Bleacher Report - Articles by Jeremiah Coggins

LaRussa And His Cardinal Creativity

Jeremiah Coggins — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:02:34 -0400

A word to describe 2009 Cardinals: POTENTIAL.

How does one decide success? Although there is never a clear cut answer, Tony La Russa sure does know how to manipulate whatever system he has to in order to create it. Coming off a 2008 season that argumentatively was his best management job ever, the Cards have quite different outlook which should make it a little easier for La Russa now in his 14th year in St. Louis.

The powerhouse NL Central will certainly not make it any easier on this constantly evolving Cardinals ball club, but they have a lot to look forward to this season. Most will argue that Cardinals will go as Pujols goes, but I believe they will go as their disabled list goes.

A couple key names already included are Carpenter and Glaus, but Prince Albert has hit the DL a time or two the last couple years. Not to mention coming out of Spring Training this year, the previously troubled bullpen has taken a hit. Jaime Garcia, and Chris Perez both integral parts to the pen are both on the shelf right now. Chris Carpenter says he'll be ready to go at his scheduled start, and the Cardinals need him back in his 06 form (which has certainly been there this spring). Troy Glaus is out till June potentially, and I honestly had him pegged to have a huge comeback year. I question the reasoning he waited to have the surgery, but David Freese is certainly excited I'm sure.

This is going to be the second factor of St. Louis successes this year in how well the youth perform. The 'saving grace' Colby Rasmus made the squad this year along with Brian Barden and Freese. The reason this youth is so important is because it is basically all on the mound. Guys such as Motte, Garcia, both have less than 15 games experience, and Perez sits at 41 games total. Both Motte and Perez are both touted to have a shot at closing for the Cards in 09. Perez on the DL certainly gives Motte a shot, and after that you have Ryan Franklin who does not have closer stuff. The bullpen will be better, but not until it gets healthy. Watching Dave Duncan and La Russa work their mystical powers to hold it together will certainly keep you interested.

So the final verdict for the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals will come down to health and youth. Sounds familiar doesn't it? Seems like that's what every club is going through, and puts them on par terms with everyone else. Kind of sounds like a ton of POTENTIAL doesn't it? Oh Tony's going to have a big time in 09.

Tennessee Titans Had Ceasar All Along!

Jeremiah Coggins — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:06:22 -0500

How many reasons should someone need to admit they were wrong? Critics really should be eating their own words right now. No, Kerry Collins has not been a superstar, but then again, when have the Tennessee Titans needed one?

Nashville has plenty of stars already that perform each week at the Grand Ole Opry. Instead, it is that Jeff Fisher is the architect of a lost art in the National Football League, drilling the simple idea of TEAM FIRST. It is his old-school mentality that shows true leadership from the top.

He leads by example, he does and says the right things, defends his players at all costs, and oh yeah, he WINS!

Along with the biggest percentage of residents in Tennessee, I also believed Kerry Collins was the better option at quarterback. Is he a long term answer? No, absolutely not. However, when Young was injured in '07, you could certainly see the glimpses of what Collins was capable of.

It was the comeback of a Penn State mentality—tough and resilient (a lead by example mentality). Collins may even have that "it" needed to make another Super Bowl run for a last hurrah in his perplexed career.

Tennessee’s makeup will be good enough to get by for the next year or two certainly, and Collins is good enough to lead the team no matter the challenges. I honestly believe the Titans should deal Young for a package that would return some speed at wideout, and a draft pick for a quarterback that shows leadership, a decent arm, and a football IQ that doesn’t register as the lowest score in NFL history.

I think the bold, honest, and clear answer is to keep Collins and let him be the teacher to a new wave in Tennessee. Besides, southerners always love loyalty, and Collins gives them that. He can also take a youthful project and share the same qualities that fit in Fisher’s system.

As many people that were outraged by the Titans not taking Cutler, I honestly don’t think his skill set would have been a great Tennessee fit either. With that said, this year’s quarterback class isn’t the deepest, but in comparison to Vince Young’s draft, the talent is better overall.

I don’t think any of the three will be as good as Cutler, but all three are better than both Young and Leinart.

With that said, Tennessee won’t have a shot at any of them unless they deal for a pick that high. Of course all this would have to happen in contrary to Fisher’s beliefs. He would never deal Young because of the troubles the young man is having, because he embraces a traditional approach to people that we have all lost. That’s right, HE CARES!

The Professional Athlete: Old Time Heroes vs. Today's Modern Superstar

Jeremiah Coggins — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:49:17 -0400

Today's hero may be described quite differently than your hero from thirty years ago.

In most cases, the word hero will never be mentioned (as well as it shouldn't be) about players in today's entertainment venues. Instead most of the time, people are looking up to a media fix that declares their "favorite player" a superstar.

These players are idolized because they just signed a $150 million dollar contract for five years of work. Maybe it's because they just cleared another player's body, slamming one home. In some cases, it's because they astonishingly made a one handed grab, with two defenders on their back, throwing them both away, and high stepping into the end zone.

Either way it will all come back to one thing—how much superstar power they possess and how much will they make because of it.

