Bleacher Report - Articles by Bob DaBuckeye

Tribe's Farm System: Fertile Soil or Landfill?

Bob DaBuckeye — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:23:24 -0400

Let's take a closer look at the Cleveland Indians' farm system and their recent drafts.

The so called experts claim we have one of the better collections of minor league talent. This is based on records of minor league teams and how the prospects are ranked.

The axiom is "build through the draft and add free agents as needed to strengthen the club."

Before we get started, let us take a peek at the current 25-man roster.

Homegrown Cleveland drafted players are marked with an * and undrafted free agents with a #. Note: Latin Players are not covered by the MLB draft and are all free agents who can sign with any club.

C Victor Martinez#, 1B Ryan Garko*, SS Jhonny Peralta#, OF Ben Francisco*, P's Fausto Carmona#, Jensen Lewis,* Rafael Perez#, Jeremy Sowers*, Scott Lewis*.

The other 16 players on the 25 man roster were acquired via trade or free agency.

How well have we drafted? Let's review the drafts since 2000.

2000

48 selections of which 6 have played in the majors. 12% success rate.

Round 1 Pick 37 Derek Thompson LHP He was a supplemental pick from Philly for their signing of Mike Jackson. Played 4 games for LA Dodgers.

Round 2 Pick 55 Brian Tallett He was drafted with the Phills pick they forfeited by signing Jackson. His stats entering 2009: 9-9, 162 games played. Currently he's a Blue Jay.

Round 8 Pick 246 Joe Inglett 5 homers 62 RBI in 550 at bats in three years. Cut by the Jays at the end of 2008.

Round 14 pick 426 Ryan Church Currently an OF for the Mets. Best year 15 HR, 72 RBI .272 BA in 2007.

Round 30 pick 906 Brian Wilson RHP Did not sign and was drafted by Giants in 2003. He was an All-Star in 2008 with 41 saves. OOOPS! What would we have done with him instead of Borowski?

Round 41 pick 1234 Eric Crozier He had a b.a .of .152 in 33 at bats with 2 homers and 4 rbis in his one season with the Jays.

2001

53 picks including, first-round picks. One player has played in the Majors (1 percent).

9th round 277 overall - Luke Scott - Currently a starting OF-DH with the Orioles. Best year 2008: 23 homers, 65 RBI and a BA of .257.

Of interest, the Indians passed three times on 3B David Wright. He was picked 38th in round 1 by the Mets. OOOPS!

2002

54 picks (3 first rounders) three played in Majors (5 percent)

Round 1 pick 22 Jeremy Guthrie cut by the Tribe, currently starting for the Orioles.

Round 2 pick 63 Brian Slocum pitched in 10 games for the Tribe in 2007 and 2008 with no record.

Round 5 pick 154 Ben Francisco - Currently a starter in the OF for the Tribe. 2008: 15 homers, 54 RBI and a BA of .266.

2003

52 picks (3 first rounders) 4 played in Majors (7 percent)

Round 1 pick 11 Mike Aubrey 1B has had a cup of coffee in the majors and is currently at AAA Columbus.

Round 3 pick 78 Ryan Garko, the Tribe's starting 1B.

Round 6 pick 168 Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B The Padres starting 3B, traded for Josh Barfield. Best year 2008: 24 homers, 84 RBI, BA of .260. So far, this was a bad trade for the Tribe.

Round 16 pick 468 Aaron Laffey last seen as part of the Tribe's Arson Squad bullpen.

2004

50 picks, 1 in Majors (2 percent)

First round pick 6th overall - Jeremy Sowers LHP, a part time starter for the Tribe.

2005

52 picks 1 in Majors (1 percent)

Round 3 pick 102 Jensen Lewis RHP - Current member of the Arson Squad Tribe bullpen.

Of note pick 1261 of the 42nd round did not sign with the Tribe. His name? Tim Lincecum Cy Young winner 2008 OOOPS!

2006-2007-2008

No players in majors Too early to make a call.

Overall, 15 players made the majors and six are currently with the Tribe. Five of the six are in the Majors.

My take: The Indians have done a horrible job drafting players but a good job in collecting other team's draftees: Lee, Sizemore, Cabrera, Choo, etc. Their record in Latin America is much better.

Some late round picks in the draft are high school players who have committed to college over the Majors and teams take a gamble they can sign them. Lincecum was an example of this.

