On July 24, 2009, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired outfielder Matt Holliday from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Peterson. The Cardinals had been searching for a big bat to couple with Albert Pujols, and Holliday was the answer. The A’s agreed to pick up $1.5 million of the approximate $5.385 million left on his 2009 contract, leaving the Cardinals with $3.885 million to add to their 2009 payroll.

When Holliday was acquired, only .5 games separated the Cardinals from the Cubs in the National League Central standings. Albert Pujols was producing as expected, but the lineup was not providing enough protection for him. Before Holliday joined the Cardinals, Pujols had been intentionally walked 21 times more than anyone else in the majors and had posted a sub-par (by Pujols standards) triple-slash line of .289/.415/.485 in July. In that month alone, Pujols was intentionally walked 12 times. The presence of Holliday took that luxury away from pitchers, and Pujols was intentionally walked only 8 times the rest of the season and posted a triple-slash of .340/.442/.632.

Holliday hadn’t posted numbers anywhere close to those of an elite player in his brief stint in the American League. He was decent at the plate (.286/.378/.454), but only hit 11 homers in 400 plate appearances. Holliday got his groove back, however, after joining the Cardinals and posted a line of .353/.419/.604 while mashing 13 homers and driving in 55 runs in just 270 plate appearances. Just one month after acquiring Holliday, the Cardinals 20-6 August record had all but locked up the NL Central and St. Louis entered the season’s final month with a 10-game lead. The Cardinals struggled in September, going just 13-13, but still won the division comfortably. Holliday was the superstar that the Cardinals were expecting in the regular season, but he had a disappointing post season. Not only was Holliday 2 for 12 at the dish, but he dropped a fly ball in game two of the NLDS that likely would have lead to a Cardinals win and a tied series. Instead, the Cardinals were swept, 3-0, by the Dodgers.

Adding a superstar caliber player like Holliday gave the franchise another face to plaster on posters and advertisements. Holliday’s jersey quickly became the second-most purchased Cardinals uniform, and those numbers will continue to rise. The Cardinals attendance of 3.3 million was the third best number in the National League and Busch Stadium had at least 40,000 fans in the stands at all but one of the games played after Holliday starting manning left field.

In order to acquire Holliday the Cardinals departed with highly-touted third base prospect Brett Wallace along right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen and outfielder Shane Peterson. The 2010 Baseball Prospectus seems to think that the Cardinals didn’t lose too much, unless A’s general manager Billy Beane is seeing something that they don’t. The team at the Prospectus describes Wallace, 22, who has since been traded to Toronto, as a defensive nightmare that projects to an average first-base bat. Mortensen, 24, has a big-league sinking fastball, but appears to be best suited for middle relief in the big leagues. Peterson, 21, is probably the most intriguing of the three and is said to have a great line-drive swing and plus speed.

The Cardinals rewarded Holliday in the offseason with a ridiculous 7-year contract worth $120 million. In 2010, Holliday will be the highest paid Cardinal and his $17 million, despite dropping Julio Lugo’s $9 million plus, will push the Cardinals to a payroll of approximately $90 million.

In my opinion, the trade for Holliday was a great one. He provided the extra pop in the lineup and the protection for Pujols that the Cardinals so desperately needed. The Cardinals 20-6 August record can be almost directly attributed to the addition of Holliday. Holliday’s playoff performance was forgettable, but he was a big part of leading St. Louis to the postseason. Also, it seems like the Cardinals were able to acquire Holliday without sacrificing too much of their farm system. Wallace is generally viewed as an extremely overrated prospect, Mortensen is already being deemed a big-league reliever, and Peterson has yet to show the power and patience of a star outfielder. So, the Cardinals get an A for their 2009 blockbuster with the A’s.

The problem now, though, is that Holliday is likely past his prime and declining speed and power is already evident. The 36 dingers of 2007 and the 28 stolen bases of 2008 are probably long in the rear-view mirror. If Holliday posts numbers like he did in the second half of last year, then bravo to the Cardinals, but most projections see his numbers taking a dip. With Pujols’ contract expiring in 2011 an extension is a likely, and the Cardinals are on track to have two aging players accounting for over $40 million by 2012. If the Cardinals are going to make it back to the World Series in the foreseeable future, they need to do it in 2010 or 2011.



