The plan, believe it or not, wasn't bad.
Oh, sure, it SOUNDED weak. "From a philosophical standpoint," Trent Baalke said, "we're not going to be major players in free agency." He didn't rule out pursuing a "high-end free agent," but he was committed to "dealing with the known, and the known is the players that have been under your tutelage." Jed York, of course, was supportive, saying that "that's where we've always focused, [on] making sure we re-sign our own guys." He even went on to mock the big spenders, for trying to "win the Super Bowl in March." (Hey, if you doubt his expertise, just ask him to show you his Super Bowl ring. Oh wait....)
Of course, there's a certain irony in preserving "the known" when all you've ever known is losing. But that's what we get for Jed's decision to hire his GM from within. An outsider might've taken one look at this 6-and-10 team and gutted the roster, importing a new, more talented core. But Baalke, you see, helped BUILD this roster. Naturally, he'd overrate it.
Fortunately for Baalke, the weaknesses of his players were subsumed by the incompetence of their coaching. Jed's old head coach was an empty pair of lowered pants, so Baalke's roster got a free pass. Jed himself admitted as much: "I think we're close, and I think that's one of the reasons why Jim Harbaugh's our [new] head coach. We think Jim can [win] with this roster."
So the plan was in place: "re-sign our own guys" but then peek outside, for experienced guys at positions of need. And, again, the plan wasn't bad. Baalke's overrating aside, he'd do the least that a GM must do. He'd increase our talent--if only a little--and Harbaugh then would take it from there.
A good plan. Catastrophically executed.
See, first off, if your focus is "always" on your own guys, you stop 'em from reaching free agency to begin with. But if they DO hit the market, you've got no choice: you pay 'em enough to stop 'em from leaving.
Baalke couldn't do either one. But, hey, at least he was focused.
"Our own guys" were primarily six: Baas, Goldson, Franklin, Lawson, McDonald, and Spikes. Spikes was no spring chicken, but he was coming off an outstanding season as Patrick Willis's partner in mayhem. Yet Spikes was only the first to go, with Baalke only barely resisting. Baas was next, and here's where things went seriously wrong. An up-and-comer at a thin position, Baas had long been deemed our top priority. The Giants might've overpaid, but Baalke's next choice--a 13-year vet who's been to six Pro Bowls--would likely cost him even more.
If there was a bright side, though, it was that Baalke might refocus on Franklin and Lawson, the two who'd seemed most likely to leave. But in paying McDonald a starter's rate, Baalke simply gave up on Franklin, and he seems wholly uninterested in pairing the edge-setting Lawson with the pass-rushing Aldon Smith. That leaves Goldson, where Baalke's bidding against the likes of Al Davis and Jerry Jones. How do you like his chances there?
There was ONE guy, of course, whom Baalke was able to snag right away: the eternal Alex Smith. We'd known for months that he'd be back--thanks, lockout--but the official announcement was still disconcerting. Sure, he showed surprising grit in organizing the players' workouts, though he seems as qualified to teach Harbaugh's offense as he'd be to teach organic chemistry. And, sure, much of his baggage isn't his fault. But there's no escaping the ugly truth: despite all we've seen in all these years, Harbaugh will start with Mike Nolan's quarterback. The saga, incredibly, still goes on.
Please, Colin. Hurry up.
With the crucial part of his plan in flames, Baalke turned to OTHER teams' guys. He needed experience at three key positions: cornerback, especially after he cut the absurdly paid Nate Clements; quarterback, especially after he cut the absurdly bad David Carr; and wide receiver, especially after Michael Crabtree absurdly announced--with great regret, of course--he'd have to skip yet another preseason. Baalke missed on a trade for Chad Ochocinco, and then he lost out on Plaxico Burress. ("Gold stars" aren't so important now, eh?) He kicked the tires on Matt Hasselbeck and Matt Moore, but he still hasn't picked up a vet to compete with Smith (or, of course, to replace him, in the likely event of his final demise).
Corner, though, was where Baalke's failure reached epic proportions. He was truly desperate and flush with cash, having spent almost none. Yet he swung and missed, again and again. Nnamdi Asomugha. Johnathan Joseph. Chris Carr. Strike one, strike two, strike three.
Trent Baalke, you're out.
Faced with such an embarrassing defeat, Baalke might've shown some remorse, or at least some humility. Instead, he only made matters worse. "We're executing the plan," he said defiantly. "I'm not going to sit here and justify what we're doing."
Oh, I see. We were told that we would "re-sign our own guys," and we've let nearly all of 'em go. We've taken shots at a bunch of guys from other teams--including the biggest name in the free-agent field--and we've landed a kicker and nothing else. Yet Baalke says we're "executing the plan"?
Nice try there, Trent.
The loser in this, of course, is Harbaugh. He could've coached any team in the league, but he wanted the Niners. So much so, he placed his trust in a novice like Baalke, the latest of the Yorks' endless series of amateurs. Harbaugh was told that "we're close," that he would put us over the top. Instead, no matter which of the remaining free-agent scraps we pick up, Baalke's stuck him with a rebuilding project, likely the Niners' worst roster in years. (Oh, did I even mention that Gore's holding out?)
Thanks to Baalke, all the excitement of Harbaugh's arrival--that wondrous sensation of glorious rebirth--is gone, replaced by an all-too-familiar dread. That sinking feeling that no one, not even Harbaugh, can save us.
Sorry, Coach, but this is life in the Yorks' poisoned realm.
You deserve better. And so do we.
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DanStarkey
Re-visiting this article, I find it rather amusing how completely wrong the stated opinions turned out to be - proving Baalke/Harbaugh correct and author Jeff Kaplan off base. Two years later, the 49ers were one play away from a 6th Super Bowl Championship.
- Aubrayo Franklin: 2 teams in past 2 seasons, 37 total tackles < 39 tackles in his last season (2010) with the 49ers. McDonald and Sopoaga have both proven to be starter-caliber players.
- McDonald has been retained and he's grown into a strong contributing starter.
- NYG overpaid for Baas. SF in 2012 had arguably the best O-line in the NFL, with 0 games lost to injury.
- Lawson, in two seasons with Cincy, has not come close to equaling his career season in '09 and '12 was his worst since his second season in the NFL in '07.
- Takeo Spikes' leadership was valuable, but NaVorro Bowman has turned into a Pro Bowl tackling machine to pair with Willis as the best (and young) LB duo in the NFL.
- Goldson. He has been retained and is playing at an All-Pro level. He will be a priority again in the 2013 offseason.
Go 49ers!!
Feb 19, 2013 at 4:42 PM
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DaveWilcox
Jeff... Since you were so wrong on this, you deserve a 2nd helping of crow.
Crow is a dish best served cold.
If you ever hope to regain any credibility around here, you should make your next piece about crow. How much you like it, and all the ways you can prepare it.
Oct 22, 2011 at 9:35 AM
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alex
just like that, this article fails.
Aug 14, 2011 at 5:36 PM
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RichmondPete
Hahaha YOU FAIL ONCE AGAIN negative nancy.
Aug 10, 2011 at 11:34 AM
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tom
Hey Mouth, So whaddya think of Baalke now? Quick to damn, are you quick to praise?
Aug 7, 2011 at 8:46 AM
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dcsham
"Thanks to Baalke, all the excitement of Harbaugh's arrival--that wondrous sensation of glorious rebirth--is gone, replaced by an all-too-familiar dread. That sinking feeling that no one, not even Harbaugh, can save us. Sorry, Coach, but this is life in the Yorks' poisoned realm. You deserve better. And so do we." You probably feel pretty stupid right now, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why.
Aug 6, 2011 at 6:48 PM
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Jikkle
In Jeff's defense he wasn't the only one jumping the gun and calling this FA period horrible. I mean I can't count the number of talking heads that called it bad and are still calling it bad on ESPN etc. Also it should be noted that Baalke does take input from the coaching staff so it's obvious that Fangio wasn't on his hands and knees begging Baalke to resign Franklin and Lawson. It's clear by the lack of effort to resign them Fangio didn't think highly of them. Was this FA period a massive success like the Eagles? No, but I don't think you could argue that we didn't have a successful free agency period in our own right. The secondary is upgraded, Edwards is an upgrade and is completely no risk to the team, and Goodwin is on the downside of his career but still was a recent pro bowler on one of the best lines in the league and will bring far more experience and leadership on the line than Baas would have. Not to mention all these guys were signed at low risk and reasonable contracts. They work out we work on keeping them long term and if they don't work out we dump them with little to no penalty. Expectations were too high if you didn't feel it was a solid offseason now.
Aug 6, 2011 at 2:50 PM
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Tim
This article is as funny as the other one about "are you smarter than a general manager?" I will answer for Jeff.... NO.
Aug 6, 2011 at 12:12 PM
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Tim
To follow up on Dan's request, I also hope your new article talks about how you jumped the gun in criticizing Baalke, and how you were wrong. I was concerned, but overall Baalke has come through IMHO.
Aug 6, 2011 at 12:12 PM
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Micky6
Just like that... this article became pointless, outdated, and full of holes. Gore's holdout... Nice try. The bottom line is they tried to sign their guys, but they wanted too much money. So they replaced them with better, cheaper talent. Baalke is winning this offseason.
