, they needed to rid themselves of him. For that, they get some good vibes.

The Pats have little risk in this deal. While they have made a living on collecting late round picks and building depth through them, they have also made a living with reclamation project players (Corey Dillon & Randy Moss). Their disciplined culture of "play hard, or you won't be here" is a result of having a leader who demands these expectations, and who is also one of the best players in league history.

The Pats kicked the tires on a disgruntled Corey Dillon, resulting in more Super Bowl glory.

Do I think Haynesworth will be productive in New England? I'm really not sure. I could see it going both ways. One thing I am sure of, though, is that the Patriots won't lose much sleep if they have to cut him somewhere down the road.

Grades   
New England Patriots  B
Washington Redskins   B+

Trade #4 Taking His Talents to South Beach

Reggie Bush will have many opportunites in South Beach to "Superman" that... nevermind. It's been a fall from grace for Bush ever since entering the NFL, between getting his Heisman taken away, failing to make an offensive impact, and failing to stay on the field. 

Miami Dolphins acquire:

• RB Reggie Bush

New Orleans Saints acquire:

• Undisclosed draft pick

Reggie Bush is just not going to be the NFL player that many thought he would be when the Saints chose him with the second pick in the 2006 NFL draft. The Texans were highly criticized for passing on Bush, but it should be said that they might have made the right choice. While Bush is a Super Bowl Champion, he was hardly ever the centerpiece of the Saints offense. While flashy and dynamic at times receiving it out of the backfield and on special teams, Bush made minimal contributions as a ball carrier. And he gets injured....a lot.

It's been a rough couple of years for Bush. No Heisman for himself, and pushed out of New Orleans by a guy (Ingram) who still has his. Is a fresh start with the fish just what the doctor ordered?

The Saints made Bush expendable by opting for Alabama's Mark Ingram in the draft, and by signing Darren Sproles to help fill Bush's roles. The Dolphins may be able to offer Bush more touches, but they certainly can't make him their feature back....or can they? Bush will probably get 8-10 touches in the running game, and 8-10 looks in the passing game.

It's tough to grade a trade when the pick is "undisclosed", but it seems to me that there is little risk in this one for the Dolphins. The Saints lose some vibes for their once #2 overall pick turning into an undisclosed draft pick.

Grades   
Miami Dolphins B+
New Orleans Saints C+

Trade #5 McNabb-ing Another Veteran QB

The Vikings have swapped out #4 for #5. With many of the tools in place from Minnesota's NFC Championship Game run of 2009 (minus Sidney Rice), will McNabb be the difference?

Minnesota Vikings acquire:

• QB Donovan McNabb

Washington Redskins acquire:

• 2012 sixth-round draft pick
• 2013 conditional sixth-round draft pick

The Redskins have now cleared the way for the immortal John Beck to lead them to the promised land. I could write an entire blog devoted to the ways in which the Redskins screwed up their QB situation, but that might be for a different day (or not, because who cares about the Skins anyway?). In short, the Redskins acquired McNabb for a 2010 second-round pick and a 2011 fourth-round pick. They had him for a year, put nothing in place around him, and sent him packing for a pair of sixth-round picks. Nice sound job of managing your organization right there.

Thanks to the Vibe, there will now be a Google hit when someone searches "John Beck immortal". How Shanahan mishandled his QB situation is puzzling. Truth be told, he hasn't ever been satisfied with his QB's performance since John Elway hung 'em up. Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, etc. Add McNabb to that list, and watch for it to grow this year with Beck and Kellen Clemens in Washington.

The Vikings, on the other hand, gave up very little relative to the experience that they are getting back. In the right situation, McNabb is definitely capable of winning games in this league. I'm not sure that Washington is the right situation for anyone right now. The only obstacle on offense right now in Minnesota is that they need to pursue another WR (with Sidney Rice departing). Percy Harvin isn't ready to be a #1 yet. I predict McNabb leads the Vikings into the playoffs this year.