It has been a few days since the Kansas Jayhawks were downed by the Northern Iowa Panthers, and I think I’ve cooled down enough to reasonably reflect on the game and the season.

The Jayhawks were flat out beat on Saturday evening. Northern Iowa played harder, and better, than Kansas for almost the entire 40 minutes. Personally, I wasn’t ever particularly worried about the outcome until there were about eight minutes left in the game. We had seen this story before, as the Jayhawks have started slow in many games this year. But the big shots fell for the wrong team on Saturday, and a Jayhawks team that had flirted with disaster for much of the season finally met their demise. Tears were shed, frustration boiled and bubbled, and a Kansas team with as much hype as any in the school’s history will always be remembered as a colossal disappointment. Now what?

Sherron Collins was a part of some great teams, but when he was the go to guy he faltered in the two games that counted most. Collins struggled last year against Michigan State in a game that the Jayhawks easily could have won, and was miserable against Northern Iowa. Now, the Collins era is over, and his legacy is tainted. Cole Aldrich, though disappointing offensively all season, was a defensive presence that simply can’t be replaced. Xavier Henry had times where he looked like a future NBA star, but had many more where he looked like a college freshman. Losing these three will be tough, but the rebuild/reload scenario is nothing like it was following the 2008 National Championship.

Kansas will return two starters, and all of their bench players next fall. Morris, Morris, Withey, and Robinson will be one of the best front courts in the Big XII and have the potential to be a special unit. If KU can add super freak point guard prospect Josh Selby, their guard play won’t be too shabby either. We also can’t forget about redshirt players Travis Releford and Mario Little, who have been rumored to be quite impressive in practice this year, and will make a big impact on next year’s team.

This is the great part of being a Kansas fan. A truly disappointing finish to what was once a great season will likely be completely forgotten in just a few years. I can’t see KU having a season like North Carolina did this year, and the Jayhawks will be ready for another Final Four push before we know it.

Note: I’m taking a baseball scouting and general management class and I will post my weekly writing assignments on here. They will mostly NOT be KC based material.

Carl Crawford, 28, Tampa Bay Rays

After a rocky 2008 season, Crawford bounced back in 2009 to post the highest WARP (5.4) of his career. At the plate, he set a career high in walks (51) and OBP (.364) while still popping 51 extra base hits. He was also a terror on the base paths, and stole 60 bases at a 78.9% success rate. Crawford was unbelievable in left field, and posted a UZR/150 of 17.5 which lead the American League. Crawford has arguably the best range of any left fielder in baseball.

Crawford may be close to perfect, but he does have some weaknesses. While his range is unparalleled, his arm strength and accuracy leave something to be desired and he has recorded just 11 outfield assists in the last three seasons. Left-handed pitching can also give the left-handed hitting Crawford trouble at times. In 2009 he posted a .704 OPS against lefties while knocking righties around for an .868 OPS.

The Rays, in a somewhat surprising move, decided to pick up Crawford’s $10 million (max of $11.5 million with escalators) 2010 club option. In 2011, Crawford will probably be looking for a 5/6-year deal worth $70-$90 million.

The Rays will be players for Crawford once the 2010 season ends, but two other clubs that are likely to make a strong push for the speedy lefty are the Atlanta Braves and the Detroit Tigers.

Tampa Bay has expressed interest in resigning Crawford, who they drafted in the first round of the 1999 amateur draft. It is possible for the Rays to have a strong desire to bring Crawford back, especially if Matt Joyce struggles at the plate in 2009. However, if Joyce proves that he can be an effective every-day right fielder, the Rays may be willing to part with Crawford because super stud Desmond Jennings is waiting in the wings. Jennings has all the potential of Crawford, with the added ability to play center field, and the Rays would love for him to slide right in after Crawford’s departure. An outfield full of guys 26 and younger (Jennings, Upton, Joyce) would be the dream scenario for Tampa, but Joyce and Jennings will have to prove their worth in 2010 before the Rays forget about Crawford.

