Mike Schmidt Offers Scathing (But Fair) Criticism of Werth, Nats

The Phillies Hall of Famer, writing for the AP, points out several relevant points ignored by all parties involved in the right fielder's recent signing with the NL East perennial basement dweller:

He’s durable, can run like a deer, play a Gold Glove right field and hit with power. He can be the real deal, but will he? In Philly, the stars were aligned perfectly for him. Should the Nationals have considered this?

This is what puzzles me about this contract. Are the Nationals in a position to wager $126 million that he can do it all? In Philly, Jayson had men on base on a regular basis with proven players Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley stirring it up. He could stumble into 75 RBIs just by playing everyday, but he only drove in 85 last season.

In Washington, the lineup is young and inexperienced, right-handed dominant, and the park is big, so RBIs will not come as easily. RBIs are much tougher when everyone’s counting. Jayson now will be the man, the cleanup hitter with the burden of production, far surpassing anything he has experienced. His name will be first on the opposition’s “don’t let him beat us” list. If the Nationals don’t come up with a legit left-handed bat behind him, he will quickly see what Ryan Howard had to deal with in Philly...

Is it good business to drop $126 million in the lap of a player who is in the growth stage?

The Phillies had the right plan for Jayson, a plan that worked well for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Both were slowly adjusted upward. Ryan was forced to use arbitration, then a competitive multiyear deal and then, after Rookie of the Year, MVP award and averaging 135 RBIs a season, he got his bonanza. Not a gamble, a lock.

Utley’s path was similar. Up through the Phillies system, slowly climbed the salary ladder, became the best second baseman in the game, will jump to Howard money soon. Again, like buying Apple stock, no risk. This is good management. The Phillies were looking for the same for Jayson. He was one 30-homer/100-RBI year from $100-plus million with Philadelphia, and maybe a couple more championship rings with them. But today the open market is irresistible.

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Lebron Wars: The Rap Video

But it's gonna be the Clips that pass the test
Take his mom far away from Delonte West

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Kenny "The Jet" Smith Talks Draft, Free Agency and Worldwide Wes with Cadillac Mescallade

With the NBA Draft tipping off tonight in New York City, TNT NBA analyst and former NBA guard Kenny "the Jet" Smith was kind of enough to spend a few minutes with HHR. Kenny is in the news for a tongue-in-cheek petition to reinstate the two dollar bill to coincide with Taco Bell's $2 Meal Deals.

We all know what Charles Barkley has done for the "box that rocks" with Taco Bell. Kenny jokingly assured us he isn't following in Charles' footsteps, because if that were the case there might not be any $2 meals left.

We touched on a wide variety of NBA topics, and here's what Jet had to say.

On the chemistry of he and Charles Barkley Inside the NBA...
It just kind of naturally happens, it's like when you have friend, you have chemistry with him or you don't. It's nothing that we plan or plot, I think we are so enthusiastic about the game of basketball which leads to good conversation. Once you lead to good conversation it leads to good television.

On John Wall's best attribute or skillset...
I think he has alot of skill sets and I don't know if he has one that is best. His infectious way of playing, I think that is going to carry him a long way in the point guard position

Free agency, how much movement?
There's gonna be movement for sure, there are too many great players available and when you have that many loaded up with free agency I don't think your gonna have a consistent 7-8 guys staying at home and staying with the teams they play on, I think there will be 7-8 guys that might move over to somewhere, there will be about 7-8 players that will move.

As a New York guy, where is Lebron headed, possible to the Knicks?
(Laughs) I think Lebron James has been playing it close to the vest for the last two months and we are all waiting in the wings to figure it out. I don't think anyone has the upper hand or any team has a clear advantage.

If not Lebron, who is good for NY?
When you don't make the playoffs there is no one guy or two guys that you don't need. They're in a position of having a need in all areas.

His career in free agency, how did it compare to these days...
Well I think its a different era in terms of that. By the time I was a free agent I was in my fifth year, my decision was based solely on what players they had there, period. It had nothing to do with as much financially, everything was going to be about the same financially so it was all about the players that were there and would we have a chance to win an NBA championship and could I be a part of that puzzle.

Evolution of NBA Draft, any changes since his time (Smith was the 6th overall pick in 1987)?
The draft hasn't changed, it's still exciting stuff for players and family are involved, its an opportunity that people get to be a part of and its always exciting

Worldwide Wes, is he that well connected as articles and news pieces report?
Some of it's fact, some it's fiction. It's like the fish...how big is the fish you caught? There are a lot of guys in basketball, Wes included, that have been an integral part in helping guys guide their carers. He's no different form the rest. Lately the players he's been involved with have been better players. There are guys that are involved with 7th and 8th man on the team they just haven't been the best players. It's just a great cycle for him in terms of the guys he's involved with are very good players and now he's parlayed that into representing coaches.

William Wesley with LeBron James. (Paul Sancya/Associated Press)

Knicks back in playoffs?
It all depends on this summer, until we see what they have after July, then we'll know when they can make the playoffs or not.