Aug 6, 2011 at 9:00 AM
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RSJ
KC, you just contradicted yourself. First you say we didn't get better but then name off all the people we have signed in FA and say they are slightly better or upgrades lol. Which one is it? Doesn't matter if it's slightly better or much better than last year, according to you, we are better. I understand Kaplan enjoys writing and most of us enjoy reading most of his amusing and mostly negative articles, but he whiffed on this one. Had Baalke not signed anyone, he would be pounding his chest about how right he was and how Baalke has failed (title of his article), but now he has to backtrack because that's clearly not the case, at least on paper.
Aug 6, 2011 at 6:31 AM
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Dan B
I am submitting my formal request for another article. The offseason has been too long and I am in need of much regaling!
Aug 6, 2011 at 1:47 AM
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louie
You boys are definitely starved for some football action. What's all the commotion about? Jeff doesn't have much faith in Baalke and he's certainly not alone. Baalke indicated he would keep the team pretty much whole and add a couple of free agents. Well, that's not what happened, and Jeff jumped him as soon as he failed to land some early free agents. Why would a star player say yes to a loser? What happened, and will continue to happen, is a rebuild that the 49er management didn't want to call a rebuild. You know, it might make them look like they haven't been doing a good job in the past too many years! So, instead of jumping Jeff maybe it's time to realize that Baalke never meant what he said about keeping the team from last year, and that Harbaugh wanted a bunch of new players (and more new faces to come over the next couple of years) to replace the sad bunch that York, Nolan, McCloughan, Singletary, AND Baalke had assembled. Some of these new guys won't even be around more than a year but Harbaugh knew he needed to make some improvements in the short term while he rebuilds HIS team.
Aug 5, 2011 at 10:47 PM
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Aunt Edna
Jeff, pay these fools no mind. They don't know what a great boy you are. You are such a smart boy too. Your uncle Virgil and I still love you.
Aug 5, 2011 at 10:33 PM
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Shane
mrg80, i would have to disagree. If you look at articles from mid july, via ninernation, his exact quote was "we will not be big spenders in FA, our top priority will be resigning our guys, I feel we can win with this team." Now let me be clear, i didn't really agree with this, i felt there were some major upgrades needed, but that's what Baalke said. we fast forward to July 31st, the date of this article, and we had signed no one (except of course the great alex smith). we lost Baas and spikes and were cutting Nate. with nothing but a bunch of whiffs to show for it. as we remember, the majority of the nation, including myself, was in panic. Then we land a couple of guys via luck & castoffs, that was a part of the plan? stone hands Rogers, the 8th best CB out there. Stone hands Edwards, who no one wants cuz he may get suspended. Goodwin pure luck (proof: they were praying Snyder wld work out) so my point was only this, the article was completely accurate at the time written, who had we signed? 2, i laughed at the irony of people knocking it a week after the fact when that's what media is. an assessment of events up to TODAY. That's why PTI is on every day and not just once a year.
Aug 5, 2011 at 9:08 PM
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Dan
Team's better by virtue of the coaching change. The rest of the roster changes are just to get the talent to match with what the coach wants to do with this team. The FO clearly doesn't want to commit obscene amounts of money to any one player to get the job done. As ticket-buying fans we should at least appreciate fiscal responsibility. I don't think Baalke did a fantastic or terrible job with the free agents and I didn't interpret his plans about free agency to mean that he would be aggressive. It seemed like he said he would sit back and try to improve the roster and see if he could keep some of the guys from last year. He clearly had an idea which ones of those he thought were most important to the team. I don't think Aubrayo was in a hurry to sign any contract with us anyway. I get the feeling he wasn't happy with his job here. I'm leaning to my usual wait and see what happens before you start calling for people's heads here Jeff. You would make a terrible medieval monarch (or a wonderful one depending how you look at it). You would have heads rolling all over your castle.
Aug 5, 2011 at 7:53 PM
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KC
Jeff, Nice article! Don't worry about these fools! Yes I said fools. Baalke has picked up some decent players since this article. But for anyone to say that we are BETTER than last year other than at WR is a joke! Ike was on the team last year! Franklin still started and was franchised!! Cmon, Franklin is the BETTER player. Carlos Rogers? Eh, better than nothing but CLEARLY better than Nate? The two vets at safety? Probably an upgrade but not a huge upgrade! Lawson we could do without, Baas vs Goodwin we will wait and see, probably a wash. Braylon, if he can stay out of trouble, is a def. upgrade. Problem I see here is the one-year deal....If he balls we are paying out the nose or back to square one when he leaves....Baalke has not IMPROVED the roster, it's pretty much a wash with last year....so Harbaugh BETTER be GREAT!
Aug 5, 2011 at 6:15 PM
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Derrrrr
Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr u look like a serious dumbass, bro. Next time wait for the facts to unfold before u go off half-cocked. Seriously how much time didju waste on this crap? Tell us.
Aug 5, 2011 at 2:42 PM
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Michael
Jeff, you and I have sparred for some time now with equal measures of contempt & respect, however, you really shanked this one pretty bad. I have to say I am in absolute delight watching Niner Nation beat your boy bag like a drum. I will not pile on, this once. Please, for future reference, keep your pants up and never repeat such a silly mistake again. I like it so much better when your articles are at least within the range of normality.
Aug 5, 2011 at 2:30 PM
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EVB
See this is what I have been saying all along about you Kaplan. You are so bent on writing the negative, front-office bashing piece. You want the attention-grabbing commentary. You take every opportunity to write commentary slamming our beloved Niners! That's all you do! Negative Nancy! You couldn't wait to jump on the front office! You shot your load way too early and now you look like a jackass again and I LOVE IT! The truth is the only loss that really hurts is Franklin and I think Ike steps in and does a fine job. We drafted this guy Aldon Smith who is tearing up camp so far. Heard of him? Of course you have? You slammed the pick! He'll make us say "Manny Who?" pretty quickly. Exit Bass, enter a Super Bowl winning, Pro Bowl center. Upgraded @ safety with or w/out Goldson. Upgraded over Nate @ CB, added a nice LB to lessen the Spikes departure and, to boot, we got Braylon Edwards. SF took shots @ a few other big names, but the truth is they didn't really have a shot @ those guys based on the competition we were in for their services. Let this be a lesson to you, Jeffy! Quit being so consumed with being a hater and try being a waiter! In other words, wait it out a bit...
Aug 5, 2011 at 1:06 PM
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Dallas Niner Fan
You people need to get off Jeff's back. Ok so maybe Baalke may redeem himself. That does not mean that there are no red flags. Look at the fact of how the Niners are handling the Taylor Mays disaster. They send out a mass e-mail to all the NFL teams saying that Mays is available???!!! This makes Mays' trade value go to just about zero. Smart move Huh? This lack of professionalism and expertise is what Jeff is pointing out and it certainly bears following. Jeff does quite well on keeping us up to date on these issues and sharing insights I might add. Maybe everyone wants a yes man, company man, but I want someone who is going to "tell it like it is".
Aug 5, 2011 at 11:06 AM
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Gmoney
Jeff, I think your mistake was assuming the Niners front office would function differently after Harbaugh. I made the same mistake. But if you look at this offseason, the front office has done what it always does...wait for deals once the big ones have been made and try and get value. They were supposed to keep their own yes, but the guys they lost were replaced by better players (arguably). Niners didn't panic, didn't overpay, they just waited for their time. I also like the mixed approach of signing certain guys for 1 year and then locking up the ones they know they want for multiyear deals. Now if they pluck another starting corner I will be totally content. BTW, I wonder if Crabtree's foot is going to miraculously heal now.
Aug 5, 2011 at 9:50 AM
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Richard
Hey Jeff: Just like that--you overreacted! Does not surprise me.
Aug 5, 2011 at 8:54 AM
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mrg80
Shane, you couldn't be more wrong. The whole article blasts Baalke for not meeting his commitments, but ignores the most relevant comments from the Niners front office. We were told that the Niners were not going to give away their strategy (aka tip their hand) to the press, which would inhibit the plan they were going to execute. I still think that Baalke did try to retain our guys - those that didn't have unrealistic salary expectations and were committed to staying with the 49ers. A couple probably didn't fit with the coaches' plan (e.g. Lawson), which is to be expected. At the end of the day, there was no "catastrophically executed" plan. He refused to tip his hand, people made assumptions, people got nervous after a couple days and the plan now appears to be flawlessly executed.
Aug 5, 2011 at 6:35 AM
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Jeff
How can you write an article like this? It's like the race is a mile long and you're taking cheap shots at the quarter mile claiming we are going to lose the race. You're saying the GM failed, clearly you have no clue - oh sorry I forgot you're a front office GM who has won super bowls and selected talent. Excuse me - that's right...Really.
Aug 5, 2011 at 5:19 AM
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WildBill
Just Like That This Article Fails--quick to judge just because we didn't go diving in and overspend. You failed because you did not take into account or see what some have said, that Baalke was not going to make a splash by overspending on one or two players. That Baalke said he had a plan and he stuck with it. Wait till the market settles and not overreact. That teams will have to move and cut players. You did not think about having to consider that you don't just spend but must manipulate the cap. You also may be one of those that are tying the sins of the father to the sins of the son because Baalke was part of the organization when failed regimes screwed the niners, not realizing that a person can be their own and not be like their previous. Patience...victory goes not to those who are the swiftest or the strongest but to those that endure to the end. People that are like rabbits may lose to the tortoise, tho slow, they are steady.
