Re: Ainge plans Baker's recipe for success

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< No. They must draft as if all we had to show for the Baker/Kenny trade 
is Baker's contract, which is pretty much the case. > - Kestas

I understand your thinking, Kestas, and that is exactly what the Celts 
are doing... NOT counting on Baker.  But they are walking a tightrope, and 
really, their near-term strategy both financially and roster-wise IS 
dependent on who we can expect to see - a still-troubled Baker or a 
fit Baker.    

It's no secret that while Danny has been singing Baker's rehab praises,
he and other Celt BT have been busy as bees attempting to negotiate 
some sort of Baker settlement with the league as well as with Baker's 
lawyers. It begs the question of whether the Celts would prefer to have 
a reformed and healthy max-salary Baker, or would they more prefer to 
see a mentally crippled Baker provide them with the additional ammo 
they need to negotiate some sort of final financial parting of the ways.  
Which scenario do you think the Celts would prefer, Kestas... his full 
services (however limited they may now be) or a partial refund?  

I have been harsh on the new owners (i.e. Pagliuca) because they have 
attempted to have their CAKE AND EAT IT TOO concerning both Baker 
and Wallace.  And I have been critical of Ainge for going along with
all this BS while allowing Pagliuca to continue to rule from the throne.  
Of course Pagliuca is front and center at every rookie workout with us, 
as well as at the Chicago tryouts.

As for Wallace, when our new owners demoted him months ago, instead 
of cleaning out his desk and escorting him to the door (which would have 
cost them severance $$$$) they instead retained him in a reduced 
scouting capacity arrogantly expecting him to both loyally carry on his 
scouting duties while hopefully landing a new job elsewhere.  Adding to 
their (Pagliuca's) foolishness, they originally thought they could 
actually hold out for a second-round draft choice before granting Wallace 
permission to talk to other teams.  

So how much can Ainge really count upon Wallace's lame duck or maybe
even hostile input?  And how can we expect Ainge to have the final say 
on this draft when Steve Pagliuca is our real GM? 

Not a very healthy situation. 

Egg

 ---- original message

VIN BAKER 
To be or not to be ... that is the question.  Well at least it should be the 
question, but apparently the Celts feel its answer a fait accompli. 

    < Ainge is looking forward to getting a close-up view of the 
    32-year-old big man, who has been undergoing outpatient rehab 
    in Connecticut. He plans to work him out as soon as his schedule 
    allows.

    ``I'll see him after the draft, unless I can find some time before 
    then,'' Ainge said. > - Bulpett

How casual of our ''sincere''  Danny to finally visit Vin after the draft. 
Wouldn't you think that Ainge's upcoming drafting/trading strategy might 
at least be a teeny bit dependent on whether or not he will be able to 
count on Baker as a factor this coming season?   The truth is that if 
Baker stumbles onto the right elixirs to balance his Id vs. Ego, receives 
a psyche transplant, a six-month AA medallion, and becomes a buffed 
beauty under the guidance of his umpteenth personal trainer,  no one will 
be more surprised than the present Celts brass.
  
What's to worry when we can always just re-sign Mark Blount... you know, 
that big guy who we had a secret plan in signing, releasing for nothing, 
and then reacquiring through trade. Papile said it best a year ago:
    
    < Mark's big-man skills are equal to us drafting a top-three 
    pick in this year's lottery.>  - Papile

WORK PRODUCT

< ``I'm not sure what's going to happen with that,'' Ainge said. ``He's 
(Wallace) giving me all the information he has (in preparation for the 
draft), but I know he's still in the running for some jobs. He's talking 
to Portland and he's exploring that opportunity, so who knows?'' . . .> 
- Ainge

Who knows?  Certainly not Grousbeck or Pagliuca from the way they 
have handled Wallace's silent demotion. Should Wallace sign with 
another team prior to the draft, what are Boston's rights in relation 
to Wallace's work product?  If a scientist for Merck goes to work for 
Pfizer, is he able to carry his Merck sponsored research with him?

Eggy