Mike Brown does not care if you have any character concerns. He doesn't care if you were convicted of a drug-related felony (talking to you, Jerome Simpson). He has no qualms about your vandalism and battery (hello Frostee Rucker). He has no issue whatsoever with your DUI conviction (looking at you, every Bengals player ever drafted). In fact, it seems to me that this owner/GM likes to sign players with character concerns. It's like you are required to have had a run-in with the law if you want to be on the Bengals. If you gained 1,000 yards receiving last year, you can rest assured the Bengals have a contract waiting for you, despite (or perhaps because of) your delinquency.

The Niners have started to follow this model of taking a chance on players who for some reason or another have had their overall stock take a hit due to injury, character concerns, or any other non-skill related factor. We signed Perrish Cox, an alleged rapist, and Randy Moss, a convicted quitter, to contracts this offseason. A lot of mock drafts have us taking players with character concerns throughout our draft. The difference is, our coaching and general team chemistry is now strong enough that we are able to deal with these potential concerns and maximize the production of our players. Just like the Patriots, who run a tight ship and are able to extract record breaking years out of their locker room cancers (2007 Moss), we have become a team that can afford to take chances on these players and reap the huge payoff for the cheap investment we put in. I think this is awesome, because the Niners have managed to expand their potential player pool that they can select from in the draft, free agency, or trades. Not only are we becoming like the Bengals, who love their high potential headcases, but we have turned into a team that can handle those headcases. Heck, if Jim Harbaugh can get a 3000 yard season out of our "bust" quarterback, he can do a lot with these high risk, high reward players. With that in mind, I present to you a 5 round mock draft featuring players who will slide due to their predraft issues being selected by the 49ers.

1st round: Alshon Jeffery

Alshon Jeffery provides good value in the lat 1st round/early second round. I know a lot of people might think that this is too high a spot for him, but his draft stock has risen in the past week or 2, and the Vikings are very interested in taking the former Gamecocks wideout with the 35th overall selection. Jeffery has had injury and weight related problems throughout his college career. The concern, however, isn't whether Jeffery is a low-effort player (he dropped from 230 lbs to 213 at USC's pro day), but whether he can be properly evaluated at a weight he simply did not play at in college. Jeffery is a guy we might be able to get away with trading down a few spots and still land, but the man had 88 receptions for 1,517 yards his junior year with a no-name quarterback, and he won't last past a team like the Vikings. Please note this is merely a thought exercise in selecting troubled talent, none of which exists for offensive linemen at this level to my knowledge. Should a player like Peter Konz or Kevin Zietler remain on the board, I would be all for their selection as an alternate to an early receiver.

2nd round: Janoris Jenkins

A bunch of mock drafts have Janoris Jenkins falling to the mid/late 2nd round. However, our M.O. of taking the BPA will prove too strong to let a talent like Jenkins pass up. He has more character concerns than any other draft prospect combined, but the man has the potential to develop into an "island" corner in the mold of DeAngelo Hall, Nnamdi Asomugha, or even Darelle Revis. There are only about 4 or 5 true shutdown corners in the NFL at one time, so if you can get past the pot abuse, there is no better man-to-man corner in the draft (Morris Claiborne is a Cover-2 corner in the mold of a Tramon Williams, not Nnamdi Asomugha).

3rd round: Greg Childs

Childs could prove to be the next mid-round receiver for a team like the Niners. Childs has ideal size for a receiver at 6'3", 219, and yet he has excellent straight-line speed for a pass catcher his size, posting a 40 time of 4.40. Childs has elite body control and is one of the most polished route runners in this draft. Childs also possess hands of glue, using his 37 inch vertical to grab the ball at its highest point. Childs also does well after the catch, often picking up a few extra crucial yards due to his ability to find and exploit weak areas in coverage quickly. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Childs is a more NFL ready prospect than Stephen Hill, and he might even be a better player flat out. So why is he falling to the third round? Childs has and injury history, which normally would not impact the draft stock of a wide receiver of his caliber. However, given the incredible depth at wide receiver that this class has, Childs will be available in later rounds as GMs won't necessarily feel the need to select Childs early should their team have receiver issues. Despite the knee surgery that Childs is coming of off however, he is worth a 3rd rounder and a chance to prove himself in our wide receiver corps.

4th round: Orson Charles

"4th round??? What the [site decorum] are you thinking Ramah71? Orson Charles is a 2nd round lock!" Well my foul mouthed friend, Orson Charles has a little thing dogging him called "character concerns", which, as you can see, greatly impacts his value in the eyes of most NFL teams. Earlier mocks indeed had him as high as mid to late 2nd round, but his stock has taken a nosedive, Jenkins style. In terms of pure talent, Charles is not far behind Coby Fleener, the consensus best tight end in the draft, though Charles is the best blocking tight end in the draft. Charles is a little short for a tight end, but he is still 2.5 inches taller than Delanie Walker, who is about 4 inches short of ideal size for a prototypical tight end. Charles is an athlete who plays faster in game than his 40 time would indicate, and he also shows excellent strength for the position, with 35 reps in the bench press, more than any other tight end. Charles has the route running skills and hands of a wideout, but at a solidly built 242 pounds. The most important attribute he has, however, is his willingness to improve as a player, a trait that should help him reach his high ceiling. He is reminiscent of an Aaron Hernandez coming out of college, and a Davis-Charles pairing may end up the next great tight end duo in the NFL.

5th round: Jacquies Smith

Jacquies Smith is a trendy sleeper pick lately. Despite injury concerns and underachivement at the collegiate level, Smith has all the tools neccessary to eventually become a starting OLB in a 3-4 scheme. At 6-3, 266 pounds, Smith is your classic 'tweener': too small to be a 4-3 defensive end, but well suited to the edge rush in a 3-4 scheme. Smith does well against the run and as a pass rusher, using his quick first step to speed his way into the backfield and wreak havoc. He is very athletic for his size, posting a 4.67 40 time and a 31.5 inch vertical. However, Smith is definitely a raw prospect who relies on his athleticism too much, and he lacks power moves against opposing blockers. Smith provides OLB depth in the short term, and he can be groomed to take over for Ahmad Brooks in 2-3 years. Smith has as good a chance as any to pan out and become a later round steal a la NaVorro Bowman.

Get this guy on your team, and you lead the league in sacks. You can also start thinking about more than just making the playoffs, but going deeper as well. If we sign Merriman, we could find ourselves in the NFC championship. He plays ROLB, same position as Parys Haralson. A lot of people probably are going to counter that Haralson is still developing and has a lot of potential. True. However, Merriman is 3 months younger than Haralson, and already is a star. I would argue that I'd rather have an established star who is one of the best right now than someone of a comparable age and will reach his peak later. After all, Merriman has 43.5 sacks in 57 games played (including 17 sacks in 12 games during the 2006 season), and is every QB's nightmare. He would be even more effective here in SF with a stronger overall D around him than in San Diego. His SB Nation scouting report:

Guess who else is described as a perennial pro bowler in their SB Nation scouting report? Patrick Willis. This is a 3 time Pro Bowler at 26 years of age. It's scary to think how good our defense can be with this guy around.

The reason he might be available is because the Chargers are a declining team (this is debatable) and could be had at a lower price due to his recent injury history. I think Haralson and a 2nd and 3rd rounder in 2011 would do it. After all, the Chargers want a similar package for Vincent Jackson. I would be glad to give up a 1st round pick for Merriman, since he is that good. What do you think? Please post why Merriman is/isn't a good fit for the Niners, and/or what you think his trade value should be.

The 49ers made a lot of improvements, especially through the draft. Their haul of Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati, Taylor Mays, Navorro Bowman,  Anthony Dixon, Kyle Williams, Nate Byham, and Philip Adams was very impressive. They made use of every pick, and I think every pick this year has a chance to make the 53 man. They lost Tony Pashos and Marcus Hudson to free agency, Glen Coffee to retirement, and traded away Shaun Hill (7th rounder) and Kentwan Balmer (6th rounder) at deep discounts (Hill was probably worth a 5th rounder, and Balmer a 4th). Obviously, none of these players were really part of the 49ers future anymore, so cutting loose was a good idea.

The weakest part of the offseason for the Niners was free agency, as usual. In fairness, they did bring in some good players, like Brian Westbrook, who Frank Gore will most likely learn a lot from, Ted Ginn, who Singletary said was the biggest surprise in camp (will he experience a Vernon Davis-like breakout?), and Travis LaBoy, who brings a non-stop motor and 23.5 career sacks to the table. But we can do better than David Carr and Karl Paymah. Fred Smoot and a veteran QB like Chad Pennington or AJ Feeley would have been much better pickups. I'd rather have Alex Smith learning from one of the most accurate QBs in history than the most sacked in history.

But it was their failure to make that one big splash that may cost them this year. Enter Jammal Brown. He was offered by the Saints for a conditional 3rd or 4th rounder. Let me repeat myself. A 3rd or 4th rounder in 2011 for a 2 time Pro Bowler. The Redskins snapped him up. Here is one of the best pass blockers in the league available for a bargain basement price. This is the kind of player Russell Okung is supposed to eventually develop into, an incredible athlete with great agility and initial quickness that has very polished technique, and is an average run blocker. He would serve dual roles as a mentor for Anthony Davis and be a mainstay on the line for 2 or 3 years. Brown is 29, but he has only 5 seasons of wear and tear, and he is 6'6", 313 lbs. He has had injury issues in the past, and never has played a full season, but also never played less than 13 games. The Redskins instantly improve their line with Brown's addition, and if the Niners had the foresight to sign Brown to a 3 year deal, their line becomes a top 12 unit instantly.