Aug 5, 2011 at 3:15 AM
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Ryan
Jeff, I look forward to your columns eh? I thought yours on Sunday was premature, but that's not an issue; IF you post a similarly quick knee-jerk reaction to what has transpired since Sunday. That's all. Sincerely yours. - NinerNation 20 years and counting.
Aug 4, 2011 at 11:39 PM
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Old Fan
What a difference 4 days make. I'm sure that now you would not write that article criticizing Baalke!
Aug 4, 2011 at 9:28 PM
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Platt
How's that humble pie taste Kaplan?
Aug 4, 2011 at 9:01 PM
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HB
Do we need to call 911 so you don't choke on your foot?
Aug 4, 2011 at 8:53 PM
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Shane
Jeff, happy to do it. You're a talented guy and your pieces are always the best. You have a number of hall of fame monday morning QBs in your comments section today! the way i see it, you wrote an article 4 days ago that was totally accurate and things have changed since. i would rather you write articles throughout the year giving us good info and opinion rather than just a big year-long synopsis in Feb of what happened all year. also unless i read it wrong this piece was about Baalke not doing what he said he would do which is sign our own guys (good strategy or not) and that still didn't happen. so he has made some moves in the last few days and we should all be rejoicing together. But if 4-5 of these guys flop do you write an article talking about how everyone jumped the gun on how these are great signings?? that's what being a fan is all about, we live in the moment. some of us are just more honest about the tuff times. reminds me of today with Hoge. If 3 years from now Tebow is good, everyone will look back and go, see Hoge you were wrong! NO, Hoge's comments today are 100% accurate, but things change and that was his opinion in that moment. That's sports. so anyway my 2 cents on that.
Aug 4, 2011 at 8:04 PM
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overthemiddle
Seems kind of strange, all the nay-sayers suddenly are becoming quiet. Hmm. Oh just because we signed these FAs doesn't mean we are going to win anything. I will check back at the break which I believe is after the sixth game. Also for what it is worth you all need to look at the Rams and Hawks schedules, they might bring a few smiles also. Oh by the way Jeff, no problem, you keep speaking your mind, you're more often right than wrong. However in this case you just might be wrong about Baalke. I still think it's too early to judge him.
Aug 4, 2011 at 7:45 PM
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STL Niner Fan
And just like that Kaplan failed.......as predicted this has turned out to be the most premature article ever written. Let's see, premature speculation...check...self-generated hysteria.....check.....crowning or writing off teams before seeing on-field performance......check. You should submit your application to ESPN right away! Frankly I'm not convinced all these latest acquisitions will translate into anything on the field but since you seem to think the whole season is won and lost in the offseason I would say at the very least your initial conclusion is sooooooo....wrong...well that's been pointed out already. Hey I will give you credit as your current responses seem to indicate you're willing to eat some crow. Here's to another 7-9 season! (hey our schedule is tough and our QB situation is.....up for debate.)
Aug 4, 2011 at 6:37 PM
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Ray Wersching Fan Club
Can you please update the article in light of this week's activity? From my POV, looks like Baalke tried to get the big names but wasn't willing to overspend. Hopefully this was because he knew that 'nearly-just-as-good' players (with upside) would be around at a much better price since there are so many FAs on the market this year (and not just dumb luck). Not sure if that's giving him too much credit or if that was the plan that he was executing all along. We still have a few holes to fill, FAgency ain't over yet, but an update would be great.
Aug 4, 2011 at 6:14 PM
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mrg80
How's that retraction coming along?
Aug 4, 2011 at 6:01 PM
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Nick
Jumped the gun as usual....Just like your draft review. Aldon Smith looks good....So my question is, when are you going to learn a thing or 2 about evaluating football players?
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:56 PM
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Woof
How do you feel now?
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:26 PM
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BM
Keep up the good work, Jeff. Even though we don't agree on Baalke. You're the only one that hated Sing almost as much as I did, last season. And these message boards were the only thing that kept me sane last year. Enjoy the season, Jeff. I think you will be entertained. I'm looking forward to seeing these new guys play. I was never a fan of bringing back the old players. I have watched those losers for five yrs. When Kap gets out there, that offense is gonna be fun to watch. And that secondary with Rogers, Whitner, and Culliver will be knocking people out this year.
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:18 PM
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Ryan
Um...what? How, exactly, has Baalke failed? Why? Because he didn't get a few top-flight FAs? You may notice that 30 other teams failed to get those players too. The notion that signing: (1) a starting corner that is an upgrade from our previous #1, (2) a starting safety, (3) a starting Pro Bowl center who has won the Super Bowl, (4) a decent No. 1 but likely exceptional No. 2 WR who has caught 16 TDs in a season, and (5) a backup safety... is "scrambling" is ridiculous. If anyone is scrambling it is the author of this article that made sweeping conclusions based on minimal facts because a few top-flight FAs were signed by other teams. (Moore/Hasselbeck... really?) That is not an attack on the language skills of the author, that is a logical conclusion from the evidence in front of me. Baalke did EXACTLY what he said he would do (i.e. be patient), and it netted several nice pieces. The only real loss from last season was Franklin, and apparently he wasn't quite the hot commodity that people thought. NFL people know NFL talent, and few NFL people were going after Franklin. Losing Spikes may hurt too, but let's see how Bowman / Sopoaga play before getting too worked up about it.
Aug 4, 2011 at 4:39 PM
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Dan
New article please Jeff, a lot has happened since Sunday.
Aug 4, 2011 at 4:34 PM
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solymar
You're right Jeff, we do deserve better -- better than you. This is yet another instance of your typically uber-negative, fear-filled, premature rants. Hyperbole and overreaction are your stocks in trade, and they're wearing thin as a cover for a basic lack of football knowledge and judgment. Not four days after you declared the Harbaugh era over and the end of the world nigh, the 49ers have executed a roster upgrade carefully, judiciously, and exactly according to what appears to be a well formulated plan. Time for you to move off the home page and stop raining on everyone's parade. We're fans, Jeff. Your misery may love company, but I'd really prefer to be spared any more of the obnoxious whining of an incurable malcontent. Lowell Cohn is so much better at this sort of thing than you; he actually knows a bit about the football business.
Aug 4, 2011 at 4:17 PM
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JaxinSac
you absolutely did jump the gun...they said they'd target signing their own first...and they did. They didn't overpay for Baas...they upgraded with a superbowl-winning pro bowler. Just landed Edwards...a safety...etc...and still going. I'd rather have them find out who can play and who can't, and not overpay people because hey, they've been here. It's like judging the draft the day of the draft. It's always an incomplete. You saying they failed is like predicting the end of the world in '99 and then saying you were right that the world will end, but just off a bit on the date.
Aug 4, 2011 at 4:12 PM
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Adrian
I respect your writing but you jumped the gun on judging this new regime and calling them failures. Gotta wait it out before you can play that card sir.
Aug 4, 2011 at 3:12 PM
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Gmoney
Jeff, glad to hear you are encouraged about the coaching. Personally, I didn't think the Niners' problem last year was talent. For me, it was the coaching of Singletary that hamstrung this team. If Harbaugh can, in fact, install a sophisticated offense that attacks defenses instead of reacting to them, the Niners could surprise a lot of people, especially if they get Edwards. Edwards, Crabs, Vernon, Walker, Gore....the offensive weapons are clearly there, as is the O line. On defense we got a better cover guy than Nate AND added Aldon Smith who seems to be showing serious pass rushing potential. Assuming we shore up our safety situation and maybe get another corner, I think Harbaugh's ability to coach offense will carry the day and make the niners a contender for a playoff spot. Like I said, we weren't that bad last year, we simply were outcoached. Time will tell.
Aug 4, 2011 at 2:38 PM
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Nick S.
For those hating on Kaplan's ability to write, stop. Even if you disagree with him here (like me) and think he's just exhaling some knee-jerk reactionist fan-angst (like me), you can't deny that he's a good writer... as in has a good command of the English language and communicates that well to his readers. Just wanted to put that out there...
Aug 4, 2011 at 11:37 AM
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shane
Jeff, i always find it funny when i read comments basically saying all the articles you write are negative in nature, yet we haven't had a nonlosing season in 8 years. (we went 8-8 once...WOW) no correlation there huh? I feel like your writing has very much mirrored our seasons: spots of positivity with an overlying theme of negativity. Just like our seasons. if we go 12-4 and get bounced out of the NFC championship game and you still write a "negative" article then i guess it's validated. until then, keep it real man!! Anyway, so it looks like someone just told the 49ers the lockout is over and we started signing guys. we filled a few positions with slight upgrades in my opinion (C, CB, maybe WR), however i think it's known these are all bandaids. But I'm very encouraged by the practice play thus far of R Smith, Ald Smith, Gore, V Davis, and some others. what is your take on all that has changed over the last week?? I'm encouraged a bit.
