No surprise Baker a no-show

[rick34125]

Chris Baker a Jets no-show

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, May 12th 2008, 8:35 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2008/05/12/2008-05-12_chris_baker_a_jets_noshow-1.html

Chris Baker wants the Jets to show him some green.

As expected, disgruntled Jets tight end Chris Baker didn't participate Monday in the team's first voluntary practice at Hofstra. The sessions run through mid-June, culminating in a full-squad minicamp.

Baker is boycotting the offseason program because he feels the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contract. Baker, coming off his best season, is entering the third year of a four-year, $6.6 million contract.

He's upset because recently signed backup Bubba Franks is making the same amount on a one-year deal. Baker also will make less than rookie tight end Dustin Keller, a first-round pick. Keller hasn't signed yet but figures to receive a five-year deal for about $2.3 million per.

Baker, who has asked to be traded, can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month.

Also Monday, the Jets signed PK Mark Myers, who played briefly in the CFL in 2006.

[Sperm Edwards]

Meh. He'll show up for mandatory camp. He can't afford the daily fines, and he could end up with a net of $300K and third string status by seasons' end. Then he'll get released.

He's fighting a losing battle. His best bet was to keep both a former pro bowler and a first round rookie behind him on the depth chart by producing on the field. His best bet for doing that is showing up to all team activities, so someone will proffer something along the lines of what he is seeking, even if/when the Jets let him go.

[Jade Green]

He is cutting off his nose to spite his face.

[Thai Jet]

Meh. He'll show up for mandatory camp. He can't afford the daily fines, and he could end up with a net of $300K and third string status by seasons' end. Then he'll get released.

He's fighting a losing battle. His best bet was to keep both a former pro bowler and a first round rookie behind him on the depth chart by producing on the field. His best bet for doing that is showing up to all team activities, so someone will proffer something along the lines of what he is seeking, even if/when the Jets let him go.

Very sound advice. Let's hope Baker's listening in.

[#27TheDominator]

Meh. He'll show up for mandatory camp. He can't afford the daily fines, and he could end up with a net of $300K and third string status by seasons' end. Then he'll get released.

He's fighting a losing battle. His best bet was to keep both a former pro bowler and a first round rookie behind him on the depth chart by producing on the field. His best bet for doing that is showing up to all team activities, so someone will proffer something along the lines of what he is seeking, even if/when the Jets let him go.

Sometimes I think he may be intentionally sacrificing the $100K workout bonus. I tried to figure out his salary last week. The way I figured it, if you take off the $2M for '09 that gets him down to $3.4M for the first two years of the deal or $1.7M per. If you subtract the $100K workout bonus he is under Bubba Franks $1.65M for this season. Kind of convoluted "reasoning", but I've seen stranger things.

He is cutting off his nose to spite his face.

Biting! Biting!

[Jade Green]

Biting! Biting!

Huh?

[crashingjet]

Chris Baker a Jets no-show

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, May 12th 2008, 8:35 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2008/05/12/2008-05-12_chris_baker_a_jets_noshow-1.html

Chris Baker wants the Jets to show him some green.

As expected, disgruntled Jets tight end Chris Baker didn't participate Monday in the team's first voluntary practice at Hofstra. The sessions run through mid-June, culminating in a full-squad minicamp.

Baker is boycotting the offseason program because he feels the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contract. Baker, coming off his best season, is entering the third year of a four-year, $6.6 million contract.

He's upset because recently signed backup Bubba Franks is making the same amount on a one-year deal. Baker also will make less than rookie tight end Dustin Keller, a first-round pick. Keller hasn't signed yet but figures to receive a five-year deal for about $2.3 million per.

Baker, who has asked to be traded, can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month.

Also Monday, the Jets signed PK Mark Myers, who played briefly in the CFL in 2006.

This is very similar to what the Jets did to Pete Kendall last year. Is this a common practice carried out by the Jets front office? If so, seems like a $hitty way to treat your employees.

[flgreen]

This is very similar to what the Jets did to Pete Kendall last year. Is this a common practice carried out by the Jets front office? If so, seems like a $hitty way to treat your employees.

How's things going with Taylor?

[crashingjet]

How's things going with Taylor?

I don't know, ask his dance partner. I hear she's helping him with his agility drills.