The only other area the Niners could have realistically improved was the DE position. Isaac Sopoaga is not really a weakness in real life; the man is 6'2", 330 lbs, and can manhandle any offensive lineman in the league. He is a great asset in the run game, but a non-factor in the pass rush. My concern is that the pass rush from the linebackers can be inconsistent at times, and since the d-line leads the pass rush, it's sometimes on them. This is obviously not nearly as big an issue as the O-line, but if the 49es plan to go deep in the postseason, improvement is needed here. Landing an all-around 3-4 end with Richard Seymour-like talent is very realistic -- the Raiders got him for a 2011 1st rounder, didn't they?  And If a future 1st rounder is the going rate for the best 3-4 end in the game today, ends like Luis Castillo of the Chargers (234 tackles and 16.5 sacks in 5 seasons) could be available for a 2nd rounder. There is one player that is perfect for the 49ers, however, and that is Haloti Ngata. You could have George Bush and Betty White start at cornerback, and our defense would still be 5th in the league with this guy around. Ngata has no weaknesses. He's 6'4", 350. He ran the 40 in 4.85 seconds. He has 3 career interceptions. He plays NT and end equally well. He gets sacks. He commands double and even triple teams. If we spend a 1st rounder and Isaac Sopoaga on this guy, I would be a very happy boy. A defense with Franklin, Ngata, Smith, and Willis is just unfair to the rest of the league's offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and running backs.

Of course, the team is great the way it is, and is a trendy NFC West candidate. But with Brown, Frank Gore runs for 1,500 yards and Alex Smith eclipses the 3,000 yard barrier, and we are guaranteed a playoff berth. With Ngata and Brown, our defense is comparable to the Jets D, and we reach the NFC championship and win 12 games. It's that extra addition or two that takes a team to new heights. I was born in 96, and obviously was too young to really experience the glory years of the 49ers. I'd like to see the Niners do better than .500 at least once in my lifetime.

Pace is 34. Many will say that's really the reason why we should stay away from him. But the experience and vast football knowledge that Pace brings to the table in itself is so valuable. He's like a coach on the field for the O-line, and would certainly be a great influence on our younger linemen, like Rachal and Staley and whoever we bring in from the draft. Even guys like Heitmann would pick up a thing or two from such a crafty vet. i have to believe that Issac Bruce most likely helped Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree with their development as pass-catchers, and we could use more of that on the O-line. As far as his actual production, it should turn out league average, maybe a little less. Age and injuries have taken their toll, and this most likely is his last year, but he's as smart and aware as ever, and although is not as strong as he once was, he is still surprisingly fluid for a 6'7", 325 pounder, and maintains great technique. Like Darren Sharper on defense (another player I have suggested we sign), Pace on offense is still effective, and a legend, former 1st overall pick and future Hall-of-Famer like him would only do good things for the Niners, both on the field and in the locker room. A one year deal would be good.

First, we look at my predicted 2010 opening day rotation right now:

SP Ben Sheets

SP Justin Duchscherer

SP Brett Anderson

SP Dallas Braden

SP Gio Gonzalez 

Spot Starter: Brett Tomko

CL Andrew Bailey

ST Brad Ziegler

ST Michael Wuertz

MR Joey Devine

MR Craig Breslow

MR Jerry Blevins

MR Brad Kilby

Come on now. The rotation isn't too bad, and the bullpen has some great arms with Devine back, ROY Bailey closing out games, and Ziegler/Wuertz setting Bailey up. But Oakland has long prided itself on its pitching, and the situation right now on the offense is too weak for the pitching to have this many question marks. I applaud Billy Beane for his efforts to strengthen the team with some veteran splurges (Sheets, Crisp, etc.), but a little more tinkering never hurt anyone. We'll start with the free agents. Joe Beimel, a 32 year old lefty specialist, has a career ERA of 4.23 in 9 seasons, and has generally been the quintessential setup man throughout his career. He is good enough to setup for the A's right now, as I think he still has a lot left in the tank, and his numbers certainly have been excellent, especially in his years with the Dodgers. Beimel has minimal closing experience, with only 4 saves in his career, but that shouldn't be a problem seeing as we already have a de facto closer in Bailey and a closer-in-waiting in Ziegler in case Bailey goes down or needs a rest. His fastball and slider has consistently been a good one-two punch throughout his career, notching him a 2.02 ERA and a 3.30 FIP in 2008. His WHIP has always been high (1.49 career), and he doesn't exactly rack up the K's, with a 5.11 K/9 career mark, but he is a quality pitcher nonetheless. Signing him would give us one of the best bullpens in all of baseball, and would help us keep the score right where it is.

In terms of our starters, I like the first four of Sheets/Duchscherer/Anderson and even Cahill, and I really do believe that our pitching could consistently carry us throughout games even when our offense isn't up to the task. (See 2009 Giants, who went 88-74 despite having a bottom 10 offense in a pitchers park). There is no reason to think that we can't do what the Giants did last summer, who were legit contenders for the wildcard to the very end, since all of their starters were solid and their bullpen was nothing less than stellar. Which is why I'm interested in Pedro Martinez. I  know you might be thinking that, yes, Martinez was once at the top and easily the best pitcher of the early 00's, but is now cooked, but a minor-league deal never hurt anyone. I'd like him to compete for the 5th starter role with Braden, because I'm not sold on Dallas. A spring training battle between Martinez/Braden/Gio Gonzalez would be good for the team, and certainly fun to watch.

But of course I wouldn't just leave the offense as it is for Opening-Day. I have a hard time believing that the A's would capture even the AAA crown with this lineup. Let's take a look at it first.

LF Rajai Davis (speed is there, but can he make enough contact to be a good leadoff man? Otherwise, the Michael Taylor show arrives)

CF Coco Crisp (love the name and the player when healthy, can have top leadoff man production if consistent)

C Kurt Suzuki (second biggest power threat hit 15 homers last year, which is sad. Takes nothing away from Suzuki's talent, though)

DH Jack Cust (power, OBP, low average, and more power should combine for excellence when you factor in the lower-than-career-average BABIP last year)

3B Kevin Kouzmanoff (decent 3B, provides good power and should have better production since he is moving away from Petco)

RF Ryan Sweeney (Gold-Glove caliber fielding, and has the contact skills to eventually become the next Franklin Gutierrez. I recommend the FanGraphs article comparing the two here; scroll down to the bottom)

2B Mark Ellis (if not for the injuries,  would hit 10-15 homers and garner generally decent stats, especially for a 2B)

1B Daric Barton 9 will eventually be good, but should be in AAA for more seasoning)

SS Cliff Pennington (glove is good, but bat definitely needs AAA seasoning)

Bench

SS Eric Chavez (still good, even with his injury history, but not $11 million a year good)

3B Jake Fox (has a great bat, but not solid defensively)

3B Adam Rosales (Crosby twin and lefty masher is a nice backup at this point. Needs to cut down on K's)

OF Gabe Gross (decent starter, great backup/platoon guy has power, but doesn't show enough of it)

As you can see, the heart of the order isn't bad at all, but we need to either call up Carter and Taylor or sign/trade for someone to fill in the holes at 1st and especially short. We can't afford to give up this much offense in favor of fielding unless we have multiple offensive threats, of which we are sadly lacking in. First, we look at free agency, which at first glance, has no talent anymore, but there are some good players that for one reason or another still haven't been signed yet. Players like Hank Blalock, 29, formerly of the Rangers and a player that is a power threat when healthy, and is mostly a 1B/DH type. Nagging injuries and below average fielding skills have made him seem older than 29, but I see no reason why he can't, if healthy, produce like a quality player. I have him hitting something like .260/.320/.460, with around 20 homers (he hit 25 last year, 32 in 2004) in 460 plate apperances. A minor-league deal would be in order here.

Another player I think still has something left in the tank is Carlos Delgado. He is 37, and for some that should be reason enough to stay away from him, but he has always demonstrated good power and could surpass 500 homers in his career (he has 473), so that makes him a bit of a fan attraction and veteran clubhouse presence, if nothing else. He hit .271 with 38 homers in 2008, so if he can produce like that at 36, a minor-league deal would be an absolute bargain. He is projected to hit .265/.365/.495 with 25 homers, which would be the steal of the offseason at 400K, and would allow Carter to finalize his minor league seasoning. It would jump-start our offense and give our pitching a little more breathing room. As with the pitching, there is absolutely no risk in signing players to minor league deals, and even if any of these acquisitions get injured, at least Chavvy would have a DL buddy and wouldn't feel so lonely.

Finally, I'd like to quit delving into the FA market for a while and propose a trade: I'd like to offer Cliff Pennington, Daric Barton, and Travis Buck for Jhonny Peralta. My logic? Well, this is a good package, as all three players I'm offering have potential, especially Barton, and the Indians continue to stip their roster of payroll eaters. This move would then seem like a very Cleveland Indian-like thing to do. Peralta is coming off a down year because of a below average BABIP, so his bounceback is imminent. Finalizing this deal would help both teams, but the GM of the Indians is so much less cool than Billy Beane that he would, in fact, accept this trade in my mind. He hit .254 last year, but it is not unreasonable to predict a .270/.335/.430 line with 17 homers and great fielding in 585 PA. Okay, let's finish this Fanpost with my preferred 2010 opening day depth chart, complete with projections for hitters:

Your 2010 Oakland A's! Predicted record: 89-73, 2nd place finish

Pitching: A-

SP Ben Sheets

SP Justin Duchscherer

SP Brett Anderson

SP Trevor Cahill

SP Gio Gonzalez 

Spot Starters: Dallas Braden, Brett Tomko

CL Andrew Bailey

ST Brad Ziegler

ST Michael Wuertz

MR Joey Devine

MR Joe Beimel

MR Craig Breslow

MR Jerry Blevins

MR Brad Kilby

Hitting: B Fielding: A Speed A

LF Rajai Davis (.285/.340/.400 with 6 homers, 50 stolen bases, typical excellent fielding)

CF Coco Crisp (.275/.345/.405 with 8 homers, 25 steals, more excellent fielding)

C Kurt Suzuki (.275/.335/.420 with 15 homers, 5 steals, yet more excellent fielding)

DH Jack Cust (.255/.385/.470 with 35 homers, 100 RBIs, 3 steals)

3B Kevin Kouzmanoff (.275/.330/.465 with 25 homers, 3 steals, good to great defense at 3rd base)

1B Carlos Delgado (.265/.365/.495 with 25 homers, limited range and acceptable glove at 1st)