Grades   
Minnesota Vikings A
Washington Redskins C-

Not So Goodell?

With the NFL Lockout supposedly coming to an end, the buzz of football season is starting to return. In some ways, the lack of contact between teams and potential free agents has created even more speculation because rumors and information are simply not available.

My angle on this blog is to hash out some issues that have come to light as the labor agreement nears. Some would say that the James Harrison situation has thrown some gasoline on the fire for these issues. They'd be right. One thing that it also did was ensure that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have had the most tumultuous offseason (Harrison, Mendenhall’s comments, Hines Ward’s DUI, and losing the Super Bowl). I’m going to address Harrison’s situation specifically, as well as some points that he brings up in the article in question.

James Harrison

Use your head, dude… There’s a time and a place to voice your opinions. It’s one thing to criticize the commissioner. That kind of stuff happens all the time. Although his words were very heavy, this is nothing new. The more egregious part of Harrison’s comments were the criticism of his own quarterback, and the picture glamorizing firearms.

Harrison apparently "has his ticket" to the gun show. One of these is to mow down Goodell, and the other is to mow down his teammate.

I have no particular affinity towards Big Ben. In fact, I think he’s a scumbag as well. However, you don’t criticize your teammate, especially when he has 2 Super Bowl rings. He’s proven that he can be a clutch player (even though his first Super Bowl performance was subpar). Roethlisberger has led them to multiple 4^th quarter comebacks, and has proven to be a star quarterback in the league. For his part, Harrison has been a star too. But does Big Ben throw his D under the bus if they don’t stop someone? It will be interesting to see how Tomlin handles this fractured locker room.

Who would ever take shots at this guy? Ladies and gentleman, making its second appearance in the Vibe....The Big Ben piss drunk picture!

With regard to the picture of him holding guns….did we learn nothing from Gilbert Arenas? The league already is vigorously trying to shed its thuggish reputation, without having to deal with stuff like this. At no time did he think, “Hey, this probably is not such a good idea.” Since the Plaxico fiasco, the league has had firearms on its “stay away” list for players. I’m actually going to share a quote from PTI’s Michael Wilbon in response to seeing this picture. Wilbon rather astutely stated that “having guns doesn’t make you tough….it makes you dangerous”. When you consider that the intention was probably to make him look tough, this quote makes a lot of sense.

Player Conduct

"Do this research if we don't have a season — watch how much evil, which we call crime, watch how much crime picks up, if you take away our game,"

-Ray Lewis

Always listen to those who have been down the road before. Thanks to Kenny Britt and Cedric Benson, Lewis is proving to be a de facto prophet.

Aside from Hines Ward… Kenny Britt, Javarris James, Cedric Benson, "Pacman" Jones, and others have had brushes with the law during the lockout. A sentiment that’s been kicking around has been that these players should be exempt from NFL discipline because they were locked out. I’m not sure exactly why that makes sense to some people, but apparently it does. They are still a reflection of the league and their respective teams. Their off-the-field actions do have the potential to invade the locker room and disrupt their teams.

Especially Britt… Usually, I’m pumped and proud when an NFL player comes from the banks of the Raritan. Not here. Any way you slice it, he’s a black eye for the Scarlet Knights. How dumb can you be? Is it that hard to stay out of trouble? As a layperson, I envision it being even easier to avoid trouble when you are a millionaire. That logic would seem to be flawed though, because certain guys like Britt and Cedric Benson seem to always find it.

Never thought this guy would bring shame to my school...You only get a certain number of "wrong place at the wrong time" claims before people lose faith. Britt's season, and even career, may be in jeopardy. 

