Trade Center: NBA

The Deal: The Memphis Grizzlies acquire F/C Zach Randolph from the Los Angeles Clippers for SG Quentin Richardson.

Grizzlies: This was an interesting deal for the Grizzlies. They rebuilt their front court with a strong draft. And were already two deep at each position. Rookie Hasheem Thabeet will team up with 2nd year man, Marc Gasol to handle the center position. Gasol may also get some time at the 4 if Thabeet shows he can handle the starting job. At power forward the Grizzlies have 2nd year man Darrell Arthur, who ended up being a steal for the Grizzlies last season. He has shown that he deserves serious minutes, and should have a bright future. In addition the Grizzlies have a pair of rookies in DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young (who can play the 2-4) to help Arthur out. This doesn't even include restricted free agent PF Hakim Warrick or SF Rudy Gay. Warrick, has been a top scorer off the bench, and will likely be on the move.

Now this is not to say the Grizzlies didn't get a good (yet overpaid) player in Zach Randolph. Randolph has averaged at least 17.5 points and 8 rebounds in every season since 2003-2004. He should present an upgrade to the front court, but he does weaken their back court depth. Richardson (who was just acquired draft night) was the Grizzlies top back up guard.

The Grizzlies also tied up some salary cap money with this deal as well. Which leaves me to wonder if a trade is in the works for the Grizzlies. Warrick is now likely to be part of a sign and trade deal. But even without Warrick that leaves the Grizzlies with 7 players for 3 positions. Randolph, Gay, Gasol and Thabeet seem safe. Arthur or one of the rookies could get moved to add back court depth.

Clippers: Los Angeles made a smart trade here. While they'll miss Randolph's production, his departure opens the way for rookie Blake Griffin. The Clippers still have Marcus Camby to back up the 4 and 5 positions. Los Angeles got a solid wing player back in Quentin Richardson. Richardson will be a back-up, but should provide a threat from the 3-point line. The Clippers also gained some much needed salary cap relief in the deal as well.

Winner: Overall both teams did well in this deal, but the Clippers came out ahead. Randolph can be a volatile personality, and him having to share time with Griffin could have only led to problems. The cap relief for the Clippers is a big factor as well. They can now be active in the free agent market next off season. The Grizzlies weren't a true loser in this deal. They added a quality front court man, and still have extra cap room. If the Grizzlies can add a young SG, by trading one of their excess forwards, they could be in the play-off hunt next season.

NBA Draft grades: Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks: 1st round: Rodrigue Beaubois-PG, 2nd round: Nick Calathes-PG, 2nd round: Ahmad Nivins-PF

I'm not a big fan of this draft. There is some future potential there, but for a play-off caliber team they should have looked for a more immediate return. Beaubois is an extremely raw player. Players like Douglas, or Blair would have been a better fit in round one. I like Calathes as a good value for a 2nd round pick, but the Mavs won't see him for a year or two. Nivins is another guy with upside. He should offer solid depth for the front court.

Grade: C+

Denver Nuggets: 1st round: Ty Lawson-PG (traded a future first round pick for Lawson)

The Nuggets didn't have any picks of their own, but still managed to have a solid draft. While the Nuggets had to give up a future first rounder, I think they got their money's worth in Lawson. Lawson is a great value pick in the middle of the first round. He should add some youth and energy to the Nuggets back court.

Grade: A-

Golden State Warriors: 1st round: Stephen Curry-PG

The Warriors got a great player with the 7th pick in the draft. Curry should be an elite scorer, from either the 1 or the 2 position. He will team up with Monta Ellis to form an elite offensive back court. There are some rumors that Curry may be part of a trade, but for the Warriors sake I hope they keep him. I think Curry will have a bright future with the Warriors if they keep him.

Grade: A- (if they don't trade him)

Houston Rockets: 2nd round: Jermaine Taylor-PG (traded from the Wizards), 2nd round: Sergio Llull-PG (traded from the Nuggets, 2nd round: Chase Budinger-G/F (traded from the Pistons)

The Rockets literally bought their draft class. Using cash considerations and a future 2nd round pick to get three players. Llull is a solid future player with some upside. Taylor and Budinger both have good chances of making the club in reserve roles. Overall there probably won't be much production from this draft class, but it should benefit the Rockets cap situation for the next couple of years.

Grade: B-

Los Angeles Clippers: 1st round: Blake Griffin-PF

The Clippers have had a grade 'A+' since the lottery results were announced back in May. Griffin was easily the consensus number 1 player in this draft class. He should immediately help the Clippers front court. Overall I think Griffin will be a star in this league. Maybe he won't be a savior like Tim Duncan, but I think he will be a solid piece for the Clippers to build around.

Grade: A+

Los Angeles Lakers: 2nd round: Chinemelu Elonu-PF

The Lakers traded away/ sold their top two picks, with the idea that no rookie would get playing time for the Champs. The problem with that idea is, what happens if the Lakers can't resign/replace Lamar Odom or Trevor Ariza. What happens if the team has a major injury or two? The Lakers could have had cheap cost controlled depth, but instead took the extra cash from the trades. While the Lakers have some youth already it wouldn't have been a bad idea to add another young guy for the future.

Grade: D

Memphis Grizzlies: 1st round: Hasheem Thabeet-C, 1st round: DeMarre Carroll-PF, 2nd round: Sam Young-F

Thabeet wasn't the 2nd best player in the draft, but he's the best center. He should give the Grizzlies a defensive upgrade and a man in the middle to pair with Gasol. Carroll was a very good late round pick. He's athletic and brings toughness to the floor. Sam Young is one of my favorite players in this draft, and could end up being the best player from this group. He will push Rudy Gay for playing time, and give Memphis a tough, athletic forward off the bench. These three players, give the Grizzlies one of the most talented front court's in the NBA. The Grizzlies put together an impressive draft night. In addition to these three players, they traded Darko Milicic for SG Quentin Richardson.

Grade: A+

Minnesota Timberwolves: 1st round: Ricky Rubio-PG, 1st round: Jonny Flynn-PG, 1st round: Wayne Ellington-SG, 2nd round: Henk Norel-PF

This was a strange draft for the T-wolves. The player they wanted to trade up for fell to their newly acquired 5th pick. Then a problem arose for Minnesota, with Harden, Thabeet and Evans off the board, point guards were the best players available. Leaving the T-wolves to have to take PG's back to back. While that's a problem to begin with, Minnesota compounded it by taking two true point guards. Had they grabbed Stephen Curry or Jrue Holiday, they could have played them at the 2 guard. Instead they took Flynn, who while a great guard, doesn't make much sense to play alongside Rubio. Minnesota didn't seem to have a grand strategy with their 4 first round picks.

Grade: C-

New Orleans Hornets: 1st round: Darren Collison-PG, 2nd round: Marcus Thorton-SG

I'm not sure what the Hornets were thinking in round one. Collison is a nice player and I think he'll be a good NBA player. But he is a horrible pick for the Hornets. New Orleans has the best young point guard in the league in Chris Paul. Collison doesn't seem to have a role on this team. He isn't a good fit to play alongside Paul, and won't likely play more than 10 minutes a game.

Grade: C-

O.K. City Thunder: 1st round: James Harden-SG, 1st round: B.J. Mullens-C, 2nd round: Robert Vaden-SG

The Thunder got a lot of talent and potential with their two first round picks. Harden is the perfect scoring option to go along with Russell Westbrook in the back court. Mullens has a ton of upside, but he is still very raw. If Mullens lives up to his full potential the Thunder will have the last piece to their roster.

Grade: B+

Phoenix Suns: 1st round: Earl Clark-G/F, 2nd round: Taylor Griffin

The Suns added a great player with a lot of upside in Clark. He can do anything on the basketball court, and fits the Sun's style of play perfectly. The Suns got solid value in the 2nd round as well. Griffin isn't the all-star talent of his brother, but he should be a solid bench player for the Suns.

Grade: A-

Portland Trail Blazers: 1st round: Victor Claver-SF, 2nd round: Jeff Pendergraph-F, Dante Cunningham-F, Patty Mills-PG

This was a depth draft for the Trail Blazers and nothing more. Claver has upside, but he probably won't be helping Portland any time soon. None of their 2nd rounders figure to be more than role players in the future. Portland passed up a number of players in the 1st round, who could have helped their play-off run next season.

Grade: C+

Sacramento Kings: 1st round: Tyreke Evans-G, Omri Casspi-SF, 2nd round: Jon Brockman-PF/C

The Kings passed up PG's Rubio, Flynn and Curry, and went with the upside of Evans. He is missed cast as a true PG but will help the Kings back court. Casspi is an intriguing international option, he could be a starter within two years. Brockman is a good depth player and could be a solid back-up for them.