SS Jhonny Peralta (.270/.335/.430 with 17 homers, 5 steals and great fielding)

RF Ryan Sweeney (.290/.355/.410 with 10 homers, 8 steals, and Gold-Glove caliber fielding)

2B Mark Ellis (.265/.325/.400 with 12 homers, 10 steals, solid fielding)

Bench

1B/DH Hank Blalock (.260/.320/.460 with 10 homers in limited action)

SS Eric Chavez (average hitting, Gold Glove D when he takes the field)

3B Jake Fox (Hitting will be there, not defense)

3B Adam Rosales (will fill in nicely for anyone in the infield minus catcher)

OF Gabe Gross (will do his job well in the outfield)

So yesterday (or rather the day before) my dad and I went out, bought pizza at a place called Red Boy, rented some movies, and came home. We watched the movie (More than a Game with LeBron James, it was great), ate pizza, and then my mom and sister went to bed. But my dad and I weren't quite so tired, so we decided to watch some of the Olympics on NBC. We saw the Apolo Ohno incident, and both the individual 500 and team speed skating, which was awesome. Where am I going with this? Well, you see, right after Ohno got disqualified, a Giants commercial aired. Immediately a huge rush of adrenaline passed through my body, and I was so excited at the sight of seeing real baseball (I'm not allowed to play video games except in summer and winter/thanksgiving/spring breaks, so I hadn't even played MLB 09 the Show for quite some time) that I yelled a bit. At that very moment seeing Lincecum go into his lineup and blow his fastballs right by people, or see Pablo Sandoval crush yet another homer over the expansive walls of AT&T into McCovey Cove, or even Aaron Rowand doing his thing (swinging at sliders 2 feet off the plate) I knew that  that I was destined to become an MLB player. Or a general manager. Or a great little leaguer. (tryouts are today) Or just a really good fan. Okay, my point is that I felt as if I was playing on that field at that very moment, slapping line-drives down the third-base line, or taking off for second as soon as the pitcher was halfway into his windup, or throwing a called third strike off the edge of the plate with my circle-change. I felt i was, to quote the 2009 Giants commercial scheme, "We are in this thing!" It shows me that i love baseball so much, maybe too much. After all, I always carry a ball and my tiny 11 1/2 inch glove to school so that I can pitch off the mound during breaks and lunches. I always talk fantasy baseball with most everyone who I think probably understands it. (By the way, I have built an unstoppable contender that I will list in the comments) I do like basketball and football and all the others. But baseball has a special place in my heart. especially A's baseball. Heck, if I'm going to get that excited watching Giants baseball, what am I going to do if i happen to see an A's commercial airing? I'd yell for a full minute! I love this game.

The niners haven't had a really solid (as in playoff-caliber) secondary since the mid-90's with Eric Davis shutting down opposing no. 1 receivers and Ronnie Lott patrolling center field and the endzone. That could change easily. My plan to fix the secondary for at least the next 3-4 years or so is to first sign Darren Sharper. Not only is he one of the only unrestricted free agents of value on the market, but there's also a good chance that the Saints release him, especially if they sign/draft another safety to take his place. He would bring an excellent value at around $2-3 million for one year, even at 34, as he tied for first in the NFL with 9 interceptions, and along with Charles Woodson, led everyone with 3 pick-sixes. For a 34 year old reclamation project, that isn't half-bad. He has 63 career interceptions, tied with Lott for 6th most in NFL history.

Of course, even with a 49ers defense superior to the one down in New Orleans, I find it hard to believe that Sharper will repeat his 2009, much less exceed 5 Ints with more than one pick-six. And even that would be astounding. A lot of quarterbacks respect Sharper, and with his vast experience, he could even take Dashon Goldson under his wing and maybe, just maybe, do for Goldson what Rod Woodson did for Nnamdi Asomugha in 2004 and help turn him into a very good starter, potentially an elite safety, within 2-3 years.  Sharper is just an all-around good signing that can only help this team, and the combined locker room leadership, experience, and skill that he offers is well worth $3 mil.  Now we turn to the deal that would push this team to a top 5 overall defense. The Raiders have made a lot of headlines by shopping Nnamdi Asomugha around the NFL for the past week or so, and I know a lot of people have posted about the niners acquiring the services of Mr. Asomugha. This is not a new topic.

What is new, however, is my idea for the deal the niners could offer Oakland. I propose that in exchange for the best shutdown corner in the NFL since 2006 and wide reciever Louis Murphy, we offer our 13th pick, Nate Clements, Michael Lewis, Parys Haralson, Jason Hill, Adam Snyder and Brandon Jones. First of all, not only do we lock down the opposing team's number 1 receiver game in and game out, but we also get the best receiver on the Raiders (sorry Zach Miller) since Jerry Rice last suited up for Oakland in 2003. He caught 34 passes for 521 yards and 4 TDs, and was the game-day hero along with Bruce Gradkowski against the Steelers. I'll let Greg Papa tell the rest of the story: "Walkins out right singled up with Burnett, Gradkowski, they blitz Burnett, here's Gradkowski now gonna to throw for the endzone it is CAUGHT, TOUCHDOWN RRRRAID-ERS!!!! Louis Murphy in the back corner of the endzone with nine seconds to go!" The game ended that way with the Raiders victorious, 27-24. 

At first blush, this deal may seem like it does not include enough talent, but Al Davis has his own special way of evaluating players. First, he probably thinks highly of Clements, who until 2009 has been a legit shutdown corner. He did falter during the second half, but he still is a solid number one corner, maybe a #2. Now on to Michael Lewis. We know what we're getting from Lewis, which is basically what Taylor Mays most likely will end up as: an undersized linebacker who tackles like one, but also can't cover like one. Lewis gets put in the box 95% of the time, as Singletary cannot trust him in coverage unless it is a Hail-Mary situation. He racks up the tackles, though, with 668 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 12 interceptions in his 8 year career. He's not a bad player, certainly, but Al Davis will see another Jack Tatum in this guy, and would love Lewis on his team, especially since he is still only 29 years old.

Haralson is the real deal-tipper here. He is big enough to play middle linebacker on a 4-3 team, at 6'3" and 255 lbs., but also has the pass-rush ability of a 4-3 defensive end, with 10.5 sacks in 2 years, including 8 in 2008. He is still very young and just turned 25, so he still has a lot of room to grow, and I think he will eventually become an excellent linebacker in either scheme. He is also still on his rookie contract, so he provides fair value and excellent potential for any team. Hill and Jones both are good wide receivers, but there is not much space for them, even with Arnaz Battle and Isaac Bruce leaving, since Murphy would become entrenched at the #3 WR position, possibly even lapping Josh Morgan for #2 option by the start of the season. Hill could eventually become a solid #2 receiver as he has skill but really hasn't been given the chance to show it. Jones is a good player as well, and despite the punt fiasco against the Seahawks, has been a good player for the Titans, especially in 08, amassing 41 catches for 449 yards and a TD in only 7 starts, but his total career numbers in 5 years look like one typical Jerry Rice year: 113 catches, 1,398 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He is still just 27 so he could potentially exceed 1,000 yards before his career ends, but he would need to earn a stable starting role, because the situation in SF doesn't look like it will work out. Snyder would be attractive to Davis because of his flexibility on the line (he can play both guard and tackle spots equally bad) and yet still would easily be an upgrade over the crap they penciled in at right tackle, Cornell Green. He has been called for every penalty in the book, and allows more sacks than even Kwame Harris. Those two on one offensive line would ensure that every quarterback in the league spend quality time on the IR; they have no idea how to pass-block. That's why Davis is a bit desperate for o-line help, and Snyder could become another potential deal-tipper as a result.

This trade probably wouldn't fly with any other general manager in the NFL unless I took Murphy out of the picture, but you always try to constantly propose some kind of deal to the Raiders, because Davis is bound to accept one. This deal, if it goes down, would be the greatest move in SF history since the niners traded a 2nd round pick for Steve Young in 1985, and would immediately pole-vault this team to playoff-bound division champions. And I still haven't talked about the draft or any other free agents! The NFC West this year is ripe for the taking. We have a very talented team that is two or three major deals/signings away from legitimate playoff contention, as Arizona will lose key players on both sides of the ball, the Rams suck as always, and the Seahawks need help everywhere. We can win the division. But it is up to Scot McCloughan and the rest of the FO to make it happen. The 2010 offseason is absolutely pivotal.

I'm not quite done discussing the Asomugha deal however. First of all, we would actually save money by dealing for Nnamdi, as we give up $8.3 million in Clements, $4.2 million in Lewis, $3.5 million in Jones, $2.5 million in Snyder, $2.3 million in Haralson, and $738 K in Hill for a grand total of $21.6 million dumped on the Raiders in exchange for Asomugha's insane 3 year, $45.3 million contract, the highest in the league. The first two years, totaling $28.6 million, are fully guaranteed. Another $4.7 million is available through incentives. To keep Asomugha through 2011, the Niners would have to pay him either the franchise number for quarterbacks that year OR $16.875 million, whichever number is greater. If the club fails to exercise the option, Asomugha would not be able to be franchise tagged and will become an unrestricted free agent. They also receive Murphy's far more reasonable 4 year, $2 million deal, with $395,000 in 2010. Ultimately, should the Niners complete this deal, they actually gain around $6.5 million, which could be used to cover the contract of Darren Sharper and also be reserved for more free agent signings or the draft.  This deal is win-win for the Niners, and win-win in Al Davis' mind. However, even with the money saved on this deal, we still would need to restructure Asomugha's contract a little, because even Asomugha is not worth QB franchise tag money. Heck, most QBs aren't worth QB franchise tag money either, unless they are close to Joe Montana/Peyton Manning/Johnny Unitas type talent.