Roddy White was recently on “Mike & Mike in the Morning” on ESPN Radio. He delivered his opinion on certain things, including Roger Goodell and the NFL’s handling of discipline. He spoke for a faction of NFL players in saying that he believed there should be a specific discipline code for violations, and that the Commissioner should not have any discretion in handing down fines or suspensions. This might seem like a sound idea (and Roddy White is by and large a good guy), but there are holes in that logic. How do you police repeat offenders? What if a player gets a DUI, then a year later gets arrested for assault, then a year later for drug possession? Are they 3 independent separate discipline offenses, or do the later charges compound discipline? You simply can’t write up enough policy to address all of that.

Has Roger Goodell narrowed his eyes at James Harrison too often? Some think so. I'm of the opinion that he's actually done a pretty decent job as the NFL Commissioner.  

Even if you try to lump all “arrests” under a policy, the severity of (for example) an arrest for possession of marijuana is much different than an arrest for a DUI manslaughter. Do you then make up a flow chart?

"If a guy is arrested once for possession, then for a DUI, he gets discipline A."

"If a guy is arrested once for possession, then for assault, he gets discipline B."

Discretion of a judge prevails (supposedly) in our justice system, so why can’t Roger Goodell exercise discretion in these cases?

Hines Ward has had a pretty solid reputation off the field prior to his DUI arrest. I realize that he was also arrested last year, but that was cleared up as a mix up.  With no prior issues, there should be some discretion in handing down his discipline. For someone like Benson, he has been in trouble a few times before. Guess what? When you continue to make mistakes, they follow you around.

What can you say? Some people (i.e. "Pacman" Jones) just love making it rain from time to time.

“Pacman” Jones? I mean, what else is there to say. Was there ever a doubt that he’d get in trouble again? I’m just pretty surprised that he made it that long without another brush up.

How about this for an idea? Don’t get in trouble. Or if you make a bad choice, be a man and take your medicine.

On Field Discipline

The reason Harrison went so hard after Goodell is because of his status as the most fined player for on-the-field hits last year. To some extent, he makes valid points. We have all seen bogus “roughing the passer” calls. We have seen guys called for “helmet-to-helmet” when the ball carrier lowers his head at the last second before impact. We have seen guys penalized for hitting a “defenseless receiver” when the hit actually knocks the ball out. There is no question that the league’s stance on this stuff is changing the game. I agree that these softer penalties need to be eliminated (but they won’t be).

DeSean Jackson getting his bell rung...Don't read into the fact that I have chosen this picture to illustrate violent hits (which, by the way, the NFL no longer wants to glamorize)

The reality is that we live in an era in which concussions are a hot button topic. NFL Vets are suing the league, claiming the league hid its knowledge about the effects of concussions from its players for years. To me, this does in fact come off as a call for the league to “protect its players”.

The other issue at play is the fact that these guys don’t play on guaranteed contracts, and their ability to earn a salary is strongly tied to their ability to stay healthy. A cheap shot or an unnecessary “head hunt” can end a player’s ability to earn a living. There has to be some protection for players against reckless hits. The league just needs to review how and when it issues penalties, fines, and suspensions for such hits.

Fairytale Feats



I’d like to start off by saying that I hope this blog is not off-putting for you. Especially for you Jeter fans (like myself) who were expecting a full throttle DJ3K blog. He deserves it, and there is no question about that. That said, I’ve been watching all of the United States’ Women’s World Cup games. And I don’t feel bad about that. They play a skilled game, and it doesn't have as much of the BS injury-faking that the men's games have.

Sometimes the flopping in the men's game can be a lil' much. Lil' much.

Sunday’s quarterfinal win over Brazil was perhaps the best soccer game I have ever seen. So improbable, in fact, that I feel compelled not to choose between Jeter and the US women.  Helping in this decision is the fact that I’ve twice previously written blogs with DJ as the centerpiece, which means I’ve somewhat elaborated on what a tremendously historical player he is. I will do so some more in this blog. The connection between these two events is the wonder with which they went down. After each went down, I left myself saying “You couldn’t have scripted that any better….”

