Sporting News staff reports
Veteran lefty Ted Lilly joins the Dodgers.
The Cardinals, Indians and Padres agreed to a three-team deal Saturday that sent P Jake Westbrook from Cleveland to St. Louis and OF Ryan Ludwick from St. Louis to San Diego. The Cardinals also received cash and minor league P Nick Greenwood, while the Indians netted minor league P Corey Kluber. Westbrook, a two-time 15-game winner missed the 2009 season after Tommy John surgery, was 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts for the Indians this season. He will help solidify the back end of the Cardinals’ rotation, which is missing Ps Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse because of injuries. Ludwick is hitting .281 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs and will provide the kind of power bat the Padres desperately need.
The Dodgers added the veteran starting pitcher they had been seeking, picking up P Ted Lilly from the Cubs. Los Angeles also received IF Ryan Theriot and cash in the deal. In exchange, Chicago got 2B Blake DeWitt and minor league Ps Kyle Smit and Brett Wallach. Lilly is 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts this season. He will join a Dodgers rotation that features SPs Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla. Theriot, who can play second base and shortstop, is hitting .284 with a homer, 21 RBIs and 16 stolen bases this season. DeWitt is batting .270 with a homer and 30 RBIs.
L.A. also picked up reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for right-hander James McDonald and minor league outfielder Andrew Lambo.Dotel went 2-2 with 21 saves and a 4.28 ERA with Pittsburgh and will work in a setup role in Los Angeles. McDonald was 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in four games (one start) for L.A.
The Pirates and Diamondbacks, a pair of last-place National League teams, pulled off a five-player deal. Pittsburgh acquired C Chris Snyder and minor league SS Pedro Ciriaco in exchange for IF Bobby Crosby, OF Ryan Church, RP D.J. Carrasco. Snyder hit .231 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs for Arizona, while Crosby (.224-1-11) and Church (.182-3-18) served largely in reserve roles with Pittsburgh. Carrasco, who posted a 3.88 ERA in 435 relief appearances, will be called upon to help fortify Arizona’s MLB-worst relief corps.
In a separate move, the Diamondbacks dealt P Chad Qualls to the Rays for a player to be named. Qualls was the on-again, off-again closer in Arizona this season, saving 12 games but posting an 8.29 ERA in 43 appearances. He will serve in a middle relief role for Tampa Bay.
In a deal that was agreed upon Friday night but didn’t become official until Saturday afternoon, the Yankees acquired 1B Lance Berkman and $4 million from the Astros in exchange for P Mark Melancon and minor league IF Jimmy Pared. Berkman, who was in the midst of a career-worst season (.245-13-49) with Houston, will serve primarily as New York’s DH. The Astros’ first-round draft pick in 1997 had spent his entire professional career in Houston’s organization.
The Yanks could try using Kerry Wood as a setup man.
A day after acquiring OF Austin Kearns from the Indians, the Yankees hammered out another deal with Cleveland, picking up P Kerry Wood and cash for a player to be named. The righthander was activated from the disabled list Saturday after being sidelined since July 12 because of a blister. Wood was 1-4 with eight saves and a 6.30 ERA in 23 appearances with the Indians this season. He could assume the eighth-inning setup role recently vacated by P Joba Chamberlain in New York.
Adding to their outfield and bullpen depth, the Braves picked up OF Rick Ankiel and P Kyle Farnsworth from the Royals in exchange for P Jesse Chavez, minor league P Tim Collins and OF Gregor Blanco. Ankiel, who has been limited to 27 games because of injuries, hit .261 with four homer and 15 RBIs for Kansas City, while Farnsworth was 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 37 relief appearances. Chavez was 3-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 28 appearances, and Blanco hit .310 with three RBIs in 58 at-bats for Atlanta. The Braves also acquired minor league OF Wilkin Ramirez from the Tigers for a player to be named later or cash. Ramirez was designated for assignment earlier last week.
Boston addressed its catching need by dealing for C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was with the Rangers’ Class AAA affiliate. Texas acquired minor league 1B Chris McGuiness, minor league P Roman Mendez, a player to be named and cash considerations, according to The Boston Globe.
The Giants acquired P Javier Lopez from the Pirates in exchange for P Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker. Lopez posted a 2.79 ERA in 50 appearances with Pittsburgh. Martinez was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in four games (one start) with San Francisco, and Bowker hit .207 with three homers and eight RBIs in 82 at-bats. In another bullpen move, the Giants acquired P Ramon Ramirez from the Red Sox. Ramirez was 0-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 44 games with Boston.
The Marlins added P Will Ohman from the Orioles for P Rick VandenHurk. Ohman had a 3.30 ERA in 51 appearances with Baltimore; VandenHurk posted a 6.75 ERA in two games with Florida.
Among the rumored deals that fell through Saturday: The White Sox were unable to reach an agreement with the Nationals for 1B Adam Dunn; according to FOXSports.com, the White Sox and Angels contacted the Dodgers to ask about OF Manny Ramirez; the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Giants made a late effort to acquire Brewers OF Corey Hart; Seattle and Atlanta discussed 2B/3B Chone Figgins, according to ESPN; FOXSports.com reported the Mets offered P Oliver Perez and 2B Luis Castillo to the Cubs for P Carlos Zambrano.
Among the veterans who were the subject of trade speculation the past few days/weeks but who weren’t traded before Saturday’s deadline: Brewers 1B Prince Fielder; Orioles IF/OF Luke Scott and IF Ty Wigginton; Astros P Brett Myers; Blue Jays 3B Jose Bautista; Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell; Marlins OF Cody Ross; Rockies P Aaron Cook and OF Brad Hawpe; Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew, 2B Kelly Johnson and 1B Adam LaRoche; Pirates P Paul Maholm; Royals OF Jose Guillen.
Although the nonwaiver trading deadline has passed, player movement should continue through August. In order for a player to be dealt now, however, he first must clear waivers. With so few teams willing to add salary, the prevailing sentiment is that most players will clear waivers, making them eligible to be dealt. The next deadline to track: Aug. 31. Trades must be completed before then in order for a player to be eligible for the postseason with his new team.
Sporting News staff reports
Veteran lefty Ted Lilly joins the Dodgers.
The Cardinals, Indians and Padres agreed to a three-team deal Saturday that sent P Jake Westbrook from Cleveland to St. Louis and OF Ryan Ludwick from St. Louis to San Diego. The Cardinals also received cash and minor league P Nick Greenwood, while the Indians netted minor league P Corey Kluber. Westbrook, a two-time 15-game winner missed the 2009 season after Tommy John surgery, was 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts for the Indians this season. He will help solidify the back end of the Cardinals’ rotation, which is missing Ps Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse because of injuries. Ludwick is hitting .281 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs and will provide the kind of power bat the Padres desperately need.
The Dodgers added the veteran starting pitcher they had been seeking, picking up P Ted Lilly from the Cubs. Los Angeles also received IF Ryan Theriot and cash in the deal. In exchange, Chicago got 2B Blake DeWitt and minor league Ps Kyle Smit and Brett Wallach. Lilly is 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts this season. He will join a Dodgers rotation that features SPs Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla. Theriot, who can play second base and shortstop, is hitting .284 with a homer, 21 RBIs and 16 stolen bases this season. DeWitt is batting .270 with a homer and 30 RBIs.
L.A. also picked up reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for right-hander James McDonald and minor league outfielder Andrew Lambo.Dotel went 2-2 with 21 saves and a 4.28 ERA with Pittsburgh and will work in a setup role in Los Angeles. McDonald was 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in four games (one start) for L.A.
