Can we give some props to Trent Baalke?

My favorites are the "F" grades on the first few pages.

Really impressed with the job he's done to this point, especially this last offseason.

First, he got the coach.

Second, the draft was excellent, although I wouldn't have thought that immediately after. A really nice mix of immediate production(Smith, Culliver, Hunter, and Miller) and future promise(Kaepernick, Kilgore, maybe Person). I think he had just one real miss with Ronald Johnson, and that's not a bad ratio at all.

Third, handled FA very well. I think many of us were worried when we didn't pick up some of the bigger-name free agents, and began to lose players who had been contributors on our team. Turns out we didn't need to be. To borrow from Herb Brooks, he didn't necessarily get the "best" players, but it sure seems that he got the right ones.

So, indeed, props to Baalke!

Great job... tremendous draft pick with Aldon

Consider it done. And AthensGaNiner you stole my joke. But I would not have executed as well.

Originally posted by VA49er:
Consider it done. And AthensGaNiner you stole my joke. But I would not have executed as well.

Great minds think alike!

I'll kiss the tip.

We are finally doing what good teams do, use a young player's strengths immediately! I hated the fact that our player development was always super slow because it almost appeared as if we would not insert a player until he developed to be a well-rounded player first.

For years, we have discussed as to why the team wasn't using specific strengths of young players and now, we are finally doing this.

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
In his first official season as GM:

-petitions to get Singletary fired
-hires the most coveted offseason coach
-goes against convention to draft Aldon Smith (in the running for DROY)
-drafts Culliver in the 3rd round. Again highly criticized pick that seems to be paying major dividends
-drafts a college DE to play FB. Gets laughed at. The conversion seems to be working well
-gets the best CB in the league this year in FA, at a very minimal price
-gets Braylon Edwards for essentially free
-signs solid starting FS who may be our FS of the future
-locks up McDonald and pins him as the starting DE. Many see McDonald as a bench player. Playing at a pro-bowl level
-lets Franklin walk. Again criticized. New NT playing at an even higher level


Lets give this guy some well deserved credit

Glad we have somebody in the front office who knows what there doing

Dilfer was on Cowherd this morning saying that Baalke should be up for executive of the year in the NFL for the amount of young talent on the team.

Unquestionably one of the top GM's in the game today. I don't see how that can be logically disputed.

Originally posted by AthensGaNiner:
Dilfer was on Cowherd this morning saying that Baalke should be up for executive of the year in the NFL for the amount of young talent on the team.

Agreed. The biggest challenge will be in getting everyone resigned to long-term deals. The good news is that I think all of the free agents will be motivated to resign.

Originally posted by x49ersCSEx:

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
In his first official season as GM:

-petitions to get Singletary fired
-hires the most coveted offseason coach
-goes against convention to draft Aldon Smith (in the running for DROY)
-drafts Culliver in the 3rd round. Again highly criticized pick that seems to be paying major dividends
-drafts a college DE to play FB. Gets laughed at. The conversion seems to be working well
-gets the best CB in the league this year in FA, at a very minimal price
-gets Braylon Edwards for essentially free
-signs solid starting FS who may be our FS of the future
-locks up McDonald and pins him as the starting DE. Many see McDonald as a bench player. Playing at a pro-bowl level
-lets Franklin walk. Again criticized. New NT playing at an even higher level


Lets give this guy some well deserved credit

Glad we have somebody in the front office who knows what there doing

dont forget he signs alex smith--though harbaugh may be more responsible for that happening

Originally posted by okdkid:
Unquestionably one of the top GM's in the game today. I don't see how that can be logically disputed.

Fully agree. Trent Dilfer said something like that when Baalke took over, can't argue the results at all.

Originally posted by verb1der:

Originally posted by okdkid:
Unquestionably one of the top GM's in the game today. I don't see how that can be logically disputed.

Fully agree. Trent Dilfer said something like that when Baalke took over, can't argue the results at all.

It all starts at the top. As it turns out? Jed Freaking York is THE MAN! He's the one who made this all happen. He took a lot of guff for promoting Baalke, remember?

Young Jed is channeling some very good Eddie D.