Aug 4, 2011 at 10:06 AM
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Sonoco
It's not just the losing record. It's the losing record, coupled with a new coaching staff that had no offseason to integrate their systems. That's gotta be a tough sell for any free agent. I believe your analysis is laced with too much hysteria.
Aug 4, 2011 at 9:39 AM
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Darrell G
Jeff, Your articles never fail to cause a stir, that's for sure. You may have written this one too quick. The addition of Rogers and the center from NO looks like a stop-gap to build on. Every time the 9ers have made a big "splash" in Free Agency recently, it's bit them in the butt. Clements being the latest example. Perhaps they are being overly conservative, but I would not want to see them up against the cap with limited options in upcoming years. Better for Harbaugh to see what he already has and coach them up and move forward from there. Let's wait and see before we hang 'em?
Aug 4, 2011 at 6:33 AM
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M. Horner
Tlo, did it ever occur to you that most of these columns have been negative because the 49ers have been negative? The only two positives I can think of in recent memory have been the firing of Mike Singletary and the hiring of Jim Harbaugh, and I believe that Jeff was positive about those developments. What other positives have you seen?
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:57 AM
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Alden Brown
How low have our expectations as 49er fans become? We're acting like signing a 32-year-old center is the ticket to the Super Bowl. THIS is what convinces people that Baalke is a success? What if Baalke would have come out before free agency started and said that his plan was to let all of our free agents get away, and then sign a 32-year-old center? Would people really have been that excited? We're 30 million under the cap, we were obviously going to sign SOMEONE. The question is, are we a better team now than before free agency began? I just don't see it.
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:54 AM
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Terry B.
Ah, Louie is on to the truth. According to Louie, Baalke was lying when he said his plan was to bring back the team's free agents and then to upgrade at a few positions. His REAL plan all along was to rebuild. That's why he replaced his 25-year-old center with a 32-year-old center and signed his fifth choice at CB to a one-year contract. Yeah, that's what rebuilding teams do. No wonder only Louie can discern the true plan.
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:50 AM
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RSJ
I'm interested to know what the author would have done differently. Spikes wanted to go to a winner, Baas was overpaid to leave, Clements was making too much, Lawson never excelled in what we drafted him for, Franklin doesn't fit the new DC's scheme (he prefers space eaters) and Goldson is still a FA. Yet you are saying Baalke failed? Tell me where the big loss is? You would rather us just overpay a 34 year old LB instead of seeing what we have in the younger guys or overpay a center who, up until last year, people were ready to replace. Or Lawson? He was supposed to be a dominant pass rusher but didn't do that so we drafted his replacement. Yes he was good against the run BUT his #1 job was to get to the QB and be good at stopping the run second. I understand that you want to be the bad guy in the articles that you write, but at least give some substance as to why you are writing them.
Aug 4, 2011 at 5:03 AM
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tlo
Jeff I hate to read your articles because your theme in every article is the same "whining". Dowg we just got our joy back in finding out we will have a football season and now that the season is going to start, every year you find something or someone to complain about. Some complaints be legit but every week, every month. I understand your same argument that we have not had a winning season, playoffs, or superbowl in years, but you don't even wait to see how our season has started and already have written them off. Dowg do you ever go back and look at all your articles, they are 99% negative. I don't know if you are writing these negative articles so people will read your articles. Every time I see ur name I associate it with doom and gloom. You have a right to ur opinion but if it is always negative I have the right to never read another one of your articles.
Aug 3, 2011 at 11:19 PM
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expofacto
Rather subjective and opinionated. Signing free agents to big contracts is no guarantee to win the super bowl. The team's free agents who signed with other teams, only Baas got a multi-year deal and the Giants overpaid for his talents. Nobody expects Harbaugh to win the super bowl in his first year.
Aug 3, 2011 at 10:16 PM
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louie
OK, I'll explain why the plan has always been to rebuild. To begin with, they don't/didn't have more than a few top-tier players for Harbaugh to work with. And those few I'm talking about include two old guys (Frank Gore and Justin Smith). The free agents they let go were journeymen. The high-priced free agents they "lost" were just for show and they wouldn't come to the 49ers for any amount of money. Now, if you were Jim Harbaugh, the most sought-after coach in the off-season, would you accept this gig if they told you the job was to take this mediocre bunch plus a couple of free agents that would be willing to come to a screwed up, losing franchise and take them to NFL greatness? No. Jim Harbaugh would tell Jed that there's a lot of work to do on this roster to make this a team I want to coach and win with. He would tell Jed (and Baalke) that he'd try to make things look good in the short-term, for the $ake of the fan$, but that he WANTS TO LEAD A TEAM TO THE SUPERBOWL AND THIS AIN'T THE TEAM! So, Jed and Baalke said OK. They had to. And now, the new coach can build a team that he wants to bet his career on.
Aug 3, 2011 at 8:43 PM
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NinerTico
Oh, I waited. I waited patiently, the antithesis of your POV in this article. I really hope you take ownership of that POV because I'm hear to tell ya, Baalke scored! I should have waited longer, but my faith in Baalke forces my hand. Upgrades to CB, C, and ST! You know, it seems that you can't wait to jump on the failure of our team. Truly, I keep going back to your articles and I notice a trend, to the point, this article follows suit. Like I just said to all my NinerBros in this forum, you, too, have a POV and should be respected as such. OK, I do because it enlightens me. It enlightens me to the way it used to be, the way you scream it is now. But, it isn't Bro. The "Plan" is working and within one day, Baalke said to you and all like you, "Come at me Bro!" Patience is the key, if not we would have execs with your hot head not being able to see the "VISION" in what lies ahead. This FO, in one very eventful day, slapped all the doubters and those with "panty bunch" syndrome to wake up and smell the coffee. It's a new regime. They are going to do it "Their Way" just like good 'ol Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, said. I, for one, approve, and FA is not done...WR to follow!
Aug 3, 2011 at 7:34 PM
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thetruth
Perhaps you should have waited until all of the top free agents were signed by other teams before writing this frantic panic button of an article. We just picked up a legit cb and c. Upgrades, as you'll see. And we're not done. Take your sensationalist journalism to a tabloid.
Aug 3, 2011 at 5:09 PM
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Damen
I simply don't understand people who give up on a team before they see the results. I'd love to read an article you wrote about Sabean last year. Did you ever consider that maybe Harbaugh simply didn't want these guys. Every guy on your list is a career underachiever. For instance, I always thought with Lawson's freakish athleticism he should dominate games, but in five years he rarely showed anything more than flashes. Baas only cracked the starting line-up because of injuries, and people are acting like we lost an eight-time pro bowler. Goldson was just lost most of the time. Spikes is the only one we will miss, and that's only if Bowman plays terribly. Clements...-->...I just burned him. So, how bout just be positive and if we suck in december then you can write more of your ranting poison.
Aug 3, 2011 at 3:16 PM
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Mountain Jack
This article PROVES that you have the knowledge of a noobie and the writing ability of a 3rd grader. You are nothing but a crybaby naysayer and your credibility just took a major hit. When I see the name Jeff Kaplan, I'll just pass on to the next article which may be by someone who knows what the hell they are writing about.
Aug 3, 2011 at 3:10 PM
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M. Horner
Dallas Niner Fan may be right. SOMETHING is going on here besides Baalke's sheer ineptitude. PFT reported today that even the Eagles are still under the cap. Yes, that's right, the Eagles, who have signed every free agent on the planet, are calling themselves the Dream Team, and are now trying to lure Randy Moss out of retirement, are still several million under the cap. But we're 30 million under (or maybe only 28 million under according to Matt Barrows) and can't close a deal to save our lives. For all of you who are defending our current plan, let me ask you this: if we spent the 30 million that is just sitting there, would we be a better team or a worse team?
Aug 3, 2011 at 1:15 PM
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Gmoney
Rogers is an improvement over Nate, and based on the reports from camp where Aldon is abusing Staley, he will probably be an upgrade over Manny. On the other side, we have the same options (Parys/Brooks) that we had last year but we added Applewhite to bring some depth. Losing Franklin hurt, but I think letting him go was purposeful. Sopoaga has a chance to be a real force inside and McDonald has the potential to be a stud at DE. We lost Spikes, but that's because Bowman is younger, cheaper, and more athletic. It really comes down to Goldson, if we keep him (or sign a comparable safety) our defense will be better than last year because (1) we have a pass rusher and (2) our #1 corner can actually cover. There is hope. I also don't think they are done just yet.
Aug 3, 2011 at 12:06 PM
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Tdilvr
And just like that I fell asleep trying to read this mongflop.
Aug 3, 2011 at 11:27 AM
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William Baker
I think paying for overpriced free agents is not the way to go. Nate Clements was overpaid. I can't remember his man but Mike Nolan overpaid for an offensive tackle which really sucked. A few years ago everyone wanted Haynesworth. Thank goodness we did not get him. I like what we are doing. If you look at the successful teams in the NFL, New England, Pittsburgh, Indy, and Green Bay, teams which seem to be good every year, they build through the draft. Be patient my friend. We are heading in the right direction.
