What If: David Baas

by remembertheCATCH on Sep 4, 2010 2:02 PM PDT

David Baas is our opening week center. Of course this is only because of the injury to Eric Heitmann. If not for said injury, then Baas would not only be starting, but possibly (not likely but still possible), Baas may not have survived the final cuts.

So I wonder, What If?

David Baas is a center. He played center in college, and must have been pretty good to be drafted with the first pick in the 2nd round. The Niners moved him to guard because they already had a center, Eric Heitmann. Baas wasn't overly horrible, but drafting his replacement was warranted. Now Baas has a second chance with the starting 5. If he adjusts well, getting comfortable in his return to his natural position, and plays at an all-pro level, then we have a problem. Eric Heitmann is a good lineman, and definitely not the weakest link of last years OL problems, but not a top 5 center. What if Baas succeeds? What if he becomes a better center than Heitmann?

It is a long standing code that a player doesn't lose his spot to injury. There has been exceptions, of course, but not the norm. This rule is especially enforced by coaches that are former players. That being said, Heitmann will be back when he returns. That is unless Baas becomes the Center that can lead a contending o-line to where they want to go.

Personally, I find Heitmann to be a good lineman. I don't find him to be a great lineman. I am OK with replacing him for the season if Baas plays at a high enough level. Heitmann was a guard before being moved to center, and may be the best replacement for Chilo Rachal, if he doesn't improve from last years performance. But I'm not ready to put him back in the middle just because that's where he was pre-injury. I will be ready to put him back if the play of Baas warrants a change. But I really think Baas will finally play like we've hoped now that he is back where he belongs.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

... was related to Jack in the Box

by bignerd on Sep 4, 2010 2:03 PM PDT reply actions

lol

by remembertheCATCH on Sep 4, 2010 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions

This is a myth

It is a long standing code that a player doesn’t lose his spot to injury.

It’s possible Baas could push out Heitmann if coaches are impressed. Baas is also a free agent at the end of the season. They may have to choose between the two then, the veteran or possible replacement at center now.

by bignerd on Sep 4, 2010 2:28 PM PDT reply actions

Players lose their job to injuries all the time

Trent Green to Kurt Warner, Drew Bledsoe to Tom Brady are just two well-known examples.

Regardless I have a tough time seeing Baas outplay Heitmann and center. I think we’ll lose Baas at the end of the year to free agency as he’ll probably receive several options.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Sep 4, 2010 2:58 PM PDT reply actions

Baas

Let’s not get all giddy here. David Baas has yet to play a season with the 49ers (he is in his 5th year, I believe) that he hasn’t had a meaningful injury and significant lost playing time. He is a good run blocking guard, but a mediocre blocker in pass protection. He and Snyder are probably tied for the most sacks and hits of Alex Smith allowed over his career.

As Center in preseason he has been asked mainly to snap the ball to Smith or Carr and to try not to airmail it over their heads or bounce it prematurely. He has benefited a great deal from having Mike Iupati run blocking alongside him and maintaining the left inner pocket on passes.

Heitman is a good center, technically sound, and a team leader (at least an O-line leader).

Baas would be a very nice replacement for Wragge (and a significant upgrade) as a backup center and backup guard over the next few years, if we can afford him.

by seafood lover on Sep 4, 2010 5:05 PM PDT reply actions

Huh?

Did you get someone confused with Baas?

He started all 16 games last year. In 2008 he started 9 games but dressed for all 16—no missed time for injury there. In 2007 he missed one game—dressed for 15, started 8. 2006 he dressed and played in all 16 games (no starts). In 2005 he missed 3 games.

So really, in only one season did he miss any signficant playing time and that was his rookie year where he only missed 3 games.

I like Baas and want him on the team but I think he can land a starting job easily enough elsewhere in the league.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Sep 4, 2010 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry, but you have the wrong Baas, Smiley

Last year he was the major victim of the notorious nutcracker drill (a foot, I believe), and missed significant playing time + was at half speed for half a year. Rookie year was the infamous leg injury while running before camp, with his first training camp and a good part of the year injured (even if dressed and making part-time appearances), and another year (2007?) was a torn pectoral muscle while training with weights so not able to play much of the time even if on the roster. I think he will be a talented backup with us or someone else. I would rather by far have Iupati pass blocking for Smith, even if he is still learning how to do it right in the NFL. I am not sure of Baas’ age, but he must be getting close to 29-30, so is not a good project for additional development.

by seafood lover on Sep 4, 2010 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions

No I don't

David Baas, #64, Guard for the San Francisco 49ers. I don’t know who you’re talking about, but if you want to verify this information yourself go to NFL.com if you don’t believe me. If a player dresses for the game that means he’s healthy enough to play. He certainly hasn’t missed “significant playing time” like you’re claiming.

