C.W. Post Pioneer Column 5: The Newfound Relavance of the NFL Trade Deadline...

Football is not a game in which one player can make a big enough impact to change a team’s fortune like they can in baseball. It’s a team game that where chemistry often trumps talent. That’s why the NFL trade deadline is typically boring. General Managers and coaches are afraid that adding another variable to the mix might destroy the chemistry that it took five weeks to create.

However, in each of the last two years, blockbuster deals have been made as the clock wound down on week six. In both cases, these trades immediately helped both teams and might just create a new atmosphere around sports most boring deadline.

Last year, the Indianapolis Colts run defense couldn’t stop anyone. Teams were routinely ripping through the defensive line and gaining huge chinks of yardage. The Colts were very small on defense and susceptible to the power running game. Peyton Manning was being forced to score in bunches for his team to keep winning. While it was working in the regular season, many doubted the ability of Indianapolis Colts to win in the playoffs.

At the deadline, there was seemingly not much to be had. However, the Colts pulled of a huge deal to improve their team. They traded their second round pick in 2007 to the Buccaneers for defensive tackle Anthony McFarland.

It made sense for everyone involved. The Colts needed a big body to clog up the middle of the defense. The six-foot, 300 pound McFarland fit the bill perfectly. The Buccaneers were struggling again, barely surviving injuries to their top quarterback, Chris Simms, and on their way to a 4-12 record. What did they need with a veteran defensive tackle? They needed to restock their team with young talent. To do that, you need draft picks. The Bucs would turn the 64^th overall pick, which they received in the trade, into promising young safety Sabby Piscatelli.

This year, it appeared that the trade deadline would come and go with few people caring once again. Reporters were working the phones for days before the deadline and the biggest story that they could come up with was lifetime backup Michael Bennett being traded to the injury depleted Bucs for a late round pick. Hardly anything exciting.

Until San Diego Chargers GM A.J Smith saved this year’s deadline from obscurity when he sent a second round pick to Miami for enigmatic wide receiver Chris Chambers.

The anatomy of this deal is eerily similar to last year’s Bucs-Colts trade. The Chargers are a playoff quality team who, despite struggling early, has the ability to take their division. They featured the league’s best running back in LaDanian Tomlinson, its best tight end in Antonio Gates, and a good defense. However, they have never had a deep threat at wide receiver to stretch the field and allow Gates to effectively work the middle. Chambers can provide that as a proven veteran presence. He has been maddeningly inconsistent in his career, but the Bolts hope that the change of scenery and a chance to win, something he wouldn’t have had for a while in Miami, will light a fire under him.

Speaking of the Dolphins, they had nothing to lose by trading Chambers. At 0-6, everyone knows that this team is not going anywhere in ’07. Moreover, they have a ton of young talent at wide receiver in Derek Hagan and Ted Ginn Jr. The exit of their top threat will allow those two to gain more experience so they can become weapons sooner rather than later. Package that with a second round pick, which they can use to land an impact defender in this year’s draft, and this is sweet deal for them as well.

Maybe NFL GMs are opening up to the idea adding talent to their teams at the trade deadline. Maybe it’s more that losing teams are looking to stockpile draft picks than winning teams need one last piece to complete the puzzle. Together, it could mean that sports fans will be checking their ESPN.com incessantly in the second week of October as well as on July 31.

If Jason Comack was your GM, He'd do it.

It’s the nature of the NFL to not make too many rosters moves in the middle of a season. The idea is that a new player cannot possibly learn a system fast enough to make any kind of impact. However, certain players are worth the investment. Especially since there aren’t a lot of trades midseason, there is a chance to make trades in which you have to give up little to get a lot back.

Fabian Washington, CB, Raiders – For whatever reason, they seem to have fallen out of love with the guy who started the season as their top corner. Washington is a solid fundamental corner, who can play press coverage with the best of them. A lot of teams could use a guy like him. The only problem is that he is still on the salary of a first round pick. It would cost the Raiders and their trading partner a lot to make it happened.

What’s he worth?: A 3^rd-round pick.

Justin Mccareins, WR, Jets - Here’s another great example. A guy who was a favorite of a previous coach (Herm Edwards) and has fallen out of favor with his new coach.(Eric Mangini.) McCareins has no hope of ever being a number one receiver, but could be a decent number two. Ultimately, he needs an opportunity to play. He’s not providing the Jets any value sitting on the bench. The problem is that every one knows the Jets hate him, and everyone knows it, so they have no hope of really getting any value back from him.

What’s he worth?: A 5^th or 6^th round pick.

