Written By: Matt Vereb

Earlier today, the Yankees and Pitcher, Chan Ho Park, agreed on a contract reportedly worth $1.2 million for 1 year.

So what does this mean for the rest of the Yankee bullpen?

Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues(A Great Yankee Blog, btw) covered this topic in detail earlier. Here.

Here’s just a brief summary of points from the article with some commentary.

-Bullpens typically consist of eight arms during the Regular Season.

-Those eight arms will probably be; Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes(Loser of 5th starter competition), Damaso Marte, Alfredo Aceves, David Robertson, Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Chan Ho Park.

-Given that the way the schedule is set up(below), the Yankees will not need a 5th starter for the first two weeks without compromising their other four starters.

April 4th: Sabathia
April 5th: OFF
April 6th: Burnett
April 7th: Pettitte
April 8th: OFF
April 9th: Vazquez
April 10th: Sabathia
April 11th: Burnett
April 12th: OFF
April 13th: Pettitte (home opener)
April 14th: Vazquez
April 15th: Sabathia
April 16th: Burnett
April 17th: 5th Starter

-Expect that 5th starter to be Joba Chamberlain(Winner of 5th Starter Comp). Chamberlain will probably open the season in Triple A to get some starts in a low-key environment.

-Other notable names in the bullpen equation? Mark Melancon, Boone Logan, Edwar Ramirez, and Jon Albaledejo. All four pitchers will have minor league options. Sergio Mitre does not. I don’t expect the team to risk losing him by carrying five starters for the first two weeks when they really don’t need to.

What will happen when they need a 5th starter? We’ll see. Maybe one pitcher(Mitre) will be traded so the Yankees can keep the rights to Outfielder Jamie Hoffman. Who knows at this point. Injuries happen though.

The Park move was made to add depth to the team. Not to compromise the current pitchers.

Written By: Matt Vereb

In the wee-hours of Monday morning, Chan Ho Park and the Yankees agreed to a 1 year/$1.2 million contract. Park can earn up to $300,000 in incentives. Park went 3-3 for the NL Champion Phillies last year, posting a 4.43 ERA in 45 games. Park fooled Yankee hitters in the Fall Classic by throwing 3 1/3 scoreless innings in 4 appearances. Park is a strikeout pitcher, something that the Yankees covet. He struck out 72 hitters in 80 innings.  Park is expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the Bombers. Park will join Gaudin, Aceves, Mitre, Robertson, Rivera, Hughes**, and Marte.

Definitely an unexpected move given the Yankee depth. Perhaps the Yankees wanted a seasoned-arm to mix in with their young studs? You can never have too many pitchers.

**Pictured Above: Diamondback Outfielder, Justin Upton**

Written By: Matt Vereb

Players I Like For the 2010 Season:

*Disclaimer*: I like these players given their average draft position and relative value to a fantasy team. Players who I feel will exceed expectations and are currently under-valued, make this list. Just because Albert Pujols isn’t on this list, doesn’t mean I don’t like him in fantasy.

HITTERS

Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: The 22-year-old Upton hit 26 home runs and stole 20 bases in only 138 games last season. He also posted an impressive batting average(.300) and slugging percentage(.532). Upton has a world of talent. If he plays the entire season, consider 30-30 to be his basement. Upton is being selected in the 3rd-4th rounds(25 Average Draft Position(ADP) in fantasy drafts when he has 1st Round potential. Consider that a good value.

Projection: .295 BA, 35 HRs, 105 RBIs, 32 SBs.

Adam Lind, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Lind broke on to the scene with Toronto to the tune of 35 HRs and 114 RBIs. Lind also hit .305 for the Blue Jays. Many wonder if this is a one-year fluke. I don’t think so. Lind and team mate, Aaron Hill, are the lone bright spots for a struggling Toronto club. Lind is being taken as in the 5th-6th rounds of fantasy drafts(ADP 52). I like him more than similar counterparts, Jayson Werth and Carlos Beltran who are being selected a round earlier.