Grade: B

San Antonio Spurs: 2nd round: DeJuan Blair-PF, Jack McClinton-G, Nando De Colo-PG

The Spurs got away with highway robbery when they got Blair in the 2nd round. Blair will give the Spurs a top-15 talent, and one of the best big men in the draft. McClinton has some upside as well and could be a valuable guy off the bench.

Grade: A+

Utah Jazz: 1st round: Eric Maynor-PG, 2nd round: Goran Suton-C

Maynor is an extremely underrated PG. He is fairly refined and should make for a good compliment to Williams. While the Jazz could have used some more help in the front court, Maynor made sense for the Jazz. Suton has a little upside and could play in Europe for a year or two. He may never be much of a player, but I could see him coming back and being a decent back-up.

Trade Center: MLB

A couple of modest trades have been made over the last few days. Here is a quick look at them.

The Deal: The St. Louis Cardinals acquire UTL Mark DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians for RP Chris Perez and a Player To Be Named Later (PTBNL).

Indians: In the off season the Indians acquired DeRosa from the Chicago Cubs for three minor leaguers, in the hopes that he could help propel the Indians to the playoffs. They didn't give up any top prospects so it was a good deal for Cleveland. Unfortunately the Indians have the worst record in the A.L., and are 12 games out of the Central division. Now was a good time for the Indians to start selling, and rebuilding for next year. By trading DeRosa, Cleveland frees up over $2.75 million from their payroll, and acquires a top reliever prospect in Perez. Though PTBNL's are usually marginal prospects, it seems like there are a few quality guys that could end up coming back to the Indians.

Cardinals: St. Louis is battling for the N.L. Central division, that is truly up for grabs. Only 6 games separate the top and bottom of the six team division. The Cardinals need another hitter in the line-up to go along with Albert Pujols. DeRosa, who can play all over the diamond, will slide in at third base for the injured Troy Glaus. DeRosa isn't an impact bat, but he does everything well in addition to being a good club house guy.

Winner: Its hard to declare a winner until we know who the PTBNL is. Until then this looks like a good deal for both sides. The Cards add a good player, who isn't a drag on the payroll. The Indians receive one good prospect, likely another solid one, and financial relief.

The Deal: The New York Yankees acquire UTL Eric Hinske from the Pittsburgh Pirates for OF/C Eric Fryer (High-A) and RP Casey Erickson (Low-A).

Pirates: For Pittsburgh they traded away a bench player, for some salary relief, a couple of fringe prospects, and a roster spot. Overall that is not a bad deal. The Pirates had to kick in part of Hinske's salary, but it sounds like they were able to save over $400K in the deal. That money can be used to sign draft picks or international players. Neither Fryer or Erickson are top prospects, but both offer organizational depth and a little upside. The Pirates also free up a roster spot to promote 1B/OF Garret Jones. Though Jones isn't a top prospect, he has some big time power, and should be given a chance to stick with the big league club.

Yankees: New York has needed a UTL player all season. Hinske can back up first, third and both corner outfield spots. Given Alex Rodriguez's injury concerns having a quality back-up is a must for the Yankees. The Yankees didn't give up any major prospects in the deal, and got a solid big leaguer in return. Hinske won't be the answer if A-Rod is out for a significant time, but he should fill in nicely for spot duty.

Winner: Both teams won here as they satisfied their biggest goals. The Yankees filled a glaring hole on their bench, without selling the farm or adding a bloated contract. And the Pirates moved a redundant player for some financial relief and a little upside.

NBA Draft grades: Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks: 1st round: Jeff Teague-PG, 2nd round: Sergiy Gladyr-SG

The Hawks did a good job upgrading their back court with this draft. I think Teague has some real upside, and can be a starter by his second year. Teague should fit in well with th Hawks athletic big men. Gladyr isn't going to help any time soon, but could be a contributor down the road.

Grade: B

Boston Celtics: 2nd round: Lester Hudson-SG

Hudson isn't a bad pick for the end of the 2nd round. He's an advanced player that can be a solid guy off the bench, if he makes the team. Overall there's some solid potential there for the Celtics, but they didn't really improve their team.

Grade: C+

Charlotte Bobcats: 1st round: Gerald Henderson-SG, 2nd round: Derrick Brown-PF

In my opinion the Bobcats had a really good draft. Henderson is a very good shooting guard and will give the Bobcats a great option on the wing. He will start by backing up Raja Bell, but should be a starter within two years. Brown is a great pick up in the 2nd round. He will help their front court depth, and has the upside to be a 6th man in a couple of years.

Grade: A-

Chicago Bulls: 1st round: James Johnson-PF, 1st round: Taj Gibson-PF

It was a little bit odd that the Bulls took two power forwards with their two picks, but I think they got solid value with them. Johnson has a ton of upside and should develop into a pretty good starter. Gibson doesn't have as much upside as Johnson, but should provide solid depth.

Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers: 1st round: Christian Eyenga-SF, 2nd round: Danny Green-SF, 2nd round: Emir Preldzic-F

This was a bit of a surprising draft for the Cavs. While i love the Danny Green pick, does Eyenga make sense with Blair, Young and others still on the board? Taking either Sam Young or DeJuan Blair would have been a coup at the end of the 1st round. Both players could have come in and contributed from day one. Blair especially would have made sense, given Varejeo's free agent status. I think Green was a great value pick and could be a steal. But for a team that is ready to win now, I don't understand drafting a player who won't be even in the country for a couple of years.

Grade: C

Detroit Pistons: 1st round: Austin Daye, 2nd round: DeJuan Summers, 2nd round: Jonas Jerebko

This could be a very good draft for the Pistons. There is a ton of upside with these three picks. Daye has the potential to become a top SF in the NBA. Summers and Jerebko both had first round potential, and are great value in the second round. The one issue with the Pistons draft is consistency. None of these players have been consistent in their careers. Both Daye and Summers would disappear in games in college. Overall though the talent is there so I do like what the Pistons did with this class.

Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers: 1st round: Tyler Hansbrough-PF, 2nd round: A.J. Price-PG

The Pacers added a pair of four year college players, who will need little or no development time. I like the Price pick a lot, I think he has a lot of upside. Price should be a good addition to the Pacers back court. I really question Hansbrough here, drafting him in the lottery is a big mistake. With Earl Clark, Johnson and Blair on the board Hansbrough was a big overdraft. I have a hard time imagining this draft four or five years from now, and considering Hansbrough one of the Top-15 players.

Grade: C

Miami Heat: 2nd round: Patrick Beverley-G, 2nd round: Robert Dozier-F

The Heat were without a 1st round pick but that didn't stop them from drafting some intriguing players. Beverley in particular can help the Heat down the road. He could back up either of the guard spots, and give the Heat a high energy guy off the bench. Dozier has a longer road towards making the Heat, but he does have some NBA tools.

Grade: B-

Milwaukee Bucks: 1st round: Brandon Jennings-PG, 2nd round: Jodie Meeks-SG

The Bucks did a great job filling their needs here and adding offensive upside. Jennings has the talent to be a great NBA point guard. He can do just about everything with a basketball, but he does have one thing standing in his way - himself. Jennings needs to worry less about whether the cameras are rolling, and more about refining his game. I'm higher on Meeks than most draftniks were. I don't think he'll ever be a starter, but he should be a good guy off the bench. I like his toughness and work ethic.

Grade: B+

New Jersey Nets: 1st round: Terrence Williams-SG

The Nets made a big move earlier in the day trading away Vince Carter for Courtney Lee and Rafer Alston. New Jersey followed that up by drafting Carter's replacement in Williams. Williams has a lot of upside, and should develop into a pretty good starter. Williams is one of the most athletic players in this entire class, but still needs to work on his offensive game to become a complete player.

Grade: B

New York Knicks: 1st round: Jordan Hill-PF, 1st round: Toney Douglas-G

The Knicks paid a hefty price for their 2nd first round pick ($3 million), but got a pretty good player in Douglas. Douglas and Hill fill the Knicks two biggest needs. They can both be pretty good complimentary players. Hill still needs to work on his offensive game, but he should be a good rebounder.

Grade: B+

Orlando Magic: No picks

The Magic went the trade route and did pretty well adding Vince Carter. Unfortunately they didn't have any picks to grade.

Grade: N/A

Philadelphia 76ers: 1st round: Jrue Holiday-PG

Holiday was a great pick for the 76ers. He fills a big need for Philly, and has some of the biggest upside in the entire draft. Holiday will probably need a year or two, to become a front line starter. When he does though, the 76ers will be happy with the wait. Holiday has limitless athletic ability and offensive potential.

Grade: B+

Toronto Raptors: 1st round DeMar DeRozen-G

The Raptors went with upside with their selection of DeRozen. DeRozen is a pretty raw player, but has plenty of potential. I think he will need at least two years, and might not even be a solid back-up next season. While the talent is there its definitely a risk to take DeRozen so early, on a team in transition. I would have liked it better if a team with multiple picks, or had playoff talent had grabbed DeRozen.

