Giants, A's Struggling to Score Runs

I'd like to welcome readers back to the Bay Area Sports Journal. We've been on a very inconsistent and in-frequent posting schedule over the last few weeks due to computer issues, but we're back on track and ready for our regular 2-3 post per week output, so stay tuned.

In the Bay Area sports world right now, most of the focus is on the Giants and A's, and their lack of offense. Both teams have gotten terrific starting pitching throughout the season's first 2 months. The A's have been getting solid performances out of Ben Sheets, Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill and Co., but they just haven't been scoring enough runs to consistently win ballgames. The A's got a gift last weekend when they got to host the Giants for 3 though, cause they've been even worse off than Oakland at the plate lately. Most of the Giants jargan can be seen over at The Giants Baseball Blog, but there main problem has been not being able to play fundamental baseball and do simple things like move runners over and get runners in from third base with less than 2 outs. The A's are more so having a problem because there lineup just doens't have many guys who drive in runs. Their lack of power and run production has caused them to once again go back to Jack Cust as their main source of power. Since they have very little pop, they need to hit for average, but their lineup is hitting around .250. Everyone knew the A's offense was going to be an issue coming into the year, much like with the Giants, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

With their pitching though, they aren't that far off, especially when they get Brett Anderson back. Anderson, in my mind is the most talented pitcher on that staff right now and one of the AL's brightest young arms. Just like the Giants' GM Brian Sabean has had to do with his young pitching core of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner, A's GM Billy Beane is going to have to figure out whether or not he's going to break up the A's pitching core in order to get some offense into Oakland. They are hoping top prospect Michael Taylor will be up eventually to help out, but he had a horrendus spring, and hasn't been too hot so far this year in the minors.

49ers Locking Up Their Core

A week after they looked up the central figure of their defense, star linebacker Patrick Willis, the Niners are looking to do the same with arguably their most talented offensive player.

The 49ers and Pro-Bowl linebacker Vernon Davis are apparently discussing a contract extension that would keep him in San Francisco for another 5 seasons after this one, and pay him upwards of $40 million, $25 million of which would be guaranteed. Davis is coming off a breakout season in which he caught 78 passes, 13 of which found paydirt, which earned him his first trip to the Pro-Bowl. A lot of people are a little skeptical of shelling out the big dough to Davis after just one big season, but you can tell if you've watched him throughout his career in San Francisco that he was improving each year and is a good candidate to stay productive throughout the course of that contract. Going forward, the Niners passing attack looks like it will be centered around Davis and Michael Crabtree, and those are two young up and coming players that will be in San Francisco for the next 4-5 years. Crabtree already signed his big deal, as I'm sure most people remember, as it cost him a handful of regular season games in order to get the deal done. I just hope they can hammer this thing out before training camp opens up in July, as I'd hate to see any kind of situation that would have to do with Davis holding out.

The Niners have really been busy this offseason as they feel they're on the verge of becoming a playoff team, and a good offseason this year could vault them onto that level. Their most recent addition was cornerback William James, who the Niners signed to a one year deal on Wednesday. James will likely fill the role that Dre Bly had last year after the Niners let him walk earlier in the offseason. The Niners haven't really signed any big-time starting players who will come in and impact the team single-handily, although Ted Ginn could come in and play heavily into the passing game, but they are adding small pieces here and there that are filling holes. I never got much of a chance to talk about Ted Ginn Jr. as he was added while we were really focused on the draft, but he's been the biggest add of the offseason thus far for the Niners, not including draft picks of course. Ginn looked like he was ready to take flight after a solid sophomore year in 2008 in which he caught 56 balls for 780 yards, but then took a step backwards last season. He'll enter the year as the favorite for the slot spot for the Niners, or essentially the 3rd receiver spot behind Crabtree and Josh Morgan, but could overtake Morgan's spot as a starter if he gets it going. Remember, it wasn't too long ago when he was taken at the top of the first round by Miami. At worst, he'll be a big help in the Niners return game where they were subject to using tight-end Delanie Walker there on occasion last year.

Raiders Report

I've been primarily focused on the 49ers and their draft over the last couple of weeks, and I haven't had much of a chance to really look at what's going on with the Raiders. Today, I wanted to take a look at the Raiders draft and give my 2 cents on the JaMarcus Russell situation.

