Decision time is coming and Ozzie isn't so funny any more

Eight to go and, yes, it’s gone by fast and in many respects we can’t wait for it to be over to get the most important part of the season but, truth be told, gonna miss games when they’re gone, right?

Right?

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THREE POINTERS

Tough decisions ahead

Dwane knows what’s coming this summer and last night acknowledged it publicly for maybe the first time.

Knowing that Valanciunas is coming, and with a group of bigs already here, he understands that there might be some movement when Bryan and The Henchmen sit down to chat.

The conversation was about the fact he hasn’t had much chance this year to coach his full team – Bargnani’s on the way to perhaps missing half the season with the calf – and that means he hasn’t truly seen how Bargnani and DeRozan truly fit; and, more important, he’s not sure how the whole bigs thing is going to work out.

He said:

“I know Bryan’s got some ideas but Andrea and DeMar are really big, huge pieces of our core, with Ed and Amir, we’ve got some good pieces that we have, but we’ve got to determine where they fit it, how they fit and what we want add to that.”

The fit of the bigs is the most interesting thing, by far. I cannot fathom a scenario by which they move Bargnani – and after the way he’s played when he’s played – nor should they.

But I imagine they know what I know: There might not be room for both Davis and Amir Johnson here next fall.

It’s going to make for an intriguing summer indeed.

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Speaking of …

No one really knows what Ed Davis is but with the really good seat we had last night – right next to the bench, as close to the court as we are anywhere in the league – got to see some things we don’t often get to see that closely.

Davis may not be physically strong yet but he battled David West impressively in the post on a handful of possessions, so much so that his teammates were up and cheering.

I’m not saying he’s a finished product by any stretch of the imagination – not having a training camp yet and only one summer league and an abbreviated practice-free season has left him woefully behind – but we’re starting to see a bit of promise there.

He had a double-double last against a big front line, was active at both ends and it was perhaps his best game in a month.

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Same seat, different view

If there is one thing DeMar still needs to work on, it’s setting his man up when he’s curling off screens.

It’s a subtle move that may come with experience or watching other guys but almost every time, on the second most effective play they run, he simply goes straight line around the big. What he needs to do is perhaps make a jab step to the baseline and then come back, take a stutter step to set up his man and give the big time to set the screen.

It’s a little, tiny thing and it could very well come with age but right now, it’s one of those Learning Opportunities the coaches are talking incessantly about.

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More?

How about a wee bit before You Can’t Get There From Here Tour ends.

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Oh, boy.

Ozzie Guillen is in the soup. Big time. Like you cannot believe and I don’t know if the loose cannon Miami Marlins manager can get out of this one.

In case you haven’t heard, Guillen, a Venezuelan who has become the face and voice of the Marlins as they try to recapture the interest of the fan, is quoted in Time magazine as praising Fidel Castro.

Yes. Praising the Cuban dictator so reviled in South Florida it cannot truly be explained by a guy like me.

Now, maybe it was some flippant remark by a guy with no filter but I don’t know how he gets past this. I’ve heard the well-respected Miami commentator Dan LaBatard, a second-generation Cuban, liken Castro to Hitler in the context of how much hated and loathing – and it is pure, unadulterated hatred – that Cuban-Americans hold for Castro.

It’s so bad that Guillen is flying back to Miami today on a Marlins off-day to hold a news conference to try to explain his remarks and it might be one of the most anticipated sports news conferences I can remember.

Look, there is some love for Guillen when he’s been all goofy and funny and making light of himself and his team and we tend to laugh it off. He’s Ozzie being Ozzie and we giggle and roll our eyes and move on to the next day. He insults gays and people who work for him and people he works for and somehow, we let it slide. Maybe we should have ignored his blathering a long time ago, and hoped he’d just go away.

As always, with all loose cannons, sometimes he’s going to fire in the wrong direction and this seems so incredibly wrong, I’m not sure there’s enough contrition in the Miami world to make this right.

The Marlins are one of the most intriguing teams in baseball this year, new stadium, new look, new team, gigantic payroll and all kinds of expectations and pressure and attention.

And now this?

Good luck to Ozzie; it’ll be interesting to see just how apologetic he can be, and whether the people will accept it.

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Note to airport operators all over the world.

Early-morning travellers need coffee, like almost as much as they need their next breath. Trust me on this. We do.

And sure, we get that most restaurants aren’t going to be open at 4:30 or 5 a.m. but if you do what the nice folks at the OKC airport do, I – and hundreds of others – will be eternally grateful.

Bleary-eyed, wandering a concourse at 4:45 a.m. the other morning, desperately hoping something would be open, I stumbled upon an honour cart – fresh hot coffee brewed by the people getting ready to open the restaurant at 6. Drop a couple of bucks in a lock-box on the honour system, pour yourself a big hot cup of coffee and off you toddle, happily, back to the gate.