My last major free agent signing proposition switches to the offensive side of the ball.  I have already traded for a receiver that has the route-running skill paired with excellent deep-threat speed and huge upside we need, plus sure hands as well. That scenario would play out quite well, as both Crabtree and Murphy have a lot of promise, and Vernon Davis is finally an established star. Which is why this last signing concentrates on what is easily the weakness of the niners: the offensive line. I'd like the Niners to ink Bobbie Williams to a one year deal. He could potentially do for Frank Gore what Larry Allen did for Gore in 06, which is open massive holes for Gore to exploit. Not only is he an unrestricted free agent, but at 345 lbs. he has prodigious strength and is a mauling run blocker with good footwork and technique. He is 33 years old, however, gets called for the occasional penalty, and can get beaten in the pass due to below average quickness, but he is a much better option right now than Adam Snyder ever was, and would contribute immediately. His experience and extra 15 pounds on David Baas is a needed plus, and I see no reason why a 1 year, $1.5 million deal would be unreasonable. Now let's (finally) take a look at the niners' depth chart, along with predicted rookies in the draft. Tell me this isn't a division champion team right here:

QB: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, Nate Davis

RB: Frank Gore, Glen Coffee,Michael Robinson

FB: Moran Norris, Brit Miller

WR: Michael Crabtree, Louis Murphy, Josh Morgan, Jacoby Ford (4th rounder), Trindon Holliday (5th round), Dominique Ziegler

TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker

LT: Joe Staley, Tony Pashos, Chris Patrick

LG: Bobbie Williams, Tony Wragge

C: Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace

RG: Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge

RT: Bryan Bulaga (1st round)

LE: Isaac Sopoaga, Kentwan Balmer, Ray McDonald

NT: Aubrayo Franklin

RE: Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Kentwan Balmer

ROLB: Jerry Hughes (round 2), Ahmad Brooks

MLB: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Scott McKillop, Matt Wilhelm

LOLB: Manny Lawson, Ahmad Brooks

CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Shawntae Spencer, Tarrell Brown, Marcus Hudson

FS: Dashon Goldson, Reshad Jones (3rd round), Curtis Taylor, Reggie Smith

SS: Darren Sharper, Reshad Jones, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor

K: Joe Nedney

P: Andy Lee

KR: Jacoby Ford, Trinton Holliday

PR: Jacoby Ford, Trinton Holliday

Sometimes, when I'm bored, I take out MLB 09 the Show and tweak the Giants roster until every good player that was traded away foolishly by Brian Sabean comes back, and every awful deal made (looking at you, Zito) gets erased, which usually produces a playoff team with World Series potential. Consider this the last weird/off topic/so bad its funny offseason post of 2010. Also, i will buy a PS3 just for MLB 10 the Show. The graphics on this game are better on the PS2 than some PS3 games, so the combination of presentation, gameplay, the revamped Road to the Show Mode (catchers calling pitches!), and a Joe Mauer cover should be worth it. Okay, enough of that, let's look at the Giants lineup, except not messed up by Brian Sabean, complete with short explanation and predicted 2010 line. All players are playing actively as of 2/19/10:

C- Buster Posey (best minor leaguer in baseball, best catcher since, like, Benito Santiago or something) .275/.340/.400 w/ 10 homers, 40 RBIs, and a steal, excellent D behind the plate in 155 games (7 for a Mr. Eli Whiteside)

1B-  Nick Johnson: Although Sabean did make an effort to sign Johnson, had the lineup looked something like this, and had he known that the Giants would have therefore been serious contenders for the NL West title, he definitely would have signed. The 3rd best OBP in the game last year, second only to AL MVP Joe Mauer  and NL MVP Albert Pujols, a near .300 batting average, a steady glove at 1st, and great pop in his bat make for a steal at only $5 mil. His health problems are obviously the major knock against him, but if he starts at least 150 games, he produces.  .285/.415/.450 w/ 20 homers, 85 RBIs, Travis Ishikawa-like defense in 150 games. (12 for Ishikawa)

2B- Mark DeRosa: I actually think this was a good signing, but only for 1 year.  Although he is 34, DeRosa still has a projected WAR of 2.3, and for 6 mil a year, along with the defensive capabilities/endurance to play 7 positions well, gritty veteran gamerness, and solid hitting (excellent in Gigantes terms), this isn't a half-bad choice. .270/.345/.435 with 20 homers, 60 RBIs, 5 steals, and solid defense in 140 games (22 for Uribe/Frandsen)

3B- Pablo Sandoval: A gem. If he hit like he did in 2009 with no improvement at all for the rest of his career, I'd be thrilled. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, he will get better. Many times over. At 24, Sandoval is in the best shape of his life, having gone through Operation Panda and losing 10 pounds already. He's a leaner, meaner hitting machine who will play a better 3rd base due to added quickness and better durability gained from the lost fat, and probably will have a longer career because of it, too. Best hitter in the NL West. Can you say MVP? .330/.385/.555 with 26 homers, 95 RBIs, underrated fielding at the hot corner and 5 stolen bases in 160 games (2 for Uribe)

SS- Juan Uribe: He was the sparkplug in 2009, with a .289 batting average, 16 homers, and great D wherever he played in the infield, but his BABIP was at a career high, so expect a dropoff from 09. However, whatever bounceback Edgar Renteria might have most likely won't be worth it, as his defense, long a strength of his, is league average at best, and his offensive capabilities as one of the best hitting shortstops of the last decade have been shot down, electrocuted, and prodded with a white-hot poker. Unless he suddenly starts hitting like Jimmy Rollins in 08, that $9 mil a year is not worth paying to a 35 year old way-past-his-prime backup.  I knew that signing was doomed from the start, and I absolutely hated it. Still do. Uribe, at $1 million, is an nfinitely better deal, and was an absolute steal in 08, when he was signed for the league minimum. .265/.305/.430 with 15 homers, 55 RBIs, 2 steals, and solid fielding at short for 130 games  (with the rest filled by Gillaspie/Frandsen/Uribe)

LF- Mike Cameron: If you're going to dedicate your life to signing the gritty gamers with enough experience/age to qualify for senior Medicare benefits, you might as well sign this guy. He's been a consistent 4 WAR player throughout, and put up a 4.3 WAR in Milwaukee last year at 36. An All-Star in 2001, with 3 Gold Gloves. The 20th player in MLB history to hit 250 homers and steal 250 bases, one of 15 players in history to swat 4 homers in a game, and a career OBP of .340 in 15 seasons. His batting average has always been on the low side, with a career high of .273 in 2005 with the LOLMets, but he more than makes up for it with his on-base abilities, top-flight outfield defense, and impressive speed/power combo, not to mention vast veteran experience. What angers me, though, is that Sabean stood pat and didn't even attempt to sign Cameron, allowing the Red Sox to swoop in with a 2 year, $15 million deal which he accepted. If Sabes had at least made an offer, preferably for 1 year, earlier that the Sox did, and the roster had looked something like this, while competing in a lackluster division, it is not unreasonable to say that he would have accepted. .255/.340/.450 with 23 homers, 70 RBIs, 17 steals, and Gold Glove defense out in left for 150 games (Torres/Lewis for the other 17)

CF- Aaron Rowand: Has had a little difficulty making contact with sliders. Seriously, Rowand is a 2 WAR player at worst, and put up a 6.1 WAR in 07 with the Phillies, the year he was voted an All-Star, won a Gold Glove, and was even 22nd in the MVP voting. Rowand is now 32, and in the prime of his life, and his defense is spectacular, while his offensive abilities aren't too shabby, either. Due to the fact that he has 10+ steal speed, a career batting average of .280, and a career OBP of .339, the omnipotent Bruce Bochy has even toyed with the idea of having him bat leadoff, which is an intriguing idea, I have to say. However, I don't really feel too much love for Rowand here at McC, which kind of makes me sad, since we really do have a value player patrolling center. You can credit him with saving Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter with that gift of a catch he had (on my 13th birthday, no less!), and you can also feel good about the fact that his BABIP in 09 was below career average, so expect a nice bump in production from Rowand in 2010. .270/.335/.425 with 17 home runs, 70 RBIs, 6 steals, and Gold Glove d in center for 155 games (Cameron/Torres fill in the other 7)

RF- Nate Schierholtz: This guy was probably the best pinch hitter in the MLB last year, which says something about his skill, and also says something about the lineup quality of 2009 (bad). Anyway, Schierholtz is finally getting the chance to start at right field, and it will pay off for the Giants. He has the contact skills to eventually hit .300, and the CHONE/Bill James/Fan projections are quite optimistic. He was only the 3rd person to leg out an inside-the-park home run in the history of AT&T/SBC/PacBell park's existence, and Vroom started ahead of him. If I was running the Giants, Velez would get sit down in AAA until his OBP exceeded .340, or he hit 30 homers, while Torres/Lewis become the main backups. Schierholtz, however, is an athlete. He has great speed for a 6'2", 217 lb. player. He can hit all over the place, has a consistent line-drive stroke, and pretty good power to boot. His arm is very strong, and his throws are deadly accurate, while his glove is very good, too, with a 5.1 UZR in 2009 and a career .987 fielding pct. What's not to like? .285/.325/.455 with 12 home runs, 40 RBIs, 8 stolen bases and stellar defense out in right in 145 games (Torres/Lewis the other 17)

Bench- Andres Torres (great power potential, hit crushed 6 homers last year, good contact skills, nice potential)

Fred Lewis (probably will be a platoon/backup for the rest of his career, unless he goes all Russell Branyan on us and explodes for 30 homers. Still a great backup to have in the outfield, especially in left)

Conor Gillaspie (solid in all areas, not too much upside, but has shown a very good eye, nice power for a shortstop)

Kevin Frandsen (could become the next Mark DeRosa, with good pop, .317/.380/.452 line in 5 seasons in the minors, defense a strength at 2nd, solid everywhere else)

Travis Ishikawa (one of the best defenders in the league at 1st, could win a couple of Gold Gloves, has insane splits and hits better Albert Pujols at home, and especially against righties with a .349/.400/.535 line, 7 homers and 28 RBIs in 172 at bats. Over 81 games at home and 4 at bats a game, that would have translated to 19 homers, 52 RBIs, 4 triples, 13 doubles, and 111 hits. That's tough to beat.)