The Pirates and Diamondbacks, a pair of last-place National League teams, pulled off a five-player deal. Pittsburgh acquired C Chris Snyder and minor league SS Pedro Ciriaco in exchange for IF Bobby Crosby, OF Ryan Church, RP D.J. Carrasco. Snyder hit .231 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs for Arizona, while Crosby (.224-1-11) and Church (.182-3-18) served largely in reserve roles with Pittsburgh. Carrasco, who posted a 3.88 ERA in 435 relief appearances, will be called upon to help fortify Arizona’s MLB-worst relief corps.
In a separate move, the Diamondbacks dealt P Chad Qualls to the Rays for a player to be named. Qualls was the on-again, off-again closer in Arizona this season, saving 12 games but posting an 8.29 ERA in 43 appearances. He will serve in a middle relief role for Tampa Bay.
In a deal that was agreed upon Friday night but didn’t become official until Saturday afternoon, the Yankees acquired 1B Lance Berkman and $4 million from the Astros in exchange for P Mark Melancon and minor league IF Jimmy Pared. Berkman, who was in the midst of a career-worst season (.245-13-49) with Houston, will serve primarily as New York’s DH. The Astros’ first-round draft pick in 1997 had spent his entire professional career in Houston’s organization.
The Yanks could try using Kerry Wood as a setup man.
A day after acquiring OF Austin Kearns from the Indians, the Yankees hammered out another deal with Cleveland, picking up P Kerry Wood and cash for a player to be named. The righthander was activated from the disabled list Saturday after being sidelined since July 12 because of a blister. Wood was 1-4 with eight saves and a 6.30 ERA in 23 appearances with the Indians this season. He could assume the eighth-inning setup role recently vacated by P Joba Chamberlain in New York.
Adding to their outfield and bullpen depth, the Braves picked up OF Rick Ankiel and P Kyle Farnsworth from the Royals in exchange for P Jesse Chavez, minor league P Tim Collins and OF Gregor Blanco. Ankiel, who has been limited to 27 games because of injuries, hit .261 with four homer and 15 RBIs for Kansas City, while Farnsworth was 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 37 relief appearances. Chavez was 3-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 28 appearances, and Blanco hit .310 with three RBIs in 58 at-bats for Atlanta. The Braves also acquired minor league OF Wilkin Ramirez from the Tigers for a player to be named later or cash. Ramirez was designated for assignment earlier last week.
Boston addressed its catching need by dealing for C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who was with the Rangers’ Class AAA affiliate. Texas acquired minor league 1B Chris McGuiness, minor league P Roman Mendez, a player to be named and cash considerations, according to The Boston Globe.
The Giants acquired P Javier Lopez from the Pirates in exchange for P Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker. Lopez posted a 2.79 ERA in 50 appearances with Pittsburgh. Martinez was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in four games (one start) with San Francisco, and Bowker hit .207 with three homers and eight RBIs in 82 at-bats. In another bullpen move, the Giants acquired P Ramon Ramirez from the Red Sox. Ramirez was 0-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 44 games with Boston.
The Marlins added P Will Ohman from the Orioles for P Rick VandenHurk. Ohman had a 3.30 ERA in 51 appearances with Baltimore; VandenHurk posted a 6.75 ERA in two games with Florida.
Among the rumored deals that fell through Saturday: The White Sox were unable to reach an agreement with the Nationals for 1B Adam Dunn; according to FOXSports.com, the White Sox and Angels contacted the Dodgers to ask about OF Manny Ramirez; the San Francisco Chronicle reported the Giants made a late effort to acquire Brewers OF Corey Hart; Seattle and Atlanta discussed 2B/3B Chone Figgins, according to ESPN; FOXSports.com reported the Mets offered P Oliver Perez and 2B Luis Castillo to the Cubs for P Carlos Zambrano.
Among the veterans who were the subject of trade speculation the past few days/weeks but who weren’t traded before Saturday’s deadline: Brewers 1B Prince Fielder; Orioles IF/OF Luke Scott and IF Ty Wigginton; Astros P Brett Myers; Blue Jays 3B Jose Bautista; Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell; Marlins OF Cody Ross; Rockies P Aaron Cook and OF Brad Hawpe; Diamondbacks SS Stephen Drew, 2B Kelly Johnson and 1B Adam LaRoche; Pirates P Paul Maholm; Royals OF Jose Guillen.
Although the nonwaiver trading deadline has passed, player movement should continue through August. In order for a player to be dealt now, however, he first must clear waivers. With so few teams willing to add salary, the prevailing sentiment is that most players will clear waivers, making them eligible to be dealt. The next deadline to track: Aug. 31. Trades must be completed before then in order for a player to be eligible for the postseason with his new team.
ASHBURN, Va.—Mike Shanahan has a difficult task with the Redskins, trying to take a franchise from the ground floor to the mountaintop.
The Redskins were 4-12 last season, finishing in the NFC East cellar. Enter Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Broncos, cementing his reputation as one of the NFL’s best coaches.
Every coach has a blueprint for success, and Shanahan has begun putting his DNA on the Redskins. His handling of Albert Haynesworth, who failed a conditioning test for the second consecutive day Friday and was not allowed to practice, certainly has let the team know who’s in charge.
In his attempt to transform the Redskins’ attack from anemic into dynamic, here are three areas where Shanahan’s expertise may help:
Mike Shanahan will try to transform the Redskins into a winning team.
Passing game: When Shanahan hired his son, Kyle, as offensive coordinator, it was about production, not nepotism. The Texans had the NFL’s top passing attack last season with Kyle as their coordinator.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb expects Kyle’s offensive wrinkles to have a big impact. "It’s an opportunity for me to learn something new,” McNabb said. "There’s a reason why (Matt) Schaub threw for 4,700 yards last year.”
Running game: A formidable rushing attack is a Shanahan staple. His offenses in Denver from 1995-2008 ranked in the top 12 in rushing every season, as six different Broncos rushed for 1,000 yards at least once.
However, the Redskins have three veteran backs—Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker—who appear to be in decline, with Keiland Williams and Ryan Torain also part of the training camp mix. Can any of the vets find new life in Shanahan’s system? That will be a key to their success or failure. Portis, at least, sounds motivated after suffering a concussion last season.
“Everybody wrote me off, everybody felt like I was over and done with,” Portis said. “I’m back, I’m healthy, and I’m looking forward to helping this team.
"Having the opportunity to pay with Willie and Larry, two people who are proven in the NFL, it just helps us. Whoever gets going is going to play.”
Shanahan believes Johnson has a lot left: “I liked what I saw in film last year and is one of the reasons why he is here.”
Offensive line: Shanahan believes in a zone-blocking scheme that asks backs to cut quickly and find holes. When Shanahan took the job and looked at the Redskins’ offensive line, he didn’t like what he saw. So changes were made.
First-round pick Trent Williams, who signed Friday, was drafted to play left tackle, and Jammal Brown was signed to play right tackle. Artis Hicks was signed to play guard and will replace Mike Williams, who will miss the season after a blood clot was discovered in his lungs.
Getting this unit to play cohesively may be Shanahan’s biggest challenge. "It’s our job to get them coordinated, and hopefully we can put a better product on the field,” he said.
“Our running game I thought was very average last year, our passing game was pretty inconsistent. We have a lot of people playing a lot of different positions. I’m looking forward to getting a chance to evaluate these guys and see what they can do.”
