Ramble On...
It’s been about a week since I’ve written, but I need to talk about Mike Piazza, Frank Thomas, Bode Miller, Barry Bonds, Nets and some other random things including my early Super Bowl pick…
I am happy that the A’s signed Frank Thomas. His contract guarantees his only $500,000 with $2.6 million in incentives based on plate appearances and if does not go on the DL due to his previously injured left ankle. If he performs well, he gets paid. If he can not stay healthy, it only cost the A’s approximately $500,000. Thomas brings a right handed power bat to the team for the first time since Jermaine Dye left and signed with the WhiteSox last off-season. He would fit perfectly batting in the 5 spot, behind Chavez, and have either Bobby Crosby or Milton Bradley batting behind him. The A’s have a potent lineup, if they can all stay healthy and have a legit shot at the AL West once again this year. But there is one thing I do have to say…Instead of signing Thomas, I wish the A’s would have signed Mike Piazza.
Mike Piazza signed with Padres on Sunday, 4 days after Thomas and the A’s came to an agreement. Before Piazza settled for a 1 year, $2mil contract, he was looking to be paid $8-$10 million. A little steep, but I wouldn’t say it was extremely steep for a guy who can still produce 20+ HRs in the right situation (i.e. DH). Piazza would have fit in perfectly with Oakland. Oakland is filled with laid back kids who just go out and play. They needed a leader, an experienced vet to come play there every day, and Piazza would have been perfect. He would have fit in the A’s lineup perfectly. He would have hit behind Chavez (like Thomas probably will do), but he brings something that Thomas can’t bring. He could have relieved Kendall from catching twice a week. He would have handled that young pitching staff well, like he has with every pitching staff he has ever worked with. And here’s the other thing, Piazza would have been able to play and legitimately competed for a World Series Championship. Yeah, the Padres have a shot at winning the water down NL West, but they don’t have much of a chance to really compete for the Championship. Beane was interested in Piazza, but the price tag was just a little too high for a just a bit too long. If he had dropped that price tag about a week and a half earlier, we might be reading about Piazza signing with the A’s instead of The Big Hurt.
So Bode Miller believes that Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds took steroids at some point throughout their respective careers. Now this is being blown up into a media frenzy. Is this really that big of a deal? Not at all. Its one man’s opinion, an opinion that many people also agree with (towards Bonds anyway, Armstrong the public is more indifferent). Yes, Miller probably could have said what he said a little differently, but what does it matter what he says? A professional athlete isn’t allowed to comment on what he feels someone else has done? It’s not like he wrote a book about it and said that he saw them do it. All he said was that he truly believes Bonds and Armstrong took steroids. That’s it. It’s his opinion. Yeah, he believes it’s a fact, but he never said that he witnessed them take it. Leave it alone already.
Nets desperately need to make a trade. Their defense is shot, the rebounding hideous and their shooting is atrocious. They need VC back, they need Kidd to get healthy and for Kidd, VC and RJ to play together again at or near 100%. But they also need a bruiser down low. Krstic, who I believed would have been better than what he is displaying, isn’t very physical. Collins stinks and is a wimp. Marc Jackson certainly isn’t the answer. And Uncle Cliff has been playing well, but you can’t expect him to be a double/double kind of player. They need to make a trade for an inside presence. They haven’t had one since K-Mart was allowed to leave for Denver. You can not win an NBA Championship, let alone a conference championship without an inside presence.
One player who I still like, and would like the Nets to get back, Eric Williams. He is 6’8’’ and was solid off the bench during his short period with the Nets a year ago, before being traded to Toronto with Aaron Williams and Alonzo Mourning for Vince Carter. The Net’s players, especially J-Kidd appreciated everything Williams brought to the table every night he stepped on the court. Why not offer Zoran Plananic for him? In Williams at least you get a guy who can rebound and shoot a little, and then you lose Zoran, a player who is out of control, turns the ball over and takes poor shots. Thorn, go for it.
Now for my early-in-the-week Super Bowl prediction:
PITTSBURGH over seattle (-4)
Big Ben has been on fire throughout the playoffs. Their defense has played with a tenacity and up to the potential I gave them in the preseason, but never showed it until the last few weeks of the season. If they can keep it up, and hold Alexander to under 100 yards and lock down on Seattle’s receivers, Pittsburgh should be able to win this game. Yes, Seattle’s defense is tough, but if Bill Cower was able to figure out a scheme to beat Denver in the AFC Championship, in Denver, he should be able to figure out a scheme to beat Seattle.