Atlanta will also be in the market for an outfield bat in 2011. While Nate McLouth and Jason Heyward seem locks for the 2011 Braves outfield, the other spot is wide open. Atlanta’s payroll is taking a dip in 2010, so it seems as if they could be free agent spenders in 2011. Melky Cabrera, acquired from the Yankees in the Javier Vasquez trade, and Matt Diaz are both signed to one-year deals and seem unlikely to return to the Braves after this year. Crawford fits perfectly with a Braves team that could use a boost in team speed and defense. Atlanta will certainly be interested, and will make a play for Crawford.

However, I think the team that will end up winning the Crawford sweepstakes is the Detroit Tigers. First things first, the Tigers are going to be shedding a ridiculous amount of payroll after the 2010 season. Dropping the salaries of Bonderman ($12.5 million), Ordonez ($18 million), Willis ($12 million), Robertson ($10 million), and Damon (1-year 2010 contract for $8 million) result in a cash dump of about $60 million for Dave Dombrowski’s Tigers. Austin Jackson and Carlos Guillen are ticketed for the 2011 Detroit outfield, but much like the Braves, they will be willing to spend big bucks for that third outfield spot. The Tigers desperately need Crawford’s lead-off abilities and speed, and will easily outbid anyone else that pursues him. An outfield of Crawford, Jackson, and Guillen sounds like a match-made in heaven for Detroit.

Can you guys think of a more perfect fit for Crawford than Detroit, given that he will sign a ridiculously pricey contract?

Sources:

www.baseballreference.com

www.fangraphs.com

Baseball Prospectus 2010

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/

As usual, the Royals off season was filled with questionable signing after questionable signing, and the result is a new-look outfield for the Royals. Scott Podsednik will be in left, Rick Ankiel in center, and David Dejesus in right, and if that doesn’t stir up all kinds of excitement in Kansas City, I’m not sure what will! Let’s take a look at this nightmare from both defensive and offensive lenses.

Defense (Look below for explanation of UZR/150)

Scott Podsednik

Throughout Scotty Pods big league career, he has logged the vast majority of his innings in center and left field, splitting time evenly between the two. In left field, he has shown slightly above average range accompanied by a slightly below average arm, and has rated out as almost perfectly average altogether (-0.3 UZR/150)*. In center, the arm looks a little better, but the range takes a hit, making him below average (-5.6 UZR/150).

Rick Ankiel

Ankiel has a pretty small sample size to work with, but he has the equivalent of a full season in center field under his belt and it isn’t pretty (-9.4 UZR/150). He has less that 500 innings in right and left, but projects well in both spots (7.5 UZR/150 in left, 6.1 UZR/150 in right). Ankiel has a strong arm and is clearly better suited for a corner spot.

David Dejesus

The Royals were really pimping DDJ for a gold glove last year, and he had a somewhat reasonable case. He displayed above average range, and an accurate arm that produced 13 OF assists. He also did not commit an error in 2009. The statistics back up what looked to the naked eye like a great left fielder as he posted very strong 15.7 UZR/150. For his career, he has also been an above average center fielder (4.9 UZR/150).

It seems to me that the Royals have this all jumbled up, and each outfielder is in the wrong spot. For starters, you simply can’t take Dejesus out of left field. He will be solid in right, but his arm will not be as effective. Ankiel seems like the obvious fit for right field as he possesses an arm with chimp-like strength, and range that will play above average. Unfortunately, that leaves Podsednik, who will be average in the corner and slight below average in center. Pods goes to center by default. So, with Dejesus in left, Pods in center, and Ankiel in right you can project an outfield that will combine for a 14-18 UZR/150, which is actually fairly respectable!

But we all know this will never happen, and the Royals will settle in comfortably around 0-4 UZR/150. Also, keep in mind that Mitch Maier projects out about the same as Podsednik offensively in 2010, and played above-average defense in center last year. Something to think about.

*UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) is a defensive statistic that measures how many runs a player saved or cost their team in the field relative to an average fielder at their position. It is a combination of range, arm, and error efficiency and has proven to be quite accurate. UZR/150 is designed to average out a player’s defense over a 150 game season. Mitch Maier’s 1.7 UZR/150 in 2009 meant that if he would have started 150 games he would have saved the Royals 1.7 more  runs with his glove than the average center fielder.