Clifton Brown is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
ASHBURN, Va.—Mike Shanahan has a difficult task with the Redskins, trying to take a franchise from the ground floor to the mountaintop.
The Redskins were 4-12 last season, finishing in the NFC East cellar. Enter Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Broncos, cementing his reputation as one of the NFL’s best coaches.
Every coach has a blueprint for success, and Shanahan has begun putting his DNA on the Redskins. His handling of Albert Haynesworth, who failed a conditioning test for the second consecutive day Friday and was not allowed to practice, certainly has let the team know who’s in charge.
In his attempt to transform the Redskins’ attack from anemic into dynamic, here are three areas where Shanahan’s expertise may help:
Mike Shanahan will try to transform the Redskins into a winning team.
Passing game: When Shanahan hired his son, Kyle, as offensive coordinator, it was about production, not nepotism. The Texans had the NFL’s top passing attack last season with Kyle as their coordinator.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb expects Kyle’s offensive wrinkles to have a big impact. "It’s an opportunity for me to learn something new,” McNabb said. "There’s a reason why (Matt) Schaub threw for 4,700 yards last year.”
Running game: A formidable rushing attack is a Shanahan staple. His offenses in Denver from 1995-2008 ranked in the top 12 in rushing every season, as six different Broncos rushed for 1,000 yards at least once.
However, the Redskins have three veteran backs—Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker—who appear to be in decline, with Keiland Williams and Ryan Torain also part of the training camp mix. Can any of the vets find new life in Shanahan’s system? That will be a key to their success or failure. Portis, at least, sounds motivated after suffering a concussion last season.
“Everybody wrote me off, everybody felt like I was over and done with,” Portis said. “I’m back, I’m healthy, and I’m looking forward to helping this team.
"Having the opportunity to pay with Willie and Larry, two people who are proven in the NFL, it just helps us. Whoever gets going is going to play.”
Shanahan believes Johnson has a lot left: “I liked what I saw in film last year and is one of the reasons why he is here.”
Offensive line: Shanahan believes in a zone-blocking scheme that asks backs to cut quickly and find holes. When Shanahan took the job and looked at the Redskins’ offensive line, he didn’t like what he saw. So changes were made.
First-round pick Trent Williams, who signed Friday, was drafted to play left tackle, and Jammal Brown was signed to play right tackle. Artis Hicks was signed to play guard and will replace Mike Williams, who will miss the season after a blood clot was discovered in his lungs.
Getting this unit to play cohesively may be Shanahan’s biggest challenge. "It’s our job to get them coordinated, and hopefully we can put a better product on the field,” he said.
“Our running game I thought was very average last year, our passing game was pretty inconsistent. We have a lot of people playing a lot of different positions. I’m looking forward to getting a chance to evaluate these guys and see what they can do.”
Clifton Brown is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at cliftonbrown@sportingnews.com.
Sporting News staff reports
Edwin Jackson, who threw a no-hitter against the Rays on June 25, has been traded from the Diamondbacks to the White Sox, according to MLB.com.
In exchange for Jackson, Arizona gets young righthander Daniel Hudson and minor league lefthander David Holmberg.
Jackson is 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA in 21 starts this season and has allowed an NL-high 77 earned runs.
Hudson is 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA in his three major league starts this season after going 11-4 with a 3.47 ERA in 17 starts at Class AAA.
Holmberg is 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight rookie league starts.
There is speculation that the White Sox will try to flip Jackson to the Nationals in a package for first baseman Adam Dunn.
Sporting News staff reports
Edwin Jackson, who threw a no-hitter against the Rays on June 25, has been traded from the Diamondbacks to the White Sox, according to MLB.com.
In exchange for Jackson, Arizona gets young righthander Daniel Hudson and minor league lefthander David Holmberg.
Jackson is 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA in 21 starts this season and has allowed an NL-high 77 earned runs.
Hudson is 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA in his three major league starts this season after going 11-4 with a 3.47 ERA in 17 starts at Class AAA.
Holmberg is 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight rookie league starts.
There is speculation that the White Sox will try to flip Jackson to the Nationals in a package for first baseman Adam Dunn.
Phillies fans are never happy unless they are miserable. Trust me, I am one, so I have firsthand knowledge. We love … live … to complain about our sports teams, and that goes double for a franchise that, until the last few years, was an absolute laughingstock in its sport. We wear 10,000 losses (and counting) like a badge of honor. Winning? It’s almost like we still haven’t properly figured out what that’s supposed to feel like.
He’s not in Philly anymore — get over it.
So with that, Phillies fans — and media, please we’ll get to the media in a second — must find something to complain about in order to feel properly balanced while rooting for our favorite team. But what’s to complain about when your team has won three straight division titles and has gone to two consecutive World Series, winning one?
Honestly, Phillies fans … what is there to complain about? Oh, right, Cliff Lee. When all else fails, complain about the one that got away.
The Phillies traded some of their top prospects – yet held on to the very top guys in the system – to acquire Cliff Lee in the middle of the 2009 season. He immediately became a hero in Philly, carrying the hopes and dreams of millions of Phillies fans on his left arm (it’s a wonder he could even throw). In the offseason, Ruben Amaro felt the negotiations to extend Lee’s contract were going nowhere and saw a chance to get Roy Halladay, the pitcher Amaro really wanted all along when he had traded for Lee during the season.
Feeling that the Phillies couldn’t afford both Cy Young pitchers, Amaro traded Lee for moderate prospects and gave up some of his top farm hands – though not the heavily-coveted Domonic Brown – to get Halladay. Could the Phillies have kept Lee and gotten Halladay? Probably. No, not probably. Certainly. They certainly could have done that, but they felt it was too much money to spend and had erroneously locked up way too much money in Jamie Moyer and, to a lesser extent Joe Blanton, to make keeping both aces financially viable.
It’s been seven months and Amaro officially realized that he was wrong. While he couldn’t get Lee back from the Mariners and he wasn’t able to get Dan Haren away from the Diamondbacks, Amaro did the absolute next-best thing. He fleeced the Astros for the service of Roy Oswalt – this deal is an absolute robbery – without giving up any of his top prospects in the minors and getting back $11 million dollars to help defray the cost of Oswalt over the next two years.
Amaro is, in essence, getting a year and a half of Oswalt at half price and gave up his fourth starter in J.A. Happ – a solid pitcher who is already in his late 20s and likely won’t be anything more than a good third or fourth option in any rotation – as well as a speedy center field prospect who can’t really hit and a Class-A project at shortstop who has over 100 strikeouts and 42 errors in less than 100 games this season.
An absolute robbery. Yet still, if you read the message boards and comments on local news websites (note: I strongly suggest you do not do either of those things), all you hear about is "Cliff Lee Cliff Lee Cliff Lee." The Phillies just traded for, nay stole, one of the best pitchers in the National League over the last half decade – admittedly a pitcher with a bad back, but one that hasn’t really kept him out of the lineup and, while in his 30s, is still younger than Halladay – and still people can’t let this Cliff Lee thing go.
Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News has a column titled: Phils should have just kept Cliff Lee. Here’s his lede:
IT’S ALL RIGHT to be unhappy with the trade that sent Cliff Lee packing last December. There were good, sound arguments for pairing him with Roy Halladay at the top of the Phillies rotation and going all in to try to win a second world championship in 3 years.