Grade: C+

Washington Wizards: Traded 1st round pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller, traded 2nd round pick (Jermaine Taylor) to the Rockets for cash.

I think Wizards really blew this draft. They jumped the gun on the Foye trade, they could have kept the pick and taken Ricky Rubio. Even if they had still wanted to trade the pick, the value would have been higher with Rubio sitting there. I just don't feel they got enough out of the T-wolves in the trade. The 2nd round was an even bigger disaster. The Wizards were in desperate need of front court help and at the top of the 2nd round, DeJuan Blair, Sam Young and Derrick Brown were available. Instead of taking one of them, the Wizards drafted a guard and sold him to the Rockets for $2.5 million. Any one of those players would have been a significant upgrade to the Wizards. Blair in particular was a lottery talent that fell due to injury concerns. Adding him to the front line, would have been a major boost to the Wizard's inside game. I think the Wizards will regret their draft decisions for years to come.

Grade: D

Trade Center: NBA

The Phoenix Suns trade Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavailers for Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, and the 46th pick in the draft.

Cavaliers: This is a great move by the Cavs all around. Shaq gives them a true force in the middle. He compliments Ilguaskas pretty well, giving Cleveland two quality centers. Shaq may no longer be the most dominate player in the game, but he still creates match-up problems for opposing teams. This move was a direct response to the Magic and Dwight Howard. The Cavs won't lose a series again because they can't match-up inside. Now it will be Howard having trouble handling Cleveland's front court. The Cavs only had to give up two bad contracts and a 2nd round pick, to fill their need inside. Also, with Shaq being a free agent after this season, Cleveland still has plenty of Cap room for the banner 2010 free agent class.

Suns: This move was just about money for the Suns. They will save over $5 million dollars on the deal against their cap, and also will avoid having to pay the luxury tax. Both Pavlovic and Wallace will be off the books after next season (if not before by cutting them), so the Suns will maintain their cap room next year as well. Phoenix really didn't get anything in terms of talent in this deal. With a little luck they can find a role player with the 2nd round pick, to give them some value. Though they still have a strong core, it wouldn't be too surprising to see the Suns start rebuilding. Stoudemire can become a free agent at season's end, and is likely the next to go.

Winner: The Cavs are the hands down winner here. This deal was a no brainer for them. Shaq is still a good center, and they didn't give up any major pieces to acquire him. The Suns sent a bad message to their fan base with this deal. One that will likely signal a rebuilding year in Phoenix.

Trade Center: NBA

A couple of big NBA trades were made yesterday. Both could have playoff implications for next season, and one shakes up tomorrow's draft. Here's a quick recap on the deals, and the future impact.

The Deal: The Milwaukee Bucks send Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, and Kurt Thomas. The Spurs also sent Fabrico Oberto to the Pistons for Amir Johnson, who was then moved to the Bucks.

Bucks: Milwaukee mainly made this deal for salary cap relief. They now have the money to re-sign restricted free agent Charlie Villanuvea and perhaps another moderate free agent. The Bucks will also have some money to play with in 2010 when Johnson's, and Thomas's deals are up (Bowen may get waived to save additional money now).

Pistons: Detroit's reason for this deal was similar to Milwaukee's - money. The Pistons can save almost $2 million by waiving Oberto, since his contract isn't fully guaranteed. Detroit is looking to build up as much cap space as possible to make a run at a couple of top free agents.

Spurs: The Spurs are the big winner in this deal. They get a top flight SF, who gives them an electric scorer on the perimeter. He gives them a third scoring option behind Parker and Duncan and moves Michael Finley to a better suited reserve role (if he resigns). Making this deal even more impressive is the fact that all the Spurs had to give up was cap relief. Bowen and Thomas were solid role players, but their games were on the downside. The Spurs have reloaded and are now one of the top 3 contenders in the Western Conference.

Winner: Its got to be the Spurs, they gave up nothing and received a real scoring threat. They will make a strong title push next season. The Bucks and Pistons get some cap relief, but they aren't any better teams for making this deal.

The Deal: The Minnesota Timberwolves send G Randy Foye and G/F Mike Miller to the Washington Wizards for the 5th overall pick, C Etan Thomas, PF Darius Songaila, C/F Oleksiy Pecherov.

Timberwolves: The real prize for Minnesota is the 5th pick. Already owning the 6th, 18th and 28 picks in the first round, the T-wolves now hold the keys to the draft. They will likely try to trade up to the 2nd or 3rd spot to select Ricky Rubio (Hasheem Thabeet is an option at 3 if Rubio is off the board), giving up the 5th pick, 18th and maybe another player or draft pick. If Minnesota can't move up they will hope that they can snag, James Harden and Stephen Curry at the 5 and 6. Other players likely in the mix at 5 or 6 are Tyreke Evans and DeMar DeRozan. Things could get tricky for the T-Wolves, as they will likely have to reach for front court help with their latter picks. Though Minnesota will miss the scoring of Foye and Miller in their back court, they should have no trouble replacing them with their lottery picks. Thomas, Songaila and Pecherov are really just roster filler, but could give the Wolves some solid minutes in their weak front court.

Wizards: Washington is going for broke here. They showed that they are not in a rebuilding mode and feel that they feel their 19 win season was a fluke. The Wizards added two perimeter scorers, that can be excellent complimentary players to Washington's big three (Arenas, Butler, and Jamison). Also if Arenas and Butler miss any significant time, like they have in recent years, Foye and Miller can be solid starters. Foye could be the real prize in this deal. He's a restricted free agent in 2010 so he gives Washington some options. Overall I think he's an underrated player and could be a breakout candidate. If he does take his game to the next level then this could be a big win for the Wizards. If not, then I question the move somewhat. The Wizards could have added a prolific scorer in Harden or Curry to help their front court. One that is under team control for longer and with the potential to be a star. Washington also had deals on the table to potentially trade back and add a veteran, which may have made more sense. I think not prying either the 18th or 28th picks away from Minnesota was a mistake. No, you weren't likely to add a star player in that spot, but you could have added someone with upside. I think if the Wizards would have waited until tomorrow's draft they would have been able to get a better deal.

As it stands now The Wizards are 'all in' in 2009. While this deal puts them back in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, Washington will need a lot of luck to be a serious contender. They will need Arenas and Butler to stay healthy, and continue to play at an all-star level. Also, Brendan Haywood, the Wizards only true center, will need to get healthy and step up his game. They will need the rest of their young front court to develop fast (McGuire, Blatche, McGee). The Wizards will need to trade some of their front court depth to add another big man. Until they do though they are very thin in the paint.

Winner: I think the Timberwolves are a small winner here. By keeping all four draft picks Minnesota has practically limitless options in tomorrow's draft. The T-wolves can now add some pieces to a young core that includes Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. The Wizards did get rid of some bad contracts which, should give them some flexibility in the future, but they paid a high price.

NBA Draft: Mock Draft 11-30

11. New Jersey Nets: Jrue Holiday-PG

The Nets could use a big man but probably won't reach for Blair, Johnson, or Mullens. I think they will take the top PG on the board here. Holiday will make a lot of sense here, as Harris can move too the 2 guard position.

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Terrence Williams-G/F

Williams would be a good pick for the Bobcats here. He can start at SG and fill in some at SF as well. He has a lot of upside if he reaches his full potential. With the Bobcats though he won't be forced to be an offensive focal point, which should help his development.

13. Indiana Pacers: Ty Lawson-PG

The Pacers need a solid point guard and Lawson is a good fit here. I think he's been underrated all along so this is actually a good spot for him, and not a reach.

14. Phoenix Suns: DeJuan Blair-PF

Johnson or Mullens should be in the mix here as well, but I think Blair is the best Big man available. With Shaq out the door, and Amare likely to follow, the Suns need to add some talent to their front court. Blair could fit in nicely with Phoenix's fast paced offense.

15. Detroit Piston: Austin Daye-SF

Daye has been rumored to Detroit for awhile and he seems like a pretty solid fit for the team. There is some upside in Daye, especially if he can get tougher.

16. Chicago Bulls: Gerald Henderson-SG

With Ben Gordon likely leaving in free agency the Bulls could use another option on the wing. Henderson has a lot of upside, and is athletic enough to get the ball to the basket.

