Resume the Gloom

For the uninitiated, this post's subject is a reference to the Lions' marketing slogan "Restore the Roar". The first time I heard "Resume the Gloom" was nineteen years ago, by a girl named Buffy, who's father had been a lifelong season-ticket holder. The point of this is to remind everyone that the Lions only cause suffering. The more you invest, the more you will lose.

As training camp opens today, hope, believe it or not, exists in Detroit. Truly, it makes no sense. Before I delve into the facts and stats of the 2008 season, let's look at what's happened in the interim:

• Snubbing assistance from NFL commish Roger Goodell, William Clay Ford hired Matt Millen's assistant, Martin Mayhew, as the new Lions GM. Evidently, Ford saw something special in the Millen protege, as he helped lead the team to an 0-16 season.
• Despite the worst defense in the league, the Lions spent their two first round picks on offensive players (one of which is a tight end).
• They retained oft-injured Daunte Culpper (passer rating: 64), while letting Orlovsky (73)walk.
• While the Lions had the 32nd ranked defense (out of 32), they hired the defensive coordinator of the team with the 31st ranked defense.
• They changed their logo from a Lion to a Lion.

At this point, I would normally present a counter-argument of decent offseason Lion acquisitions, but, after so many years of futility, they don't deserve it.

Now, before you buy those Lion season tickets, please remind yourself of these irrefutable facts and figures from 2008. The defense allowed:

6.4 yards/play (6.4!)
350 first downs (120 more than the Lions own offense)
25 passing TDs versus only 4 Lion interceptions
31 rushing TDs
... and all this led to the first ever winless NFL season.

Folks, this is the worst NFL team of all time. The worst franchise in all of sports. They do not deserve your support. Do not feel like you're being a fair-weather fan by abandoning them. Thatballdontlie gives you a full pardon. After decades of vomit-inducing letdowns, the Lions get no free pass. They need to prove it on the field. Until that day arrives, spend your Sunday afternoons apple picking.

Call Me Crazy, But This Makes Sense

I was uber-anti-Iverson, but this makes a lot of sense.

The "Sports Guy" is Kinda Ok

I devoured two separate million word essays from Bill Simmons yesterday. Not only did he delve, in incredible depth, into the saga of this off-season's NBA free agency, but he brought up a topic that I think is a great debate concept.

So, I thought I'd steal it.

Mr. Simmons makes a very good case for his choice of Almost Famous as the Best Movie Drama of the decade (2000-2009) based on the qualifications of "Excellence; originality; rewatchability." His poll lists 8 movies, all of which can be argued as great "Guy" dramas (good luck, however, arguing with a guy's guy about how Brokeback is a "Guy Movie").

But why limit the debate to dramas? When forced to name my favorite movie of all time, which seems to come up at least twice a year, I've been able to put genre out of the equation. In considering all the movies I've seen in my life, I've come to the conclusion that Casablanca is my favorite movie ever made. Using the qualifications of excellence, originality, and rewatchability, Casablanca wins hands down. If you add as a qualification: the film must included the consumption of copious amounts intoxicants, there's no other film that even comes close. I especially like, regarding the intake of alcohol, how the cool guys can hold their liquor. The weaklings, not so much. But I digress.

What is the best movie of the decade -- regardless of genre? I'd like to add the fourth qualification mentioned above, but I think that might lead to Superbad winning in a landslide. So, using excellence, originality, and rewatchability, what movie gets your vote for best film of the decade? A couple starting points...

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Wedding Crashers (2005)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol 2 (2004)
Memento (2000)
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Gladiator (2000)
Chocolat (2000)
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2003)

Tiger Trade Rumors

Looks like the Tigers may not stand pat after all. According to this article on the freep, the Tigers are pursuing Jarrod Washburn, a left-handed pitcher from Seattle. Washburn is not young (34), but he's currently sporting a 2.64 ERA. The Tigers would have to part with Jeff Larish, which would be fine with me. I'd actually forgotten about Larish - a fine hitter in his own right. He's a young, left-handed bat with serious power. The problem is that he didn't perform that well in his 32 games with the big club (.214 BA) before packing his bags for the Mud Hens. His best position is 1st base, which puts him behind Cabrera. I'd say that makes Larish expendable.