Offense

Scott Podsednik

Podsednik revitalized his career in 2009 by hitting over .300 and posting a .764 OPS in nearly 600 plate appearances for the White Sox. It seems unlikely for Pods to repeat however, seeing how that was his first season since 2003 with an OPS higher than .700. His stolen base percentage of 69.8% (30/43) borders on acceptable, and it appears that he needs to pick his spots a little better. Unfortunately, he is ticketed for the lead-off spot where there is a much better candidate…

David Dejesus

Dejesus had a rough first half at the plate, with a meager .728 OPS (.256/.314/.414), but blew up in the latter part of the season and finished with a respectable .781 OPS. Much of his early season struggles can be attributed to hitting away from his comfort zone: the top spot in the order. David struggled in the two and three spots in the lineup as Coco Crisp was an early mainstay at the top before an injured shoulder derailed his season. Take a look a Dejesus’s career numbers:

Batting 1st: .297/.367/.441 (.808 OPS)

Podsednik: .278/.342/.384 (.726 OPS)

Batting 2nd: .245/.319/.370 (.689 OPS)

Podsednik: .296/.344/.385 (.728 OPS)

Batting 3rd: .263/.325/.371 (.696 OPS)

Podsednik: Only five ABs

I think it’s pretty damn obvious who should be leading off for the Royals on April 5th, but again, it’s not going to happen. The Royals really should be looking at Dejesus, Callaspo, and Butler to start the order, but we will instead be seeing something like Podsednik, Getz, and Dejesus. It’s the little things, folks.

Rick Ankiel

Ankiel is a total wild card at this point. The Royals would kill for a repeat of Ankiel’s 2009 in which he hit 25 homers and posted an .843 OPS, but will probably have to settle for something closer to the .790 range. Ankiel will likely hit fourth or fifth, which is truly sad.

So, there you have it. The Royals 2010 outfield acquisitions could be valuable if used properly, but the Royals are content on driving us all crazy.

Unfortunately for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks, the 2009-2010 Jayhawks are a team that has only one outcome that will please their fan base: cutting down the nets in Indianapolis. Realistic expectations or not, let’s see what the Hawks will have to do to get to Indy.

After an amazing regular season that saw the Jayhawks take the regular season and Big XII tournament titles, beating the top 10 Wildcats of KSU three times along the way, Kansas was the clear choice for the number one overall seed.

What’s interesting is that KU was placed in what is clearly (not even close) the most difficult quartile of the bracket, while the Duke Blue Devils somehow were awarded the third one seed and seem likely to be unchallenged until the Elite Eight. At that point, Coach K and Co. will probably face either an unimpressive Villanova team, losers of five of their last games, or a Baylor team that, while very talented, is lacking in the depth department.

But let’s focus on the Midwest regional. The rest of the top four seeds are quite impressive.

#2 Ohio St, who finished the season extremely strong behind the mesmerizing play of Evan Turner, is looking scary good right now. In OSU’s last 14 contests, their one loss was by 3 points to a Purdue team that was still featuring a healthy Hummel. Much like Baylor, OSU has one of the best starting 5′s in the country, but get little production from the bench. Outside of Turner, the buckeyes struggle to rebound the ball, especially offensively. OSU has also been mediocre from the free throw line, shooting just 68.9 percent from the charity stripe. Obviously the Columbus Crew will live and die with Turner, but the show-stopper is capable of taking the Bucks to Indy.

#3 Georgetown has been up and down at times this season, but is riding a pretty good stretch of ball into the tourney. Greg Monroe is a special, special talent and provides match up problems for less athletic forwards and centers. His ability to run the floor and distribute the basketball is remarkable for a guy that runs about 6’10″. He’s not alone, though, as Austin Freeman and Chris Wright are more than capable of scoring in bunches and taking over a game for a stretch. The Hoyas rely on their starters for way too much, however, as four of the five average over 33 minutes a game! KU doesn’t have a single player averaging 33 minutes. Their lack of depth in the back court is shockingly bad, so Freeman and Wright absolutely must avoid getting into foul trouble.

#4 Maryland gets better contributions from their bench than the Bucks or Hoyas, but definitely do not have as strong of a starting five. The electric and flamboyant Greivis Vasquez can blow up for 40 at any given time, but has also shot his team out of games several times this year. The Terps are good, and Vasquez, much like OSU’s Turner, is capable of putting his team on his shoulders all the way to Indy.