Projection: .298 BA, 37 HRs, 120 RBIs

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds: Many casual baseball fans may be unfamiliar with Reds First Baseman, Joey Votto. Votto hit .325 with 25 HRs and 84 RBIs through 131 games last season. Votto finished 4th in the NL in OBP(.414), 5th in Slugging(.567), 3rd in OPS(.981). These figures alone show promise for the 26 year-old Votto. Votto will begin his 3rd full-time season in 2010. Look for him to have numerous RBI opportunities with Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce hitting in front of him. Votto currently ranks around the 8th-10th position among First Basemen. For those of you drafting at the end of the first round debating between a middle infielder and 1st basemen, take a moment to consider the depth at First Base and the position scarcity in the middle of the diamond. Votto should be there in the 5th-7th round of the draft. Draft him accordingly and you won’t be disappointed.

Projection: .315 Batting Avg., 31 HRs, 110 RBIs

Jason Heyward OF, Atlanta Braves: One word: Youtube. 447 foot blast. He’s only 20-years-old, is the #1 prospect in baseball and has a Justin Upton-type of hype surrounding him. He should start the season in right field for the Braves. Grab him late(ADP: 225) and enjoy the show.

Projection: .285 BA, 20 HRs, 20 SBs.

PITCHERS

Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox: I have to put my Yankee-biased aside to give Lester his fantasy due. The guy is a stud pitcher for the Sox and fantasy teams, but isn’t getting that respect. Lester struck out 225 batters in 203 innings to go along with 15 wins and a 3.41 ERA. Impressive numbers within the AL East. His K/9 ratio topped out at 9.96. Lester is currently the 10th pitcher selected(ADP: 59), however, I’d take him over Justin Verlander, Cliff Lee, and Adam Wainwright.

Projection: 17 Wins, 220 Ks, 3.30 ERA

Brett Anderson, SP, Oakland Athletics: Don’t be fooled by Anderson’s 2009 ERA of 4.06. The 22-year-old Anderson had a great second half last season. In 14 starts after the All-Star break, Anderson posted a 6-4 record, striking out 86 hitters in only 80 innings. After mid-season,Anderson’s ERA dropped from 5.45(June 29) to 4.06(Oct 1). Anderson also benefits from playing in the spacious Oakland Coliseum. Anderson’s ADP of 150 is a no-brainer for a 15th round selection.

Projection: 15 wins, 180 Ks, 3.85 ERA

Mariano Rivera, RP, New York Yankees: Surprised? Owners are drafting Dodgers closer, Jonathan Broxton and Twins closer, Joe Nathan over Mariano. (Jonathan Papelbon as well, sigh) Rivera is 40-years-old and some pundits are calling for a down season. But when has Rivera ever had a bad season? He was 44 for 46 in save opportunities last season. His 1.76 ERA was best among full-time closers and he even had an impressive 9.77 K/9 ratio. He isn’t going to give you big strikeout numbers like Broxton will(13.50 K/9), but Rivera is as solid as they come. Don’t overpay for Broxton’s or Nathan’s gaudy strike out totals. Go with the sure thing with a lower ERA and WHIP.

Projection: 42 Saves, 2.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 76 Ks

Jake Peavy, SP, Chicago White Sox: Jake Peavy’s last two seasons have not been ‘Peavy-esque’. Fantasy owners have been spoiled with Peavy’s dominance in the NL. From 2004-2007, Peavy has averaged 15 wins, 190 innings, 210 K’s and a 3.15 ERA. Peavy has suffered from elbow problems in the past, but he has seemed to move beyond those issues. Last season, Peavy was 9-6 for the Padres and White sox, recording 102 innings and 110 strikeouts. More importantly, Peavy was 3-0 in 3 starts for the White Sox in September with 18 K’s over 20 innings. This sample size should tell fantasy owners that Peavy is past his elbow concerns heading into the 2010 season.

I don’t expect Peavy to have his sub-3 ERA that he had in San Diego. US Cellular Field is a hitters park and the AL features tougher lineups. However, I think Peavy should far surpass his 15-20 ADP among pitchers. Paired with Mark Buerhle at the top of the rotation, Peavy does not have to be the horse he was in San Diego. I still expect a big season from Jake.

Projection: 15 Wins, 3.60 ERA, 210 K’s

Who are some of your sleepers this season?

