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      Rays winning despite not having large payroll

      October 15, 2008 /

      With their 13-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 4 of the ALCS, the Tampa Bay Rays are sitting just one win away from heading to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. And as John Romano of The St. Petersburg Times writes, the Rays are beating a team with a much larger payroll, and more resources at their disposal.

      Tampa Bay RaysFor, in Tampa Bay, this season is beginning to look like sweet payback after all the years of ridicule. This series is quickly turning into validation after putting up with a lifetime of smug and an earful of snide comments.

      The Rays are not just a hot team. And they are not a fluke. What they appear to be is deeper and more well-rounded than Boston. That’s remarkable considering the disparity in resources.

      When the Red Sox decided to invest in a Japanese player in 2007, they spent $103-million on Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Rays spent about $12-million on Aki Iwamura.

      When the Red Sox went looking for a bat in the free agent market in ’07, they signed J.D. Drew to a $70-million contract. That same winter, the Rays spent $800,000 on Red Sox castoff Carlos Pena.
      When they needed help this summer, the Red Sox brought in Jason Bay, Mark Kotsay and Paul Byrd in various deals. The Rays acquired Chad Bradford.

      So if Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is a genius with a $137-million payroll, what does that make Friedman and his $43-million allowance?

      In other words, if the Red Sox lose, they will have no excuses.

      Just the knowledge that they were beaten by a team that appears intent on making history.

      The Rays follow the 2007 Rockies as examples of how payroll means noting in the postseason. And apparently experience is starting to mean less and less too, because this is one of the youngest rosters in the league. It’s amazing to watch this series and note that the Red Sox appear to be no match for the Rays. Think about that for a second. The mighty Red Sox, can’t handle a Rays team that many predicted to finish last in the AL East for the whatever-straight year. Amazing.

      MLB

      2008 NBA Preview: #27 New Jersey Nets

      October 15, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The team traded Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons, and both players figure to play a prominent role this season. The Nets are rebuilding with an eye on the summer of 2010 when LeBron James (and a few other stars) might be hitting the free agent market. Last summer, the team elected to re-sign Vince Carter, a decision they’re certainly regretting now.
      Keep Your Eye On: Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez
      The team is trying to put together a young and inexpensive core that will attract a big-name free agent in the summer of 2010. Harris is no Chris Paul or Deron Williams, but he’s a great young point guard with a lot of potential. Potential is all that Jianlian has right now, though he played pretty well in spurts for the Bucks last season before injuries started to take their toll. Brook Lopez slipped to the Nets in the draft and they’re happy to have him. He’s a big body who can score in the post. If everything pans out for this trio, the Nets will have their point guard, power forward and center locked up. Now all they need is a couple of wing players and Vince Carter is signed through 2011…hmmm…
      The Big Question: Does the team really have a viable chance to land LeBron?
      One thing about making a long-term plan like the Nets have is that there really aren’t any pressing issues since the team isn’t really built to win right now. They want to see their youngsters develop, they want to acquire draft picks and they want to avoid spending any serious money. In an ideal situation, LeBron would join a Nets team that has a dynamic All-Star caliber point guard (Harris), a veteran off guard (Carter) an up-and-coming versatile power forward (Jianlian) and a double-double guy in the middle (Lopez). Two things need to happen: 1) the youngsters must develop and 2) LeBron must agree to play in Brooklyn. If you build it, he will come…
      Outlook: Nets fans shouldn’t expect a playoff berth this season. Carter is still there to put butts in the seats, though he’s not as dynamic as he used to be. The Nets are just too young to compete with the best in the East, but the opportunity for growth is certainly there.

      Check out our NBA Preview page for a look at every team. We’ll be posting three previews per business day, which will take us up to the start of the season on Tuesday, October 28th.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Roy Williams trade makes little sense for Cowboys

      October 14, 2008 /

      Roy WilliamsAdam Schefter of the NFL Network is reporting that the Detroit Lions have traded wide receiver Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for a first, third and sixth round pick.

      But ESPN.com’s Ed Werder reports that the deal will not include the Cowboys first round pick. The trade would involve multiple draft picks but would not involve the Cowboys’ first-round pick, a source told ESPN.com.

      The Cowboys are also trying to negotiate a long-term deal with Williams before completing the deal. Williams has expressed unhappiness playing for the winless Lions and can become a free agent after the season unless the team places the franchise tag on him.

      In the battle of media giants, I would have to say the NFL Network has the leg up on ESPN considering it’s a league-owned network. But my man Ed Werder eats, sleeps and breaths Dallas Cowboys football for ESPN so I wouldn’t necessarily shoot his information down.

      Regardless of the pending compensation, this trade doesn’t make a ton of sense from the Cowboys’ standpoint. Fans will go crazy talking about an unstoppable offense that features Williams, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten, but the fact of the matter is that there’s only one ball to go around. Do you really think T.O. is going to be thrilled now that he has to share looks with another receiving target? Doubtful. And if the ‘Boys do sign Williams to a long term deal, they would have spent a ton of money at just one position (an overrated position to boot). Owens is already scheduled to make $8.9 million in 2009, $10.7 million in 2010 and $10.2 million in 2011.

      This makes more sense for the Lions. They probably weren’t going to be able to re-sign Williams to a long-term deal, so why not get as much as they could for him now? And with Matt Millen gone, maybe now they’ll actually get some kind of value for the draft picks they acquired.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Roy Williams traded to Cowboys

      October 14, 2008 /

      Jerry Jones has said all along that he wanted to get a playmaker opposite Terrell Owens. Well, now he’s got one.

      The Lions have traded WR Roy Williams to the Cowboys for a first, third and sixth round pick. The Cowboys also receive a seventh-round pick from the Lions in 2009.

      This is an obvious downgrade for Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, who now move to WR3 and WR4, respectively. It also may be a downgrade for Jason Witten, who will likely see fewer balls thrown his way.

      Update: Anthony Stalter comments on the trade.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Pacman Jones suspended at least four games

      October 14, 2008 /

      So much for the rehabilitation of Pacman Jones.

      Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones has been suspended for at least four games for his most recent violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, the NFL announced Tuesday.

      In announcing his decision, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Jones’ “disturbing pattern of behavior was clearly inconsistent with the conditions I set for your continued participation in the NFL.”

      Goodell will determine the final length of Jones’ suspension following the Cowboys’ Week 11 game against Washington on Nov. 16, the league said.

      In his latest transgression, Jones was involved in an alcohol-related physical altercation at a Dallas hotel on Oct. 8 that resulted in hotel employees calling the police.

      Anyone who watched HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which followed the Cowboys through their training camp, probably thought that Jones had turned a corner in his life. We witnessed Jones’ happiness when he got the news that Goodell had reinstated him, but now the honeymoon is over and Jones is acting like his old self.

      Buyer beware.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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