Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Tuesday 06/09 A.M. Quickie:
Strasburg, Magic, Cox, Curry, More

The MLB Draft lacks the heft of the NFL Draft -- which has become one of the top 5 sports events of the year -- and the cachet of the NBA Draft -- arguably the NBA's single-best day of the year.

This season, it does not lack for star wattage at the top: Stephen Strasburg, presumably headed to the Nationals with the No. pick -- and a record-breaking deal soon afterward.

Let's assume that he will be overpaid. That's a given. Let's even assume that he could end up being a bust, or merely even mediocre, or merely even great but not "best ever."

All that said, I think the Nationals -- a team of which I am a fan, if only nominally (but more than any other MLB team at this point) -- should spend whatever to get him.

Why? Relevance. Buzz. Cachet. Strasburg's early career will be in a spotlight that the otherwise irrelevant Nats simply don't have otherwise.

They may have a "Plan." They may be contenders in 5 or 10 years. In the meantime, they can at least have an attraction every 5 days that fans will pay attention to. That makes him worth it.

More you'll find in today's SN column:

*The Magic are just immature enough not to be too fazed by justmissingout on stunning the Lakers in LA in Game 2. Three games from now, they could be up 3-2. No, seriously...

*Stephen Curry is the most intriguing name in the NBA Draft. He has the most NBA-ready skill-set of any draftee: Even if it's a single dimension. Teams seem to covet him.

He will go no further than No. 5, to the Wizards. As a Wiz fan, I love this: Pair him with Arenas, and you have two combo guards who can handle/distribute the ball if necessary but also shoot the lights out. But the Wiz could also deal him to any number of teams that are going to be very keen on having him: The Knicks? The Bobcats? Just take a couple bad contracts from the Wiz.

The Knicks are taking a look at Curry today, even though they have the No. 8 pick -- he won't last until then -- and there are rumors that they are trying to shop David Lee and that they are trying to acquire Sergio Rodriguez from the Blazers (which may or may not be tied together). Maybe the Knicks are trying to trade up with the Wiz -- NY can eat DC's cap issues.

*Let's be clear: Brett Favre is coming back. To the Vikings. Maybe 6 weeks from now, but eventually. A deadline of this week seems ludicrous on its face. Throw in the circumstantial evidence that Favre's family bought a block of hotel rooms in Green Bay for the week the Packers play the Vikings. But can we please stop talking about the "if" stuff? It's "when."

*Surprise MLB player of the year and/or fantasy MVP of the year? How about Toronto's Adam Lind? 2 HR yesterday, continuing a torrid start to the season that should have him on the All-Star team as a reserve. (Speaking of All-Star voting, you know I'm a huge fan of the fan vote. But, come on, people: Jimmy Rollins over Hanley Ramirez?)

Complete SN column here. More later.

-- D.S.

1 comment:

DougOLis said...

Isn't overpaid a relative term? What do you think he'd make on the open market? I have to think it'd be far greater than the $20m or so it'll probably settle around.