[KSJets]

I don't have the quote handy, but I remember Cimini had a blog or article posted that had someone mention that the Jets made no promises and that if he had a good year that they would talk about it. Or maybe it was another beat writer commenting about an interview he did on SNY, I can't remember.

Actually, I think it was someone reporting on his interview on SNY. I remember reading the quote and saying to myself that he completely misunderstood what they told him. Based on what Baker himself said, there was no promise or guarantee that they would redo his deal.

[#27TheDominator]

I don't have the quote handy, but I remember Cimini had a blog or article posted that had someone mention that the Jets made no promises and that if he had a good year that they would talk about it. Or maybe it was another beat writer commenting about an interview he did on SNY, I can't remember.

Actually, I think it was someone reporting on his interview on SNY. I remember reading the quote and saying to myself that he completely misunderstood what they told him. Based on what Baker himself said, there was no promise or guarantee that they would redo his deal.

I know the article you mean. It was posted by FlGreen in this thread:

http://www.jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54538&highlight=baker+cimini

It quotes a "Former NFL insider" who said the Jets would never have made such an offer. He didn't claim to be a Jets insider or have any info particular to the situation. The article does nothing to tell what actually happened between Baker and the FO. It just offers a plausible explanation. In an earlier blog Cimini claimed he had a "source" in the FO that claimed that they didn't make Baker a promise, but we know that's what the Jets are claiming.

Baker's story does seem less likely to be true because he didn't spout up with it until recently and it may have been after he switched to Kendall's agent. It's still he said - she said bull**** and Baker and his agent should remember that an oral contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.

[flgreen]

I know the article you mean. It was posted by FlGreen in this thread:

http://www.jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54538&highlight=baker+cimini

It quotes a "Former NFL insider" who said the Jets would never have made such an offer. He didn't claim to be a Jets insider or have any info particular to the situation. The article does nothing to tell what actually happened between Baker and the FO. It just offers a plausible explanation. In an earlier blog Cimini claimed he had a "source" in the FO that claimed that they didn't make Baker a promise, but we know that's what the Jets are claiming.

Baker's story does seem less likely to be true because he didn't spout up with it until recently and it may have been after he switched to Kendall's agent. It's still he said - she said bull**** and Baker and his agent should remember that an oral contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.

I know most of you make your livings as either salaried employees, or hourly, but anybody who makes their living by fulfilling terms of a contract knows, if it isn't in the contract, it doesn't exist.

All this crap by Kendall, Coles and now Baker is total BS. These guys have agents, who are mostly very sharp lawyers. If they accepted a promise, they should be fired

It didn't happen

[PeterNorth09]

I'd be surprised if Baker stays with the team. He's a good player and I want to keep him but it's not looking good right now.

[#27TheDominator]

I know most of you make your livings as either salaried employees, or hourly, but anybody who makes their living by fulfilling terms of a contract knows, if it isn't in the contract, it doesn't exist.

All this crap by Kendall, Coles and now Baker is total BS. These guys have agents, who are mostly very sharp lawyers. If they accepted a promise, they should be fired

It didn't happen

You are almost assuredly right, but it's not quite that simple. The agent would be at fault if it were simply a promise made during contract negotiations, but it never comes down to that. I don't remember the specifics Kendall's case it was regarding a contract renegotiation that was made at the Jets request because they were up against the cap. They didn't have any more money to give him and since it is pretty much unheard of to guarantee contracts, money at the back end is meaningless.

In Baker's case he's been piping up about his deal for years. Any promise made to him would have been along the lines of shut up and do a good job this year and we'll talk in the off-season. The off-season has come and they aren't talking. The players are locking into the contracts, the owners are not. The players can hold out and bitch or they are stuck. We can't be sure what the FO will tell them to shut them up.

[Jade Green]

Chris Baker was just named Chris Carlin's goat on Loud Mouths.

SHOCKER!!!

[faba]

Baker is digging a hole he will not get out of-the doghouse.

[mfmartin]

I liked Baker this past season but seriously he needs to stop his crying. If he was this elite TE like he said he was, we wouldn't have brought in Bubba Franks and Dustin Keller. It's not like he is Antonio Gates for Christs sake.

[jetfuel]

Baker will be there for mandatory practices. If not, then he will be getting paid less than Franks this year as opposed to being paid the same.

[Sperm Edwards]

Baker will be there for mandatory practices. If not, then he will be getting paid less than Franks this year as opposed to being paid the same.

