RIP Uncle Guy

Everyone has a certain person who has a lasting impact on his or her life. They may be people God simply gave to us (family) or people we choose (friends), but they are ALL in our lives for a reason. We learn things about life, loss, fear, and hope from these people, and its what takes people from the “acquaintance” level to being “loved ones.” Guy Parrot was one of those people. Early Saturday morning, he lost his battle with cancer, a family lost a loved one, the world lost a great man, and Heaven gained the best homemade ice cream ever.

My Grandpa Ludlow passed away in 1979. That’s nine years before I was born. Even with only one biological grandfather to help teach me lessons the way only grandpas can, I never felt like it was an issue. Why? Because of my Uncle Guy. Uncle Guy traveled to my baseball games, cheering loudly for me and my teammates, though he never actually knew of them. He’d stop over for a birthday party, come watch my sister’s basketball games, and he always loved an opportunity to make some homemade sweets. Uncle Guy loved my sister and I like we were his own grandchildren, and that’s something that I’ll never, ever forget.

Growing up, he always had this uncanny ability to make me laugh when he called our house. Sometimes he’d call to talk to my dad, but end up having a conversation with my sister or me and then completely forget what he was calling for in the first place! He always cared so much for how we were doing, and we were just his great-nephew and niece.

When Kenleigh and I were in high school, Uncle Guy, Aunt Lil and Grandma Ludlow came over on a school night to make all sorts of sweets with us. Uncle Guy had been wanting to come over for years to do it, and we finally got the chance. I never would have imagined that I could have had so much fun! We made hard tack candy, peanut brittle, and of course, the most amazing candy buckeyes that I’ve ever tasted. That night was filled with so much love and even more laughter that I will no doubt remember it for as long as I live.

Of course I have to mention the homemade ice cream in a little more detail. I can’t even specifically recall all the times we had it when we were visiting with him, but boy, do I remember how much better it is than any ice cream ever. No Faulkner family reunion was complete without it. No matter what place we go to as a family (and the Ludlows go to a LOT of ice cream places), no place ever compares to Uncle Guy’s homemade ice cream.

The last time I saw Uncle Guy was at my wedding in June, and I would trade anything to have been able to say a proper goodbye. I consider myself blessed beyond words that God put such an amazing man in my life. My hope is that he knew that too. My other hope is that he has some of his ice cream waiting for me when I get to Heaven one day.

We’ll all miss his stories, jokes, candy, ice cream, and uncanny ability to make us smile. But most of all, we’ll miss him. Rest in peace Uncle Guy. We love you.

Notre Dame's Move to the ACC is about More than Dollars and Cents

Long title, I know. I have to preface this entire article with this: I am not a Notre Dame fan. I grew up in the heart of Buckeye country, and always cheered for the University of Dayton. Then my best friend decided to become a member of the Fighting Irish nation, and I became a casual fan. In the past few weeks, there has been a lot in the media about Notre Dame, some bad (like Rick Reilly's article) and some good. I do really enjoy the business side of sport. Whether it is professionally or collegiately, there is always a financial reason behind every major decision. This move for Notre Dame is just a tad different though.

Everyone has always said that Notre Dame should join the Big Ten. I want people (especially some of the tweeters from Notre Dame) to know, this isn't because we think of the Big Ten as the supreme conference in the Midwest. If you want to make the argument that other conferences are stronger, you have every right to do so. The reason Notre Dame would join the Big Ten isn't because of sports though. The Irish joining the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, etc. would be because financially it is MUCH more affordable. How? Think of the travel between these cities. I know that a big program like Notre Dame doesn't think about that too much, but the difference between sending an entire team to Syracuse, NY isn't going to be nearly as expensive as it is to send them to Bloomington, IN, or any of the other schools in the conference. A team like Notre Dame doesn't really need to worry too much about this, but this is my main reason why the Big Ten and Notre Dame would be a great fit. "Minor" sports (like baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, etc.) can't fly everywhere like the basketball and football teams. A move to the Big Ten would make absolute sense for those programs who, even though part of a great athletic tradition, have to worry about a budget.

Staying in the Big East is no longer a viable option, and I completely understand the move to a new conference. With teams like Boise State, UCF, Houston and SMU joining the conference, the travel aspect of things are out the window, and suddenly the Big East has become the Big Joke. Those teams being in the conference for football is fine, but Notre Dame is still independent in football, so this means nothing to them. Pitt and Syracuse are already leaving, so two of the best basketball programs in the conference have made the switch. If trying to make the most money, amass the most wins, and keep the football program happy, then staying in the Big East makes sense. Notre Dame is about more than making money though (which it clearly does: sell outs for every home game and that NBC TV deal are huge), and that brings me to why the ACC actually makes sense with the University of Notre Dame's philosophy.

The current Big East, has one university in conference that is in the Top 40 of US News Top College rankings (Georgetown). The Big Ten has two (Northwestern, Michigan) and the Big Twelve has zero. The ACC, with Notre Dame included, now has six institutions in the Top 40 (Duke, ND, North Carolina, Virginia, Wake Forest, and Boston College). When the Notre Dame officials say that they want to move to the ACC because they will be with like-minded universities, THIS is what they mean.

I used to think that Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football were very similar: they won a bunch of championships before schools really cared about athletics. Now I realize there is so much more to the University of Notre Dame. Here's another great article about Notre Dame from Pat Forde that I have to include in this post. I am proud of what Notre Dame is doing as both an institution and an athletic organization, and my only tie to the school is my best friend. This is an institution whose students, faculty, staff, alumni, and die-hard fans around the country deserve to be proud of.

Day 9: Designated Hitter

I apologize for not posting anything the last few days. Palm Beach Atlantic hosted a seven-team volleyball tournament that ran my life from Friday morning until about 7 PM on Saturday. After a mini-coma Saturday night and two naps Sunday, I'm feeling better and ready to get back at it today!

Here's another option for the Indians that seems to be a no-brainer. The designated hitter has been a spot that hasn't given us much production since Pronk was awarded his fat contract. I have to say, I love Travis Hafner as a clubhouse guy, but have to admit I think he was on the juice. He doesn't have that pop he used to, and I know we could blame the constant injuries for that, but let's just be honest with ourselves here.

It is time to move on from Hafner (which as a sidenote, does anyone have an idea of when he last hit a ball into "Pronkville"? I feel like its been at least 2+ seasons) and start using the DH as the majority of minor league teams do. What do I mean by that? Well, I personally don't see the advantage with a team with limited talent (like the Indians) to handicap themselves with a full-time DH. Its a perfect spot to rotate guys like Santana, Kipnis, Choo and Cabrera during the week to give them time off without completely taking their bats out of the lineup. I would much rather have a revolving door there that includes our best hitters as opposed to trying to work matchups out (like this years' team tried with Jose Lopez, Shelley Duncan, and Johnny Damon). On the days that all of those guys are playing, it'd be great to see Russ Canzler there. The Indians don't have a lot of sluggers in the minor league system, so unless there's a trade made to accommodate that weakness, which I highly doubt, this is probably the best option.