Update on the Wings
Apparently, the Wings have an offer on the table for Jason Williams. I was hoping the Wings would focus their attention on Tanguay, but the money must be too low. The fact that Williams didn't jump at the Wings offer leads me to believe he's not going to sign. Folks that are lukewarm about Detroit tend to sign elsewhere.

If I'm correct and Williams snubs Detroit, it's quite possible Holland will go after Bertuzzi. No doubt he's a polarizing figure, but the guy brings way more to the table than Williams. The problem, besides Bertuzzi's age (34) and injuries, is that the dude was a dreadful -13 on a very good Calgary Flames team last season. His +/- was worst on the team. The previous season, Bertuzzi had the 6th best +/- on Anaheim, so perhaps it was a fluke. Either way, I'd still prefer Bertuzzi to Williams, despite Mrs. Thatballdontlie's sheer loathing of the guy.

By the way, glancing at Anaheim's stats, I noticed Getzlaf notched a +32 during the 07/08 season. That dude is the real deal. If Holland is looking to replace some scoring, how about pursuing a blockbuster deal to pry Getzlaf away from the Ducks? It would probably take Jonathan Ericsson AND perhaps Filppula AND a slew of draft picks. But Getzlaf is perhaps the best under-25 player in hockey. Having seen all the young stars - Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, Kane, Toews - Getzlaf plays the best all-around game. He almost singlehandedly lifted the Ducks past the Wings in the playoffs. From Yzerman to Lidstrom to Zetterberg to... Getzlaf? The captaincy would be in good hands.

Red Wings Latest

According to this article on mLive, the Wings have between $2-$3million to spend on free agents. Holland would prefer to sign more than one player with that amount. Remaining free agents include Alex Tanguay, Mike Comrie, Petr Sykora, Vinny Prospal, Jason Williams, and Bertuzzi. The best of the bunch is Tanguay, who made $5.4million last season, so he'd have to take a massive pay cut. Same with Comrie (the youngest), who made $4million. A more likely target would be Sykora or Williams. Sykora was a healthy scratch by Pittsburgh in the playoffs, so that's gotta be a major red flag. Williams does not put up the offensive numbers of Sykora, but he is familiar with the Wings system. That may make him the likeliest of signings.

I'm not sure how Holland is going to stretch that $2-$3million into two players, but he's worked magic in the past. I'd really pressure Tanguay right now, knowing that most NHL teams are hurting financially. A one-year stint with the Wings could lead to good things for the 29 year old. He'd slot right in on the powerplay, and, despite his Avalanche past, I think most Wing fans would be happy to have him.

What about Hudles?
According to the article, Hudles will go to arbitration, but it's a mere formality at this point. The arbiter's ruling will only stipulate his salary when (or if) he returns to the NHL. There's nothing stopping Hudles from playing in Russia next season, and that's exactly what the Wings are expecting he'll do. Hudles has truly turned this into a big mess.

Los Tigres
The Tigers continued their road woes last night. After taking a 3-0 lead, thanks to timely 2-out hits by Ramon Santiago and Dusty Ryan, Tigers starter Luke French immediately gave the lead right back. The Rangers struck for 4 straight runs and tacked on 3 more later in the game. The Tigers rarely threatened after the 2nd inning. Yawn.

There's no relief in sight. This is your 2009 Detroit Tigers. And, to be fair, they're better than last year.

Road woes continue

On Fox Sports Detroit last night, I witnessed this exchange between a reporter and Jim Leyland:

Reporter - "Is it like a broken record?"
Leyland - "What?"
Reporter - "The offense."
Leyland - "Oh. (pause) It is what it is."

Yesterday, I posted that the Tigers bats remain dead and Inge needs to sit. I don't claim to be any sort of master prognosticator - it's simply common sense. Despite the wins over the Sox, they still aren't hitting well and absolutely suck with runners in scoring position. Last night, they were 1 for 8. Inge is batting .125 since the All-star break, and check out his power numbers -- 0 HR, 0 RBIs. Something is clearly wrong, and the dude needs time off.

