As three-fourths of the NFL teams opened up minicamps on Friday, some big-name draft picks saw their first pro action. Here’s a first look at six rookies who could have an immediate impact:
Sam Bradford, QB, Rams (No. 1 overall)
Sam Bradford is beginning to adjust to lining up under center for the Rams.
First impression: Bradford’s first day of NFL practice took him somewhere he’d rarely been in college—under center. The No. 1 overall pick operated primarily in the shotgun in the spread offense at Oklahoma. But perhaps in a conscious effort to get Bradford acclimated to the footwork and drops he’ll need in the NFL, the Rams had him take all of his snap under center in the portion of Friday’s practice open to the media. Bradford botched one center exchange but threw the ball accurately in blustery winds. First take: "It was fun out there today. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to play football. Just getting out there, getting in the huddle, running plays … I thought it was a blast. I felt very comfortable in the huddle. I felt like I did a good job of taking control." —Bradford
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Lions (No. 2)
First impression: Suh stood out as big and athletic, and battled well with his hands. But what will distinguish him—his explosiveness—won’t be evident until he practices in pads. His killer first step will be key to his transition from a two-gap system to Detroit’s one-gap philosophy of playing the run on the way to the QB. First take: "I love this scheme. It’s a little bit different. It would be like, at Nebraska, third-down rushing on every single play—in terms of my get-off and things like that. I take that view of the third-down get-off every single time.” —Suh
Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers (No. 3)
First impression: During 11-on-11 drills, McCoy displayed his trademark quickness to get through the line for what would have been three quarterback sacks, and he got into position to make a couple of legitimate run stuffs. He also did a solid job of calling out signals along the line—an indication he has already picked up on the team’s terminology and understands his role as one of the quarterbacks of the defense. First take: "The only thing that’s really different here from what I did in college at Oklahoma is the technique I use for shedding blocks. The first two steps here are a tad different, but I caught on to it right away. The rest is all the same. I’m still an attack, get-up-the-field guy. That’s what I do best. " —McCoy
Russell Okung, OT, Seahawks (No. 6)
First impression: Okung’s stance is low for such a large man, and he explodes off the line. He’s a powerful tackle, so a padless minicamp practice isn’t the best showcase for his skills. But Seattle’s zone-blocking scheme demands mobility, and Okung showed his speed both in terms of his feet and ability to pick up the system. It helps that he’s working alongside guard Ben Hamilton, who was signed away from Denver. First take: "Russell fit in very well and did some very good things today. I don’t know how he could know as much as he did other than the fact Ben Hamilton was there helping him with the calls." —coach Pete Carroll
Anthony Davis, OT, 49ers (No. 11)
Jimmy Clausen is already starting to look comfortable with the Panthers’ offense.
First impression: Overall, Davis looked good in his first 49ers practice. Assistant line coach Ray Brown got on the rookie early about driving his legs on the blocking sled, but Davis proved to be a quick learner. Davis also looked at home in 11-on-11 drills. He came out of his stance quickly and seemed to get to the second level of the defense in a hurry. Of course, Davis mostly was lined up against undrafted rookie Will Tukuafu, and the workout was run without pads. Davis will find himself matched against veteran Justin Smith, who went to the Pro Bowl last season, when training camp begins. First take: "One of things that intrigued us with Anthony was his quickness off the ball. He’s got great foot quickness. And he’s also a big man with strength who can move people off the block." —acting G.M. Trent Baalke
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Panthers (No. 48)
First impression: It was easy to see that Clausen, showing off a quick release, was well-coached at Notre Dame. His transition to the NFL will be accelerated by a scheme that is similar to Notre Dame’s. First take: "As soon I saw the playbook, there were similar terms with a little different wording." —Clausen
Sporting News Today’s NFL correspondents contributed to this report.
As three-fourths of the NFL teams opened up minicamps on Friday, some big-name draft picks saw their first pro action. Here’s a first look at six rookies who could have an immediate impact:
Sam Bradford, QB, Rams (No. 1 overall)
Sam Bradford is beginning to adjust to lining up under center for the Rams.
First impression: Bradford’s first day of NFL practice took him somewhere he’d rarely been in college—under center. The No. 1 overall pick operated primarily in the shotgun in the spread offense at Oklahoma. But perhaps in a conscious effort to get Bradford acclimated to the footwork and drops he’ll need in the NFL, the Rams had him take all of his snap under center in the portion of Friday’s practice open to the media. Bradford botched one center exchange but threw the ball accurately in blustery winds. First take: "It was fun out there today. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to play football. Just getting out there, getting in the huddle, running plays … I thought it was a blast. I felt very comfortable in the huddle. I felt like I did a good job of taking control." —Bradford
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Lions (No. 2)
First impression: Suh stood out as big and athletic, and battled well with his hands. But what will distinguish him—his explosiveness—won’t be evident until he practices in pads. His killer first step will be key to his transition from a two-gap system to Detroit’s one-gap philosophy of playing the run on the way to the QB. First take: "I love this scheme. It’s a little bit different. It would be like, at Nebraska, third-down rushing on every single play—in terms of my get-off and things like that. I take that view of the third-down get-off every single time.” —Suh
Gerald McCoy, DT, Buccaneers (No. 3)
First impression: During 11-on-11 drills, McCoy displayed his trademark quickness to get through the line for what would have been three quarterback sacks, and he got into position to make a couple of legitimate run stuffs. He also did a solid job of calling out signals along the line—an indication he has already picked up on the team’s terminology and understands his role as one of the quarterbacks of the defense. First take: "The only thing that’s really different here from what I did in college at Oklahoma is the technique I use for shedding blocks. The first two steps here are a tad different, but I caught on to it right away. The rest is all the same. I’m still an attack, get-up-the-field guy. That’s what I do best. " —McCoy
Russell Okung, OT, Seahawks (No. 6)
First impression: Okung’s stance is low for such a large man, and he explodes off the line. He’s a powerful tackle, so a padless minicamp practice isn’t the best showcase for his skills. But Seattle’s zone-blocking scheme demands mobility, and Okung showed his speed both in terms of his feet and ability to pick up the system. It helps that he’s working alongside guard Ben Hamilton, who was signed away from Denver. First take: "Russell fit in very well and did some very good things today. I don’t know how he could know as much as he did other than the fact Ben Hamilton was there helping him with the calls." —coach Pete Carroll
Anthony Davis, OT, 49ers (No. 11)
Jimmy Clausen is already starting to look comfortable with the Panthers’ offense.
First impression: Overall, Davis looked good in his first 49ers practice. Assistant line coach Ray Brown got on the rookie early about driving his legs on the blocking sled, but Davis proved to be a quick learner. Davis also looked at home in 11-on-11 drills. He came out of his stance quickly and seemed to get to the second level of the defense in a hurry. Of course, Davis mostly was lined up against undrafted rookie Will Tukuafu, and the workout was run without pads. Davis will find himself matched against veteran Justin Smith, who went to the Pro Bowl last season, when training camp begins. First take: "One of things that intrigued us with Anthony was his quickness off the ball. He’s got great foot quickness. And he’s also a big man with strength who can move people off the block." —acting G.M. Trent Baalke
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Panthers (No. 48)
First impression: It was easy to see that Clausen, showing off a quick release, was well-coached at Notre Dame. His transition to the NFL will be accelerated by a scheme that is similar to Notre Dame’s. First take: "As soon I saw the playbook, there were similar terms with a little different wording." —Clausen
Sporting News Today’s NFL correspondents contributed to this report.
Braves closer Billy Wagner plans to join manager Bobby Cox in retirement after this season.
Wagner on Friday told Cox that this will be his last year as a player. The 38-year-old left-hander wants to spend more time on his Virginia farm with his wife and four children. He said he contemplated retiring after last season but reconsidered.
"I still like the competition, that’s why I do it," Wagner tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I like going out and winning, that still drives me. But being home with them last year (while recovering from elbow surgery), I enjoyed it. There’s so much more to offer them at this age, and I need to be home."
Wagner, who is sixth on the all-time list with 387 career saves, tells the AJC he will not play even if his $6.5 million option for 2011 vests. The option takes effect if Wagner finishes 50 games this season.
He will make $7 million in 2010.
Sporting News staff reports
Braves closer Billy Wagner plans to join manager Bobby Cox in retirement after this season.
Wagner on Friday told Cox that this will be his last year as a player. The 38-year-old left-hander wants to spend more time on his Virginia farm with his wife and four children. He said he contemplated retiring after last season but reconsidered.
"I still like the competition, that’s why I do it," Wagner tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I like going out and winning, that still drives me. But being home with them last year (while recovering from elbow surgery), I enjoyed it. There’s so much more to offer them at this age, and I need to be home."
Wagner, who is sixth on the all-time list with 387 career saves, tells the AJC he will not play even if his $6.5 million option for 2011 vests. The option takes effect if Wagner finishes 50 games this season.
NEW YORK — Given a chance to take part in the 2011 All-Star Game at Arizona, Ozzie Guillen insists he won’t go.