No longer are the days of the three-inning save, or the suicide squeeze (or even a sacrifice bunt in the American League).

Days when an offense ran on the hard court with a coach yelling that every person must touch it before anyone takes a shot have disappeared.

How many times do you think a help side defender step over to help their teammate after getting beat off the dribble at the risk of getting "posterized"?

When seeking autographs, it's common that players aren't out there signing, or they'll show face, wave a few times and be "too busy" to sign.

It merely boils down to their superstar status and how much it has gone to their heads.

As the players were working their way to the pros, many probably said, "If I could get to that level, I would sign autographs everyday!"

I, like many others, also said the same thing.

I wasn't thinking about hitting number 756, or throwing number 50 to a guy who's catching his twenty-third. I was thinking about how grateful I would be if I were blessed enough to get there. I vividly also remember saying over and over, I'd be okay if I made minimum salary just to get to do what I love to do.

My, how times have changed.

In this era, sports are staying alive only based on stories that sound more like soap opera material than sports segments. We are bombarded with the latest drug charge, DUI, or steroid suspension leading every sports show across the boob tube.

Where are the glimmering lights? What happen to the True American Hero on the field?

Where have all the heroes gone?

MLB Rookies: Fortune Tellers or Fortune Takers?

Jeremiah Coggins — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:22:38 -0400

Of the next big names to cross the planes of arbitration in Major League Baseball, you might find yourself coming across names such as Rasmus, Bruce, Hughes, Chamberlin, Cueto, or Upton -- (twice). The next stock of brash, young superstars are all making their mark for a 'small' claim of the all American dollar!

But here in turn lies the question: who is more greedy, the player or the team signing them?

While most armchair Americans watching their favorite past time will continue to throw out ideas of what a player should make, or about how ridiculous it is that the Yankees have a player that makes more than all of the Florida Marlins do combined. Why is it that we should blame the future stars of baseball for asking for crazy money? There are teams that run their organizations head and shoulders better than 70% of the rest of the league. They run cheaper, more efficiently, but are they really benefiting?

Take for example the recent signing of Evan Longoria (6 years, 17.5 million or 2.7per) and for all intents and purposes leave out the bonuses because they're not for certain things. Arguably the most talented rookie in this year's class was sent down to Triple-A just prior to final roster cut so that the team could bring him back up after the deadline to give them that extra year of service and avoid arbitration hearings later in his contract. Longoria is expected to be the next Alex Rodriguez at third base (or at least offensively) if you will consider Rodriguez a true third baseman. There won't be much argument that Longoria will certainly be better defensively at the hot corner, but the offensive potential is endless. So why sign him now versus waiting to bring him up normally and continue to pay him the little salary he is currently signed at? It all comes full circle back to one thing - MONEY!

If Longoria even fulfills most of his potential on the field, the Rays will have made a huge play for one of the best players in the game at a position that's hard to come by value wise. The reason they sign him this quick is because if Longoria is still there at the end of six seasons, he's more likely to re-sign to stay with one team and it's cheaper on the team's payroll while he continues to build on his milestones. Sure you may argue about his loyalty to remain with what has been one of baseball's worst teams for its entirety, but look at what they are offering now. They have plans to open a new stadium in 2009-10 that looks to be one of (if not the) best stadiums in Major League Baseball. Not to mention they have one of the best farm systems in baseball, and they're going to continue getting better. By the time Longoria's first contract begins to come to an end, the Rays will be a contender.

So in hindsight the Rays look like complete genius' here, but what are the motives for the rest of MLB? Cincinnati has the likes of three players they will have to bargain with at the same time in Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, and eventually Jay Bruce. The St. Louis Cardinals will have Colby Rasmus, and both the Rays & Diamondbacks with the Upton twins. While all are highly touted (and just these to name a few), and all will come with a high price tag, what do those teams have to offer those players other than money? The Rays we already know, and the Diamondbacks are a winning team. So what about the Cardinals and Reds? Both have newer ballparks, but neither farm system really blows you away, so could it be that players see the future outside the box and then force organizations to pay them the extra money to stay? The Yankees are building a new stadium, but that's not really why you play for the Yankees is it? No, it's because they'll pay anybody anything if they think you'll help them win (throw in Randy Johnson-Carl Pavano-Jason Giambi jokes here). Boston is a 'team first' organization that looks to get a new stadium sooner than later (and one could only hope they'll tear that one down and just build an exact replica where the old stood), and soon they'll be talking with Buccholz, Ellsbury, and who knows what else in their loaded system.

You could go on talking about every organization, but you'll continue to see the same thing over and over, no new developments and a lackluster farm system. So who do we blame for the economical blunders in baseball: the players or the teams? Or would you go as far to say that it's MLB's fault as a whole for not putting a cap on teams spending, and sharing the revenue with all teams top to bottom? You have to admit it's the worst idea in the world to know that you run a league where one player is actually making more than an entire team! I think Major League Baseball has to take a major step in restoring order, and regaining balance. Do I think it will happen? Probably not before Bill Clinton gets another term in office, but one can hold his breath. If you see me around, just ask for "Ole Blue".