Heart and Hope

United States 2, Brazil 2 – USA advances 5-3 on penalty kicks

Hope Solo is now easily a household name, as Mia Hamm was for so many years. Incidently, she is a dead ringer for the leader of the villainous hot chicks in black from "Dude! Where's My Car?" Don't believe me?

Told you....

Unlike Jeter’s 3000^th, where we knew that it would happen sometime very soon, Sunday’s US Women’s soccer game was as improbable as it gets. Although entering the game as favorites (#1 in the world entering the World Cup), they were made into underdogs shortly after halftime. Traditionally, at an international game, you have factions of fans from each country in attendance who root for their respective teams. In addition, you have a great portion of neutral fans (assuming neutral soil, as Germany is) who usually pull for the underdog. One of the more amazing things about this game was that by the end of the game, the US had won over the neutral fan, as a very loud “U – S – A…..U – S – A…” chant could be heard throughout the stadium.

It was important for the US to get off to a good start in this game, and they did, scoring 74 seconds into the game. What a perfect start for a team that had experienced a rather embarrassing 4-0 semifinal defeat at the hands of Brazil in the 2007 World Cup.

Shortly after halftime, however, the wheels came off….and not by the US team’s doing. Brazilian superstar Marta made a run to goal and lofted a touch over US defender Rachael Buehler. Buehler defender the play shoulder-to-shoulder, as replays showed, while Marta feebly fell to the turf as Hope Solo grabbed the ball.

Someone will have to explain to me why Marta is more entitled to the ball there when they are shoulder-to-shoulder with a 50/50 shot at the ball. Swallow your whistle!

Chaos ensued, as the referee issued a penalty kick to Brazil and a red card to Buehler. You couldn’t help but wonder if any other player in the world but Marta gets that call in that spot. On the Cristiane penalty kick, US goalkeeper Solo charged up the crowd with a huge save. The place was up for grabs as the US preserved its 1-0 lead. So we thought. The referee squelched the celebration with a still unclarified call. Initially thought to be on Hope Solo for coming off her line, it seems that the call was encroachment on the United States. I don’t claim to have watched every international soccer game ever played, but I watch enough. I’ve NEVER seen that call made. Not once. Especially considering the borderline “encroachment” had no bearing whatsoever on the play. Marta sent home the re-kick, giving Brazil a definite advantage.

Outrage, anger, and resentment. US fans were incensed, as were fans of clean soccer who were in attendance.

Utter despair and disbelief for fans. Most of us lost our composure as we were being screwed (which tends to happen). It's a good thing the players kept their heads screwed on during the madness. Focus at its best.

While their fans were losing their composure, the ladies were not, forcing the game into extra time despite playing a man down. Shortly into the extra frame, Marta scored on a play where a Brazilian attacker was shown to be offside. Another illegitimate tally.

Despair, denial. This US team, with all of the hype and hubub, was about to be bounced from the World Cup.

That's when the United States' composure took the game over. As Brazil attempted the soccer equivalent of "taking a knee" by feigning injury to run time off the clock, the US went on attack like sharks on chum. When all seemed lost, the US rallied and tied the game on Megan Rapinoe cross to Abby Wambach's head. It was one of the most well-executed goals you will ever see. In the 122nd minute. Added time on the extra time period.

Euphoria, disbelief!

US fans like this guy were celebrating in the streets after the US tied the game at the 11th hour (or in soccer terms, the 122nd minute)

The soccer equivalent to trailing by 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and nobody on...loading the bases, running the count to 3-2....and hitting a grand slam. It was truly the last play of the game.

The US wasn't losing this. Heading to PK's with the world's best goalkeeper, the US maintained its composure by knocking home all 5 of its kicks. 2007 villain-turned-2011-hero Hope Solo saved Brazil's 3rd attempt, sending the US to a semifinal meeting with France. 

The save that sent the US to the semifinals. Hope coming up clutch in a big spot. Perhaps in search of the "continuum transfunctioner".