"I wouldn’t do it," the Chicago White Sox manager said Friday. "As a Latin American, it’s natural that I have to support our own."
Guillen joined a growing chorus of opposition to Arizona’s new law that empowers police to determine a person’s immigration status. The state is home to all four major team sports, hosts half the clubs in spring training and holds top events in NASCAR, golf and tennis.
The Major League Baseball players union issued a statement condemning the law. A congressman whose district includes Yankee Stadium wrote a letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig urging him to pull the All-Star Game from Phoenix. The World Boxing Council took a step to limit fights in Arizona.
"It’s a bad thing," said Baltimore shortstop Cesar Izturis, born in Venezuela. "Now they’re going to go after everybody, not just the people behind the wall. Now they’re going to come out on the street. What if you’re walking on the street with your family and kids? They’re going to go after you."
With more than one-quarter of big leaguers on opening-day rosters were born outside the 50 states, most of them from Hispanic descent.
"These international players are very much a part of our national pastime," MLB union head Michael Weiner said. "Each of them must be ready to prove, at any time, his identity and the legality of his being in Arizona to any state or local official with suspicion of his immigration status."
Weiner said that if the law is not repealed or modified, the union would consider "additional steps."
A day earlier, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said its sanctioning body unanimously agreed it will not authorize Mexican boxers to fight in Arizona.
"Great figures of boxing have fought in Arizona, boxers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Konstantin Tszyu, ‘Coloradito’ Lopez and many, many others," said Sulaiman, who is based in Mexico City. "The WBC will not allow that in boxing, athletes are exposed to suffer that degrading act, humiliating and inhumane, as racial discrimination is."
MLB, the NFL and the NBA declined comment on the law.
The BCS national championship game will be played next January in Glendale, Ariz., shortly after the city hosts the Fiesta Bowl.
"The recent Arizona immigration legislation is obviously a matter of great public concern," the Fiesta Bowl said in a statement Friday. "While this matter may ultimately be resolved in a court of law or in the court of public opinion, we are certain that it will not be resolved on the fields of college football."
Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., sent a letter Thursday night to Selig, asking him to take next year’s All-Star game out of Arizona.
Calling the law "extremist" and "discriminatory," the congressman wrote: The All-Star game is now not just a display of baseball’s best talent, but is also a display of the global reach of the game. It is at odds with the reality of the modern game to hold such a prestigious event in a state that would not welcome those same players if they did not play our national pastime."
Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said "this whole situation is sad and disappointing."
"We believe the federal government should act swiftly to address the immigration issue once and for all," he said in a statement.
Said Cleveland Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr., whose team trains in Goodyear, Ariz.: "Certainly I am against profiling any race and having sterotypes, but at the same time my feeling is what does baseball have to do with politics? Let the politicians stay in politics and the baseball players play baseball."
Guillen, from Venezuela, became an American citizen in 2006. He said players should consider boycotting baseball in Arizona, adding, "I plead sportsmen to join on this."
The White Sox hold spring training in suburban Phoenix. Guillen said he hoped MLB would take a strong stance on the immigration law.
"They have to. They have a team in Arizona," he said. "There is a concern for baseball players to go out there, of course, and we’ve got to support those people."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NEW YORK — Given a chance to take part in the 2011 All-Star Game at Arizona, Ozzie Guillen insists he won’t go.
"I wouldn’t do it," the Chicago White Sox manager said Friday. "As a Latin American, it’s natural that I have to support our own."
Guillen joined a growing chorus of opposition to Arizona’s new law that empowers police to determine a person’s immigration status. The state is home to all four major team sports, hosts half the clubs in spring training and holds top events in NASCAR, golf and tennis.
The Major League Baseball players union issued a statement condemning the law. A congressman whose district includes Yankee Stadium wrote a letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig urging him to pull the All-Star Game from Phoenix. The World Boxing Council took a step to limit fights in Arizona.
"It’s a bad thing," said Baltimore shortstop Cesar Izturis, born in Venezuela. "Now they’re going to go after everybody, not just the people behind the wall. Now they’re going to come out on the street. What if you’re walking on the street with your family and kids? They’re going to go after you."
With more than one-quarter of big leaguers on opening-day rosters were born outside the 50 states, most of them from Hispanic descent.
"These international players are very much a part of our national pastime," MLB union head Michael Weiner said. "Each of them must be ready to prove, at any time, his identity and the legality of his being in Arizona to any state or local official with suspicion of his immigration status."
Weiner said that if the law is not repealed or modified, the union would consider "additional steps."
A day earlier, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said its sanctioning body unanimously agreed it will not authorize Mexican boxers to fight in Arizona.
"Great figures of boxing have fought in Arizona, boxers such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Konstantin Tszyu, ‘Coloradito’ Lopez and many, many others," said Sulaiman, who is based in Mexico City. "The WBC will not allow that in boxing, athletes are exposed to suffer that degrading act, humiliating and inhumane, as racial discrimination is."
MLB, the NFL and the NBA declined comment on the law.
The BCS national championship game will be played next January in Glendale, Ariz., shortly after the city hosts the Fiesta Bowl.
"The recent Arizona immigration legislation is obviously a matter of great public concern," the Fiesta Bowl said in a statement Friday. "While this matter may ultimately be resolved in a court of law or in the court of public opinion, we are certain that it will not be resolved on the fields of college football."
Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., sent a letter Thursday night to Selig, asking him to take next year’s All-Star game out of Arizona.
Calling the law "extremist" and "discriminatory," the congressman wrote: The All-Star game is now not just a display of baseball’s best talent, but is also a display of the global reach of the game. It is at odds with the reality of the modern game to hold such a prestigious event in a state that would not welcome those same players if they did not play our national pastime."
Arizona Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said "this whole situation is sad and disappointing."
"We believe the federal government should act swiftly to address the immigration issue once and for all," he said in a statement.
Said Cleveland Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr., whose team trains in Goodyear, Ariz.: "Certainly I am against profiling any race and having sterotypes, but at the same time my feeling is what does baseball have to do with politics? Let the politicians stay in politics and the baseball players play baseball."
Guillen, from Venezuela, became an American citizen in 2006. He said players should consider boycotting baseball in Arizona, adding, "I plead sportsmen to join on this."
The White Sox hold spring training in suburban Phoenix. Guillen said he hoped MLB would take a strong stance on the immigration law.
"They have to. They have a team in Arizona," he said. "There is a concern for baseball players to go out there, of course, and we’ve got to support those people."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Update: As of Friday morning, the context of Jeff Ireland’s question about Dez Bryant’s is being reported, and that sheds a different light on the issue. Read more in Dan Levy’s story in The Sporting Blog.
Dez Bryant has accepted Jeff Ireland’s apology for an inappropriate question, but the issue of prospect interviews is far from resolved.
ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio weighs in on the Dez Bryant-Jeff Ireland predraft interview:
Last week, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports reported that receiver Dez Bryant had been asked during pre-draft interview whether his mother is a prostitute. The story grew no legs.
On Tuesday, Silver reported that the question in question had been asked by Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland. Since then, the story has made Usain Bolt and Chris Johnson look like tortoises with torn ACLs.
The situation also presents many twists and turns and layers and levels. I probably could come up with more than 10 takes on the topic. But I must balance my interest in writing about the topic with the audience’s interest in reading about it.
So it’s 10. And only 10.
1. Lawsuit possibilities.
A player who has not yet been drafted has no obligation to defer to the grievance procedures contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a result, he can sue the league and/or any of its teams, if he believes his legal rights have been violated.
Generally speaking, there’s no law against being a jerk. That said, most states recognize that, at a certain level, deliberate misconduct creates potential civil liability.
In Florida (as in most states), the bar is high. The behavior must be outrageous, and the target of the conduct must have suffered severe emotional distress. The latter point doesn’t mesh with the image of toughness projected by a football player, making it less likely that a player ever would file suit.
That said, at a certain point, a wildly inappropriate question could spark litigation, especially if the question triggers a real and substantial emotional reaction.
Ireland has taken all of the blame in the Bryant scandal.
2. Ireland’s future.
Before this incident, Ireland was regarded as a guy whose career in Miami likely would be tied to that of V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells. The working theory in league circles was that, after Parcells goes, Carl Peterson will be hired to replace him, and Peterson will hire a new G.M.
This latest development likely will give owner Stephen Ross (and, presumably, Peterson) cover to oust Ireland once Parcells leave.
Ireland surely will land on his feet, especially since he has by all appearances put himself in position to take the fall.
3. The Teflon Tuna.
What’s that, you say? Why shouldn’t Ireland take the fall? Though he’s the one who asked the question, responsibility for the question ultimately lands on the desk of Ireland’s boss.
Still, for reasons not yet known, Bill Parcells has to date avoided blame for the Bryant blunder. The Tuna’s ability to remain off the hook could be changing. Former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley told ESPN Radio on Thursday that Parcells’ first question for him during a 2004 free-agent visit was, "Do you do drugs?"
