Let’s get started:
- If you’ve followed the baseball hot stove this offseason, you’re probably aware that Andruw Jones was not willing to sign a one-year deal, probably because Scott Boras advised him that it would make him look like he needed a make-good/second chance style of contract before signing a “real” long-term deal. Well, the Dodgers signed him today to a two-year, $36M deal that isn’t much more than what Boras and Jones were trying to avoid. I think he’s still a good player, and this isn’t a bad deal for him. He gets two more years of big money, and the Dodgers don’t have a ton of risk in this one, when you consider what other players are getting (Torii Hunter is getting the same kind of money long-term).
- Everyone in their right minds wants to protect children, but the SAFE Act, which passed the House yesterday by a vote of 409 to 2 seems to fail miserably at doing so reasonably. Let’s first be clear: there are few things more reprehensible than child pornography and exploitation. Because of that, Congressmen and women would have to mount an impossible defense if they voted against it, so only Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul and Georgia Rep. Paul Broun (R) did so. The problem with the SAFE Act is that it puts a nearly unbearable strain on all providers of open Wi-Fi networks, including you and me (if your home network is not protected, that is). I’m still trying to learn more about the bill, which was rushed through in a manner more typical to uncontroversial legislation, but I’m already wondering if the severe costs (crippling open WiFi) outweigh the benefits (a virtually negligible possibility that this additional information will lead to reduced child porn). ISP’s are already required by federal law to report such illicit activity, and now the government wants to hold you, me, and Starbucks responsible? I think this bill at least deserved a second look, but because it’s so important for our representatives to look like they’re protecting the children at every opportunity, this one’s moving on to the Senate.
- This is a great article about how the Magic built around Dwight Howard, arguing that the Rashard Lewis contract was not insane, since it means that opposing teams have to defend every other Orlando starter on offense. Orlando is #8 in offense and #3 in defense, even though they’re playing the undersized Lewis as a power forward on the defensive end. Great work by Kevin Pelton at Basketball Prospectus.
- J.C. Bradbury says the Willis/Cabrera for Miller/Maybin (and others) deal wasn’t a bad one for the Marlins, as most of the press and other teams might have you believe. Sure, the Tigers are great now, but he makes a good point. Why spend money on guys you only control for one more year when you’re not planning on contending that year? Most teams won’t admit they’re not planning to contend in a given year, but the Marlins’ front office is quite savvy, and I think they know what they’re doing. Look out in 2009-2010 for the Marlins, and you’d better believe the Tigers are going all in for ’08.
- Tonight’s a home game for the Bisons against Central Baptist. Hopefully they’ll get a big win against what should be an overmatched CBC team. I’ll have a recap tomorrow.
jfwiii.net 