As a Tribe fan let's hope that the 06-07-08 drafts pan out and make up for the horrible job we've done so far in the 2000's.

Please feel free to comment and in closing: Let's Go Tribe!

Indians Management: This Wedge Has a Foul Taste

Bob DaBuckeye — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:16:12 -0400

With the firing of Bob Melvin in Arizona, it appears it's not too early for teams to make managerial changes.

With that in mind, the Cleveland Indians brass needs to do the right thing and jettison manager Eric Wedge.

There were high hopes with the addition of Kerry Wood to the bullpen and the restored health of Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner. Now, high hopes have turned to the smell of rotten cheese as this Wedge is leaving everyone with a bad taste in their mouths.

For some reason, there are those who think Wedge is a good manager because the players like him. But the Indians don't need a friend, they need a manger.

There are times when you have to be the bad guy, the confidant, the head cheerleader, and the military strategist.

Wedge has never mastered the strategy part.

I could go on all day about his numerous blown managerial moves, but I'll be merciful and leave it at two.

Exhibit A: In four career starts against the Red Sox, Jeremy Sowers is 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA, all in Boston. Why, then, would you start him at Fenway Park yet again? Only Wedge, and possibly general manager Mark Shapiro, know for sure.

Exhibit B: Wedge starts Shin Soo Choo at DH and benches Ryan Garko, a right-handed batter, against a lefty. Choo, a left-handed batter is horrible against lefties, while Garko is hitting over .300 against them.

C'mon Eric, what were you thinking?

Wedge always has the Tribe off to a slow start and we have to play catchup the rest of the year to make up for horrible Aprils. I'm fed up with close but no cigar.

Torey Lovullo, manager of the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, is highly regarded. He's worked with many of the current Indians players and is worth considering as a replacement.

Then there is the guy who almost got the job over Wedge: Joel Skinner.

Skinner spent six seasons managing in the minors for the Tribe. He's a multiple Minor League Manager of the Year award-winner, and five of his six teams made the playoffs.

Since 2000, he's been the Indians' third base coach, giving him a greater knowledge of the players over anyone else who could be hired.

I'd take my chances with either of those two over Wedge's losing ways.

Whoever gets the nod, be it an insider or someone from outside the organization, needs to develop a set lineup and define the players' roles. Not knowing what is expected of you on a daily basis can make things tough for younger players.

Wedge is a master of multiple lineups for no apparent reason.

Yes, it's early in the season, but the longer we wait, the bigger the hole to climb out of will be.

It's time to toss this rotten cheese Wedge in the trash.

The Mountain West Must Expand By Whacking The W.A.C.

Bob DaBuckeye — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:49:50 -0500

In these days of economics being a key factor for conference revenues, the Mountain West Conference or MWC must expand. Of all the Non-BCS Conferences, the MWC is in the best position to strongarm/blackmail the BCS into getting an automatic bid.

The MWC consists of: No. 6 Utah, No. 11 TCU, No. 16 BCS, CSU (winner of the New Mexico Bowl), Air Force (Armed Forces Bowl), UNLV, New Mexico, Wyoming and San Diego State.

BYU, Utah and TCU are very solid programs with teams that were ranked in the Top 10 of the polls this year. No other non-automatic BCS bid conference can match this depth.

But, the MWC needs to step up and raid the Western Athletic Conference one more time. The MWC was formed by teams that left the WAC due to it's large size. Offering invites to three WAC schools would give the MWC 12 teams and the ability to have a Conference Championship Game.

I would offer these three teams invites: Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada. Other than Hawaii these three programs consistently play the best football. Hawaii is on a downturn and transportation costs make them a bad fit.

Nevada and Fresno add a team in a state where there is already a team and Boise State is becoming a football power handicapped by their weak conference.

The ability to capitalize on a championship game added with the clout of Boise provides the MWC with a valuable commodity for a TV conference package. With the teams being on the West Coast, the later starting times would be attractive to ESPN or any other carrier looking to broadcast a Saturday Night game and they have showed the willingness to play Thursday games as well.

The MWC wants to showcase itself to as many fans as possible. A weekly diet of games featuring TCU, Boise, BYU and the others would be an attractive package.

Playing a championship game in nearby neutral cities like Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, or possibly The Cowboys new stadium (J.J. is always looking to make a buck or two) would make for increased awareness and a nice paycheck for all the teams.