According to foxsports.com, the Tigers remain "aggressive" in their pursuit of a hitter. I don't hold out much hope with any solid trade on the horizon. The Tigers simply don't have much expendable talent. They obviously need to keep Porcello and Ryan Perry, and they need to hold onto young bats. What else would other teams want? Magglio's contract? Clete Thomas? Raburn? I don't see it happening.

On a side note, the Tigers actually lead the majors in batting average with bases loaded - .385. Yet, they have the 2nd fewest sacrifice flies, and they've grounded into more double plays than anybody. So, it's feast or famine. Right now... famine.

Tigers and Fools Gold

I have to give the Tigers credit for taking 3 of 4 versus the Sox this weekend. I did not think they would take 2, let alone 3. The starting pitchers (save Porcello) and bullpen pitched extremely well, and the offense did just enough.

Yet, they are far from out of the woods. Nobody on the offense is really breaking out of the shell. Neither Inge nor Cabrera is really smacking the ball like earlier in the year. And they still can't hit a freakin' sacrifice fly. With runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, Raburn once hit into a double play. Later, he was bailed out with a swinging bunt and only a sharp slide by Cabrera prevented the double play. Yet, at times, they were clutch. Especially Guillen and Granderson. If they can somehow push runs across the next few days, perhaps the bats will eventually heat up. The slump has to end some time right?

Inge, by the way, looks awful. He's flailing at pitches like last year. The announcers said he nursing a knee problem. Unless they have absolutely nobody to play 3rd, they should sit Inge for a few days.

Twitter

Real quick note to mention thatballdontlie is now on Twitter. I'm not actually posting anything, but it does allow me access to real-time news. Despite its awful name, Twitter is actually quite a revelation. For those turned-off by the intrusiveness of Facebook, Twitter is more like an AP or Reuters stream directly onto your cell phone or computer.

For folks like me, I'm curious about Charlie Villanueva's reaction to the new Pistons assistant coach (hence the Quote of the Day). Or Charlie Davies' reaction to the Mexico loss (below). This is info you can't always get from a news article. Twitter is a new way to get player reaction and insight. It's quite revolutionary.

El Tri and El Bob

I've neglected mentioning the Gold Cup up to this point for the simple reason that the tournament is sorta stupid. In 2007, the Gold Cup winner earned a trip to the 2009 Confed Cup, but most years, like 2009, the Gold Cup awards nothing more than a shiny gold cup. While it's played in the USA, the tournament conflicts with the domestic MLS season. For European players, the tournament coincides with early-season training and has resulted in numerous Americans missing the crucial first few weeks with a new club (Jonathan Spector, Benny Feilhaber, Freddy Adu), or, worse, showing up injured (John O'brien).

Nevertheless, the 2009 version provided some exciting moments. The US team consisted mainly of domestic-based players who have little shot of making the World Cup roster. Bob Bradley brought his A-squad to the Confederations Cup, and all those players (except for Adu, Feilhaber, and Charlie Davies) were allowed to rest during the Gold Cup. As for Adu, Feilhaber, and Charlie Davies, they each played two early games and bolted to their clubs so they wouldn't miss the preseason (wise move). This left the US with a group of relative no-names and Brian Ching. Most other countries were in similar predicaments. With nothing on the line, Honduras, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico left many of the regulars off the squad, but it made little difference. The powers of Concacaf all advanced through the group stage. The US dusted off Panama and Honduras to reach the final against Mexico.

It was a pretty impressive run. Few of the US players wore a national team jersey before, and they were still able to steamroll through Concacaf. It certainly doesn't mean they're ready to win the Cup, but it further illustrates how MLS has improved depth. Unfortunately, the Final against Mexico proved that the US's new depth only works against the minnows of the region.