Now, would I give Hafner a very small, incentive-based contract like the one I'd give Sizemore? No. Sorry Pronk, but you can't play any position BUT designated hitter, you aren't worth one of the twenty-five spots anymore. Love the guy, but the final verdict is let him walk.

Day 8: Left Field

Today's post will be a short one. Why? Because the Indians options in left field are HORRIBLE. It was a need last offseason and it was simply ignored. I'm fine with Ezekial Carrera (or however the heck you spell his name) for the remainder of the season. In fact, I'd like to see Russ Canzler get a shot out there as well. He was mentioned in the first base post because that is one of his positions, but I see him as a more valuable piece here. If he can play an adequate left field, bop 25-30 homers, and not look awful against offspeed pitches (like LaPorta), he'd be awesome! I know you could literally say that about anyone, but Canzler has that potential in him. I'm anxious to see his September because he will undoubtedly be getting his "cup of tea."

Why is this post short? Because thats all there is to talk about! The Tribe has NO options in the minor leagues, and absolutely no chance at signing a free agent to play there. What was their biggest mistake from last offseason? Letting Josh Willingham go to the Twins over one additional year to his contract. 3 years is a fine length for a guy with as much upside as Willingham had, the Tribe balked at it, and what do you know, he has a fine season with the Twinkies on maybe the only roster in the big leagues worse than ours.

I should mention that Shelley Duncan was designated for assignment just yesterday. Thankfully that experiment is over. Although Shelley seemed like a good guy and someone who gave his best effort all the time, he simply wasn't good enough. My hope is that the Indians will use Cabrera/Choo/Perez to bring in an upper-level outfielder (Jared Hoying perhaps??) who can step in and play.

Final verdict: GET HELP FAST!

Day 7: Center Field

If you would have told me five years ago that we would even be talking about centerfield at this point I would have called you crazy. The Indians at one point had the BEST young centerfielder in the game with Grady Sizemore and life was good. That's not the case anymore, as the most talented and most injured player of my era is gone for good after this year. If it would be possible to get a one-year contract for around $1 million with a lot of incentive-based deals, I'd take him back. Maybe he could play right field instead?

The reason that the Indians would have Sizemore in right is because Michael Brantley patrols centerfield, and does it quite well. On a team that is better put together than the Tribe, he's a great hitter for the two spot who can bunt, hit and run, hit for average, and steal bases. The Indians have to bat him as the fourth or fifth batter in the order instead of where he's a natural fit. I absolutely LOVE the way this guy plays because he always has such a calm demeanor about him. In a big situation, I know exactly who I want up. Not Cabrera, not Santana, and not even Choo (though he's probably my second choice). Brantley is the only redeeming factor of the CC Sabathia trade, and even though its not the astronomical performance Tribe fans were hoping/expecting from LaPorta, Brantley (aka Dr. Smooth) has turned into one of, if not THE, most productive players the Indians have.

The only way I would want Brantley NOT to be in CF next season is if the Indians made a trade of Choo or Cabrera (or any number of guys really) and brought in a guy who is stronger in center. This would be if the trade was done with Arizona probably (they have the best, major-league-ready prospects in the outfield in my opinion). The luxury we have with Brantley is that he can play left field as well.

Unlike the rest of the organization, centerfield actually does have ONE bright spot in the minor leagues. LeVon Washington has a lot of skills that have yet to be harnessed. He was on a TEAR to start the year in Lake County (where he spent all of 2011 and was quite overmatched) before being injured. He's just now getting back to action and has actually skipped up to Advanced-A Carolina. The only reason that I don't see this as yet another mistake by the front office in their draft is because Washington was actually a former first round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn't sign, went to JUCO, then was drafted by the Indians in the first round again. He's, dare I say it, Kenny Lofton-like with the way he plays the game. Lets just hope he one day plays CF for the Tribe like Kenny.

In conclusion, the verdict on the present centerfielder is STAY PUT! And for the first time since starting these articles, I don't have a dire feeling after I finish them! The future doesn't appear to be awful either with Washington working his way up. Ahhhh, finally, a breath of fresh air.

Day 6: Right Field

Today I'm bitter. I was supposed to broadcast a Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets double header tonight and no one thought to inform me that the weekend broadcasters "just felt like" coming to the part and broadcast tonight. Not that it was a 40 minute trip for me or that I wanted to eat dinner with my wife or anything.

Naturally, the next place to go with that bitterness is to the Indians' right field situation. Shin-Soo Choo is awesome, and one of the ten guys on the entire roster who are legitimate major league baseball players. It is a foregone conclusion that Choo will leave Cleveland, and honestly, I can't blame him at this point. He's got a chance for a nice pay day, which the Indians certainly won't give him, and an opportunity to go out and play for a contender, which also, the Indians won't give him. He is a position that seems to be in high demand both as an above-average defensive outfielder who can hit anywhere at the top of the lineup.

There isn't really much else to say about Choo. He had his little DUI episode last year and his play suffered from it, but until writing this article I had completely forgotten about that. He has a laser arm, can play either corner spot, was awesome as the lead off man, and now continues to contribute as the three hitter. We have absolutely nothing in the system that will replace him, so when the trade eventually comes, we better get some major-league-ready talent. Letting him walk after next year simply isn't an option.

There are a few places I could see Choo winding up: Chicago (NL), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Texas, Los Angeles, and maybe even Philly or Atlanta. I really like some of the players that the Cubs, Pirates, and Rangers have at or near the top of their systems. Choo could very well put the Pirates over the top, and I want to know, would one year of success in a position they are currently thin at be worth it? The Buccos have run out of seemingly run out of steam, and I'm willing to guess there's a package deal available to get Sterling Marte, Andrew McCutcheon, and Choo into the same outfield. Plus, as a rival GM to the Reds in the NL Central, I'd give up a LOT to get Choo on my squad. His lifetime numbers against the Reds are phenomenal, which gives the Reds another incentive to sign him.

The fact of the matter is, if we make a deal getting rid of Choo, we have to find someone to replace him. That will not happen with this GM. In the best case scenario, the Tribe is able to take advantage of a team in a desperate situation for a leadoff man that can actually get on base and play the outfield very well. Maybe Josh Hamilton will walk and the Tribe can send him there for a Jurickson Profar/Jared Hoying deal?