A schedule of five division opponents and three games against the other division would result in every team playing a home and home series every four years against every member school. This still allows for four non conference games allowing the schools to play long standing rivals or whoever they see fit.

By having powerhouses in the conference a team like Boise would have a shot at a BCS Bowl with one loss rather than being shut out with an undefeated record as happened this season.

Here's two looks at how the MWC could be broken into two divisions.

Plan A East-West Divisions

East: TCU, Utah, BYU, Colorado State, Air Force Academy, New Mexico

West Fresno State, San Diego State, UNLV, Nevada, Boise and Wyoming

Plan B North -South Divisions

North Boise, Wyoming, BYU, Utah, Nevada, Colorado State

South New Mexico, TCU, San Diego State, Fresno State, UNLV, Air Force Academy

There are a few other teams that would be intriguing to the MWC: Houston with a solid football team and a basketball tradition would help with tv ratings by adding the largest tv market in the MWC and pair up Texas with TCU.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes would be worth a look as well as they bring in Oklahoma and are east of the majority of the schools providing another market area.

Worth a look but only a look would be UTEP, Rice, SMU, Utah State and New Mexico State.

Of the three schools I propose adding, Nevada, would be the one to drop if Houston or Tulsa were added. While they provide UNLV with an in state rival the Reno tv market is by far the lowest of the three.

Adding any three of these five schools would be of benefit to the MWC and I believe it to be only a matter of time before we see it.

My rankings as far as desirability: Boise, Fresno, Houston, Nevada, Tulsa.

Do you agree or disagree? As always please feel free to add your comments.

Big 10 Expansion: It's a Matter of Time

Bob DaBuckeye — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:52:28 -0400

With the creation of the Big 10 Network and being available on HD channels, the expansion of the Big 10 is probably being expedited.

Who will get the call and will the Big 10 expand by more than one team?

Let's examine some possibilities.

The Big 10 adds one team scenario.

The “Pitt” Panthers would give the Conference two teams in Penn., but the Pittsburgh market would not bring TV money as PSU draws from there already.

PSU with Paterno would veto this— odds are not likely with any major media market.

WVU are a team on the rise in football and basketball. The Mountaineers are not a major television market and bring no "must have" to the table.

Syracuse Orange is an interesting team.

They were once a football power and currently have a great basketball program. However, they are not looked on, as New York City's team, which means the TV area they control, would not be as large as you might think.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights are New Jersey's team and the first to bring substantial broadcast revenue to the bargaining table.

They have gone from “no” to “whoa!”

They are historically, not a generaly good program in either football or basketball, but playing the Big 10 football schedule would result in about a .500 record.

Louisville Cardinals— a Kentucky market, is not a major viewing plus, however, they are a program on the rise in both football and basketball.

The fact they are more southern than any current Big 10 teams give them some points.

Cincinnati Bearcats?

Ohio State doesn't want another “Ohio” school and that market is already on the fritz with all Buckeye fans in the area.

Fat chance for “Cincy.”

The Mac teams are the little brothers of the Big 10, and none would be considered as they bring, essentially, nothing substantial to the table.

Fat chance part II.

Iowa State Cyclones are a natural rival for Iowa. They bring nothing to the table.

Nebraska Cornhuskers are arguably one of America’s football legends that has stumbled lately.

While they bring little to the pot as far as viewer revenues go, they are still, Big Red.

Odds are that the Big 10 will accept that collect call— a definite short list team.

Missouri is geographically not that far from the current schools, but then again neither is Kentucky.

They’re a program on the rise in football and a legitimate contender to win the Big 10 basketball title any year.

The St. Louis market is a bonus as well and odds are as good as Nebraska's.

Colorado Buffaloes are a major market in Denver and have been a top football program in the past, but recently in a rebuilding stage.

The program has had many problems and the Big 10 may decide they are too big of a risk.

Years ago after the formation of the Big 12 they turned down a Pac 10 invite.

Odds are 50-50, but don’t hold your breath.

The Naval Academy is my “Dark horse” candidate. They are obviously a major player in academics.

Their sports programs are not the powers they were 50-years ago. TV impact is hard to consider, but they would add ratings with the number of Navy veterans all over the country.

Chances of any team being asked to leave the Big 10 are slim to none.

