NFL CBA: Problems Looming

One of my greatest passions in my sports life is the Minnesota Vikings, and by extension the NFL in general. As such, i tend to follow things in the NFL pretty closely, especially issues that have the possibility of greatly affecting the game as we know it. One such issue, that i believe is not getting near enough exposure, is the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA or Union) and the owners.

I've detailed the actual negotiations and what the issues will be here and here, as well as what the untimely passing of Gene Upshaw means for the negotiations here and here. I've also wrote about how the StarCaps suspensions/court cases coming up will affect the negotiations here. All this is to say that i feel this is a very important issue as well as something i am keeping a very close eye on.

I'm writing this article to focus on what perhaps will be the most important issue facing the NFLPA heading into the negotiations with the owners: Who their leader will be.

With the passing of Gene Upshaw almost a year ago, the NFLPA appointed Titans Center Kevin Mawae as interim president, with the knowledge they would be electing a new president in their winter meetings, which begin next week in Hawaii. Since that time, the selection process has been narrowed down to three names: Former players Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong, both of whom have served as Union President in the past, and lawyer DeMaurice Smith.

As stated in the story above, the reason for Smith's inclusion on the final ballot is more or less a fail safe; There are growing concerns the NFLPA will split on which former player to elect as union head. In that event, Smith will be looked at as a sort of impartial party. That fact alone underscores not only the seriousness of the process, but also the problems plaguing it. Vincent has been mired in controversy since almost the moment he was mentioned as a candidate, having been accused of lobbying for the job, and recruiting congressman to write letters on his behalf (without specifically mentioning him) that raised questions on the integrity of the process.

So, how does all this affect the actual CBA negotiations, which will be taking place later this summer? Well, it means everything. If the NFLPA comes to a quick, majority decision on their new head and comes out looking strong and together, they are in good shape for the negotiations. If, however, the NFLPA has trouble picking a new leader, is split on the decision, and comes out fighting within itself and fractured (as many think is very possible), the negotiations are in big, big trouble.

As i mentioned in my previous article about the steroid suspension and the CBA, any little thing that either the NFLPA or the owners can jump on and take advantage of, they will. If the Union is fractured, suddenly the owners go into the negotiations looking to 'win' instead of just compromise. With that attitude they are likely to upset the NFLPA, causing a stall in the negotiations.

And just as a reminder, if the NFLPA and the owners cannot come to an agreement and get a new CBA in place before the 2010 season, that season will be an uncapped year. What that means is that for that season, there will be no salary cap, much like how MLB operates. If the NFL goes one year without a cap, it will be very, very, very hard to ever get a salary cap back in place. That would be very bad for the NFL.

I know i harp on it a lot, but please pay attention next week to the NFLPA meetings, not just for who they elect, but how they get elected and how the Union comes out of the meetings. The NFL as we currently know it is in the balance...

The Diamondbacks Starting Pitching Situation

Last week i previewed the 2009 Dbacks in two segments, one for the outfield, and the infield. Today i'll get to my last preview for the season, the starting pitching.

Unlike anything behind the mound, the Dbacks starting pitching for 2009 seems pretty well set. They made one major acquisition (Jon Garland), and had one major loss (Randy Johnson). They have one guy who will be stepping up into a starter's role (Max Scherzer), and three guys who were all here last year (Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, and Doug Davis). Without further adu, let's get into it.

#1
Just as it's been the last 5 years, Brandon Webb is the anchor of the Dbacks pitching staff. A ground ball machine, Webb is about as reliable a #1 starter as you could ask for. With a 22-7 record last year and his penchant for going deep into ballgames, Webb is the perfect pitcher to head a rotation.

#2
At 16-8 with a 3.33 ERA, Dan Haren has good enough stuff to be a #1 on a lot of staff's in MLB. The fact that the Dbacks only need him to be a #2 is fantastic. The Dbacks acquired Haren before the 2008 season, with the clear intention being that they were building on pitching on defense. Unfortunately for the Dbacks (and Haren), the defense wasn't always there. The pitching was, and Haren was a big part of that in 2008. He will be counted on again this season if the Dbacks look to win the NL West.

#3
There seems to be a bit of a debate on which pitcher to put in this slot and which pitcher to put in the #4 hole, but for now it seems like Doug Davis will be here. Davis is a lefty who won't overpower anyone with his stuff, but is a crafty pitcher. When his curve is working it's absolutely filthy. Most games he can be counted to get through 6 innings; anything more than that is a bonus. Davis went 6-8 last year with a 4.32 ERA, though to be fair he missed a good chunk of the season after undergoing surgery to remove some cancerous cells. Davis has a tendency to start the season a little slow but finish very strong. Something like a 12-8 record from him would be great.