Written By: Adam Poedubicky

Since Tim Tebow was at the helm for the Florida Gators, it’s easy to see how the others in the offense could get overlooked. Everyone knows that it was a dynamic spread offense with some of the greatest athletes in college football today, but ultimately the offense went around Tebow. However, Tebow wasn’t the best passer in college, and his playmakers did most of the work for him. And one of his most effective weapons is a local product ready to make a splash in the NFL: Aaron Hernandez.

Aaron Hernandez hails from Bristol, Connecticut. In terms of sports, Hernandez is the best thing out of Bristol since, well, ESPN. When it comes to NFL players hailing from Connecticut, there’s really only one that rings a bell, and it’s Dwight Freeney. Expect Hernandez to make the jump and hopefully put Connecticut high school football on the map.

Hernandez is a 6’3, 235 pound tight end that can line up on the end as a traditional tight end, split out wide like a Dallas Clark-type receiver, or in the H-Back position like a Chris Cooley. He led the Gators this past season with 68 catches to go along with 850 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was the security blanket that any quarterback looks for in a tight end. Once his average blocking improves, expect him to make an impact similar to Kellen Winslow Jr.

He could go as early as: Probably #21 Overall to the Bengals, who always seem to need a TE. This, however, would require a monster day at the combine.

He could go as late as: The third round seems like the worst-case scenario, but that would be if his 40 were in the 4.8’s.

He will probably go to: New England in the second round. The Patriots are well known for liking prospects out of Florida. They are also in the need of a replacement for Benjamin Watson, and playing in New England is about as close to playing at home as it can get for Hernandez.

You’ll find anything Nets-related here!

Written By: Mike Ulatoski

#1 SEED, UNITED STATES (4-0-0-0) vs. #4 SEED, FINLAND (3-0-1-0)

What to Watch For:
This game will be played like a Stanley Cup Playoff game, as a trip to the gold-medal game is on the line. Both sides have skill and physicality, and this game will be more about which side can impose its physical will on the other, especially late in the game. “We need to make sure we are outworking them to go along with the talent we have in our lineup,” said David Backes. “I think if we win the work-ethic battle, we like our chances.”

Even if one of these teams wins the work-ethic battle, the game could still be close. This game will be a showcase of two great goaltenders – Team USA’s Ryan Miller, and Finland’s Miikka Kiprusoff.

Last game - United States defeated Switzerland 2-0 and Finland defeated Czech Republic 2-0 in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Team Reports

United States – The Americans have yet to lose in this tournament, but they refuse to get too far ahead of themselves and look to the next opponent. They continue to have the mindset of “one game at a time”, and Coach Ron Wilson and GM Brian Burke have done a great job of keeping this team focused on winning the next game. They aren’t focused on anything else happening outside of that ice.  They are focused on the task at hand and they know that they can play with anyone in this tournament. If they hope to get to the gold-medal game, they know that they need to get better in several areas – most notably on the power play and with their play in the neutral zone, something that was lacking against the Swiss on Wednesday.

Despite the fact that the Americans got the game-winner on the power play in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game against the Swiss, they have struggled on the man advantage. In four games, the Americans have earned 16 power-play opportunities and scored four goals (one in each game). On the other hand, Finland has seven goals. How bad was the American power-play against the Swiss? “We were wondering if we could just decline the penalties and pick up the flag like they do in football,” Backes joked.

Against the Canadians, the U.S. dominated the play between the blue lines.  They were physical, maintained puck control, and they dictated the flow of the game in the neutral zone. They were able to infiltrate the Canadian defensive zone, and that led to their success.  In their last game, it was a different story. There were some power plays where the U.S. couldn’t even get the puck across the blue line. There’s no doubt Coach Wilson addressed this concern during practice, but we’ll see how well it translates to success in a game.

While the power play is struggling, the U.S. penalty kill has been outstanding, thanks in part to the defensive play of forwards Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan (both of the NY Rangers).  These two have been terrific, playing great zone-defense in their own zone and sacrificing their bodies to block shots.  In their previous game against Switzerland, 3 consecutive shots were blocked on the power play; Drury blocked one and Callahan blocked one.  If Finland gets on the power play today, watch how many U.S. players drop down to the ice to block an oncoming shot. When the U.S. is killing a penalty, pucks rarely get to the net.