That same question possibly will be posed by Stephen Ross to whoever it was who gave the green light to the question that was posed.
4. The "Fight Club" factor.
Plenty of people believe that the Dolphins didn’t ask the question because they wanted to know the answer to it, but because they wanted to see how Bryant would handle it. It’s also possible that the Dolphins were interested in finding out whether Bryant would opt for discretion moving forward.
In an industry that demands from its workers a high degree of secrecy, the Dolphins are even more secretive than most. And if the first rule of "Fight Club" is to never talk about "Fight Club," maybe the Dolphins wanted to see whether Bryant would blab.
Eventually, he did. Though that didn’t deter the Dallas Cowboys, it could have caused some of the 24 teams who picked players before the ‘Boys to pass on Dez Bryant.
5. Dolphins ultimately didn’t like Dez.
The Dolphins’ objective in posing the question to Bryant isn’t clear. It’s possible that they simply wanted to know the answer. It’s possible that they know the answer, and that they wanted to see how he handled the question. It’s also possible that they simply wanted to see how he’d react to the question.
If it’s the latter, it’s unknown whether the Dolphins hoped he’d sit there and take it, whether he’d storm out, or whether he’d take a swing at the person who posed the question. Regardless, it’s clear that the Dolphins decided not long after their visit with Bryant that they didn’t want him. Roughly a week after Bryant came to town, the Dolphins traded for receiver Brandon Marshall.
Maybe his response and/or reaction to the question was the deciding factor.
6. Was Ireland justified?
Though most people believe Ireland crossed the line when posing the question to Bryant, some in the league and in the media believe he should be applauded. Rightly or wrongly, the NFL is a tough, nasty, mean business, with grown men subjecting each other to physical and verbal abuse between the white lines — and often beyond them.
Multiple league insiders insist that far worse questions have been asked to incoming rookies, all in the name of finding out more about how they’ll handle themselves under the unique stress and duress of pro football.
So under the loose rules that already existed in matters of this nature, Ireland arguably did nothing wrong. The real question is whether the NFL and its teams will use this exercise as the starting point for demanding more respectful interactions and discourse.
7. The presentation caused the problem.
Some have suggested that the Dolphins legitimately needed to know the answer to the question. If, as the theory goes, Bryant’s mother was or is a prostitute, he possibly will need counseling or other services from the team. Also, his mother possibly has associations that could compromise Bryant, from the perspective of the 6,000-pound gambling elephant that always is sitting in the corner of the luxury suite.
If that’s the case — if the Dolphins asked the question not to gauge Bryant’s reaction but because they needed to know the answer — they did a poor job of presenting the topic.
With less than a minute of prefatory comments, the Dolphins could have explained to Bryant their reason for asking a sensitive question, and they could have apologized in advance for even having to ask the question. The fact that they apparently didn’t try strongly suggests that they had one goal: to see how Bryant would react.
8. The union’s role.
Because questions of this nature are posed before the players have joined the union, there’s nothing that the NFLPA can really do to address this problem. Still, the union has the ability to do much more than issue a statement (as it did on Wednesday) expressing disapproval without providing any specific guidance or identifying any precise expectations.
The union instead should attempt to begin to change the culture of the league, coming up with ideas and strategies for getting players to quit disrespecting each other on the field or in a locker room. Though it may take 50 years or longer to fully effect change, the disconnect between football and the rest of the world needs to change, and the union should have a role far more substantial than sniping from the bushes.
Given that most, if not all, teams from time to time pose inappropriate questions to prospects, the league could be tempted to keep its head low and hope that the situation blows over quickly. The perception that the league arguably overreacted regarding 2007’s Spygate situation, nailing the Patriots for cheating without taking a broader look at whether other teams do the same thing, possibly has prompted the NFL to assume that, in matters of this nature, the team’s only real sin was getting caught.
But now that the cathouse question is out of the bag, the league needs to come up with a way to address the situation in a manner that is sensitive both to the fact that most if not all teams ask insensitive questions from time to time to incoming draft picks and to the realities of the unusual chemistry that develops among those who play the game.
Ultimately, the league’s goal should be the same as the union’s — to resist the urge to accept that the football culture "is what it is," and to try to change it.
10. The homophobia connection.
Statistics tell us that, with more than 1,700 players in the NFL, more than a few of them are gay. But no gay player ever has come out of the closet during his playing career.
To understand the reasons for this reality, look no farther than the Ireland-Bryant example.
Football players and coaches are cruel. They prey on weakness. Within the locker room, homosexuality is viewed as a weakness — and as a threat. As long as questions of the kind that Ireland asked Bryant are tolerated within a football team, homosexuality never will be.
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.
Mike Florio
Update: As of Friday morning, the context of Jeff Ireland’s question about Dez Bryant’s is being reported, and that sheds a different light on the issue. Read more in Dan Levy’s story in The Sporting Blog.
Dez Bryant has accepted Jeff Ireland’s apology for an inappropriate question, but the issue of prospect interviews is far from resolved.
ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio weighs in on the Dez Bryant-Jeff Ireland predraft interview:
Last week, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports reported that receiver Dez Bryant had been asked during pre-draft interview whether his mother is a prostitute. The story grew no legs.
On Tuesday, Silver reported that the question in question had been asked by Dolphins G.M. Jeff Ireland. Since then, the story has made Usain Bolt and Chris Johnson look like tortoises with torn ACLs.
The situation also presents many twists and turns and layers and levels. I probably could come up with more than 10 takes on the topic. But I must balance my interest in writing about the topic with the audience’s interest in reading about it.
So it’s 10. And only 10.
1. Lawsuit possibilities.
A player who has not yet been drafted has no obligation to defer to the grievance procedures contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a result, he can sue the league and/or any of its teams, if he believes his legal rights have been violated.
Generally speaking, there’s no law against being a jerk. That said, most states recognize that, at a certain level, deliberate misconduct creates potential civil liability.
In Florida (as in most states), the bar is high. The behavior must be outrageous, and the target of the conduct must have suffered severe emotional distress. The latter point doesn’t mesh with the image of toughness projected by a football player, making it less likely that a player ever would file suit.
That said, at a certain point, a wildly inappropriate question could spark litigation, especially if the question triggers a real and substantial emotional reaction.
Ireland has taken all of the blame in the Bryant scandal.
2. Ireland’s future.
Before this incident, Ireland was regarded as a guy whose career in Miami likely would be tied to that of V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells. The working theory in league circles was that, after Parcells goes, Carl Peterson will be hired to replace him, and Peterson will hire a new G.M.
This latest development likely will give owner Stephen Ross (and, presumably, Peterson) cover to oust Ireland once Parcells leave.
Ireland surely will land on his feet, especially since he has by all appearances put himself in position to take the fall.
3. The Teflon Tuna.
What’s that, you say? Why shouldn’t Ireland take the fall? Though he’s the one who asked the question, responsibility for the question ultimately lands on the desk of Ireland’s boss.
Still, for reasons not yet known, Bill Parcells has to date avoided blame for the Bryant blunder. The Tuna’s ability to remain off the hook could be changing. Former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley told ESPN Radio on Thursday that Parcells’ first question for him during a 2004 free-agent visit was, "Do you do drugs?"
That same question possibly will be posed by Stephen Ross to whoever it was who gave the green light to the question that was posed.
4. The "Fight Club" factor.
Plenty of people believe that the Dolphins didn’t ask the question because they wanted to know the answer to it, but because they wanted to see how Bryant would handle it. It’s also possible that the Dolphins were interested in finding out whether Bryant would opt for discretion moving forward.
In an industry that demands from its workers a high degree of secrecy, the Dolphins are even more secretive than most. And if the first rule of "Fight Club" is to never talk about "Fight Club," maybe the Dolphins wanted to see whether Bryant would blab.
Eventually, he did. Though that didn’t deter the Dallas Cowboys, it could have caused some of the 24 teams who picked players before the ‘Boys to pass on Dez Bryant.
5. Dolphins ultimately didn’t like Dez.
The Dolphins’ objective in posing the question to Bryant isn’t clear. It’s possible that they simply wanted to know the answer. It’s possible that they know the answer, and that they wanted to see how he handled the question. It’s also possible that they simply wanted to see how he’d react to the question.
If it’s the latter, it’s unknown whether the Dolphins hoped he’d sit there and take it, whether he’d storm out, or whether he’d take a swing at the person who posed the question. Regardless, it’s clear that the Dolphins decided not long after their visit with Bryant that they didn’t want him. Roughly a week after Bryant came to town, the Dolphins traded for receiver Brandon Marshall.
Maybe his response and/or reaction to the question was the deciding factor.
6. Was Ireland justified?
Though most people believe Ireland crossed the line when posing the question to Bryant, some in the league and in the media believe he should be applauded. Rightly or wrongly, the NFL is a tough, nasty, mean business, with grown men subjecting each other to physical and verbal abuse between the white lines — and often beyond them.