#4
Diamondbacks newcomer Jon Garland will fit nicely into this spot for the club. A record of 14-8, which Garland posted last season with the Angels, would be a pretty good record from your #4 spot. Garland has been an 18-game winner twice, and has posted double digit win totals in each of the last 7 seasons. If he can continue to do that, the Dbacks are in good shape.

#5
Which brings us to the back-end of the rotation, the one 'weak' link if you will. How weak it actually is depends on how well you think a rookie will do. Ok, so maybe Scherzer isn't a rookie, as he got playing time last year, but this is the first time he goes into a season as a starter. He was just 0-4 last year, but posted a fantastic 3.05 ERA. It's hard to predict how he will react to being 'the man', but seeing as he's only the #5, and the Dbacks have four really solid pitchers in front of him, there shouldn't be a ton of pressure on him. All you really look from a #5 is something close to a .500 record.

So there you have it. I will not delve into the bullpen situation, mostly because it was such an abject disaster last year and i have no idea how it will play out this year. But with a very strong starting rotation, a little bit of defense, and a little more maturity from our young players, the Dbacks could be on the cusp of a great year. Let's hope it plays out that way...

US Soccer Players In Europe

Interesting article on TWWL today from a David Mosse regarding the state of the American soccer player trying to break through in European leagues. He calls it a glass ceiling, and makes a passing mention to it being similar to the Jackie Robinson situation with MLB. While i think that's a bit extreme, he makes some good points.

The Americans most talented players are struggling to gain a footing with top teams in top leagues in Europe, often because of an unwillingness to even give them a chance to earn playing time (Fulham FC notwithstanding of course. They are the only club that has given Americans substantial opportunity and playing time, and have been rewarded nicely. Curious to note also that that success has come in the form of forwards Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, and at least a chance for Eddie Johnson. Forward has always been the weakest position for American players, yet they are finding success at Fulham given the opportunity).

The US Men's National Team has made gigantic strides the last twenty years in making themselves a respectable and respected outfit, becoming arguably the kings of CONCACAF. The individual players, however, still struggle mightily to garner that same respect. It is something that will need to change for the US Team to make the next step; In order for the players to grow and mature their skills, they need to be playing in the top leagues with the top teams. It becomes a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. With players not being given opportunities because of their supposed lack of skill, and the player not able to hone that skill against the best of the best.

It is frustrating to watch America's most talented soccer players toil in obscurity in second-rate divisions and sit on the bench in first divisions in Europe. As Mosse points out in his story, they will need a player that can break through that 'glass ceiling' and show the Americans are worth the time and effort. For my money, look for that player to be Michael Bradley, who after absolutely killing in the Dutch league with Herenveen last year, has moved onto Borussia Monchengladbach in the German Bundesliga this year. While Gladbach is stuck in near relegation zone, Bradley has excelled with them. If anyone is poised to break through in a top League with a top team, it will be Bradley, and soon.

Once that happens, expect even more opportunities for Americans abroad, and a new found level of play for the US Men's National Team as a result...

Happy Friday!

Well everyone, we've made it. It's the end of the week. As such, it's time for the Happy Friday post!


see more pwn and owned pictures

Enjoy your weekend everyone...

You Have Failed At Life

There are a myriad of reasons why Alex Rodriguez could be the subject of this week's 'You Have Failed At Life', up to and including: His postseason 'performances', his record contract, his getting caught using steroids, his pathetic attempt at explaining getting caught using steroids, and on and on. But alas, it takes a special kind of stupid for him to actually end up here.

During A-Fraud's supposed explanation of how his steroid use went down, he fingered his 'cousin' Yuri Sucart as the man who bought and injected the steroids. You would think, then, that after such an explanation and the level of involvement of Sucart, that A-Fraud might want to steer clear of him for a while. You would think wrong.

A-Rod, fresh from hitting a home run in the Yankee's first Spring Training game, was seen getting picked up and leaving the field after the game with Yuri Sucart. Hey A-Roid? You might want to let Sucart lay low for a while, especially considering you have a meeting with MLB about your steroid use coming up.

Alex Rodriguez, You Have Failed At Life.

The Diamondbacks Infield Situation

Part 1 of my Diamondbacks 2009 Season Preview is here, in which i took a look at their outfield. This is Part 2, where i will look at their infield.