How civilized.

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They did not boo the guy off the mound after the Opening Day blown save, did they?

Like, really loud boos from everyone? Or just boos from the drunken louts who’ll come back next year for the first home game?

If was the latter, I shake my head and sigh.

If it’s the former, that’s cold. Really cold.

I know, two blown saves to start the season is hardly spectacular, even if they won the one game, man, that’s getting on a guy awfully quick, isn’t it?

Too bad I missed seeing it live or on TV, sounds like a heckuva night.

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Okay, let me get this straight.

The pucks are having their big lottery tonight except that if you win the lottery you might not actually “win” the lottery because you can only move up four places and if you’re 10th and you “win” you actually kind of lose.

Makes entire sense to me.

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Comments

[LeeZ]

Apparently, Doug, one of your brethren asked Farrell, post-game, whether Santos would remain the closer. For all that is good and holy in this world, please oh please oh PLEASE tell me that question was asked in jest! If not, is there a "Star Chamber" in the beat grunt community where vigilante justice is meted out? Oh, you don't have to execute the offender, Doug, but perhaps something tame yet appropriate (break the guy's kneecaps, say?)

[Hope Caper]

While the idea of lotteries is supposed to keep teams from tanking it also screws the rightful benefactor of their daft pick. This is great for American teams since they statistically outnumber Candian teams. Personally I think if a team tanks and they can stay in business then they should get the first pick- they earned it. As for booing the closer off of the hill we have seen similar responses for returning HOTHC who have done nothing but work their hinies off and yet feel the cold heart of TO. I mean really you would expect similar behaviour out of NY and that is not a compliment.

People agonize that this superstar or that would never play in TO because it's Canadian. Maybe the superstar is looking for class and could care less if it's Canadian.This is the same city that booed Matts because he wanted to finish his career as a leaf and the fans were po'd that he wouldn't end his career somewhere else so they could get a "good pick" for him. And you think the crowd might be cold? Players tell us all of the time that their sport is a business. Looks like fans are starting to believe them. As we all know business doesn't have a heart.

[David]

Agreed. I wanted that win last night as much as the next guy. Santos had little to no control, and obviously pitched poorly. However, those boos were beyond harsh for his first game in Toronto.

[sam]

Without Andrea, and DD in a bit of an offensive funk, it was good to see Anderson and Keiza step up and make a game of it. Jose, black eye and all, 14 assists. Not bad.
Lost in the news of Santo's blown save, was a pretty good outing by Alverez, Oliver and Codero. The pitching staf is going to be fine. Hope Drabek has a good outing tonight.

A tough decision of what to watch last night. The TOD or HOTH?

[Jim Rootham]

I haven't been following Ozzie Guillen at all, but if your capsule comments about what he has said in the past are accurate, the comments he is in trouble for now are the ones for which he should apologize the least.

[David in Oakville]

It will be an interesting summer for almost all teams I think. I like where the Raps are and I think they have some interesting choices / opportunities.

Your remarks about Santos makes me wonder if you had a chance to read your colleague Griffin's column this morning. It seems the replacement of JP Ricciardi was only able to lighten his mood for a year or two. The return of the ever pessimistic RG is back along with the ominous clouds of disappointment. Go take him a big mug of Java and tell him to cheer up, the boys in blue are at .500 this morning.

Come to think of it Doug, that is why I like reading you, you are definitely "the glass is half full" kind of guy.

[Jeff]

If the Raps take the best player available in the draft and it's a 4 or 5, is it possible there wont be room for both Amir and Ed?

[SAS]

I'm a little concerned if a front court of both AB and Jonas is strong enough. I also see BCo using the amnesty on Amir. As much as I hate to see him go, both he and Davis are redundant and like you said Doug, Davis hasn't had a full season including summer league to really develop. I honestly think for his price and up side you keep Davis. I'm really looking forward to the off season to see what BCo does to make this team better not to mention seeing how Casey coaches better talent. I'm a big fan of Casey!

[BJ]

you pay for a ticket, you can scream yell, clap, don't clap, cheer do whatever you want including booing.
It was a nightmare of a finish... I would have booed too..

[larry lukeeborg]

the guy might lose his job because he said something negative about fidel castro??? only in america, home of the free...unless you don't agree with the talking heads.

Blogger's note: I took the veiled vulgarity out; please don't again. And it wasn't negative

[Heath]

Wow, Ozzie gets 5 games from MLB for what, giving his opinion (I don't agree, but it's his opinion)? This wasn't Marge Schott and her racist comments. I agree he should have kept his mouth shut as there was no way anything good was going to happen from discussing it, but to suspend him for 5 games? What is it with Americans and their ongoing issues with another socialist ruler (ok, maybe that answers my question)? Lots of German cars and Japanese tv's in the U.S., but whatever you do, don't mention Cuba!