Like the US, Mexico brought almost exclusively a domestic-based team, and the teams were evely matched in the first half. The US had a number of quality chances, especially on restarts, that they failed to finish. At the end of the half, the US was caught pushing forward, and Giovanni Dos Santos (a Spurs product) split the US defense and passed to Alberto Medina who completely botched the shot. The game seemed destined for extra time.

That was most definitely not the case. At the half, Mexico inserted Carlos Vela (an Arsenal sub), and Bob Bradley's halftime speech must've consisted of "Anybody watch True Blood last night?" Vela caused immediate problems for the US right back Jay Heaps. In the 54th minute, the referee awarded Mexico a penalty kick on an extremely dubious call. Jay Heaps and Dos Santos both crumbled in the box after Heaps grabbed Dos Santos' jersey and Dos Santos elbowed Heaps in the face. PK for El Tri! Dos Santos and Medina then celebrated the call as if they won the lottery. The only thing that raced through my mind was that the players must be thinking, "The ref finally bought one of our dives!" Honestly, the bad PK is standard procedure in Concacaf football, and, while the call will likely not be called in a World Cup match, depending on the ref's cahones, it could get called in Azteca. Mexico buried the penalty, and the US team completely crumbled. The US defense tried to press, and the Mexicans counter-attack easily slipped behind and pummeled the US net. FOUR GOALS LATER the game was finally over. It was the most lopsided loss I've seen for the US since the 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Czechoslovakia in the '90 World Cup.

To be fair to the US, the penalty call completely altered the tone of the game, but, to be far to Mexico, they absolutely dominated after the first goal and were clearly superior.

This is the second Cup final for the US in which the team imploded in the 2nd half. Three goals against Brazil in the Confed Cup and now five goals to Mexico. Bob Bradley is no strategist. He appears locked into his gameplan regardless of what's happening on the field. Despite Concacaf allowing him an enormous 30-man roster, Bob chose to play the same exact lineup that beat Honduras three days earlier. Perhaps the players were gassed. Perhaps they were simply outplayed. Perhaps outcoached. Or all of the above. The bottom line is that the 5-0 drubbing on home soil suddenly made the Gold Cup relevant. No US fan, player, or coach wants to be embarrassed so thoroughly.

Charlie Davies, from France, tweeted immediately after the game: "This really hurts to watch. I feel the pain. Good thing we play Mexico August 12th!"
A win or draw at Azteca on August 12th will surely put this loss in perspective. Mexico is currently 4th in the Hex right now, and they'll be desperate and now confident against the US. I doubt few players from either Gold Cup lineup will be around on the 12th, but the odds will be stacked against the yanks. They've only managed one draw ever in Azteca. While the Mexican national team struggled in recent qualifiers, their top players are having much more success in Europe than their American counterparts. The top Mexican players used to stay in the domestic league, and I feel the shift to Europe has hindered their chemistry. It's only a matter of time, though, before the team starts to click. They've got too much talent.

As for the US, the 5-0 drubbing should not overshadow the true aim of the tournament. It allowed Bob to investigate new talent. No US player helped himself more than Stuart Holden. The attacking midfielder, currently at Houston Dynamo, was regularly the best American player. Other than Holden and Ching and perhaps the keeper, Troy Perkins, I doubt any other yank played himself onto the World Cup squad.

As for El Tri, we learned they're great front-runners. When they landed that PK, their eyes lit up, and they started to believe. After the game, one of the players actually shook hands with the Americans. Evidently, their ardido allowed them that. Pride, confidence, attitude now restored. Mission accomplished, I guess.

On a side note, the US may get a small measure of retribution in the form of Edgar Castillo. The 22 year old left fullback from New Mexico was formerly cap-tied to El Tri. Yet, a new ruling by FIFA allows players to switch national teams if they haven't played in a "full international." Evidently, a friendly doesn't count as a full international. The US is desperately thin at left fullback and Castillo is keen to join the yanks. Get that paperwork in motion, USSF!

Three Days

What takes three days? In three days, God created the sun, the sky, heaven, the Earth, the oceans, and all vegetation. For less divine folks, this company says they can remodel your bathroom or kitchen in three days. And, as announced yesterday, the NFL now requires three whole days to conduct the NFL draft. Apparently, the marathon broadcast, with an interminable 15 minutes between picks was not enough time.