Wishful thinking. Final verdict: Trade Choo Choo.

Day Five: Catcher

This is a spot where there will be a lot of discrepancies. Carlos Santana might be the most frustrating player in the Indians line up. After giving us so much hope with a great year last season, Santana looked like he was swinging a guitar every at-bat and, though improved, still had trouble throwing guys out. Having a solid catcher is one of the keys to having a solid team, and all in all, Santana gives the Indians a better than solid backstop.

Since the All-Star break, Santana is batting .279 (which brings his yearly average up to .242), with 8 home runs (giving him 13 for the year), 26 RBI (almost as many as his first half 30), and has more walks (25) than strikeouts (22). He had a horrible June, but now has an OBP nearing .400 and is starting to show some of that amazing talent more consistently. If the Indians don't want to be the laughingstock of the AL Central (which they're dangerously close to becoming), they need to keep Santana as their catcher.

Now I know, each reader out there will be saying, "now's the perfect time to start listening to offers for him!" and "if we're going to rebuild again, we need to trade away our best pieces." In fact, I personally said the latter statement when talking about Asdrubal Cabrera. Here's the difference though: the number one prospect in the organization is a shortstop, and both of the catching prospects in the top 20 list are fringe guys at best. (Plus the Indians have two or three other high-ranking SS in the org) After seeing Alex Monsalve myself for 8+ games last season, I can safely say I was not impressed at ALL***. The other catching prospect according to the list on indians.com is Chun Chen, but he has played the majority of his games at first base and DH, and he only hits singles.

Another guy that I know you're all thinking about is Lou Marson. Here's the thing about Sweet Lou; I would be completely okay with trading Santana and having LouMar as the filler guy to our next catcher if we had a stud waiting in the wings. We just don't have that luxury. He went on a hot streak right before the All-Star Break and saw his batting average as high as .297, but a .138 average since (including a .196 mark at Progressive Field) has brought that plummeting downward.

I don't think a minor league return on Santana would justify trading his major league production, even if it is inconsistent. Other teams realize his inconsistencies as well, and there is simply no way we could trade Carlos for anything close to what he means to the Indians lineup. Final verdict for the Indians' catchers: Santana is a keeper and so is Marson. This gives the Indians four total players that I've deemed worth keeping (Chisenhall and Kipnis as well).



***I wanted to add another note of my prospect evaluation skills. It was easy for everyone to see last year that Billy Hamilton was a special player, but I can honestly say that I called one of the MLB's top prospects well before he leaped up every "experts" watch list. Oscar Taveras, outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my personal most exciting player to watch last season. (Here's a great article on him, if you're interested) I know how to evaluate the tools of minor leaguers, so my evaluation on Monsalve, though not "expert" can be taken with confidence.

Day Four: Third Base

To start off what is likely to be my shortest post of the series, I'd like to take a moment to thank Sean Jackson for reading every single post. Its nice to hear back from people and hear another opinion on the matter. Jackson brought up a good point about the first base debacle with the suggestion of Russ Canzler, who just last season was the Triple-A Player of the Year for Durham. I personally was saving him as an outfield option, but he could play first base as well. In fact, with Hafner coming off the books this winter, I could really see Canzler fitting in as the 4th outfielder/DH/first baseman, providing he can hit major league pitching. More on him later though.

Third base is such a boring position for the Indians, with a similar situation to second base. Lonnie Chisenhall is no longer the future at third base. Once the 2013 season rolls around, he should be named the starter. He has had some tough luck on the injury front, breaking his wrist this year shortly after he was called up, but its nothing to be worried about. We're not talking about Grady Sizemore-type injuries here, where hammys are being pulled or obliques torn or something like that. Its a broken wrist. I see it more like a Shin-Soo Choo injury, where you get back on the horse and ride again with no problem.

The interesting part about it will be what they decide to do with Jack Hannahan. I personally love the guy, his attitude, and really appreciate the way he plays the game. I just don't know if he'll have any interest in staying with a team that won't compete and he'll just be a backup. I see him being a great fit on someones roster as insurance for an oft-injured starter, but there's no way the Indians can justify paying $1.4 million for a backup. All that being said, if Jack was willing to be a backup and could also play first base, I'd keep him, but I know that's pretty unrealistic.

Final verdict for the Tribe third basemen: Hannahan let walk. Chisenhall pray he gets/stays healthy.

Day 3: First Base

After saying a hypothetically goodbye to one of my favorite players Thursday (Asdrubal Cabrera) and crowning Jason Kipnis as one of the only players worth keeping Friday, I want to take a look at a position that has often been a gaping hole in overall production. The Indians' first basemen on Opening Day since the departure of Jim Thome in 2002 have been:
2003: Ben Broussard
2004: Ben Broussard
2005: Ben Broussard
2006: Eduardo Perez
2007: Andy Marte
2008: Ryan Garko
2009: Ryan Garko
2010: Matt LaPorta/Andy Marte/Russel Branyan
2011: Matt LaPorta
2012: Casey Kotchman

Broussard, Perez, Marte and Garko haven't been heard from in years (aside from Benny's newest solo album maybe), Branyan was just cut by the Yankees, and LaPorta and Kotchman are both still on the Indians' rosters with batting averages of .200 and .238 respectively, with a combined 11 HRs.

Here's the problem: any sort of trade that I could conjure up that would bring in a good fit for the Indians (Mark Trumbo for instance), would mean that the opposing teams' GM would have to be drunk in order to accept it. This, in my opinion, is THE biggest hole on the team. There is only one first baseman in the Indians' organization (Jesus Aguilar) that is in their Top 20 prospects, and he is struggling in Double A right now. Here's the problem: I have no faith in the Indians' ability to develop legitimate power hitters through their own organization. When's the last time we have seen someone blasting homeruns into the night on a consistent basis? If Carlos Santana finds some consistency maybe we can say him... It's been since 2008 that Indians have had a player hit over 30 home runs (thanks Grady!), and its been since 2006 that Tribe has had anyone over 35 bombs (and thank you, PED and injury-free Travis Hafner). Grady's power has never been his calling card though, and his $5 million gamble didn't pay off, so he doesn't count.

FIRST BASE! Right. LaPorta has been a major disappointment since he was supposed to be the key player in the CC Sabathia trade. He's getting a chance now to prove himself over the course of the last month+ of the season, and please remember people, he's still only 27 years old. Mark Trumbo is 26. Not all prospects will be like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. I'd be OK if LaPorta was playing first base next year for the Indians because of this: there are no better options! Before I go on, I want to say thank you to Casey Kotchman for a year of service. Your glovework was splendid, your batwork awful, and you will be sorely missed by 1,205 fans.

