The Green Bay Packers started training camp last week. In some respects, it's more a day care when one considers the very VERY youthful group of defensive backs.
When it comes to NFL experience in the defensive backfield, the emphasis is on GREEN for the Green Bay Packers. Of the 11 cornerback hopefuls and 6 safety candidates, 12 are under 25 years of age. And of that age group, only HaHa Clinton-Dix has any real amount of actual NFL game experience. Granted, last year's rookie stars, Kevin King and John Jones (both 23) played a bit, but both were slowed by injuries.
Toss in first-year defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's new approach and system, and it's more school than day care for the young group.
Former defensive coordinator Dom Capers said that his complicated defense was best run with veteran players. Former general manager Ted Thompson's squads were consistently among the youngest in the league, so that might have been part of the problem. But Pettine has had success wherever he's been -- and former players, like Wisconsin DC Jim Leonard, speak highly of him.
Folks, be patient. There's gonna be a learning curve here. Learning how to play defense the Pettine way, and learning how to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. Mistakes will be made, no getting around it. But will they LEARN from those and improve, or just be the same old/same old from week to week.
Don't look for a lot of flash in the pre-season, either. Teams tend to play vanilla defense, for the most part, in these tilts. So we probably won't know a lot about this defensive group until September. And that's being generous. I don't think we'll get a real read on the defensive backs until October. In other words, until we've seen these kids getting trial-by-fire game experience.
Monday, July 30, 2018
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Let's Make A Deal...But Not Just Any Deal
Unless you've just been rescued from a water-filled cave in Thailand, as a Milwaukee Brewers fan you're well aware of the rumors flying as the trade deadline approaches.
Yes, word on the street has the team hot on the trail of Baltimore Oriole soon-to-be free agent Manny Machado, a versatile power-hitting infielder. It's a rent-a-bat kind of thing for Milwaukee (think Paladin from "Have Gun Will Travel"), since Machado would likely only be in a Brewer uniform for a couple months. Pundits and talk shows have been piling up prospects to deal for Manny.
I think the Machado hype is smoke-and-mirrors. It's much like a magician directing the audience's attention to one hand while working the trick with the other. In this case, Milwaukee General Manager David Stearns is the magician, and the baseball world the audience.
For, while the attention is on Machado, Stearns is no doubt looking hard at helping the Brewers with pitching. Yes, the team has several throwers on the DL -- Wade Miley, Zach Davies, Brent Suter. But will the club hope one or all of these guys can come back to help the staff, or will Stearns make a move, one that won't gut the farm system but help the club win the division and reach the playoffs.
The faltering New York Mets are said to be dangling Jacob deGrom (under contract until 2020) and Noah "Thor" Syndergaard (eligible for free agency in 2022). Either would be better additions to the Brewers, as playoff baseball success stems from front-line pitching. Even guys headed to free agency next year, like Toronto's J.A. Happ (cousin to Wisconsin Badger basketball's Ethan Happ) and James Shields of the Chicago White Sox might be appealing.
Stay tuned and trust Stearns, who has made good moves thus far in his young GM career. And don't be surprised when Manny Machado ends up in Dodger or Yankee or Indians uniform after the dust settles.
************
On the subject of the Brewers, who won Tuesday night in Miami, a deeper look at the box scores the last two days shows the Marlins (and yes, folks, this is supposed to be a Major League ballclub) drew 5,996 fans on Monday and 5,624 on Tuesday. These are tickets sold, of course, and not necessarily the fannies in the seats.
Hell, the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League, a league of college players, routinely draws bigger crowds than Miami.
Yes, word on the street has the team hot on the trail of Baltimore Oriole soon-to-be free agent Manny Machado, a versatile power-hitting infielder. It's a rent-a-bat kind of thing for Milwaukee (think Paladin from "Have Gun Will Travel"), since Machado would likely only be in a Brewer uniform for a couple months. Pundits and talk shows have been piling up prospects to deal for Manny.
I think the Machado hype is smoke-and-mirrors. It's much like a magician directing the audience's attention to one hand while working the trick with the other. In this case, Milwaukee General Manager David Stearns is the magician, and the baseball world the audience.
For, while the attention is on Machado, Stearns is no doubt looking hard at helping the Brewers with pitching. Yes, the team has several throwers on the DL -- Wade Miley, Zach Davies, Brent Suter. But will the club hope one or all of these guys can come back to help the staff, or will Stearns make a move, one that won't gut the farm system but help the club win the division and reach the playoffs.
The faltering New York Mets are said to be dangling Jacob deGrom (under contract until 2020) and Noah "Thor" Syndergaard (eligible for free agency in 2022). Either would be better additions to the Brewers, as playoff baseball success stems from front-line pitching. Even guys headed to free agency next year, like Toronto's J.A. Happ (cousin to Wisconsin Badger basketball's Ethan Happ) and James Shields of the Chicago White Sox might be appealing.
Stay tuned and trust Stearns, who has made good moves thus far in his young GM career. And don't be surprised when Manny Machado ends up in Dodger or Yankee or Indians uniform after the dust settles.
************
On the subject of the Brewers, who won Tuesday night in Miami, a deeper look at the box scores the last two days shows the Marlins (and yes, folks, this is supposed to be a Major League ballclub) drew 5,996 fans on Monday and 5,624 on Tuesday. These are tickets sold, of course, and not necessarily the fannies in the seats.
Hell, the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League, a league of college players, routinely draws bigger crowds than Miami.
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