Penn State would be the only team likely to leave, but they realize the power of the Big 10 with non-revenue producing sports and I don't see them leaving.

Now, here's another possibility: 14 Teams

With two seven team divisions the schedule would work. Each team would play every team in their division and two teams on a rotating basis in the other division.

This still leaves four non-conference games.

Let's look at what this could mean: three teams could be brought in.

This would expand the coverage area nicely depending on who is invited to join.

Let's look at some possibilities:

A three-team raid on the Big 12 with invites to Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado. Iowa State if needed would be considered if it meant two of the Big “3” would come in with one refusing to join.

The Texas “Two Step.”

Would Texas and Texas A&M be willing to jump ship for the Big 10?

Any of the other Big 12 schools would be welcomed with these two teams. The Big 10 would be drooling to get a foot in the Texas media market and recruiting pool.

Then we have the possibilities of Eastern Expansion

A trifecta of Pitt, Louisville and a team from this list: Rutgers, Syracuse, WVU or Navy wouldn't be that bad.

Then we have the dream if Notre Dame agrees to come in and is allowed to keep their contract, but wouldn't get any Big 10 revenues until their contract expires.

Along with ND joining any other two teams mentioned would be acceptable.

Teams that the Big 10 would be willing to talk to not mentioned: Boston College, Air Force Academy, Kentucky, SEC Powerhouses, BYU and Boise State.

Sure some of these are wishful thinking but you never know when money is involved.

Expansion will happen and the Big 10 needs to be proactive not reactive.

Wait Till Next Year: The Tribe Is Officially Out of the 2008 Pennant Race

Bob DaBuckeye — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:38:50 -0400

C.C. Sabathia is officially gone. Let's talk about his trade and what the 2009 Tribe roster may look like.

C.C. first: It's tough to judge this trade until the player to be named later is named. The rumour mill has it that the player will be the second-best prospect involved.

What we do know: Matt LaPorta has hit 32 homers, driven in 97 runs and slugged .609 over his first 114 games, spanning 417 at-bats. He is a power hitter that could get a late season look this year and should be a factor in the 2009 roster.

Zack Jackson, LHP: He's 25 and has had a small taste of the Majors. Not a good taste, as he was sent down after a brief call-up by the Brewers. He's 28-23 with a 4.62 ERA in the minors.

Rob Bryson, RHP: A lower-level prospect with a strong arm. It's undecided as to his future as a starter or relief pitcher. He has a higher ceiling in my opinion than Jackson.

Taylor Green, a 3B prospect at Class A, or Michael Brantley, a Double-A OF, are believed to be the players Cleveland must choose between. Both are highly thought of prospects.

I'll hold off on judgement until the other player is announced.

Likely to be traded for a prospect or two: Casey Blake, Paul Byrd, and Dave Dellucci. Blake is someone I would like to see the Tribe re-sign and bring back.

Let's take a look at the 2009 lineup:

1B: Garko will be pushed by LaPorta, and Victor Martinez may be playing more at first to keep him healthy, as Shoppach is showing he can be a quality starter.

2B: Josh Barfield or Asdrubal Cabrera.

SS: This gets tricky. Peralta is the starter, but Cabrera has been playing a lot of SS in the minors. He could take over at SS and Peralta moved to 3B or DH. I could see Peralta playing DH when Cabrera gets recalled until Hafner returns.

3B: Marte, Peralta, Blake (who is a free agent), or Garko if the Tribe thinks converting him back to 3B is an option. Morgan Ensberg, who is recovering from injuries at Triple-A Buffalo, is a possibility as well. Marte needs to show something quick or he'll be out of the 2009 picture.

OF: We have too many candidates at this position. Sizemore is a given. LaPorta if he's ready and not switched to 1B, a position he's played before moving to the OF because of Prince Fielder, gets a spot.

That leaves Gutierrez, Choo, Francisco, and a few others fighting for the third and fourth OF spots. And don't forget about Trevor Crowe, who is hitting .325 at Double-A Akron.

C: Martinez and Shoppach have a hold on this, but Victor may be playing 1B or DHing a bit more to keep him healthy and get Shoppach more at-bats.

DH: Travis Hafner has a long-term deal for big bucks. Unless he's not coming back from injury he'll be the 2009 DH. Peralta, LaPorta, and Garko may see time at the DH spot.

