Colletti To Dodge Another Bullet

Amid a whirlwind of rumor-chasing and finger-pointing in Los Angeles, there's a sense of peace that will come out of the order Dodgers' GM Ned Colletti is determined to set. His chessmates are currently sitting back 4 games of the NL West-leading (cough) San Diego Padres.

Anyone can have a spectacular start to a season. It's April. The pitchers are still finding their grip, hitters are getting their vision focused on seeing better pitches, and managers are understanding their roster and get to play their part in deciding who is getting a better grip and who has their vision pinpointed.

Colletti revealed recently that he isn't pleased with his team's current direction. While there is still 85% of the season remaining, his displeasure with discourse (this team was picked by many to win their division) is evident in his shots taken at the team's most consistent and multi-talented player, outfielder Matt Kemp.

Kemp is having a good start at the plate, leading the team in home runs, and has manned every game in center field this season. Even with the fielding miscues, manager Joe Torre trusted him enough to make him one of only two players to play all 18 innings of Tuesday's doubleheader against the New York Mets (Jamey Carroll was the other). Where does the GM find fault in Matt Kemp?

But this team is struggling defensively and on the mound -- solid pitching has always been a staple for the Dodgers.

Make no mistake, this Dodgers team is layered with young talent. Names like Billingsley, Kemp, Ethier, Kershaw, and Broxton were prospects that now foster a home-grown environment that would make Martha Stewart proud. Colletti is upset with his team's current cellar-dwelling stance the same way a father is upset with his son for not trying his best. Can you fault a guy who's first job in baseball was in public relations?

He's dealt with controversy many times since his hiring in 2005. Colletti once had the hot-headed Milton Bradley dealt for a young prospect named Ethier. He had to deal with Jeff Kent's non-leadership in 2007. He STILL has the Juan Pierre, Jason Schmidt, and Andruw Jones signings...and departures, for that matter (the team is still paying part of each person's salary). Being in 'Mannywood' is nothing short of a drama.

So, now the proper PR move is for Colletti to publicly apologize to Kemp. Then Kemp's agent is supposed to protect his player by reading off the stats and throating the intangibles at us. We'll get the manager's perspective -- which will warrant a neutral statement Bill Clinton would be jealous of. Then Colletti or McCourt will try to hush everything by sitting by the dugout and hugging the players in the clubhouse (which cameras present, of course).

It's so standard. But, you never see the Pittsburgh Pirates in this situation because they don't have the expectations that should be there. The Dodgers are dedicated to winning, they support the system, and they have the right guy leading the rush to October. Cut the guy some slack, he's 'passionate' (as he wants to be referred to as) about seeing his son succeed.

And don't forget. The Padres are in first place.

Pay To Stay

Pay the man.

Pay him handsomely.

Butler's basketball head coach, Brad Stevens, deserves to be paid amongst the top fifteen or so coaches throughout NCAA basketball. His gritty savvy produces the best defensive unit we've seen in years and is making universities, such as Oregon, lick their chops at a chance to let the dollar dogs feed.

Note to Butler: Don't even give them the opportunity to drool.


In three seasons, he has been named the Horizon League Coach of the Year twice (2009, 2010), has an overall record of 89-15 (49-5 in conference play), and has won SIX games in the NCAA tournament. He may have a future Naismith Player of the Year in-the-making in Gordon Hayward. Stevens not only has the credentials, he has the talent to add even more muscle to an already impressive, albeit short, resume. Butler has been labeled a mid-major which often translates to lower-level recruits. Keeping Stevens as the main man will instill the Bulldogs with the swagger to keep top recruits from leaving 510 W. 49th St. in Indianapolis.

Of course, there are some exceptions to what Butler can afford to pay the 33-year-old. Not because of their willingness (hello, alumni) but because there are 13 head coaches in Division I who make over a million bucks a year, according to About.com. True, some may have sponsorship deals and bonuses to make their salary seem modest, especially since private schools are not as inclined to be specific as their public counterparts, who often have their coaches among their respective state's highest-paid public employee.

The future of Butler basketball should be handled as an investment. Some may heed caution, referring to the Matta/Lickliter/Stevens timeline as an indicator that the system can remain the same while the operator just keeps pushing the buttons. No matter. The Big Blue machine has built up steam and could ultimately break down if they let Stevens leave.

The future is the opportunity to improve their facilities, possibly join a power conference ripe for expansion (the Big Ten has publicly stated they are looking for a 12th team), and take basketball and turn it into a cash cow, benefiting the entire school's athletics. It's a chance to mirror the school that operates most similar to "The Butler Way" (term coined by Athletic Director, former Butler coach Barry Collier), the University of Duke -- the 2010 NCAA champion to the Bulldogs' runner-up.

And that's not a bad thing.

Stevens is currently signed for $350,000 per season until the 2015-16 campaign. Indystar.com has stated that he expected to get a raise.