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Audio: Warren Sapp on Mike Brown's One-Man Bidding War

Warren Sapp, best known for his stint on Dancing with the Stars and co-starring with Tracy Morgan in one of the greatest commercials ever, was once a highly talented defensive lineman with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

This morning on Carton and Boomer, Sweet-tooth told about his nearly signing with the Bengals - if not for black people getting arrested for driving in Cincinnati and owner Mike Brown's negotiation technique.

Truth be told, I just love throwing gasoline on Who Dey Revolution's anti-Brown fire.

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Audio: Bird and Magic on LeBron James' Pending Free Agency

As part of promotion for their recently release book, When the Game Was Ours, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird took questions from journalists and bloggers.

Here, Magic talks about the change in atmosphere in NY (or NJ) that LeBron would bring should he come to the Knicks or Nets, whereas Bird extols the virtues of Cleveland's fans and expresses hope that the King stays put in the state that he's from and on the team that drafted him - for the betterment of the game and League as a whole.

Magic adds that staying in Cleveland also gives him the best chance at winning, noting the salary purge that the Knicks would have to make in order to free up money to get James.

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MLB Arms Race Fizzling

Left: Paul Sancya/Associated Press; Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press; Steve Nesius/Reuters

The New York Times today posted an article titled "When Owners’ Offers Better Reflect Starters’ Worth."

They note that, finally, teams have started to wizen up about giving mediocre names big money, long-term contracts to compensate for a weak free agent market for a limited number of quality pitchers. As a Phillies fan, I am always hoping they will land a "big name" starter, but they have been conservative. While it's been easy to criticize them for not landing a #1, the market over the last few years has really not yielded teams the results they would have liked for their investment. As a result, teams are stuck with bloated contracts and nothing more than trade bait come playoff time for a sucker willing to take a chance on an underachieving hurler.

The Times looked at the last 3 off-seasons' signings and their payouts. I took it a step further and added the pitchers' respective records during the applicable duration.

The numbers don't lie.

2006 Off-Season

• Kevin Millwood, 5 Years, $60 million (26-26)
• A. J. Burnett, 5 Years, $55 million (20-16)
• Jarrod Washburn 4 Years $37 million (18-19)
• Matt Morris 3 Years, $27 million (20-26)
• Esteban Loaiza 3 Years, $21,375,000 (13-13)

2007 Off-Season

• Barry Zito, 7 Years $126 million (11-13)
• Gil Meche, 5 Years, $55 million (9-13)
• Jeff Suppan, 4 Years, $42 million (12-12)
• Ted Lilly, 4 Years, $40 million (15-8)
• Jason Schmidt, 3 Years, $47 million (1-4)
• Vicente Padilla, 3 Years, $33.75 million (6-10)
• Miguel Batista, 3 Years, $25 million (16-11)
• Adam Eaton, 3 Years, $24.5 million (10-10)
• Jason Marquis, 3 Years, $21 million (12-9)

Of those names, only 3 have produced winning records - Batista, Marquis, Lilly & Burnett. Of those 4, only Lilly has a winning percentage over .600.

This off-season, with names dangling out in free agency like Tom Glavine, Kenny Rogers, Pettitte, Kyle Lohse, Randy Wolf, Liván Hernández, Jon Lieber, Jason Jennings and Brett Tomko, only Carlos Silva signed a multi-year package (4 Years, $48 Million).

Silva posted a 13-14 record last season and never won 15 games in his career.

The smart move/money might just be investing in scouting and the farm system, or limiting contracts to one-year deals the way the Braves, Tigers and Yankees did with Glavine, Rogers and Pettitte.

While this long term solution might not be what fans want to hear, the payout might be worth the wait.

Anti-Eagles: Jets Upset About Addition of Playmakers

Chris Baker "The Problem Maker"

While much ado has been made of Eagles veterans Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Jon Runyan and others practically begging Eagles brass to improve their team with the addition of high profile players, the Jets have actually gone out and done so, having one of the most productive off-seasons of any team. They have added the likes of linebacker Calvin Pace, perennial Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca and defensive lineman Kris Jenkins.

According to the NY Post, "some of the team's returning veterans are looking at the bundles of cash and wondering, "When do I get mine?"

Said one annonymous vet, "You pay guys you don't even know, and the guys in the locker room - the guys that have your back - you don't give a damn about them. It shows where the loyalty is."

It obviously also shows where the disgruntled players' loyalties are - to themselves.

The addition of the players mentioned above, not only makes the team better, but it draws coverage off of those they line up against, thereby making their teammates better. Obviously, such semantics go ignored when one feels slighted.

Two players singled out in the article are Laveranues Coles and tight end Chris Baker, "both with two years remaining on their current contracts, publicly expressed their desire for raises at the end of the season. Coles' situation recently turned ugly when he accused the organization of lying to him."

The issue is that with the recent signings the Jets have committed $138 million in contracts, including $63 million in guarantees. If the Jets can't afford to keep their pissed off veterans, then by all means they should let them walk, because they obviously are simply looking for their biggest paycheck available. And so be it, no one will fault them for that. But don't speak of loyalty when you show yourself to be anything but.

McNabb must be shaking his head in disgust. Then again, he didn't play for a 4-12 team, and hell, at least he's getting paid. But I'm sure he'd be the first guy on the team to pull a Peyton Manning and take a cut if it meant helping the team get better.