Starting Pitching: Lee, Carmona, and Laffey look like locks. Then we have Sowers, Adam Miller if healthy, Brian Slocum, Jeff Weaver, possibly Jackson from the C.C. trade, and Westbrook when he recovers sometime during the 2009 season.

Several Double-A pitchers could get a look as well.

Relief Pitching: With the release of Borowski, a closer looks like an offseason priority unless Tribe management thinks Kobayashi or Betencourt can handle the job. A few spots will change here, but not much unless a big name is brought in to close.

This is now 2009 audition time and Marte, Choo, Francisco, and Gutierrez, and a few others, better show their stuff.

Looking at the proposed 2009 lineup, it would seem like the Tribe would be open to offers right now for either Francisco, Choo, or Gutierrez.

The rest of the season promises to be entertaining regardless of wins and losses as the players fight for their spots in 2009.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave your thoughts on anything Tribe.

Clevelans Indians: Smoke Signals from the Tribe Teepee

Bob DaBuckeye — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:30:28 -0400

Coming off a rare win tonight, let's talk Tribe Baseball.

It's only one game, but it was nice to see the bats come alive.

We are fast approaching the make or break time of the year, and a few things appear obvious. Our starting pitching is more than carrying its own weight, and the bullpen seems to be settling in with Joe B back in the closer's role.

Let's do a position by position review.

First Base

All those capable of playing 1B on the current roster include: Ryan Garko, Michael Aubrey, Victor Martinez, Casey Blake—and in a pinch, Andy Marte. Aubrey has an advantage in that he bats lefthanded, and everyone else bats righthanded—with the exception of V.M., who is a switchhitter.

Aubrey has done a decent job injecting some offense in the lineup since he was called up. Garko is a proven commodity but is slumping. A lot of this can be due to the fact that pitchers aren't afraid of the lineup this year and he's not batting with a lot of runners on. Pitchers are working the corners more as they aren't afraid of the occasional walk or two.

First base is fine, in my opinion, and I would not try to upgrade this area over other more pressing concerns.

Second Base

Cabrera and Carroll have done the job with the glove—but not the bat. When the whole lineup isn't hitting, it becomes tougher to carry a glove-only guy. Barfield is the Minor League option.

2B is an area the Tribe is considering upgrading. Brian Roberts of the Orioles is the top name out there, but would cost too much in my opinion.

Shortstop

Jhonny Peralta is playing more like he did in 2006 than 2007. His defense is a little off from last year, when he bumped it up over concerns for his line up spot. Cabrera has played better Dm but isn't hitting when he's filled in. Jorge Velandia is the Minor League option at Buffalo.

At some point in time one of two things will happen. Peralta will shift to 3B to make way for Cabrera, or Peralta will be traded to open the spot. I feel JP being traded will probably be the way the Tribe leans.

Third Base

This is the chief infield trouble spot for the Tribe. Blake is a free agent and hasn't been hitting. Marte is dead weight. Aaron Herr is the Buffalo option. At this point in time, I have to think the Tribe regrets the Kouzmanoff trade. The Kuz's stats: .279, seven HRs and 21 RBI. Blake's: .214, three HRs and 27 RBI.

Several 3B options are out there, and Atkins of the Rockies is the most often mentioned as coming over. Bill Hall (Brewers) and Dallas McPherson (AAA ball for the Marlins) are other possibilities. Trading to get the Kuz back could also be an option.

Catcher

With Victor and Kelly S, we are in a position of great strength. It's a good thing as we don't have another Major League ready C.

Outfield

Grady Sizemore is a keeper, and Ben Francisco is looking solid. Hopefully Guittierez and Dellucci will come around. Choo will soon be ready to be activated, and someone will be sent down. Aubrey or Marte look to be the most likely candidates to be moved for Choo.

A big bopper here would be a plus. We have a lot of hitters with minimal power in the OF.

Designated Hitter

Hafner has been terrible the last year and we need him to rebound or else look elsewhere. His trade value is not good right now.

Pitching

We are blessed with riches at the starter position and have the ability to move someone for a bat.

With Joe B back and everyone settling into their usual roles, we should see the bullpen strengthen itself.

A starting pitcher, and one of the extra OFs or a spare infielder, should be enough to bring in a bat.

We are still treading water—but a tweak here or there could get us moving in the right direction.