One player to keep an eye on is Ryan Kesler. In many ways, Kesler symbolizes the identity of this U.S. team. When the Americans have been at their best in this tournament, they crashed and banged, showed incredible patience and tons of resilience. A little sand, a little swagger … a lot like Kesler.

Finland – Finland plays a very similar style to that of the U.S. This is a group of talented and hardworking forwards, who go after loose pucks and finish their checks, and they succeed when they get the defense involved in offensive zone.  They have been struggling when playing 5-on-5, however. The Finns haven’t scored an even-strength goal in their past two games. They won Wednesday’s quarterfinal against the Czechs with a power-play goal by Niklas Hagman and an empty-net tally. Three days earlier, in the final group game against rival Sweden, the Finns were shut out. So, scoring is a big issue, especially because Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu have yet to manage a goal. But, it doesn’t slow this team down.

“We won’t score four, five goals against top countries, so we have to play defense well,” Finnish coach Jukka Jalonen said. “We have to snuff them out, maybe let them score one goal, maximum two goals; and then we have a chance to win the game.” Finland can play this way because Kiprusoff has been terrific in net. He has two shutouts through four games and leads the tournament in save percentage.

Finland has 18 NHL players on their roster, including Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames), Selanne (Anaheim Ducks), Koivu (Anaheim, formerly Montreal), Mikko Koivu (Minnesota Wild, and Saku’s younger brother), and Olli Jokinen (NY Rangers).

Puck Drop
These two teams have a history in international hockey, as they have met 11 times in the Winter Games. The Americans have won six times, including a win in the 1980 gold-medal game. Finland has won three times, including the most recent 4-3 win in the quarterfinals in 2006, and the other two games have ended in ties.

This will be a bone-crunching game on both sides, with two of the most physical teams in the whole tournament.  “It’s always kind of fun to play (physical games), as well,” said Finland center Mikko Koivu. “That’s the way it should be.”

Look for players on both teams to go hard on every shift, fly after loose pucks, and finish every check.  Combine that physicality with the offensive skills of both teams and the spectacular goaltending, and this has the makings of one of the best games of the tournament. The Americans will need Ryan Kesler – whom Wilson has referred to as “a warrior” and who has been the team’s most consistently “on” player – to be at his best. Kesler plays with the mentality that he has one shift for the rest of his life: fighting for loose pucks, going hard every second, making big-time plays, playing with tireless effort. Those are the kinds of qualities that the Americans will need if they are going to advance in this tournament.

Prediction
Team USA was my pick to win silver, and they are on the verge of something extraordinary.  This group is young and aggressive, and has so much momentum heading into this game. They are focused entirely on the task at hand, Finland; not “who do we play next”, but “who do we play now”. The U.S. forwards will be aggressive on the forecheck, which will create turnovers in the Finland defensive zone. The U.S. wins the work-ethic battle, highlighted by Kesler, Drury, Bobby Ryan, captain Jamie Langenbrunner and David Backes. Ryan Miller will be terrific once again between the pipes. Finland will keep it close with their aggressiveness, goaltending, and offensive ability.  But I predict a USA victory.

Team USA wins, 4-2.

Shot Calling - Paul Stastny – 1 goal, 1 assist

Written By: Matt Vereb

New York City is the largest city in America. Roughly, 22 million people live in the New York Metropolitan area. Given the Yankees success, New York baseball fans have been spoiled for the past 15 years. If we rewind to 55-60 years ago, New Yorkers lived in Baseball Heaven. New York had three different baseball teams(Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers). During that time frame, each team featured marquee players. The New York Giants had all-time great, Willie Mays. The Brooklyn Dodgers had Jackie Robinson. The Yankes had Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. Between 1949-1957, the Yankees had won 7 World Series titles. Baseball was at its peak in New York.

In 1957, both the Dodgers and Giants moved to California, leaving the Yankees as the only team in the city. The Golden Age of Baseball in the city ended in New York. Five years later, Joan Payson found the New York Mets in 1962. However, the mystique of 1950s New York baseball has never been restored.

Point being: Can New York bring back a 3rd team?

