BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Rating the 2008 PBA Draft

Rain or Shine (formerly Welcoat)
They added Gabe Norwood and TY Tang. They're loads better but still are a few pieces from making real noise.
Grade A

Talk N Text
They picked Jared Dillinger (who must have impressed in the workouts), traded Jay Washington for Jason Castro (to San Miguel), selected Rob Reyes and Pong Escobal. Okay, Coach Chot, you've got a very good team that's long and versatile. It time for this team to go places. Just make sure it's not down south.
Grade A+

Alaska
Solomon Mercado and Kelvin De La Peña. I don't know what to make of this squad. They're good. They play smart. But something seems to be missing. Perhaps another big time scorer to complement Willie Miller and the two draft picks aren't them. They'll slug it out for sure though.
Grade C

Air21
Mark Borboran and Cholo Villanueva. Already a very good team that only needs experience. They're deep, the Coach just needs to know how to manage his squad really well and yank Arwind Santos when he's self-destructing. But nice addition as a weapon Borboran is. Only now they have a glut of forwards of whom many need playing time.
Grade B-

Purefoods
Beau Belga and Jonathan Fernandez. PCU's bad boy who was axed by Dolphins Coach Joel Dualan (that's why he hasn't played in their last four games) should add some muscle inside except that this guy thinks he should be taking all the shots. How he blends in will be interesting. Fernandez is insurance for James Yap should he be not 100%.
Grade B

Magnolia
Bonbon Custodio and Jay Washington via trade. Time to get the new blood to take over, SMC. Or else why get them? These guys should help, but then they already have a very good squad; the problem is playing time and chemistry.
Grade B

Sta. Lucia
Kelvin Gregorio, Chito Jaime, and Christian Cabatu. The first two should help the squad as they gradualy move on for life without long time vets Marlou Aquino and Dennis Espino. But the new blood should step up big time because the two All-Stars carve up a lot of space and contribute much to this team's success.
Grade C+

Red Bull
Larry Rodriguez, Jeff Chan, and Mark Cuevas. More role players in a team filled with them. Expect Yeng Guiao to make the most of them.
Grade C-

Coca Cola and Ginebra. No picks.

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