Much like their outfield going into 2009, there are a lot of questions surrounding the Dback infield this spring. With as many as 7 different people figuring into the equation, it makes for a very confusing situation. Let's start with what we know for sure...

Short Stop:
Stephen Drew cemented himself as the Dbacks SS for the foreseeable future with a very solid 2008 season, including the second half of the season where he was nearly unstoppable. He posted career highs in nearly every statistical category, and was one of only two people in the lineup with any sort of consistency. Combine that with his solid play and good range at SS, and you've got yourself an every day player.

Second Base:
Acquired from St. Louis in the offseason, Lopez figures to be a a fairly constant fixture at 2B this season. He finished with a .283 batting average last season, including .385 in the last 43 games of the season. He's not a power hitter, with only 6 HR's and 46 RBI's, but he had a decent amount of doubles (28). He is also a switch hitter, and this lineup desperately needs left handed hitters. Unfortunately he doesn't appear to be a great defensive player, having lead the majors in errors by a shortstop in 2006, and in 2007 had the lowest fielding percentage of all NL shortstops. Yes, that was as a shortstop, and yes he is playing second base for the Dbacks this season. That versatility (or for the cynics questionable position) is a theme for the Dbacks infield in 2009.

Getting the majority of backup second base time will once again be super-sub Augie Ojeda. Ojeda is considered a utility infielder, and can play 2B, SS, or 3B, though most of his time is spent between 2B and SS. He has spent the ends of the last two seasons replacing an injured Orlando Hudson at 2B, and played and batted well in those stints. He will figure prominently in giving guys days off, and if there are any injuries in the infield.

First Base:
Your starter most likely is going to be Chad Tracy. Tracy is something of an question; A could-be batting title winner who struggles to find a true position on defense and can sometimes struggle from the plate. It's hard to take too much stock from the last two seasons as he has been injured, including microfracture surgery in his knee. His last full season, 2006, he batted .281 with 20 HR's and 80 RBI's. I should also mention he is a left handed hitter, which as noted above this team desperately needs. I think Tracy can be a very productive member of the team if he stays healthy and shows an ability to play a decent 1B.

Your backup is Big Tony Clark once again going into 2009. After trading him away between the 2007 and 2008 season, the Dbacks re-acquired Clark from the Padres towards the end of last year. He is used primarily as a pinch hitter and late inning defensive replacement, as he is good with the glove. Unfortunately, he struggled mightily from the plate after returning to the Dbacks. Going through Spring Training and spending the full season with the Dbacks should allow Clark to return to a solid hitter. Like Lopez, he is a switch hitter.

Conor Jackson needs to be mentioned in the debate about 1B as well. If for some reason his stint in LF does not work out, or if Byrnes warrants a return to the line-up in that position, it pushes Jackson back to 1B, where he spent most of his first few years. Jackson though, prefers LF and plays a better field there in my opinion. If he is kicked back to 1B, Tracy possibly gets moved to our next position...

Third Base:
Your starter, at least to begin the year, is Mark Reynolds. The man everybody loves to hate and hates to love. If Tracy is a question, Reynolds is a downright enigma. He managed to set a MLB record for most strikeouts in a season last year, yet also finished first or second on the Dbacks in HR's, RBI's, walks, and runs scored. And after a stellar second half of the season in 2007 at 3B after being called up from AA, he spent most of 2008 struggling in the field, leading MLB in errors by a SS by a lot.

His ability to hit 450ft HR's is hampered only by his inability to hit anything resembling a breaking ball. By the 2nd half of the season the scouting report on Reynolds was simple: Don't throw him anything fast or straight. He couldn't hit anything else, nor could he lay off anything else. I'm listening to Matt Williams on the radio as i type this, and he had a long conversation about the time he's been spending with Reynolds, both at the plate and in the field. Let's hope the work pays off, as Reynolds could be the power guy the Dbacks are lacking.

So there you have it. While the outfield has 4 players splitting time for three positions, the infield has 7 splitting time for 4 positions. If things go well you've got a solid lineup and a decent field. If things go bad you've got neither. These 7 players may very well decide the fate of the Dbacks in 2009.

Next up this week is a look at the Dbacks starting pitchers, a group that figures to be much more stable than either the infield or the outfield. Stay tuned, and thanks for the support.

The Diamondbacks Outfield Situation. Also, My Return.

...And we're back. With the return of the Dbacks set to begin tomorrow in their first Spring Training game, this blog returns to regular posting. More than anything the timing is coincidental at best. To be honest i was a bit burnt out from a variety of reasons, and as such my writing suffered. And i hate when what i write is total crap. So i stepped away for a while.

