Chris Baker: First Down Maker? Yeah, yeah, yeah... I just hope all you Chris Baker haters have bosses on YOUR jobs who hate you as much as Baker's boss seems to hate him. How would you like it if you performed at the top of your game (behind a truly bad OL and a mediocre QB) only to be told to hit the road after they upgraded the OL? And I know you would all enjoy having a first-year guy being brought in--with NO experience on the job--but being paid two or three times what you make. Sometimes I wonder about the posters on this board. Ae you all Wall Street whizzes? Or have you ever had to work for a living?
I agree that the rookies' pay checks are getting way to big but still, how can you say he earned anything this year? Sure he had the best season of his career but look at the numbers. If this was the top of his game than he has proven that he is just an average TE in this league - which is what the Jets are paying him as. Franks is an eight year veteran and three time pro-bowler, that's why he's getting more than Baker this year. If he wants a raise than he should try to break 500 yards or 6 tds in one season. He has no leverage so this hold-out is probably the most ill advised move of his career.
What are you talking about? First of all he is not being under paid. Second of all Keller is getting paid first round money because Keller is a first round pick, Baker was not. Third It only looks like Franks is making as much as him because they did him a favor and gave him an advance on his contract last season. Franks is a former Pro-bowler perhaps he should be making even more. (sarcasm) Lastly by Baker acting like he is, it just shows he needs to be replaced, he signed his contract stating he would play for how much and how long it says, how does what other players do change that?
Baker just knows he has more talent than his stats prove (which I agree with) but the only factor taken into consideration is, unfortunately for Baker, stats... so he best man up this year, snag 50+ passes and earn himself a new deal.
Glad to see you're so pro-ownership. I've been wondering about this issue as I post on this board. It seems that (ironically, to me) a lot of people are anti-player, pro-ownership. Well, despite my protestations to the contrary, I might just quit this board after all. I think maybe all of yu all DESERVE Eric Mangini (the faat kid from Weslyen U) as your HC. Since I am of the opposite POV (pro-player, anti-corporate, super rich owner), I doubt I will last very long on this board... Meanwhile, I hope the rest of you have fun rooting for super-rich trillionaires who could care less about fans, and like to crap all over you when it comes to ticket prices, PSLs, parking lot prices and the rest of the bull crap they own you with.
Being pro-player is all very well, but it won't win you a championship. You cannot just go pissing money away because a player wants it. Players have to earn pay rises, same as any of us do. Baker even got a lump sum advance just a few months ago - AND ACCEPTED IT. Why do that if he wasn't happy with the deal?
You never took a business class in your life have you? What is the most expensive aspect of business?
Baker gets shat on a lot on these boards. I don't think he deserves it in all honesty. He is hurting himself, I agree. I can't disagree with how he is feeling towards this organization right now though. Baker can play, the only knock is that he is slow. He blocks better then most, not great, but better then most. He has unbelievable hands, I don't care what anyone says in regards to that. His stats have went up considerably every year, even though our offense is piss poor the majority of the time. We do not use him properly, but when they do get him the ball he usually delivers. From what I have seen anyway. I feel he is better then what most give him credit for and he obviously feels the same. He has talent and I highly doubt he is looking for top TE money here, so why not give him a little extra change instead of drafting a guy in the 1st round in uneccessary fashion? Especially after you just picked up a once proven "pro-bowl" caliber TE. I refuse to bash, Baker. I think he is one of the more consistent players on the offense. That is my opinion though. Moo....
Good on ya, comrade. I don't see anyone screaming Woody's praises too often on this board so I'm wondering where the "pro owner" sentiments are supposed to be comming from. The point here is that Baker isn't honoring the contract that he signed and earned the last time he was up for free agency. Since then he hasn't done much better than for what he signed. If he's pissed off that Franks is making more than he should have realized he was making less the next year when he took that advance from the FO that was trying to reward him with more money in the first place. He's an average player with average statistics. If his potential is better than his stats say than he deserves a chance to earn a raise on the field, something he hasn't done yet. Seven years in the league and his best season is 409 yards with 3 TDs? There's rookies out there looking for their shot who could produce that much and kill for the chance to do it so don't go talking about being pro player. Baker isn't helping anybody. He's hurting himself by holding out and not working out with the team and practicing the new offense - something he'll need to get a hold of if he wants to earn a raise - and he's hurting the team by not bringing his "top dollar talent" to the offense. All he's going to do is cost himself more money and playing time. If it's pay that he's looking for he's picking the worst possible way to get it.
Want to go point for point? 1) "he is slow" - That's a demerit! 2) "he blocks better than most" - So did Anthony Becht, and as I recall Kowaleski and Posciak weren't poor blockers either 3) "he has amazing hands" - I can't take this away from him. He routinely makes seemingly impossible grabs and looks good doing it. Have to agree with that one. Let's take a break and look at what we have: a slow receiving option with great hands but average blocking skills. Continuing: 4)"why not give him a little extra change" - The FO did that last season as a reward for his production and look at where that got him. He agreed to the deal and should have known how that was going to affect the rest of his contract. 5) "instead of drafting a guy in the 1st round" - Sure, ignore the opportunity to improve the team. Our top TE option is, by your definition, slow so why the hell would we want to add any speed to the TE position, especially in a division whose linebackers are older and slower? No logic there! 6) "after you just picked up a once proven 'pro-bowl' tight end?" There, you nailed it. After you upgrade a position once, don't bother adding depth and value at it again. Franks was signed to a one year deal as a SHORT TERM solution. He's here to improve us now while Keller is going to be the future. I'm not here to call Baker worthless and I'm not saying that he's a cancer but this holdout of his isn't going to help him. If he wants a new contract than he should show it on the field. Right now he's earning just about what he produced on the field. If he blows up this season and puts up some deserving numbers than by all means write him a huge check. That's how you earn your money in this league, not by sitting at home and whining.
Nonsense, absolute nosense, he signed a good gcntract and should live by it. We should never renegotiate for every year when rookies come out and the salaries change. He is hurting himself, and he was not good enought last year to demand such a thing.
an average player gets a lump sum payment last year , has an average season and bitches like he is TO. 2 years after declaring himself open to offers and basically high tailing it back to the Jets this bloke can fuck off in my opinion. I am sick of average players bad mouthing and acting like they are the second coming this organisation has been fair to a 3rd rate TE who ain't the dogs bollocks!! Yeah Baker I bet your agent is contantly on his phone with trade offers.. Prick!
At ths point, I don't care if he stays or goes; he will not make or break this team. I think something still may get done, but not until we sign our draftees - that is the most important thing right now. After that, the Jets may try to do something, but if I were Baker, I would not be looking for monster dollars; just something fair.