The greatest soccer game I have ever seen. One of the top 5 sporting events I have ever seen.  

__________________________________

Captain Clutch 3,000 in Grand Style



Derek Jeter Homers for 3000th hit...and goes 5-for-5 with gamewinning RBI

Unlike the feat described above, this one was expected. We knew Jeter was going to get his 3000th hit sometime very soon. It was surely not going to be a surprise. However, leave it to Jeter to pull off the unexpected when no one is expecting it. (???).

After singling in his first at-bat, Jeter stepped up in the 3rd inning with 2,999 career hits. There was an energy in the stadium. Announcers were emptying their cliche tanks as Jeter stepped to the plate. At the time, the Yanks trailed 1-0. An ever-patient Jeter worked the count to 3-2 before fouling two pitches off. A classic Jeter at bat. You could almost envision him serving the next pitch into right field with his mechanically-sound inside out swing.

"Psst...Thanks for hanging that slider, Dave."

But Jeter had bigger plans. He took a low-and-away slider that hung a bit, and drove it into the LF seats. I am quick to get on the (hmm...I already used fart-sniffing to describe him in my last blog) "pompous" announcers when they screw up a call. Michael Kay got the homerun call right. For Jeter, it was "3,000.... in grand style."

Michael Kay definitely stayed up all night on Friday practicing his call of Jeter's 3,000th.

Nevermind that he proceeded to get hits in his next 3 at bats. Nevermind that he drove in the game-winning run with a single against a drawn-in infield. He's been doing that stuff for years. What's more important is that he showed all of the traits that make him great in that one single at bat. He was patient, as he worked the count. He was smart, fouling off pitches on 3-2 until he got his. He was clutch, hitting a game-tying home run. And he was humble, putting his head down and running around the bases as if he's done it a million times.

Derek Jeter. As cool as it gets. I was moved by the interview done on YES by Kim Jones with his father shortly after the hit. She asked him the first question on everyone's mind, "What goes through a father's head, seeing his son about to accomplish this feat? Take us through that" A calm, cool, and collected Charles Jeter replied, "Well, first of all, we have to win the game....we were losing at the time"

It doesn't get any better than that. Apple trees make apples my friends.

The apple does not fall far...

To close, I'm just going to throw some numbers at you. For some godforsaken reason, I feel compelled to defend his legacy. As with anything, a milestone brings out the haters. A common claim is "overrated." And I am familiar with the fact that he was voted as such in a player poll. I also don't care.

If you think he is overrated, I feel sorry for you. You just don't get it because you don't watch the Yankees enough to understand what he has meant to this team. He is the only Yankee to have ever gotten 3,000 hits entirely in a Yankee uniform. He was the 4th youngest player to reach the milestone, and should break into the top 20 on the all-time hits list before the end of the season. He is a career .313 hitter who has finished in the top 10 of AL MVP voting 7 times (Three times in the top 3). He was the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year. He has won 5 gold gloves. He was the 2000 World Series MVP. He's going to finish with 2,000+ runs scored, something that only 7 other players have accomplished. 

And oh, by the way, he has 5 World Series rings.  

He has since added a ring for his thumb. However you want to look at it - by statistics or by awards and accolades - this man is one of the greatest players of our lifetime.

If you're hating on Jeter for being overrated, I feel sorry that you weren't able to experience the Derek Jeter that some of us have. I'm not selling him as the greatest player of all time. I'm not even selling him as the greatest Yankee of all-time (He's 5th greatest in my opinion....behind Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, and DiMaggio). But he's absolutely an all-time great, and is one of the greatest clutch players in the history of baseball.

All-Star Snubs & Thoughts

Finally….an interesting topic to write about. No offense to the Mets, but I didn’t exactly write the previous blog with the same fervor as some topics warrant. The classic debate around this time every year has to do with all-star snubs. I’ve targeted one position player and one pitcher from each league who were deserving of an All-Star selection, but did not get the call. Each of these players is given a “Oh My Goodness Gracious!” by the Vibe in honor of “legendary” squealing broadcaster Suzyn Waldman.