But recent events got me thinking it was time to return. First off was the transformation of the old AZ Sports Hub site into Fanster.com. The guys over there, including Greg, Matt, and Vince, have been awesome to me and have supported me throughout the adventure that has been this blog. Their new site is fantastic, and is definitely worth spending some time whether you live here in the Valley or elsewhere.

Second, i've increased my web presence even more by starting my own personal blog (which you can find to the right) and signing up on Twitter. Find me on twitter here, it's a combination of both this blog and my personal life.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

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The Diamondbacks head into 2009 as a team with a lot of questions, in a lot of different positions. After a disappointing end to a 2008 season that started with such promise, the team is looking to bounce back with a solid, and hopefully more consistent, 2009 season. Over the course of the next week, i'll be taking a look at some of the positions the Diamondbacks face uncertainties at. The first i'll look at is the outfield situation.

Center Field:
I'll start with the only sure-fire, guaranteed position in the outfield. Chris Young isn't going anywhere, and we should all be very happy about this. At 25 years old, CY is already one of the best defensive CF's in all of baseball. His range and speed are his biggest assets, allowing him to cover up deficiencies from both the LF and RF in that area. He also has the ability to become a decent power hitter, and is capable of becoming a doubles machine.

That said, he's coming off of a bit of a disappointing 2008. Despite playing in more games and getting more at-bats, his numbers were down from 2007 in many offensive categories, including stolen bases, home runs, doubles, slugging, and OPS. Not to mention the fact that he struck out 165 times last year.

If CY can continue to develop while refining other aspects of his game, he could be set for a monster year. He could become a 40-steal, 40-double guy, with the ability to knock in 30 HR's and 100 RBI's. Ambitious yes, but not out of the question. The biggest thing he needs to do is cut down his strike-outs and get back to running. Do that and everything else will fall in line.

Right Field:
No, i'm not gonna say he's a lock in the outfield. Not yet. Not after he spent time last year injured and in the minors. Yes, the kid is immensely, immensely talented, and has all the tools to become a superstar in this league. All he's gotta do is put it all together.

Just 21 years old, Justin Upton could very well be the real deal. We've seen flashes, him gunning down a runner at home plate, him absolutely destroying baseballs into the upper deck, him flying around the bases with unparalleled speed. We've also seen the inexperience, him dropping fly balls, him missing the cut-off man, him getting picked off on the base paths.

This should be shaping up to be his break-out year. He got a pretty decent run at it last year, getting the experience and know-how of what it takes to be a full-time MLB player. Now it's time for him to put it all together and show what he is capable of. He has no real competition at right field, but Bob Melvin also won't let Upton hang himself out there if he's not getting it done.

Count me among the ones who is hoping he will get it done and have a breakout season.

Left Field:
The situation in left field has been mishandled for going on three years now. Luis Gonzalez, while getting old, could have been serviceable out there for another year when the Dbacks decided to dump him. When they did, they turned it over to Eric Byrnes. Byrnes is a nice player who does a great job hustling, but he's no star. That didn't stop the Dbacks from giving him star money, to the tune of $10 Million a year for three years. After receiving the contract, he promptly finished the 2007 season batting under .250, and spent most of 2008 hurt.

Which brings us to Conor Jackson, who replaced Byrnes in LF last year. Jackson actually became a bit of a revelation in LF, seeming much more comfortable there than he had been at First Base. That comfort in the field led to comfort at the plate, and it showed in 2008. Jackson posted career highs in batting average (.300), walks (59), hits (162), runs (87), doubles, triples, and total bases. All of which led to many people calling for Eric Byrnes' head, or at least for him to be shipped out of town.

Neither of which happened. Which creates one of the more interesting position battles in camp. What to do with Eric Byrnes. Can you pay $10 Million a year for a fourth outfielder? Do you let Byrnes and Jackson fight out it in an open competition for LF? Where do you stick Jackson if Byrnes were to beat him out? You can't leave Jackson out of the lineup, he's arguably the team's best hitter.

All indications are that Jackson is set in LF, and Byrnes will be the fourth outfielder. If Byrnes comes back healthy though, and is able to hit and run, can you keep him out of the lineup? What if Upton is struggling both in the field and at the plate?

Interesting questions, to be sure. Though if you think that's a messy situation, you obviously don't know about the infield situation, which involves as many as seven different people, including LF Conor Jackson. I'll be looking at that in the coming days.

As always, thanks for your support.