There are a lot of different rants in this piece tonight and I apologize for that. My thought process on the  first base debacle is about as clear as Chris Antonetti's. The only free agent I would even slightly smile if the Indians went after would be James Loney, but I know there's no chance for that. There are no players in the farm system that make it seem like an answer can come from within. Maybe Aguilar will find a rhythm, but he's still a full season away from the big leagues, at best.

In conclusion, the final verdict on the revolving door that is the Indians' first baseman: Kotchman let walk. LaPorta one final year. Kudos if you read this all the way through.

Day 2: Second Base

I struggled with the direction of where to go after Asdrubal Cabrera. I could take the "who should go first" route and have moved on to Shin Soo Choo or Chris Perez, but I decided to hit the infield before moving anywhere else. That naturally moves us to Cabrera's double play partner, Jason Kipnis. The best way for me to describe his year in a nutshell is, "Supernova." Burned brightly for a short period, then was gone.

Kipnis started the year a bit slow, but then caught fire in May/June. At one point, we were talking about this kid as a potential All-Star player. He had 11 home runs, a .277 batting average, and 20 stolen bases at the break. We were looking at a 20/20 guy from a spot where there is not traditionally a lot of production. It actually seemed ridiculous to think Kipnis WOULDN'T hit the 20/20 plateau. The Indians were in 2nd place in the AL Central and even though the pitching staff was underperforming, life was good.

Then the star fell to earth.

Since the All-Star break, Kipnis has hit a measly .203 and went the entire month of July without a home run. He's hit one in August. Granted, Kipnis going an entire month isn't the same as Jay Bruce (or someone who relies on power as a major part of his game) having a power outage, but that was just the beginning. His OBP dropped 70 points, his strikeout rate went up, and the whole 24 hits in 118 at-bats thing is no good either. Now I realize there are a lot of reasons for this; first full season in the MLB, improved advanced scouting reports from other teams around the league, or having to bat in the third spot in the order for a while. I've hung on to Kipnis on my fantasy team and I believe he is absolutely worth the Indians staying faithful to as well. I don't find it a coincidence though, that as Kipnis' production has dipped, so has the Tribe's.

Kipnis is a cornerstone of this team's future. I love his attitude, his grit, and the way he plays the game. I'm confident that we'll see a more consistent game from him in the future, and I'm sure glad we'll at least have Kipnis to lead us through the colossal struggle that will be the next few seasons. This is one of the few positions on the Indians that I don't feel there should be an upgrade, so the final verdict on Kipnis' future as an Indian: keep him.

A look at what the Indians should do...

Over the next 14 days I'm going to write about each position in the Tribe's starting 9, some relief pitching, and front office staff, as well as give my opinion on what they should do to limit their futility in the future. I find it flat out embarrassing as a fan of this team that our front office claims our lack of success is because they "overvalued some of the core pieces of this years' team." WOW. So you're saying whoever is in charge of deciding whether or not this team can compete needs fired? Owner Larry Dolan? President Mark Shapiro? GM Chris Antonetti? Manager Manny Acta? Director of Player Personnel Derek Falvery? Someone needs to be held accountable. I'm not saying fire everyone. I'm saying they need to re-evaluate the way small market teams contend, develop an organizational philosophy, find a style of play that fits that philosophy and build each and every team (from the AZL to Cleveland) from there.

Clearly there are some small market teams that are thriving in baseball's current top-heavy culture. The first that comes to mind is the Tampa Bay Rays. They compete in the toughest division in baseball at a fraction of the payroll with homegrown talent and castaways from other teams. I think it helps that Joe Madden is such a good manager, but I'll save managerial talk until my post on Manny Acta. You could also look at the Cincinnati Reds, who have taken a lot of their home grown talent (Cueto, Votto, Stubbs, Bruce, Cozart, Frazier) and combined it with other teams' castoffs (Ludwick, Rolen, Phillips).

I want to start today with one of the Tribe's few bright spots: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. ACab (or Drubie, as I fondly refer to him as) has been a consistent bat all season long, whether batting second or third in the order. His power numbers have returned to their normal range (13 HR), and he's committed 16 errors on the season at shortstop. He's been a guy that Cleveland fans have loved having, and would hate to see go, but the first step in rebuilding this team is trading what few assets we have for valuable players. With a contract that is small-market team friendly, there are a variety of options that could open up. Teams that need a shortstop and are close to (or are) contending now (Arizona, Oakland, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and even teams like Philadelphia, San Diego and Milwaukee) could all be potential spots. The D'Backs have a great upper-level farm system that could offer some solid return that is close to major league ready, and each of the other organizations have pieces that would work too. It'd be fun to see a trade to Seattle bring Cabrera's career back to where it started.

How would the Indians fill the hole left by Cabrera's absence? Well quite frankly, they won't get production like his until Francisco Lindor is in the big leagues. Until then, Jason Donald has proven to be a very capable shortstop, and should start there every day without Cabrera. Lindor is having a rather pedestrian first year in pro ball (hitting .263 with 27 SBs), but its nothing to worry about. Once he gets used to the grind and knows how to prepare himself physically during the offseason, he'll show why he's the #1 prospect in the organization. What would the Indians get back for Cabrera? How about some outfielders? I know that LeVon Washington has Kenny Lofton-type tools, but he's currently rehabbing for the AZL Indians. Someone who can play LF would be nice, and maybe a starting pitcher as well. I'm not asking for a Mike Trout or Dylan Bundy, I'm talking about guys that scouts see as every day players or middle of the rotation (at best) guys. This is another reason why I like the D'Backs for a landing spot. The strengths of their minor leagues are in starting pitching and outfielders, so its a natural fit.

In conclusion, as much as it pains me to say it, my final verdict on Asdrubal Cabrera is to trade him. He's brought me many great memories as a Tribe fan, and I'll always appreciate what the wide-eyed second baseman turned shortstop who wore pearls as a rookie and made great defensive plays did for this team.

Episode 23: Melky's Whoopsie

I talk about the Melky Cabrera 50 game suspension and what it means for the NL West, Todd Frazier for NL Rookie of the Year, and talk about why Johnny Cueto (NOT Aroldis Chapman) should be the NL Cy Young award winner.

Constructioncast!

I try to have a podcast for the first time in 10 days while the construction crews work on Get Better Today studios... Talking Indians, MLS Soccer, and Fantasy Football.

On hiatus until...

I am on a break from my podcast until the Cleveland Indians break their losing streak, which currently sits at 11 games. It could be a while.

Episode 21: Cleveland

I sit down and talk about the hot news out of Cleveland: the Cavs actually making some great moves? the Browns being sold for $1 Billion, and lastly the Indians, who have completely fallen off the wagon.