To further cement their status as the bully on the entertainment playground, the NFL will air DAY 1 of the draft on a Thursday in prime time. I know what you're all thinking... I finally have an alternative to my usual Thursday viewing of NFL Total Access and NFL Network's Film Sessions, because all I live and breathe, as a 25-45 year old American male, is NFL! Well, rest easy, my friends, because your prayers have been answered.

DAY 2 will be Friday night, also in prime time, and the draft will finish the following Saturday morning. This change has left me wondering if NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, is missing a golden opportunity. The switch to three days and prime time is genius, but he should take it further. Who are we kidding? NFL is king in this country, and the fans will follow it to the ends of the earth. Goodell should make the draft an all-year affair. Draft one player per day, during prime time, and air it on every channel, like the State of the Union. Each broadcast could be a half hour - 15 minutes of pre-draft discussion, 10 seconds of the actual draft, and 14:50 minutes of post-draft analysis. Instead of the first round lasting one day, this system would give the NFL 32 straight nights of prime time gold!

Who's with me?

2-1

The Tigers have now lost their 4th game out of 5 by the score of 2-1. Another quality start wasted. Another blown opportunity to take win at home. *sigh*

Updated stats after this snoozer (since the All-star break):

4-42 with Runners in scoring position (.095 batting average)
42 runners left on base
3.33 Team ERA

In that span, Inge has two hits and 0 RBIs. He, like the rest of the team, is in a Magglio-esque slump. Apparently, if Inge can't drive in runs, nobody can. This losing streak is truly a testament to Inge's impact on the offense.

Stand Pat

The Tigers have roared out of the gate after the All-star break with a 1-4 record, averaging 3 runs/game. That stat is especially shocking, considering the team scored NINE runs yesterday. In that five game span, the Tigers are 4-39 with runners in scoring position (a .102 average), and they've left 38 runners on base. Yikes.

This team is not one player away. That's why I hope they don't make any futile trades. In the pleasant scenario where they actually win the Central, they'll be swept out of the playoffs quicker than Cavendish in a sprint. Dombrowski should accept that the team is in a rebuilding mode, and, while I'd welcome the addition of Matt Holliday, the price may be too steep. Who could the Tigers part with to warrant an All-star in return?

Yesterday's game proved, to me at least, that they are not a contender. In fact, they shouldn't even be considered a good team. They're mediocre - half a team. Solid starting pitching, solid defense, awful bullpen, dreadful hitting. I'm like a broken record.

ESPN's selective memory

The news is more than just Big Ben and an alleged cover up. ESPN, for some reason, refuses to even run the story, likely not wanting to smear Ben's name.

I debated whether or not to even write about this scandalous report. Ben Roethlisberger is not a Detroit athlete. Yet, some of the thatballdontlie readers are Miami (OH) grads and follow his career closely. I, as well, have always liked Ben as a personality and a player. He's gritty, wily, and a pretty darn good interview on PTI. But this story may derail all of that, and, even more surprisingly, ESPN is choosing to ignore it. I think it's worth discussion.

Now I won't go into the details, but Ben was accused of a serious crime that occurred at the Lake Tahoe Harrah's nearly a year ago. Both the NFL and the Steelers organization are investigating the allegations. The AP, CNN, and most other major news outlets reported the story yesterday. But not ESPN. Why? The only reason would be that ESPN wants to protect their relationship with the star QB. At best, this smacks of favoritism. At worst, racism.

ESPN may claim they are an sports entertainment outlet only. They have no responsibility to report news. Yet, their main page lists "Headlines" and "Top Stories" and even links directly to ABC News! When OJ was accused of killing his wife, ESPN covered that story like tarp on a baseball field. Kobe was accused of raping a girl in Colorado, and that story as well was all over ESPN. They have no issue with scandals. No issue with reporting allegations. No prior history at all with wanting to protect an athlete's innocence (until proven guilty). They've reported the legal troubles of Jayson Williams, Pacman Jones, Donte Stallworth, and, of course, Michael Vick. Most of these stories appear on the "ESPN.com news service". News? For some strange reason, I harken back to that scene from Good Morning Vietnam...