Pitching:

SP Tim Lincecum: 2 Cy Youngs. Strikeout champion. 2 time Pitcher of the year. Half Filipino. When he was called up from the minors in May 2007, ballpark security workers in San Francisco thought he was a bat boy.

SP Matt Cain: 24 years old, and has already pitched 872 innings in 95 starts over 5 seasons, with a 3.23 ERA, a WHIP of 1.23, and a 7.5 K/9 rate, while also 5th in ROY voting and an All-Star alongside Tim Lincecum in 09. So why the hell does he have a 44-51 record? Blame it on the Giants offense. Matt Cain is a stud who would probably be the #1 ace for almost every other team in the league.

SP Matt Garza: If the Giants had not made the Pierzynski trade, they would not have needed to sign Armando Benitez to be their closer and give up their 1st rounder, which would have allowed them to draft Jacoby Ellsbury, who was picked by the Red Sox one slot after the Marlins, who held the Giants' compensation pick, Garza, picked by the Twins (and dealt to the Rays alongside Jason Bartlett for Delmon Young), Joey Devine, the stud setup man who had a 0.59 ERA in 45 2/3 innings in 08, or even Clay Buchholz, picked in the supplemental draft by the Sox. If Garza was the 3rd starter of the Giants, they'd win 100 games a year even with Molina batting cleanup. Just go to his player profile and read the scouting report.

SP Francisco Liriano: The one that got away, along with future hall-of-Famer Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser. Traded to Minnesota. For a one year rental in AJ Pierzynski. A left handed catcher. Worst. Trade. Ever. Go to this site (http://thankyoubriansabean.blogspot.com/), and then sob softly for a couple of minutes. If we had kept Liriano, we wouldn't have needed to sign Zito, which would have saved the Giants 18 million a year, and the price of tickets would have gone down by 0.04 cents! Anyway, Liriano, with his electric slider and mid 90's fastball, had a great 2008, but his 09 campaign was injury-riddled and disappointing. 2010 will prove to be a crucial year for him, as he is an ace starter when healthy, and if still on the Giants, probably would have been the best #4 starter in the Major Leagues.

SP Johnathan Sanchez: No hitter. 26. Good thing. Best 5th starter in the Majors.

Bullpen

Closer: Joe Nathan, the future Hall-of-Famer with 247 saves, 46 wins to 22 losses, a career 2.75 ERA, a 4x All-Star, the Twins single season record holder in saves, set last year (47), and was 4th and 5th in Cy Young award voting in 2004 and 2006, and 12th and 18th in MVP voting in those years, respectively. Stats say it all.

Setup: Jeremy Affeldt, one of Brian Sabean's best signings. Was voted 2009 Setup Man of the Year, and Giant among Angels sponsors his Baseball Reference page. Good choice!

Setup: Brian Wilson, relegated to setup role here, but Nathan will retire within the next 2-3 years, so he becomes the closer again anyway. Wilson is a consistent 40 save man who had a breakout 09, with a 2.74 ERA and 9.1 K/9 in 72.1 innings pitched.

Middle Relief: Boof Bonser, a starter-turned-reliever, has had some stellar stats over his career. Bonser for Pierzynski alone would have been awful. Plus, his name is Boof.

Middle Relief: Jeremy Accardo, who was traded to Toronto for Shea Hillebrand, became their closer for 2006, while Hillebrand sucked. Accardo then switched to setup man in 2007, and had a 2.55 ERA in 26 games last year.

Middle Relief: Sergio Romo, with that slider of his. And the beard. At 26, he is one of the better relievers in the NL West, and still has room to grow.

Author's note: I'm new here, for those of you who still haven't "met" me. This will be my second AN FanPost. I've been a regular at Niners Nation and McCovey Chronicles, but I live in Oakland and go to an Oakland middle school, so it's about time I joined this blog. I'm 13, I play on my basketball team and I hit a lot of threes, I'm 5'9", I speak fluent  English and Arabic, and high school level Spanish, and people at my school still think I'm a nerd for getting straight A's. Can't please everyone. Also, I like baseball. Maybe a little too much. Also, this is considered a journal entry for my English class. Every FanPost I post goes into my journal. It's really a great way to fill it up. Also, does Billy Beane ever visit this blog? Because if he does, that would be awesome.

The Los Angeles Angels surprised everyone last year. They were expected to make the playoffs, but most had them losing to the Red Sox in 4 or 5. The Angels had other ideas. They swept the Red Sox and advanced to the ALCS, where they put up a strong fight against the Yankees. That Game Six was epic. Game 7, however, was where the Yankees pulled off a 4-2 victory, and went on to win the World Series. In any case, however, the Angels dominated the AL West and went deep in the playoffs, one of the Angels' best teams in their history. But they did lose some of their essential parts to free agency.

Vladimir Guerrero, the Angels' longtime DH, will hit for the Rangers, so LA has lost a fan favorite and future Hall-of-Famer to free agency. Chone Figgins, their 3rd base speedster who had a tremendous 2009 with a .298 batting average, a .363 OBP, 42 stolen bases, and the best K:BB ratio of his career, signed with the Mariners, but I feel that some of those stats were due to an inflated BABIP, and getting 101 walks when you've never had more than 65 in a season before is cause for concern. Figgins is still a very valuable piece for any team looking to build a contender, and he definitely was in 2009. John Lackey, who signed a huge deal with the Red Sox, was arguably their most significant loss, however. Unlike Figgins, who really only put it together in 09, Lackey had pitched consistently for the Angels for 8 seasons, compiling an ERA of 3.83, a WHIP of 1.27, 11 wins to 8 losses, 7.1 K/9, and a complete game shutout in 171 innings pitched.

The Angels did counter with some additions, though. Fernando Rodney, who had 37 saves, 7.3 K/9, and an ERA of 4.40 in 1 innings, will be a very good setup man for the Angels, and will also serve as the closer-in-waiting, in case Brian Fuentes goes down or needs a rest. They also inked Joel Piniero to a deal to try and fill the void left by Lackey. Piniero had a 3.49 ERA, 15 wins to 12 losses, a WHIP of 1.15, a K/9 of only 4.4, and 3 complete games, with 2 shutouts in 214 innings pitched. On paper, he looks better than Lackey, but this was his best season in a long time, so caveat emptor. The last major signing the Angels made so far was signing Hideki Matsui to become the new DH. This was an idiotic move, in my opinion. Matsui and Guerrero arguably would have made the same contribution for the same money ($6 million), so why get rid of the team icon and fan favorite and risk disrupting chemistry? Unless Guerrero himself wanted out, they should have kept him for at least one more year. Oh well. More power to the A's.

Nate Clements has been widely regarded as a shutdown corner throughout his long and illustrious career. With Buffalo, he helped their defense become a strength along with Aaron Schobel for 5 great years in Buffalo. In 2007, San Francisco made the wise move of installing a franchise corner to help the defense slowly become what it is today: a top 10 tough-as-nails defense. He signed a seven year, $64 million contract, making him the highest paid player in NFL history until Albert Haynesworth signed his $100 million contract. For the first two and a half years, it looked like he was earning every penny of it, too. His career stats of 622 tackles, 30 interceptions, 2.5 sacks, 91 pass deflections, 17 forced fumbles, and 5 pick sixes all scream Pro Bowler, and he is only 30 years old, so he has at least 3 more years of excellence, barring injury, before he goes downhill (or Renterizes, for all you McCoven present here). I know he struggled in that later half of 09, capped off by the punt return fumble and subsequent injury, but everyone, especially corners, have rough spots. His benching was just a message that Singletary was trying to send him, and I think Clements got it. This offseason and Training Camp will be pivotal for him, but I am positive he'll return to form, snagging Int's, deflecting passes left and right, forcing fumbles and delivering hits, and just being the all-around force the team paid him to be. The niners shouldn't start trying to trade Clements for peanuts (like a 3rd rounder) because it will backfire on them and he'll do great for another team. Unless another team offers a 1st rounder and multiple players with potential, he will be our ace corner until 2014. Don't give up on him yet! And please stop suggesting a move to safety, because that's just illogical this late in a career. Why mess with a guy at the top of his game?

Author's note: I'm new here. This will be my first FanPost. I've been a regular at Niners Nation and McCovey Chronicles, but I live in Oakland and go to an Oakland middle school, so it's about time I joined this blog. Billy Beane is a genius, Oakland needs to spend more money, and we need a new stadium! That is all.

Man, the new GM of the Mariners really knows how to shape a team. Anytime you walk away from an offseason with Cliff Lee, resign your resident ace King Felix, resign the heart and soul of your clubhouse and a fan attraction/favorite in Ken Griffey, Jr., resign the best defensive outfielder in baseball (Franklin Gutierrez) to a 4 year deal, get rid of a clubhouse cancer and salary drain and otherwise useless Carlos Silva in exchange for a really talented but unpredictable Milton Bradley, sign Chone Figgins, the best infielder on the market, resign Erik Bedard to a one year deal to shore up the rotation, trade for singles specialist and defensive ace Casey Kotchman, bring back another defensive force in Jack Wilson, and pick up one of the most underrated 1st basemen/DHs in the league from the waiver wire (Ryan Garko), I think you've done a pretty good job. Let's see the starting lineup, shall we?

RF- Ichiro
3B- Chone Figgins
LF- Milton Bradley
2B- Jose Lopez
DH- Ken Griffey Jr.
CF- Franklin Gutierrez
1B- Casey Kotchman
SS- Jack Wilson
C- Josh Bard

SP- Felix Hernandez
SP- Cliff Lee
SP- Ian Snell
SP- Erik Bedard
SP- Ryan Rowland-Smith
CP- David Aardsma
SU Mark Lowe
SU Sean White
MR Shawn Kelley
MR Brandon League
LR Jason Vargas

Well, very impressive. Best defense in the league, top 5 pitching, and top 10 offense will almost certainly win the AL West, and a deep run in the playoffs, possibly even the World Series, suddenly doesn't look so hard anymore... for them. /Sigh. I guess Oakland will have to settle for 3rd place this year. A's in 2011!