Aug 3, 2011 at 11:06 AM
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Dan
I think this article is a little too premature. I understand the need to vent frustrations or to sound off in an attempt to be the first to be right on a given subject, but seriously consider the whole picture first. There are still some free agents available that could be considered upgrades over the undeniable talent that chose to leave. I wondered at the end of the season last year just how good this team could have been given a competent head coach and offensive staff. At any rate, the 49ers will be competitive under Jim Harbaugh, I firmly believe that. The General Manager has as best I can tell, at long last, a plan, a direction so to speak. I realize that this, in and of itself, is not the answer to all the questions facing our team. Maybe though through a different perspective than yours, a step in the right direction. I sure hope you are wrong, do you?
Aug 3, 2011 at 10:30 AM
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Sawnt
I think the niners need to lose the bum called alex smith! All he wants is the money. Watch him suck asz again this season. While all the other niners are trying hard!
Aug 3, 2011 at 10:13 AM
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Dallas Niner Fan
Referring to M. Horner's post. You know guys, I think it's very probable that the problem is Paraag. He's their cap guy and he is a numbers guy who always takes a wait-and-see approach. There was an article that I read that said that the Niners were holding back because they were not sure what the final cap number was going to be, bla bla bla. This has Paraag written all over it. What do you guys think of this theory?
Aug 3, 2011 at 9:42 AM
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Gmoney
Niners get Carlos Rogers. This puts me a bit at ease. Don't know much about him other than the fact that he was a top ten pick. From what I have read he is a very solid cover corner who has stone hands. I guess I would rather have a guy that can break up a pass and can't catch it over a guy who can catch it but can't cover (looking at you Nate). Though I am not happy at all with this offseason thus far, I have a feeling the Niners are planning on waiting until the end of the free agency period to swoop in on some deals. All the experts seem to be saying there are more free agents than positions. Hopefully they can grab another established corner for pennies on the dollar for a year or two. If Rogers is a better cover corner than Clements, then I think our defense gets better from last year. Isaac is a monster inside, and McDonald is primed for a breakout year. Hopefully this isn't their last move.
Aug 3, 2011 at 9:34 AM
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Merv
"Re-sign our own guys"? Really, then why did we let some go?? And why haven't we filled in their spots? I personally think they're after the first-round pick next year, and the rebuilding will begin then. Until then the niners can win at the most 4 games...
Aug 3, 2011 at 8:54 AM
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Terry B.
Louie, you don't count any of our free agents who have gotten away as "young talent"? Also, if Baalke's plan was really what you say it was, then what do you think he had to gain by saying his plan was something else entirely? Would this accomplish anything at all except making him look like an utter failure?
Aug 3, 2011 at 5:22 AM
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M. Horner
I just can't help but think that Jed is complicit in this disaster. We're in the top 5 teams in available cap room, but we can't do anything but bring back Alex Smith and sign Carlos Rogers to a one year deal? Teams with far less cap space are bringing back their own guys and improving their teams with quality signings. Is Baalke really this awful or is Jed tying his hands with the amount of cash he's making available? Surely Trent would do something if he could.
Aug 3, 2011 at 5:18 AM
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louie
I'll say it again, for all the new entrants--There is a plan, and the plan is: REBUILD with the few young talents that we're lucky to have after years of ineptitude (and maybe more).
Aug 2, 2011 at 7:52 PM
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Gmoney
Jeff, you are absolutely right, Manny did set the edge on the run well but, as you said, it's the inability to rush the passer that made him a liability out there. Fangio loves to bring the pain from everywhere and though Manny is versatile, I think offenses could rest assured that pressure would not be coming from his side, taking away a bit of the element of surprise necessary to run a blitzing defense. I think Brooks beats out Parys for the spot and if that's the case, all of a sudden all 4 of our backers have the ability to get after the QB. This will allow us to bring a ton of heat and from a myriad of angles. Only problem? Who covers the receivers! Definitely not that unsigned free agent we just got, that's for damn sure. If we land at least one good cover corner, we should be fine, but realistically I think we need two.
Aug 2, 2011 at 5:21 PM
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Big T
Amen! Love you Jeff. Same crap year after year. Please "Eddie" come and save us from these idiots that have taken this organization down. I love my team and always will. No matter what happens i'll stick by them, but i'm disappointed in what we have become. No free agent wants to come to a West Coast version of the "Bungals". Pitiful! The Yorks should sell because they are going to kill the fan base. The fair-weather and bandwagoner are gone. Nothing but true fans left, and we are on life support. New stadium? Not at this rate.
Aug 2, 2011 at 4:55 PM
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EddieK
Jeff, Love the article. I do believe that "Executing the plan" is just another cover-up for the incompetence of TB. Here's our needs in order: C, CB, and WR. I don't think Adam Snyder is going to do a good job for pass protection, if Tarell Brown is our number two CB then we're going to have some secondary coverage issues, and knowing that MC is on the PUP for another preseason, we can't rely on Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn Jr to be one and two WRs. I'm very frustrated with the 49ers for choosing average players through FA; cutting Joe Nedney and signing David Akers is the equivalent of taking out $1 from the piggy bank and putting in another $1, and not resigning Goldson and choosing Williams, I know they want to save money, but at this point it's not like the 49ers organization has spent so much that they're over the cap. It seems like the 49ers have always had the mentality of build through the draft including undrafted players, create player projects which are long-term, and disregard any big names in FA because it's going to cost money under the cap. I remember the old saying "To make money you got to spend money". The 49ers organization has to realize this.
Aug 2, 2011 at 2:49 PM
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Gmoney
I too was shocked when Manny went to cincy for a measly three mil. Just goes to show they don't value him as much as many here do. Bottom line, Aldon Smith is going to take one OLB spot, and the other will be manned by Haralson and Brooks. I personally prefer those two over Lawson because they are more powerful players who can put pressure on the qb and blow things up. Manny was an athletic freak, but couldn't set the edge. Sure, he was great in coverage, but that's not what makes a great OLB great. Hopefully Brooks has a breakout year. He has the potential to be an explosive rusher and pairing him with Aldon can give the Niners the edge presence necessary to pressure QB's. What we really need to do though is get ourselves a cornerback. Without one we are screwed royally. Hell, if I were the Niners, I would try and pick up two. Whaddya guys think of Dashon? You think he is coming back? I really didn't like his little tweet about our pickup, kinda sounds like a punk to me.
Aug 2, 2011 at 1:55 PM
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Jason
Great article. Season ticket holder for 30+ years. I don't give a crap what anyone thinks if they're not paying for tickets. We go out there every Sunday to watch a subpar team while they have money under the cap. Every cent of that cap should be maximized to at least renegotiate current contracts. Cap money doesn't roll over to the next year. Why as fans should we expect anything else. It's all our money. Same story every 3 years since the Yorks own the team. New GM, new coach, same owner, new GM, new coach, same owner, new GM, new coach, same owner...
Aug 2, 2011 at 1:49 PM
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Shane
hahahahahahaha, i'm looking forward to that press conf.... "all part of the plan." and i totally agree, my first thought was how great would smith and lawson look on the field. Let smith rush the passer and lawson cover TE's and lawson could bring the surprise pressure in various schemes while smith improves his coverage. Unfortunately i don't run the 49ers.... Thanks tho Jeff, great work.
Aug 2, 2011 at 1:24 PM
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RealTalk
Baalke never had a shot in hell of re-signing our own FAs, and he never had a shot of signing any other FAs. His failure is telling us otherwise.
Aug 2, 2011 at 12:27 PM
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Richard
Ah, Jeff. You are definitely the voice of skepticism. You've never written anything worthwhile, except when you feel like beating a dead horse. People on this site do not get it, so I'll tell you: The owners and the front offices of pro sports teams do not care what we fans really think because sports is a free enterprise business. If fans do not like what the front office is doing, so be it. Go watch something else. The Yorks are not going to sell because it is prestigious to own a pro sports team, and they certainly do not listen to amateur writers with twisted opinions. You know what, I am going to watch the niners this year regardless of what happens because I am a fan. My hope this year is that they will be entertaining, play hard, and play aggressive. Who cares about what the front office does, really!! Because in reality there is nothing you or I (or any other fan) can do about what players they get. Stop writing crap like you are privy to what business the niners' front office does with the players. Like I've written before to you, if you do not like what the niners are doing, go watch something else.
Aug 2, 2011 at 12:22 PM
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Dan
I don't know what to think about this article Jeff. It sounds like panic. OH NO THE SKY IS FALLING!!! I'm concerned there doesn't seem to be any answer to our cornerback problems and I'm also concerned that our answer at center seems to be Snyder, a brand new role for him in the NFL. But I'm not ready to panic yet. I understand where you're coming from, but I'm not in the same dark hopeless place you seem to be in. We'll see how the season goes I guess. I don't think the Cardinals have put enough together to keep us out of the playoffs and I know the Seahawks didn't. The Rams might give us a run for our money. I'm just not ready to throw in the towel. Keep up the good work roasting our owners and managers. You're really doing a good job working up the York haters and pissing off the rest of the 49er fans. I can't wait to read your article titled "The 49ers Take Home Another Lombardi in Spite of Baalke's Failures."
Aug 2, 2011 at 11:06 AM
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4t9ers
i'm curious as to why you think TB or JH would really reveal the true plan. football is war and no self-respecting general would announce his true plans to the world on how he's going to invade a country. he may slip some false info out there to confuse the enemy, but announce his true intentions? come on. face it. unless you're privy to some insider info that the rest are not, you know what you know because TB wants you to know what you know. that's it. stop with the self-righteousness and enjoy the show.
