"Oh my gosh! Allen Iverson is headed to the Nuggets! They are going to be so good for each other!"
The reaction of fans across the country to the AI trade was something similar to this tunnel visioned statement, and at first glance, is almost accurate. Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are the #1 and 2 scorers in the league and now they are forced to co-exist. Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas would almost be better off.
Allen Iverson pulled an elementary school basketball move. "I don't like who my teammates are....I don't want to play anymore." How did the Philadelphia brain trust respond? "Let's give him what he wants, besides, he won't even come to practice." They shopped him around and waited for the right....how do you say it....opportunity to show itself. How convenient; Carmelo Anthony gets suspended for 15 games. Now the Nuggets need someone to fill their scoring void. Allen fits the part, except for the fact that he ranks 261st in the league in field-goal percentage! This stat may be a little misleading, so let's get to the bottom of this. AI is shooting .413% on the season. He is only 15 spots ahead of the notorious Antoine (no his first name is not misspelled) Walker. When asked why Antoine Walker attempts so many three point shots, he quickly replied "because there aint no four pointers".
Some people are quick to point out that with Carmelo out for fifteen games, Allen Iverson will be able to keep the ship afloat. OK. Is that really all that an NBA franchise wants to do with their team? "Let's have him come here and make sure we don't lose too badly." If Carmelo sits out for 15 games, the Utah Jazz will run away with the division.
Let's forget about the records or actual statistics and just look at the character issues we face here. Anthony has appeared in thug videos and about two years ago was charged with drug possession. Carmelo lucked out when his friend bit the bullet and signed an affidavit taking the punishment. Iverson reportedly threw his girlfriend out of his house naked. So the Nuggets decide to throw these two together. "They will be fine".
When Iverson was in Philadelphia, he controlled the game, took the shots, and was still upset. Now in Denver, he faces the possibility of being the second option. Look for this off season to provide the real "Answer".
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Zito or Veto?
Jon Daniels has to strike gold in the oil rich Texas soil. Tom Hicks needs one of his “calculated risks” to actually produce some return. Forget about A-Rod. Forget about “The Ho”. A shortstop with an average glove can not win a World Series. The Ho was never the front line starter that was advertised. Eric Gagne is a great pick-up. Paying $6 million for a pitcher that recorded the most consecutive saves of all time is nothing to turn up your nose at. I’m sure Akinori Otsuka is smiling from his metroplex home.
Kenny Lofton, although twice as old as me, is still two times as fast and hit .301 last year with the Dodgers. Jon Daniels is being smart; he hasn’t let go of any of his potential all-star infielders and hasn’t fallen into the trap of paying an overweight designated hitter $100 million for two more years of solid production. Aggressive, but smart. That has been the Rangers motto ever since The Ho and A-Rod’s true colors were shown.
The $60 million dollar investment in Kevin Millwood last year wasn’t a foolish offer. He was the ERA leader for the American League in 2005. So why not offer a little more dough to a pitcher who has shown he can pitch with success at Ameriquest? Barry Zito has averaged 213 innings a year with the Oakland A’s and has persevered through losing two of his running mates in Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. If Jon Daniels lands Zito, that would make a starting rotation of Zito, Millwood, and recently re-signed Vicente Padilla. That’s three 15 game winners at the front of your rotation. What other teams in the MLB have been able to score that? Oh ya, the dynasty of the Atlanta Braves during their run of 13 consecutive divisional titles just to throw one at ya.
The time to stop talking and actually make a run at the division is now. Morale was high after the first half of the season. The Rangers were a couple of games in first place even with Mark Teixeira only belting nine home runs. What happened in the second half? The Rangers inexperienced back-end of the rotation wore out and so the slide began. With Ron Washington at the helm, Barry Zito has become very intrigued with the idea of living in Arlington. Hopefully we don't scare him away.
Ya Baby.
Kenny Lofton, although twice as old as me, is still two times as fast and hit .301 last year with the Dodgers. Jon Daniels is being smart; he hasn’t let go of any of his potential all-star infielders and hasn’t fallen into the trap of paying an overweight designated hitter $100 million for two more years of solid production. Aggressive, but smart. That has been the Rangers motto ever since The Ho and A-Rod’s true colors were shown.
The $60 million dollar investment in Kevin Millwood last year wasn’t a foolish offer. He was the ERA leader for the American League in 2005. So why not offer a little more dough to a pitcher who has shown he can pitch with success at Ameriquest? Barry Zito has averaged 213 innings a year with the Oakland A’s and has persevered through losing two of his running mates in Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. If Jon Daniels lands Zito, that would make a starting rotation of Zito, Millwood, and recently re-signed Vicente Padilla. That’s three 15 game winners at the front of your rotation. What other teams in the MLB have been able to score that? Oh ya, the dynasty of the Atlanta Braves during their run of 13 consecutive divisional titles just to throw one at ya.
The time to stop talking and actually make a run at the division is now. Morale was high after the first half of the season. The Rangers were a couple of games in first place even with Mark Teixeira only belting nine home runs. What happened in the second half? The Rangers inexperienced back-end of the rotation wore out and so the slide began. With Ron Washington at the helm, Barry Zito has become very intrigued with the idea of living in Arlington. Hopefully we don't scare him away.
Ya Baby.
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