First off, the Raiders draft was one the the better ones that they've put together in recent memory. Instead of drafting on potential, the Raiders actually drafted guys who are polished football players. Their first round pick, Rolando McClain, was picked to go towards the middle of the first round, but the Alabama stud was far and away the best linebacker in the draft. He's big, quick and has tremendous power in the open field. Scouts even compare him to Patrick Willis, and the Raiders are going to hope to get that type of production. No matter what though, he's going to help the Raiders, much more than their first rounders over the last 3 years have, that's for sure. In the second round, the Raiders grabbed Texas defensive tackle, Lamarr Houston, who will have a shot to win a starting spot on the Raiders defensive line in training camp. Houston is another guy who is a powerful inside player who is known for his ability to stop the run. The biggest wild card in the Raider draft though came in the 4th round when they added physical specimen Bruce Campbell. The 6'7", 300 pounder has a lot to learn, but is one of the most athletic big men to play the tackle position ever. If he gets the technique down and can learn to play at the NFL level, he's going to be a stud. He's about as quick as a linebacker and is built like a big offensive tackle.

One position the Raiders didn't address during the draft was the quarterback, but they will have a new QB under center when the 2010 season kicks-off. That will be former Redskin Jason Campbell. Most thought the addition of Campbell signaled the end of JaMarcus Russell's career in Oakland, but there has yet to be any move made with Russell. The Raiders even added another quarterback in addition to Campbell, former Raven and Ram Kyle Boller. It looks as if Russell is now third on the depth chart and at 10+ million dollars per year, he's an expensive third stringer to say the least. There are some that want to give Russell some more time, but I don't see this guy ever figuring it out in Oakland. I think his confidence here is shot, and he's never going to get the full support and trust of the fans. He needs a change of scenery. I'm sure the Raiders are trying to find a situation where they don't need to just release and maybe can get something for him, even if it is just a late round draft pick. Whether he's in the Silver and Black in 2010 or not though, as long as Campbell's around, Russell's never going to be "the man" again in Oakland.

49ers Draft Review

I know it's been a few days since the NFL draft ended, but I've had some terrible computer issues that have kept me from posting since my last post on Friday. There is plenty to talk about for both teams though, as both had what most NFL people considered solid overall drafts.

We already talked about what the Niners did with their first 3 picks of the draft in our last post here. They grabbed the two big offensive lineman, Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati in the first, then went defense with their 2nd and 3rd rounders, getting a couple of potential first round guys in USC strong safety Taylor Mays (2nd round) and then lucked out when Penn State star linebacker Navarro Bowman fell to them in the 3rd round. Bowman was picked by many draft experts, including Mel Kuiper, to go in the first round, so any time a team can grab 4 guys who were projected out to be first rounders in a single draft, I'd say they definitely had a good all around weekend. The only real concern with Bowman and likely the reason why he fell to the third round are a few off-field issues that he ran into during his time at Penn State. Bowman and Mays both have some small on-field question marks coming with them though too. Mays has questions about his ball instincts, and Bowman needs to improve on his explosiveness and drive through in tackling ball-carriers as he's more of a chase down wrap-up guy at this point.

I'm not too familiar with the guys the Niners selected on day 3 of the draft, but I have read some positive feedback regarding the power running back they grabbed at the top of the 6th round, Anthony Dixon. The 235-pound back will enter camp with a chance to contribute on short yardage situations for the Niners. They also grabbed a respected blocking tight-end in Pitt's Nate Byham who tips the scales at around 275 and takes pride in his physicality. Still though, even if the guys they took late in the draft never set foot on the field at Candlestick Park, the first four players the Niners took are going to be what makes or breaks this draft for this club. Davis and Iupati are going to be thrown right into the fire as Coach Singletarry expects both guys to be on the Niners starting offensive line come kickoff 2010 in September. In adding the 2 lineman, the Niners have really made progress on their offseason needs. Just before the draft, they added Ted Ginn Jr. to alleviate their need to draft speed at the top of the draft and it allowed them to focus on on the o-line and defense. I'm still a little perplexed by the David Carr deal, but right now, things are looking up in Niner land heading into the summer.

Raiders Report coming next!!!

Niners Go Big in First Round

It was no secret that the 49ers were likely going to take a offensive lineman with one of their two first round picks, but I think they kind of took most people by surprise when they ended up taking two big powerful lineman within the draft's top 20 selections.

The first guy the Niners took at 11 was Rutgers' talented right tackle Anthony Davis. With their second pick, number 17 overall, they selected Iowa guard Mike Iupoti. According to the National Football Post, the Niners ended up with the draft's 2nd best tackle and top guard and they have really taken a step in rebuilding their offensive line. I think that if Florida corner Joe Haden would have lasted until 17, the Niners would have taken him. They had a chance to get Kyle Wilson, but they obviously felt Iupati was a better value at pick 17. If you followed the Niners closely in 2009, you noticed how the O-Line struggled to consistently open holes for Frank Gore and were very spotty in pass protection as well. It seemed like every week the commentator doing the Niners' games mentioned how effective star running back Frank Gore would be if he had a solid O-Line in front of him, and it looks like we're finally going to get that answer. Coach Singletarry expects both Davis and Iupati to compete in camp for the starting right tackle and left guard spots, respectively.