I am happy that the A’s signed Frank Thomas. His contract guarantees his only $500,000 with $2.6 million in incentives based on plate appearances and if does not go on the DL due to his previously injured left ankle. If he performs well, he gets paid. If he can not stay healthy, it only cost the A’s approximately $500,000. Thomas brings a right handed power bat to the team for the first time since Jermaine Dye left and signed with the WhiteSox last off-season. He would fit perfectly batting in the 5 spot, behind Chavez, and have either Bobby Crosby or Milton Bradley batting behind him. The A’s have a potent lineup, if they can all stay healthy and have a legit shot at the AL West once again this year. But there is one thing I do have to say…Instead of signing Thomas, I wish the A’s would have signed Mike Piazza.
Mike Piazza signed with Padres on Sunday, 4 days after Thomas and the A’s came to an agreement. Before Piazza settled for a 1 year, $2mil contract, he was looking to be paid $8-$10 million. A little steep, but I wouldn’t say it was extremely steep for a guy who can still produce 20+ HRs in the right situation (i.e. DH). Piazza would have fit in perfectly with Oakland. Oakland is filled with laid back kids who just go out and play. They needed a leader, an experienced vet to come play there every day, and Piazza would have been perfect. He would have fit in the A’s lineup perfectly. He would have hit behind Chavez (like Thomas probably will do), but he brings something that Thomas can’t bring. He could have relieved Kendall from catching twice a week. He would have handled that young pitching staff well, like he has with every pitching staff he has ever worked with. And here’s the other thing, Piazza would have been able to play and legitimately competed for a World Series Championship. Yeah, the Padres have a shot at winning the water down NL West, but they don’t have much of a chance to really compete for the Championship. Beane was interested in Piazza, but the price tag was just a little too high for a just a bit too long. If he had dropped that price tag about a week and a half earlier, we might be reading about Piazza signing with the A’s instead of The Big Hurt.
So Bode Miller believes that Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds took steroids at some point throughout their respective careers. Now this is being blown up into a media frenzy. Is this really that big of a deal? Not at all. Its one man’s opinion, an opinion that many people also agree with (towards Bonds anyway, Armstrong the public is more indifferent). Yes, Miller probably could have said what he said a little differently, but what does it matter what he says? A professional athlete isn’t allowed to comment on what he feels someone else has done? It’s not like he wrote a book about it and said that he saw them do it. All he said was that he truly believes Bonds and Armstrong took steroids. That’s it. It’s his opinion. Yeah, he believes it’s a fact, but he never said that he witnessed them take it. Leave it alone already.
Nets desperately need to make a trade. Their defense is shot, the rebounding hideous and their shooting is atrocious. They need VC back, they need Kidd to get healthy and for Kidd, VC and RJ to play together again at or near 100%. But they also need a bruiser down low. Krstic, who I believed would have been better than what he is displaying, isn’t very physical. Collins stinks and is a wimp. Marc Jackson certainly isn’t the answer. And Uncle Cliff has been playing well, but you can’t expect him to be a double/double kind of player. They need to make a trade for an inside presence. They haven’t had one since K-Mart was allowed to leave for Denver. You can not win an NBA Championship, let alone a conference championship without an inside presence.
One player who I still like, and would like the Nets to get back, Eric Williams. He is 6’8’’ and was solid off the bench during his short period with the Nets a year ago, before being traded to Toronto with Aaron Williams and Alonzo Mourning for Vince Carter. The Net’s players, especially J-Kidd appreciated everything Williams brought to the table every night he stepped on the court. Why not offer Zoran Plananic for him? In Williams at least you get a guy who can rebound and shoot a little, and then you lose Zoran, a player who is out of control, turns the ball over and takes poor shots. Thorn, go for it.
Now for my early-in-the-week Super Bowl prediction:
PITTSBURGH over seattle (-4)
Big Ben has been on fire throughout the playoffs. Their defense has played with a tenacity and up to the potential I gave them in the preseason, but never showed it until the last few weeks of the season. If they can keep it up, and hold Alexander to under 100 yards and lock down on Seattle’s receivers, Pittsburgh should be able to win this game. Yes, Seattle’s defense is tough, but if Bill Cower was able to figure out a scheme to beat Denver in the AFC Championship, in Denver, he should be able to figure out a scheme to beat Seattle.
posted by Mark D. Miller at 10:31 AM
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