17. Philadelphia 76ers: Eric Maynor-PG

The 76ers need a new point guard with Miller being a free agent. They will find a good one in Maynor. He should be able to step in and lead the offense from day one.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Earl Clark-SF

A lot depends on what they do with their top two picks (this pick may also be traded to move up in the draft), but I don't think the T-wolves could pass up on Clark if he's here at 18. They could use a big like Mullens for depth, but Clark is too good to pass up here. He does so many things well that he will be a great fit for Minnesota, a team that is still looking for an identity.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague-PG

Teague has exceptional speed, and would be a great fit in Atlanta. He can be a good solid back-up to Crawford. A back-up power forward like Johnson or Hansbrough are an option here as well. Teague is the last of the top level of point guards, so I don't see Atlanta passing on him if he's here.

20. Utah Jazz: James Johnson-PF

With Boozer on his way out, the Jazz need to add some talent to their front court. Johnson is a bit of a steal here, he's got a lot of upside and should fit well in Utah. Hansbrough and Sam Young are definite options as well.

21. New Orleans Hornets: B. J. Mullens-C

Tyson Chandler hasn't been the answer at the 5, leaving New Orleans desperate for help in the paint. So getting one of the two legitimate centers in this draft would be a coup for the Hornets. Mullens is a project but won't have to be a star player in New Orleans.

22. Portland Trail Blazers: Sam Young-SF

Young might not have been the player they were targeting when the traded up two spots in the draft, but there is no way they let him slide any further. The Blazers will love his maturity, work ethic and toughness. He also is an excellent rebounder and defender. Young is also one of the most NBA ready players in this draft and should contribute from day one.

23. Sacramento Kings: DeMarre Carroll-PF

Kings could go a number of ways with this pick, Casspi is an option on the International front, and Hansbrough would be a big name to bring in. Hansbrough would also make sense since he balance's Evans youth. In the end I think the Kings take Carroll. They need a big man to play next to Hawes, and I feel like Carroll may be the best fit.

24. Dallas Mavericks: Chase Budinger-SG

The Mavericks love their shooters and Budinger fits the bill here at 24. He can step in and help right away. He will need to become more of a defender to be anything more than a role player. Darren Collison is an option here as well.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Danny Green-G/F

Green is the perfect fit for the Thunder here. He can back up both Harden at the 2 and Durant at the 3, and become a great 6th man. He ability on offense and defense makes him the right pick here over some other players with more upside.

26. Chicago Bulls: Omri Casspi-SF

Casspi is a great pick for the Bulls if he falls this far. They could try waiting a year before bringing him to the U.S., or he could be a solid forward for them off the bench. He's tough and by all reports a quality rebounder.

27. Memphis Grizzlies: Toney Douglas-G

Douglas is a good fit here as he can back up both of the guard positions. If Memphis takes Thabeet 2nd, then depth in the back court is their biggest weakness. Douglas should fill that need pretty well. He's an underrated player and should be a steal here.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonas Jerebko-F

This might be hard to do with PF's like Hansbrough and Derrick Brown still on the board, but it seems likely that the T-wolves will take an international player with this pick. They likely won't want to have 4 rookies on their roster, and will keep whomever they take abroad.

29. New York Knicks: Darren Collison-PG

This could change if the Knicks get a PG with their top pick as PF will be their biggest need (Hansbrough anyone). Either way the Knicks traded back into the first round to get a player who can come in and play right away. Collison seems like the likely pick here. He can run the point and has always made everyone around him better. The Knicks would get a heck of a player here at 29.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyler Hansbrough-PF

Hansbrough could easily go 10 spots higher, but I think the concerns about his game will lead him to slide. He fits best on a playoff team where he's the 7th to 9th guy off the bench. In Cleveland he can fill a role, and not have to be the top offensive threat on the team. Playing next to Shaq and Big-Z should help him as well. This is a great insurance policy if the Cavs can't resign Varejo. And if they do resign him then the Cavs got that much deeper.

NBA Draft: Mock Draft Top 10

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin-PF

This pick is about the only sure thing in the draft this year. It doesn't look like the Clippers are even listening to offers at this point for the top pick. Griffin will fit in well in L.A. and give the Clippers another piece to a young core that features Al Thorton and Eric Gordon.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Haseem Thabeet-C

This pick could very well end up with another team like Minnesota or New York, but for the purposes of this mock draft we will say they keep the pick. If they keep it Thabeet should be their pick. While Thabeet isn't the second best player in this draft, he is the best center, and can give some solid minutes from day one. Thabeet will be a good compliment to Marc Gasol, and allow the Grizzlies to have two 7 footers on the floor at the same time.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden-SG

Rubio or a trade are options here, but in the end I think the Thunder go with Harden. Westbrook can run the point and Durant and Green have the forward spots handled. The Thunder need a true center and a shooting guard. With Thabeet off the board grabbing a guy like Harden makes the most sense. Harden is a good fit, with a refined offensive game and a good work ethic.

4. Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans-G

Rubio is the better fit as the Kings could use a true point guard but I think Sacramento goes with the upside of Evans. Evans is a combo guard at best, and will probably end up being more of a shooting guard. The Kings don't really need another shooting guard but have seemingly fallen in love with Evans.

5. Washington Wizards: Ricky Rubio-PG

The Wizards are probably trading this pick one way or another, but wouldn't mind adding Rubio if he falls to them. Rubio would be a good fit for the Wizards as he'd let Arenas play the 2. The Wizards are a good fit for Rubio as well. They already have established scorers, allowing Rubio to do what he does best; set up the offense.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Stephen Curry-PG

The T-wolves will be looking to move up to get either Thabeet or Rubio, but will be quite happy with Curry if they can't move up. Curry will give Minnesota a very mature player, who can be a top offensive threat. He's not the most athletic point guard in this draft, but he's probably the most advanced.

7. Golden State Warriors: Jonny Flynn-PG

Jordan Hill is an option here, but Flynn makes plenty of sense for the Warriors. He fits their fast paced, high powered offense. Flynn's quickness will be a major asset for the Warriors, and give a perfect back court compliment to Ellis. A true point guard will allow Ellis to become a bigger scoring threat.

8. New York Knicks: Jordan Hill-PF

The Knicks will look to trade up to get either Curry or Rubio, if they can't make a deal Hill will be their pick. Hill can fill a size deficit in New York. Hill is a bit unrefined but he has plenty of upside. He should help the Knicks on the boards from day one, though he will need to work on his offensive game.

9. Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan-SG

DeRozan is a bit of a project, but he has NBA size and athleticism. He has plenty of upside and that is what the Raptors will be banking on here. Toronto has a need at guard so DeRozan does fill a need as well.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings-PG

Jennings or Holiday seem like the most likely picks here. Both are young with plenty of upside. I think Jennings might be the better fit here. His speed and quickness give him the edge on Holiday right now for a number of teams. I'm not super high on Jennings but I don't think he falls any further than 10.

Check back tomorrow for the rest of the first round.

MLB Trade Market: Buyers and Sellers

I'm going to start looking at teams that are expected to be active on the trade market. Today we are going to take a look at a 'Seller', the Baltimore Orioles. We will take a quick look at what they have to offer and what they will be looking at in return.

On the Block:

Aubrey Huff 1B/DH: I wrote about some of Huff's value the other day. To recap he's one of better 1B on the open market right now. He's off to a slow start, but is still one of the better power hitters available. His contract isn't too much of an impediment, and his potential free agency compensation is an added bonus to any acquiring team. Huff will likely be dealt this year, given his impending free agency. The Orioles have a young nucleus, so Huff doesn't really fit into their future plans. He's been solid at first base and can play some at third or a corner outfield spot if needed. Huff should be attractive to any team looking for a left handed power bat. I wouldn't be surprised to see the O's kick in some money to cover part of Huff's contract, allowing them to receive a better prospect package. Overall I think the O's can get two solid prospects for Huff, plus an additional average one.

Teams that may be interested: Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels.

Luke Scott LF/DH: Scott is another player I've featured before. He is in many ways the top corner outfielder on the trade market. Matt Holiday may be a better player, but he costs quite a bit more and is an impending free agent. Scott is under team control through 2012, and is a fraction of the cost. Scott is playing the best baseball of his career, so he is the ultimate 'sell high' candidate for the Orioles. Scott is another redundant player on the O's. The Orioles outfield is set for years to come with the Reimold/Jones/Markakis trio. The O's have Ty Wiggington and Matt Weiters (when he's not catching), to handle DH duties. The O's are probably looking for a prospect package similar to what the Pirates received for Nate McLouth.

Teams that may be interested: Red Sox, Braves, Giants, Tigers, Mets, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals.

Danny Baez RP: Baez is in the last year of his contract and has been extremely effective so far this year. He has a 4-1 record with a 3.15 ERA in 34 innings. He's a great late inning arm for a contender looking to strengthen their bullpen. While he'd be a stretch as a closer he is a valuable reliever in the pen. He can pitch multiple innings, and is equally effective against RH and LH hitters. Baez does carry a hefty price tag ($7 million) so the O's may need to kick in a little money. Regardless they should expect a solid return for him.

