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Okay, we’ve all seen Major League Baseball teams that weren’t quite…Major League. You take a look at ‘em and you just know they’re really a

team in disguise. The talent, the professionalism, and the execution just isn’t there.

So. What’s that make the Oakland Raiders?

The Raiders posted another putrid performance last week, putting up a whopping three points. And they committed 13 penalties. And yes, you have seen this movie before. It’s called “0-5,” and that’s where the Raiders are.

But are they still an NFL-caliber team? I think that MLB-

analogy doesn’t quite apply here. There are talent issues and maturity issues that are Grand Canyon-wide between the NFL and even top-notch college ball. And even though the Raiders look lost on the NFL gridiron, well…Randy Moss would torch any college secondary, right?

Still, in a strict fantasy football sense, your best bet is to swear off all things Oakland. Even if you have Randy Moss, trade him fast. The rest of the Raiders offense is so inept, teams can easily focus on Moss and game-plan him out. LaMont Jordan, who once was a fantasy darling at RB, can’t get going behind a patchwork offensive line. And while Andrew Walter has potential, and might be a QB of the future, said future is not today. If you have Raiders in your lineup, get ‘em out now. Cut your losses, fast!

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Speaking of cutting, and Oakland, and baseball, Ken Macha got the ax yesterday. All he did was manage the team for four years, putting up two division titles and two second place finishes, all in all, a damn good showing. This year, he led the A’s to their first American League Championship Series in 14 years.

Unfortunately for Macha, there were personality issues with some of his players, and with A’s GM Billy Beane. In this win-at-all-costs society, four years of stellar results apparently isn’t enough. But with a managerial record such as his (368-280, a solid .568 clip), Macha should get a second chance somewhere, even if it takes a while.

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And the Arizona Cardinals…what more can be said? They’re history-makers! Yep, the Cards became the first team in NFL history to blow a 14-point lead after the first quarter in two consecutive games. Think on that: In the 82-year history of the NFL, such a feat of chock-itude has never been seen! The Cards also had a 20-point lead in the third quarter, and wound up losing to a Bears team that scored no offensive touchdowns, and turned the ball over six times! No wonder head coach Denny Green let fly with a few choice–and bleeped–words in the postgame press conference.

In a fantasy sense, Edgerrin James also made history–he carried the ball 36 times for a mere 55 yards in the game, an average of 1.5 yards per carry. Never in NFL history has a player carried the ball so much to gain so little. Edge’s fantasy value is limited. The Cards keep feeding him, but another iffy O-line has limited his production. Fortunately, WR Anquan Boldin is a fantasy stud who only gets better. With his teammate Larry Fitzgerald injured, Boldin picked up all slack, grabbing 12 balls for 136 yards and a TD–truly a massive performance. If you can get him in your league, get him. Many fantasy owners are enamored of Fitzgerald–and well they should be, as he’s a massive talent as well–but Boldin is a solid producer who’s stock might fall a tiny bit when Fitz comes back to split the load. And that’s your time to get him.

About the Author

Jim McLauchlin is a writer for magazines as diverse as Baseball America, Playboy, and Wizard. He has both Edgerrin James and Anquan Boldin on his fantasy team. The agony and the ecstasy!