Sunday's Random Thoughts J15'07

I've been asked by a couple readers - yes I have a handful of readers - to post on a regular basis at a regular time. Sunday sounds good to me. Besides, the rest of the week, I'm kind of busy hauling lumber cross country.

And we're off.

Hafner
The Indians signed Travis Hafner to a huge contract extension this week, making the DH the highest paid player in franchise history. That's the problem, he's a DH, and although we realize it sends a good sign to fans who have long been screaming about keeping the team's top tier free agents, it might end up being the wrong signing when the smoke clears.

The organization needed to get CC signed first. He's simply more valuable - which makes him much more costly ($18-20 million per). I can't see how they can afford both, but we'll wait and see.

In all the hoopla over the signing, I didn't hear anything about a no trade contract. That at least gives them another option down the road if Hafner is productive and they eventually need cap room - not only for CC, but for Sizemore and Martinez.

The fans won't like it if Hafner is sacrificed (traded), but Sizemore, CC and Martinez are simply better investments. I like Hafner and all he stands for, but business is business.

Is This A Great Country Or What?
S. Francis was just paid $30 million by his new team to not show up to camp. Francis is one of the NBA's post children for today's selfish athletes. At least he isn't as bad as S. Marbury, who didn't want to play with Kevin Garnett, or Kobe, who didn't want to play with Shaq, and now wants out of LA because they don't have anyone to take the pressure off him. Amazing. Only in America.

Mike Bibby
When are the Cavaliers going to finally pull the trigger on acquiring a quality point guard? We stated a while back that, Anderson V. was a must sign, and Drew G. needed to be dealt to make cap space. Gooden has some market value, and Bibby is obviously available.

Bibby has flaws. For instance, he is not a good defender. But he is much better than anyone on the Cavs current roster at running a team and he can knock down an open look. How do we know he is available? The Kings shopped him before the trading deadline this past season.

Get it done Danny (Ferry), unless you have something else up your sleeve that sounds better.

A-Rod
The same media people who are now talking about A-Rod becoming baseball's first $30 million a year player were the ones saying the Yankees would not keep him on their roster beyond this season a couple of months ago. What has changed? Absolutely nothing. A-Rod is having an MVP type year - which he has regularly. He's the game's best non-steroid use player for pete sake and has been for the past 10 years. The morons in New York and beyond have figured out this guy will some day be the all-time HR king and want to bask in that chase.

Too bad they figured it out. He's the one guy I would have dealt CC for straight up for if CC wouldn't sign, and said so on these pages weeks back.

Ichiro
Speaking of dumb questions. Some are questioning if Ichiro, a singles hitter, is worth the money he signed for (5 years/90+ million). Of course he is. If he had started his baseball career in the states, he might eventually have become the game's all-time hit leader. The guy is also an outstanding defender and base stealer. He's going into the Hall of Fame anyway. Because of his speed and athleticism, he's better at what he excels in than Rose, Carew or Boggs, ever were.

See you next Sunday!