May 22, 2013

While We’re Waiting… The Need for a GM, Cliff and the Phillies, and Chinese Investment

December 18, 2009 by 19 Comments

While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.

savageWhy we need a GM: “Say what you will about the departed Phil Savage, he brought in much more talent than what Mangini has. Sure, he missed on some, but the Browns had no Pro Bowl players when Savage arrived and they had multiple selections in 2007 and 2008.  I think there’s something to be said for having a true GM bringing in the talent and overseeing the operation. Mangini gets a lot of credit for having two winning seasons in his three years with the Jets, but GM Mike Tannenbaum had quite a bit to do with the player procurement there.  I think it goes back to the decisions made last season. When Savage was fired, the move to get a ‘czar’ or GM should have been made first before hiring a coach. However, since it was done the other way, the Browns and Randy Lerner are faced with the dilemma they have now.” [Fred Greetham/The OBR]

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Welcome to our world…”If [Cliff] Lee truly wanted to be in Philadelphia — as Roy Halladay did — then he would have given the organization a discount, as Halladay did. Everything Halladay has done and said is exactly what Lee could, should, and would have done if he truly wanted to be with the Phillies.” [Crashburn Alley]

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Nope, no money in Cleveland… “This [agreement with Chinese investors] would be the second-largest stake in the Cavs and, all Cold War jokes aside, have major implications for the franchise. Increased attention from China, Chinese advertising and sponsorship … the King James team will suddenly become a truly international operation. The question is, does this make a difference to James? That presumes he even needs help selling himself in China. Then again, that argument certainly sounds more plausible than the “only in New York will he earn” idea that Knicks fans have pinned their hopes on.” [Bethlehem Shoals/The Baseline]

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The fourth installment of LGT’s Prospect Preview - these are the guys that should have an impact at the big league level. [Let's Go Tribe]

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And to join Casey Blake… “Free-agent utilityman Jamey Carroll, who played the past two seasons with the Indians, has reached a preliminary agreement on a $3.85 million, two-year contract to play with the Los Angeles Dodgers.” [PD Wire Staff]

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  • MrCleaveland

    You gotta give Phil Savage credit for not going with the sexy pick and instead taking Joe Thomas at No. 3. Very good move.

    But wow, did he ever have Jamarcus Russell pegged wrong. He’s one of the biggest busts ever.

  • ben

    For all of the meltdown and terribleness at the end of his tenure, most people were high on Savage for a while (and I was one of them). I think the OBR article hits the nail on the head when he says:

    “Sure, it might be premature to cast judgment on the 2009 draft class, but when a team is 2-11, certainly your second-round draft choices should be starting or at least playing a majority of the time. I will go as far to say that the first four round choices should be playing.”

  • http://shakesthesnowglobe.blogspot.com EZ

    Greetham is pitting 4 years of Savage against 1 year of Mangini. Of course he’s brought in more talent. He’s had more drafts.

    Savage’s first draft:

    Braylon Edwards
    Brodney Pool
    Charlie Frye
    Antonio Perkins
    David McMillan
    Nick Speegle
    Andrew Hoffman
    Jon Dunn

    Pool is the only one still on the team and while it sounds like the OBR is touting Edwards’ (and Anderson’s and Winslow’s) Pro-Bowl appearance as a win for Savage I think it’s clear all three of those players were nothing more than fool’s gold for the franchise.

    Mangini’s draft didn’t really dazzle, but it was the right move to trade down, Mack looks like he’s developing well, and we won’t really know about our receivers until midway through next year probably.

    I’m not defending Mangini-as-do-it-all; I’d much prefer he just coach and let someone else handle personnel. I just think OBR is stacking the deck to make an argument and that’s a little disingenuous.

  • http://www.NoLogoNeeded.com Don_NoLogoNeeded.com

    I just noticed this… is that a “Browns” blazer old Phil is sporting? I want one.

  • ben

    Charlie Frye is starting for the Raiders this week.

  • http://shakesthesnowglobe.blogspot.com EZ

    Also, while Robiskie’s growth has been questionable this season, compare Massaquoi to some receivers chosen in the first round:

    MoMass: 29 rec, 546 yds, 2 TDs, 18.8 yd avg
    Crabtree: 37 rec, 473 yds, 2 TDs, 12.8 yd avg
    Maclin: 46 rec, 623 yds, 4 TDs, 13.5 yd avg
    Heyward-Bey: 9 rec, 124 yds, 1 TD, 13.8 yd avg
    Harvin: 48 rec, 681 yds, 6 TDs, 14.2 yd avg

    He’s performed pretty well compared to the receivers taken one round ahead of him. Indeed, the only rookie receivers from that round outperforming him were catching passes from Donovan McNabb and Brett Favre while he’s had to build his numbers with Anderson, Quinn, and Brian Daboll.

  • MrCleaveland

    @4

    Ha ha! Yeah, that blazer looks tres chic with the plaid nerd shirt and form-fitting baseball hat! Wonder if he’s also wearing cargo shorts.

    (Full disclosure: My wardrobe consists entirely of sweats and Ts.)

  • Chris

    Savage’s worst blunder was keeping Romeo around. If he’d had a coach with a little experience to help him, he might have had a better chance.

    That being said, his cap management was awful, so maybe not.

  • Chris

    @ #8 – to intricate on that statement a little bit, Romeo had absolutely no vision as to what direction his team was going, so it seems like drafting would have been a little tougher.

  • JNeids

    while the tribe will always be my #1 team, i will be rooting for a mariners – dodgers world series this season

  • marco

    Canning Savage was a mistake.

  • Painesville

    I agree marco – we should never have hired him in the first place.

  • Bill

    Wow, Phil Savage looks like Ron Howard!

  • Jay

    HAHA Bill beat me to it. I was gonna say Phil Savage looks like he’s ready for a date at Arnold’s!

  • http://twitter.com/nullster nullster

    I’m going to be investing in a little chineese food later tonight … hopefully that will help LeBron make his choice a little easier

  • Kersh

    Savage probably would have stayed except for the buffalo game email and a few other blunders. On that note though, he spent too much time scouting and not enough time overseeing the team. I chalk that up to a lack of management experience. Still the GM needs to set the tone and type of player that they want and hire a coach that can work within that framework. Most successful teams have an identity something the new Browns have been looking for since ’99.

  • Harv 21

    Savage looked like he was improving, but let’s not forget those maturity/professionalism issues he was having. A guy doing that job for the first time also wasn’t well-served by having no oversight How about we get a guy he has done this same job well before.

  • bobby

    Aaannnnnddddd, lets not forget Savages theory of “Lets give money and raises to everyone all the time!” Did Corey Williams really deserve a raise when we just spent a round 2 pick on him?

  • Derwood

    Is it just me or does Phil Savage look like Dana Carvey?