I'm as fired up about these snubs as Suzyn Waldman (pictured above) was about Raw-jah Clemens being in George Steinbrenner's bawx.

Often times, “expert analysts” such as myself make claims about players getting snubbed, but can find no feasible player to remove from the team. That is definitely not going to be the case here, as I have targeted a player for removal for each of my snubbed players. Each of these is given a “See Ya!” in honor of “legendary” fart-sniffing broadcaster Michael Kay, and a “Get off my team!” in honor of Rob Dibble’s memorable analysis of Shawn Estes “attempt” to bean Roger Clemens.

This pitch, thrown by Estes, sailed behind Roger Clemens at Shea. He was supposed to be retaliating on behalf of Mike Piazza. In many ways, he was retaliating for all of baseball. After feebly sailing it behind Clemens, a goofy and giggly Estes chuckled, "I failed to execute my pitch." Prompting ESPN's (at the time) Rob Dibble to state....

"Get off my team!" Dibble once went toe-to-toe in fisticuffs with Lou Piniella, so if there is anyone I'm getting to throw someone off a team, it's gonna be Dibbs. 



AMERICAN LEAGUE

Oh My Goodness Gracious! Snubbed!

1B/DH Paul Konerko, CWS (.324, 22HR, 64RBI)

Konerko is going to finish with 2400+ hits, 480+ HR, and 1500+ RBI for his career. He deserves some respect from baseball.

Here’s a guy who continues to get no respect. He is going to finish his career with Hall-of-Fame worthy numbers, and nobody from this era will really appreciate how consistently great a hitter he is. Don’t believe me?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/konerpa01.shtml

He currently sits in the AL top 5 in batting average, home runs, and RBI. For those of you scoring at home, this makes him a legitimate Triple Crown threat. I write this realizing that he is on the “Final Vote” ballot. That’s just not good enough for me. He has better numbers than AL-starter David Ortiz. He’s got slightly better numbers than Miguel Cabrera. He blows Michael Young (a personal favorite of mine) out of the water. All 3 have already secured their all-star selections. The Vibe strongly encourages you to get online and vote like crazy for Konerko for that Final Vote. Let’s put it this way….if Konerko is on your fantasy baseball team, you absolutely DO NOT trade him away!

How is he not on the AL team?!?!? I mean seriously, look at his numbers. They’re not even marginal. I’m pissed if Konerko doesn’t find his way to Arizona somehow.

I love Paul Konerko…..and I want you to love him too.

See Ya!…Get off my team!

UTIL Michael Young, TEX (.323, 7HR, 55RBI)

Kick me off the team? Here's what you can do with that idea...

I love this guy and would take him on my team any day.....just not this day. Based on the numbers, he’s gotta go to make room for Konerko…especially because he is now considered to be a 1B/DH. If he hadn’t moved for Elvis Andrus, he’d likely be the AL starter at SS. He’d certainly be deserving of that over Jeter. It pains me to take him off. He’s the ultimate team guy, moving around the diamond for the likes of A-Rod, Alfonso Soriano, Elvis Andrus, and now Adrian Beltre. He was one of the best hiters of the 2000’s. The only reason he is the pick is because I’ve got to tap into the 1B depth in order to bring Konerko on. There really are other players (Carlos Quentin, Matt Joyce) who are much less deserving of All-Stardom than Young, but they are OF's so can't be removed for Konerko.

Oh My Goodness Gracious! Snubbed

LHP C.C. Sabathia, NYY (12-4, 2.90ERA, 117 K’s)


My man slimmed down this year (can't you tell?) and is making it pay off. Potential for 13 wins before the break. And before you credit the Yankees bullpen, he averages about 7 1/3 innings per start and consistently goes deep into the game.  