Teams that may be interested: New York Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Angels

George Sherrill RP: Sherrill the O's closer, has been pretty good so far this year. He has a 2.45 ERA, and has converted 13 out of 15 save attempts. He's not a great overall closer, but he gets the job done. He's probably better suited as a LH setup man. He has been lights out against left handed batters this season. Holding them to a .100/.182/.133 split. He is under team control through 2011, so he has plenty of value to offer. The O's should expect back a decent return with a couple good prospects coming their way.

Teams that may be interested: Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Rays, Brewers, Angels, White Sox, Phillies.

What the Orioles are looking for: The O's have a good farm system overall so there isn't any one 'need area'. I think they would be looking for some quality young arms. Baltimore will probably focus more on younger pitchers, who aren't already on the 40-man roster. They will have a number of pitchers ready in the next year or two, that they can't afford to waste roster spots on average prospects. The one area where the O's will look for Major League ready talent is the infield. SS, 3B and 1B all need long term solutions. Outside of that I would expect the Orioles to focus on upside over, guys they could put in their line-up right now.

NBA Draft: Top 5 Available At Each Position

Point Guard:

1. Ricky Rubio-Spain

2. Jonny Flynn-Syracuse

3. Stephen Curry-Davidson

4. Ty Lawson-UNC

5. Jrue Holiday-UCLA

2nd rounder to watch: A.J. Price-Connecticut

The PG position is extremely deep in this year's class. While there may not be an immediate star such as a Chris Paul or Deron Williams, there is a ton of potential in this crop. Though not much is known about Rubio as maybe some of the other prospects, you have to put him at No.1. His age, skill set, and Olympic experience all work in his favor. While Flynn's height and outside shot do hold him back, he is still a great player. His quickness, athleticism and heart are unmatched in this class. Curry is really the opposite of Flynn, he's an excellent shooter and player, but he doesn't have the quickness and athleticism of most point guards. If he was a little bigger he'd be the top shooting guard in the class. I like Lawson more than most draft analysts do. I think he is very similar to Flynn in his skill set, though he doesn't have as much upside as his Syracuse counterpart. The other thing I really like about Lawson is, that he's a winner. He carried that UNC team down the stretch and was key for them cutting down the nets in Detroit. Holiday may have the most potential of this entire class, but he also has some of the biggest question marks. He has incredible measurables and is a good defender. On the other hand, he was extremely inconsistent and could have used maybe another year to separate himself from the pack. I think no less than 10 point guards will be taken in the first round. All of them should be able to contribute early on.

Shooting Guard:

1. James Harden-Arizona State

2. Gerald Henderson-Duke

3. Tyreke Evans-Memphis

4. DeMar DeRozen-USC

5. Terrence Williams-Louisville

2nd rounder to watch: Jodie Meeks-Kentucky

The SG class is solid but really only runs about 10 deep in terms of NBA talent. There is plenty of potential there with Evans and DeRozen. In fact, I think both will go ahead of Henderson, and there is a chance Evans could even jump Harden. Evans is a player that worries me. He has a tremendous skill set and great size, but he never showed great instincts or basketball IQ. Too often he would force shots instead of finding his open teammates. DeRozen has some of the same issues, but his bigger problem is his lack of a good jump shot. He really doesn't have a consistent offensive mid-range or outside game. Given those question marks, I think Harden and Henderson are the better options for teams in need of a point guard. Harden is one of my favorite players in this draft. He lacks some explosiveness and athleticism, but is still a fantastic all-around player. He has a killer jump shot and great basketball instincts. Henderson is another good player. Though I don't think he'll be a star at the next level, but I think he has the upside of being a third option on a good team. Henderson doesn't do anything great, but he does everything well, which should help him fit into any team. Williams is a real enigma. He has the talent to be the 1st or 2nd SG taken, but he would just disappear in games last year. He also lacks a great outside shot, and works much better near the basket.

Small Forward:

1. Sam Young-Pittsburgh

2. Earl Clark-Louisville

3. Austin Daye-Gonzaga

4. Omri Cassapi-Israel

5. Danny Green-UNC

2nd rounder to watch: Dar Tucker-DePaul

This is a weak year for small forward's overall, as there are no sure things in this group. While that's the general consensus, I personally feel that's wrong. I think Sam Young is a special player and 5 years from now will be considered one of the Top-10 players from this draft class. Most mock drafts and teams seem to give Young negative marks for being older (24) and a college senior. But he went from being just an athlete, to being one of the best inside-outside scorers in the nation. He may not be as tall as some of the other SF's but he's the best rebounder in the group. His toughness, heart and instinct's will all translate very well at the next level. Clark is a guy, who if he reaches his potential could be just as good as Young. He's got great size but is a very good ball handler for a big man. Daye probably needs to add some bulk to be a force on the glass, but he solid contributor no matter what. Casspi is an intriguing player from Israel. He's got a lot of tools but he didn't get starter's minutes in the Euroleague. Green is solid player, and a good shooter. His defense and basketball IQ should at least make him a valuable guy off the bench. The question is will he ever develop into a solid starter.

Power Forward:

1. Blake Griffin-Oklahoma

2. Jordan Hill-Arizona

3. DeJuan Blair-Pittsburgh

4. James Johnson-Wake Forrest

5. Tyler Hansbrough-UNC

2nd rounder to watch: Jon Brockman-Washington

Blake Griffin is obviously the prize of this entire draft. He has the potential to become an immediate star in the NBA. His size and strength are impressive enough, but his basketball IQ and instincts really set him apart. Beyond Griffin there is a drop off of power forwards, but there is still some talent to be found. Jordan Hill should be able to help on the boards and defensively from day one. His offensive game is still a work in progress. He won't be able to go strong to the basket in the NBA like he did at Arizona. He will need to develop a jump shot to balance his strength to the hoop. Blair is another player I like. I know there are concerns about his height and injuries, but I think he has what it takes for the next level. Yes he is changing positions, but reports have him slimming down and adding quickness. His height shouldn't be a factor, because in the Big East he routinely went up against some of the best big men in the nation. Outside of Griffin, no player dominated the college game as much as Blair. Johnson has a lot of athleticism and upside. He is probably going to need a year or two to develop into a starter, but I still think he has a bright future. Hansbrough is a tough player to peg. He dominated the college ranks for four years. Given the talent around him and the ACC style, he didn't face the constant double teams or quality big men that Blair and Griffin faced. In my opinion, I think Hansbrough is soft and is a boom or bust player. I give him credit for being worthy a lottery pick, because the measureables are there. I just don't see it overall with him. Too often it seemed like Hansbrough's game was based on positioning and basketball IQ. He was great at drawing fouls and reducing his own, due to those sound fundamentals. Hansbrough also used his size to his advantage, but struggled in match-ups with other quality big men. The problem is he won't have a size advantage or the benefit of positioning at the next level. My gut tells me he won't be better than a solid back-up, but Hansbrough deserves some consideration.

Center:

1. Hasheem Thabeet-Connecticut

2. B.J. Mullens-Ohio State

2nd rounder to watch: Goran Suton-Michigan State

Its impossible to do a Top-5 Center's list because its a stretch for 5 center's to be drafted. There are only two first rounders and both of them have question marks. Thabeet is a lock to go in the top five picks in the draft, given his height and potential. He is still a developing player overall, but their are some big time holes in his game. He really lacks any offensive game other than dunking the ball. Though a good defender, he lacks the quickness and strength that he'll face consistently at the next level. Thabeet also was dominated by Pittsburgh's Blair in their two regular season match-ups, despite having an 7 inch height advantage. Mullens is another center prospect with a ton of potential. In many ways he is the opposite of Thabeet, his offensive game is more advanced and balanced, but he is still developing as a consistent defender and rebounder. Mullens has a lot of upside, but his work ethic and instincts leave a lot to be desired. He will probably need a good two years until he can be an effective starter. Outside of Thabeet and Mullens, its hard to imagine that any other centers can really make it in the NBA. Suton had a nice NCAA tournament, but he's really not much more than a third center in the NBA.

Washington Nationals Draft, Was it a Success?

The Washington Nationals had two of the top ten picks (1st and 10th) in this year's MLB draft. A draft that featured pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg. The 1st overall pick they received for their league worst 59-101 record last season. The 10th pick came was a compensation pick for failing to sign their 1st round pick last year (Aaron Crow). It was the first time in baseball history that one team had two top-10 picks. Now the question is, How successful was their draft class?