Aug 2, 2011 at 10:17 AM
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DarrelB
Baalke's plan has become quite clear. Lose: Franklin, Lawson, Goldson, Clements, Spikes, Baas. Replacements: Antwan Applewhite, Madieu Williams, Larry Grant. Hell of a plan, Trent.
Aug 2, 2011 at 9:46 AM
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shane
Looks like ICE is already having injury problems, so i guess Franklin could make sense for depth (at the right price).... i'll eat crow on that one.
Aug 2, 2011 at 9:01 AM
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greg
There is a win-win situation in motion. Either Alex succeeds under Harbaugh or they insert a rookie who will succeed. Failure minus retaining 2010 players is a recipe for Harbaugh/Andrew Luck.
Aug 2, 2011 at 9:01 AM
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Shane
Jeff, this is the most bizarre offseason i can remember. i just read Lawson received a ONE year deal for 3M?? that has to be a sign that he didn't want to come back, right? we wouldn't give Lawson one more chance at 3M when we have zero legit starters at OLB? Now all of a sudden we are meeting with Franklin, why? we just basically decided McDonald is our starter at DE and we seemed ready to move forward with ICE. it's funny to me, now that the rest of the league decided franklin isn't worth a big contract, we decide to re-evaluate. Also it's funny that for the last few years we have been the young sexy breakout team with all this talent (franklin, lawson, goldson) yet they have all been flops in FA. Also, IMO, we need to land rogers or our secondary is just going to be a mess. I am watching the Herd right now, he basically said we are tanking the season for andrew luck... i'm starting to believe it!!! What are we doing here??
Aug 2, 2011 at 8:57 AM
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milehigh niner
Wow I have been busy and can't believe what I just read. I had no idea we let so many players slip away from us. That's just sad. Ya know it doesn't matter for most players if they're going to a winning team unless they have already made a ridiculous amount of money. These guys, although they have a love for the game.....are looking to secure their futures and the generations to follow in their family. You throw enough money at them and they will sign. We should have done whatever we had to, to get Nnamdi.
Aug 2, 2011 at 7:07 AM
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Vern
The niners aren't going to be on the top of any player's wish list in free agency, it's not baalke's fault. They suck. what free agent is going to want to go here after a long history of underachieving? who wants to come here when all the coaches are changing and the system is changing? Wait til next year. Maybe Harbaugh and the gang get the west coast offense revved up, smith and colin both show what they can do, and they can even have a qb controversy in a good way. then free agents can flock back here when there's more buzz. i think harbaugh's offense is going to help win games.
Aug 2, 2011 at 4:03 AM
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STL Niner Fan
Look, I think the bottom line here is that you don't really divulge the exact long-term strategic plan to the media or the league. Baalke had to address the fan base in some way to throw them a bone on their plan so he gave you "sign our own players". In truth that was probably an unfinished statement. I'm sure in reality it would be followed by "for the right price". They obviously disagreed on what that right price is as evidenced by the Goldson staredown among others. These guys presumably are thinking they should be cashing in bigger paychecks and frankly to Baalke's credit he is not allowing them to dictate price. Clearly the rest of the league isn't exactly knocking their doors down so what does that tell you? NYG had a specific need and frankly they overpaid. Baas is the only player right now I even semi-regret losing and I'm not losing sleep over it. And there are still lots of good FAs out there to be had. I had submitted another post earlier listing the top remaining FAs but I guess it didn't make Kaplan's cut for posting. I'll say it one more time - give them the entire offseason before you rant and rave. It's only been a week...ONE WEEK.
Aug 1, 2011 at 6:51 PM
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Terry B.
STL, I'm not saying it's wise or unwise for a GM to throw out his plan for the rest of the league to disseminate. I am saying, though, that if Baalke does it, I don't believe that he's lying. If you think he's unwise for telling us his plan, then welcome to the club of Baalke doubters. I also think it's beyond absurd to believe that the rest of the league is gaining some sort of strategic advantage over the Niners simply because Baalke says he wants to re-sign his own guys. And I'm quite confident that Baas had to be near the top of the list. Do you really think Harbaugh wants to get his QBs killed? I'm quite sure, though, that Jed will be thrilled to hear how frugal you are with his money. Next, I hate to tell you this, but no one's FA plan is a secret anymore. The second a team shows interest in a player, it's all over the internet.
Aug 1, 2011 at 4:57 PM
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murtzny
How much do we miss Bill Walsh and DeBartolo? Never been the same since.
Aug 1, 2011 at 3:50 PM
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STL Niner Fan
Terry B. - If you really think it is wise for a GM to throw out their FA plan for the rest of the league to disseminate then I would say you sir are the fool. Just because TB says his plan is to resign his players and add a few here and there in FA doesn't mean we have to resign EVERY player, especially those who are attracting unjustified contracts with other teams. Are you suggesting we pay Baas or Spikes the contracts they obtained just so we could say we "signed our own players"? Please, there has to be a cutoff point where you say, hey, this is too much, he's not worth this amount of money. Frankly, if you've paid any attention to the way SF has conducted business over the past few years, keeping and resigning our key players is about the ONLY thing we have done well. I think they clearly wanted to sign these guys but they attracted too much in the open market and we wisely said no. It's never a good idea to overpay for a position, especially during a time of unprecedented FA frenzy. The offseason is not over yet folks, it just started. Keep your finger off the trigger for a little while longer. Usually, the teams being hailed in FA are not being hailed in JAN/FEB.
Aug 1, 2011 at 2:16 PM
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Gmoney
Maybe it's just me, but this seems to be a bit premature to start the Baalke sucks and the Niners are doomed bandwagon. Pump the brakes for a minute. We wanted to get Nnamdi, he signed with the Eagles...can you blame him? I would make that same move. We wanted Plaxico, he went to the Jets....can you blame him? In the past, we wouldn't even have joined the party, just watched from the sidelines, now we are in the sweepstakes at least. Big difference. I think the Niners still have time to fill out the roster with some talent. Carlos Rogers isn't Nnamdi, but he is a far better cover corner than Clements. If we get him, our team is better. Spikes got what? A 3-year deal? No way we would give him that many years, that's why he left. Baas, I liked, can't justify losing him, but if we fill his spot with another good center, what exactly did we lose? At least wait until the free agency period comes to a close and final rosters are submitted before starting the whine fest.
Aug 1, 2011 at 1:49 PM
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Terry B.
STL Niner Fan unbelievably writes: "If you haven't figured out by now that GM's say one thing and do another when it comes to FA, then you should pull your head out of your a**, where it's presumably been over the last 20 yrs." So, when Trent Baalke tells the fans that his plan for free agency is to re-sign his own guys and upgrade at a position or two, his REAL plan is to NOT re-sign his own guys and to NOT upgrade at a position or two. Please. Just please, O.K.? Who has his head up his a** here? STL Niner Fan, if you really spent the past 20 years observing GMs saying one thing and doing another in free agency, has it not occurred to you that maybe the reason for this is not that they are lying but that they fail at what they initially set out to do? And isn't it abundantly clear that this is what happened here?
Aug 1, 2011 at 1:32 PM
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mike49ersgo
Not to be a bandwagoner but your arguments are on the money. I realize it's early in Trent's tenure but I am not feeling so comfortable. This is going to play out over time. It still bothers me that there was no real search ever done. While that is water under the bridge, I am less likely to give him a pass. What bothers me the most so far is center and cornerback. How do you let Baas go? Then they start the propaganda machine. Snyder is looking great. I have seen this show before. While Snyder seems like a "good guy" he gets huge hype during the preseason and then falls short. Baas was an up-and-comer and the niners are thin at that position (more than twice is a trend). Lastly the learning curve for the offense during this offseason is HUGE. So you let your center go because he was too expensive? As for cornerback what can you say. The team needs better cornerback play period. The team needs players and so far has not been able to land them. The sad fact is that in my opinion the team is going to have to in the short term overpay for players. While Harbaugh is exciting to us (the fans), to players around the NFL the niners are not a stable organization and they are losers.
Aug 1, 2011 at 1:01 PM
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SanFranBro
Kaplan, you need to calm down, every area where we have "lost" a player we have a good young talent to replace him. Apparently by cutting Spikes loose, the team is making a statement that they believe Bowman is good enough to take his place. Although Baas is gone it's apparent that the 49ers have faith in Snyder. Cutting Clements opened up a lot of cap room and he wasn't worth the money. The Superbowl can't be won before the season starts and in baseball if the team with the most big-name players won every year, the Yankees would have won the last 30 years.
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:43 PM
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49erLegacy
I don't get you Kaplan. Are you upset because Baalke failed or because he did not keep his word?
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:36 PM
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Alden Brown
Pablosh, you seem to be missing the point on Baalke. I agree that it will be fun to see what Harbaugh has in store (although Harbaugh's famed offense would probably work better with a center), but Baalke? We already know what he had in store. He told us his exact plans and then he failed to execute them. Anything he now has "in store" is a Plan D that he is making up on the fly.