The Cavaliers link: http://www.foxsportsohio.com/08/02/12/Cavs-in-Celtics-state-of-mind/landing_cavaliers.html?blockID=770457&feedID=3725

Episode 20: Funny Umpires and Funny Friends

I share a few stories from around the Florida State League and their hot-headed umpiring crews from last nights games, talk about a good friend's video thats gone viral, and vent about people complaining about the Olympics

Episode 19: Deadline Deals

I get on the horn with Jordan Shoemaker, Cincinnati Reds and MLB smart guy to talk about the deals that the Reds and everyone else around baseball made at the deadline. Lots of smart baseball talk today!

Episode 18: Deadline Dealin'

As the trade deadline countdown reaches 24 hours, I take a look at the deals that have already been made and which trades should be made. Here's a hint: The Reds should NOT even consider Shane Victorino.

Make sure to check out Get Better Today to see how YOU can improve yourself today: www.getbettertoday.com

Episode 17: Get Better Today

I get a chance to sit down with Michael Fear, the man who started Get Better Today and talk a little bit of Reds, and a lot a bit about how YOU (and me) can get better today.

And again, here is Michael's website, check it out: www.getbettertoday.com 

Dodger Blue: A Good Thing

I have a nice conversation with one of the few Los Angeles Dodgers fans that I can say I have the pleasure of knowing. Kiel Boynton, former pitching coach for Cedarville University and current pitching coach for Corban University enlightens us with his Dodger fandom and "insider" knowledge of future franchise transactions.

The Looming Trade Deadline

It's coming... Just 6 days away and there's already been a flurry of activity on the trade market. Where will some of the big names turn up? Who HAS to make moves to compete for the playoffs (hint: the Cleveland Indians)? No guests on today's podcast, but lining up a BIG Dodgers fan for tomorrow to talk trade reactions...

Don't forget about Get Better Today! Check it out! www.getbettertoday.com 

Been 73 days but finally...

A PODCAST!!

And, as mentioned in today's podcast several times, Get Better Today's website:
www.getbettertoday.com

What Should the Indians do with the "SuperNatural"

A lot of you brought forth good and even great ideas about trades since my last post... But one that sticks out in my mind and brings forth this blog post was from my cousin Ben Ludlow, a fellow Tribe fan. He said:

Has Lou Marson's play lately made Carlos Santana expendable yet? Santana is the only thing more ugly at the plate than the LF platoon... What do you think is the Tribe's biggest immediate need?

Personally, I want Santana to stay. Here are some GLARING statistics that show that maybe that concussion he suffered back on May 25 might still be bothering him... 

On May 25th, the day of his concussion, Santana was batting .245 with 5 HR, 25 RBI, and an OBP of .360. From June 5th to present he is batting .156 with 0 HR, 4 RBI, and his OBP during that time is .272. 

We've seen the potential that Santana has as a switch hitter, and his work with Sandy Alomar Jr. behind the plate is starting to show. This season, with 21 more games behind the plate, he has had just 1 more stolen base against him than "Laser Lou" Marson. Santana's percentage of throwing out runners is 36.6%, compared to Marson's 13.8% (4 caught stealing in 29 attempts). I'm not saying Santana is going to always be a better defensive catcher than Marson because defense is what keeps Marson in the MLB. My point is this: if a guy who was as abysmal as Santana behind the plate the last two years can make that improvement at such a difficult position, then his hitting is going to inevitably come around too. 

Final verdict: Even though he is struggling right now, he is solid coaching and Travis Hafner away from being back to where he was before. To answer Ben's question, the most immediate need is a capable coaching staff. Acta would be the 4th best head coach in my high school conference, and I am only mildly kidding. The man said that Hafner missing from the Indians' lineup has little to no effect on Santana's play at the plate... WHAT!? Are you telling me Jose Lopez strikes fear into opposing pitchers like Pronk does? I don't think its any coincidence that Hafner went on the DL May 24 and we saw a dip in Santana's production after. I want to see Mike Sarbaugh get his chance, the Columbus Clippers manager who has won the last two Triple-A Championships and has coached pretty much the whole Indians team at one time or another, but that's another blog for another time.

Who Says No First?

I know I haven't been writing/podcasting nearly enough, but that's what happens when you're working, trying to find an apartment 1,200 miles away, and oh yeah, you just got married. So we have nearly one month of baseball remaining before the trade deadline, and I wanted to "propose" a couple of trades and see what everyone thinks. My favorite teams are the Indians, Reds and Blue Jays, so I have constructed a slew of trades in my head that I'd like to see happen. Or at least want to hear what YOU think about them.

Trade #1
Cleveland sends Jeanmar Gomez (RHP), Scott Barnes (LHP), Russ Canzler (1B/OF) and Tony Walters (SS) to
Minnesota, sending Josh Willingham (LF) back to the Indians.
Why it makes sense: Everyone knows that the Twins are out of it for this season. Without a serious change in the forecast down the road, it'll always be a similar outlook. The deal for the Twins gets them a viable option at first base against left-handed pitching (Justin Morneau is batting .096, 7-for-71, against lefties), two Major League-ready starters from each side of the rubber in Gomez and Barnes, and a lower-level prospect who can play either shortstop or second base down the line.
Its clear to everyone that the Indians need something, anything, to play left field. The platoon of Johnny Damon, Shelley Duncan, and Aaron Cunningham are batting a combined .200 (70-350), have 8 home runs between them, have driven in 33 runs and are just plain awful. PLUS, Cunningham is a right-handed batter, giving something much needed to the Indians' lineup.

Trade #2
Cincinnati sends Billy Hamilton (SS), Daniel Corcino (RHP), Chris Heisey (LF) and Logan Ondrusek (RHP) to
Minnesota, sending Josh Willingham (LF) and Francisco Liriano (LHP) back to the Reds.
Why it makes sense: This gives the Twins a LOT of talent that is still at least 2 years away. Hamilton is tearing it up in High-A, Corcino has drawn comparisons to Johnny Cueto, and Heisey and Ondrusek are basically throw in guys to help the worst team in the American League get through this season. The Reds are in a special time right now. They are clearly the cream of the crop in the National League, but in this day and age, there is no such thing as a 10-year dynasty. At best, you're looking at a 5-year span of being on top, and Cincinnati is right at the beginning of that. Right now the Reds have the best right side of the infield, one of the best starting pitchers, and one of the best young right fielders around. If you add Willingham as the starting left fielder, plus a lefty as strong as Liriano as your #2 pitcher, you solidify your chance for a World Series run. I know people are reserved about sending away more of prospects, but the time is NOW, not 3 years from now when Hamilton and Corcino will be here.