News –noun
1. a report of a recent event; intelligence; information: His family has had no news of his whereabouts for months.

This is a big-time black-eye for ESPN.

Pistons

Over the weekend, the Pistons signed F/C Chris Wilcox. Of the remaining centers available, Wilcox was one of the best and didn't break the bank ($6million/2years).

I'm not in love with this signing, but Joe D did need somebody to fill the void. As one of the few remaining corn-rowed ballers, Wilcox does possess ability. Ultimately though... I think he's just a guy. Not a difference maker. He's a decent shooter and athletic, but I fear he does little to actually make a team better.

Summer League
The Pistons finished their summer league with a 4-1 record. Dajuan Summers and Austin Daye all impressed with their scoring ability, but both need extensive work on defense. Summers fouled out in the final game, which is an impressive feat considering the summer league rules grant up to 10 fouls. The least heralded rookie, Jonas Jerebko shifted back to his SF position and played his best game (19pts/5reb).

Incidently, the Pistons 4th draft pick, Chase Budinger, a guy they gave away for virtually nothing, completely lit up the summer league. He averaged 18 pts off the bench and shot a blistering 68% from the field. True, Budinger may never come back to haunt the Pistons, but he's quickly looking like the next Bonzi Wells.

Overachievers

It was a good weekend to be away from the Tigers. Upon returning home, I heard that the Tigers were a staggering 1 for 26 with runners in scoring position. Their complete lack of clutch hitting continues. Against the Yankees, they Tigers gave up an average of 3 runs/game, but still lost all three games. They have lost 13 of 17 games against the AL East, including 8 of 9 versus the BoSox and Yanks. Perhaps I'm stating the obvious when I say that the Tigers are not elite.

Despite their first-place status, there's nobody drinking the Kool-aid in the D. I've yet to find a Tiger fan who believes they'll make the playoffs... we all know it's only a matter of time. So, I'm thinking I should re-evaluate my expectations for the Tigers. Instead of a playoff contender stocked with high-price All-stars (Maggs, Sheff, Cabrera), the Tigers are a team on the rebound. Last year, they were the worst team in the Central, so they've made a drastic improvement. They've added a fine arm in Edwin Jackson and decent gloves with Adam Everett and Gerald Laird. Sure, their hitting is the least clutch in the majors, but beggars can't be choosers. Now, doesn't that feel better?

I truly believe this re-evaluation is therapuetic. For some reason, the '06 season gave Tiger nation a false sense of legitimacy. That team was a one-year sham. The starting rotation completely imploded the next year (Robertson, Bonderman, the Gambler) - only Verlander remains. In fact, Rodney and Miner are the only '06ers left in the bullpen. It's a complete overhaul. Instead of solely chastising Dombrowski for $70million in dead money, we should credit the staff for getting the most out of Clete Thomas, Ramon Santiago, and Ryan Raburn. Somehow, the team is above .500 - a drastic improvement from last year. Perhaps in a few years, after shedding the dead payroll, the team will grow into an actual contender.

For the time being, I'll just try to enjoy this ragtag bunch for the overachievers they are.

The Z man

So, I was told by a friend last night that I can't actually take time off from the blog. I'm down with that. Especially when we got Zumaya to chat about.

The bottom line is that he's blown saves in 4 of his last 9 appearances. That's dreadful. Last night, old Z entered the game with a lead... then proceeded to give up five hits, one walk, and three runs. All that adds up to a loss for our beloved Tigers, despite a fine performance by rookie Luke French at Yankee stadium.

Now this morning, Zumaya finds himself on the disabled list (shoulder). If Zumaya got himself out of the inning, would he be on the DL? Would he just play through the pain? More and more, the Tigers seem to be using the DL as a depository for players who've lost it (Robertson, D-train, and now Zumaya). So, the big question now is whether or not Zumaya will ever regain his '06 form. With a golden arm like his, the Tigers will continue to give him every opportunity... even if it takes years.