As a Nationals fan and baseball observer I was disappointed and unimpressed with their draft class. I thought early on the Nationals were prone to over drafting, and selecting signable players. In the top 20 rounds (21 picks) in which usually the teams best players are found, the Nationals drafted a total of 13 collegians, 3 Junior College players and 5 High Schoolers. Of those collegians, 5 were seniors, players without leverage who traditionally sign quickly. This isn't an impressive list with a lot of upside talent. The Nationals early round picks after Strasburg left me scratching my head. Here is a look at some of the problems with those picks

• Drew Storen-1st round (10th overall) RHP, Stanford: Don't get me wrong I like Storen, he's a good player and has a chance to be an excellent closer. Also, its good that you got a player who signed quickly (especially after last year's fiasco with Crow). I just don't think the pick makes sense for the Nationals. Spending an early pick on a closer isn't always the best move. It makes even less sense for the Nationals since they are at least a few years away from contending. Having an All-Star closer on a last place team, is like having a Pro Bowl fullback, on a team without a good running back, it doesn't really help you in the long run. What I'd have done: I would have grabbed either Kyle Gibson, Chad James, or Chad Jenkins. All are college starting pitchers, and none would have been tough signs.
• Jeff Kobernus-2nd round (50st overall) 2b, California: Kobernus would have been a solid 3rd round pick, a good 4th round pick and a great 5th round pick. The problem for the Nationals is they took him in the 2nd round. He does help fill a need at a premium position, but he doesn't profile as a top talent. There were plenty of more talented players still on the board and this just seems like a signability pick here. What I'd have done: If I was looking for a college player, I'd probably take 1b Rich Poythress. From the H.S. ranks pitcher Brooks Pounders or SS Mychal Givens would have been good value picks.
• Trevor Holder-3rd round (81st) RHP, Georgia: Holder is a college senior and is the very definition of a 'signable' player. Baseball America wrote about him and said, "Holder was a 10th round pick last year and should go in the same range this June." A 10th round pick, taken at the top of the 3rd round. What's worse is, that since he's a senior, he has just about no leverage. The Nats could easily have waited 4 or 6 rounds and still gotten Holder. What I'd have done: Chris Dominguez would have been a nice pick, but redundant if I'd already taken Poythress. I'd probably go with either pitchers Ben Tootle, Justin Marks, or Joe Kelly. SS Robbie Shields would be a great pick as well.
• A.J. Morris-4th round (112th) RHP, Kansas State: Morris isn't a real bad pick here, but the Nationals may have been able to wait one more round. Morris is a good player, but there is some concern on his ability to stay healthy. But overall this is a good pick for the Nationals. At the very least he should be a quality arm in the bullpen. What I'd have done: Morris would have likely been my pick here. H.S. catcher Max Stassi or RP Jason Stoffel would have been quality picks as well.
• Miguel Pena-5th round (142nd) LHP, La Joya H.S.: Pena was the Nationals top H.S. draft pick and does have some potential. I think Pena was a solid pick but there were more talented players still on the board. Washington could have gotten Pena or someone like him later in the draft. What I'd have done: SS Ryan Jackson would have been a steal. College arms like Ashur Tolliver or Louis Coleman would have been fine picks for that spot.
• Michael Taylor-6th round (172nd) SS, Westminister Academy H.S.: Taylor seems like a major over draft. He wasn't written up by Baseball America, MLB.com, or Keith Law, which is a bit concerning. If the Nats were high on Taylor, I'm sure they could have gotten him a couple of rounds later. What I'd have done: INF Shaver Hansen or LHP/CF Brooks Raley would have been great picks. H.S. arms like James Needy and Matt Graham would have been great additions to the Nationals farm system.

I think the Nationals dropped the ball here with this draft class. Storen and Morris were good but not great picks. While there may have been better options they are still highly justifiable picks. Players like Kobernus, Holder, Pena and Taylor all seem like signability picks. While i'm not a scout, I think it's a bad decision to draft guys multiple rounds earlier than the industry consensus. Even if all four of these guys become major leaguers its still a bad move, since you could have gotten these 'diamonds in the rough' later in the draft. The Nationals did redeem themselves with a good third day of the draft. Where they selected a number of high upside High Schoolers. It remains to be seen how many will sign, but they were great picks for a system desperate for talent. Overall though I think the Nationals missed an opportunity to be bold and have a top notch draft class. For a team that finished last in 2008, and has the worst record to date this season, that increase in talent is exactly what they needed.

Quick Thoughts on the MLB Draft

I'll do a deeper insight into the draft later, but I wanted to highlight the approach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates had the fourth overall pick, and had an additional compensation pick (for not signing a pick last year) before the 2nd round. The Pirates with their top pick, avoided more high profile talents and choose Catcher Tony Sanchez from Boston College. Sanchez is expected to sign for around $2.5 million dollars, which is at less than half of what most players wanted at that spot. The Pirates decided to spend their money throughout the draft and not on a single player.

I think the Pittsburgh Pirates made a bold and brilliant move with this draft. They were widely criticized for their selection of Sanchez, but in the end I think it is a good move. No Sanchez wasn't a top-5, 10 or even 20 talent, but he is a good player. Position prospects were rare in this draft, and while that isn't reason enough to overdraft someone it should be considered. Furthermore, Sanchez is a collegiate player who plays a premium position. His defense is major league ready (which can be hard to teach), and he should be in the majors within 2-3 years. Though he may never be an offensive catcher in the mold of Joe Mauer, if he can just be an average hitter the Pirates got quality value here.

If the Pirates had taken the 'best player available' (BPA), they would have chosen from one of 5 top H.S. pitchers. All of those pitchers have immense talent, but they also have plenty of risk. For one thing, they have plenty of leverage in negotiations, given their college commitments. Because of that they have inflated price tags, anywhere between $5-7 million (Gerritt Cole last year didn't even sign with the Yankees despite the fact they were willing to meet his initial price). On top of that, H.S. players take longer to develop, the Pirates wouldn't see them in the majors for 3-5 years (if they make it at all). Finally, H.S. arms are much harder to project than college arms. H.S. pitchers aren't used as much in a given year, so there can be a greater risk of injury. In my opinion, that is just way to much risk to invest such a large signing bonus. Instead the Pirates will look toward spreading out that bonus money over a number of players. During the 2nd and 3rd days of the draft the Pirates took a number of high upside players, who will command over slot bonuses. While they won't sign all these guys, I'd expect a fair number of them joining Pittsburgh's system.

The Pirates are a rebuilding franchise (have been for nearly 20 years now), and have little help on the way in the minors. This draft class represents a major influx of talent (depending on who they sign). The way I look at it is there weren't any surefire superstars after the top two picks (Strasburg and Ackley), so quantity becomes more important than quality. Time will tell if the Pirates made the right decision but I like the strategy.

MLB Draft Starts Tonight

Tonight, the 2009 MLB Draft gets under way starting at 6 pm, with the Washington Nationals on the clock. The first three rounds of the 50 round draft will be tonight. The remaining 47 rounds will be split up over the next two days. Though the MLB Draft has been growing in acclaim, it still remains behind the more heralded NFL, NBA, and NHL drafts. Since its not as well known, I will give a short summary of what to expect in the draft. I will highlight some of the differences between this draft and other more well known amateur drafts, and give a quick preview of what to expect tonight.

The first major difference in this draft process is the baseball draft is held during the season. The other three major sports hold their amateur drafts after their season, and the order is based on that season's record. Given the way the amateur schedules match up with the MLB's, the baseball draft is held the following June. So this year's draft is based on last year's standings (though for good measure the Nationals still have the worst record). The next major difference is that MLB draft picks can't be traded so you are at your draft spot whether want to pick the best player available or not. Because of this and signability (which we will get to in a minute), a number of players slide in the draft.

The next issue area is signability and the slotting system. Signability is a two-fold issue, one is money and the other is the player's desire to sign right now. In other league's like the NFL and NBA, players must declare their intention to enter the draft process and by doing so they lose their collegiate eligibility. In the NBA and NHL, international players who are drafted that don't sign are still under team control for a set amount of time. In baseball, MLB teams don't have those protections. High School players may choose to go to college no matter how much money is offered to them. College players (who are eligible after their junior season) can go back for their senior year or choose independent baseball rather than signing. The other issue with signability is money. In other major sports the rule is, the higher the draft pick the higher the contract/signing bonus (with a few exceptions). In baseball's draft process, you routinely see players picked in the mid-late first round exceeding the bonuses of the top draft picks. Partly this is due to the MLB's slotting system, which is a recommendation by the league office on what the signing bonus for each player should be. This has led to major issues and fan outrage as teams pass up on more talented players because they want to 'stick with slot'. While there are plenty of cases to be made where a team hurt themselves by 'sticking to the slotting system', its not necessarily a bad thing to do. Every year plenty of players sign for the recommended slot and turn out to be tremendous ballplayers. Matt LaPorta is the perfect example, he was the 7th pick in the 2007 draft and signed just UNDER slot. Already he headlined the deal that brought CC Sabathia (and a playoff appearance) to Milwaukee and is in the big league's with the Indians.