Trade #3
Toronto sends Jake Marisnick (OF), Adeiny Hechavarria (SS), and Aaron Sanchez (RHP) to
Milwaukee, sending Zack Greinke back to the Blue Jays.
Why it makes sense: The Blue Jays need a starting pitcher if they're going to make a run at the playoffs this season. They're sitting right at .500 right now, and the three guys they're sending away won't be to the big leagues for at least a few more years. Joey Bats is heading towards the end of his prime, and if they're going to go for it, now is the time. With as many injuries to the starting rotation, a front-end starter would be a huge addition. I imagine the Brewers will probably be asking for even more than what I've put on the table for Toronto, but I'd consider this a package worth just about any one pitcher on the market. The Brewers have Braun locked up, but the rest of the team is not going to succeed around him. Marisnick and Hechavarria offer pieces that will produce around Braun for years to come.

Trade #4
Cincinnati sends Chris Heisey (OF), JC Sulbaran (RHP), and Kyle Lotzkar (RHP) to
San Diego, sending Carlos Quinton (OF) to the Reds.
Why it makes sense: Going back to the logic of Trade #2, the Reds need a right-handed bat. Quintin may be a liability in left field, but with Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce and their top-tier defense, Carlos could practically hide in left field. He has so much power that his Petco Park numbers are deceiving... Get him in the Great American Bandbox, and the perfect cleanup man for the lineup is in place. Meanwhile, San Diego gets a good player for left field, and two pitching prospects that would fit in nicely with Luebke and Volquez in the future.

Trade #5
Cleveland sends Joe Smith (RHP) to
Texas, sending Jared Hoying (OF) back to the Indians.
Why it makes sense: Okay, so maybe this makes no sense at all, but it'd still be fun to see!!

Let me know which teams you think would say no first, if any... I'd also love to hear any potential trades with YOUR favorite team that you'd like to see in the next month!

Where were you five years ago today?

Here's an interesting fact for you: the 2012 calendar year now matches exactly with the 2007 calendar year (thanks to this years' leap year). Why is this interesting? Well, now it is simple to look back at certain events from the Class of 2007's senior year and say I remember exactly what I was doing on this day. Last Sunday, as the graduates were receiving their diplomas at Fort Loramie High School, I was playing baseball at a friends' house and was thankful I was not sitting in a gym listening to 18 year olds' perspectives on life (no offense to valedictorian speeches intended, but seriously, I've heard one good speech in 6 years of High School graduations, and that was Nate Ruhenkamp's).

Today I sit on a relatively cool June morning, relaxing, enjoying life, and think back five years. On June 2, 2007, everything was the exact opposite. It was hotter than Hades, I was on top of the world and a little nervous at the same time. At this time five years ago, I was playing third base in the Ohio State Baseball Championship game. That was the day that I became not only "Kyler Ludlow, 2007 graduate of Fort Loramie High School," but also, "Kyler Ludlow, 2007 graduate of Fort Loramie High School, and State Champion." In my wildest dreams we made it to that point, but I never really thought much about winning a state title before that. After winning the first game of the State, the general consensus for our team became, "We've come this far, might as well win it all." I remember laying in bed on the eve of the championship and running through everything in my head: the disappointment from the previous years, the hours driving to and from fall ball games, the late nights playing for the ACME team, getting our arms ready for the season by throwing after basketball practice... in January. It all seemed surreal at the time, and even now as I look back, it still seems too good to be true.

On this day five years ago, I wanted to win and celebrate with my friends, start designing our Championship rings, and get ready to go to college. I wanted to live with no regrets and move on with life; get away from Fort Loramie and what I grew up with, and become my own man. Now, after the parties and college have all passed by, my wedding exactly one week away, and a move to Florida coming shortly after that, I start to get that surreal feeling again. The friendships I've made and sustained since high school will prosper no matter where I call home, the hours I put in studying and working toward my professional goals will pay off, and I'll be forever bound to those twenty members of that State Championship team, and the town we brought it to.

Five years later, I still feel proud of what we did that day. My hope is that in five more years I will be able to write that the surreal feeling that envelopes my life today still seems too good to be true. And I'll do so wearing a bright gold State Championship ring on my finger.

Episode 14: Brotherly Love - The Curtis Drees episode

I'm sure everyone has been anxiously waiting this podcast based on the overwhelming response to Eric Drees being on the show Wednesday... The elder Curtis Drees joins me to mainly discuss the pop culture Tough Guy Tournament, but also puts in a vote for Idiot of the Week and talks about Cincinnati Bengals.

Are spring sports soon to be a thing of the past?

I'm still a little hungover from the overwhelming response to Eric Drees' debut on the podcast yesterday... Here's a little something for all of his fans out there (for some reason it won't embed on this page, but trust me, it's ABSOLUTELY worth watching, especially the very end)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNZXCks-9sY

So I know that most of my readers/listeners are from Ohio and its neighboring states. As far as I know, all of our great states have three high school sports seasons - - Fall, Winter, and Spring. I am going to speak of what I know from now on, which is Ohio High School sports.

The great debate that is arising is how we can make spring sports more fair to the athletes playing them. Think of this: football season is 10 games in 10 weeks. Basketball season is 20 games in 12 weeks. Baseball and softball make kids play roughly 25 games in 6 weeks. That hardly seems fair, or right, or whatever. No wonder why the amount of injuries is growing...

Anyways... the great solution, according to some, is to move the "spring" seasons back. In Iowa, for instance, the baseball and softball State Championships are played on the 4th of July, well after graduation day. Heck, the season doesn't even start until May, which in the case of Shelby County League schools, is just 3 weeks from the last day of school!

All this leads me to a question that I genuinely would LOVE to see answers to. I personally have an opinion on this matter, but I'll hold off until another blog. My goal is to compile multiple opinions from you, the readers/listeners, and then see what the general opinion is.

Answer these questions:

Would you play for your respected school for over a month after you graduated high school?

What ideas do YOU have to solve the situation?

Is it even a situation worth solving?

Leave a comment on the blog, email me (at kylerludlow@me.com), or leave a comment on the Facebook post.

Episode 12: Eric Drees

I have no better title than to give it to the man of the hour... or 20 minutes I suppose. Eric Drees tries his luck at some Kyler's Korner trivia in hopes of earning the right to talk about the San Francisco 49ers and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.

Episode 11: NFL Sadness and the over/under values

The tragic passing of Junior Seau, plus the sadness that surrounds the New Orleans Saints and the BountyGate scandal, Jered Weaver's no-no, plus a look at the under/over value scale in ESPN the magazine.

