Sports Time Radio

Out of all of the sports that I watch baseball is my favorite. Now I don’t have a problem with the games like a lot of people do, but I’ve now developed an issue with the off season and I believe I have a way to fix it.

It’s time that Major League Baseball and the players union get together and come up with a an off season deadline that players have to be signed by. With pitchers and catchers reporting next week we should be focusing on the 2019 season, but instead will still be stuck with talk of the two big free agents that don’t look like they’ll be signed by then. Would it really be that difficult for either the top two guys on the free agent market or any other unsigned player to make a decision by next week?

Now this seems like it would be pretty easy to implement. Give teams a week after the World Series has ended until the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training to sign players. If there’s an agent who thinks it would be a good idea to not have his guy sign then allow that player to sign after the deadline, but the first year of his contract must be spent playing in Triple-A. I understand that is a pretty hardline stance and I also know that Major League Baseball and the owners don’t have a big enough set of you know what to do that, but I’m tired of agents drawing this out.

I’m quite surprised that the agents and the players they represent didn’t learn anything from last season, but I guess “stupid is as stupid does”.

I think a deadline like this might be more important for pitchers than it is for hitters. Last season pitchers like Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn had down seasons. I guess you could even throw Jake Arrieta into this mix even though he pitched better as the season went on. What do these three pitchers have in common? They all signed after spring training had started.

Dallas Keuchel is the only bigger name starting pitcher left on the free agent market. Could he have a sow start to his 2019 season if he’s not signed by next week? Craig Kimbrell is also unsigned, but he’s a closer and I can understand why he’s still available. Kimbrell’s demands are pretty high and unless he’s willing to make some concessions he may not be signed until well after spring training has started.

Now on the hitters side we still have the big two out there in Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, but there’s also Mike Moustakas, Josh Harrison, Adam jones and Carlos Gonzalez who could also help some teams.

If a team signs one or more of these players after spring training has started; will they get enough at bats for the start of the regular season? Now both Harper and Machado are expected to get very large contract offers; would the team they signed with fan base turn on them if they got off to a slower than expected stat? Remember Harper had a down first half of the season in 2018 and he had a full spring training. Imagine how the Philadelphia Phillies fans would react if they landed one of the two big time free agents and the guy didn’t produce right out of the gate.

Now I know that the owners and the players association has spoken about making some changes, but I didn’t see this on the list that I read. I hope that it was just left off of that list, but their is a chance that they don’t think this is an issue. Well I’m here to tell you that it is.

I’m not sure where you stand on this, but I am actually to the point where I won’t even bother to turn on the MLB Network. I don’t have to turn over there to know what I’m going to get. Right now there’s not much going on with the stagnant free agent market; so all they’re going to be talking about is where they think Harper and Machado will end up.

I hope there’s someone out their with a lot more power than I have that realizes this is a problem not only for teams, but for fans. Someone make a change; please.

Now I think ever sports fan knows that when it’s all said and done Anthony Davis will be wearing a Los Angeles Lakers uniform. That’s why I thought it was hilarious yesterday when there was a report that came out saying the Lakers are no longer negotiating with the New Orleans Pelicans on a trade for Davis. Is there anyone who actually believed this report? If you did I have a nice piece of swamp land to sell you in Florida.

I’ll buy that the Lakers are a little upset with what the Pelicans want in return for Davis, but there’s no way they’re put of these negotiations.

I think the Lakes where under the impression that since Davis has expressed his desire to leave the Pelicans that they would panic and more or less give him away. It appears as though the Pelicans realize what kind of player they’re going to be dealing and they’re looking for a lot of compensation in the deal and you can’t blame them for that.

Reports are the Pelicans would like Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball along with four 1st round draft picks and four 2nd round draft picks. That sounds like a lot to give up, but let’s take a closer look.

Right off the bat the 2nd round draft picks are a throw away part of the deal. How often does an NBA team hit on a 2nd round draft pick? You can even say the same thing about the 1st round draft picks. If the Lakers are a playoff team these picks would be farther enough down in the 1st round that New Orleans probably couldn’t find an impact player.

As for the actually players. Ball is clearly a 1st round bust. While he is at distributing the basketball he can’t shoot it. Ball is shooting 40.6% from the floor and 32.9% from behind the 3-point line, but the problem comes when he get s to the free throw line. Ball is shooting just 41.7% from the foul line that’s embarrassing no matter what his father says.

Kuzma played pretty well when LeBron James was out with his groin injury and even had a 41 point game, but since James has returned Kuzma’s numbers are down. It’s clear the Lakers don’t have any idea what to do with him, but if he’s dealt and given the minutes maybe he could turn into a solid NBA player.

Ingram like Kuzma showed something when James was out injured, but Ingram has been able to continue to play well with the return of James. Ingram has scored double digit points in 22of the last 23 games he’s played in. He did struggle last night putting up just 12 points as the Lakers where blown out by the Indiana Pacers; so will have to watch the next few games and see if he gets back on track.

What do you think? Are the Pelicans asking too much for Davis?

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