Why not just submit a column that starts: I couldn’t think of anything else to write, so I’m going to look back in my archives and whine about something I already whined about six times in the last seven months.
Let it go, Paul. Let it go, Sal Paolantonio, who was on Philadelphia radio hosting a show when the deal went down and said that the Oswalt trade finally "washes away the stain" of trading Cliff Lee. Let it go, Jayson Stark – probably the most respected and beloved Phillies reporter in recent memory – who went on ESPN and joked about what it would be like if the Phillies had Halladay, Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Lee. He knows that would be impossible, but he said it because he knew some crazy fan in Philly would hear it and call into talk radio to complain about why that didn’t happen.
For full disclosure, it wasn’t just the Philly media who were on this angle. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal gave us his "shoulda been you, Cliff" take on the trade. MLB Network dedicated an entire segment to the Lee angle just minutes after the Oswalt trade was official. Already sick of hearing about it, I changed the channel. Even Stan McNeal falls back on the "what if" argument. Rumor has it they actually dragged out an equine carcass, draped Lee’s old Phils jersey on top of it and passed around a Louisville Slugger, taking whacks until everyone on the set felt properly satiated. It’s just a rumor.
Complaining about the Phillies losing Lee the day they gained Oswalt is like complaining the franchise traded Ryne Sandberg the day they drafted Chase Utley. Let it go. Lee is a great pitcher, and it would be great to still have him. Clearly Amaro knows that. So what do those who perpetually bring up Lee want him to do? Would it help to have him go on the public address at Citizens Bank Park and apologize? How about a press conference in front of the Liberty Bell where he can publicly admit he was wrong? Maybe he can wear a Phanatic costume and we can all throw baseballs at him with Lee’s face stamped between the seams.
How about this? How about Amaro rectifies the Lee situation by getting one of the top arms available this year – another bona fide ace go to with Halladay – without leveraging the future very much at all. How about with all the injuries the Phillies have had this season – more than 130 games missed from their starting infield alone – Amaro has produced a team that’s just 2 1/2 games out of first place in the division, 1 1/2 in the wild card. And that’s before Oswalt has even stepped on the mound in a Phillies uniform, which will happen tonight in Washington.
"Oh, but it should have been Cliff Lee pitching tonight …" Shut up and go away. You can come back if there’s another parade. That way, we won’t be able to hear you complaining over the high fives and confetti.
You can read/listen to more from Dan Levy at OntheDLpodcast.com and follow him on Twitter @onthedlpodcast
Phillies fans are never happy unless they are miserable. Trust me, I am one, so I have firsthand knowledge. We love … live … to complain about our sports teams, and that goes double for a franchise that, until the last few years, was an absolute laughingstock in its sport. We wear 10,000 losses (and counting) like a badge of honor. Winning? It’s almost like we still haven’t properly figured out what that’s supposed to feel like.
He’s not in Philly anymore — get over it.
So with that, Phillies fans — and media, please we’ll get to the media in a second — must find something to complain about in order to feel properly balanced while rooting for our favorite team. But what’s to complain about when your team has won three straight division titles and has gone to two consecutive World Series, winning one?
Honestly, Phillies fans … what is there to complain about? Oh, right, Cliff Lee. When all else fails, complain about the one that got away.
The Phillies traded some of their top prospects – yet held on to the very top guys in the system – to acquire Cliff Lee in the middle of the 2009 season. He immediately became a hero in Philly, carrying the hopes and dreams of millions of Phillies fans on his left arm (it’s a wonder he could even throw). In the offseason, Ruben Amaro felt the negotiations to extend Lee’s contract were going nowhere and saw a chance to get Roy Halladay, the pitcher Amaro really wanted all along when he had traded for Lee during the season.
Feeling that the Phillies couldn’t afford both Cy Young pitchers, Amaro traded Lee for moderate prospects and gave up some of his top farm hands – though not the heavily-coveted Domonic Brown – to get Halladay. Could the Phillies have kept Lee and gotten Halladay? Probably. No, not probably. Certainly. They certainly could have done that, but they felt it was too much money to spend and had erroneously locked up way too much money in Jamie Moyer and, to a lesser extent Joe Blanton, to make keeping both aces financially viable.
It’s been seven months and Amaro officially realized that he was wrong. While he couldn’t get Lee back from the Mariners and he wasn’t able to get Dan Haren away from the Diamondbacks, Amaro did the absolute next-best thing. He fleeced the Astros for the service of Roy Oswalt – this deal is an absolute robbery – without giving up any of his top prospects in the minors and getting back $11 million dollars to help defray the cost of Oswalt over the next two years.
Amaro is, in essence, getting a year and a half of Oswalt at half price and gave up his fourth starter in J.A. Happ – a solid pitcher who is already in his late 20s and likely won’t be anything more than a good third or fourth option in any rotation – as well as a speedy center field prospect who can’t really hit and a Class-A project at shortstop who has over 100 strikeouts and 42 errors in less than 100 games this season.
An absolute robbery. Yet still, if you read the message boards and comments on local news websites (note: I strongly suggest you do not do either of those things), all you hear about is "Cliff Lee Cliff Lee Cliff Lee." The Phillies just traded for, nay stole, one of the best pitchers in the National League over the last half decade – admittedly a pitcher with a bad back, but one that hasn’t really kept him out of the lineup and, while in his 30s, is still younger than Halladay – and still people can’t let this Cliff Lee thing go.
Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News has a column titled: Phils should have just kept Cliff Lee. Here’s his lede:
IT’S ALL RIGHT to be unhappy with the trade that sent Cliff Lee packing last December. There were good, sound arguments for pairing him with Roy Halladay at the top of the Phillies rotation and going all in to try to win a second world championship in 3 years.
Why not just submit a column that starts: I couldn’t think of anything else to write, so I’m going to look back in my archives and whine about something I already whined about six times in the last seven months.
Let it go, Paul. Let it go, Sal Paolantonio, who was on Philadelphia radio hosting a show when the deal went down and said that the Oswalt trade finally "washes away the stain" of trading Cliff Lee. Let it go, Jayson Stark – probably the most respected and beloved Phillies reporter in recent memory – who went on ESPN and joked about what it would be like if the Phillies had Halladay, Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Lee. He knows that would be impossible, but he said it because he knew some crazy fan in Philly would hear it and call into talk radio to complain about why that didn’t happen.
For full disclosure, it wasn’t just the Philly media who were on this angle. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal gave us his "shoulda been you, Cliff" take on the trade. MLB Network dedicated an entire segment to the Lee angle just minutes after the Oswalt trade was official. Already sick of hearing about it, I changed the channel. Even Stan McNeal falls back on the "what if" argument. Rumor has it they actually dragged out an equine carcass, draped Lee’s old Phils jersey on top of it and passed around a Louisville Slugger, taking whacks until everyone on the set felt properly satiated. It’s just a rumor.
Complaining about the Phillies losing Lee the day they gained Oswalt is like complaining the franchise traded Ryne Sandberg the day they drafted Chase Utley. Let it go. Lee is a great pitcher, and it would be great to still have him. Clearly Amaro knows that. So what do those who perpetually bring up Lee want him to do? Would it help to have him go on the public address at Citizens Bank Park and apologize? How about a press conference in front of the Liberty Bell where he can publicly admit he was wrong? Maybe he can wear a Phanatic costume and we can all throw baseballs at him with Lee’s face stamped between the seams.