What to Watch For: There is no surprise on who the Washington Nationals will select number 1, as RHP pitcher Stephen Strasburg dominated the college ranks all season. After that things get a bit murky. Its widely considered a good pitching draft, but an extremely weak hitting draft. There could end up being 20 or more pitchers selected in the first round alone. I think we'll see some teams avoid paying out $6-7 million bonuses early. Instead, they will invest that money in signing guys to over slot deals later in the draft. The reason is there doesn't seem to be a lot of sure fire talent in top half of the draft.

Names other than Strasburg that you should know:

-1B/OF Dustin Ackley - he's the top hitter in this draft and will likely go #2

-Zach Wheeler, Jacob Turner, Matt Pruke, Shelby Miller, and Tyler Matzek are the top H.S. arms in this draft and are all Top-15 talents

-Grant Green SS/2B - he's the top college middle infielder but had a bad year this season. He could fall into the middle of the first round.

-Aaron Crow and Tanner Scheppers - RHP's who were drafted last season but choose to play Indy ball in the hopes of increasing their draft value.

-Finally RHP Kyle Gibson - was considered a Top-5 talent but a recent injury has him sliding down draft boards. Some one could get a major steal by taking him late.

Check back later this week when we look at how teams did with their draft picks.

Trade Market: 1B Nick Johnson vs. Aubrey Huff

Today we will take another look at some potential trade targets and figure out who your favorite team should be after. We will take a look at the first baseman market and two of the top names out there, Nick Johnson and Aubrey Huff.

Teams looking for a first baseman: New York Mets (need some help until Delgado can come back), Boston Red Sox (need a DH to replace Big Papi and his .596 OPS), San Francisco Giants (DEAD LAST in home runs), Atlanta Braves (Kotchman only has two home runs this year).

Huff and Johnson are prime candidates to be traded by July 31st. Both are in the last year of the contracts, play for last place teams, and offer quality offensive upside. Right now Johnson is considered the better value on the trade market, but it may be closer to equal then most people think.

Johnson has an age and money advantage over Huff. He's two years younger than him and makes $2.5 million less this season. Johnson also has a defensive advantage over Huff, with a career UZR/150 rating of 4.7, compared to Huff's -5.3 at first base. Also Johnson has been outhitting Huff at this point in the season. Johnson has gotten off to a hot start with a .325/.427/.460 line, while Huff has been inconsistent with a .263/.326/.451 line. To the quick glance it looks as if there is no contest when figuring out who to trade for, but lets dig a little deeper and see how the match-up looks then.

Huff is not with out his advantages as well. Huff has more positional flexibility that Johnson. While he's below average defender overall he can play some third base, and corner outfield. This could be attractive to an N.L. team to give them some roster depth. Also in 2009 Huff's UZR/150 rating is actually the same as Johnson's (-9.1), eliminating some of the consideration that he is a worse defender. Another thing that Huff has going for him is his durability. Johnson missed 2/3 of last season and all of 2007 due to injury. While he's been off the D.L. so far this season, his history knocks him down a few notches. The last advantage for Huff is he's a notoriously slow starter. While that seems illogical to call that an advantage, any team trading for him needs to worry about what he'll do over these last four months of the season, and not the first two. For his career Huff's OPS numbers by month are .730/.742/.844/.836/.942/.820. So while Huff's OPS may be in the .700's now, it should be much higher by season's end.

Even though Huff is due to make an extra $2.5 million on the season, it is really a negligible difference when you think about it. MLB contracts are paid out by month, so Huff makes $1.3 million each month and Johnson $910K. That is not a huge amount of savings, if two teams traded for them on July, 31st, they'd owe Huff $2.6 million and Johnson $1.8 over the final two months of the season. That $800K isn't a big gap when you think about it. Also one advantage that Huff has in regards with his impending free agency compared to Johnson's, is that Huff will be either a Type A/B Free Agent and Johnson won't. The compensation picks that an aquiring team would get for Huff are an added bonus.

When it comes down to it, both Huff and Johnson are quality players. Neither is a complete player, so its hard to say who is really more valuable. It all depends on what your team in looking for in a player. Johnson has the benefit that he's a bit cheaper and is always on base. He will likely be valued more by teams like the Boston Red Sox because he fits their line-up better. Huff on the other hand, has fewer red flags and offers a team more power. A team like the Giants make a lot of sense for Huff, if they want to make a 2nd half run.

Randy Johnson Joins the 300 Club

Yesterday evening I had the privilege to see Randy Johnson reach a milestone, as he recorded his 300 win last night against the Washington Nationals. It was an amazing thing to watch, considering only 23 other players ever had reached that plateau. Despite seeing four pitchers this decade (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens, and Johnson) reach 300 wins, we won't see another for at least 15 more years. The question is who will it be and how do they get there.

I think Keith Law said it best yesterday with his tweet after the win, "Next up: three days of articles on how Randy Johnson will be the last 300 game winner we ever see. My advice is you ignore them." Law hit the nail on the head, as I've already seen half a dozen talking heads, and articles proclaiming that no one else can reach the 300 win mark. People assume that just because baseball is in an era with more high powered offense's that pitchers can't win 300 games. Maddux, Glavine and Johnson pitched in the National League, while McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds were chasing home run records. Clemens pitched almost his entire career in the A.L. East against the Blue Jays in the early 90's, Orioles in the mid 90's and Yankees late 90's. He also faced the Red Sox this decade in his two stints with the Yankees. He was year in year out facing the best offense's in the game, yet still coming away with victories.

People also assume that pitchers will lose too many opportunities, because more games are finished by the bullpen in today's game. While there's some truth to that, it didn't seem to affect any of these four. Only Johnson completed 8 or more games in a single season since 2000. Clemens completed a total of three games since 2000. It is a complete misconception to think that in 'today's game' a pitcher can't have the career to reach 300 wins. All four of the recent members to the club pitched a good part of their careers in 'today's game'. Also its worth mentioning that Mike Mussina retired this season with 270 wins in 18 seasons. He could have easily reached 300 if he wanted it (Johnson had 263 wins after 18 seasons and Glavine sat at 257), but he chose not to pursue it. That's 5 pitchers who pitched a significant portion of their career's in the last two decades. How can one say that pitchers today can't join the club?

The two biggest factors in reaching 300, are pitching longevity and the team around you. All four of these pitchers pitched at least 20 years in the Majors (Maddux did get his 300th in his 19th season). In addition, all four of these pitchers played on winning teams year in and year out. That's not to say that any of these pitchers wouldn't have been great on any team, but rather having a playoff caliber offense and bullpen do make a difference. Some of today's elite pitchers like Roy Halladay or Jake Peavy lose a few wins each season because they don't play for perennial contenders. Even if those pitchers pitch for 20 or more years, they will have a harder time reaching 300.

Its difficult to say in all likelihood who will be the next member of the club, but CC Sabathia and Zack Greinke are two pitchers I'd look to. Sabathia has 113 wins through just 8 seasons so he's already on a good pace. Now that he's a Yankee, he will have the run the support and Mariano Rivera to help him move up the leader board. Though there is a probability of him breaking down because of his number of innings pitched. He's only 28, so he could have 10-12 good years in him. Greinke is the longest of the long shots, but I think he is a special pitcher. He plays for the Kansas City Royals, so he hasn't had the team support yet. Even with an 8-1 record this season he still is below .500 for his career (42-46), but he has an amazing future ahead of him. I think he will be the most dominating pitcher over the next 12 years. Glavine and Johnson didn't breakout until they were 25 and 29 respectively. Keep an eye on Sabathia, Greinke and others. The 300 club has not seen its last member.

Trade Center: MLB

The Deal: The Pittsburgh Pirates send OF Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves for CF Gorkys Hernandez (AA), LHP Jeff Locke (High-A), RHP Charlie Morton (AAA).

Braves: Entering June, the Atlanta Braves ranked in the bottom half of the league in every major hitting category. The main reason for the lack of offense in the Atlanta line-up has been the anemic performances by their outfielders. In over 550 AB's, Atlanta's top FOUR outfielders only managed to hit 10 home runs. Nate McLouth comes to the Braves with nine in 168 AB's. None of the Braves three starters had an OPS north of .700, which is unheard of in today's game. McLouth's OPS stands at .819 and was .853 last season when he was an All-Star. Another area where McLouth can help the Braves out is their running game. McLouth has been a perfect 7 for 7 in SB attempts, and is 64 of 69 for his career. McLouth was attractive to Atlanta because he's only 27 years old and is signed for the next three seasons. The Braves did pay a heavy price for  three and a half years of McLouth. They parted with two of their top ten prospects according to Baseball America (subscription required to read the full scouting reports), in Hernandez and Locke. Atlanta also had to give up 25 year old pitcher Charlie Morton, who has gone 12-4 with an ERA under 2.50 over the past two seasons in AAA.