Let’s dive into that question. The Collective Bargaining Agreement in MLB expires after the 2011 season. The financial behemoth New York Yankees will be at the forefront of re-negotiating this agreement. The Yankees outpace every other team financially, paying roughly $215 million for players in 2009. At the core of that new agreement will be revenue sharing. Many owners disagree with the current revenue sharing structure and are clamoring or whining(Hello John Henry) for a salary cap.

Could Major League Baseball institute a salary floor?

This would prevent smaller-market teams, like the Florida Marlins or Kansas City Royals, from pocketing luxury tax dollars from the Yankees. The only draw back to this plan would be increased inflation within the game. Teams would pay more for marginal talent and further drive up salary prices. This in turn, will make the rich, richer, player-wise.

Could Major League Baseball institute a salary cap?

The dreaded SC. Baseball did institute a luxury tax to prevent teams(Yankees) form spending an unlimited amount on free agent players. Since the luxury taxes inception seven seasons ago, the Yankees are a perfect 7 for 7 in exceeding the payroll threshold. $174 million of the $190 paid in luxury tax has come from the Yankees. The luxury tax has been good for the game. Teams who not break the threshold will claim a cut of the Yankees check. The Yankees have no problem paying the luxury tax, given their other sources of revenue.

Is it reasonable for a third team to come to New York?

Yes. I mentioned earlier that 22 million people reside in the NY Metropolitan area. Assuming all things being equal, each New York team has 11 million fans following them. In comparison, LA has 8 million fans per team. Chicago has 5 million fans per team. Injecting a 3rd team into New York would split that ratio to roughly 7.33 million people per team, justifible in terms of geographic positioning. Teams who make the playoffs benefit greatly from playoff revenues. The Yankees made $20 million alone in ticket sales. This does not take into account for the large media revenues generated by the largest market in America. Alike the 1950s, a third team will renew borough rivalries. Any team or player stands to benefit greatly from the New York media exposure(Hi, LeBron).

Would the Yankees and Mets allow this move? Who would move?

I doubt the Mets or Yankees would allow this move. Each team has exclusive zoning rights in the city. The Yankees have a lot of pulling power in the CBA agreement. After building two stadium in the past year, public funding for a third stadium may be even tougher to come by. This does not even account for the new Nets arena in Brooklyn. I don’t think New Jersey, Long Island or Connecticut would want to foot the bill either for new a stadium. I doubt this new team would detract fans from either side, but players from the smaller market team would receive huge endorsement opportunities and exposure in New York. Tim Lincecum would become the modern day “Cy Young” in New York.

What team would move?

The Dodgers and Giants will not come back to New York. Population-wise, they rank 2nd and 5th respectively. Both teams do extremely well financially. Could the Royals move to New York? Kansas City only has 1.7 million people, but they don’t have the dollars to compete in New York. Ultimately, there really isn’t a great fit for a team to move.

It’s nice to watch film of Willie Mays’ catch with the New York Giants. Jackie Robinson changed the game forever by breaking the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankee Dynasty of the 1950s was the best ever in baseball. We will always have these memories of borough baseball. It’s just not possible in today’s game.

Written By: Matt Vereb

Major League Baseball reported their collective earnings for the 2009 season. Major League Baseball collected $6.6 billion dollars, a 1.5% increase from their 2008 total of $6.5 billion. Major League Baseball was able to earn a higher revenue even though ticket sales were down 6.5% compared to 2008.

So how were they able to earn more money by selling less seats?

Both the Mets and Yankees opened new stadiums and charged premium prices for seats. Leases at Yankee Stadium started at $250,000 for the season. ‘Legend Seating’ would cost fans $1,250 per game. The average ticket price at Yankee Stadium was a staggering $72.97(It was $41.40 in 2008). The Mets’ average ticket price came to $36.99. The averages between to the two clubs are a bit drastic because the Mets offer more premium seating than the Yankees do.