Davis does come with some question marks though. He has arguably the most upside as any other tackle in the draft, including Russel Okung, but he's had commitment and conditioning issues and has a reputation as a bit of an under-achiever. The Niners have allowed an NFL-worst 150 sacks over the past 3 seasons, so some added talent up front will certainly help. One thing that I think it will do is give QB Alex Smith a sense of confidence, knowing that he has a better line in front of him and knowing that he probably won't have to rush things and can let plays and routes develop. Both Iupati and Davis are 6'6" and each are right around 330 pounds and will bring some girth as well as athleticism to the Niners front line. The only question I have regarding the Niners and their first day was why they felt they had to trade up in order to get Davis? They lost their 4th rounder because they felt the need to move up 2 spots to get Davis, but most people think he would have been there at 13 for them anyway as the two teams ahead of the Niners likely wouldn't have taken a lineman.

As the Niners enter day 2, they have a number of different ways they can go. They hold the 17th pick in the 2nd round (49th overall) and the 15th pick in the 3rd (76th overall), then they don't have any picks until the middle of round 6. So essentially, these next two picks for them are going to be very important, and I think they're going to go defense. There are some people still thinking that the Niners could pull the trigger on QB's Jimmy Clausen or Colt McCoy. There is still a bunch of value left on the board, so here are a few guys to keep an eye on for the Niners selections on Friday, I'd love for the Niners to get Taylor Mays, Chad Jones or Sergio Kindle if they're there when they pick in round 2:

QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

T Bruce Campbell, Maryland

S Chad Jones, LSU

WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame

LB Sergio Kindle, Texas

S Taylor Mays, USC

G Roger Saffold, Indiana

DT Brian Price, UCLA

DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida

2nd Round Update: With their second round pick (49 overall) the Niners selected Taylor Mays, the freakish safety out of USC (pictured above). I really like this pick, as Mays had high-first round potential, but has some questions about his instincts. Much, much more to come on this pick and the Niners third rounder coming!!!

2010 NFL Mock Draft

With the NFL draft set for this weekend in New York City, I wanted to give The Bay Area Sports Journal's Mock Draft. We'll only break down the first round, but we'll also provide a few names that may be available to the Niners and Raiders later on in the draft.


Mock NFL Draft Round 1:

1. St. Louis Rams: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma: The Rams need a new young quarterback to build around after Marc Bulger's fading the last few seasons. Bradford is the best QB of the class, but that's not saying a whole heck of a lot. The Rams are hoping for Matt Ryan type success, but I think it's going to take Bradford a few years to get things going.

2. Detroit Lions: DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska: Arguably the Most talented player in this years draft likely won't drop much further than Detroit at 2. The Lions seemingly always go offense with their first pick, but this guy is worth switching up for.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma: Another beast at DT, as this draft is very top heavy with both offensive and defensive tackles. McCoy could help get the Bucs defense back to it's early 2000's level.

4. Washington Redskins: LT Russel Okung, Oklahoma: The Skins' are going to want to beef up their O-Line in order to protect their new asset, Donovan McNabb and Okung is the top OT in this draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: S Eric Berry, Tennessee: The Chiefs were burned multiple times in '09, including a the memorable career day from Miles Austin (250+ receiving yards). Berry is the top DB in the draft and will provide some stability right away to KC's defensive backfield.

6. Seattle Seahawks: OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma: The Sooners' other star OT should be gone in the top-10 as well, and I think the Seahawks, who will likely be without Walter Jones in 2010, are a perfect fit.

7. Cleveland Browns: OL Bryan Bulaga, Iowa: The Browns definitely need some help on their offensive line, and and Bulaga could be the top guy available at that spot.

8. Oakland Raiders: OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers: Al Davis loves those guys with huge upside and big time talent, and Davis has top-3 pick type talent.

9. Buffalo Bills: QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame: Clausen really had his stock drop recently, and some have him falling to the Niners at 14 or 17, but I think the Bills won't let him pass by them.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Tim Tebow, Florida: Tebow should end up being good, or he could be really bad. I think the Jags gamble on him figuring it out at the next level.

11. Denver Broncos: WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma St.: The uber-talented wideout could very well end up being Brandon Marshall's following act in Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins: LB Rolando McClain, Alabama: The draft's top linebacker will be surprised to last this long, but I think he'll end up in Miami where they need defensive help.

13. San Francisco 49ers: CB Joe Haden, Florida: The best pure cornerback in this draft may not last this far, but if he does, the Niners will jump right on the opportunity to add him.

14. Seattle Seahawks: RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson: The talented Spiller will give new Seahawk coach Pete Carroll a back in the elk of Reggie Bush, but better at the pro level.

15. New York Giants: DT Brian Price, UCLA: Price would solidify the Giants front line and help them tremendously vs. the run.