Multiple league insiders insist that far worse questions have been asked to incoming rookies, all in the name of finding out more about how they’ll handle themselves under the unique stress and duress of pro football.
So under the loose rules that already existed in matters of this nature, Ireland arguably did nothing wrong. The real question is whether the NFL and its teams will use this exercise as the starting point for demanding more respectful interactions and discourse.
7. The presentation caused the problem.
Some have suggested that the Dolphins legitimately needed to know the answer to the question. If, as the theory goes, Bryant’s mother was or is a prostitute, he possibly will need counseling or other services from the team. Also, his mother possibly has associations that could compromise Bryant, from the perspective of the 6,000-pound gambling elephant that always is sitting in the corner of the luxury suite.
If that’s the case — if the Dolphins asked the question not to gauge Bryant’s reaction but because they needed to know the answer — they did a poor job of presenting the topic.
With less than a minute of prefatory comments, the Dolphins could have explained to Bryant their reason for asking a sensitive question, and they could have apologized in advance for even having to ask the question. The fact that they apparently didn’t try strongly suggests that they had one goal: to see how Bryant would react.
8. The union’s role.
Because questions of this nature are posed before the players have joined the union, there’s nothing that the NFLPA can really do to address this problem. Still, the union has the ability to do much more than issue a statement (as it did on Wednesday) expressing disapproval without providing any specific guidance or identifying any precise expectations.
The union instead should attempt to begin to change the culture of the league, coming up with ideas and strategies for getting players to quit disrespecting each other on the field or in a locker room. Though it may take 50 years or longer to fully effect change, the disconnect between football and the rest of the world needs to change, and the union should have a role far more substantial than sniping from the bushes.
Given that most, if not all, teams from time to time pose inappropriate questions to prospects, the league could be tempted to keep its head low and hope that the situation blows over quickly. The perception that the league arguably overreacted regarding 2007’s Spygate situation, nailing the Patriots for cheating without taking a broader look at whether other teams do the same thing, possibly has prompted the NFL to assume that, in matters of this nature, the team’s only real sin was getting caught.
But now that the cathouse question is out of the bag, the league needs to come up with a way to address the situation in a manner that is sensitive both to the fact that most if not all teams ask insensitive questions from time to time to incoming draft picks and to the realities of the unusual chemistry that develops among those who play the game.
Ultimately, the league’s goal should be the same as the union’s — to resist the urge to accept that the football culture "is what it is," and to try to change it.
10. The homophobia connection.
Statistics tell us that, with more than 1,700 players in the NFL, more than a few of them are gay. But no gay player ever has come out of the closet during his playing career.
To understand the reasons for this reality, look no farther than the Ireland-Bryant example.
Football players and coaches are cruel. They prey on weakness. Within the locker room, homosexuality is viewed as a weakness — and as a threat. As long as questions of the kind that Ireland asked Bryant are tolerated within a football team, homosexuality never will be.
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.
Despite calling it a career last summer, Tom Glavine has stayed busy in baseball. He recently agreed to a multiplatform position with the Braves, with whom he won 244 games over 17 seasons, and he has aligned himself with the new PitchSight product. Ken Riddle, director of business development for L-3 Communications, which developed PitchSight and QuesTec, says this new technology can be used for scouting, evaluation, progress measurement, assessment and even injury rehabilitation. The system, already in use at Boston College, uses cameras to record a pitcher’s measurables. Glavine recently spoke with Sporting News’ Chris Bahr about PitchSight, his new role with the Braves and couple of the Braves’ young arms.
SN: How is PitchSight useful for a pitcher? Glavine: What I like about it is the feedback. It gives you the ability to gather information and use that information almost instantaneously. It measures release point, release angle, location, break, velocity. Those are all things pitchers are interested in and are all directly related to a pitcher’s ability to be consistent and consistently throw good pitches in the strike zone. … You’re in the middle of a bullpen session. If there’s a particular pitch that you threw that you felt really good about, you go to the computer, find the pitch, see where your release angle was, where your release point was, how the pitch correlated to the strike zone.
SN: What could you have used it for most in your career? Glavine: The two pitches I struggled with most were my breaking balls. If I was able to throw a slider or throw a curveball I really liked, and this information was available where I could pinpoint the pitch, see where my arm angle, release point and all those things were, I think it would have been a little bit easier for me to focus on the release point and things like that — things that seemed to escape me a bit when it came to those two particular pitches.
For younger pitchers, the big thing they’re searching for is that consistent arm angle, that consistent release point. If you’re able to put yourself on the system and measure and see exactly where your release points are, it becomes a little bit easier to hone in on one spot.
SN: Ideally, this technology would complement a pitching coach and coaching staff. But could this become more important than the human factor? Glavine: It’s not intended to replace anybody. We’re viewing it as an enhancement to the things that are already available. Even though you’re going to have this information and you can go back and say, "OK, here’s my most consistent release point, here’s my most consistent arm angle …," you still have to hone your mechanics where you can get to that point consistently. That is where a pitching coach becomes extremely important.
SN: How are you enjoying your new role with the Braves, doing a little bit of everything? Glavine: It’s going really well. It’s given me the opportunity to keep my foot in the door in terms of baseball. It’s allowed me to experience a number of different things, which is great for me because I was hesitant to make a commitment to something and find out a year from now that I didn’t like it. The Braves have given me an opportunity to experience a bunch of different things, to see if there’s something I like better than something else — something I can focus on down the road.
SN: What do you see in young Braves starters Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson that reminds you of you, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux? Glavine: Their stuff obviously is the first thing that catches anyone’s attention. They both have really good stuff. Tommy’s a little bit more of a power pitcher, and Jair also can get the ball up there pretty good. Both have really good makeups in terms of being mature and understanding what it is that they’re trying to do and having a game plan. From that standpoint, at this point in their careers, both of those guys are farther along that I was, or John was, at similar stages of our careers in the big leagues.
SN: What’s your best piece of advice for a young pitcher just starting out in the majors? Glavine: Pay attention to the delicate balance that exists in baseball. Enjoy what you’re doing, have fun. Because, let’s face it, it’s a dream job. But at that same time, recognize the fact that you have to work hard to stay there. A lot of guys are chomping at the bit to take your job away. … There’s an opportunity to play the game for a long time and make a lot of money, but if you don’t take advantage of that opportunity, you won’t play the game very long.
SN: What was tougher: leaving the Braves after the 2002 season, or leaving the game for good in the summer of 2009? Glavine: Leaving the first time was tougher. At that time, I was successful. I was pitching well and had some good years ahead of me. I knew there still were things I could accomplish. When I retired, I could have pitched another year or a half a year. But I accomplished the things I wanted to accomplish, and when that happens, it’s a little easier to walk away.
Despite calling it a career last summer, Tom Glavine has stayed busy in baseball. He recently agreed to a multiplatform position with the Braves, with whom he won 244 games over 17 seasons, and he has aligned himself with the new PitchSight product. Ken Riddle, director of business development for L-3 Communications, which developed PitchSight and QuesTec, says this new technology can be used for scouting, evaluation, progress measurement, assessment and even injury rehabilitation. The system, already in use at Boston College, uses cameras to record a pitcher’s measurables. Glavine recently spoke with Sporting News’ Chris Bahr about PitchSight, his new role with the Braves and couple of the Braves’ young arms.
SN: How is PitchSight useful for a pitcher? Glavine: What I like about it is the feedback. It gives you the ability to gather information and use that information almost instantaneously. It measures release point, release angle, location, break, velocity. Those are all things pitchers are interested in and are all directly related to a pitcher’s ability to be consistent and consistently throw good pitches in the strike zone. … You’re in the middle of a bullpen session. If there’s a particular pitch that you threw that you felt really good about, you go to the computer, find the pitch, see where your release angle was, where your release point was, how the pitch correlated to the strike zone.
SN: What could you have used it for most in your career? Glavine: The two pitches I struggled with most were my breaking balls. If I was able to throw a slider or throw a curveball I really liked, and this information was available where I could pinpoint the pitch, see where my arm angle, release point and all those things were, I think it would have been a little bit easier for me to focus on the release point and things like that — things that seemed to escape me a bit when it came to those two particular pitches.
For younger pitchers, the big thing they’re searching for is that consistent arm angle, that consistent release point. If you’re able to put yourself on the system and measure and see exactly where your release points are, it becomes a little bit easier to hone in on one spot.
SN: Ideally, this technology would complement a pitching coach and coaching staff. But could this become more important than the human factor? Glavine: It’s not intended to replace anybody. We’re viewing it as an enhancement to the things that are already available. Even though you’re going to have this information and you can go back and say, "OK, here’s my most consistent release point, here’s my most consistent arm angle …," you still have to hone your mechanics where you can get to that point consistently. That is where a pitching coach becomes extremely important.