Brett Favre Not Ready to Retire Just Yet?

Bob DaBuckeye — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:27:54 -0400

News from the NFL cites sources that claim Brett Favre isn't done yet and may be seeking a trade.

First, I have to think Favre is too classy of a guy to end up playing in a different uniform...but what if?

Some possible landing sites could include:

Favre is traded to the Cleveland Browns for Derek Anderson. GB also sends Cleveland their number two draft choice back and a fourth rounder.

Cleveland couldn't ask for a better one or two year mentor for Brady Quinn than Brett. It also clears up what could be an ugly QB scenario down the road. Anderson gives the Pack depth at QB or possibly more trade bait. Cleveland also gets back into the draft with the return of their second round pick.

Favre is traded to Miami along with the Pack's first round pick (30) and one of their two second round picks for the number one overall selection. Miami gets a one or two year tutor for their young QB, gets a star player to help attendance, and would be able to pick up good players with the Pack's number one and an additional second round pick. The Pack gets to fill any hole they desire with the number one pick or they could go a-calling to Jerry Jones and dangle the number one for Dallas's two first rounders. Parcells and Co. get QB depth and picks to work with without going into the debt the number one brings a team.

Brett gets traded to Atlanta with the Packs first rounder and the Packs second round pick for Atlanta's first round pick number three overall. The Pack will get a great player with number three overall and could go in any direction—star RB, OL or DL. Atlanta gets their man back to help with attendance and provide stability and a work ethic in camp. With the picks from the Pack they could add a QB in the second round say Joe Flacco or Chad Henne and give the pick someone to learn from while adding two starters with their number two and the Packs' number one.

Favre gets traded with the Packs' number one and a second rounder to the Oakland Raiders. Brett could start as he grooms JaMarcus Russell and with the 30th pick and two second rounders Oakland can pick up several starters or dangle the picks as trade bait.

Favre goes to the Cowboys for their second 28th first round selection. A quality QB backup and great tutor for Romo and the Pack with picks 28 and 30 would be able to add two starters or move up by packaging the picks. Brett gets a realistic shot at one more SB.

Of the five scenarios I have presented, I'll rank them by possibility of happening from most likely to least likely.

Brett to the Cowboys: JJ gets a great guy to add to the mix and Brett gets his best shot at one more ring. With two first rounders Dallas won't miss anything.

Brett to Cleveland: The Pack sends him out of the NFC and gets a QB that could start for them or be shipped elsewhere for more draft picks. This scenario still allows them to keep their first round pick.

Brett to Atlanta: Brett moves closer to home and would be the starter for a year or two and allow Atlanta to groom a young QB.

Brett to Oakland: Al loves star QB's and the longball. Brett gets a reasonably warm weather site and goes to an AFC team.

Brett to Miami: Would Parcells want a one year stopgap at QB? Would Brett want to play in a warm weather city on such a bad team?

Bills Parcells in Miami: Big Tuna Canning Old Dolphins

Bob DaBuckeye — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:50:03 -0500

Bill Parcells is putting his imprint on the Dolphins, cutting through dead weight and salaries like a sushi chef through sashimi.

And why not? 1-15 is not something the Tuna finds palatable.

Sorry Charlie—you're just not good enough.

Fan favorite LB Zach Thomas, QB Trent Green, WR Booker, T Shelton, DT Traylor, T Albi, DT Bryant, T Dukes, DT Love, and T Toledo all were given parting gifts and told thanks for playing by the Tuna.

Bill is determined to remake the offensive and defensive lines in his image. An infusion of youth is what he wants—and with the money he saves the Fins will be trolling for free agents and in the market to trade their number one pick for as many players and draft choices as he can get.

The Tuna knows adding a super-star talent to a bad team won't cut it, so he'll try to add as many good players as he can and then add the impact player down the road.

This is a smart move by the Fins. Look at how much Cleveland improved by rebuilding their offensive line. Miami fans, help is coming. The Tuna is steering the ship away from the rocks and towards a Super Bowl. It may be a few years but the ship is sailing in the right direction.

The Fins are on the clock but the number-one pick is on the auction block.

The wake-up call has been delivered. If the Tuna can cut loose a Hall of Fame player like Thomas, then anyone is fair game. Somehow, I think Miami's offseason conditioning camps and OTA's will be well attended.