16. Tennessee Titans: DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech: Morgan is the top D-End in the draft and could go higher, but he Titans need add to their defense, especially up front.

17. San Francisco 49ers: OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland: The Niners have made no secret their desire for a starting tackle, and Campbell could be the best available with that choice at 17.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: OL Mike Iupati, Idaho: He could help deepen the Steelers front line.

19. Atlanta Falcons: DE Brandon Graham, Michigan: The Falcons should look to their defensive front with this pick.

20. Houston Texans: CB Kyle Smith, Boise State: Would fit an area of need for a rising Houston team.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida: The Bengals haven't had an offensive threat at tight-end in years and Hernandez has top-10 talent.

22. New England Patriots: DT Dan Williams, Tennessee: The Pats need to build up their defense after not being able to hold teams off in 2009.

23. Green Bay Packers: C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida: The Pack are likely to go O-line with this pick, and Pouncey is a talent that will likely get drafter lower than he should.

24. Philadelphia Eagles: RB Jahvid Best, Cal: This could be a stretch, as most have Best going in the 2nd round, but the Eagles could see him as a Westbrook replacement in very much the same mold.

25. Baltimore Ravens: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida: After adding Anquan Boldin this offseason, they can focus on strengthening their defense.

26. Arizona Cardinals: DT Jared Odrick, Penn State: The Cards need help on their O-line.

27. Dallas Cowboys: OT Charles Brown, USC: A solid tackle could help Dallas right away.

28. San Diego Chargers: NT Terrance Cody, Alabama: What better fit for SD than a Jamal Williams clone.

29. New York Jets: WR Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech: They could use all the weapons for Sanchez that they can get their hands on.

30. Minnesota Vikings: S Taylor Mays, USC: The Vikes need help in their defensive backfield.

31. Indianapolis Colts: WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame: The super speedster could be a star in the Colts offense with Garcon and White.

32. New Orleans Saints: LB Sergio Kindle, Texas: The guy can get after the QB and would definitely help the reigning champs.

49ers:

2nd Round: OT Jason Fox, Miami

3rd Round: QB Colt McCoy, Texas

4th Round: DT Nate Collins, Virginia

Raiders:

2nd Round: WR Brandon LaFell, LSU

3rd Round: S Chad Jones, LSU

4th Round: DT Cam Thomas, UNC

*This is not taking into account possible trades or anything like that, so obviously things can and will likely change on draft day.

NFL Draft Right Around the Corner

With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, it's time to change gears a bit from baseball back to football, as we'll be pretty much be NFL draft exclusive for the next 2 weeks here at the Bay Area Sports Journal. Today I just wanted to discuss a few of the names that have been thrown around as far as possibly picks for the San Francisco 49ers as they have a pair of picks in the middle of the first round.

The general consensus coming out of 49er headquarters is that the team will look to improve their offensive line with at least one of their first round selections. The are of need of course with them is at the tackle position where there are a few nice prospects who the 49ers would like to get a shot at. The top tackles available in the draft are Oklahoma State's Russel Okung, Rutgers' Anthony Davis and Iowa's Bryan Baluga. Another guy that I like as a later first round, early second round option if they decide to deal one of their picks would be USC's Charles Brown. If I were a gambling man, I'd put my money on the Niners ending up with one of those guys, most likely Davis or Brown. Besides Offensive Tackle, another position the Niners may be entertaining using one of their top picks on would be a true cover cornerback. The one guy I really like in this draft that fits that bill is Florida's Joe Haden. The only thing there is that Haden is a projected top-10 pick and the 49ers would likely have to part with the #13 pick and either a 2nd or 3rd rounder in order to move up into the top-10. Haden would be worth it though, as he really was the best cover guy in the nation last year and could turn into a Nnamdi Asomugha clone.

The Niners have also taken looks at various offensive players as well. They had a long look at Oklahoma State's star wideout Dez Bryant. The 6'2", 220 pound college star reminds scouts a lot of Niners' first round pick from last year, Michael Crabtree. Having the chance to get another guy with the talent of a Crabtree would be hard to resist, but idealy, the Niners would find a reciever with a little bit more speed to compliment Crabtree and Josh Morgan. Bryant is quick, but he's not really a down-field burner, much like Crabtree, and the Niners offense could really use a guy who could stretch the field like that. If Bryant had that type of speed, then he'd be a perfect fit for San Francisco in the middle of the first round and would definitely be worth the risk. Another couple of speed receivers later in the draft the Niners could turn to if they don't find anyone in the top 2 rounds could be Cinci's Mardy Gilyard and Notre Dame's Golden Tate.

We'll be having much more on the NFL draft here between now and next weekend, including BASJ's mock-draft and much, much more. Be sure to check us out for your 49ers and Raiders draft coverage!