DeAngelo Hall, CB, Falcons – Hall is probably one of the most overrated players in the league right now. He is a solid corner, but is by no means in the lockdown cateogory. However, with that said, the only reason that he is on the block is that he has been seen openly arguing with his coach. There have been rumors of him being traded to Oakland in exchange for Washington, but that probably won’t happen.

What’s he worth?: A 3^rd-Round Pick.

Thoughts On The Yankees, Around the Horn and The Trade Deadline

I can't watch ESPN anymore. It's awful.

I don't know when it went from being sports news to sports crap.

Maybe I have just begin to notice it more and more as my knowledge of sports grew. I use to love watching Around the Horn and PTI. Now I can barely stand listening to the show of asinine banter.

Here's the problem with Around the Horn. Your taking sports writers who focus on certain markets; like Jay Mariotti in Chicago. I'm sure he knows the Cubs and Bulls inside and out. However, he doesn't cover the Yankees. How can he formulate a correct opinion of what the Yankees should or shouldn't have done at the trade deadline if he's not aware of who our prospects are and how good they are. On Around the Horn he suggested the Yanks should have traded Joba Chamberlain for Gagne. In fact he said it in an insulting fashion to the extent of "the Yanks kept Joba Chamberlain instead of Eric Gagne? Are you serious?"

It's frustrating to hear this as aaseball fan living in NY and following the Yankees. I'm sure Jay would have been up in arms if the Cubs had traded 5 tool stud prospect Felix Pie for unequal value.

I digress

Anyway, Mr. Mariotti in the words of Silent Bob; Bitch what you don't know about Joba Chamberlain could fill the grand fucking canyon. Let me educate you!

Joba is nasty. Filthy in fact. He proved himself in AA, moved up and just housed AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He's throwing pure gas, in his last appearance he hit 99-100 on the gun. He threw 13 pitches, 10 for strikes. Secondly, Jay, Chamberlain is getting called up to the big leagues soon. While he is no sure thing he has alot of potential. I can tell you this It would have been idiotic to trade Joba for Gagne. Joba could fetch more than Gagne at this point. Furthermore the Rangers weren't even demanding Gagne. We could have gotten away with trading Ian Kennedy (who while a good prospect is getting over-protected. He's not a front line starter. He's a 3 at best more realistically a 4.)

So Jay before you make a statement try to learn your facts.

...With that being said the Yankees should have traded for Eric Gagne at the trade deadline.

I'm all aboard the Luiz Vizcaino bandwagon. Before his last appearance he hadn't given up an earned run since July 4th. He'd be an ideal 7th inning guy.

Vizcaino and Gagne bridging the gap to Mo would make for a very successful bullpen. Especially when you factor in the surprisingly effective Myers and Vilone and the wild cards in Joba and Edwar Rameriez.

Had we made the Gagne trade we would have been able to trade both Farnsworth and Proctor.

I loved the Wilson Betemit for Scott Proctor trade, I just wish Farnsworth was following him out of town. Proctor is a 30 year old below average reliever. Besides that Torre has absoutely abused his arm this year. In exhange for what I believe to be damaged goods the Yanks got Betemit, while not great, is an outstanding super-sup. For now he can platoon at first with Andy Phillips. Betimit is a 27 year old switch hiter but he hits much better as a lefty. Agaisnt right handing pithcing he's hitting .285/.349/.463. Not awful, he never has been given a chance to start a whole season and still may have room to grow. The fact that we got anyone for Proctor is remarkable. If nothing else it's addition by subtraction. I wish we could have done the same for Kyle. If we had to pay to get rid of him so be it. Once again adittion by subtraction.

In an ideal world we could have gone with 12 pitchers on roster

Clemens
Wang
Pettite
Moose
Hughes

Vilone
Britton
Myeres
Chamberlain
Vizcaino
Gagne
Rivera

That looks pretty good to me.

(By the way quick side note: For anyone who thinks moving Joba to relief is going to stunt his growth, remember Joba is on a pitch count this year, he was close to being shut down anyway. In fact moving him to relief is going to help him keep his pitch count in manageable numbers.)

Alas we didn't get Gagne, but it's not the end of the world.

What people forget is that two big deadline acquisitions are going be Giambi and Hughes.

This team, while maybe not close to catching the Red Sox, will certainly be in contention for the wildcard. With our pitching and hitting healthy this team can make a whole lot of noise in the playoffs.

It feels good to write that for the first time all year.

I'm Really Beginning to Love Dayton Moore...

