Former Gators infielder Josh Tobias was part of a notable trade this week. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
ITGZ: Tobias Trade, Poole Shines, Tebow Pop Pass, More Gators
Saturday, December 24, 2016 | General, Scott Carter
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In The Gator Zone features items on Gators from the past, present and future.
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Some trades during the Hot Stove League make more waves than others.
Boston's trade of veteran pitcher Clay Buchholz straight up for former Gators infielder/Phillies minor-league prospect Josh Tobias ranks in that category.
Initial reaction bordered on shock for diehard observers of baseball's offseason maneuverings, but details soon emerged that made sense. Boston wanted to shed Buchholz's $13.5 million salary for 2017 and with a deep starting rotation, getting only a 24-year-old minor-leaguer in return was not a deal breaker.
Josh Tobias
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski offered his view on Tobias in a conference call with reporters soon after news of the trade broke Tuesday.
"Basically his plus is he's a good hitter. He can play second base, he's played a few games in the outfield, he's a switch-hitter recently,'' Dombrowski said. "He took up switch-hitting about a year ago in which did that, so he's a natural right-handed hitter. We really like his bat. We think he has a chance to hit as he continues to progress up the ladder so that's his real plus."
I remember Tobias sitting in the lobby of Florida's team hotel 18 months ago in Omaha discussing his future with former Gators baseball sports-information director John Hines. The Gators had been eliminated the previous night from the College World Series, losing to Virginia 5-4 as Tobias waited on-deck when UF made its final out.
Suddenly, his college career was over and a few days later his pro career would begin.
"It goes by fast,'' Tobias said.
Tobias was Philadelphia's 10th-round draft pick in 2015 and he has played at three different levels in Single-A ball the past two years, finishing last season in High-A Clearwater. Always an outstanding defensive player in college, Tobias turned on the offense his final season at UF and has continued to hit well in the minors.
In 188 career minor-league games, Tobias has 50 doubles, 6 triples, 13 home runs, 106 RBI and a .301 career average.
Not much should change for Tobias. When you are in the minors, the goal is to reach the majors and Tobias will continue his quest in Boston's minor-league system no different than the past two years as a member of the Phillies. Still, he joined the Red Sox organization to unusual fanfare considering Buchholz was the longest-tenured Boston pitcher.
Boston Globe beat writer Alex Speier answered a question many Boston fans wondered: Why couldn't they get more now for Buchholz?
"There wasn't a market for a team to take on $13.5 million in salary while giving up top prospects in its system. It would be inaccurate to characterize Tobias as a non-prospect – there's a very real chance he could contribute in the big leagues – but he falls below what the Sox thought they might be able to get when they exercised Buchholz's 2017 option."
So while Buchholz takes his 81 career wins (seems like he should have more), 10 seasons with the Red Sox and two All-Star selections with him to Philadelphia, Tobias joins the Red Sox organization with big-league dreams and potential to be the answer to a trivia question one day.
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NFL ROOKIE RANKINGS
On his final Big Board prior to the 2016 NFL Draft, renowned ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had some hits and misses ($) like every year. Gators defensive back Brian Poole was one of Kiper's biggest misses.
In fairness to Kiper, many talent evaluators missed on Poole, who wasn't even invited to the NFL combine last spring and went undrafted. Former Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who helped recruit Poole to Florida, wasn't among those who discounted Poole's ability.
Atlanta coach Dan Quinn embraces rookie Brian Poole after Poole's first career interception on Saturday. (Photo: Courtesy of AtlantaFalcons.com)
Atlanta signed Poole as an undrafted free agent and on Saturday Poole's early interception of Carolina quarterback Cam Newton set the tone in Atlanta's 33-16 win, which clinched the NFC South for the Falcons.
Poole has played in every game for Atlanta (10-5), including eight starts. He has 56 tackles, one sack, one interception and two fumble recoveries. Kiper ranked Poole the 17th-best rookie entering the weekend in his latest standings, and that was before Poole's first career interception.
Poole is the top-rated rookie who was not drafted according to Kiper. Poole's teammate in Atlanta, former Gators safety Keanu Neal, checks in as the No. 8 overall rookie according to Kiper. Atlanta's first-round draft pick, Neal leads all rookies with 101 tackles and has forced four fumbles. He is expected to be in consideration for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Meanwhile, Neal's and Poole's former UF teammate, Vernon Hargreaves III, is not ranked among the top 25 rookies by Kiper. Still, Hargreaves is having a solid season for Tampa Bay, which selected Hargreaves 11th overall. Hargreaves has played in all 15 games and has 71 tackles, a forced fumble and one interception.
Overall, Florida's 2016 draft class is having a stellar first season in the NFL. Besides Poole, Neal and Hargreaves, former Gators Jonathan Bullard and Antonio Morrison have made an impact in their first year in the league.
NFL.com media analyst Daniel Jeremiahranked Florida's rookie class No. 2 overall behind Ohio State's class, which featured running back Ezekiel Elliott, who is among those in the discussion for NFL MVP.
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TEBOW POP PASS
If you checked in early on Christmas night and missed Kansas City defensive lineman Dontari Pope throw a Tim Tebow-like jump pass, we've got you covered.
And as another former Gator said during the telecast – "You may see that one about 10 million times the rest of your life,'' NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth chimed in seconds after the play – perhaps this will be your first.
Now that you've seen it, the Chiefs call the play "Tebow Pop Pass," although head coach Andy Reid referred to Pope's touchdown throw as "Bloated Tebow Pass" in postgame interviews following his team's 33-10 whipping of defending Super Bowl champion Denver.
Whatever they call it, Florida fans know Tebow made the jump-pass a thing during his career at UF from 2006-09.
Who knew a 346-pound nose guard – and as Kansas City Star columnist Sam Mellenger points out, that is more than Refrigerator Perry weighed when he scored that famous touchdown in the Super Bowl for the '85 Bears -- would become famous overnight for dusting off the play.
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AL OVER JO
Former UF roommates and basketball stars Al Horford and Joakim Noah have been going at it in the NBA for a decade now. They met up once again on Sunday, a Christmas Day showdown between Horford's Boston Celtics and Noah's New York Knicks.
Advantage, Al.
In the first year of a four-year, $113 million deal he signed with the Celtics over the summer, Horford finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in Boston's 119-114 victory at Madison Square Garden. Noah, in his first season with the Knicks, had eight points, two assists and 12 rebounds.
Horford made the key play with a pass to Marcus Smart, who hit an open 3-pointer, to snap a 112-112 tie.
Horford also had the highlight of the game, blowing by Noah and then dunking on Kristaps Porzingis.
Check it out for yourself:
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DRAFT DRIBBLE
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay unveiled his Mock Draft 1.0 ($) last week and McShay is definitely a big fan of Florida's defense.
He has Cleveland taking Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen first overall, but as the first round winds down, Gators start popping up everywhere: (CB Teez Tabor at No. 18 to Eagles, DT Caleb Brantley at No. 23 to Broncos, LB Jarrad Davis No. 24 to Lions and CB Quincy Wilson No. 27 to Falcons).
If McShay's projections somehow come to fruition (Tabor, Brantley and Wilson all have eligibility remaining and have not made their plans known publicly), it would be a school record for most first-rounders. Florida has twice had three players taken in the first round (2010 and 1989).