Here are just some fun statistics concerning concessions at ballparks across the country. (All information is property of bizofbaseball.com)

League Average for Smallest Beer: $5.86

Cheapest Beer (smallest size available)

• $4.00 (Royals and Diamondbacks)
• $4.50 (Angels)
• $4.75 (Pirates)
• $5.00 (Reds, Astros, Orioles, Brewers, Rangers)

Most Expensive Beer (smallest size available)

• Giants ($8.75)
• Rays ($8.00)

League Avg. For Hot Dog: $3.70

Least Expensive Hot Dog

• $1.00 (Reds)
• $2.50 (Pirates, Orioles)
• $2.75 (Diamondbacks, Brewers, Rangers)

Most Expensive Hot Dog:

• $5.00 (Dodgers, Marlins)
• $4.75 (Astros)

Baseball’s revenues prove that the game, as a whole, is recession-proof. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets financially skew league averages, but their profits and luxury tax additions help all of the less fortunate teams. No more snow, bring on April.

Photo Credit: virtualclub.com; metslifer.blogspot.com

Information Credit: bizofbaseball.com

Rookie Hazing 2007

**Pictured Left to Right: Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Shelley Duncan, Phil Hughes**

Written By: Matt Vereb

During Spring Training, Yankee pitching coach, Dave Eiland, is holding an open competition for the 5th starter. Earlier, we covered that Eiland wants all five of his starters to be able to throw 200+ innings. Only Sabathia and Burnett posted 200+ IP(Pettitte had 194; Vazquez threw 249 for Atlanta). According to Eiland and Girardi, Joba Rules are over. So who is in the competition for the 5th starter spot?

The Contenders:

1. Joba Chamberlain

Joba struggled last year as a starter. In 32 starts, he was 9-6 posting a 4.75 ERA. Even though Joba struck out 133 batters in 157 innings, he walked 76. This translates into a staggering 2.4 walks/game.

During his short career, Joba has made 43 starts. He has a 12-7 lifetime record as a starter. Chamberlain has struck out 206 hitters in 221 innings. Joba has also walked 101 hitters. Joba’s strikeout to walk ratio is roughly 2:1, a figure he hopes to improve upon in 2010.

As a reliever, Joba has been dominant. In 60 innings, Joba has recorded 79 strikeouts and allowed only 20 walks and 39 hits. He has a 1.50 ERA as a reliever.

Since 2007, Joba has been the most priced Yankee rookie. Management has done everything in their power to protect his arm. We have all seen flashes of greatness from Joba. He just needs to get his walks under control.

2. Phil Hughes

Phil Hughes spent the majority of his 2009 season setting the table for Closer, Mariano Rivera. The 23-year-old righty recorded 65 strikeouts in 51 innings out of the bullpen. Opposing hitters only hit .172 off Hughes. Hughes 3.03 overall ERA was 2nd lowest on the team(Rivera).

Going into this season, Hughes has never been ‘stretched out’ meaning he is not physically ready to handle a 200 inning season. During his three year career in the Majors, Hughes has totaled only 192 innings.

As a starter in 2007 and 2008, Hughes made 21 starts. He was 5-7 with a 5 ERA in 106 innings. Hughes allowed 107 hits and 65 runs!

3. Others

Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Alfredo Aceves figured to be in the mix for the 5th starter spot.

Chad Gaudin was acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline in 2009. Gaudin made 11 appareances(6 starts) for the Yankees in 2009. Gaudin was 2-0, posting a 3.43 ERA in 42 innings.

Mitre made 12 appearances for the Yankees in 2009. He was 3-3, posting a 6.75 ERA.

Aceves was a bullpen specialist for the Yankees last season. Aceves posted a 10-1 record with a 3.54 ERA.

All three of these pitchers figure to play long relief roles for the team this year. I can see Gaudin and Mitre pitching occasionally to rest starters or cover for injuries. Aceves is great in the bullpen.

Joba or Hughes??

If it were up to me, I would roll with Joba. Joba deserves another chance as a starter. He has shown flashes of dominance in the past. Hughes has great in the bullpen, but I expect him to be in the rotation in 2011. The 5th starter does not really make or break a team, but this is an important long-term decision for the Yankees. If Joba struggles, the team could go with another arm. But the set up worked last season. The offseason addition of pitcher Javy Vazquez further relieves the burden on Joba/Phil. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Who do you want to see as the 5th starter?

