Around the Horn (4/14)

[RockSports17]

I'd sell that anyday. Wells is going to piss off the Red Sox so badly, that they'll trade him for anything. Some team out there needing a back end rotation guy will trade for him. Will it to be a WC team like Boomer wants? I don't know. Truly, IMO, Boomer Wells needs to retire. He's been in this game too long. His arm is running out of gas. His mouth won't shut up. Plus, with the Red Sux great pitching, they won't even need this cancer on the team. Boomer will be traded by the trading deadline. Mark my words.

[General]

+++

Sly?

[Slyder]

Sell, he wont finish with the Red Sox. When Foulke is healthy or someone else shows they are closer material, Papelbon will move back into the rotation and outs Wells. Hes also very old and very loud mouth. Last year David Wells had an ERA of 4.45 and a whip 1.31, he wont get the leiniancy he got last year. Even with the Arroyo trade for Wily Mo they still have an excess of starting pitchers and will get rid of him the moment someone shows an interest.

I do not see him finishing the year in Boston. They will likely trade him to someone whos on the outside looking in and it wont be enough to get them over the hump and miss the playoffs while the Red Sox try and prove it doesnt take them 81 yrs to win a title every time.

[General]

+++, but I doubt they move Papelbon out of the CP role.

Dam?

[Dam8610]

Sell. He's 42, on the decline, a clubhouse cancer, and a walking negative soundbyte. That's a combination that's begging to be thrown off a team. They've got Papelbon and Lester nearly ready, and I think one of the two, probably Papelbon, will replace him in very short order. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Red Sox "Keyshawn" or "T.O." him.

[General]

+++, but again, I think Papelbon will stay at CP.

Dry, finish this off.

[Dry1313]

SELL SELL SELL. Boomer is an ass, and he has nomadic tendencies. When he was younger he could back up his stupid party boy behavior but he’s gotten older and 3000 pounds heavier. He may be a poster boy for pitching steroids, because he finally began the successful turn of his career at the height of the ‘Roid Era. He is due for a sharp decline similar to one David Cone had. I’d expect him to test positive, but even if he doesn’t, with the Red Sox pitching talent, seeing him on this roster, even in the bullpen the way he’s going is far-fetched. They would be looking to trade him for a 6 pack of Milwaukee’s Best (IRONY?). Expect him out of the rotation by the middle of June at the latest and off the team by the end of July. Some team, be it Texas or a San Diego, or a team like that, will give him a chance, but he will quickly wear out his welcome there too and will retire this winter.

[General]

+++

However, all of you fail to mention: who would take him? He's old, overweight, expensive, and pissed off.


Next up, Pats resigned DT/DE Ruchard Seymour to a 4 year deal, and are close to resigning Deion Branch. Buy the Pats in the playoffs next year, Slyder?

[Slyder]

Buy. Its going to be tougher for them to win the division but they should still make it to the playoffs. Dillon's supposedly working out like a madman working to make up for last year when he was playing hurt plus they continually find ways to simply plug guys in... whether by hook or crook or payoff the NFL . Sry Rock.

Miami is improved but how will Daunte and the Love Boat, Ricky's latest failed drug test, and how will Daunte's knee hold up affect them. Buffalo is going through ANOTHER coach and should stink in the transition time.

The New York Jets are going to be continuing a HUGE rebuilding program. Martin is old, Chad's got ?, they might take a QB rd 1, new coach, way too many questions.

The pats will dominant vs division teams and can afford to go about 500 vs the rest and make the playoffs. The division is far from what it use to be.

[General]

+++
Dam?

[Dam8610]

I'm going to sell this, contingent on Rodney Harrison's health failing. If he isn't back, they won't have a stalwart for their secondary, and it will get owned by any decent passing game just as it was last year. It takes two to change division winners though, and my pick in the AFC East is also my sleeper team for the 2006 season: the Miami Dolphins. Daunte Culpepper wil vastly improve their QB position, and gives them the ability to use their first round pick on a guy like Jason Allen or Donte Whitner, which will definitely improve their secondary, and thus, their defense. They also have one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL, and good coaching is always good for a game or two, not to mention wins in close games. In short, this will all add up the Patriots missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002, and watch out for the Dolphins.

[General]

++++

GoYanks?

[RockSports17]

You gotta be kidding me? Sounds like a unknowledgable Dolphins fan to me. The best staff? Yah. Mularkey is good. Saban is still unproven. Capers? Capers? ROFL. I had to endure years of this joke as a HC for the Houston Texans. Maybe he is a great DC. But the guy has lost all of his marbles after Houston. Oh, this is coming from a past big Dom Capers fan. Oh and do your research before you start talking about Rodney Harrison. Just in case something does happen to Harrison, the Patriots signed Tebuckey Jones. Yah, look up his past stats. The guy was a star and a past Patriot. A great safety who will have a great year with the Pats. Oh and Rodney Harrison looks to definitely be healthy.

Anyways, I'll buy Pats being in the playoffs next year. They still got Tom Brady. They got Dillion. They're going to keep Branch. No major losses on their line. (Don't even say Stephen Neal). They're defense is still together. I'll say they loss a good WR in Givens. But Bellicheck is smart, in that he'll find just as good of a WR to replace Givens with. Possibly Bethel Johnson? A very fast WR who could make a great starting WR. Vinateiri? Please. Bellicheck will make a star out of Gramatica. The best move this season that really went unnoticed was the Patriots hiring themselves a offensive coordinator. Last season, I felt they were lost with out the OC. Maybe the offensive coordinator is on the young side, but he knows Brady. (He was their QB coach for the last few seasons) I think he's a bright NFL mind who will be the next Charlie Weis. Pats still have a very strong team. Looking at their schedule, they could definitely win 9 to 10, for sure, possibly even more. Their schedule isn't horribly strong. Plus, this upcoming draft, Bellicheck and Pioli will have another top draft. That is what Bellicheck is famous for, getting players out of nowhere and making them stars. Givens was a 7th round pick, Brady was a 6th round pick. Did anybody even know who Deion Branch was before Bellicheck made him a star? A. Samuel? Eugene Wilson? Patrick Pass? The list goes on. Bellicheck is a genious. Playoffs and Patriots go hand and hand. There's no reason the Pats shouldn't make the playoffs.

[General]

++++

Its Belicheck and Vinatieri though. Just sayin'.

Dry?

[Dry1313]

I’m definitely buying. All their divisional rivals are even worse, or not playoff material, then last year. Don’t expect the Jets to go anywhere; they have no running game and a shattered OL. The Bills lost their best player and just haven’t made enough moves to be a serious contender. The Dolphins, even with adding Daunte still have many too holes for me to expect them to make a real push. Even though they had significant losses, such as Vinatieri, the Patriots look solid going into the draft, which is usually where they make their killing. I’d expect another 12-4 season, and I still wouldn’t feel good not putting them in the Championship game, with Brady, one of the most clutch football players this side of John Elway. Not to mention Belicheck could take me, a monkey, a rubber band and a toothpick and make the playoffs. He will have significantly improved the secondary over last year. The loss of Mangenie hurts, but Bill will just promote from within and lead his team to another division title.