Pirates: Even though it seems that the Pirates traded away a young budding star for no immediate help to their major league team, I think Pittsburgh made the right move here. On the surface McLouth is a reigning All-Star and Gold Glover, but in reality he isn't too likely to attain those accolades again. McLouth's defense has been grossly overrated. He has a nice arm and decent range but his instincts are lacking. Most advanced defensive metrics rated him as a below average to very poor defensive center fielder. While McLouth is a good offensive center fielder, he's unlikely to enter the All-Star break with the numbers he had last season. McLouth was batting .281 with a .899 OPS and 19 home runs when he played in the midsummer classic. Another reason why McLouth was traded, was the emergence of Pittsburgh's top center field prospect Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen, who was the Pirates 1st round pick in 2005, was pushing for a promotion with his performance in AAA. With him on the way, McLouth would have needed to move to a corner outfield spot. While McLouth could have made the move to the corner, his .819 OPS isn't nearly as impressive at that position. Pretty much every team (except the Braves) has at least one corner outfielder with an .800+ OPS. The Pirates did a good job of selling high on McLouth. They got three quality young players in return. Hernandez has a bright future in CF and may one day push McCutchen to a corner spot. Locke has had some minor league struggles but at 21 years old has a bright future. Morton is a great third piece in this deal. He doesn't have the immense upside of the previous two, but he's major league ready. Morton at the very least could be a quality late inning bullpen arm, but will likely end up as a back of the rotation starter.

Winner: Braves are the immediate winner, but I think the Pirates get the long term benefit here. They traded a redundant player at the peak of his value for quantity and quality prospects. Its hard to argue with that. In addition the money that they save will go towards filling holes at positions of need, and acquiring more amateur talent. 

Penguins Make it a Series

Gary Bettman and the NBC director of Sports Programming breathed a big sigh of relief (not to mention millions of Penguin fans) last night when the Pens won 4-2. Pittsburgh's victory gives them new life in a series that they still trail 2-1. Had the Pens lost, the NHL and NBC would have been hurting. 

The NHL desperately needs this series to get interesting since both of the Conference Finals lacked drama. When the playoffs began you saw some great match-ups and upsets. Anahiem knocking off Dallas, Carolina doing the same to the Devils and Bruins, were great for the fans interest. The Anaheim vs Detroit series, which was a match-up of the last two Stanley Cup winners added plenty of drama. Then Pittsburgh's seven game series against Washington, which featured the match-up of Crosby vs Ovechkin, showcased the NHL at its best. Had the Red Wings repeated as Stanley Cup champs, behind a snoozer of a series, all the hype these playoffs had generated would have been forgotten. NBC also needed the Pens to win, because they don't have broadcast rights again until Game 5 on Saturday. Had the Red Wings won, they may not have had a game to show. 

The NHL is still rebuilding their fan base after the messy lockout a couple of seasons ago. So as much drama, and as many games as possible, are positives for the league and ratings (though they are nerve wracking for Detroit fans). I think the good news for the NHL is that the Pens can make this a great series. After last night it wouldn't surprise me at all to see it extended to seven games. Last night Pittsburgh showed that they can play with the Red Wings, and that they aren't intimidated. If the Pens can stay disciplined and play their game they can take this series down to the wire (a little luck going their way wouldn't hurt either). 

Trade Market: Luke Scott vs. Brad Hawpe

With June upon us the MLB Hot Stove is beginning to heat up. I'm going to take a look at some of the names that will be on the market, and compare them. Today we are going to take a look at a pair of outfielders who are widely rumored to be on the trading block, Luke Scott and Brad Hawpe. 

Teams looking for an outfielder: Braves and Giants (there are a few more but these two teams have a serious lack of production from their outfielders).

You know whats amazing? When you look on message boards and blogs, there is so much hype for Hawpe. But when you bring Luke Scott's name into the conversation, Braves and Giants fans don't want him. They are perfectly content to trade away solid prospects for Hawpe, but don't want to give up anything of value for Scott. WHY? That is a very good question, because when you break it down Scott is the better option than Hawpe.

Take a look at the numbers and you can make the case that Scott is easily more valuable than Hawpe. Age is negligible, as Scott is only one year older than Hawpe. The contract situation is distinctly in Scott's favor as well. Hawpe is making $5.5 million this year, $7.5 million next year and has a $10 million club option for 2011. But he can void the option and become a FA if he is traded. Scott is making $2.4 million this year and as a Super Two player is under team control for another 3 seasons.

Fielding is also in Scott's favor by a large margin. Now I know most people will think that since Scott is a DH he can't field. But that is pretty far from the truth. He has posted a positive UZR/150 rating (which is one of the best defensive indicators) every season (yes it is negative this year but he's only played in the field a few times). His career number is at 7.8 for left field, and 4.8 overall. Hawpe on the other hand has been truly awful in the outfield. He has been in the negative column for every year with the exception of 2006. He has a career rating of -20.8. That's a 25.5 swing between the two outfielder, that is insane.

On offense it is widely considered that Hawpe is the bigger threat, but that is not entirely true either. Hawpe's career numbers sit at .287/.378/.502, while Scott has a career line of .272/.358/.512. A .009 difference in OPS is not a significant factor. What's even more surprising is that Scott out hits Hawpe vs. LHP .817-.762, despite usually being considered a platoon player. Both players are off to hot starts this year, but Scott has done his damage in seven less games than Hawpe.

I think Braves and Giants fans should take a real long hard look at Scott, because to me he seems like the perfect fit for their respective outfields. Scott is the more complete, cheaper and more controllable player. If your team needed a power bat in the outfield who would you rather trade for?

** Contract information is from Cot's Baseball Contracts 

Pens Face Early 0-2 Hole, Can They Come Back?

The Detroit Red Wings have taken full advantage of their home ice in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals. Behind a pair of 3-1 victories, the Red Wings now hold a commanding 2-0 series lead as the Finals moves to Pittsburgh. The Penguins have already overcome one 2-0 deficit against the Washington Capitals in the Conference Semi-Finals. The question now is, can they do it again?

Most people at this point will tell you that the Pens don't have a chance. Their argument would be that the Red Wings beat the Penguins last year and that Detroit is more talented than Pittsburgh. Those are two perfectly valid statements on paper but that shouldn't mean Pittsburgh fans are without hope. This is a much different Penguins team than the one that lost to the Red Wings last year in the Finals. They brought in veteran players to supplement their young nucleus.  Also Pittsburgh's young stars like Crosby, Malkin and Fluery all gained valuable experience with last year's run. As for the overall talent level, the Penguins match up pretty well with the Red Wings. While Detroit has there share of all-stars, no one is really on the same level as Crosby and Malkin with Datsyuk out. The Wings are the deeper team, and that so far has been the difference. 

Detroit's defense has kept the Penguins stars in check. For the Pens to come back in this series, they need to find some holes in the Red Wings defense. I think if they can get some good looks on goal they can beat Detroit's goalie Chris Osgood. Osgood is still a solid goalie, but he's not the All-star he once was. I feel that Pittsburgh can take advantage of him, but they need to find an answer to get past the defense. I just don't see Detroit shutting down Crosby and Malkin for an entire series. While you have to say the Wings are the favorite to win the Stanley Cup, I don't think we should dismiss the Penguins so easily. 

Lakers Pull Ahead. Now Up 3-2

Last night's Game 5 match-up in the Western Conference Finals was a critical game for both teams. If the Nuggets stole one in L.A., then they could wrap the series up on their home court in Game 6. The Lakers needed to avenge their 19 point loss in Game 4 and retake the momentum of the series. Los Angeles overcame the Nuggets with a big 4th quarter to win 103-94. 

The Lakers performance in the final frame was the difference, because heading into the 4th quarter, the Nuggets and Lakers were tied 76-76. The teams were so evenly matched, that they each put up the same number of points in the first and second quarters as well. This game shouldn't be too surprising as this entire series has been crazy. In five games Denver has trailed only twice entering the 4th quarter. Each of those times the Nuggets were just down a single point. Despite having a good opportunity to win entering the 4th quarter of each game, the Nuggets remain down 3-2 in the series. Overall Denver has outscored the Lakers 520-515, but in the 4th quarter the Lakers are up 147-132. The Lakers have scored almost 29% of their points in that deciding quarter. With the exception of Game 4, Denver has not been able to put the Lakers away when they have them on the ropes. In Games 1 and 3 the Nuggets were in a prime position to win the game in the 4th, but couldn't put the nail in the coffin. If Denver is going to come back and win this series they will need to elevate their play in the 4th quarter to match the Lakers. This one should be decided in seven games but the way this series is going I wouldn't be surprised to see the Lakers win out in Denver.