I’m not as fired up about C.C. as I am about Konerko, but I still think he got a raw deal. Call me a homer if you want….but with a couple of more quality starts, Carsten Charles could conceivably enter the break with 13 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA…and not find himself on the AL All-Star Team. It does need to be said that the AL starting pitching has been at an unprecedented level in the first half. There are currently 12 qualifying starting pitchers with a sub-3.00ERA. However, only two of them (Weaver & Beckett) have the accompanying wins and strikeouts that Sabathia does to go along with that ERA. Also, one of the AL starting pitchers (David Price) is not among that group of 12.

He’s been an All-Star before and he deserves to be one again. He will finish among the league leaders in all categories once again, while many of these guys will start to fizzle out in the second half.

C.C. has a chance at becoming the most recent player to experience the “Chipper Jones Phenomenon.” In case you are wondering, Chipper was snubbed as an All-Star in 1999, but went on to win the NL MVP Award. Sabathia has a very legitimate chance to win the AL Cy Young. In my opinion it’s a 4 horse race with Weaver, Beckett, and Verlander. How is he not here?

See Ya!….Get off my team!

LHP David Price, TB (8-7, 3.56ERA, 122K’s)

"I am ashamed and disappointed that The Vibe has chosen to go in another direction.  I'll just worry about keeping my ERA below Jeremy Guthrie's." Honestly the only reason Price is on the team is because he can dial it up in the high 90's at times. He'll definitely be used late in the game by the AL to face a tough lefty like Joey Votto.

I don’t quite understand this one. Price isn’t even the lone Rays representative. He’s got a mediocre ERA, and strikes people out…but not that many people relative to other AL pitchers.

I think Price is part of the new youth in baseball that will become the household-name recognized stars. It just shouldn’t be forced. He’s having a nice season. Unless you are playing for the Pirates and are their token all-star, you should not make the team for a nice season.

The bottom line: Sabathia has more wins, fewer losses, a much lower ERA, and has only 5 fewer K’s (albeit in 1 fewer start). Peace out, Price!

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

Oh My Goodness Gracious! Snubbed!

C Miguel Montero, ARI (.274, 10HR, 44RBI)


Montero can hold his own behind the dish and also brings more of a stick than Yadier Molina.  In addition, he's been a major reason why the D-backs are right in the thick of the NL West race.  If that's not enough for you, the game is in Arizona this year. I mean it's like....come on.

As the NL's Position Player Snub, I’m not as fired up about Montero as I am about Konerko. Truthfully, it’s tough to get too worked up about a backup catcher getting snubbed. He’s not supplanting Brian McCann as a starter, and nobody in the NL is even close. I feel as though Bochy went with Yadier Molina because he usually the one that goes. And don’t get me wrong, Yadier Molina is a quality defensive catcher. He is, however, consistently the beneficiary of slim pickings among NL catchers (see blurb below about Molina).

In terms of position players, there are some other players (Mike Stanton, Danny Espinosa, Chris Young, Michael Morse) who might be deserving of a selection. However, there are not players worthy of being yanked from the team to make room for them. Molina is one such “yank-able” player. Montero has been a big part of Arizona’s strong first half, and is one of the cornerstones around which they hope to build.

See Ya!…..Get off my team!

C Yadier Molina, STL (.284, 5HR, 31RBI)

"You try to kick me off all-star team? Let me go, I kill him!" Honestly, I respect Molina for standing up to guys who run their mouths. But that doesn't make him an all-star in my book.

Molina doesn’t quite have the power numbers that Montero has, and quite frankly I’m sick of him being named to the team as the token backup catcher. He is now a 3-time all-star, and I don’t see that when I watch him play. He’s a solid defensive catcher, but I don’t think of him as one of the best defensively I’ve ever seen. This shouldn’t warrant multiple All-Star selections. He moved up a few notches in my book after standing up to punk-mouthed Brandon Phillips, but you shouldn’t be given a pass on the snub discussion just because you stand up for your teammates.