While #6 Tennessee, #7 Oklahoma St, and #10 Georgia Tech have had flashes of brilliance this year, I fully expect Ohio State or GTown to be in the Elite Eight.

The Jayhawks’ path to the Elite Eight will not be an easy one, however. After breezing by America’s team (Lehigh), I’m thinking that the Hawks will be facing the Panthers of Northern Iowa.

#9 UNI plays tremendous defense (#13 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency), and can get red hot from the outside. The Panthers had seven players shoot over 35% from behind the arc during the regular season.

While I fully expect KU to win their second game by double digits, they certainly can’t take UNI lightly.

Once in the Sweet Sixteen, The Crimson and Blue are likely to take on the Michigan State Spartans or the a fore mentioned Terrapins.

#5 MSU has largely been a disappointment this year, not even coming close to living up to their preseason top five billing. Their three non-conference losses look to be pretty bad at this point, but they were on fire to start Big Ten season. 9-0 to start conference play, the Spartans entered a stretch of games that provided an opportunity to show that they were for real. MSU flopped, however, losing at Wisconsin and Illinois, and at home to Purdue. I do think the Spartans are pretty talented, and have a reasonable shot at a Sweet Sixteen appearance.

For Kansas, I think Maryland is a little scarier for one reason. A match up of KU/MSU from last year’s tourney would most certainly bring out the best in the Jayhawks, and when they are at their best, they can’t be beat.

Either way, the Hawks are going to advance to the Elite Eight if they are focused and can keep Vasquez under 40.

Ok, so after all of that, here is how I am envisioning the path of the Kansas Jayhawks:

KU will roll Lehigh, and their talented freshman guard, C.J. McCollum, by 20-30 points to kick off the tournament.

They will then struggle at times against a scrappy Northern Iowa team, but end up winning comfortably.

Next, KU will face a little déjà vu when the line up against Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen. The Hawks will control the game from the start, and roll comfortably into the Elite Eight.

Feeling a little cocky, the Hawks will run into the country’s best player in the Final Four when Evan Turner and Ohio State knock off Greg Monroe and Georgetown. Turner will dazzle the crowd, and frustrate the Hawks to death, but Sherron Collins will not let his team fall short of the Final Four.

Once in the Final Four, things are truly unpredictable. Falling short of Indianapolis can acceptably be viewed as a disappointment, but once in Indy anything is possible, and the 2009-2010 season can be considered a successful one.

After taking a fairly depressing look back at the Chiefs yesterday, we’re going to delve even deeper into the darkness. Today’s subject? The Kansas City Royals. Ugh.

After two straight years of improvement under GM Dayton Moore, the boys of summer took a huge step back, finishing last in a weak AL Central.

Kansas City Royals 2009 Season (65-97)

The Good:

Well, this section ought to be fairly short.

Signing Zack Greinke to a long term contract paid immediate dividends as Planet Z won the Cy Young award in run-away fashion. Greinke was sensational, especially in the first and final thirds of the season. He deserves even more credit for staying focused through a season in which he could have easily given up.

Billy Butler emerged as a true middle-of-the-lineup threat by mashing doubles left and right at the K this year. His 50+ doubles and 20+ HRs put him in pretty unique company for a 23-year-old. Butler’s future is bright, and signing him up should be a priority for Dayton.

Joakim Soria again showed that he is one of the best relief pitchers in the game, despite Manager Trey Hillman’s inability to use him properly.

Robinson Tejeda emerged as an intriguing starting pitching prospect. When he has control of his pitches, especially his blazing fast ball, he is very difficult to hit.

David Dejesus bounced back from a shaky first couple of months and was steady at the plate and sometimes sensational in left field.

Alberto Callaspo was a machine at the dish for most of the year, and was easily the Royals’ second best hitter.

Dayton Moore did a nice job in the amateur draft by spending the extra buck to sign first-round caliber talent in the middle rounds and was able to land Noel Arguelles, viewed as a top foreign pitching prospect, early in the offseason.

Some exciting pitching talent blossomed in the lower minor leagues and could provide strength for the Royals in several years.

The Bad:

Where to start?

Gil Meche, Jose Guillen, and Alex Gordon struggled with injuries for most of the season, and were not overly productive (probably being generous here) when on the field.