Episode 10: The good, the bad, and the ugly

The Good - Tampa Bay signing former Rutgers DT Eric LeGrand
The Bad - Chicago Bulls without Derrick Rose
The Ugly - Troy Perkins and a scary moment out in Portland

Episode 9: More idiots rolling in

The race for "Idiot of the Week" gets a little tighter thanks to Amare and Jay-Z, NHL Playoffs, Jay Bruce's pursuit of the Cincinnati Reds' consecutive home run record, and a preview of things to come for tomorrow's guest!

Episode 8: What's up in Washington?

Deceiving title: the Washington DC correspondent Jesse Goldberg-Strassler is actually living in Michigan! Lots of talk today!

Episode 7: Tough Guy Competition

Thanks to the BOURNE trilogy last night, it got me thinking about all the tough guys out there in the cinema world... and led to this morning's podcast. I've decided to take nominations for the first annual Tough Guy Tournament: We'll take 16 guys (or girls, I guess) from television and cinema and hypothetically pit them against each other to see who is the ultimate Tough Guy... Obviously Jason Bourne is getting a 1 seed here. Let me know!! Comments on the podcast and emails will be considered.

Episode 6: NFL Draft, Part 1

I get on the line with Man League Universal Commissioner Jesse Grogean to discuss the Cincinnati Bengals draft as well as this years' fantasy implications from Round 1, as well as talk with my dear friend and diehard Detroit Lions fan Pete Gaglio.

Episode 5: So many questions...

Where are you Albert? Is Paul Konerko a Hall of Famer? Why do the Reds have FOUR mascots? Is the left tackle really as important as its made out to be??
Give me your answers... email me at kylerludlow@me.com

Episode 4: The Week of Misinformation

Discussing the Week of Misinformation and the impact it has on the NFL Draft, the new BCS Playoff talks, and Dwight Howard and his newest drama in Orlando. Email any comments, questions or answers to kylerludlow@me.com

Episode 3: Saints and Bruins and Intramurals... Oh my

New Orleans' Saints funny business, UCLA's #1 recruiting class, and the love and affection of collegiate intramural sports

Episode 2: Where is the love?

On topic for today's podcast: The road-warrior Cleveland Indians, NHL hockey, and NFL/NBA player drama (yes, Metta World Peace)

The Future of the Reds

Here is the promised corresponding blog post to my earlier podcast. It will be a little heavy with statistics and numbers, but I have always been one to write with emotion (and less than proper grammar) so it should be easy to follow along.

So first things first, I want to outline the two trades I will be dissecting. The first and most obvious is the Mat Latos - Edinson Volquez, Yonder Alonso, and Yasmani Grandal deal. At the time of this trade, I feel like I wasn't the only one out there who thought it was less-than-awesome. Yes, Latos has a lot of talent, but reports on his character made him seem like he might be slightly better than You're giving up a great catching prospect in Grandal, and a future first base stud in Alonso. Keep in mind that at the time of the trade, it seemed less than likely that Votto would be re-signed for anything long term, so the Alonso part of the deal seemed especially awful. Grandal isn't a huge loss because of the presence of Devin Mesoraco, who is turning out to look like a great catcher and future favorite player of all Reds' fans. In hindsight, now that Votto is locked up for the next 12 years, there's no place for Alonso, so the trade has worked out.
The other deal I want to look at is the Sean Marshall - Travis Wood, Dave Sappelt, and Ronald Torreyes. I'm not 100% on board with this trade, even though the Reds have locked down Marshall until 2015 and he's looking very strong in the bullpen so far in 2012. With the unfortunate injury to Ryan Madson, this is already looking like a good trade. Plus, Wood and Sappelt have both started the year in AAA (Wood is 1-1 with a 5.19 ERA, while Sappelt is currently hitting .238), so this trade just keeps getting better and better!
I may not have agreed with a lot of the Michael Lewis novel Moneyball, but I did think it brought up a terrific point about relievers. They are a dime a dozen. Who doesn't think that Homer Bailey could be a lights-out reliever with the way he can bring it? If he knows he's only going to throw one inning, two tops, he'll be living in the 97 mph range. I don't like the trade because they gave up too much in the form of players (Torreyes is a stud, and if the trade would have been Wood and Sappelt only, I'd almost be on board), and ultimately in money too. $5 million a year is a lot for a guy who only throws one inning and doesn't even do that every day. Apparently the Reds had someone win that huge Mega-Millions pot from a month ago though because their spending as of late is not-so small market.

After all that, my conclusion is simple. The Reds have a farm system that has extreme talent, and they'll be able to use it to get Major League proven talent. Billy Hamilton is as exciting of a baseball player that you could ever see. And for the people who say, "Yes, but you can't steal first," I have this to counter. In 16 games for the High-A Bakersfield Blaze, Hamilton is  hitting .367 with 16 runs scored, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 1 homer, 8 RBI, and is 14-18 in stolen bases. And for those who say, "It's only 16 games," I counter with this: In the second half last year, Hamilton posted a .318 average (93 hits in 292 AB's), scored 62 runs, and struck out thirteen less times (60 in the 2nd half to 73 in the 1st), while walking ten more times (20 in the 1st half up to 30 in the 2nd). He's starting to figure things out. The question becomes, where does he play? He has the makeup physically as a second baseman, and that position is locked up with the Brandon Phillips extension. If its decided he can play shortstop at the MLB level, then what do you do with Zack Cozart? It's because of this "surplus" at key positions (catcher, shortstop, first base) that the Reds will continue to be the team that trades for big-name guys with highly-touted prospects. Hamilton isn't the only guy in the organization that you could do this with. We've already seen Alonso and Grandal get shipped out. Who is the next to go?

I don't mind trading position player prospects for proven talent like Latos and Marshall. Pitching prospects though, are a different story. Fortunately for the ending of this blog post, the Reds haven't done that yet, so there's no material for that. Always, always, always remember when the trading of and for prospects is going on: just because they're a top ranked prospect doesn't mean they'll be the next great thing. As an Indians' fan, the CC Sabathia trade still kills me thanks to the absolutely awful professional career of Matt LaPorta, who at the time was the #1 prospect in all of baseball, and has now had two failed attempts in the majors and is the current Columbus Clippers first baseman.

If you're a Reds fan and you're not excited about the future, I officially give you permission to do so now. The combination between the talent already there, prospects on the way, and the potential for trades to improve the squad leaves Cincinnati with a great window of opportunity.

First try at a podcast... Corresponding blog post to come later today.

Chill out people...