Oh My Goodness Gracious! Snubbed!

RHP Tommy Hanson, ATL (10-4, 2.52ERA, 103 K’s)

Hanson is not a widely-known name just yet, but in 71 career starts he is 31-19 with a 3.02ERA. On top of that, he is only 23. You will be hearing about him for many years to come.

There are a number of quality arms in the National League as well, which makes it puzzling that Bruce Bochy would so boldly let his allegiance to his own players affect who is chosen. I could make the argument that Hanson is more deserving than all 3 San Francisco starters chosen for the team. Cain (7-4, 3.02ERA, 95K’s) has 3 fewer wins, a higher ERA by half a run, and 8 fewer K’s. Lincecum (6-7, 3.14ERA, 126K’s) has been very inconsistent, and is being selected for the All-Star team with a losing record on a winning team. Lastly, Vogelsong ( ) makes a nice human interest story for his perseverance through early career disappointment, but is certainly not your prototypical All-Star. He’ll finish with mediocre numbers at best, and I will go on record right now as saying that he WILL NOT be in San Fran’s starting rotation come playoff time.

Many years, I respect the manager’s right to choose his own player when his player is neck-and-neck with another. It’s a right he has won as a reward for being a pennant-winning manager. That said, you have to be reasonable. Hanson has got to be on this team.

See Ya!….Get off my team!

RHP Ryan Vogelsong, SF (6-1, 2.13ERA, 68K)


"Fine....kick me off the All-Star team. But PLEASE don't send me back to the Pirates." Let's be real...he's not even going to be in the Giants rotation come playoff time. Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sanchez, Zito....Who is he supplanting? Zito isn't going to be in the postseason rotation either by the way.

Vogelsong has stepped up for the Giants, and was someone who many thought they would never heard from again. And really, he was someone who we really never did hear anything from. I mentioned Matt Cain above, but I’m keeping him on due to his winning record, track record, and low ERA. Vogelsong has a nice 13 start snapshot heading into this break, but I don’t believe it leaves him worthy of a selection. If he had ripped off 10 wins in his 13 starts, or something like that, then we could talk.

Lincecum is a tough call with a losing record. His ERA is pretty solid still, and now that the All-Star game “counts”, who would you rather have on the hill when you need a big out, Lincecum or Vogelsong? Easy answer there. Vogelsong is deserving of Comeback Player of the Year perhaps, but is no All-Star in my book. If you don’t want to pick on Vogelsong, then at least acknowledge that one of these 3 Giants starters has to go to make room for Hanson.
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Random Thoughts

• It really has to piss people off that the All-Star team is always laden with Yankees. What do you think Mets fans?

• Ben Zobrist in the final vote….Really? Just give me one good reason.

• I was skeptical that players/managers would take it seriously when MLB switched to this “the AS game counts” business, but I’ve been surprised. While there are many who still do not, at the very least the managers seem to choose teams based on wanting to win home-field advantage.

• Albert Pujols is, in fact, human like the rest of us. 

• Reyes and Beltran made it to the All-Star break as members of the Mets. And to top it off, they are both All-Stars again. That leaves 19 more days for my pre-season prophecy to come true. “I left my heart….in San Fran-cisco” Will Bochy put on the full-court recruiting press?

• Where the hell was this Lance Berkman down the stretch last year?

• Whatever happened to All-Star catchers who can also hit? Piazza, Pudge, Posada, Mauer, etc.

• What's the deal with the Minnesota Twins? 

• As a Yankees fan, it's eating at me that I'm watching Jeff Karstens, Ian Kennedy, and Dustin Moseley set the world on fire in the NL while our pitching depth is suspect. I never thought I'd ever say something like this, but thank God for Bartolo Colon.

And lastly…

"Waldman and Kay? How am I not part of this blog? I'll tell ya...You just can't predict baseball blogs."