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:13 PM
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STL Niner Fan
For God's sake, one week of FA has rolled by and already we are losing failures...sheesh. If you haven't figured out by now that GM's say one thing and do another when it comes to FA, then you should pull your head out of your a**, where it's presumably been over the last 20 yrs. First ask yourself - what have we lost? An aging Spikes, an overpriced Baas, a way overpriced and an underperforming Clements. You mention Franklin, Goldson, and Lawson but we haven't actually lost them yet. We've been fighting for Goldson's services from the beginning and Franklin is back in town for meetings. Lawson isn't getting much attention in FA either so I would expect the chances are good we could bring him back. However, all these players mentioned have value ceilings IMO, and to throw unlimited money at them just to "sign our own guys" would seem ludicrous. IMO, there are two specific areas we should be focusing and from all reports they have done just that albeit with no current success - CB and WR. It's not for lack of trying. We have thrown money at both from what I understand but these guys are looking to win NOW and frankly we're not there yet. Hard to blame them or Baalke for that.
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:11 PM
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pablosh
Calm down Jeff Kaplan, let's get the season going first before you start throwing people under the bus. Losing some of our players from an overrated defense that couldn't stop anyone on third down is hardly cause for concern. This will be a semi-rebuild year with hopes of making the playoffs in a weak division anyway. I for one can't wait to see what Harbaugh/Baalke have in store.
Aug 1, 2011 at 11:09 AM
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49erLegacy
What this article fails to point out is the fact that NO big-name free agent came to a West Coast team (AFC or NFC), aside from Sidney Rice. As for signing "our FA's", this was a 6-10 team that currently has lost an overpriced CB, an old (but efficient) LB, and an underachieving OL.
Aug 1, 2011 at 10:14 AM
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chester
Baalke, Baalke, Baalke, say it isn't so. NFL stars will not come here. Let's call it an image problem. The Niners are a laugh and I'm glad I'm a season ticket holder.
Aug 1, 2011 at 9:19 AM
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Waaahhhhh Waaahhhhhh
Oh boy. I heard Franklin is coming for a visit and Goldson is still on our radar. Lawson hasn't signed anywhere, although I don't think we are interested. So what...we lost David Baas and old man Takeo. And Nate? Come on, you guys are prob the ones who have been whining about him the last 2 years. Yes, we missed on a CB in FA. There are 32 teams in the league, what makes you think they want to come here? Nnamdi even said he gave up more money elsewhere (here) to go play w/ the Eagles. That's out of our hands. We'll be fine. This is just a bunch of overreaction. Every team deals with situations like this...how? Good coaching and playing as a team. I think we'll be better than last year, assuming Crabs is ready for opening day.
Aug 1, 2011 at 8:35 AM
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David
Who said anything about a free pass? I simply disagree with you on what Baalke's failures are. I doubt he even made contact with Joseph, being so narrow-minded on Nnamdi. It was a good move by the Texans, because everyone was focused on Nnamdi. I can't blame him for swinging and missing on top free agents, at least he's at the plate, what other 49er GM has done that in the last 10 years.
Aug 1, 2011 at 8:25 AM
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john
How can any of the Yorks mock other teams for trying to win a super bowl in March when in fact all these teams are in the playoffs and have a chance to win the super bowl. Let's face it, our owners and GM have no clue. Our record speaks for itself.
Aug 1, 2011 at 8:00 AM
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sc00bs101
Great article, my feelings exactly. There is no culture of winning here. The 49ers came into 2011 with arguably the best defense in the NFC West, needing just a top CB to be winners. Now, even Clements bails to play for the Bengals OMG! I have never seen a team self-destruct so quickly. With aggressive free-agency, this did not have to be a re-building year. Instead, the 49ers were sabotaged for 2011. I'm disgusted.
Aug 1, 2011 at 7:05 AM
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AL Wharton
Well said, we had so much hope but again we have a little boy playing with his daddy's company and Mom and Dad had no clue how to run it, we have a first-time GM who has a divine plan, and we now have a first-time coach and the GM has tied his hands with shitty talents. Have you seen our DC saying we only have 2 starters on D! all i have to say is wow. Good job man, keep up the good work and keep it real!
Aug 1, 2011 at 6:28 AM
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Jbone17
1st t.b. needed to land a somewhat big f.a., to show we can. But the fact is we were 6-10, and had a good shot at winning 4 more games last yr. If we had a real h.c. that is and now we do. I don't like bringing back alex, but really how good are the qb's that moved this yr. The fact that j.h. will mix up playcalling is an improvement. I'm not saying we are knocking on the super bowl door, but we could start a playoff run. Yeah i feel let down so far, as well we should for not landing a big f.a. or trade so far. The rest of the division has made moves and we got an old kicker. But if t.b. doesn't do something to turn players' heads to look at us he'll fail. I see our record at 10-6, that's not great but it's a start. And yeah i know i will get told i'm crazy but i am because i'm a 49er 4ever.
Aug 1, 2011 at 4:00 AM
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Sly1006
Great article Jeff & what are these idiots defending Baalke for? Mistake #1 was signing Alex Smith back when every player around the league knows that he is garbage including the guys in his own locker room! There have been plenty of opportunities to upgrade the qb position over the last 2 seasons; McNabb, Vick, Orton, Cutler, V. Young, anybody would've been an upgrade over Smith!! Then to not sign back the players that were drafted & have developed like Goldson is really rubbing salt in the wound! As for all the idiots claiming that you can't bring in free agents to a losing team, they seem to forget that this team had enough talent the last few years to make a serious playoff run. Pro Bowl RB, TE, DT, DE, & an all-world MLB. Sign or trade for a decent qb, pass rusher, & cb & you have a playoff-caliber team but instead he keeps Alex Smith around & doesn't sign anyone worth signing even from his own roster!! Poster children of what ownership, a GM, & a starting QB shouldn't be. Absolutely pathetic!!!
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:01 AM
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domingo
There's gonna be a huge power struggle between Harbaugh and Baalke at the end of this season. Harbaugh is going to have to take the bull by the horns and push the in-over-his-head Baalke O-U-T!
Jul 31, 2011 at 9:23 PM
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BM
Jeff, Based on your criticism of Baalke with the way he handled the draft (previous article) and free agency I agree with the points you made. However, Baalke and Harbaugh for that matter are not being completely honest about their plans on how to build the team. For example Harbaugh's support of A. Smith. He is an insurance policy, not the future. Baalke saying we need to keep the guys we already have. That's not true, he only signed McDonald thus far. And only because he believed McDonald provided better value than Franklin. Turns out Baalke was probably incorrect, he would have probably been able to keep Franklin at about 4 yrs 20 mil (McDonald deal). My point is York, Baalke, and Harbaugh are not laying out their plan for the team. What Baalke says to the media is the right thing to say for the team to hear and the fans. This has nothing to do with what he is doing behind the scenes. To be able to honestly judge Baalke and Harbaugh for that matter you need to know what they are really thinking and both these guys as well as every GM and Coach are not going to tell you that. So give Baalke and Harbaugh time, judge them on their record. Don't believe their BS.
Jul 31, 2011 at 6:44 PM
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overthemiddle
Hey Jeff glad to see you back in your usual cheerful self. These so-called high-end FAs are for teams that are a couple of players away from winning the super bowl. We could possibly win the west by default but no way are we anything near a super bowl team. So why invest in them so heavily. Losing Baas I admit is a blow to the team. Spikes played very well last year but I think we can replace pretty close to Spikes' skill level. I think we can replace Clements as his skills are diminishing, we all know that. We aren't a team ready for the big FAs yet. Remember Clements was supposed to be our big FA and I don't think he really lived up to his contract myself. I figure build the team the way Walsh did it. Mostly thru the draft and use FAs to plug holes. If we had a playoff team, let's say 11-5 or better, then hell I would be pissed too if we didn't go after the big FAs. At the very best we are 9-7 but more like 6-10. I just don't see it to pay the big money to a big FA at this point in time.
Jul 31, 2011 at 6:38 PM
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Sire1
There's still talented FA's out there in positions we need. We'll get some players next week i'm sure. Wr edwards, cb cromartie are who i'm hoping for. At least 1 of them.
Jul 31, 2011 at 4:56 PM
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Kevin
Well said and 100% right!!! The Yorks are a complete mess and Baalke has no right in the position he is in.....we are a complete laughingstock. I'm a loyal fan and will go down with the ship, but that's only if these morons admit the ship is going down. Really, Alex Smith, AGAIN?! Ugh. We've lost as many players as other teams in our division have picked up. We are the only ones failing to improve....doesn't it bother these idiots that we are going to lose again?! I've got my life jacket on and am staring down a 200-foot wave....see you all at the bottom of the ocean cuz this ship is on its way down......
Jul 31, 2011 at 4:26 PM
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mbniner
The only FAs that I felt that we had a chance to sign and didn't were Joseph and Carr. The others wanted to go to a team with a legitimate chance at the Super Bowl. Losing Baas was unexpected but he is not an elite center and can be replaced. Franklin may still re-sign and the others can be replaced (although I would like to keep Lawson if possible). The wave of players that are being cut to get under the salary cap due to expensive FA signings is just now starting, such as Cromartie. Let's give management a couple of weeks before crying that the sky is falling. And the team will spend up to the agreed-on salary cap floor so I don't see where the Yorks' "cheapness" comes in. I think that is just an easy excuse for anything that is perceived to go wrong.