Coco Crisp looked like he could have been a find before being derailed with multiple shoulder injuries.

Luke Hochevar and Brian Bannister had very up-and-down seasons. Hochevar pitched some of the better games in the league this summer, but struggled with command and giving up the long ball for the vast majority of the season. Bannister started off the season well and was decent through summer, but wound up missing the last two months with an injury.

The Ugly. The Very, Very Ugly:

The bullpen was an absolute disaster all season long. There was not a single reliever that was even remotely reliable outside of Soria. Acquisitions Kyle Farnsworth (2 yrs., $9 million) and Juan Cruz (2 yrs., $6 million) were costly and unproductive.

For as bad as the bullpen was, the defense was even worse. The middle infield of Callaspo and Yuniesky Betancourt, coupled with the catching of Miguel Olivo and John Buck made for the worst up the middle defense in baseball. With a little bit more help, Greinke would have had an ERA under 2.00 for the season.

Former top draft picks Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas had very poor showings in high A ball, and are a big concern seeing as how the Royals are desperate for lineup help.

Trey Hillman continued to manage on “instinct” and “feel”… and failed miserably. He needs to be fired, and I’m guessing it won’t take more than three months.

Mike Jacobs was probably the worst 1B/DH in baseball last year, and should be a lesson to Dayton Moore.

So what’s in store for the Royals in 2010?

Kansas City Royals 2010 Outlook

Moore has got to be on the hot seat a little bit going into next season. His 2009 off-season was a disaster, and he’s got a lot of makeup work to do. Dayton needs to pray that Hosmer and Moustakas rebound from last season and show that they are on a path to the bigs.

Trading Teahen to the White Sox for Josh Fields and Chris Getz has the potential to be a nice move. Unfortunately, that move was immediately countered by the ridiculous 2-year, $6 million contract given to Jason Kendall.

The off-season has been pretty quiet and it doesn’t look like much else is going to change.

I expect Greinke and Butler to perform at an All Star level, but the Roys MUST get production out of Alex Gordon. Chris Getz and Josh Fields are wild cards, and hopefully one of them pans out.

As Royals fans, we also need to be banking on Dejesus and Gil Meche firing out of the gates and building some high trade value come mid-Summer. The Royals are not close to competing and amassing as many prospects as possible is paramount to future success.

Projected Opening Day Lineup:

1. David Dejesus – LF

2. Alberto Callaspo – DH

3. Billy Butler – 1B

4. Alex Gordon – 3B

5. Jose Guillen – RF

6. Chris Getz – 2B

7. Jason Kendall – C

8. Yuniesky Betancourt – SS

9. Brian Anderson – CF

SP: Zack Greinke

Key Reserves: Josh Fields and Willy Bloomquist

Other Starting Pitchers: Gil Meche, Brian Bannister, Robinson Tejeda, Luke Hochevar

Key Bullpen Members: Joakim Soria, Carlos Rosa, Juan Cruz, Kyle Farnsworth

Bottom Line:

Folks, this thing is going to be pretty rough, so buckle up. Even if the Royals are injury free for an entire season, this team is not capable than finishing better than 3rd in the division, which is a stretch as is. I think .500 is out of the question and 70-75 wins is what they’ll end up with.

Tomorrow: KU Football 2009

About time, too! Local sports were pretty much a universal disappointment in 2009, and a fresh decade brings a fresh start. In this four part series, we will reflect on the 2009 seasons of the Kansas Jayhawks (football and basketball), Kansas City Royals, and Kansas City Chiefs. We will also delve into the future, and see what we should expect from 2010.

The Chiefs started off the new year with a Longhorn-fueled explosion, and that’s where we will start.

Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Season (4-12)

The Good:

After the Carl Peterson death grip was finally removed from the throat of the Chiefs organization, Chiefs fans felt like they had been given a breath of new life. Hot shot GM Scott Pioli and up-and-comer Coach Todd Haley were handed the reins of a franchise that had been ravaged by lousy decisions and costly investments. The Chiefs were brand new and that was, and still is, somewhat refreshing.

