Dynasty in waiting or a misdiagnosis?

18 down, and only 8 down in the win column for the Arizona Diamondbacks in terms of home wins. Cause for concern?

It is for one anonymous D-Backs “official” according to Ken Rosenthal:

If the team’s offensive woes continue, an organization-wide reassessment likely will take place.

“We should be going forward, not backward,” the official said.

But after the better part of two seasons, should the D-backs hitters really be moving forward or maybe these young players are just not as good as originally thought. That’s a jolting thesis, and D-backs management may get rid of Rick Schu and/or Bob Melvin before coming to that conclusion. But, after two years of watching these young hitters not progress, or in some cases, regress, can we say it is an error in instruction or an error in analysis?

Option A- getting bad instruction
Option B- Ceiling isn’t as high as originally thought

Burnsy says option B is the nightmare scenario, so all options are on the table (and will be exhausted) before the D-backs give up on their young talent.

The Cardinals cut 3 yesterday, including the surprising departures of RLB Travis LaBoy, and CB Roderick Hood. This is just the latest makeover for the Cards during the offseason, as former DC Clancy Pendergast was sent off to KC following his unit’s disappointing 19th rank in total defense last year. Burnsy thinks this is just the latest sign that Ken Whisenhunt is in total control of day-to-day operations in Tempe, and can do no wrong in the eyes of many fans in the Valley.

Cards DE Bertrand Berry joined Burnsy to discuss the latest round of moves, including the departure of the man who took his place in the starting lineup at the beginning of last season, Travis LaBoy. Berry isn’t surprised by the cuts, and thinks the defense still has as much talent as last year, as long as guys step up in the place of Hood, Antonio Smith,etc. Berry is also anxious to see how new DC Bill Davis’s scheme differs from Pendergast’s. First look will be at Friday’s workouts, which will likely not include Anquan Boldin. Boldin is one of Berry’s favorite teammates, and he’s very happy that Q should be returning.

 

 Bertrand Berry [9:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (57)

Deal or no deal: Reportedly Anquan Boldin has not garnered any concrete offers from other teams. That according to Rod Graves. According to John Clayton, Boldin may be available for a 1st and Todd Heap. And there’s some speculation out of New York that the Jets may trade their 1st and 3rd for Boldin. So, deal or no deal?

Todd Heap and a 1st: Burnsy says deal

Jets 1st and 3rd: Deal, although it may not be as good as the previous deal.

Or maybe there’s just no deal for Boldin. Burnsy is wondering why when Jay Cutler hit the market, he’s gone..instantly. Now granted he’s a quarterback, and he’s a young quarterback with a bazooka arm. But the Broncos got exactly what they were asking for for him. Will the Cardinals get what they want for Boldin? Burnsy says likely not, especially if a deal is not made by Friday eve.

Rod Graves joined Burnsy to talk about Boldin, the Cards draft, and just what he might be doing with all that spare time on Saturday.

Speaking of spare time, shouldn’t Jon Rauch get plenty of it…soon! Burnsy doesn’t get why Rauch doesn’t get the boot by AZ. After all:

He’s been scored upon in 6 of his 8 (75%) appearances this year, 17 of his last 24 (70%) dating back to last August 13thand in 18 of 34 (53%) total appearances as a D-Back.

And Rauch’s first 5 appearances with the D-Backs were scoreless!

Speaking of horrible, Robin Lopez’s 08-9′ performance was good enough for someone. Someone who had the audacity to place a 2nd place vote for ROY on Lopez’s behalf. What’s next: Amare Stoudemire getting a 2nd place vote for defensive player of the year? Steve Nash?? Terry Porter for coach of the year???

 

 Rod Graves [10:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (18)

Larry Fitzgerald may be set to be on cover of Madden 2010, and may be the most popular athlete in Arizona.  Steve Nash is pretty close to Fitz in Q rating; although he may be close the end of his tenure with the Suns.  Kurt Warner makes the list and Brandon Webb may also be up there for the D-Backs.  On the flip side, there’s a cast of characters who cannot be confused for being popular, right now, in Arizona.  They are…:

1.    Eric Byrnes- 0-7, 2 Ks in 3 games, while whining to the media about the media.

2.    Steve Kerr – See #4, although many wish the Suns would’ve sold this year’s 15th pick, Robin Lopez.

3.    Jon “Tatooed” Rauch - Nothing seems to be going right for him, unless you play for one of the D-backs opponents…

4.    Robert Sarver – Not paying Joe Johnson, draft picks, Suns may pay for the Shaq trade.

5.    Jim Livengood – Botched the UA coaching search.   Pitino, Few, Capel, Floyd didn’t want the job, and the 5th choice only took it after he overpaid him.