Author's note: This is a reworked version of my previous installment, Niners team needs part 2. I believe this version of the 49ers projected offseason is much more realistic, both in terms of available budget and in trade frequency and trade fairness. I will also include explanations as to why I made the deals I did, and I promise it won't look like a Madden 10 juggernaut at the end.

Trades: Isaac Sopoaga, Glen Coffee and Kentwan Balmer to the Patriots for 48th pick (2nd round)

Analysis: I think this is a fair trade. If I were the Patriots, I'd take this deal. Balmer could eventually become a replacement for Richard Seymour, and Sopoaga will push Balmer and Ty Warren for a starting role. Balmer is a former 1st rounder who provides immediate pass-rush help for the league's 12th ranked D, while Sopoaga is a proven run stopper who was intstrumental in helping the niners maintain their 3rd ranked run defense. Coffee, meanwhile, provides needed depth for the running game of the Patriots, who probably will release Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, and Kevin Faulk this offseason. In return, the niners get Jacksonville's 2nd rounder, whom the Pats acquired along with a 7th rounder for their 3rd round pick in 09 to select Derek Cox. What a terrible deal for the Jags.

49ers Mock Draft:

13th pick: CJ Spiller, RB/KR, Clemson (player comparison: Chris Johnson)

Analysis: Honestly, Spiller is the only logical choice here. I don't really think that Dez Bryant is a good pick, seeing as we already drafted Crabtree, or that Earl Thomas would be smart here either. The niners don't reach. Ever. And since I'm reasonably confident that Bryan Bulaga will still be available at the 16th pick, I'll go with the next Chris Johnson here.

16th pick (from Carolina): Bryan Bulaga, LT/RT, Iowa (player comparison: Michael Roos)

Analysis: Bryan Bulaga has more upside than any offensive tackle in this draft class. He’s 6'6" and 310+ pounds, but should still run a 40 in the 4.9s, which could make Al Davis sh** his pants. Timed speed doesn’t help offensive lineman all that much, but his measurables show that this is someone who has the potential to stop both power rushers and speed rushers, a very rare combination. He has very long arms too, which help in pass protection. He doen't have much experience at tackle, but with the right coaching, this could turn out to be a great pick, maybe even a steal.

48th pick (from Patriots): Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest (player comparison: Johnathan Joseph)

Analysis: Well, we could really use a Johnathan Joseph, right? Seriously, Ghee could be, at best, a carbon copy of Joseph. Read Joseph's SB Nation bio to get a sense of what kind of pick Ghee could turn out to be.

49th pick: (Given to the Rams as compensation for OJ Atogwe)

79th pick: (Given to the Saints as compensation for Jermon Bushrod)

110th pick: Koa Misi, 3-4 OLB, Utah: (player comparison: poor man’s Robert Mathis)

Analysis: Koa Misi is still a bit of an unknown, even to the most avid draftniks, but he has quietly skyrocketed up draft boards this year. Misi has been wreaking havoc on the Mountain West as a senior and has established himself as one of the conferences top pro prospects. Many teams may stay away from him because he looks like a workout warrior, but he still provides great value this late in the 4th.

Major free agent signings:

Richard Seymour, 3-4 DE/4-3 DT from Raiders: 3 year deal

Analysis: The only reason I have a little hope that Seymour will be released by the Raiders is because not only do they have a plethora of talented free agents they need to resign, such as Thomas Howard, Sebastian Janikowski, and Kirk Morrison, but also that Al Davis is really unpredictable. Mr. Davis has lost it at this point, and Seymour looks like he wants out. In any case, should Seymour be released, we could be looking at the best 3-4 defensive line in the NFC, possibly the NFL. A front 3 of Seymour/Franklin/Smith would terrorize opposing backfields all season long.

Chris Chambers from Chiefs: 1 year deal

Analysis: Chambers is no longer the dominant wideout he once was, but still can be really effective at 32. Why the Chargers waived him I'll never know. At any rate, Chambers is a really good number 2 option alongside Michael Crabtree, and should contribute something along the lines of 60 catches for 800 yards and 3 TDs or so. A one year deal would be the best route (no pun intended) and could really help this passing game.

Resign Aubrayo Franklin, NT, to 3 year deal

Analysis: The best nose tackle in the NFC entering the prime of his career. He will stay, and must stay, with the niners for at least one more year.

Tank Tyler, NT/DT, from Carolina: training camp invite/ 1 year minimum

Analysis: This is purely a depth move. We have no backups to Aubrayo Franklin, and Tyler is young and huge.

OJ Atogwe, S, from Rams: 4 year deal

Analysis: Atogwe is a top 10 free safety whom many believe would be a good fit with the niners. I happen to agree with te majority. He has been the lone bright spot of the Rams defense for years, and wants out, similar to Nnamdi Asomugha in Oakland. Atogwe alone would improve this pass defense 10 places higher, and is the roaming centerfielder the niners desperately need in order to complement their dominant run D. Look for Atogwe to pile up the interceptions and pass deflections if he joins this team.

Jermon Bushrod, OT/G, from Saints: 5 year deal

Analysis: Bushrod filled in for Pro Bowler and perrenial All-Pro Jammal Brown, who was injured for the whle season last year, and did an excellent job protecting Drew Brees' blind side. Since he is a restricted free agent, the niners are forced to give up compensation, but they only give up a 3rd rounder since Bushrod has had only one year experience starting. Nevertheless, it looks like Bushrod is going to be a very good player for the remainder of his career, and since he is better than any 3rd round pick available in my opinion, this is a good deal.

Predicted 2010 Niners depth chart:

QB: Alex Smith, Shaun Hill, Nate Davis

HB: Frank Gore, CJ Spiller, Michael Robinson

FB: Moran Norris, Brit Miller

WR:  Michael Crabtree, Chris Chambers, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Dominique Zeigler

TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Tony Curtis

LT: Joe Staley, Chris Patrick, Tony Wragge

LG: Jermon Bushrod, Tony Wragge

C: Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace

RG: Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge

RT: Bryan Bulaga, Alex Boone, Tony Wragge

LE: Richard Seymour, Ricky Jean-Francois, Tank Tyler

NT: Aubrayo Franklin, Tank Tyler

RE: Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Tank Tyler

LOLB: Manny Lawson, Ahmad Brooks, Koa Misi

ILB: Patrick Willis, Takeo Spikes, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks

ROLB: Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Koa Misi

CB: Nate Clements, Brandon Ghee, Shawntae Spencer, Tarrell Brown, Marcus Hudson

FS: OJ Atogwe, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor

SS: Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor

K: Joe Nedney

P: Andy Lee

KR: CJ Spiller, Michael Robinson

PR: CJ Spiller, Michael Robinson

Kickoffs: Joe Nedney

Holder: Andy Lee

Special Teams Aces: Michael Robinson, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks

NL: Gerald "Buster" Posey, Catcher, San Francisco Giants- We know the story of Gerald. Brian Sabean decided it would be a good idea not to let Mr. Posey shine by signing Molina to a one year deal, but Posey could still conceivably come up by May after he absolutely murders AAA pitching down in Fresno. He has the career potential to be the next Joe Mauer. He has always maintained superior defense as shown by his .992 fielding pct., plus in the the course of a year and a half of minor league seasons, in 459 at bats, Buster has hit .327, 18 home runs, 86 RBI, and 94 runs. He is also able to take a walk, sporting a .421 OBP. In my mind, he is the front runner for the NL award.

Alcides Escobar, Shortstop, Milwaukee Brewers- Escobar's big edge over Posey is that he will likely get more playing time. That's it. Posey is, and will be a superior player in every way except for speed, but then shortstops are supposed to be faster than catchers, so even that isn't too significant. Extra playing time is likely the only way he'll be able to grab the ROY award from Posey now that J.J. Hardy has been traded away to the Brewers.

Madison Bumgarner, Starting pitcher, San Francisco Giants- The thing with Madison is that he has like 2 good pitches: his 94 mph fastball and his 81 mph change. That's it.  At times his change looks like a curve, but that's about as close as he gets to having a breaking pitch. Starting pitchers almost always have at least 3 pitches, and unless Madison is dialing up his heat to 100 consistently, or just throws the best change in baseball, he's going to be very predictable. Once he adds another reliable pitch, however, it's going to be a whole different ball game.

Stephen Strasburg, Starting Pitcher, Washington Nationals- Dang. I forgot the Nats were in the NL. Scratch that- I forgot they even existed. True, it's a lot harder for some reason for pitchers to get voted ROY, but this is Stephen Strasburg, so you never know. I still think that if Posey were the Opening Day starter he could post some ROY quality, but Strasburg is likely going to start as the Nationals 5th starter in order to "ease him in" to the majors- I say this in quotes because he hasn't had any minor league seasoning at all. Forget everything I just said about Posey being Rookie of the Year or whatever. Mr. 100 mph will be, barring injury, the 2010 NL ROY.

Jason Heyward, Outfield, Atlanta Braves- Some people compare Heyward to the man whom which this blog is named after: Willie McCovey. Sure looks like he's going to be the next great one, too. He was the 2nd best minor leaguer last year after only Buster Posey, with a .323 average and fourth with a .388 on-base percentag. His .871 OPS was sixth-best in the league. He batted well over .300 (and had an OPS over .830) in every month except July.

AL: Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays- What more can I say about Jennings? He will probably follow a long line of grat outfielders: Baldelli, Crawford, Upton, Josh Hamilton (didn't do much for Rays because of love of drugs, but he has proven to be a stud for the Rangers, Delmon Young (traded to Minnesota for Garza and Bartlett). His minor league stats say it all: .318 avg, .401 OBP, .487 SLG, and .888 OPS last year in the minors.

Brett Wallace, 3B/DH, Toronto Blue Jays: Traded by the Cardinals for Matt Holliday this year, and then to the Blue Jays for Michael Taylor, his numbers got better on a new team. He hit .293 with 20 home runs this season after hitting .337 last year in the minors. He strikes out a lot, and doesn't really have a natural position, but he can absolutely rake. He projects to become a much better Billy Butler. Should have the potential to hit .300 with 35 homers every year.