SN: How are you enjoying your new role with the Braves, doing a little bit of everything? Glavine: It’s going really well. It’s given me the opportunity to keep my foot in the door in terms of baseball. It’s allowed me to experience a number of different things, which is great for me because I was hesitant to make a commitment to something and find out a year from now that I didn’t like it. The Braves have given me an opportunity to experience a bunch of different things, to see if there’s something I like better than something else — something I can focus on down the road.
SN: What do you see in young Braves starters Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson that reminds you of you, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux? Glavine: Their stuff obviously is the first thing that catches anyone’s attention. They both have really good stuff. Tommy’s a little bit more of a power pitcher, and Jair also can get the ball up there pretty good. Both have really good makeups in terms of being mature and understanding what it is that they’re trying to do and having a game plan. From that standpoint, at this point in their careers, both of those guys are farther along that I was, or John was, at similar stages of our careers in the big leagues.
SN: What’s your best piece of advice for a young pitcher just starting out in the majors? Glavine: Pay attention to the delicate balance that exists in baseball. Enjoy what you’re doing, have fun. Because, let’s face it, it’s a dream job. But at that same time, recognize the fact that you have to work hard to stay there. A lot of guys are chomping at the bit to take your job away. … There’s an opportunity to play the game for a long time and make a lot of money, but if you don’t take advantage of that opportunity, you won’t play the game very long.
SN: What was tougher: leaving the Braves after the 2002 season, or leaving the game for good in the summer of 2009? Glavine: Leaving the first time was tougher. At that time, I was successful. I was pitching well and had some good years ahead of me. I knew there still were things I could accomplish. When I retired, I could have pitched another year or a half a year. But I accomplished the things I wanted to accomplish, and when that happens, it’s a little easier to walk away.
NASCAR: Hey, tabloid news that doesn’t involve Tiger Woods! The National Enquirer reports that Dale Earnhardt Jr. stole some guy’s wife. The woman is supposedly interior decorator Amy Reimann, whose ex-husband is an assistant defensive line coach at Kentucky, Tommy Cook. Cook’s dad is quoted in the tabloid as saying it’s true his ex-daughter-in-law is now dating NASCAR’s most popular driver. Don’t expect to read anything about it from Junior – especially on Twitter. If growing up in the spotlight has taught him anything, it’s when and where to stay quiet.
Golf: C’mon, you didn’t think that meant there wasn’t any tabloid news about Tiger. According to Britain’s Daily Mail, England’s answer to the New York Post, Tiger’s goin’ for Wilt Chamberlain’s record, having sex with 120 women. If Fly were to apply some math to the latest rumors, that would cost him between $4.2-to-5 million per conquest if reports of a $500 million to $600 million settlement are correct.
NFL/Soccer: This video sorta has the same quality of many "Bigfoot sightings", but if TMZ says it’s Tony Romo, well, then it’s Tony Romo. Apparently he has some kicking skills, getting payback for being knocked down in a rec league soccer game by scoring shortly thereafter.
• In case you didn’t get enough less-than-fully-clothed Terry Bradshaw in "Failure to Launch," you can see him jumping out of a birthday cake for Jay Leno:
NBA: Who’s got next on the New Orleans Hornets’ bench? The Times-Picayune says the team’s looking at Mark Jackson as a coach candidate. Jackson has come thisclose to landing two NBA head coaching jobs, losing out to Kurt Rambis in Minnesota and Mike D’Antoni for the Knicks job.
NASCAR: Hey, tabloid news that doesn’t involve Tiger Woods! The National Enquirer reports that Dale Earnhardt Jr. stole some guy’s wife. The woman is supposedly interior decorator Amy Reimann, whose ex-husband is an assistant defensive line coach at Kentucky, Tommy Cook. Cook’s dad is quoted in the tabloid as saying it’s true his ex-daughter-in-law is now dating NASCAR’s most popular driver. Don’t expect to read anything about it from Junior – especially on Twitter. If growing up in the spotlight has taught him anything, it’s when and where to stay quiet.
Golf: C’mon, you didn’t think that meant there wasn’t any tabloid news about Tiger. According to Britain’s Daily Mail, England’s answer to the New York Post, Tiger’s goin’ for Wilt Chamberlain’s record, having sex with 120 women. If Fly were to apply some math to the latest rumors, that would cost him between $4.2-to-5 million per conquest if reports of a $500 million to $600 million settlement are correct.
NFL/Soccer: This video sorta has the same quality of many "Bigfoot sightings", but if TMZ says it’s Tony Romo, well, then it’s Tony Romo. Apparently he has some kicking skills, getting payback for being knocked down in a rec league soccer game by scoring shortly thereafter.
• In case you didn’t get enough less-than-fully-clothed Terry Bradshaw in "Failure to Launch," you can see him jumping out of a birthday cake for Jay Leno:
NBA: Who’s got next on the New Orleans Hornets’ bench? The Times-Picayune says the team’s looking at Mark Jackson as a coach candidate. Jackson has come thisclose to landing two NBA head coaching jobs, losing out to Kurt Rambis in Minnesota and Mike D’Antoni for the Knicks job.
Carl Crawford has owned the Royals the last two years.
What to expect in the major leagues today:
Royals flushed
The Royals begin a season-long 11-game road trip tonight at Tropicana Field. And there would be better places for them to kick off this extended jaunt. Kansas City is 2-10 in Tampa Bay since 2008, and the Rays won nine of the 10 games overall between the teams last season. It was a balanced attack for the Rays, as no player had more than three homers or eight RBIs against the Royals. However, left fielder Carl Crawford did plenty of damage. He stole seven bases, scored 10 runs, hit .400 and had a .478 on-base percentage in those 10 games.
Solving Lilly
In his first start of the 2010 season Saturday, Cubs lefthander Ted Lilly shut out the Brewers over six innings. He will look to build upon that outing tonight against Arizona. One player who won’t be happy to see him on the mound: Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds. Reynolds, who has set the single-season strikeout record in each of the past two season, is 1-for-8 with six strikeouts in his career against Lilly. However, Reynolds’ strikeouts are down this season, and he ranks among the major league leaders in homers and RBIs.
A’s and Jays
Oakland’s strong start can be attributed to its AL.-best ERA, while Toronto’s recent slide can be blamed on a team ERA that ranks near the bottom of the league. The Blue Jays, however, pack more pop offensively. In the first of a four-game set at Rogers Centre tonight, it will be Oakland’s pitching against Toronto’s hitting as righthander Justin Duchscherer (2-0, 1.82 ERA) against Vernon Wells and Co. Duchscherer, who missed the entire 2009 season, will take a 19-inning scoreless streak into the outing. Meanwhile, Wells will try to improve on a homer total that already matches the one he posted through June last season.
Carl Crawford has owned the Royals the last two years.
What to expect in the major leagues today:
Royals flushed
The Royals begin a season-long 11-game road trip tonight at Tropicana Field. And there would be better places for them to kick off this extended jaunt. Kansas City is 2-10 in Tampa Bay since 2008, and the Rays won nine of the 10 games overall between the teams last season. It was a balanced attack for the Rays, as no player had more than three homers or eight RBIs against the Royals. However, left fielder Carl Crawford did plenty of damage. He stole seven bases, scored 10 runs, hit .400 and had a .478 on-base percentage in those 10 games.
Solving Lilly
In his first start of the 2010 season Saturday, Cubs lefthander Ted Lilly shut out the Brewers over six innings. He will look to build upon that outing tonight against Arizona. One player who won’t be happy to see him on the mound: Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds. Reynolds, who has set the single-season strikeout record in each of the past two season, is 1-for-8 with six strikeouts in his career against Lilly. However, Reynolds’ strikeouts are down this season, and he ranks among the major league leaders in homers and RBIs.
A’s and Jays
Oakland’s strong start can be attributed to its AL.-best ERA, while Toronto’s recent slide can be blamed on a team ERA that ranks near the bottom of the league. The Blue Jays, however, pack more pop offensively. In the first of a four-game set at Rogers Centre tonight, it will be Oakland’s pitching against Toronto’s hitting as righthander Justin Duchscherer (2-0, 1.82 ERA) against Vernon Wells and Co. Duchscherer, who missed the entire 2009 season, will take a 19-inning scoreless streak into the outing. Meanwhile, Wells will try to improve on a homer total that already matches the one he posted through June last season.
Three-plus weeks into the season, it is surprising that Zack Greinke doesn’t have a win, Albert Pujols has more strikeouts than walks and the Red Sox haven’t figured out they need Jason Varitek to play more. But enough with not-so-pleasant surprises.
The top 10 pleasant surprises (among players):
So far, Livan Hernandez has rewarded the Nats for taking a chance on him.
Livan Hernandez, SP, Nationals
Washington signed Jason Marquis to a two-year, $15 million deal to lead its young rotation. Conversely, Hernandez didn’t have a job when spring training began, and he had to settle for a minor league deal. Marquis lasted 8 1/3 innings (three starts) and posted a 20.52 ERA before going on the disabled list. Hernandez has worked at least seven innings in each of his first four starts and has a 0.87 ERA. Go figure.