Jul 31, 2011 at 4:26 PM
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Steve
Completely agree Jeff. The line about feeling like it's October in August couldn't be more true. At least I used to get a month or so of hope during Sept that maybe the 49ers' fortunes would change but now my expectations are dulled before we even hit preseason games. This team truly is doomed with the Yorks at the helm. Baalke is more of the same. I feel for Harbaugh, he'll suffer like the others.
Jul 31, 2011 at 4:12 PM
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BM
Let's give Baalke some time before we conclude he is a failure. Less than 1 yr as a GM is not being fair or impartial in judging his performance. You cannot hold Baalke predominately responsible for the past failures of the team. That falls squarely on the Yorks. If this team continues to lose after three years, I hope the stadium deal goes to crap and the Yorks are forced to sell. It's going to take time for the Niners, free agency is not going to make us competitive with the Eagles, Packers, Jets, Chargers, Pats, etc. We need to build this team through the draft, that's the only way we will be able to get the young players we need to build a dynasty like we had in the 80's. Just winning the NFC west doesn't mean anything to me. The Seahawks won last yr. and they will have the worst record in the league this yr. Being patient in this free agent market makes sense for the Niners, we need to fill multiple positions, one high-priced free agent will not win us a super bowl. As of today there is still Rogers (db) Franklin (nt) Warren (de, from NE), these guys can be picked up in shorter, less/yr deals.
Jul 31, 2011 at 4:01 PM
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Frank
Let's see...we're all of what, five days into the "new" season. OK...I get it that some, including you, are disappointed in the lack of big-name FA signings. But, to say Baalke's a failure...that's just irresponsible journalism. Instead, let's see what players the Niners ARE able to pick up...maybe, just maybe, there's something to TB's plan. It's definitely too early to declare he's a failure and that the Niners are doomed. Methinks some of you Bay Area sportswriters are just so used to past failures and mediocre teams that you're unconsciously (or consciously) unable to write about anything positive. You're more comfortable slinging arrows at Niner management. It's easier than trying to find some positive stories to write. Maybe you're right...maybe Baalke's not the GM this team needs. However, maybe you're also wrong...and time will prove that out. At any rate, to write that he's an outright failure 5 days into the new season is, well, irresponsible, IMHO. I wonder what you'll write about when some good players make their way to SF...
Jul 31, 2011 at 3:35 PM
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Dan
The Niners have turned into the laughingstock of the NFL. Thanks Yorks. Job well done.
Jul 31, 2011 at 2:58 PM
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Bobbi
I am so discouraged. It feels like October, instead of August...why don't the Dorks bring in someone to help Baalke out?
Jul 31, 2011 at 2:55 PM
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louie
As usual, I agree. Great take. My take is that the "plan" is to rebuild, not try to get just enough for short-term success in a weak division. That's what I would do if I were Harbaugh and I was stuck with this mess. Save the money, don't bring in high-priced rentals, and build a new team with some of the (few) young talents that they have. Of course, while a rebuilding plan is a disappointment to us fans, it's reality. And I have no faith that York and Baalke are tuned in to reality. So, maybe they're just inept. We'll see.
Jul 31, 2011 at 2:47 PM
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David
meh, free agency chips are stacked against Baalke, hard to convince grown men, high-dollar free agents to come to a losing team, when contending teams are calling. I'm just glad he's making the effort, in the past I'd never seen it happen before Baalke. To me his biggest failures were not extending Baas before the lockout and cutting Clements w/o a deal imminent.
Jul 31, 2011 at 2:47 PM
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Really bad journalism
Really bad journalism.
Jul 31, 2011 at 2:07 PM
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Johnny
I couldn't agree more, Jeff. Harbaugh really made a mistake by choosing to start his career in SF. I was excited, as we all were, when he was hired. However, soon after that I started to think that he made a huge mistake. Jed is in no way interested in winning, the Harbaugh deal was luck for Jed and just enough to keep the fans quiet for the offseason. I'm truly disgusted with how he has run this team into the ground and continues to do so. Sorry faithful, it will be a VERY long time before glory is returned to the 'stick. And sorry Harbaugh for wasting the first 4-5 years of your career.
Jul 31, 2011 at 1:14 PM
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Josh
Wow this was one of the last places I came for sharp information and insight on my squad. I coulda got this from a retarded drunk fan.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:58 PM
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Mdoran
I'm not really surprised we didn't sign any of the guys we talked about. (Nnamdi, Ocho...) these guys went to top teams. Whatever. I think the Niners have some young guys and it's going to be interesting watching them play. To think we coulda sold a guy like Nnamdi to come play in San Fran instead of Philly, you're being unrealistic.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:43 PM
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rapid4
Agreed 100%, but don't leave out "moneyball" paraag who is York's great advisor. No football guys need be involved, it is strictly amateur hour.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:41 PM
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Shane
Well this is a train wreck. It's funny i was just telling a buddy the other day this is the first time in what, 4-5 years, we actually have no expectations, we aren't the sexy pick or the dark horse. (6-10?) One of the funniest lines i have read is the best thing that's happened to make us better is the hawks signing T Jax! I honestly believe this is the year that all of our losing has killed us. I do feel Baalke has done less than a good job but i think it's a hard job bcuz who the hell wants to play for us. In a QB-driven league we have alex smith. we have no pass rush and ONE starter in the secondary (a solid number TWO). our best WR is Josh Morgan a 6th Rd guy who is full of potential yet can't break 70 catches, it's getting old. (but then again he has had no QB, coach, or O coord... the guy is prolly a stud on NE.) personally i am willing to give Baalke one pass here on the fact we/he are caught in a vicious circle created by Mike Nolan, how do we sign guys when we can't win, how do we win if we can't sign guys. It's funny, I'm really excited about the season! I'm excited to see if guys step up (Mays, Morgan, the line, Bowman, etc.). can't be let down this year, no expectations.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:31 PM
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Nick S.
Jeff, you are so off here that it pains me to see this on the front page of the 'Zone. You pin the free agency issues all on Baalke when you ignore the fact that the 49ers are not close to being a playoff contender and NO FREE AGENTS WANT TO PLAY HERE. I can't blame Spikes, Franklin, or Baas for wanting to leave. I can't blame Plax, Nnamdi, or Ocho for wanting to play elsewhere. Nolan & Singletary flamed out bad... real bad. And you and the rest of the Webzone need to realize that the 49ers are not on the bubble anymore. We are a sub-mediocre team in a bad division. Pinning these free agency failings on Baalke is not fair. Instead, you should be pinning it on Nolan & Singletary. Their awful runs as head coach put the 49ers in the place they are now. Blaming Baalke is just a knee-jerk reaction to the fact that the 49ers are no longer a sexy spot for potential free agents to land this year. We're essentially rebuilding... this is what happens when you are a losing team. Accept that (like Harbaugh has) and move on.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:27 PM
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Brs30
All these yrs and no winner, and you guys think that they can come in and bring in good players, with all the things that went on here. It will take time. Build from the draft, bring in free agents as needed. If by the end of 2012 there is no improvement then talk. But to talk bad now, come on.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:20 PM
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Nick
That's pretty silly and small-minded logic there, Jeff. York hired Baalke because our pretentious fans started screaming for Harbaugh, and seeing how Baalke and Harbaugh had a prior relationship it seemed like if he could get a haul of Baalke and Harbaugh, it seemed like the right move. Now, I want you to take a look at Eddie's years of owning the team before he hit the lottery jackpot with Bill Walsh. Before Walsh, Eddie was in the same spot as Jed. But you're too small-minded to realize this, so you take the easy way out and "blame everyone at the top". New material, be original.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:18 PM
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Jim D
Well written, well stated. When there were rumors of Harbaugh going to Miami, I was very depressed. Then when he signed, I felt a renewed sense of optimism, so much so that I renewed my season tickets. Now, however, that is all gone. In one week of free agency. Gone. While I do think Harbaugh will win, and win here, it's going to take the full 5 years of this contract to get there. There has been discussion of does winning get better players, or do better players bring winning? I think it's the latter. In this league, when teams like the Eagles are loading up with lots of FREE AGENTS, guys we could have gotten as well, it shows that either Trent is out of his league, or Jed made a huge mistake in giving him control. Now the 49ers have more holes in the lineup than before the draft, we are forced into signing other teams' cast-offs, and there aren't even 90 guys in camp. The most depressing part of this whole situation is that we could have won the division last year. One or two guys could have pushed us over the top. Now every other team in the division has made moves to get better, and the 49ers are probably looking up at all of them. Going to be a long three years.
Jul 31, 2011 at 12:12 PM
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John
I hate Baalke as much as you do. He is an embarrassment! I'm so sick and tired of this losing atmosphere released by the 49ers. Yet, all this horrible GM does is nurture it, in no way does he support a winning environment. When will it end? When can we ever do anything right?
Jul 31, 2011 at 11:59 AM
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Nick
Blaming Baalke is fine, blaming York shows that you're clueless on the subject and have no idea what you're talking about, which isn't surprising from a "Webzone columnist".
Jul 31, 2011 at 11:40 AM