Boy was I Wrong! Orlando Hudson is a Stiff!

I begged and I pleaded to the Padres this offseason. Sure, it isn't like they would actually listen to me, but I really wanted the Padres to sign veteran 2nd baseman Orlando Hudson. My reasons were many: They could probably get him on a one-year deal, he has a good glove, and is a .278 career hitter. After watching punchless, but scrappy David Eckstein for the last two years, it was clear the Padres needed an upgrade.

Padres GM Jed Hoyer was thinking like I was, and signed the O-Dog to a 2-year, $11 million dollar contract in the offseason. The Padres seemed to acquire a solid bat, that could hit in the top-half of the lineup. Instead, the Padres have gotten a whiny, broken-down, former shell of an all-star.

Hudson has been on the DL twice this season, and might be headed there again, after straining his groin in Tuesday's loss against the Mets. When he has been in the lineup, he hasn't done much of anything. Currently he is hitting a pathetic .239/.332/.320, with 3 HR's and 27 RBI's.  Defense was supposed to be his calling card, but by UZR standards he is playing a below average 2nd base.

Not only has he blown at the plate, and in the field, but he has made a number of stupid mistakes. In a game earlier in the season, he caught a pop-up, and tossed the ball into the stands...with only two outs. The bonehead play cost the Padres two runs, and Orlando screamed at an umpire after the play. What the hell is the poor ump going to do?

I was never a big Eckstein fan, but Eckstein was a much more effective 2nd baseman for the Padres. Take a look at 2010 Eck vs. 2011 O-Dog.

Eckstein: .267/.321/.326, 1 HR, 27 RBI's, 6.2 UZR fielding rating, 1.9 WAR
Hudson:  .239/.332/.320, 3 HR's. 27 RBI's -2.0 UZR fielding rating, 1.0 WAR

Insanity. Eckstein, who made $1 million in 2010, is actually outslugged 2011 Hudson, and also brought more in the field. Overall, he is worth one more victory than Hudson has been worth 2011. Like I mentioned earlier, the purpose of the post is not to talk up Eck, but to display how pathetic Hudson has been in 2011.

He has also proved to be a whiny bitch. When the Padres were in the midst of a long losing streak, Hudson criticized San Diego fans for having the nerve to boo the hometown nine. Yo, Orlando, when you are being outslugged by David freaking Eckstein, you deserve much worse than boos. You deserve to be unemployed.

My hope for this lost Padres season is for the O-Dog to get hot, so the Padres can move his ass in the offseason. I lobbied for Orlando, and he has been a disaster. Hey, we all make mistakes.

Chargers Moves Leave a lot to be Desired

The Chargers came out of the gate, and made a flurry of moves to start the "offseason." They resigned Eric Weddle, and Jeromey Clary to big contracts, brought in veteran Takeo Spikes, and said goodbye to a number of players. I still feel very optimistic about this team, with Philip Rivers behind center, this team always has an opportunity to compete for a title. However, there are some moves that really had me scratching my head.

First, I will address the Eric Weddle situation. Many fans have been spewing venom towards the Chargers front office since the deal was announced. Sure it is pricey, five-years, $40 million, with $19 million guaranteed. However, Weddle is a solid safety, who would have recieved the same deal somewhere else. I have no problem with the deal at all. Clary is also a serviceable right tackle. Again, offense lineman are at a premium, and the Chargers need to keep Rivers upright, since they have $92 million tied into Philip Rivers.

My issue lies in the way the linebacker and wide receiver positions have been handled. The Chargers lost both of their inside linebackers from last year, with Kevin Burnett leaving for Miami, and the Chargers appear to have little interest in retaining Stephen Cooper. They brought in 33-year-old Takeo Spikes, who is a solid player, but he is long in the tooth. The Chargers like Jonas Mouton, a 2nd round pick out of Michigan, whom they took in this years draft. He is a physical player, but only had a 5th round grade going into the draft. The Bolts also have Donald Butler, a 3rd rounder in 2010 who tore his ACL in camp last year. They really need another veteran in this group.

At the wide receiver position, we can take comfort in knowing that Vincent Jackson will be in camp. He signed his franchise tender, and will be paid $10 million in 2011. However, the Chargers have shown no interest in bringing back Malcom Floyd.  Floyd will be 30 this year, and averaged nearly 20 yards a catch last year. He is a great compliment to Jackson. Currently Floyd is still unemployed, but the Chargers are looking at another direction. The depth chart has veteran Patrick Crayton, Seyi Ajriotutu, Richard Goodman, and draft pick Vincent Brown. The Chargers really need another player here.

The Chargers also lost veteran running back Darren Sproles, who signed with New Orleans. I love Sproles, but the Chargers can give a big payday to a kick returner/3rd down back. I agree with this move.

I am pumped for Chargers football, but "The Lord of No Rings" has some more work to do. Currently, this roster does not stack up the competitive AFC.