Hearing people complain about the Cincinnati Reds' season is making me sick. It has been thirteen games. The Reds are 5-8. You know what that means? NOTHING. The 2010 NL Central Champion Reds were also 5-8. After thirteen games last year, the World Series Champion Cardinals were 6-7. I know that every game counts, but we've seen it the last two years that whoever is hot at the end of the season is the team that makes the splash ('11 Cardinals, '10 Giants), and what's really more important? You can complain about Latos, or Dusty, or Willie Harris, that's all legitimate. But with the Reds as my second-favorite team and my general fandom of all of baseball, it disgusts me to see the comments like, "I thought the Reds were supposed to be good this year," and "Looks like the Reds wasted a lot of money and talent on this team," on Twitter and Facebook by people who consider themselves "fans" of the Cincinnati Reds. Must be on the bandwagon because they don't understand baseball.

Want to look at another example? How about my Cleveland Indians. Last year they were a MAJOR LEAGUE LEADING 21-9 after thirty games, and had a 4.5 game lead over the Kansas City Royals. At the same point in time, the Detroit Tigers were 13-17 and 8 games out of first place. The Tigers went to the ALCS, won the division by like 15 games, and the Indians finished with a glamorous 80-82 record. The Reds have an EXTREMELY talented team; things will absolutely turn around.

I briefly mentioned Mat Latos and would also like to dish out some facts on him. For those of you who are worried that this was a raw deal for the Reds, keep in mind the following facts:
(1) Latos' career record in April is 1-8 **including this year** - His overall career record is now 27-31 (2) His career ERA is 3.54 (including an 8.22 mark in 2012)
(3) In 2010, the 14-10, 2.92 ERA year (and the year Reds' fans got excited about) he was 1-4 to start the year and 0-5 to finish it.

There are bigger problems than Mat Latos on this team. To make a deep run into the playoffs and make a serious push for the World Series, you have to have a deep bench. The Reds don't have that. Chris Heisey and Ryan Ludwick in the outfield is working right now, and hopefully it continues... but if Willie Harris keeps getting all the playing time he has, that is a recipe for disaster. There's going to need to be someone to play third base too if you want Scott Rolen for the playoffs. It's completely unrealistic to expect him to play every game anymore. Having a deep and reliable bench to get you through the regular season is one thing, and it becomes the most important thing when you're making a double-switch in the 8th inning against the Phillies in the NLCS... Right now the Reds have to choose between Harris and Wilson Valdez. (I just mentally pictured all 45 of the readers of this column shuddering).

If Cincinnati is still 3 games under .500 and trailing by 4 games at the end of May we can revisit all of these things and try to figure out how to right the ship. For now just remember, it's April, chill out people.

Lin vs. Tebow

I know that there are plenty of articles talking about the meteoric rise of Jeremy Lin, and I vowed that I would not join that train, yet here I am. I heard this morning, once again, a comparison of Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow, and I have a tremendously difficult time making sense of it. Don't get me wrong, I think both are amazing stories, tremendous athletes, wonderful advocates of the Christian faith for their respective sports, and both are exceeding expectations, but think about this:

Jeremy Lin was offered "spots" on teams out of high school. Stanford, UCLA, and Cal offered positions on their teams, which is commonly referred to as a "preferred walk on," and Harvard and Brown offered him a position as well. Ivy League teams don't offer athletic scholarships.
Tim Tebow had to decide between every school in the country. He reportedly had scholarship offers from every major school in the SEC (Florida, Alabama, LSU) and was considered the top quarterback recruit in the nation.

Jeremy Lin didn't make any splashes until his sophomore year, when he made 2nd Team All-Ivy League. His junior year he was the only NCAA DI player in the top ten in their league in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, blocked shots, field goal, free throw, and three-point percentage, but no one considered him a future NBA star. When he repeated the feat his senior year, no NBA franchise salivated over it. He was the first player in Ivy League history to finish with over 1,450 points, 450 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals. He went undrafted.
Tim Tebow saw limited time as a freshman as well (hey there's a similarity), but did end up with the second-most rushing yards for Florida. He had some key touchdowns in key games (in the National Championship against Ohio State for instance), but people still questioned about him being named starter in 2007. He then went on to win the Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award (best QB) as a sophomore, broke the school rushing TD record (previously held by Emmitt Smith), won a second national championship and the Maxwell Award as a junior, and then iced the cake with his record breaking 51st rushing touchdown (previously held by Georgia's Hershel Walker) as a senior. Oh let's not forget to mention he had 5 NCAA, 14 SEC and 28 Florida Gator statistical records by the time he graduated as well. "Experts" questioned his draft stock, and he was taken 25th overall by the Denver Broncos.

Jeremy Lin decided to sign with his hometown Golden State Warriors, who notoriously cut Lin to make room for a player (DeAndre Jordan) that never came. He made the opening day roster for the 2010-11 season and was placed on the inactive list. He didn't get much playing time because Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis are the stars, and honestly, who would you rather have had the ball? Lin made his NBA debut on "Asian Heritage Night" for the Warriors (seriously) against the Los Angeles Clippers. Lin got the 12th man treatment that you see at a lot of high schools: at the end of a game where the outcome was decided, fans started chanting for Lin to enter the game. He was then released, signed by Houston, and released again. He was signed by a guard-depleted Knicks team, bounced around between them and the D-League, and then Baron Davis suffered another injury setback, forcing the Knicks to play this little-known Ivy Leaguer. He's now scored 146 points and dished out 57 assists in six starts, and "has a role in All-Star Weekend," whatever that means.
Tim Tebow DID have a rough start to his career. I'm not going to try and paint the picture that he had his road paved for him by all his aforementioned success. He was a backup for the majority of his rookie season, but did see some marginal success. He was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week twice, threw for 654 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions, and also rushed for 227 yards and six touchdowns. Tebow was being criticized from all sorts of media personalities, from former players and coaches, to so-called "experts," to writers (PTI and Around the Horn guys/gals). Everyone had something to say about Tebow. John Fox named him the starter against the Miami Dolphins after the Broncos started the season 1-5, and the legend was born.

Another point that was brought to my attention by Dan Patrick yesterday is that this doesn't happen in the NBA. The NFL just had a tremendous story with Arian Foster that is a more rags-to-riches story than Tebow, and in baseball you have it all the time thanks to the high population of Latin American players. The NBA doesn't have surprises like that. Sure, there are players who grew up with nothing and found their passion and way out in basketball, but those players are top recruits and draft picks once high school hits.

Oh yeah, and this just came to mind:
Jeremy Lin earns $800,000
Tim Tebow earns a base salary of $11.25 million, and can make as much $33 million through performance-based incentives.

Both men have faced adversity to get to the point that they are at now. People are still questioning whether Tebow can start in the NFL, and no one thinks Jeremy Lin can be good once Carmelo Anthony returns to the Knicks. There stories have similarities, but Jeremy Lin-like stories don't come along often. Let's all just sit back and enjoy it.