Around the Horn (12/09)

[Dam8610]

Jim Thome to the Sox looks interesting...yeah, onto the real answer

If this is about which move has the biggest impact on a team, then the answer has to be the Marlins' Fire Sale part II. By "getting a payroll to reflect their revenues", the Marlins have taken a potential playoff contender and turned it into a team that will struggle to win 70 games. They have no second baseman, no center or left fielder, no catcher, and their starting rotation will consist of Dontrelle Willis and four scrubs. Maybe I'm proven wrong in 2009, but for the 2006 season, this has to have the biggest impact on any team.

[General]

70? They'd be lucky to break 65. ++++

Onward, to the NFL. The Colts are still undefeated, now at 12-0. The Broncos are chasing them in the AFC, along with the Bengals. In the NFC, the Seahawks, Giants and Cowboys stand alone.

Give me your best teams in the AFC and NFC. Haf, whatcha got for us?

[HafDawg2003]

Well, the easiest case in the history of case-making is the Colts being the class of the AFC. They beat Cincy in Cincy, Pittsburgh at home, Jacksonville with a healthy Leftwich, they won AT New England, something they have never been able to do, their QB has 3000 yards and the highest QB rating of any NFL quarterback, their running back has 1350 yards with four games left, their defense is physical to the max with Robert Mathis third in the NFL in Sacks, not to mention Dwight Freeney, and a Linebacker in Cato June with five interceptions himself! Super Bowl Champs, enough said. Don Shula better check his Depends, because they may have company in the class of the undefeated.

The NFC is a joke, but at this point I have to give the edge to the Giants. General, your boys in blue are 8-4, beat Dallas this past sunday to control their destiny, only lost to Seattle because of an "idiot kicker" in a game they should have won multiple times, have great leadership from Eli Manning with his 2800 passing yards and maturation at a steady rate, they have Tiki Barber, arguably the taskmaster of all running backs who has no problem holding onto the ball, a great free agent pickup in (If you dont know,) Plaxico Burress, plus Toomer and Shockey. Their defense is held down by Osi Umenyiora and his partner in crime, Michael Strahan. Brent Alexander has 4 picks, the Giants are allowing only 18 points a game, and Tom Coughlin has installed a disciplinarian style of play that the Giants have latched onto.

Mark it down, take it to the bank, the Colts and Giants are the best now, and they will be the best on February 6th in Detroit for Super... Bowl... XL

[General]

+++++ and a + for picking the Giants (and backing it up).

Dam, what say you?

[Dam8610]

Talk about taking the words right out of a guy's mouth...

In the AFC, the best team is obviously the Colts. It's hard to argue with 12-0, including wins against 2 of the conference's best teams (Cincinnati, Jacksonville) and 2 division winners (New England, Cincinnati/Pittsburgh, although it's looking more and more like the Bengals these days), but when you consider that they also have the NFL's #1 scoring offense (30.5 PPG), the #2 scoring defense (13.5 PPG), it makes it impossible to deny that the Colts are the class of the AFC.

As for the NFC, At this moment, I would have to say the Giants are the best, with the Panthers running a close second. Were it not for not one, not two, but THREE missed FG that would've won the game for the Giants against the Seahawks, they'd be 9-3 and looking at a potential 1st round bye in the playoffs. They beat Denver, an impressive feat, and their team is pretty solid. On offense, they have every weapon a young QB like Eli Manning could hope for (well, except a reliable kicker), and on defense, they have one of the best pass rush tandems the NFL has to offer in Strahan and Umenoyuri, and they're pretty solid against the run.

My Super Bowl pick, however, is the same as it was at the beginning of the season: Colts vs. Panthers, with the Colts walking away with the hardware. I think the Manning Bowl would be more fun to watch though.

[General]

++++

Ah, but points don't matter! Browntown disapparated!

Showdown time up next..Dam and Haf, lets take a break!

[General]

Due to Browntown's disappearance, the showdown will be Buy or Sell. First to 2 points wins!

First off, the recent Marte for Renteria deal. Buy or sell the Braves regretting the deal in 5 years. Around the Horn to Dam.

[Dam8610]

It really all depends on what happens between now and then. For example, if the Braves win the World Series between now and then, and Renteria is a key part of that, then obviously I don't think they'll be too upset they made the deal. Marte will definitely be the better player in 5 years though.

[General]

Haf?

[HafDawg2003]

I'm going to buy the regret for the Braves. Edgar Renteria's career averages are .288 with 10 homers and 71 RBI, solid numbers for a shortstop. Unforuntately, not for a guy who makes 10 million a year. They have Renteria for the 06, 07, and 08, plus a team option for 2009. He's got a solid glove and can really play ball.

That being said, they traded a guy who's obviously the future at 3B for them. Chipper is 33 years old and is signed through 08. So when you lose Renteria and Chipper in 2008, what do you have to show for it? Andy Marte will be, as I mentioned earlier, part of the Red Sox youth movement in Boston, winning World Championships. While the Braves will have a shortstop who may not even be with the team anymore after 5 years at the age of 35, in 5 years Marte will be in his prime at 27, consistently making all star teams.

Buy on the Braves regretting this deal most definitely.

[General]

Damn, that wasn't much of an answer. Have you been talking to Woody lately? It's BUY or SELL. Not DEPENDS. Everything's half off for a reason. Point to Haf.

Next up...buy or sell Tony Womack to the Reds as the worst deal of the offseason. Haf?

[HafDawg2003]

Sell the worst. Why? Because the Reds gave up two prospects who were unprotected by the Reds and they made it unchosen through the Rule 5 draft. I'll admit that the pickup of Womack was pointless, a waste of salary, and annoying, but since the Reds only gave up the two non-wanted prosects, what does it matter?

Anyways, the worst deal is obviously the San Diego Padres giving up Mark Loretta for Doug Mirabelli. An All-Star second baseman for a catcher who was only on the Red Sox roster because he can catch the Knuckler.

Sell on this being the worst.

[General]

Dam?

[Dam8610]

I sell also. Sure the Reds gave up $2 million for him, and he serves no purpose for them, but for the investment they made, it's not even close to the biggest risk of the offseason. That honor has to go to the Toronto Blue Jays for inking an erratic 49-50 pitcher with a career 3.73 ERA in the NL to a 5 YEAR DEAL WORTH $55 MILLION! The Blue Jays will regret signing that deal at some point, maybe even as soon as next year.

[General]

Point to Haf, and the win.

Face time is yours, baby!