Trades: Isaac Sopoaga, Matt Wilhelm and Brandon Jones to the Patriots for 48th pick (2nd round)

Kentwan Balmer and Demetric Evans to the Raiders for Kirk Morrison, Isaiah Ekejiuba, Wendell Bryant, and 136th pick (4th round)

13th pick, 49th pick, Shaun Hill, and Glen Coffee to the Seahawks for 6th pick and 134th pick (4th round)

112th pick and 134th pick to the Saints for 95th pick (3rd round)

136th pick, 176th pick, and 208th pick to the Giants for 112nd pick (4th round)

49ers Mock Draft:

6th pick (from Seahawks): Eric Berry, FS/SS, Tennesee (player comparison: Ed Reed)

16th pick (from Carolina): Bryan Bulaga, LT/RT, Iowa (player comparison: Michael Roos)

48th pick (from Patriots): Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest (player comparison: Johnathan Joseph)

80th pick: Kyle Wilson: CB/KR/PR, Boise State (player comparison: poor man's Asante Samuel)

95th pick (from Saints): Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss: (player comparison: Reggie Bush)

112th pick (from Raiders): Jermaine Cunningham, 4-3 DE/ 3-4 OLB, Florida: (player comparison: poor man’s Robert Mathis)

Free agent signings:

Richard Seymour, 3-4 DE/4-3 DT from Raiders: 3 year deal

Logan Mankins, RG/LG from Patriots: 5 year deal

Resign Aubrayo Franklin, NT, to 3 year deal

Brandon Marshall, WR from Broncos: 6 year deal

Tank Tyler, DT/NT from Carolina: 1 year minimum

Kellen Clemens, QB from Jets: 1 year minimum

Predicted 2010 Niners depth chart:

QB: Alex Smith, Nate Davis, Kellen Clemens

HB: Frank Gore, Dexter McCluster, Michael Robinson

FB: Moran Norris, Brit Miller

WR: Brandon Marshall, Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, Jason Hill, Dexter McCluster, Dominique Zeigler

TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Brit Miller

LT: Joe Staley, Chris Patrick, Tony Wragge

LG: Logan Mankins, Tony Wragge

C: Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace

RG: Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge

RT: Bryan Bulaga, Alex Boone, Tony Wragge

LE: Richard Seymour, Ricky Jean-Francois, Tank Tyler, Wendell Bryant

NT: Aubrayo Franklin, Tank Tyler

RE: Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Wendell Bryant

LOLB: Manny Lawson, Ahmad Brooks, Scott McKillop

ILB: Patrick Willis, Kirk Morrison, Scott McKillop, Isaiah Ekejiuba

ROLB: Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks, Scott McKillop

CB: Nate Clements, Shawntae Spencer, Kyle Wilson, Tarrell Brown, Marcus Hudson

FS: Eric Berry, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor

SS: Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith, Curtis Taylor

K: Joe Nedney

P: Andy Lee

KR: Kyle Wilson, Dexter McCluster, Michael Robinson

PR: Kyle Wilson, Dexter McCluster

Kickoffs: Joe Nedney

Holder: Andy Lee

Special Teams Aces: Michael Robinson, Isaiah Ekejiuba, Scott McKillop, Ahmad Brooks

Predicted Record: 12-4, NFC West Champions, NFC Conference Title game losers

The 49ers finished 8-8 last year, as many of us know. They could have finished 10-6 at least, were it not for a certain last second TD pass from Brett Farve to Greg Lewis, a relative unknown before then, or a dropped TD by Vernon Davis. But no matter. This is a new year, and a pivotal offseason for the niners, to say the least. Almost every player from the 09 campaign will be returning, save for some like Issac Bruce and Brandon Jones. Perhaps the most notable free agent, however, is David Baas, a 2nd rounder picked in 05 by the niners. He hasn't lived up to his potential however, and is probably a below average pass protector and slightly above average run blocker. I am against the niners resigning him to a deal, however, as there are much better options in the draft and free agency. Other than Joe Staley and Eric Heitmann, who are the lone bright spots on our below average OL, there really isn't much to look forward to on the line. Adam Snyder is a bad right tackle, even as a stop gap solution, and Chilo Rachal seems to have promise, but he hasn't quite put it all together yet. Some options throughout the draft include Trent Williams (a pure right tackle), Bryan Bulaga (a left tackle who could make the switch from the blind side), Mike Iupati (the highest rated guard in the draft, and for good reason), Jon Asomoah (a sleeper pick in the 2nd that could really pan out), or even Anthony Davis (a highly athletic tackle prospect ranked #3 best tackle by Scouts.com, but is a bit of a project). Options that could be pursued through free agency include Marcus McNeill (he's a 94 in Madden. 'nuff said) Logan Mankins (he's one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL) Daryn Colledge (an above average guard who was the best lineman on the Packers last year) Jammal Brown (a perennial Pro Bowler that was the Saints' left tackle but could switch to right or move to guard) or Willie Colon (the starting right tackle for the Steelers who did a nice job last year in the run game).

       Another need that I feel the niners have is in their front seven. Besides resigning Aubrayo Franklin, who is crucial to their run defense, I feel that the niners should trade away Issac Sopoaga, maybe as a package deal to move up their draft position, or add another pick, such as a 3rd rounder. I'm not saying that Sopoaga is bad, as he really does a nice job against the run. It's the fact that he is one dimensional, or rather stopping the run is all he can do.  He is not known for putting pressure on the passer, as evidenced by his 5 career sacks in 77 games over 5 seasons, plus he doesn't really get that many tackles in the first place; he has 91 total.  Signing a free agent who can do it all like Richard Seymour or Ray Edwards will do this team's defense wonders, and the added pressure on the QB will make it easier for the team's secondary to do its job.

       Speaking of the secondary, this team has got problems with its defensive backs. Clements and Spencer were effective in the first half, but Clements has had a bit of a dropoff, though he could return to form by the beginning of the 2010 season. However, I think that Tarrell Brown, Shawntae Spencer, Clements, and Reggie Smith do an adequate job at corner. The real problem is the safety spot, as Michael Lewis will probably retire as a 34 year old who has suffered many concussions in his career. Dashon Goldson has potential as a safety, but we really need a near elite safety who can cover like a corner, such as OJ Atogwe, Antoine Bethea or Dawan Landry in the free agency market, or Eric Berry in the draft. If we can get a solid safety who is an improvement over Lewis, we'll be better off.

      In terms of receivers, we are really close to having a top 10 receiving corps. Crabtree is going to be a #1 recieve for many years to come. Davis will be the top TE in the game next year. Gore is an underrated option out of the backfield. Morgan has the potential to be one of the top #3 receivers in the NFL, for whatever it's worth. All we need, at least, is a guy who has good hands but can get separation in order to free up other options and get open himself. We could go the draft route, and pick a receiver in the 2nd like Golden Tate (who can also double as a punt returner), Brandon LaFell, or Arrelious Benn if he falls that far.  Or we could sign one of the numerous free agent WRs like Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston (also a returner), Jason Avant, Antonio Bryant (yes, that one), Malcolm Floyd, the list goes on and on. If we signed any one of the first 7 guys to a contract, this team's passing attack could be deadly. As in Colts deadly, in terms of wideouts. Heck, if we signed Marshall or Boldin or Jackson or any of those guys we'd have better recievers than anyone else in the NFL. Get it done, Niners brass!

     If the niners should acquire the services of one of the elite WRs through free agency, or sign a promising rookie wideout through the draft, draft a tackle/ a guard or sign a tackle/guard such as a combo of Iupati and McNeill or Bulaga and Mankins, sign/draft a safety like Eric Berry, OJ Atogwe, or Antoine Bethea, and even trade away Sopoaga and sign Richard Seymour or Ray Edwards and keep the same head coach/ offensive coordinator combo in Singletary and Jimmy Raye, Alex Smith will have no excuse but to produce to his fullest potential. If he doesn't, or if his potential wasn't that great to begin with, then get him out of here and draft a QB in 2011. 2010 will be Alex Smith's year. He needs to step up regardless whether or not the team follows my sage advice. Preferably, I'd like to see him put up maybe 3700 passing yards, 61% accuracy, and around 25 TDs to 11 interceptions. If you think this is too hard for him to achieve, well then why did we draft him #1 overall in the first place? Surround him with weapons, protect him, give him an elite defense, and see if he can lead us to a division title and a strong run in the playoffs, maybe even the NFC championship. If not, then he has no business playing football anymore. Let's go, now.

I've liked baseball for about a year. Doesn't seem like much, but in that year, I have managed to learn almost every single rule of the game, I can dominate MLB 09 the show, i've read Moneyball, I know more in the way of baseball statistics than anyone else in my grade (and probably the whole school), I know what UZR, FIP, OBP, OBP+, OPS,OPS+, WAR, BABIP, and VORP mean, and I know how to use those statistical measurements to determine the value of any baseball player to his respective team. I know that the Yankees outspend the total GDP of The Gambia, and I know that the Red Sox aren't far behind. I know that Brian Sabean is so incompetent it's funny. I know that trading Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser, and Francisco Liriano for AJ Pierzynski, and then releasing Pierzynski that same year is so dumb, it makes Mike Fox look like Billy Beane. Now all I have to do is, well, actually play baseball. So now I get to my question. I am 13 years old, and I'm 5'8 1/2" and weigh 147 lbs. and my mom bought me a glove and 3 balls for the holidays. I want to be a pitcher. I never played baseball in my life. I am currently taking free lessons from my friend, who happens to be 13 as well, and also an insanely good pitcher in his own right. He plays with 14 year olds, and is the youngest pitcher on his team. He throws a 73 mph fastball. (Pedro Martinez threw 80 as a 13 year old, for some perspective). Should I join Little League? Get a real pitching instructor? Please respond. (except for you, Mr. Fox)

P.S. I'd probably be the first Sudanese baseball player ever! That'd be cool...