After he beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Hernandez told reporters he is using the offseason snub as motivation. "I want to show the people that I’m not done," he said. "I do everything they asked me to do. I pitch every five days; I haven’t missed a start for 14 years. No matter what happens, no matter how you feel, I’m always there."
Hernandez averaged an MLB-best 220 innings over the past decade. Listed at 35, he says he wants to pitch "for a long time." Don’t be surprised when he someday is called the righthanded Jamie Moyer.
Kelly Johnson, 2B, Diamondbacks
Major leaguers don’t like to be snubbed. Or, in Johnson’s case, dumped. The Braves preferred Martin Prado at second base, so they non-tendered Johnson, who was snatched by Arizona two weeks later. Good move by the Diamondbacks.
Johnson is showing the Braves what they are missing. Displaying better patience at the plate, he hit seven homers in his first 19 games — he finished with eight in 106 games last year — and raised his OBP nearly 100 points.
Jose Guillen, DH, Royals
Because of serious leg injuries — Guillen told the Kansas City Star that a bout with blood clots left him hospitalized for 20 days this past offseason — he missed 81 games last season while hitting only nine homers. The Royals relegated him to DH duty after signing Rick Ankiel and Scott Podsednik. Guillen wasn’t happy about that. He isn’t saying much about it these days, preferring to let his bat do his talking.
And his bat is saying plenty: seven homers, 18 RBIs and a .349 average. A scout who has known Guillen since his minor league days in Pittsburgh asked me to give him a message: "He should be doing this every year." Replied Guillen: "I could do this every year if I was healthy."
If he keeps this up, don’t be surprised if Guillen is traded to a contender in need of an angry bat.
Vernon Wells, CF, Blue Jays
Wells never will live up to his contract, but don’t hold that against him. It isn’t his fault Toronto overpaid him. At least he is healthy again after offseason wrist surgery.
Wells paid for playing through discomfort last season. He missed only three games but hit .250 with 15 homers, a .311 OBP and a .400 slugging percentage. He hit four homers in the first three games this season and hasn’t cooled much.
C.J. Wilson has impressed since his move to the Rangers’ rotation from the pen.
C.J. Wilson, SP, Rangers
The lefthander has something to prove, too. He wants to show his team it made the right decision by giving him an opportunity to start after he was the team’s most consistent reliever in 2009. The evidence continues to pile up in Wilson’s favor: He has a 1.75 ERA and is the first Ranger to open the season with four consecutive quality starts since 1993.
Andruw Jones, OF/DH, White Sox
After a miserable 2008 with the Dodgers, Jones, 33, continues to find his way back. The White Sox signed him to be a platoon DH and reserve outfielder, but a scout who has watched the club believes Jones, who dropped 25 pounds in the offseason, can be more. "Alex Rios is playing better — he was a dog last year — but I believe Jones will end up hitting more," the scout says. He has so far. In 19 fewer at-bats, Jones has six homers to Rios’ three and a .393-.323 edge in OBP.
Mike Pelfrey, SP, Mets
No Met has rebounded better from a miserable 2009 than Pelfrey — and that includes a bunch of Mets who needed to bounce back. Pelfrey has won all four of his starts, hasn’t allowed a run since the second inning of his 2010 debut and leads the majors with a 0.69 ERA. What’s changed? He is pitching with more confidence, he is throwing a quality split-finger fastball, and he has improved the command of his secondary pitches. No wonder his outlook has done a 180.
"I related last year to having a bad day at work every day," he says. "Nobody wants to go to work and have those days. Now I look forward to getting back out there. It’s tough to sit around for four days (between starts)."
Doug Fister, SP, Mariners
If you predicted that Fister would be the Seattle starter ranked among the AL ERA leaders, you should consider a career change to fortune-telling. This is a staff that figured to be led by Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. It will be. Hernandez has been Hernandez, and Lee finally will debut Friday night.
After four starts, however, Fister has been the Mariners’ stingiest starter. The 6-8 righthander sports a 1.67 ERA and has held opponents to a .208 average. "Coming out of spring training without Lee, we talked about someone needing to step up," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu says. "He’s done that. He’s pitching aggressively and keeping the ball low."
Sergio Santos, RP, White Sox
Don’t worry if you haven’t heard much about Santos. You’re not alone. This time a year ago, Santos was toiling in the minors after making the switch from the infield to the bullpen. The conversion didn’t take long. He made the White Sox out of spring training and has emerged as Ozzie Guillen’s most reliable reliever, featuring a high-90-mph fastball and good changeup. In eight outings (eight innings), he has struck out 10 and has allowed two hits, three walks and zero runs.
Matt Capps, RP, Nationals
A Nationals starter opened this top 10, so it makes sense to close it with the Nationals’ closer. Few were wowed when Washington signed Capps after his unimpressive 2009 (five blown saves and a 5.80 ERA). Everyone should be impressed now. Capps leads the majors with nine saves in nine tries and has allowed only one earned run in 12 1/3 innings.
Three-plus weeks into the season, it is surprising that Zack Greinke doesn’t have a win, Albert Pujols has more strikeouts than walks and the Red Sox haven’t figured out they need Jason Varitek to play more. But enough with not-so-pleasant surprises.
The top 10 pleasant surprises (among players):
So far, Livan Hernandez has rewarded the Nats for taking a chance on him.
Livan Hernandez, SP, Nationals
Washington signed Jason Marquis to a two-year, $15 million deal to lead its young rotation. Conversely, Hernandez didn’t have a job when spring training began, and he had to settle for a minor league deal. Marquis lasted 8 1/3 innings (three starts) and posted a 20.52 ERA before going on the disabled list. Hernandez has worked at least seven innings in each of his first four starts and has a 0.87 ERA. Go figure.
After he beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Hernandez told reporters he is using the offseason snub as motivation. "I want to show the people that I’m not done," he said. "I do everything they asked me to do. I pitch every five days; I haven’t missed a start for 14 years. No matter what happens, no matter how you feel, I’m always there."
Hernandez averaged an MLB-best 220 innings over the past decade. Listed at 35, he says he wants to pitch "for a long time." Don’t be surprised when he someday is called the righthanded Jamie Moyer.
Kelly Johnson, 2B, Diamondbacks
Major leaguers don’t like to be snubbed. Or, in Johnson’s case, dumped. The Braves preferred Martin Prado at second base, so they non-tendered Johnson, who was snatched by Arizona two weeks later. Good move by the Diamondbacks.
Johnson is showing the Braves what they are missing. Displaying better patience at the plate, he hit seven homers in his first 19 games — he finished with eight in 106 games last year — and raised his OBP nearly 100 points.
Jose Guillen, DH, Royals
Because of serious leg injuries — Guillen told the Kansas City Star that a bout with blood clots left him hospitalized for 20 days this past offseason — he missed 81 games last season while hitting only nine homers. The Royals relegated him to DH duty after signing Rick Ankiel and Scott Podsednik. Guillen wasn’t happy about that. He isn’t saying much about it these days, preferring to let his bat do his talking.
And his bat is saying plenty: seven homers, 18 RBIs and a .349 average. A scout who has known Guillen since his minor league days in Pittsburgh asked me to give him a message: "He should be doing this every year." Replied Guillen: "I could do this every year if I was healthy."
If he keeps this up, don’t be surprised if Guillen is traded to a contender in need of an angry bat.
Vernon Wells, CF, Blue Jays
Wells never will live up to his contract, but don’t hold that against him. It isn’t his fault Toronto overpaid him. At least he is healthy again after offseason wrist surgery.
Wells paid for playing through discomfort last season. He missed only three games but hit .250 with 15 homers, a .311 OBP and a .400 slugging percentage. He hit four homers in the first three games this season and hasn’t cooled much.
C.J. Wilson has impressed since his move to the Rangers’ rotation from the pen.
C.J. Wilson, SP, Rangers
The lefthander has something to prove, too. He wants to show his team it made the right decision by giving him an opportunity to start after he was the team’s most consistent reliever in 2009. The evidence continues to pile up in Wilson’s favor: He has a 1.75 ERA and is the first Ranger to open the season with four consecutive quality starts since 1993.
Andruw Jones, OF/DH, White Sox
After a miserable 2008 with the Dodgers, Jones, 33, continues to find his way back. The White Sox signed him to be a platoon DH and reserve outfielder, but a scout who has watched the club believes Jones, who dropped 25 pounds in the offseason, can be more. "Alex Rios is playing better — he was a dog last year — but I believe Jones will end up hitting more," the scout says. He has so far. In 19 fewer at-bats, Jones has six homers to Rios’ three and a .393-.323 edge in OBP.
Mike Pelfrey, SP, Mets
No Met has rebounded better from a miserable 2009 than Pelfrey — and that includes a bunch of Mets who needed to bounce back. Pelfrey has won all four of his starts, hasn’t allowed a run since the second inning of his 2010 debut and leads the majors with a 0.69 ERA. What’s changed? He is pitching with more confidence, he is throwing a quality split-finger fastball, and he has improved the command of his secondary pitches. No wonder his outlook has done a 180.