How about this? How about Amaro rectifies the Lee situation by getting one of the top arms available this year – another bona fide ace go to with Halladay – without leveraging the future very much at all. How about with all the injuries the Phillies have had this season – more than 130 games missed from their starting infield alone – Amaro has produced a team that’s just 2 1/2 games out of first place in the division, 1 1/2 in the wild card. And that’s before Oswalt has even stepped on the mound in a Phillies uniform, which will happen tonight in Washington.
"Oh, but it should have been Cliff Lee pitching tonight …" Shut up and go away. You can come back if there’s another parade. That way, we won’t be able to hear you complaining over the high fives and confetti.
You can read/listen to more from Dan Levy at OntheDLpodcast.com and follow him on Twitter @onthedlpodcast
Sporting News staff reports
The White Sox and Diamondbacks are engaged in talks about righthander Edwin Jackson, according to the Chicago Tribune.
If acquired, Jackson could be flipped to the Nationals in a deal for Adam Dunn.
The Nationals and White Sox have been unable to agree on a trade to send Dunn from Washington to Chicago, but the Nationals are said to be interested in Jackson. Jackson is just 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA this season, but he fired a no-hitter against the Rays on June 25.
To acquire Jackson from the Diamondbacks, the White Sox likely would have to part with righthander Daniel Hudson, according to the Chicago Tribune. Hudson is scheduled to start for the White Sox tonight.
Sporting News staff reports
The White Sox and Diamondbacks are engaged in talks about righthander Edwin Jackson, according to the Chicago Tribune.
If acquired, Jackson could be flipped to the Nationals in a deal for Adam Dunn.
The Nationals and White Sox have been unable to agree on a trade to send Dunn from Washington to Chicago, but the Nationals are said to be interested in Jackson. Jackson is just 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA this season, but he fired a no-hitter against the Rays on June 25.
To acquire Jackson from the Diamondbacks, the White Sox likely would have to part with righthander Daniel Hudson, according to the Chicago Tribune. Hudson is scheduled to start for the White Sox tonight.
With training camps opening throughout the NFL, there are plenty of obvious story lines. So instead of breaking down the easy stuff like whether (or, more accurately, when) Brett Favre will return or who’ll start during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension or whether Jay Cutler will take aim at Mike Martz, let’s take a look at some more subtle things to watch as the 2010 season approaches.
Charlie Weis could have a rough ride in dealing with Matt Cassel (4).
1. Can Charlie Weis and QB Matt Cassel get along?
In Kansas City, Weis has assumed the duties of offensive coordinator, allowing Todd Haley to focus on coaching the team.
Many assume the relationship between Weis and Cassel will go swimmingly, given their mutual ties to New England.
But here’s the thing. Weis left the Patriots before Cassel arrived, and there’s no indication that the two men will click the same way Weis clicked with Tom Brady, or in the same way Cassel clicked with Josh McDaniels.
2. Will Roy Williams be asked to take less money?
If Roy Williams had fulfilled the potential that prompted the Cowboys to give up a lot more than a first-round pick in the trade, they wouldn’t have needed to devote another first-round pick to the position, especially with Miles Austin on the team.
So now that Dez Bryant is under contract, and assuming he and Austin stay healthy, the next question becomes not whether the Cowboys will cut Williams, but whether they’ll squeeze him into cutting his base salary of $3.45 million, with a threat of cutting him if he doesn’t.
If Bryant continues to perform like he has to start camp, the Cowboys could end up telling Williams that if he doesn’t accept a reduction he’ll be carrying his own shoulder pads — right out of the facility.
3. Can T.O. stay healthy?
Apart from the question of whether the Bengals can keep receiver Terrell Owens happy is the question of whether T.O. can keep himself healthy.
Last year, he showed signs of the beginnings of a physical breakdown. Owens injured a toe in the Hall of Fame game and missed a large chunk of training camp and the preseason. This year, he’s a year older (he’ll be 37 on Dec. 7) and a year closer to reaching the point where his spirit will still be willing but his body will have grown unacceptably weak.
So while we focus on whether he’ll find a way to remain content despite having $2 million tied up in an incentive-laden contract, it’s important to keep an eye on his ability to stay at 100 percent for all of training camp, the preseason and beyond.
4. How much work will Ben Roethlisberger get?
The biggest question facing the Steelers is whether veteran Byron Leftwich or the less experienced (but arguably more skilled) Dennis Dixon will secure the starting quarterback job for the first six (or four) games of the season, while Ben Roethlisberger serves a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
But what about Roethlisberger? With limited first-team reps to get Leftwich and/or Dixon ready to play, how many chances will Roethlisberger receive to get himself ready to play when he returns from his suspension?
The Steelers could be inclined to give Roethlisberger limited work, in the hopes of reserving the primary reps for Leftwich and Dixon. But that will serve only to make it harder for Roethlisberger to be at his best in October, and it could mean the Steelers will hold him out for an extra game or two while he gets back up to speed, especially if the team is thriving without him.
5. What will the Vikings do at backup quarterback?
Everyone expects Favre to show up — eventually — and keep the Minnesota offense from sliding back into mediocrity. But who’ll be the guy to take his place, if the Saints defense does to him in Week 1 what it did to him during the NFC title game?
Presumably, Tarvaris Jackson will get the job. But Sage Rosenfels could make a push to save his roster spot by climbing the ladder in camp.
Then there’s Joe Webb, a rookie quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-quarterback who, in theory, could become the best option behind Favre — primarily since neither Jackson nor Rosenfels are all that good.
6. Will Cleveland have a workhorse at tailback?
The Browns enter the 2010 season with a passing game premised on a has-been (Jake Delhomme), a never-was (Seneca Wallace), and/or a may-not-ever-be (Colt McCoy). To make matters worse, they’ve also got a fairly bare cupboard at receiver and tight end.
So the running game will be very important, with fourth-year veteran Jerome Harrison and rookie Montario Hardesty jockeying for position.
It remains to be seen whether they share touches, or whether one of them becomes the primary option. While Cleveland will make whatever decision points toward the most victories, tons of fantasy football owners will be keeping a close eye on whether one or the other becomes the primary option for a Browns team that likely will be doing plenty of running, primarily because it won’t be able to do much passing.
7. Who will back up Drew Brees?
Last year, the Saints had aging veteran Mark Brunell as the primary backup to Super Bowl 44 MVP Drew Brees. This year, Brunell’s at camp with the Jets.
So who’ll be the insurance policy for Brees? For now, Tulane product Patrick Ramsey has the most experience in the league, but he has very little in the Saints’ offensive system. Behind Ramsey, the Saints have Chase Daniel and Sean Canfield.
If Brees gets hurt, the Saints are screwed.
8. Does anyone care about the Buccaneers?
The NFL has done an excellent job of creating a system that cultivates optimism in the offseason. Every team has a legitimate shot at climbing out of the valley of 0-0 and making it to the playoffs, especially with only four teams in each division.
Every team except Tampa Bay.
Eight years removed from a Super Bowl win, the team has regressed to the rag-tag Tampa teams that primarily resided in the basement of the old NFC Central through 1995. Everyone seems to accept the reality that the Bucs are bound once again for the bottom of the NFC South, and few if anyone in Tampa can plausibly piece together a scenario in which the overmatched franchise has any chance at overcoming the Saints and/or the Falcons.
Fortunately for the NFL, not many other teams fall into that same category in August.
9. Can Ken Whisenhunt coach the Cardinals into a contender?
Arizona’s unexpected success over the past two seasons can be attributed to Kurt Warner’s resurgence and just enough high-end players at other key positions. Not to mention the Cardinals play in one of the league’s worst divisions.