[Mike]

In addition to the current bigs on the roster, consider the number of good bigs in the top 10 of the draft where the Raptors will almost certainly be picking. If they luck out with a top 5 pick the "best available player" might be Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond or Thomas Robinson; even at the later picks guys like Jared Sullinger. Perry Jones or Terrence Jones will probably be there. If they take the "best available" who happens to be a big then that will make things very interesting with regard to Ed and Amir.

I watched the Jays game and also thought the fans booing him on his first game at home was harsh. If he's still not doing the job even a month into the season I could see it, but not after 4 games.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Greetings from sunny DC. Haven't seen the past couple of games, hoops or yard, but sounds like ED had quite a night and we can hope for some luck for Santos. Regarding decisions on ED and Amir, I'm still hoping they're both back - their 'upside' is still TBD. But If push comes to shove, I'd be inclined to keep Amir. From what I've seen so far, my take is that, with enough PT to make a difference, ED will get you some good minutes but Amir will get you some W's.
Cheers! Go Raps! Go Jays!

[JHK]

Don't follow pucks at all - can you explain how moving from 10th to 6th is losing?

Blogger's note: You win, but you really don't win the big prize

[LeeZ]

Fidel is (was) a dictator. No matter how you slice it, that's a fact. But as dictators go, he ranks so far down the list it isn't funny. And an argument can ALMOST be made that given the 600 million pound, belligerent elephant to the north who has blockaded his country for a half century, he didn't have much of a choice, lest his country be returned to its erstwhile status as whorehouse of the Americas. He presided over a miraculous health care system that in many respects is the envy of the world; no one starves; education is free (even if anti-US propaganda is part of the curriculum), and so on and so forth. Yes, there are political prisoners. Yes, there are no free elections. I am by no means minimizing these facts. But the US is in bed with FAR, FAR worse, dictators who really live up (down) to the definition of the term. So of COURSE it's incredibly hypocritical and sanctimonious of the US and MLB to get all in a huff about this. Is Guillen an idiot for making these remarks, given the market he is managing in? Of course! But please, let's get real here.

[Peter]

Odds of MLSE taking out an ad to "apologize" to Raps fans? (Please say it won't happen!)

Blogger's note: Can't see it.

[doug]

the Ozzie Guillen stuff will blow over...me I always thought the sanctions against Cuba should have been lifted or eased long ago by the Americans, but no american politician is going to have the cajones to do that, as for what truly goes on in a country such as Cuba only native Cubans know...so I can't comment on their life there at all...now as for the Raps that's a different story, as although these are meaningless games they supply valuable info going forward for management,coach, fans etc....Anderson should be signed to some type of deal, 3rd guard type as Marcus Banks was a bit ago, but Anderson cheaper and more valuable, good insurance type guy....I like Davis myself, he has a good upside and the kid is learning, I always think if he ever has a legitimate training camp he may do well, as he finished the last 2 seasons in a strong manner....he just has to take the game seriously 12 months a year...Jays will be fine and yes Griff's column this morning was a a little over the top to say the least I think he was over-caffeinated when he wrote it...ok cheers and this should be your song of the week...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZxt9oZ1KSU&feature=related

[m]

One of the reasons, maybe the main one, that the US has subsidized its sugar industry was to always undercut Cuban sugar prices in an attempt to destroy their economy.

[Lorie]

What I find surprising is that the Marlins' management - knowing Ozzie's well-documented history for (trash) talking first and usually not apologizing later, and knowing from a business standpoint how vital it was for them to court the residents of the South Havana neighbourhood housing their new stadium, and also knowing that for many of these same residents the wounds of the 1959 revolution are still fresh - didn't pull Ozzie aside at some point and suggest to him that something like professing love for Fidel Castro would be a very dumb thing to do. In my opinion, Guillen's not the only one who's acted irresponsibly in this mess; he's just the one front and centre right now.

[doug]

@Lori....one name is all you have to know and that is Jeffrey Loria, the dude didn't have a clue when he ran the Expos into the ground and subsequently out of town, and he still doesn't plus where is the leadership from Selig??...people, can complain all they want about Goodell and Stern but at least they lead...Selig and Bettman are not even close...leaders lead no matter what the fall out...the people of Miami are stuck with Loria good luck with that as they funded his new stadium, the same stadium he tried to get for years (complicit with Selig), even in Montreal..the rest he doesn't give a crap about...like you so aptly mentioned, Guillen is the least of that franchise's problem's...