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Have To Admit, I'm Drawn To The WBC
I have to admit, I'm torn about the World Baseball Classic.
My initial response to it is indifference. To me, it is Bud Selig's staged event. There is no good time to fit it in, particularly spring training. That makes it an invitation to injury. ESPN likes it because it is counter programing to conference postseason college basketball tournaments and the NCAA Tournament. Maybe that's why it plays the WBC up bigger than it should on SportsCenter.
Come on - was The Netherlands upset of the Dominican Republic really that big a deal? It's not like the Olympics, and teams that have been preparing for years for the event. They are basically all star teams from various nations put together in a haphazard way. Look at the all the stars who aren't playing in the WBC.
But I must concede that I find myself more and more drawn to the WBC. It's because I love baseball so much and can't resist. I'm almost embarrassed about it, but I am watching more and more.
Random Thoughts
- As long as Jay Cutler is disgruntled in Denver, the Lions should do everything possible to get him. But it will take a three-team trade in order to get it done because the Lions don't have a veteran QB replacement to offer in return. And yeah, I would trade the first overall pick for him. Or 20th overall.
- I don't care whether it is in the draft or free agency, but the Lions absolutely need to address the middle linebacker position.
My initial response to it is indifference. To me, it is Bud Selig's staged event. There is no good time to fit it in, particularly spring training. That makes it an invitation to injury. ESPN likes it because it is counter programing to conference postseason college basketball tournaments and the NCAA Tournament. Maybe that's why it plays the WBC up bigger than it should on SportsCenter.
Come on - was The Netherlands upset of the Dominican Republic really that big a deal? It's not like the Olympics, and teams that have been preparing for years for the event. They are basically all star teams from various nations put together in a haphazard way. Look at the all the stars who aren't playing in the WBC.
But I must concede that I find myself more and more drawn to the WBC. It's because I love baseball so much and can't resist. I'm almost embarrassed about it, but I am watching more and more.
Random Thoughts
- As long as Jay Cutler is disgruntled in Denver, the Lions should do everything possible to get him. But it will take a three-team trade in order to get it done because the Lions don't have a veteran QB replacement to offer in return. And yeah, I would trade the first overall pick for him. Or 20th overall.
- I don't care whether it is in the draft or free agency, but the Lions absolutely need to address the middle linebacker position.
posted by Pat Caputo at
5:25 PM
12 Comments:
I tell you book i know the tigers have some guys away at the WBC. At the same time what that tells me is if a guy gets hurt this team could be in trouble. The Pitchers adn the offense for that matter hasn't looked very promising. Yet anyways!! So yeah I do think the Dombrowski and leyland need to be concerned over the rotation. Cuase if the rotation can't go 6 on most nights then it will be a long season.
WIth the lions I would trade the number one pick if I could get cutler and their number 1 in return. Yeah it is steap but I just feel we need an instant pick and it seems like you can't get more instant then Curry. so if I were the lions I'd draft him first. I just think we are going to suck this year no matter what. I like to see us set a foundation first and then grab our QB next year. IN the meantime just use a make shift bunch. I just think we need to use our first 2 picks to grab 2 defensive starters 1 LB minimum and either a CB, DT, or DE. or hell another LB. Next year I would address the QB.
I keep reading on the Andre Smith. IT be real nice if the guy dropped to the second round. with the first pick in teh second round I'd take him in a heartbeat. We can't afford to take him earlier.
I would much rather have Cutler than any of the QBs in this draft. he has proven he can be an effective NFL QB with potential to be an elite QB. The QBs in the draft are a crapshoot. How about Hasellback to Denver, the Lions #20 to Seattle and Cutler to the lions? Seattle and detroit would probably have to throw more Denver's way though.
Book,
I'm also drawn to the WBC. It's unique - and I have been rooting for Venezuela - because I'm a homer Tiger fan.
Watching Cuba play Australia the other night in Mexico city was pretty interesting. The Cubans play baseball like the Brazilians play soccer - with finesse. And I wouldn't mind their pitcher Chapman defecting to Detroit!
I wonder too if it might not have been better for Verlander to be on the USA squad - perhaps the need to pitch well might have inspired better performances.
It's a shame the WBC is when it is - because everybody is cold and rusty. I would still rather see it the last week of October.
It's baseball Book! Ya gotta like it.
Hey Pat
The dream deal is the Lions #1 for Cutler and Denver #12. Will get a quality LB at 12 and a QB that we can count on and build around. See if you can get that deal to the Allen Park braintrust with your "access"
Pat,
after seeing Jay Cutlers reaction to a possible trade, I wouldn't want him. It is hard thinking that you are going to get an inconsistent primadonna at QB, and handcuff your options next year, or in the draft because of it. It appears similar to when the Ravens got Elvis Grbac from Kansas City (albeit as a Free Agent). He had a very similar personality, and was also wildly inconsistent; just like Cutler.
I would think of it as a trade of a guy like Andre Johnson for Terrell Owens during the 2003 NFL draft. The guy had a lot of questions coming out (he wasn't particularly dominating in College, but he had the size and speed to be good in the pros), and the guy you would be getting is a proven pro-bowler, who is young, but is known to have personality problems. I would rather take the chance at Johnson developing, than take the sure performance with personality problems that are far less likely to ever be fixed.
That is just my opinion. Of course Millen would make this trade, but then Millen never was able to look at things like personallity or injury history when he made decisions. He felt that Talent trumped all. We see how that went for him; or us I should say.
-Marty
Pat,
I was sold on the WBC back in 2006 even before I attended the semi-finals and finals in San Diego. I was surprised, however, to find the caliber of baseball to be comparable to October MLB baseball. A WBC game beats a meaningless spring training game any day of the week, in my opinion. I just wish players like Pujols, A-Rod, Sizemore, and Santana had been able to play. It is one thing, along with the time, holding this tourney back. Like many others, I just haven't come up with a better time of the year to have it.
One great thing about it is being introduced to great players that I have never been able to see. If not for 2006, I would have never been introduced Lee Seung-Yeop of Korea, and Yulieski Gourriel, Yadel Marti, Frederich Cepeda, and Pedro Lazo of Cuba. Plus, it allowed us to see guys like Alexei Ramirez, Kosuke Fokudome, Akinori Iwamura, And Dice-K before they ever got to the big leagues here. I cannot wait to see Yu Darvish this year. While it is a Selig creation, it seems like it is really doing what it was meant to do.
Travis
Maddog52,
I would trade the Lions' No. 1 overall pick for Cutler - even up. The Lions already have a first round choice and would still have four picks in the first 82 of the draft.
Caputo
Glen J. Stroup (wired Tiger),
That is exactly the type of deal the Lions would have to come up with to acquire Cutler. Problem is, Hasselback is a West Coast offense guy - the Broncos are moving away from that.
Caputo
Fred Brill,
You're right. Got love baseball. Cuba is more interesting than the other teams. These international tournaments mean a lot to their players - and it's obvious.
Caputo
Rndlion,
LOL on the access line. It would be perfect to swap picks with Denver, but the Broncos are looking for a veteran QB. It would have to be a three-team deal.
Caputo
Marty,
Good point about Cutler. The downside is he does come off as kind of a malcontent. If he is like that in Denver, what would he be like around the Lions' mess?
Caputo
Travis,
I'm not big on spring training games, either. I know the WBC has fans of it. Maybe it will catch hold.
Caputo
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