Are they the same player? Or in other words, would you rather pay league average for a 29 year old player who has a "good approach at the plate and a quick line-drive swing with occasional power, and who knows how to drive runners home, but is not terribly competent at defense?" Or would you rather pay out a 2 year, $17 million contract for a 30 year old who has a "strong, line-drive swing that rifles the ball into the gaps and over the fence, and who is very fluid around the bag at first base", though not a great lefty hitter by any stretch of the imagination? Basically, what i'm saying is that Garko is a solid all-around hitter who isn't a good defender, while LaRoche provides the defense that Travis Ishikawa brings to the table (both players are very impressive fielders), plus adding the average and power that Ishikawa lacks. I shall conclude this Fanpost by recommending that you click on the link provided for both players and check out their evaluations. Who would you want to pay for? Adam LaRoche or Ryan Garko?

Okay, the Pirates just non-tendered their best pitcher, Matt Capps, because they didn't feel like paying him his arbitration reward. What losers. Of course, I am aware that our very own Giants don't exactly have the brightest front office either, but Brian Sabean's strength is evaluating pitching talent (see Lincecum, T, Cain, M, Affeldt, J...) and he could turn Matt Capps into this year's Jeremy Affeldt. Signing Capps helps fill the hole left by the departures of Justin Miller and Bob Howry, and it adds yet another potential All-Star candidate to the mix. That's right, All-Star. True, he had a forgettable year (5.80 ERA, 27 saves, 54.1 innings pitched), but that was attributed partly to the Pirates' non-existent run support, made even worse by the departures of Adam LaRoche and Freddy Sanchez, their two best hitters, which meant that the Pirates' pitchers were pressured into pitching perfect games every appearance, since they weren't sure if the offense would ever produce that game. This situation was even worse than the Giants: Pittsburgh was dead last in the Majors in run production, 28th in RBIs and OBP, and last in OPS. Keep in mind also that in 2008, Capps had a 3.02 ERA, 21 saves, an astoundingly low 0.97 WHIP, and only 5 walks in 53.2 innings pitched. The year before that, Capps posted a 2.28 ERA (!), 18 saves, a WHIP of 1.01, a career high 64 strikeouts, and allowed a batting average of .220 in 79 innings of excellence. Why shouldn't you sign him?

He turned 30 a month ago, and he had an uncharacteristically poor season in his limited at-bats last year, but he is a career .277 hitter who is capable of stealing 25+ bases and hitting 30 doubles a year. Plus, since his BABIP last year were at career lows, it should make him a bargain well within the means of the Giants. He could be our leadoff hitter and starting center fielder, pushing Aaron Rowand to right and moving John Bowker to left. That would make our outfield a lot better, considering that he is the second best fielding CF in the league in terms of UZR according to statisticianmagician.com, and even Terry Francona said Coco was ‘the greatest center fielder I’ve ever seen'. That has to be a good thing. A 1 year deal along the lines of $3 mil each year would do this offense good. If Coco ever joins this lineup, and assuming Nick Johnson also signs, our lineup would look something like this:

Coco Crisp-CF

Edgar Renteria-SS (Sabean said Rent would be a lock to bat 2nd)(also,ugh)

Freddy Sanchez-2B

Pablo Sandoval-3B

John Bowker- LF

Aaron Rowand- RF

Nick Johnson - 1B

Buster Posey- C

Pitcher's slot/ Fred Lewis- DH (for AL away games)

(Post Edit: Many of the comments state that they don't want Coco, but I'd really like an explanation as to why he's such a bad choice. Plus, if anything, he's better than Scott Posednik.)

I believe that the Giants should sign either Nick Johnson (a popular choice around McC, it seems), or Adrian Beltre (a decidedly less hyped free agent here). I personally favor Beltre Johnson more, but I'll include a poll at the end, though. So right now i'm going to make 2 charts detailing the positives/negatives of both free agents, which I think will help you (and hopefully Sabean) make an informed choice. Or you could just read the scouting report next to their stats if you click on their name. But this way is much better! Let's get to it!

Nick Johnson

-had an OBP of .426, 3rd best in the league, but only hit 8 homers

-had a .291 average, but only a slugging pct. of .406

-had more walks than strikeouts, but only played 135 games; to say he is injury-prone is an understatement

-had an OPS of .831, and had a fielding pct. of 992, but is already 31

Adrian Beltre

-hit only .265 w/ 8 homers this year, but had 25 homers the year before, and hit .334 with 48 homers and 121 RBIs back in '04 with the Dodgers (yuck)

-is a perennial Gold Glover and won a Gold Glove at 3rd last year, but his OPS was a horrendous .683, well below his career averages

-should probably get less money on account of his terrible '09, but his agent is Scott Boras, so maybe not.

-He only played 111 games, but he's usually very healthy. Plus, he's a year younger than Nick Johnson, and has played since 1998.

-He took 19 walks last year, but at least he is an amazing fielder. I mean, he's not like Mario Mendoza or anything.

-He had an OBP of .304 this year, but at least had a slugging pct. of .379, right? Wait, that's bad...

-He played alongside Ichiro. That's a good thing.

-He's ballsy enough to play without a cup

-He's stupid enough to play without a cup

While most people will probably want Arizona to fall seeing as they're our current division rivals playoff-wise, we have also traded a second and fourth round pick in 2009 for Carolina's top pick in 2010, so if Arizona were to prevail (which they most likely will), our acquired draft choice would rise in the draft order. If the Panthers net us a top 10 pick, we could use it to potentially draft an elite offensive tackle, which we clearly need, or we could go after Eric Berry, a dynamic playmaking safety who has drawn comparisons with Ed Reed. An elite quarterback prospect like Sam Bradford could also be an option. So what do you think? Shall we root against our division rivals and hope to keep our playoff hopes alive, or do you think those hopes are dashed and that we should look towards the future. Your call.

Our rotation won't be affected too much, and Travis Ishikawa would be a very good backup. Plus, we still have Timmy, Sanchez, Penny, Bumgarner, and Zito. Or, we could trade Madison Bumgarner instead and keep the one-two punch of Lincecum and Fatt Matt. What do you think? Or, should we instead pursue a big time hitter in free agency? Your call. Well, really, it's Sabean's call. Whatever. I believe our Giants should keep Cain and deal Bumgarner for Adrian Gonzalez because he's an amazing hitter and he has a cheap contract. He will make 5 mil in 2010, and he has a 2011 club optiopn for 5.5 million, as opposed to Prince Fielder's 13 mil or so, but

that's just my opinion.

I repeat, the Raiders won over the Eagles, 13 to 6. That is unprecedented. It should be noted that JaMarcus Russell completed a season high of 17 passes and 223 yards. That's also worse than anything Shaun Hill has put up this year. If I were Andy Reid, I'd probably get drunk for the rest of the week. Oakland will be a good city to live in this week, that's for sure. So if your a 49er faithful and Raider hater, thse last two weeks haven't been too good. Niners got crushed, Panthers won 2 straight, and now this. I hear Sicily is quite nice this time of year...

The Giants went 88 and 74. Amazing.  Having said that, the Giants need to improve big time.  I know this has been expressed a bazillion times by every living Giants fan at least 10 times, but I'll say it again.  Get some firepower. Fans have asked for your head on a platter because you have refused to hear them out, and as a budding 13 year old Giants fan, I implore Bill Neukom to do exactly that.  However, you can redeem yourself.  Yes, you still have a chance. We Giants fans are ever-forgiving, and you can win back the hearts of millions by following these easy rules.  Listen closely, now:

1. Get rid of Edgar Renteria.

Seeing him play at shortstop is like watching Bengie Molina run. Painful, painful experience.  Deal him with someone like Fred Lewis and an average pitching prospect for someone like Jason Bartlett.  I'd even take Stephen Drew over Renteria. At least Drew has room to improve, and it would save money - Renteria is due to get 9 million next year.

2. If you even think about resigning Bengie Molina, I will hunt you down.

Bengie has been a good Giant, don't get me wrong, but his time is up. He's slower than a drunk, dying moose.
 True, he's hit 20 homers, but he's 35, and he's overweight, and he will probably try to sign a contract for one last year. Don't let us be the ones. Posey isn't quite ready to start, but Rod Barajas, Ramon Hernandez, Jason Kendall, Ramon Castro, Josh Bard, Jason LaRue, old favorite Yorvit Torrealba and Jason Varitek are all available. Take anybody but Molina.

3. Get a real right fielder.

Randy Winn does not cut it. Sorry, but 35 year olds with above average fielding skill, below average contact, and non existent power don't usually start and get paid 9 million dollars. Vladimir Guerrero, Xavier Nady, and Conor Jackson will be available, if you insist on paying someone 9 mil, and Jason Bay will be available at left field. Get Bay, Guerrero, Nady, or Jackson.

4. Don't sign Brad Penny.

Aroldis Capman, the crazy good 22 year old Cuban, is a free agent, and has been compared to Stephen Strasburg. Offer a 7 year, 40 million contract. Try it.

5. Brandon Webb could hit the market. Look into it.

'Nuff said.

6. Acquire a good setup man or middle reliever, and you're in business.

Jose Valverde will be available, and J.J. Putz will definitely be released. Putz is an asset for any starting pitching, and his ERA is low.

Plus, you could trade Aaron Rowand for Alex Rios or Milton Bradley.

Here's what the roster would look like if you follow my advice:

C- Josh Bard and Buster Posey splitting time

1st- Pablo Sandoval, switch him from 3rd like Albert Pujols did, or get Nick Johnson from the Nats

2nd- Freddy Sanchez

3rd-Juan Uribe

SS-Jason Bartlett

LF-Eugenio Velez

CF- Milton Bradley

RF-Xavier Nady, Nate Scheirholtz would see extensive time as a backup and pinch hitter

Starting Pitching

Tim Lincecum

Matt Cain

Aroldis Chapman (102 mph fastball, great endurance)

Jonathan Sanchez

Barry Zito

Bullpen

Dan Runzler

Madison Bumgarner

Sergio Romo

Jeremy Affeldt

Brandon Medders

J.J Putz (setup)

Brian Wilson (closer)

If the Chapman thing is too pricey, we insert Bumgarner at #5 spot.