2009 did showcase some young talent that we should be excited about. Defensively, Tamba Hali and Brandon Flowers put together very good years for the Chiefs. Glenn Dorsey improved on the defensive line, and Derrick Johnson provided some game changing plays, despite limited snaps. On the offensive side of the ball, Jamaal Charles showed that he has the ability to be an elite running back in the NFL, and the offensive line showed improvement down the stretch. New, highly expensive QB Matt Cassel also showed flashes of play-making ability at times.

Ryan Succop is probably the best Mr. Irrelevant pick of all time, and Dustin Colquitt continued to make a case for best punter in the league.

The Bad:

Todd Haley’s decision to take control of the offense after firing proven coordinator Chan Gailey proved to be a flop for the most part. His game management and overall control of the team were very weak for the majority of the season.

Scott Pioli’s first off-season was also nothing to write home about. With the exception of Succop, the 2009 draft class made little to no impact on a team that badly needed some help. Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee provided little help to a very thin defensive line. The free agents brought in also provided no security, and can’t be a part of a playoff team. S Mike Brown and G Mike Goff were huge flops.

Matt Cassel struggled with control at times, especially on the deep ball, and has to improve after a year with a new team.

The Ugly:

A 4-12 record is never acceptable, regardless of the talent level that a new regime takes over. Pioli and Haley had a very questionable first year, and have yet to instill any confidence in the people of KC.

The handling of Larry Johnson/Jamaal Charles and Derrick Johnson was baffling. What looks like one of the country’s best backs was sitting on the bench behind one of the worst for the first half of the season. Derrick Johnson isn’t a perfect linebacker, he makes plenty of mistakes. But he is miles better than Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays.

The receiving corps is probably the worst in the NFL. Matt Cassel, the running backs, and the offensive line all looked much worse due to dropped pass after dropped pass.

So what should we expect in 2010?

Kansas City Chiefs 2010 Outlook

Simply put, Scott Pioli will have to have one of the best off season’s in NFL history for this team to be competitive next year. He will have to be perfect in the draft and aggressive in free agency.

Todd Haley needs help. He was way over his head in 2009 and could use the help of a couple of guys who have been successful coordinators and have head coaching experience. Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel sound pretty good to me.

Here is my list of the Chiefs needs in order of importance:

1. Offensive Tackle

If the Chiefs keep their 5th pick in the draft, OSU’s Okung is where I expect them to go.

2. Strong Safety

Mike Brown was pretty universally hated by Chiefs fans this year, and for good reason. Tennessee’s Eric Berry would be awfully tempting if still available at 5.

3. Wide Receiver

The Chiefs are in dire need of an elite receiver. If you put a reliable playmaker alongside Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers the Chiefs’ pass catchers look respectable. Hopefully, we never see Lance Long again.

4. Outside Linebacker

Mike Vrabel is allegedly a solid locker room presence. His play on the field, however, was very mediocre. Tamba Hali needs another effective pass rusher to truly flourish.

5. Running Back

Jamaal Charles looks to be a truly great back, but injuries will always be a concern for a guy who clocks in under 200 lbs. There isn’t another NFL caliber back  on the Chiefs roster.

6. Inside Linebacker

7. Offensive Guard

8. Defensive Tackle

9. Tight End

10. Free Safety

The bottom line is that we should expect this team to be .500 or better every year. If the Chiefs have a productive off season and Haley learns from his myriad of mistakes, then the Chiefs can be an 8-8 team. Unfortunately, I think they are at least two seasons away from being a playoff team.

Tomorrow, we will run down the 2009 KC Royals.

I am starting to have serious concerns about the future of the Chiefs. In a stretch of three straight winnable home games, I expected to see an improving Chiefs team. What I’ve seen is “22 guys off the street” that look like they’ve never seen a football before. Who is at the center of all this failure? The head coach. Todd Haley is losing his team, and it’s going to be tough to win them back.

There are currently three players on the Chiefs that I would consider playoff caliber athletes: Brandon Flowers, Jamaal Charles, and Tamba Hali. These guys would perform well on any team, with any coach. As for the rest of the team, there are some guys who, under the right tutelage, could become playoff caliber NFL starters, but for the most part, there is simply a huge lack of talent.

That being said, Todd Haley has done a horrendous job this year. Let’s look at some of his most obvious miscues:

1. He lost the respect of the team’s two returning leaders (Gonzalez and Waters) before the season even started, and then forced one of them out of town.