"I related last year to having a bad day at work every day," he says. "Nobody wants to go to work and have those days. Now I look forward to getting back out there. It’s tough to sit around for four days (between starts)."
Doug Fister, SP, Mariners
If you predicted that Fister would be the Seattle starter ranked among the AL ERA leaders, you should consider a career change to fortune-telling. This is a staff that figured to be led by Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. It will be. Hernandez has been Hernandez, and Lee finally will debut Friday night.
After four starts, however, Fister has been the Mariners’ stingiest starter. The 6-8 righthander sports a 1.67 ERA and has held opponents to a .208 average. "Coming out of spring training without Lee, we talked about someone needing to step up," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu says. "He’s done that. He’s pitching aggressively and keeping the ball low."
Sergio Santos, RP, White Sox
Don’t worry if you haven’t heard much about Santos. You’re not alone. This time a year ago, Santos was toiling in the minors after making the switch from the infield to the bullpen. The conversion didn’t take long. He made the White Sox out of spring training and has emerged as Ozzie Guillen’s most reliable reliever, featuring a high-90-mph fastball and good changeup. In eight outings (eight innings), he has struck out 10 and has allowed two hits, three walks and zero runs.
Matt Capps, RP, Nationals
A Nationals starter opened this top 10, so it makes sense to close it with the Nationals’ closer. Few were wowed when Washington signed Capps after his unimpressive 2009 (five blown saves and a 5.80 ERA). Everyone should be impressed now. Capps leads the majors with nine saves in nine tries and has allowed only one earned run in 12 1/3 innings.
Of the four top quarterbacks, the last taken could be the best.
Will Colt McCoy end up being best of 2010 QB lot?
A week ago, everyone knew that at least one quarterback would be picked in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Most thought that as many as four could be selected on the opening night of the league’s new prime-time format. In the end, only two made it into round one, with another landing in the second round and the last making it into the back half of round three.
Draft position, however, dictates only the amount of money a player will be paid to start his career. It says nothing about whether and to what extent he’ll be successful.
So let’s take a look at the chances each of the four top quarterbacks — Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy — has to thrive with their new NFL teams.
1. Sam Bradford, Rams.
The good news? The first overall pick will get a contract including more than $50 million in guaranteed money. The bad news? Well, when you’re getting $50 million in guaranteed money, there’s really no bad news, is there?
Well, maybe there is. Of all positions on a football field, quarterback depends the most on those around him — offensive linemen, running backs, receivers, coaches, front-office personnel. Even the best physical specimen won’t last long in the NFL if he’s constantly getting tossed around by defensive players who blast through a porous wall of blockers; or if a subpar running game or coaching inadequacies routinely force the quarterback into third down and long yardage; or if an overall bad team falls behind more often than not, allowing defensive linemen to "pin their ears back" as they try to rip the quarterback’s head from his torso.
The Rams need plenty of help to turn Bradford into a great quarterback. Apart from Pro Bowl-caliber running back Steven Jackson, they don’t have much to help Bradford thrive. Or, for that matter, to keep his body in one uninterrupted piece.
2. Tim Tebow, Broncos.
The Broncos made the boldest move of the 2010 draft by trading back into round one only three picks after selecting receiver Demaryius Thomas and snagging Tim Tebow. On one hand, Tebow will have plenty of time to develop into an NFL quarterback under the tutelage of a proven head coach. On the other hand, the pressure will be intense.
The fate of Josh McDaniels and, over the next five or ten years, the well-being of the franchise, rests on Tebow’s ability to become a legitimate NFL quarterback.
Perhaps Tebow relishes the challenge. Perhaps he’ll be paralyzed by the expectations. Either way, his round-one pedigree will keep him in the limelight for at least the next several years, for better or for worse.
3. Jimmy Clausen, Panthers.
The Panthers’ decision to pick quarterback Jimmy Clausen in round two prompted immediate praise in many circles. Closer examination suggests potential trouble.
Coach John Fox occupies one of the hottest seats in the NFL as he enters the final year of a contract with no extension in sight. A coach on the hot seat doesn’t need a rookie quarterback; a coach on the hot seat needs players who can help him save his job.
If the Panthers fail to do enough in 2010 to extend Fox’s stay, the next head coach may want no part of Clausen. The new coach may prefer sixth-round rookie Tony Pike, or presumed starter Matt Moore, who now has to be wondering whether he’ll have the job come September.
For Clausen, his career ultimately could fade into the same kind of fog that has enveloped the NFL fortunes of Brady Quinn, his predecessor in South Bend.
4. Colt McCoy, Browns.
Of the top four quarterbacks taken in the 2010 draft, McCoy could be in the best position to succeed.
His relatively low draft status will allow him to develop without the burden of expectations or timetables. His affiliation with Browns president Mike Holmgren will give him direct access to the man who harnessed and honed the talents of Brett Favre.
With the Browns quietly but effectively improving the quality of the roster, McCoy may end up with the kind of supporting cast that will allow him to become, within the next four years, better than Bradford, Tebow and Clausen.
As always, time will tell. And history tells us that, just as two of the four players ended up in round one, two of the four quarterbacks will end up not becoming successful players at the NFL level.
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.
Of the four top quarterbacks, the last taken could be the best.
Will Colt McCoy end up being best of 2010 QB lot?
A week ago, everyone knew that at least one quarterback would be picked in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Most thought that as many as four could be selected on the opening night of the league’s new prime-time format. In the end, only two made it into round one, with another landing in the second round and the last making it into the back half of round three.
Draft position, however, dictates only the amount of money a player will be paid to start his career. It says nothing about whether and to what extent he’ll be successful.
So let’s take a look at the chances each of the four top quarterbacks — Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy — has to thrive with their new NFL teams.
1. Sam Bradford, Rams.
The good news? The first overall pick will get a contract including more than $50 million in guaranteed money. The bad news? Well, when you’re getting $50 million in guaranteed money, there’s really no bad news, is there?
Well, maybe there is. Of all positions on a football field, quarterback depends the most on those around him — offensive linemen, running backs, receivers, coaches, front-office personnel. Even the best physical specimen won’t last long in the NFL if he’s constantly getting tossed around by defensive players who blast through a porous wall of blockers; or if a subpar running game or coaching inadequacies routinely force the quarterback into third down and long yardage; or if an overall bad team falls behind more often than not, allowing defensive linemen to "pin their ears back" as they try to rip the quarterback’s head from his torso.
The Rams need plenty of help to turn Bradford into a great quarterback. Apart from Pro Bowl-caliber running back Steven Jackson, they don’t have much to help Bradford thrive. Or, for that matter, to keep his body in one uninterrupted piece.
2. Tim Tebow, Broncos.
The Broncos made the boldest move of the 2010 draft by trading back into round one only three picks after selecting receiver Demaryius Thomas and snagging Tim Tebow. On one hand, Tebow will have plenty of time to develop into an NFL quarterback under the tutelage of a proven head coach. On the other hand, the pressure will be intense.
The fate of Josh McDaniels and, over the next five or ten years, the well-being of the franchise, rests on Tebow’s ability to become a legitimate NFL quarterback.
Perhaps Tebow relishes the challenge. Perhaps he’ll be paralyzed by the expectations. Either way, his round-one pedigree will keep him in the limelight for at least the next several years, for better or for worse.
3. Jimmy Clausen, Panthers.
The Panthers’ decision to pick quarterback Jimmy Clausen in round two prompted immediate praise in many circles. Closer examination suggests potential trouble.
Coach John Fox occupies one of the hottest seats in the NFL as he enters the final year of a contract with no extension in sight. A coach on the hot seat doesn’t need a rookie quarterback; a coach on the hot seat needs players who can help him save his job.
If the Panthers fail to do enough in 2010 to extend Fox’s stay, the next head coach may want no part of Clausen. The new coach may prefer sixth-round rookie Tony Pike, or presumed starter Matt Moore, who now has to be wondering whether he’ll have the job come September.
For Clausen, his career ultimately could fade into the same kind of fog that has enveloped the NFL fortunes of Brady Quinn, his predecessor in South Bend.
4. Colt McCoy, Browns.
Of the top four quarterbacks taken in the 2010 draft, McCoy could be in the best position to succeed.
His relatively low draft status will allow him to develop without the burden of expectations or timetables. His affiliation with Browns president Mike Holmgren will give him direct access to the man who harnessed and honed the talents of Brett Favre.
With the Browns quietly but effectively improving the quality of the roster, McCoy may end up with the kind of supporting cast that will allow him to become, within the next four years, better than Bradford, Tebow and Clausen.
As always, time will tell. And history tells us that, just as two of the four players ended up in round one, two of the four quarterbacks will end up not becoming successful players at the NFL level.
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.
NEW YORK — Johan Santana and the Mets have been pitching well for weeks. Now, the big bats are beginning to come around. And all of a sudden, after a sluggish start, New York looks like a legitimate threat in the NL East again.