Season Team G GS
2009 San Francisco 49ers 16 16
2008 San Francisco 49ers 16 9
2007 San Francisco 49ers 15 8
2006 San Francisco 49ers 16 0
2005 San Francisco 49ers 13 5
TOTAL 76 38

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority

by smileyman on Sep 4, 2010 7:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Baas has been injured a decent amount

in the offseason, which has hampered his development and he’s started seasons rusty due to lack of training camp/preseason reps. This may be what he’s referring to. He hasn’t missed playing time, but the effects of the various injuries have crept into his play during the season.

by Sebaz49 on Sep 6, 2010 7:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Dude you are Wrong..

Founder of team Omté Caspeen

by Widowwolf on Sep 5, 2010 1:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Baas in pass protection at G is completely different than pass pro as a C

Quite honestly I missed the preseason games because of my work, but I think Baas could make a fine center. Put Heitmann at G and I don’t think he’s much better than Baas.

by WiltonDeportes on Sep 4, 2010 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I think you guys are both right

smiley’s got the numbers,
but seafood is also right that Baas’ effectiveness seems to have been diminished almost every year due to injuries, normally in the offseason or preseason.
So yeah, he’s dressed to play, and he plays, but there often seems to be a big difference between his play when healthy and scuffling.

I think the biggest difference between Baas and Heitmann is that Baas gets a better push off the line of scrimmage. I don’t think Heitmann has ever been a dominant run blocker.

I’ve always felt Heitmann was the second best lineman on a pretty bad line, Staley was first.
As our standards have raised, we shall see…

They're called RUNS for a reason.

by connie mack on Sep 4, 2010 10:30 PM PDT reply actions

It’s weird to say, but I’m actually somewhat intrigued to see non-Heitmann in the starting center role. I feel very confident in Heitmann’s blocking abilities, and I have for a long time. At the same time, my confidence in Baas for the same thing is not specifically so high. However, I’ve long held the suspicion – and this is pure speculation, mind you – that Heitmann isn’t a particularly good signal caller. It’s the center’s job to call protections at the line, and I’ve had the distinct sense that with Heitmann under center, the 49ers have suffered from more mixed up or blown protections than I can remember seeing with, say, Newberry, or Sapulo.

Now, let’s get one thing straight: I am NOT calling out Heitmann’s signal calling. He is largely praised for it by coaches and teammates. There are 100 ways to explain my perception about mixed protections that would be independent of a perfectly good signal calling center (perception bias would be the most reasonable; bad players around him would be another). There is no specific reason to believe that he is in any way deficient in this aspect of his game.

What I’m suggesting is the difference between believing something (and I do not believe that Heitmann is the reason for bad, missed, or confused assignments on the line) and being curious about something (I am simply curious – no more, no less – to see how the organization of the line changes on a play-by-play basis with a different center).

It’s not even a hypothesis. It’s barely a suggestion. It’s just a perception, and I am curious to see it in a new light.

"I just struck out looking three times, but in any other ballpark those would have been home runs." - Aubrey Huff

by howtheyscored on Sep 5, 2010 1:21 AM PDT reply actions

QB has to be able to adjust protections

Alex never really got to the point where he was operating at his needed level of QB to assist his center… But more than anything it was lack of O-line talent. Bass as a starting LG was lousy but so far as a starting center he’s looked good. Him as a LG/RG/C backup sounds good. As Iupati starts to wear down headed into the playoffs we can let Bass play a few games while Iupati rests. We can do the same thing for Anthony Davis with Alex Boone. Let them get some reps and give the young guys a couple weeks off since they’ve been taking almost all the snaps since OTAs. Then have them fresh in the playoffs.

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Sep 8, 2010 3:59 AM PDT up reply actions