Photo Credit: nj.com

Written by: Adam Poedubicky

With the NFL Draft slowly but surely approaching, one of the key steps to the process is finally here: the NFL Combine. In short, the NFL Combine is where teams send representatives (coaches, general managers, owners, etc.) who look at the talent on display for April’s draft. Imagine how terrified you were when you had an interview for your job; this is worse. The results are posted on the Internet, criticized by TV pundits, and can ultimately cost a player millions.

Although the Combine can make or break the beginning of a career, there is no direct correlation between Combine and NFL performance. In 2008, little known running back Chris Johnson out of East Carolina was projected as a middle round draft pick until he posted a 4.24 40-time at the Combine. All that led to was Johnson being selected 24^th overall, and two years later becoming the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.

However, on the other end of the spectrum was the original Combine all-star, pro failure in Boston College DE Mike Mamula. Mamula measured out to 6’4, 250 pounds, ran a 4.6 40-yard dash, and bench pressed 225 pounds 26 times. He also scored a 49 on the Wonderlic test, which is about the equivalent to scoring a 1590 on the SATs. Seeing these great numbers, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Mamula 7^th overall in 1995, picking him over Warren Sapp, Ty Law, Derrick Brooks, and Terrell Davis. There were a few details that these numbers don’t clearly state: 1. Mike Mamula was riddled with injury issues at BC and 2. He truly was never that good of a football player. He was out of the league in 5 years, registering only 31.5 sacks.

Although the effectiveness of the Combine can be debated, it is a fact that a good performance at the Combine will increase a player’s chances of getting drafted higher. Keeping this in mind, let’s see which players need to have a good Combine to keep themselves in the first few rounds.

Key Prospects

QB: Colt McCoy, Texas. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma. McCoy and Bradford both injured their throwing shoulders in their senior seasons, so the better they throw, the higher they’ll go. Expect Bradford to have a better Combine, being as how he had almost all of the regular season to recover and McCoy’s injury happened in the national championship game.

RB: Jahvid Best, Cal. Best suffered two horrifying concussions in two consecutive weeks to end his 2009 campaign early. At the time, he was not only a Heisman candidate, but also probably the front-runner. A sub 4.5 40-time and a decent number of reps on the bench press could make GMs forget about that.

WR: Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State. Bryant missed most of last year as result of an NCAA suspension. Regardless of this, he still looks like a top-15 pick. He’s expected to turn in one of the fasted 40 times for WRs, and if he does, expect him to go top 10 come April.

TE: Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma. Gresham would have easily been a first rounder and the first tight end picked in last year’s draft. However, he came back to OU and tore his ACL. He has torn ligaments in both of his knees throughout his career, so not only will his 40-time be important, but also how well he gets in and out of cuts running passing routes.

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida. Although I personally have never seen Jason play and I don’t want to rush to judgment, it seems like he might be the most over-hyped player coming into this year’s draft based on numbers. Here comes a guy most people never have heard of, but he’s 6’6, 260, and can run a 4.6. If these prove to be true at the Combine, he will certainly go in the top 10. From what I’ve heard/read about him so far, he eerily reminds me of a certain defensive end out of Boston College.

DT: Terrence Cody, Alabama. With Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy cemented as top 3 picks, it’s a mad dash to see what other defensive tackles will get drafted in the first round. Terrence Cody has shown that he is a playmaker on the defensive line, and is the mass of a body that a team with a 3-4 defense is looking for in the middle. However, there has been speculation that the mass has been too high, ballooning to close to 370 at the Senior Bowl. He needs to show that he’s serious about working out, or he will fall to the second or third round.

S: Taylor Mays, Southern Cal. Mays would have been a top 10 pick had he entered the draft a year ago. Now, he has slipped as he has visible weaknesses in pass coverage. Also, it isn’t known whether or not he can run the 40 in under 4.4 as advertised. Also, the emergence of Eric Berry (Tennessee) and Earl Thomas (Texas) illuminate that there are other options available to teams needing help in the defensive backfield. If Mays is unable to field a great 40-time, expect that he may have to attempt the switch from safety to OLB.

Obviously, every player needs a great combine, but these are the ones with the most to gain or lose. Expect a recap from the Combine to discuss the winners and losers as it commences next week.

Photo Credit: 49ers.com