With those big-name players long gone, if the Cardinals are going to succeed this year, the success will flow from coach Whisenhunt.
It’s possible Whisenhunt had a lot more to do with the team’s recent run of success than people realize. After all, the team had won only one postseason game since the Truman administration before the buck stopped with Whisenhunt; in the last two seasons, the Cardinals have won four of them. And it was Whisenhunt who made the call late in the 2008 preseason to put Heisman winner Matt Leinart on the bench and dust off the graybeard who had seemed to lose his fastball somewhere between St. Louis and New York.
In the end, if Whisenhunt had a bigger hand than realized in the 2008 and 2009 editions of the team, then the 2010 Cardinals should contend in a still-weak NFC West. If they don’t contend, the bulk of the credit for the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl berth will go to the players — specifically those who are gone.
10. Can Perry Fewell fix the Giants defense?
With all the attention that has been paid to the Jets, it’s easy to forget the Giants’ fortunes have plummeted almost as far as the career of the guy who made the one-handed, helmet-aided catch that delivered the unlikeliest of Super Bowl victories.
The key to turning it around will come on the defensive side of the ball, where the Giants need to get back to putting high heat on the quarterback — and where they desperately need a capable replacement for Antonio Pierce at middle linebacker.
More importantly, they need new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to have the same kind of impact in his first year on the job that Steve Spagnuolo had in 2007, giving the side of the ball not featuring a member of the Manning family a kick in the pants, in the hopes of dropping many opposing quarterbacks on theirs.
Whether and to what extent Fewell can get it done will go a long way toward determining whether coach Tom Coughlin will be back in 2011.
Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.
With training camps opening throughout the NFL, there are plenty of obvious story lines. So instead of breaking down the easy stuff like whether (or, more accurately, when) Brett Favre will return or who’ll start during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension or whether Jay Cutler will take aim at Mike Martz, let’s take a look at some more subtle things to watch as the 2010 season approaches.
Charlie Weis could have a rough ride in dealing with Matt Cassel (4).
1. Can Charlie Weis and QB Matt Cassel get along?
In Kansas City, Weis has assumed the duties of offensive coordinator, allowing Todd Haley to focus on coaching the team.
Many assume the relationship between Weis and Cassel will go swimmingly, given their mutual ties to New England.
But here’s the thing. Weis left the Patriots before Cassel arrived, and there’s no indication that the two men will click the same way Weis clicked with Tom Brady, or in the same way Cassel clicked with Josh McDaniels.
2. Will Roy Williams be asked to take less money?
If Roy Williams had fulfilled the potential that prompted the Cowboys to give up a lot more than a first-round pick in the trade, they wouldn’t have needed to devote another first-round pick to the position, especially with Miles Austin on the team.
So now that Dez Bryant is under contract, and assuming he and Austin stay healthy, the next question becomes not whether the Cowboys will cut Williams, but whether they’ll squeeze him into cutting his base salary of $3.45 million, with a threat of cutting him if he doesn’t.
If Bryant continues to perform like he has to start camp, the Cowboys could end up telling Williams that if he doesn’t accept a reduction he’ll be carrying his own shoulder pads — right out of the facility.
3. Can T.O. stay healthy?
Apart from the question of whether the Bengals can keep receiver Terrell Owens happy is the question of whether T.O. can keep himself healthy.
Last year, he showed signs of the beginnings of a physical breakdown. Owens injured a toe in the Hall of Fame game and missed a large chunk of training camp and the preseason. This year, he’s a year older (he’ll be 37 on Dec. 7) and a year closer to reaching the point where his spirit will still be willing but his body will have grown unacceptably weak.
So while we focus on whether he’ll find a way to remain content despite having $2 million tied up in an incentive-laden contract, it’s important to keep an eye on his ability to stay at 100 percent for all of training camp, the preseason and beyond.
4. How much work will Ben Roethlisberger get?
The biggest question facing the Steelers is whether veteran Byron Leftwich or the less experienced (but arguably more skilled) Dennis Dixon will secure the starting quarterback job for the first six (or four) games of the season, while Ben Roethlisberger serves a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
But what about Roethlisberger? With limited first-team reps to get Leftwich and/or Dixon ready to play, how many chances will Roethlisberger receive to get himself ready to play when he returns from his suspension?
The Steelers could be inclined to give Roethlisberger limited work, in the hopes of reserving the primary reps for Leftwich and Dixon. But that will serve only to make it harder for Roethlisberger to be at his best in October, and it could mean the Steelers will hold him out for an extra game or two while he gets back up to speed, especially if the team is thriving without him.
5. What will the Vikings do at backup quarterback?
Everyone expects Favre to show up — eventually — and keep the Minnesota offense from sliding back into mediocrity. But who’ll be the guy to take his place, if the Saints defense does to him in Week 1 what it did to him during the NFC title game?
Presumably, Tarvaris Jackson will get the job. But Sage Rosenfels could make a push to save his roster spot by climbing the ladder in camp.
Then there’s Joe Webb, a rookie quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-quarterback who, in theory, could become the best option behind Favre — primarily since neither Jackson nor Rosenfels are all that good.
6. Will Cleveland have a workhorse at tailback?
The Browns enter the 2010 season with a passing game premised on a has-been (Jake Delhomme), a never-was (Seneca Wallace), and/or a may-not-ever-be (Colt McCoy). To make matters worse, they’ve also got a fairly bare cupboard at receiver and tight end.
So the running game will be very important, with fourth-year veteran Jerome Harrison and rookie Montario Hardesty jockeying for position.
It remains to be seen whether they share touches, or whether one of them becomes the primary option. While Cleveland will make whatever decision points toward the most victories, tons of fantasy football owners will be keeping a close eye on whether one or the other becomes the primary option for a Browns team that likely will be doing plenty of running, primarily because it won’t be able to do much passing.
7. Who will back up Drew Brees?
Last year, the Saints had aging veteran Mark Brunell as the primary backup to Super Bowl 44 MVP Drew Brees. This year, Brunell’s at camp with the Jets.
So who’ll be the insurance policy for Brees? For now, Tulane product Patrick Ramsey has the most experience in the league, but he has very little in the Saints’ offensive system. Behind Ramsey, the Saints have Chase Daniel and Sean Canfield.
If Brees gets hurt, the Saints are screwed.
8. Does anyone care about the Buccaneers?
The NFL has done an excellent job of creating a system that cultivates optimism in the offseason. Every team has a legitimate shot at climbing out of the valley of 0-0 and making it to the playoffs, especially with only four teams in each division.
Every team except Tampa Bay.
Eight years removed from a Super Bowl win, the team has regressed to the rag-tag Tampa teams that primarily resided in the basement of the old NFC Central through 1995. Everyone seems to accept the reality that the Bucs are bound once again for the bottom of the NFC South, and few if anyone in Tampa can plausibly piece together a scenario in which the overmatched franchise has any chance at overcoming the Saints and/or the Falcons.
Fortunately for the NFL, not many other teams fall into that same category in August.
9. Can Ken Whisenhunt coach the Cardinals into a contender?
Arizona’s unexpected success over the past two seasons can be attributed to Kurt Warner’s resurgence and just enough high-end players at other key positions. Not to mention the Cardinals play in one of the league’s worst divisions.
With those big-name players long gone, if the Cardinals are going to succeed this year, the success will flow from coach Whisenhunt.