2. He fired the only coach on the staff with head coaching experience (Chan Gailey) in the middle of training camp, and found himself stuck with way too many responsibilities.

3. He insisted on giving an ineffective Larry Johnson 95% of the carries, while the Chiefs’ most dangerous offensive weapon sat on the sidelines, and was even inactive for a game!

4. Derrick Johnson, while not a perfect player, I realize, continues to get minimal snaps in every game, despite creating some of the season’s biggest defensive plays.

5. He has been quoted with the following two statements:

“Mike Brown is my favorite player.”

“I wish I had a team full of Lance Longs.”

6. Generally terrible game and clock management.

In the last three weeks, we have seen tempers flaring, amongst the other coaches and some of the players, when we should be seeing a team that is improving and coming together. Haley has gotten into in-game, on-camera arguments with Assistant Coach Mo Carthon, WR Bobby Wade, and most recently, QB Matt Cassel. Cassel came off of the field after an ineffective 2-minute drill against the Bills, and was caught on CBS cameras clearly saying “Shut the F*%# up!” Some say this was directed at the fans, but I’m under the impression that Haley was screaming into Cassel’s helmet speaker. Things are getting worse every week with this Chiefs team. So what can be done?

I still think that Todd Haley can be an effective coach in this league, but he needs some help. Pioli needs to go and get Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel to be the coordinators of the Chiefs. Both now have head coaching experience as well as being proven and effective coordinators. It seems like a no-brainer to me.

If Haley is given the help he needs on the coaching staff, he will be coaching the Chiefs in 2011. If he doesn’t, 2010 will be his last year as an NFL head coach.

As Turner Gill’s introductory press conference concluded this morning, I couldn’t help but be impressed. Gill passes the eye test with flying colors, and just listening to that man talk gets me fired up about the future of the KU football program.

Gill, as expected, mentioned the importance of recruiting, beating Missouri, winning the North, winning the conference, and playing for a national championship. Character will be a driving factor in recruiting, and he presented a point of emphasis in wanting kids that “are passionate about playing for the University of Kansas.”

The bottom line for me, is that Gill himself appears to be passionate about the University of Kansas. He wanted this job, and he wanted it bad.

Gill’s introduction of Offensive Coordinator Chuck Long and Defensive Coordinator Carl Torbush is a fantastic start in regards to assembling an elite coaching staff. It’s the opposite approach of Todd Haley (I’ll get to him later today or tomorrow), who fired the only coach with previous head coaching experience on his staff (Chan Gailey). Turner Gill has a plan, and it’s a plan that I’m more than willing to get behind.

Obviously, our opinions of Gill need to be reserved for a couple of years from now, when he’s had a couple of seasons to prove what he can do on the field. How he handles a team ravaged by a menacing coach and an awful season will be paramount to building a winning tradition in Lawrence. Earning the trust of the current players should be priority numero uno for TG.

So what should we expect in the 2010 season? I would say prepare for a 3-5 season (conference), but be cautiously optimistic for a 5-3. The schedule loosens up, but KU will be starting a new quarterback, and mostly new skill position players. The good news is that KU will have some veteran leadership on both of the lines. KU could be strong in the trenches, and being a force up front has proven, time and time again, to be the most important part of a winning football team.

I still think Jim Harbaugh would have been my first choice, but I am fully behind Turner Gill and believe that he is capable of building a consistent winner in Lawrence.

September 2010 can’t get here soon enough.

Here’s what I think is going on inside the University of Kansas Athletic Department:

1. Lew told Mangino that he’s officially fired at 2:00 am this morning.

2. Mangino went on a tirade threatening to sue KU for all they’re worth.

3. Lew tried to calm him down, but Mangino grabbed an old Adam Barmann helmet and started swinging.

4. Lew ran outside and tried to hop in his car and get away.

5. As Lew was pulling out, Mangino caught up to him in his golf cart and smashed out the back window of his Escalade with the Barmann helmet.

6. Lew then lost control of the car, ran over a fire hydrant, and crashed into a tree.

7. Mangino then went and told Self to call 911.

8. Lew spent a few hours in the hospital before he was released.

9. Mangino and Lew are now both hiding from the public eye while they try to straighten out their stories.