To Rent or Not To Rent

There has been a lot talk in the Detroit sports scene; on rather the Tigers should try to trade for New York Mets’ Jose Reyes and make a run at the championship or continue on their current course. The Tigers are considered playoff contenders by the experts, but Reyes will help them become championship contenders. Reportedly, Reyes whose contract ends at the end of the baseball season wants a new contract worth 150 million for about 6 years. In addition, the Tigers are losing money and willing sign a player for 150 million in about 6 years. Thus, Reyes in this case of the Tigers will be a “rented” player.

A “rented” player is a player whose contract with a team set to end at the end of given season, and traded to a new team, but have no plans to resign with the team they are traded to. Commonly, these trades happen in basketball, hockey, and baseball. Especially in baseball, where teams have more options in terms of trading pieces: such as players, draft picks and minor league prospects and give them away to get the “rented” player. There are good, bad, and ugly sides to these trades for the team who go out and get the players whose contracts are set to expire.

THE GOOD: The team who went from playoff contender to championship contender after the trade wins the championship and the player who they traded for changed his mind and re-sign with team.

THE BAD: Same as the good, but the player refuses to re-sign with the team he helped win the championship. Plans to use his new championship mantle as a negotiation chip for more money with a team in the open market called free agency.

THE UGLY: The team who attempted to win a championship with said trade, fails to win the championship and the player they got refuse to sign up a new contract with team he was traded for, and goes to free agency to see how much teams are willing to pay for his services.

There are risks in getting a “rented” player, some are great like winning a championship to horrible like not having a chance to play for a championship by not making to the playoffs; these things are something to consider. As for the Reyes’ question in terms should the Tigers trade for him, to me I do not think he is worth the risk. He is a good player, but the losses are much more than any minuscule gains that are made along any trade for him.  

Some Type of Wonderment in Soccer

I cannot believe it has been 12 years since a United States senior soccer team man or woman won a FIFA World Cup. I still cannot believe the accomplishments I had achieved like getting out of Special Ed, attended and graduated from Cass Tech, attended and graduated from Michigan State and now I knocking on law school's door; all of this before the Men's or Women's National Soccer Team winning a World Cup.

In 2002, the Men's Team had a good chance in winning it, but fell short in the quarterfinal lost to Germany. In 2003 the Women's Team had their shot in winning it all, but most of the players on that squad were starting to get older and thinking about their post-soccer careers and lost to upstart German National Team for a third place finish. Then in 2006, the Men's Team, which many believe, was screwed by being putting in the same group as Italy, Ghana, and the Czech Republic; all three teams were very strong with Italy winning the tournament. The most confusing year in this whole not winning the World Cup journey for me has to be 2007; where the women's team got younger and had the better chance of all the teams I mention so far. The problem was there were then U.S  Head Coach Greg Ryan benched goalkeeper Hope Solo who were amazing during that World Cup, only giving up two goals in four games in favor of Briana Scurry who had not played 3 months before, because of a great history against Brazil (that's who the USA played against in the semi-finals). This would be like Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra benching Dwyane Wade in favor of Eddie House before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Well as a result, the US team lost to Brazil 4-0 and again limp to a third place finish.

Finally, in 2010 the Men's Team gave us Americans a great showing, but slowly lost to our friends Ghana in the quarterfinals. Now as the US Women's Team is one day away from playing their first match in this year World Cup. I hope they win it all, because I do not want to go into 2014 almost finish with law school and still be in disbelief that the drought continues.  

A Show Call NHL Entry Draft

Future All-Stars maybe?

 Last night, for some reason I tuned to Verses, that network nobody can find. The network was showing the National Hockey League draft, which is fighting for the third slot of the professional sport's drafts along with Major League Baseball.  (Note: The draft order is like this; NFL, NBA, tied for third MLB and NHL.) I think the NHL had pushed them to third place if they could put it on a network people know or Comcast step their game up with this network in five unique ways.

1.) The Name: The NHL Draft is actually called the NHL Entry Draft to me that sound a bit better than the draft. It is as if someone decided to televise a military draft, by calling it the draft.

2.) The decision makers of teams are actually there at the draft site: Just treat the NHL Entry Draft, like a televised hiring fair. General Managers, Presidents of Player Operations and the Players being drafted to teams all there together in one building; unlike the NFL, NBA and MLB drafts where players don't see their bosses until they make it to the team's offices.

3.) Deals are made in the building by the decision makers face to face. Can you imagine how easy that Chicago-Baltimore trade would have happened if they both teams General Managers where in New York City seeing eye to eye. Think about it, a trade would not be botch because of a jacked-up phone signal, because they are there face to face.

4,) Teams announced their draftees. This is what I mean; General Managers of a team go up to the podium and announced the players they selected. I do not know if they always do this, nor did it to prevent the massive booing to the commissioner.

5.) Players who about to be drafted are in the stands. Comparing to NFL and NBA players are at tables with their families, girlfriends, and agents pretending to wait to have a dinner, and not having alcoholic beverages. Really, hockey players are in the stands waiting to be picked by professional teams; it’s like going back to childhood sitting in the stands watching professional hockey players playing hockey. It is full circle for these players; well it is much better than sitting at a table and pretend to wait in a "greenroom".

I did enjoy this draft, but I wonder why it took four hours to complete round one. Well, that's another question that has to wait for another day to be answer.