Justin's (very) Early NFL Predictions

It's probably too early to talk NFL predictions but I don't care. I'm psyched football is back and I'm ready to take a look at how the season is going to go. Here's a breakdown of how Justin sees it division by division: 
AFC East
1) New England Patriots 12-4 
Still the cream of the crop but the Jets creep that much closer on taking over the division. I believe Pats win it with a tiebreaker.
2) New York Jets 12-4
Almost takes over the division from the Pats. Top 3 Defense in the league. Sanchez will regress this year though. 
3) Miami Dolphins 7-9
Reggie Bush won't help Fins get over the hump. Still will get lousy production from the QB position.
4) Buffalo Bills 6-10
Will be in most games with surprising offense but can't finish in the fourth quarter.

AFC North
1) Pittsburg Steelers 11-5
Defense is still the best in the division. Mendenhall has big year.
2) Cleveland Browns 10-6
Make playoffs with MVP-like season from Peyton Hillis.
3) Baltimore Ravens 8-8
Haven't done much yet in the offseason. Big year from Ray Rice but aging defense will let up points. 
4) Cincinnati Bengals 3-13 
Lot of turmoil with the Carson Palmer situation. Team will quit on coach. One of the worst teams in the league.

AFC South
1) Indianapolis Colts 11-5 
As long as they have a healthy Manning, the Colts win the division every year.
2) Houston Texans 8-8
Still can't get over playoff hump. Arian Foster comes back down to earth.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10
Haven't done much this offseason. This may be the year Mo-Jo Drew gets hurt carrying the load of the offense.
4) Tennessee Titans 5-11
Will it be addition by subtraction with Vince Young leaving? I still don't like anything about this team except for Chris Johnson.

AFC West
1) San Diego Chargers 12-4 
Somewhat of a weak division and Philip Rivers will win MVP over the Browns Hillis and Falcons Matt Ryan. Vincent Jackson plays the whole year and comes up big.
2) Oakland Raiders 10-6
Just have a hunch Raiders will be better. Went 6-0 in the division last year. Just misses out on playoffs. 
3) Kansas City Chiefs 7-9
Everything went right for KC last year but I think they take a step back. 
4) Denver Broncos 6-10
Are they keeping or trading Orton? Will Tebow really be the starter if they do? I don't know either. 

AFC Playoffs 
6) Cleveland Browns at 3) Indianapolis Colts- Colts win by 6
5) New York Jets at 4)Pittsburg Steelers- Jets by 13

5) New York Jets at 1) New England Patriots- Jets do it again in a nail biter, Jets by 3
3) Indianapolis Colts at 2) San Diego Chargers- Chargers destroy Colts secondary, Chargers by 17

5) New York Jets at 2) San Diego Chargers- It's a toss up but I'm going to go with Jets D shutting down Rivers, Jets by 4

NFC East
1) Philadelphia Eagles 14-2
Huge moves to get Rogers-Cromartie and Asomugha. 
2) Washington Redskins 10-6
My surprise team, although they won't make the playoffs. I think they have a chance to finally take a step in the right direction. 
3) Dallas Cowboys 8-8
Finish at .500 as Dez Bryant pouts most of the year
4) New York Giants 8-8
Every team in division will finish .500 or better but it won't be because of Eli Manning. He'll have a horrid season

NFC North
1) Green Bay 12-4
Aaron Rodgers. Enough said. 
2) Detroit Lions 10-6
I love their interior D. Try to run on them! Another surprise team this year. 
3) Minnesota Vikings 8-8
McNabb will take some of the pressure off of Adrian Peterson but they're still lacking something. 
4) Chicago Bears 6-10
A complete 180 from last year. Besides Julius Peppers, I don't like anything about the Bears and I don't trust Cutler.

NFC South
1) Atlanta Falcons 13-3
With Roddy White and rookie of the year Julio Jones, Matty Ryan tears it up. 
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-5
They have a ton of money to spend in the offseason and though they haven't done much yet, they will. 
3) New Orleans Saints 9-7
Just not feeling it from NO this year. Poor D and no running game. 
4) Carolina Panthers 4-12
A team that has to start Cam Newton at QB his rookie season. They'll be lucky to get 4 wins. 

NFC West
1) St. Louis Rams 9-7 
I believe Sam Bradford is the real deal, takes big step forward
2) Arizona Cardinals 9-7
Anything they get at QB with newly acquired Kevin Kolb will be better than last year. They'll just miss playoffs on a tie breaker. 
3) San Francisco 49ers 7-9
They'll disappoint once again. No QB and a disgruntled Frank Gore isn't a good combination. 
4) Seattle Seahawks 6-10
I like that they got Sidney Rice but who's going to throw to him?

NFC Playoffs 
6) Detroit Lions at 3) Green Bay Packers
Detroit is just happy to be there and turns ball over way to much. Pack by 13.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4) St. Louis Rams
Rams keep it close but inexperience shows. Bucs by 4.

5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1) Philadelphia Eagles
Vick and the Philly D are dominant. Eagles by 20. 
3) Green Bay Packers at 2) Atlanta Falcons
Game of the year! Falcons win by 2 with field goal on last play of the game. 

2) Atlanta Falcons at 1) Philadelphia Eagles
Vick gets knocked out of game early, Vince Young pees the bed. Falcons win by 6. 

Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Jets
Like the past 3 or 4 Super Bowls, this one is highly entertaining. Matt Ryan finds away to beat the Jets secondary. Falcons win by 4 and are your Super Bowl winners. Roddy White will be the game's MVP. 

I will predict my award winners after the free agency period.

Chargers Resign 2 Veterans, Bring in Spikes

It has been a busy day for the Chargers, as they resigned veteran right tackle Jeromey Clary to a 4 year, $20 million deal. Clary started all 16 games for the Bolts last year. He is a solid, but not spectacular tackle, and should help the Chargers power their high-octane offense. He will earn $8.5 million in 2011.

The Chargers also resigned veteran tight end Randy McMichael to a one year deal; he will earn the veteran minimum of $910,000. He started 11 games for the Chargers last year, catching 20 passes for 221 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

The Bolts also brought veteran inside linebacker Takeo Spikes. Terms were not immediately available. Spikes is a 13 year veteran, playing last year with the Niners. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, having made the squad in 2003 and 2004.

In addition to these veterans, the Chargers added 19 undrafted rookie free agents, including former Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien. The full list will be posted at the end of this post.

Kevin Says: Clary will never be an All-Pro, but he is a solid pass blocker, as he allowed only 4 sacks in 2010. The Chargers now have all 8 offensive linemen from last year under contract. It should be a big step towards developing continuity on the line.

McMichael did a nice job when Antonio Gates was hurt last year. Hopefully he will play much this year than he did in 2010. Spikes is a good veteran, and should start next to Kevin Burnett, assuming that he is resigned. The Chargers also have 2010 3rd rounder Donald Butler, and 2011 2nd rounder Jonas Mouton in the fold.

2011 Undrafted Free Agent signings by the Chargers.

Name	Position	School
Colin Baxter	C	Arizona
Bront Bird	LB	Texas Tech
Mike Blanc	DE	Auburn
Ramon Broadway	CB	Arkansas
Adrian Cannon	WR	Maryland
Patrick Dimarco	FB	South Carolina
Darryl Gamble	LB	Georgia
Kelly Griffin	DT	TCU
Cody Habben	OT	Washington
Stephen Harrison	CB	Kansas State
Vidal Hazelton	WR	Cincinnati
Cameron Kenney	WR	Oklahoma
Isaac Odim	RB	Minnesota-Duluth
Travon Patterson	WR	Colorado
Damik Scafe	DE	Boston College
Giovanni Stanley	WR	Whittier
Brad Taylor	TE	Baylor
Bo Thran	OT	Oregon
Scott Tolzien	QB	Wisconsin	*list taken from chargers.com

Kraft Credited in Ending the Lockout

It was great seeing players praise Patriots owner Bob Kraft for helping to bring the NFL lockout to an end. In the midst of his wife passing away, I can't imagine the struggle he went through. 

Jeff Saturday, center for the rival Colts, said that without Kraft, the lockout couldn't have been solved and ended his thoughts in a big embrace with Bob. His thoughts were echoed between other players as well. 

Kraft apologized to fans everywhere for the football "business" side making headlines and was happy to announce that play can resume as usual. All teams will be starting training camps by the end of the week.

I had a lot of respect for what Bob Kraft has done with the Pats turning a team that was for all accounts, a joke of a franchise, to the elite franchise of the NFL. I now have the utmost respect and admiration for him. It took a special kind of person to do what he did with the family struggles he and his family were going through. RIP Myra Kraft. 

15 Loses in a Row for Seattle, won't be any easier against the Yankees

The Seattle Mariners left Fenway Park on Sunday with a losing streak of 15 games even with their two best pitches going in Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda. It's not going to get any easier as they head to Yankee Stadium. They have a legitimate chance of losing an abysmal 20 games in a row. 

I haven't followed the Mariners much except when they play the Red Sox. Outside of Ichiro and Justin Smoak (Maybe Dustin Ackley down the line) they have nothing going offensively. The thing that surprises me in this losing streak is that they've actually won 43 games and they aren't the worst team in the AL. I know a team is never as bad or as good during a long streak but this team must have been winning with Smoak and mirrors (see what I did there.)

They have had some decent pitching this year. You can add the injured Erik Bedard to the two I mentioned previously. It's time for Seattle to sell every piece they have, even if that includes Ichiro and King Felix. They play in a weak division and within a couple of years can be right back in the mix. If you hear me in Seattle, time to wave the white flag and start over.

Big Day for the Bicoastal Sports Show! Chargers WR Richard Goodman joins us!

Hey everyone, for those of you who don't know, I co-host a podcast on Blog Talk Radio called "The Bicoastal Sports Show" with Justin Adams. We are pleased to announce our first guest, Richard Goodman of the San Diego Chargers.

Goodman got into three games for the Chargers last year, and is looking to crack the roster to 2011. We will talk about his journey to the NFL, get an inside look into the NFL lockout, and what it was like to play for a Hall-of-Fame coach in Bobby Bowden.

Please check out our show, it goes live Thursday afternoon at 6pm eastern, 3pm pacific. You can listen live, or on-demand at www.blogtalkradio.com/kevincharity