2 things...They both signed contracts. They both under performed. What justifies a pay raise? The Skins took a flyer on Kendall..But the Skins seem to love disgruntled Jets... How many teams are calling for Bakers services? And is Baker or Kendall popular Jets? This is not Chrebet or James Dearth we are talking about...LOL
I am looking at the evidence presented to me and forming my theory upon it. Who the hell do you think advised those players to take contract issues to the press? Jiminy Cricket? No player makes any contract-related move without their agent's advice unless they are a complete fool or unless they are about to get rid of that agent. You're naive if you think otherwise. Everyone on this board would make a terrible GM, the fact that you think that is a valid point doesn't make your narrow view of the situation anymore valid. And the fact that you think Mangini and Tannenbaum would do anything to remind the fans of anything through contract negotiations is laughable. What world do you live in?
Ok..first off, what does that mean. Are you trying to say that when they..THEY...signed their original contracts, they were told that they would be able to have the contracts done over before they were over? As far as never been screwed over by management...I have not only been screwed over by management during my youth..but have been screwed over by family...women...pets....and to a certain extent...the big fellow upstairs (no offensve big guy...but a couple prayers seemed to have fallen on deaf ears..you are still the man..but..) As far as being terrible gm's goes, I have gotten over the fact that this team failed to win the superbowl because Pete Kendall wasnt on the roster. Its been difficult to move on...but I have. Chris Baker is a nice player..and quite honestly? If he never showed up to camp this year, I wouldnt even notice it....just like I have barely noticed the incredible numbers he has put up during his stay here. No offense but it is your gm skills I might question because anyone that wants to hang their hat on Pete Kendall and Chris Baker..well..Im sorry...you would be fired..with pay...because thats just the kind of guy I am damn it. Edit: Im curious..is bosko your pin number? Im not being sarcastic here..just wondering.
Bosko - The Kendall and Baker situations are more similar than you think. Both of them took extra money up front, leading to a year of low salary. In Baker's case he also got a year and 800K added on to his contract. Both players were slightly above average players, but basically JAGs. Both players demanded trades and went to the press saying they were 'promised' new contracts, and complained they were underpaid, noting their salary being lower than fair value (please, for the love of god, note the bolded part above). Now, the loss of Kendall gets WAY too much blame for 4-12. His replacements were bad (even average would have been fine), but even worse was the regression of Clement, and the barely average blocking of Baker. Add to that awful play at QB and you have 4-12. The Pete Kendall situation was not a disaster. The FO did the right thing. JAG opens his mouth and goes back on an agreement they made with the FO (take more money up front to play for a lower salary). This we know to be true, because they signed the damn contract. If they want to have beef with someone, it should be their agent, whom negotiated the contract. Unless a player has an all-pro kind of year, they should not be asking to renegotiate with more than a year remaining on their current contract. Baker was the 19th best TE in the league, and if you blame his stats on him staying in to block, well then he was part of the worst pass blocking line in the league. Neither of those qualifies as all pro. I mean really? He renegotiated 4 months ago signing a contract that extended him an additional year and additional money. No, regardless of the situation, you do not go to the press complaining about a contract you signed your name to 4 months ago. Again, you fire your agent.
Fen...I could be wrong about this..but wasnt the original contract Baker signed for about 1.2 or 1.3 a year? Because he took more money the way you described..that is the reason he is making "only" 800,000 this year. I thought I read his contract was for 4 years and near or slightly over 5 million. Could be wrong..but I follow your post..very good points.
this could be the funniest thing I've read all month... he outperformed his contract... I'd say your nuts...
I don't think we've had a really good TE since Mickey Shuler. Johnny Mitchell had flashes but was a moron and showed up two or three times a year, Kyle Brady was a great blocker but fumbled too much after the catch, Anthony Becht was decent but a poor man's Brady, Chris Baker is good in the passing game in spurts but not much of a blocker. Maybe it's good we drafted someone else, maybe that's why we traded up to get the guy. Also, I don't like this trend of veteran players now bitching about their contracts to the media. You start bowing to every one and guess what happens next? Another guy, then another guy, etc.
I'd hope this is a lesson to this FO: Do NOT front-load the contract. Especially if the player is a douche-bag enough to conceal that he already got his money.
As usual, the fat slob only gives you one side, just like his paper does with politics. Now for the truth from the Jets best beat writer . http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/ May 1, 2008 Chris Baker pleading his case Disgruntled TE Chris Baker took his case Thursday to the airwaves, pleading his side on Sirius Radio. This has the makings of another Pete Kendall situation, which won’t be good for the Jets. Baker believes he’s underpaid. The feeling here? Yes, he’s underpaid, but guess what? The Jets really don’t appear willing to budge. They budged a little for WR Laveranues Coles, guaranteeing the final two years of his contract. Why? Because they have a high regard for him as a player. They didn’t budge for Kendall. Why? Because they thought they could get along fine without him. That turned out to be a gross miscalculation. Now what they’re saying to Baker is basically, “You’re the 20th highest-paid tight end in the league, and we think that’s fair.” Statistically, the numbers support the Jets. Baker ranked 19th last season in tight-end receptions (41) and 17th in yardage (409). But those stats don’t truly reflect Baker’s importance to the team. Baker was productive within the context of his limited number of opportunities. According to STATS, LLC, 67.2% of the passes thrown to him were completed, a better ratio than Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow. Baker also is a strong blocker, and there didn’t seem to be a lot of that going on around this team last season. In the radio interview, Baker said of the Jets, “They said go out and have a good year and we’ll talk. I’ve done my part and they haven’t done their part … Hopefully, they will step up and honor what they said. I do want to be here.” I have a good source on this, and that person says the organization never made a promise to Baker. Clearly, we have a game of he said, he said. From what I’m told, Baker went to the team last season, wanting to address his contract. The team said no, but placated him by fronting him about $800,000 from his 2008 base pay. Who among us would turn down half of next year’s pay in a lump sum? No one. That’s why Baker’s current salary ($683,000) looks so out of whack. In reality, he’s in the third year of a four-year, $6.6 million contract, which averages $1.65 million. Is it a coincidence that recently signed free agent Bubba Franks, Baker’s backup, is making $1.65 million on a one-year deal? No way. The Jets didn’t want to upset Baker by giving more to Bubba, but that’s exactly what they did - upset Baker, I mean. It’s kind of a slap in the face, knowing your backup is making the same salary. The new kid on the block (even though he doesn’t block) is first-round pick Dustin Keller, who, as the 30th overall pick, will be making more than Baker from $2.2 million to $2.4 million per year. That, too, annoys Baker. Truth is, Baker and Keller will be playing different positions. Keller isn’t an in-line tight end; he’s an H-Back and will be used almost like a wide receiver. But, make no mistake, Baker’s contract situation factored into the decision to draft Keller and sign Franks. Now they have leverage, although it would be foolhardy to think they could get by with a breaking-down Franks as the every-down tight end and Keller as a situational novelty. The Jets need Baker, but they don’t appear willing to go the extra mile to take care of a loyal soldier. They could be posturing, trying to scare Baker into lowering his demands, but I don’t think so. http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/