It’s possible Whisenhunt had a lot more to do with the team’s recent run of success than people realize. After all, the team had won only one postseason game since the Truman administration before the buck stopped with Whisenhunt; in the last two seasons, the Cardinals have won four of them. And it was Whisenhunt who made the call late in the 2008 preseason to put Heisman winner Matt Leinart on the bench and dust off the graybeard who had seemed to lose his fastball somewhere between St. Louis and New York.
In the end, if Whisenhunt had a bigger hand than realized in the 2008 and 2009 editions of the team, then the 2010 Cardinals should contend in a still-weak NFC West. If they don’t contend, the bulk of the credit for the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl berth will go to the players — specifically those who are gone.
10. Can Perry Fewell fix the Giants defense?
With all the attention that has been paid to the Jets, it’s easy to forget the Giants’ fortunes have plummeted almost as far as the career of the guy who made the one-handed, helmet-aided catch that delivered the unlikeliest of Super Bowl victories.
The key to turning it around will come on the defensive side of the ball, where the Giants need to get back to putting high heat on the quarterback — and where they desperately need a capable replacement for Antonio Pierce at middle linebacker.
More importantly, they need new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to have the same kind of impact in his first year on the job that Steve Spagnuolo had in 2007, giving the side of the ball not featuring a member of the Manning family a kick in the pants, in the hopes of dropping many opposing quarterbacks on theirs.
Whether and to what extent Fewell can get it done will go a long way toward determining whether coach Tom Coughlin will be back in 2011.
Mike Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News. Check out PFT for up-to-the minute NFL news.
Rex Ryan is the uber-optimist. His glass isn’t half full; it’s spilling over the brim.
So it’s not surprising that Ryan is gushing about his group of wide receivers. In fact, he thinks it could be the most improved unit on a Jets team that advanced to the AFC championship game last season in his first year as coach.
There are plenty of targets for second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, beginning with starters Braylon Edwards — "I’m expecting a monster year from him," Ryan said — and Super Bowl 43 MVP Santonio Holmes, an offseason acquisition from the Steelers. Then there are Jerricho Cotchery, David Clowney and Brad Smith, who Ryan referred to as "kind of like a Swiss Army knife for us" because of his versatility.
"You look at our wide receiver corps," Ryan said. "That’s about as good as anybody’s in the league."
Here are nine other units that coaches are expecting to step up big in 2010:
Coach Norv Turner would like to see more production from this group. Despite myriad injuries on defense, the Chargers still managed to produce 35 sacks in ’09, but Turner wants the Chargers to turn up the pressure on quarterbacks even more.
"In terms of someone observing us," he said, "I would like to think that when the year is over, they’re going to look at it and say we got a lot better up front on defense."
Falcons secondary
Brent Grimes, Thomas DeCoud, Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson are young players who should have a much better understanding of the Atlanta system in their second or third year. Then you add cornerback Dunta Robinson, a free-agent addition from Houston, and safety William Moore, who missed most of his rookie season last year because of injuries.
No wonder coach Mike Smith and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder have high expectations.
49ers offensive line
After allowing 150 sacks over the last three seasons, it was obvious the 49ers weren’t getting the job done up front. With their first two draft picks, they selected Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis and Idaho guard Mike Iupati, a couple of players who will turn up the competitive heat, if not start, on the line.
"I really like what I’m seeing there," coach Mike Singletary said.
Lions defensive line
During the offseason, the Lions traded for Corey Williams, signed free agent Kyle Vanden Bosch and drafted Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick. The return of Jared DeVries, who missed the ’09 season with a torn Achilles’ tendon, plus the continued development of players such as Cliff Avril, Turk McBride and Sammie Hill should also help this unit.
"Just personnel-wise, we’re more settled than we were last year," second-year coach Jim Schwartz said.
Texans running backs
There figures to be plenty of competition at this position. Steve Slaton, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in ’08, is hoping to rebound from an ’09 season during which he suffered a neck injury, developed a fumbling problem and ran for only 437 yards. Arian Foster, an undrafted rookie in ’09, turned some heads with his performance in the final two games. Rookie Ben Tate will also be in the mix.
"The group has the potential to be excellent," coach Gary Kubiak said. "But it’s a young group, so you’re worried about consistency, you’re worried about maturity. But if we can find those two things, it has a chance to be the most improved area."
Vikings offensive line
Once considered one of the best O-lines in the league, it has become mediocre the last couple of seasons. If left guard Steve Hutchinson can regain his form coming off of shoulder surgery and right tackle Phil Loadholt and center John Sullivan can take a step forward in their second seasons as starters, this could become a top-10 line again.
This is a young group that is still developing. Cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers are entering their third seasons. Free safety Eric Berry, expected to be a playmaker in the middle, and strong safety Kendrick Lewis are rookies who could start. Coach Todd Haley believes these players can step up this season.
"I think they’re poised to do it," he said.
Bengals wide receivers
Cincinnati’s wideouts lacked consistency last season. They also didn’t produce enough explosive plays for coach Marvin Lewis’ taste.
"There weren’t enough of them," he said, "and we didn’t make hay when we had them."
So the Bengals added Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens to a mix that already included Chad Ochocinco. Lewis hopes they can contain their explosiveness to the field — and not let it spill over to the sideline or locker room.
Buccaneers offensive line
It’s one of the biggest lines in the league, but its performance was underwhelming last season. After watching the group during the offseason, coach Raheem Morris thinks it will be much better.
"I look forward to how much they’re going to improve this year," he said.
This story appears in July 30’s edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only digital sports daily, sign up today.
Rex Ryan is the uber-optimist. His glass isn’t half full; it’s spilling over the brim.
So it’s not surprising that Ryan is gushing about his group of wide receivers. In fact, he thinks it could be the most improved unit on a Jets team that advanced to the AFC championship game last season in his first year as coach.
There are plenty of targets for second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, beginning with starters Braylon Edwards — "I’m expecting a monster year from him," Ryan said — and Super Bowl 43 MVP Santonio Holmes, an offseason acquisition from the Steelers. Then there are Jerricho Cotchery, David Clowney and Brad Smith, who Ryan referred to as "kind of like a Swiss Army knife for us" because of his versatility.
"You look at our wide receiver corps," Ryan said. "That’s about as good as anybody’s in the league."
Here are nine other units that coaches are expecting to step up big in 2010:
Coach Norv Turner would like to see more production from this group. Despite myriad injuries on defense, the Chargers still managed to produce 35 sacks in ’09, but Turner wants the Chargers to turn up the pressure on quarterbacks even more.
"In terms of someone observing us," he said, "I would like to think that when the year is over, they’re going to look at it and say we got a lot better up front on defense."
Falcons secondary
Brent Grimes, Thomas DeCoud, Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson are young players who should have a much better understanding of the Atlanta system in their second or third year. Then you add cornerback Dunta Robinson, a free-agent addition from Houston, and safety William Moore, who missed most of his rookie season last year because of injuries.
No wonder coach Mike Smith and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder have high expectations.
49ers offensive line
After allowing 150 sacks over the last three seasons, it was obvious the 49ers weren’t getting the job done up front. With their first two draft picks, they selected Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis and Idaho guard Mike Iupati, a couple of players who will turn up the competitive heat, if not start, on the line.
"I really like what I’m seeing there," coach Mike Singletary said.