6.    Mark Reynolds- 2 Ks, 1 error in 2 games.  Originator of the Matt Reynolds hat trick- (strikeout, error, homerun)

7.    Rick Schu- no noticeable improvement in D-Backs hitting approach this year, most notably Justin Upton

8.    Doug Slaten – left handed reliever who cannot get out left handed hitters, hmm…

9.    Bob Melvin- fans most irritated by any of the following:  Playing Eric Byrnes, employing Rick Schu, pitching Jon Rauch as well as the # 8 man on our list.

10.    Robin Lopez – He fouls often outnumber his points and rebounds, and his dialect is a cross between a caveman and a surfer.  Think Encino Man, only taller .

According to Callaway Golf - 78%: Percentage of male golfers who would rather play Augusta National than go on a date with Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Bar Rafaeli.
I’d take the date.  And, for the record, I’d rather:

Take BP at Fenway or Wrigley

Stay the night at the White House

Go on a date with Carrie Underwood

Sit courtside for an important NBA game

Attend the Super Bowl
Turns out the D-Backs had concern about Brandon Webb’s health before this latest shoulder issue.  In fact, Fox Sports is reporting that Webb was rejected by several insurance companies as the D-Backs sought protection before a potential long-term investment.  Given this, Burnsy believes Webb leaving is a foregone conclusion, just as a losing season is for the D-Backs  if he does not come back this year.

 

 Reverse Q Rating [7:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (48)

* Opening Day is here and the D-backs open with a win over the Colorado Rockies. It’s the first of 86 according to Vegas; the first of 88 according to the Baseball Prospectus, and the first of 82 according the most pessimistic of analysts. So, if we split the difference and project the amount of D-backs wins this year to be 85- would you go over or under??? Burnsy says over.

* They missed on Rick Pitino. They missed on Mark Few. They even missed on Jeff Capel, and then Tim Floyd. So, how can U of A’s 5th choice for the job be seen as anything but a disappointment? Or is Miller really a step below those previous candidates? If Pitino is a 10, Few is an 8, Floyd and Capel are 7s - what does that make Miller: 6? Is that really that big of a step above (now Memphis head coach) Josh Pastner?

* Just when you thought he was in, Karlos Dansby might pull his long-term contract back off the table. He’s also reportedly pulled the plug on his agent. Surely not a good sign for the Cards.

Speaking of bad signs, a blowout loss in the Suns biggest game of the season isn’t a good one for anyone who believes the current roster is good enough to come back next year. Alvin Gentry may be among that group. Judging from his reluctance to endorse the current group of Suns coming back intact in 09-10’. You be the judge.

 

 Alvin Gentry [7:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (62)

I guess we found out what the college basketball world thinks of the University of Arizona job.

It thinks that Tim Floyd is the man for the job.

Assuming Floyd gets the job as our own Mark Asher reported yesterday, at best it’s a high risk/high reward hire.  On its worst day it’s a controversial move, making your stomach turn to have a coach job-hop within his own conference.  But most Wildcats fans probably feel this morning the way I feel after 10 minutes on a treadmill.

That’s the best you could do?

I had said all along that the market will decide how good the Wildcat gig is.  The next coach they hire will tell you where the Cats fit in the college basketball universe and how the program is perceived by the industry.

And the universe spit out…..Tim Floyd.

It’s sorta like when you go to a seafood restaurant, sometimes you’ll see that chalkboard at the front that tells you the Lobster is “market price”.  How much is the lobster worth?  Depends on the day, the size of the lobster, the economy in Gloucester, Massachusetts where the big red bug was caught…..all sorts of things.

But the U of A fans scream…..LOOK HOW MANY NBA PLAYERS WE’VE PRODUCED, ALL THE SUCCESS, THE GREAT RECRUITS, WE’RE ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS IN AMERICA!!!

Then why would Mark Few rather stay in Spokane?  Why does Jeff Capel prefer coaching at a football school?

And why did the man you allowed the whole world to believe was your main target, Rick Pitino, tell Sports Illustrated that he’s not a candidate for the Arizona job…..and he “never was”?  If I’m a U of A fan that’s flat out embarrassing.

It’s like when you go to a bar; there are only a finite number of really hot women there and only a finite number of guys who have a chance of getting anywhere with them.

The rest of us are picking through the leftovers.  That’s the state of U of A basketball.  Not nearly as hot as it thinks it is.

But as I said, on its best day it’s a high-reward hire.  Floyd can recruit; at least, he recruited at USC.  Can he convince those kids to come to Tucson?  I think he’s got a punchers chance.

But everything you need to know about U of A basketball came in this little snippet from ESPN’s Andy Katz.  He said that if Floyd bolted for Tucson, USC could go after Pitt’s Jamie Dixon.

The notion that Dixon’s name is already coming up for the USC gig but was never mentioned for the U of A job paints a better picture than I ever could.