He is now that he didn't show up for the workouts - lost $100K.

Once the draft played out the way it did, he or his agent or both should have realized that they lost. Only way he has leverage at this point is if he's the only TE remaining due to player health.

[flgreen]

You are almost assuredly right, but it's not quite that simple. The agent would be at fault if it were simply a promise made during contract negotiations, but it never comes down to that. I don't remember the specifics Kendall's case it was regarding a contract renegotiation that was made at the Jets request because they were up against the cap. They didn't have any more money to give him and since it is pretty much unheard of to guarantee contracts, money at the back end is meaningless.

In Baker's case he's been piping up about his deal for years. Any promise made to him would have been along the lines of shut up and do a good job this year and we'll talk in the off-season. The off-season has come and they aren't talking. The players are locking into the contracts, the owners are not. The players can hold out and bitch or they are stuck. We can't be sure what the FO will tell them to shut them up.

The guaranteed money aspect of your post just isn't true in today's NFL.

Look at the FA contracts the Jets gave out .this year. From memory, I believe they gave out 140 million in contracts this off season. 62 or so million of it is guaranteed. Must be paid.

In both Kendall's and Baker's case, for cap reasons, as you stated, they were given their following year's pay that year. Baker was paid an extra million last year, against this year's salary. Wish I could do that.

As far as being under paid, I remember reading that in production Baker was 18th in the league, his salary is 19th. Big deal. he was paid what he is worth. As I said these numbers are from memory, if Sperm is in the mood, I'm sure he can come up with the exact #'s

This myth that Baker is a great blocker is total BS. When he first came in the league, in spite of his size, he was a horrible run blocker. In his favor he has improved to the point that he is average. That is why Franks was brought in. Keep in mind that Franks is only 30 YO. It's not like he is a 36 YO TE. He has been to a couple of Pro Bowls. He has had injuries the last two years which have really cut into his production. The Jets took a gamble on him. If he can stay injury free, perhaps he can return to his Pro Bowl form. Worst case scenario is, if he stays healthy , he is a great blocker. Which makes him worth more then Baker to the Jets, who appear to he heading to "Marty Ball East". Power running game, big play TE. Not Baker.

I also believe Baker WILL be on the roster this year. What he is trying to do is shoot his way out of town, by running his mouth. I don't think they are going to do it unless someone offers a good draft pick. Which I doubt. Why should they? They already paid him for this year.

If he doesn't shut his mouth, and get into camp he will be the #3 TE, with very little production. Lets see what that does to his value when his contract is up.

He has already cost himself $100,000. If he is smart he will cut his loses and get into camp.

I don't think he is real smart.

[jetfuel]

He is now that he didn't show up for the workouts - lost $100K.

Once the draft played out the way it did, he or his agent or both should have realized that they lost. Only way he has leverage at this point is if he's the only TE remaining due to player health.

Where do you get that from? These are voluntary practices. How can you fine a guy for missing voluntary practice? You could be right. I'm just wondering where you may have heard that. As far as I know he can't be fined until June mini-camp starts.

Actually just found this from an article in The Daily News from May 12th:

Baker, who has asked to be traded, can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month.

[Sperm Edwards]

Where do you get that from? These are voluntary practices. How can you fine a guy for missing voluntary practice? You could be right. I'm just wondering where you may have heard that. As far as I know he can't be fined until June mini-camp starts.

Actually just found this from an article in The Daily News from May 12th:

Baker, who has asked to be traded, can't be fined by the Jets unless he misses the mandatory minicamp next month.

He wasn't fined. The $100K was a workout bonus, not salary. He didn't work out with the team so he doesn't get it.

The Jets, like many NFL teams, have been putting these types of clauses in more & more instead of adding it to the base salary. They don't like guys saying they're working out at home or their college campus instead of with the team.

[jetfuel]

He wasn't fined. The $100K was a workout bonus, not salary. He didn't work out with the team so he doesn't get it.

The Jets, like many NFL teams, have been putting these types of clauses in more & more instead of adding it to the base salary. They don't like guys saying they're working out at home or their college campus instead of with the team.

Got ya ... makes sense ... if you want to build a TEAM it is a good idea to have them workout together.

[jetophile]

I don't know, ask his dance partner. I hear she's helping him with his agility drills.

No, I'd say he just looks like a doofus.