Lions defensive line
During the offseason, the Lions traded for Corey Williams, signed free agent Kyle Vanden Bosch and drafted Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick. The return of Jared DeVries, who missed the ’09 season with a torn Achilles’ tendon, plus the continued development of players such as Cliff Avril, Turk McBride and Sammie Hill should also help this unit.
"Just personnel-wise, we’re more settled than we were last year," second-year coach Jim Schwartz said.
Texans running backs
There figures to be plenty of competition at this position. Steve Slaton, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in ’08, is hoping to rebound from an ’09 season during which he suffered a neck injury, developed a fumbling problem and ran for only 437 yards. Arian Foster, an undrafted rookie in ’09, turned some heads with his performance in the final two games. Rookie Ben Tate will also be in the mix.
"The group has the potential to be excellent," coach Gary Kubiak said. "But it’s a young group, so you’re worried about consistency, you’re worried about maturity. But if we can find those two things, it has a chance to be the most improved area."
Vikings offensive line
Once considered one of the best O-lines in the league, it has become mediocre the last couple of seasons. If left guard Steve Hutchinson can regain his form coming off of shoulder surgery and right tackle Phil Loadholt and center John Sullivan can take a step forward in their second seasons as starters, this could become a top-10 line again.
This is a young group that is still developing. Cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers are entering their third seasons. Free safety Eric Berry, expected to be a playmaker in the middle, and strong safety Kendrick Lewis are rookies who could start. Coach Todd Haley believes these players can step up this season.
"I think they’re poised to do it," he said.
Bengals wide receivers
Cincinnati’s wideouts lacked consistency last season. They also didn’t produce enough explosive plays for coach Marvin Lewis’ taste.
"There weren’t enough of them," he said, "and we didn’t make hay when we had them."
So the Bengals added Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens to a mix that already included Chad Ochocinco. Lewis hopes they can contain their explosiveness to the field — and not let it spill over to the sideline or locker room.
Buccaneers offensive line
It’s one of the biggest lines in the league, but its performance was underwhelming last season. After watching the group during the offseason, coach Raheem Morris thinks it will be much better.
"I look forward to how much they’re going to improve this year," he said.
This story appears in July 30’s edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only digital sports daily, sign up today.
Sporting News staff reports
In a twist in their efforts to strengthen themselves for a run at the AL Central title, the White Sox are expressing interest in Arizona starting pitcher Edwin Jackson, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.
Previously, Jackson and Chicago have only been linked as part of a three-team deal that would ultimately see Jackson headed to Washington. The White Sox have long been rumored to be in the hunt for Washington slugger Adam Dunn, but have balked at the Nationals’ reported asking price of either starting middle infielder Gordon Beckham or both starting pitcher Daniel Hudson and infielder Dayan Viciendo. With those talks stalling, Chicago is turning its interest toward Jackson, a pitcher Washington covets.
But it appears Chicago is now interested in adding Jackson to the rotation. Chicago’s offense has improved after a poor start to the season and the White Sox are in need of a starting pitcher after losing Jake Peavy to a season-ending injury.
Hudson, who is replacing Peavy in the rotation, could be a part of the potential deal for Jackson. Jackson threw a no-hitter on June 25, but has been overall disappointing in his first season with the Diamondbacks, going 6-10 with a 5.15 ERA. The White Sox hope a return to the AL Central would rejuvenate Jackson, who was 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA with division rival Detroit last year.
Sporting News staff reports
In a twist in their efforts to strengthen themselves for a run at the AL Central title, the White Sox are expressing interest in Arizona starting pitcher Edwin Jackson, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.
Previously, Jackson and Chicago have only been linked as part of a three-team deal that would ultimately see Jackson headed to Washington. The White Sox have long been rumored to be in the hunt for Washington slugger Adam Dunn, but have balked at the Nationals’ reported asking price of either starting middle infielder Gordon Beckham or both starting pitcher Daniel Hudson and infielder Dayan Viciendo. With those talks stalling, Chicago is turning its interest toward Jackson, a pitcher Washington covets.
But it appears Chicago is now interested in adding Jackson to the rotation. Chicago’s offense has improved after a poor start to the season and the White Sox are in need of a starting pitcher after losing Jake Peavy to a season-ending injury.
Hudson, who is replacing Peavy in the rotation, could be a part of the potential deal for Jackson. Jackson threw a no-hitter on June 25, but has been overall disappointing in his first season with the Diamondbacks, going 6-10 with a 5.15 ERA. The White Sox hope a return to the AL Central would rejuvenate Jackson, who was 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA with division rival Detroit last year.
Sporting News staff reports
While the Rangers were in discussions about acquiring third baseman Jorge Cantu, the team attempted a bold move to significantly increase its chances of winning a championship. According to MLB.com, Texas inquired about the availability of Marlins ace Josh Johnson.
The Rangers, who have already acquired catcher Bengie Molina and AL ERA leader Cliff Lee this month, reportedly offered their top three prospects as an entry point to negotiations for Johnson. But they were quickly rebuffed, with the Marlins deeming their ace "unmovable." Johnson, in the first year of a four-year, $39 million contract, is 10-3 with an ERA of that is nearly half a run better than anyone else in the majors.
Johnson had been working on a streak of 13 straight starts of going at least six innings and giving up no more than two runs entering his start Wednesday, when he allowed three runs in seven innings in a no decision.
It is believed that the Marlins want Johnson on their team as they prepare to move into a new stadium in 2012.
Sporting News staff reports
While the Rangers were in discussions about acquiring third baseman Jorge Cantu, the team attempted a bold move to significantly increase its chances of winning a championship. According to MLB.com, Texas inquired about the availability of Marlins ace Josh Johnson.
The Rangers, who have already acquired catcher Bengie Molina and AL ERA leader Cliff Lee this month, reportedly offered their top three prospects as an entry point to negotiations for Johnson. But they were quickly rebuffed, with the Marlins deeming their ace "unmovable." Johnson, in the first year of a four-year, $39 million contract, is 10-3 with an ERA of that is nearly half a run better than anyone else in the majors.
Johnson had been working on a streak of 13 straight starts of going at least six innings and giving up no more than two runs entering his start Wednesday, when he allowed three runs in seven innings in a no decision.
It is believed that the Marlins want Johnson on their team as they prepare to move into a new stadium in 2012.
Sporting News staff reports
Despite their fading place in the NL Central standings, the Milwaukee Brewers will not be trading any of their star players to rebuild for the future. ESPN.com’s Keith Law is reporting that the team is not interested in dealing right fielder Corey Hart or first baseman Prince Fielder.
Rumors have circulated for weeks about the availability of both players, who are under contract for the 2011 season. The Brewers, who are 48-55 and nine games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central, appear content to hold on to both players after talks with the Giants broke down.
Hart is enjoying a career year, but his value was hampered by a July 23 wrist injury. He hasn’t appeared in a game since, though it is believed he could be back in the lineup on Friday.
Sporting News staff reports
Despite their fading place in the NL Central standings, the Milwaukee Brewers will not be trading any of their star players to rebuild for the future. ESPN.com’s Keith Law is reporting that the team is not interested in dealing right fielder Corey Hart or first baseman Prince Fielder.
Rumors have circulated for weeks about the availability of both players, who are under contract for the 2011 season. The Brewers, who are 48-55 and nine games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central, appear content to hold on to both players after talks with the Giants broke down.
Hart is enjoying a career year, but his value was hampered by a July 23 wrist injury. He hasn’t appeared in a game since, though it is believed he could be back in the lineup on Friday.