Despite Teixiera finally being dealt today, The best deal of the day was without a doubt the Royals getting SP Kyle Davies from Atlanta in exchange for Closer Octavio Dotel.

Now, I'm really hardcore on the Royals Bandwagon. I already think that both Billy Butler and Alex Gordon are going to be absolute studs, and now Davies can serve as a number two or three starter for the next five years behind Gil Meche. If the team can manufacture, or sign a #1 quality pitcher, the team really could compete sooner than everyone thinks.

Also, Don't forget that Uber-Prospect Luke Hochevar is in their minor league system as well.

News and Notes

Heading off to the Mets game tonight so I don't have time to write a long column, here's some news and notes from the day. Look for impressions from the Mets game later.

-Vick Watch:

Apparently one of Vicks co-defendants is entering a plea agreement. Eeeee, that's bad news for Mr. Vick. Looks like one of his boys is selling him down the river.

In more Vick news Reebok and Nike have basically dropped him and now the NFL isn't even selling Vick Jerseys on their website. In fact In fact, fans can't even buy from NFLShop.com a personalized No. 7 Falcons jersey with "Vick" on the back.

-Neon Deion

Deion Sanders is a moron. I actually wanted to dedicate alot of space to a rant on this but due to lack of time here we go.

"I believe Vick had a passion for dogfighting. I know many athletes who share his passion. The allure is the intensity and the challenge of a dog fighting to the death. It’s like ultimate fighting, but the dog doesn't tap out when he knows he can't win."

Ugh. I hate you. I don't even know where to start. First of all Ultimate Fighting isn't to the death. It's sanctioned by athletic commissions and no one in a sanctioned fight has ever died, let alone be seriously injured. Secondly Ultimate fighters are trained athletes, who choose to get into a ring and fight for sport. While maybe this isn't morally accepted by all it's still LEGAL and a SPORT. Dog Fighting isn't LEGAL. Ultimate fighters have the CHOICE to fight. The Dogs that engage in these fights don't. You sir are an idiot.

-Jerry Reese

On the subject of dumb people. Jerry Reese, the Giants GM, you sir are also an idiot.

"People are so worried about left tackle . . . I think that's so overrated," Reese said. "People act like Petitgout was the second coming. He never made the Pro Bowl, and I don't think he ever was a first alternate. Now all of a sudden he's the savior? That's ridiculous. I don't think we're that bad off without Luke Petitgout. He was not a star left tackle. He was a solid left tackle on some occasions and other times he wasn't. Luke has been a marginal player for a long time."

Remarked an industry source in response to these comments, "Until you learn how to talk to the media, don't." The source also described Reese's decision to criticize publicly a player who is currently under contract with another team as "amateurish."

Yes, Luke was never a pro-bowler and yes he had trouble with injuries and staying on the field. With that being said, David Diehl/Guy Whimper are now your options at left tackle. Congratulations Jerry way to sabotage your season. I have week 6 in The 3SS office pool as the day Eli's leg gets snapped off the blind side. Way to protect your franchise player Jerry.

MLB:

-Apparently the Mariners have interest in Kei Igawa. That'd be a blessing if we could get even a crap prospect and some money for him. He would fit in well with Ichiro and Johjima, tho he's most likely to have success in the NL.

-Kyle Farnsworth to the Tigers is still alive. I think it makes alot of sense. Let's ship him and Proctor out of town. At this point it'd be addition by subtraction. Vizcaino is clearly our 8th inning guy now. Myeres and Vilone have been good. We could call up Joba or give Edwar another chance if we trade Kyle and or Proctor.

-Proctor is still rumored to be going to Tampa for Ty Wigginton.

-Apparently the Yanks turned down Brett Gardner for Dan Johnson, Gardner is a AAA outfielder for Scranton. He seems like an ok prospect. He's 23, he has a low average but a high OBP% no wonder Billy Beane want's him. Johnson is a solid player, he's youngish and under contract for while. I don't know if he represents a huge upgrade over Andy Philips though. He could play DH but with Gimabi coming back soon I don't know how much sense it'd make to trade for him

-Eric Gagne according to Rotoworld is close to becoming a Yankee. Apparently the Rangers asked for Marquez and Kennedy, both AAA pitchers. Kennedy is the more valuable prospect. Though at best he projects as a number 3 starter in the mjaor. If you count Huges Kennedy is probably our 5th best pitching prospect, behind Huges, Chamberlain, Sanchez, and Belitances.

Kennedy for Gagne straight up makes alot of sense. To go along with that move I would ship Proctor and Kyle outta town for whatever we could get.