David Wright drove in four runs, Ike Davis added three RBIs and the streaking Mets won their sixth straight game, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 on Tuesday night for a doubleheader sweep.
"We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now," Jeff Francoeur said.
In the opener, Jason Bay hit his first home run for New York to back another stingy outing by Santana as the Mets marched to a 4-0 victory in a virtually empty stadium.
More fans showed for the originally scheduled nightcap and watched as 35-year-old rookie reliever Hisanori Takahashi (2-1) bailed out a Mets starter for the second time in five days. Wright hit a bases-loaded triple, Davis had a two-run double and New York (12-9) set a season high for runs while improving to 8-1 on its 10-game homestand.
The surge has coincided with the arrival of Davis, a rookie first baseman who was called up from the minors on April 19. He helped the Mets earn their first doubleheader sweep of the Dodgers since Aug. 28, 1971, at Shea Stadium.
"I knew once some of those middle-of-the-order guys hit, it could be a lot of fun," manager Jerry Manuel said.
In the nightcap, New York opened a 3-0 lead against knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-3) in the first inning on an RBI single by Jose Reyes, a run-scoring triple by Bay and Davis’ sacrifice fly.
Another walk-filled meltdown by winless left-hander Oliver Perez helped the Dodgers tie it in the fourth, but that’s when Manuel turned to Takahashi.
The left-hander from Japan forced home the tying run with a two-out walk to Reed Johnson, then struck out James Loney on a borderline 3-2 pitch, prompting a vehement argument from Loney that got him ejected by plate umpire Angel Campos.
"I think it was unnecessary. I think it was unfortunate on the umpire’s part, not James’ part," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Takahashi hung around and tossed 3 1-3 strong innings, allowing one run and striking out five for his latest big effort in long relief.
A non-roster invite to spring training, he fanned seven in three impressive innings Friday night against Atlanta for his first major league win. Takahashi entered that game as a replacement for John Maine, who came out early with pain in his non-pitching arm.
"He’s making a strong case for himself to be a part of the rotation if we continue to have issues," Manuel said.
Wright, who began the day in a 7-for-42 slump (.167), punched an RBI single to right-center in the fifth for his 1,000th career hit, snapping a 3-all tie.
"I’m glad I could finally contribute to a win," he said.
Davis followed with a two-run double, and Wright made it 10-3 in the sixth with his triple off George Sherrill moments after a key throwing error by shortstop Jamey Carroll.
"You walk four guys in four-plus innings, you’re going to get hurt," Haeger said. "They grabbed the momentum there in the fifth inning when I walked two."
Wright finished 3 for 3 with a walk in the nightcap.
"Line drives up the middle," Manuel said. "He’s close to heating up."
Santana (3-1) worked his way around early traffic on the bases, tossing six innings of four-hit ball to extend a run of splendid performances by the Mets’ surprising rotation.
Luis Castillo hit a two-run single and New York pitched its second consecutive shutout, following Mike Pelfrey’s 1-0 win Sunday night over Atlanta in a game that was called in the sixth inning because of rain.
"Everybody feels very motivated, and it’s good to see," Santana said.
More wet weather Monday night led to Tuesday’s old-fashioned, single-admission, twinight doubleheader — but few fans made it to blustery Citi Field in time for the first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
There were still sections of empty seats down low by the time Wright dived headfirst to score on a second-inning wild pitch by Hiroki Kuroda (2-1).
More fans began filing in as the night wore on, but the sparse crowd never approached the announced attendance of 32,012.
"At some point it felt like we were down in Port St. Lucie playing a spring training game," Santana said between games. "But we knew it was a very meaningful game for us. And then as the game was going we got more into it."
Including a 1-0 loss Sunday at Washington, Los Angeles was blanked in consecutive games for the first time since June 2008 at San Diego and Detroit.
Missing injured slugger Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have lost five of six.
"We have to pitch better. We have to play better. It’s as simple as that," Torre said. "We need to get better and we need to win three or four in a row to get that inner-confidence back."
NOTES: After the doubleheader, the Dodgers optioned reliever Jon Link to Triple-A Albuquerque and transferred C Brad Ausmus to the 60-day disabled list to make roster room for RHP John Ely, who was called up from Albuquerque to start Wednesday against the Mets. … It was New York’s first doubleheader sweep since June 2007 at Philadelphia. … Takahashi leads major league relievers with 21 strikeouts, in 14 1-3 innings.
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Johan Santana and the Mets have been pitching well for weeks. Now, the big bats are beginning to come around. And all of a sudden, after a sluggish start, New York looks like a legitimate threat in the NL East again.
David Wright drove in four runs, Ike Davis added three RBIs and the streaking Mets won their sixth straight game, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-5 on Tuesday night for a doubleheader sweep.
"We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now," Jeff Francoeur said.
In the opener, Jason Bay hit his first home run for New York to back another stingy outing by Santana as the Mets marched to a 4-0 victory in a virtually empty stadium.
More fans showed for the originally scheduled nightcap and watched as 35-year-old rookie reliever Hisanori Takahashi (2-1) bailed out a Mets starter for the second time in five days. Wright hit a bases-loaded triple, Davis had a two-run double and New York (12-9) set a season high for runs while improving to 8-1 on its 10-game homestand.
The surge has coincided with the arrival of Davis, a rookie first baseman who was called up from the minors on April 19. He helped the Mets earn their first doubleheader sweep of the Dodgers since Aug. 28, 1971, at Shea Stadium.
"I knew once some of those middle-of-the-order guys hit, it could be a lot of fun," manager Jerry Manuel said.
In the nightcap, New York opened a 3-0 lead against knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-3) in the first inning on an RBI single by Jose Reyes, a run-scoring triple by Bay and Davis’ sacrifice fly.
Another walk-filled meltdown by winless left-hander Oliver Perez helped the Dodgers tie it in the fourth, but that’s when Manuel turned to Takahashi.
The left-hander from Japan forced home the tying run with a two-out walk to Reed Johnson, then struck out James Loney on a borderline 3-2 pitch, prompting a vehement argument from Loney that got him ejected by plate umpire Angel Campos.
"I think it was unnecessary. I think it was unfortunate on the umpire’s part, not James’ part," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Takahashi hung around and tossed 3 1-3 strong innings, allowing one run and striking out five for his latest big effort in long relief.
A non-roster invite to spring training, he fanned seven in three impressive innings Friday night against Atlanta for his first major league win. Takahashi entered that game as a replacement for John Maine, who came out early with pain in his non-pitching arm.
"He’s making a strong case for himself to be a part of the rotation if we continue to have issues," Manuel said.
Wright, who began the day in a 7-for-42 slump (.167), punched an RBI single to right-center in the fifth for his 1,000th career hit, snapping a 3-all tie.
"I’m glad I could finally contribute to a win," he said.
Davis followed with a two-run double, and Wright made it 10-3 in the sixth with his triple off George Sherrill moments after a key throwing error by shortstop Jamey Carroll.
"You walk four guys in four-plus innings, you’re going to get hurt," Haeger said. "They grabbed the momentum there in the fifth inning when I walked two."
Wright finished 3 for 3 with a walk in the nightcap.
"Line drives up the middle," Manuel said. "He’s close to heating up."
Santana (3-1) worked his way around early traffic on the bases, tossing six innings of four-hit ball to extend a run of splendid performances by the Mets’ surprising rotation.
Luis Castillo hit a two-run single and New York pitched its second consecutive shutout, following Mike Pelfrey’s 1-0 win Sunday night over Atlanta in a game that was called in the sixth inning because of rain.
"Everybody feels very motivated, and it’s good to see," Santana said.
More wet weather Monday night led to Tuesday’s old-fashioned, single-admission, twinight doubleheader — but few fans made it to blustery Citi Field in time for the first pitch at 4:10 p.m.
There were still sections of empty seats down low by the time Wright dived headfirst to score on a second-inning wild pitch by Hiroki Kuroda (2-1).
More fans began filing in as the night wore on, but the sparse crowd never approached the announced attendance of 32,012.
"At some point it felt like we were down in Port St. Lucie playing a spring training game," Santana said between games. "But we knew it was a very meaningful game for us. And then as the game was going we got more into it."
Including a 1-0 loss Sunday at Washington, Los Angeles was blanked in consecutive games for the first time since June 2008 at San Diego and Detroit.
Missing injured slugger Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have lost five of six.
"We have to pitch better. We have to play better. It’s as simple as that," Torre said. "We need to get better and we need to win three or four in a row to get that inner-confidence back."
NOTES: After the doubleheader, the Dodgers optioned reliever Jon Link to Triple-A Albuquerque and transferred C Brad Ausmus to the 60-day disabled list to make roster room for RHP John Ely, who was called up from Albuquerque to start Wednesday against the Mets. … It was New York’s first doubleheader sweep since June 2007 at Philadelphia. … Takahashi leads major league relievers with 21 strikeouts, in 14 1-3 innings.
