PriortoTheoIhadWood

To me the K's are the most important thing for Appel this year. He really needs to put that to rest.

Really nice deal for the Pirates. Am I forgetting someone or is he the best young CF in the game? Can't think of it right now.

Whoa Stanek does look nasty. CR do you think Appel might fall to 6?

anthony adams was on the score saying he'd never heard of anything like this happening. On ESPN 1000 they were saying that Bears players from the Super Bowl team have said (off the record) that they did something similar. And really lets think about this..How often have we heard of teams and players with "dirty" reputations? Is money involved really such a stretch? I hate the NFL pretending it's a good, wholesome league that would never tolerate such a travesty. I'm still not over them completely sliding under the steroids issue. Basebal went to the Supreme Court for steroids while the NFL became the most popular sport in America. To this day that blows my mind.

1. Does anyone think this Saints thing is isolated to the Saints? I sure as hell don't. 2. Did they actually take out a QB this year?

I like Beliveau too so he gets K's when he comes up in a callup. Wells is traded at the deadline and Wood replaces him as a solid 4-5. Shark doesn't start until September when he and McNutt split games. This one makes sense.

That was pretty funny. Kirkjian is awesome. Took that in stride.

Any other potential cuts rumored to be coming? I heard Kamerion Wimbley.

If Graham Hicks is healthy (I think he was hurt last year) he has a season that makes him somewhat interesting. Hayden Simpson surprises everyone with the return of most of his stuff. He hits 97 during the summer and shows off a slider. I'm on the Taylor Scott bandwagon as well. Liked the size, athleticism, and potential for good mechanics... Ben Wells continues to grow into a Jake Westbrook-esque prospect. Trey McNutt earns a September callup. The pitching only gets exciting once the draft rolls around and they luck into Gausman in the first. Justin Jones at some point too.

Tom Ricketts >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Everyone in the past 100+ years involved with the Cubs.

A Ha plug? Nice.

Which is a good thing for them? He's done that or been in the vicinity of for 3 of the past 4 years.

Wait, why does he have to repeat last year with the bat to be worth his contract? I think they'd be perfectly fine with 135-140 starts with his '09 offense...Hell, even his '08 offense. If he throws up a BA over .285 with a .350 offense as well as provides his usual stability and defense then there's really not much wrong with this deal. Didn't they catch crap for giving Holliday "too much" money? I can't imagine the last FA or FA to be that I've heard fans called underpaid anyway...

At the end of 2012 the Vitters bandwagon should have many more passengers. I have no idea why (well, some) but I'm ridiculously optimistic about Vitters this year. I even daresay he's a little bit underrated now as a prospect, though that's because there's a billion prospects and his performance numbers don't really stand out amongst the masses. Still...great swing...really young everywhere he's been...I like how he played last year...I thought his hot streak last year weren't stopped because he was figured out but rather because he got hit in the head...defense has improved...no problems with his work ethic or attitude...

Same question for me but in the tri-state area. Rutgers specifically...Princeton too. I'm thinking of taking a trip up to Cape Cod this year, but there's 2-3 weddings this summer to inconvenience the [expletive] out of me.

bc you think safeties aren't valuable? That plays into it a little, but I'd love Mark Barron at 16 if he gets a chance to workout before the draft. I think he's a steal at the end of the first and an absolute coup in the 2nd for anyone. So it's not all about his position...I just don't think he's that good. I think alot of guys after Barron are hoping to have an Abram Elam type of career...MAYBE Iloka, but I've even cooled on him lately. I used to think I'd draft him in the 2nd, but probably more the very early 3rd. I actually would not complain one bit if the Jets' first three picks looked like this: Barron DE/LB - WR - OT - Fallen RB (well really only Miller, not a David Wilson fan) Iloka We'd have our safeties for the next 5+ years. With two good safeties no one would want to pass on the Jets. The CB group is the best in the league and has the speed and cover skills to match with anyone. Hell, Cromartie would be the #1 CB for the majority of teams out there (he's really taken to the coaching here and looked really good by the end of the season), and Wilson looked excellent at times in the slot with the ability to play outside in due time. Last year the safety play for the team was your typical NFL slop at S (Leonhard got hurt again, Eric Smith is useful but not a starter), and along with a couple of issues helped drag the D down a little.

The starting rotation will be surprisingly competent. The Cubs fix Volstad up a little...he was a little stiff for a while though last year that improved some...anyway, he has his best season. I hesitate to call it breakout, but he shows more confidence in his fastball than he has in years. If you've seen Volstad before you're not unimpressed by his breaking stuff and he's got a good changeup that he can locate well...There's plenty of talent and youth there. It's a little disappointing tha he's not more physical as a 6'8" guy, but get beyond that and he's got stuff to work with that can get better results than he's had. Garza does really well again. I hold out some hope that the Tigers will off some combination of two of the following: Porcello, Turner, Castellanos, Smyly, Oliver.

I'm going to go with Soriano having a better than expected year as well. I'm oddly optimistic on Dopirak lately, but not for the whole season. His whole situation is weird. 29 year old rookie playing 1B for the Cubs...what is that?

I like this deal for both sides. Seems like Molina's been around forever and he's only 28...Top defensive catcher though and he gets on base at a decent clip in recent years as well as hitting for above average BA. Good asset for the Cardinals and should remain one through his contract unless something drastic happened.

I say wait until April. I'd like to see what happens in FA and let some of this combine noise die down.

I like Smith and still wouldn't draft him before the late 3rd.

Probably why the thought occurred. I think he strung together some deep start/high K games at the end that looked good. Does anybody overuse his breaking ball more? Does anyone's velocity fluctuate more? I've seen him hit 97 in one starter and then pitch his next starter at 88-91.

So I went back because I thought I remembered Brett Myers doing well too. Turns out he just threw alot of innings for them. If the idea is to open the rotation to young guys then more power to them. In fact, good move on their part. Also random...JA Happ is going to be entering his age 29 season. He's older than Cole Hamels. 1. I feel like he's like a 3rd year player. 2. He looks young as hell. 3. I really like the arm anyway. I think he's one of those guys who'll do really well for himself in his 30's. Throws the ball athletically...commands his fastball...trusts his offspeed stuff and can locate with them...He's got the tools to breakout for the Astros even at his extremely advanced age (29).

You know who I like? Dre Kirkpatrick . I don't care which DB spot he plays, I'd love him on my team. He's a more calculating version of Antrel Rolle, who was a damn good prospect (went 6th overall too). Probably should also mention that Rolle is a pretty good DB now, though like every non-Revis/Haden DB he looks stupid sometimes.

Perry also seems like he can be a stud in the NFL. Plenty of starting experience at USC, blue chip all the way through, produced, did some leading, gives a good interview, well coached...You'd swear he's the most talented Alabama player or...damn I have to resist. There's alot of things I like about Perry. I think he can play in any system too. Vontaze Burfict for UDFA and lawlz.