On the positive side, Granderson and Polanco got two hits each. The team desperately needs their bats to heat up.

Vacation

Hey all,
I'll be out of contact for the next few days as one of the loyal readers and contributor, John, will be getting hitched. Thatballdontlie will be back in action on Monday, if not earlier.

Stupid Fans, pt. 2

Perhaps the worst kept secret in baseball is that the Blue Jays are shopping their ace, Roy Halladay. Halladay, a former Cy Young winner and potential Hall of Famer, is 32. I heard on the radio yesterday -- and I'm still somewhat in shock -- a Tiger fan say he would not trade Zumaya and Luke French for Halladay.

Crickets.

Now, I missed the beginning of that segment, so I'm not sure why that trade was even on the table. Likely it was put forth by some clueless Tiger fan. There's no way on God's green earth that Toronto would accept broken down Zumaya and French (career wins=1) for their gem. Yet, the fact that some fan actually felt the Tigers were getting the short end of the stick actually makes my head spin. He was trying to convince the hosts that French, as a lefty, is a rare commodity and should be cherished. Sure, French may turn out to be a fine pitcher. But he'll be lucky to stick with the team, let alone become a regular starter, let alone make an All-star team and win a Cy Young!

If I'm Toronto, I may consider a Zumaya, French, AND Porcello deal.

The Rooks
The Piston rookies continue to impress in Vegas. Daye went off for 27 pts against the Knicks. Granted, this competition is pretty weak. Not many of those "Knick" players will make the actual roster. Alex Acker was their point guard. Daye shot 9/17 and grabbed an impressive 13 boards. Yet, and this could be the most significant stat, he turned it over 5 times. And had 5 fouls. Those issues could keep him on the bench.

Dajuan Summers may be more NBA-ready. He pored in 26 with 8 boards. Only 2 turns. What I like most about Summers is his attitude. Despite getting a solid write-up in ESPN, Summers is keeping a cool head. On making the roster, he said:

"I don't think anything is a sure thing. I thought the first round was a sure thing. I don't believe anything until it's actually concrete. That's just how I approach things."

Sounds like a Piston.

One more quick note... the Pistons 3rd draftee, Jonas Jerebko, played the last few years in Europe as a small forward. With the team's dearth of 4s and 5s, the Pistons are trying him out as a center. He's not perfectly suited for that role, but he did manage 13 and 12 with only 2 fouls. Not too shabby. That sort of versatility will likely land him a spot on the team.

Big Ben

And I'm not talking about this guy. Or this guy.

The Suns didn't have plans for Ben Wallace, so they bought out his contract for $10million. Once he clears waivers, he'll be free to sign with any team. The Pistons could potentially sign him for the veteran's minimum, which wouldn't count against the salary cap (per Chris McCosky).

There were articles in all the Metro Detroit papers about this possible move, which made me wonder... did Joe D contact his media buddies and ask them to print this rumor, just to gauge fan reaction? Besides trying to win games next year, Joe D also has to figure out a way to get butts in seats. The Pistons have a long history of selling out the Palace. They're typically near the top of the league in attendance. Yet, after that dismal '08/'09 season, interest in the Pistons is near teal-era levels. The return of Big Ben, even a broken-down Big Ben, would help.

And he could help with the wins too. He wouldn't cost much and offers the exact thing this team needs - inside defense. Sure, he's not the dominant d-man of year's past, but he's better than Kwame Brown. In 24 minutes/game last year, he nabbed over six boards. Not horrible. And for $1.3million, he's worth it.

Home Run Derby

For my inaugural post, I'll put out a question:

Anyone watch Brandon Inge (HOF) fail to hit a single home run during his All Star Derby experience?  I didn't get to watch, but I do know that my main vegetarian Prince Fielder stole the show.  Think (HOF) was a tad nervous?  He became the first entrant since Jason Bay, in 2005 (ironically in Detroit at Comerica Park), to get blanked.

Afflalo's Gone

In a cap-clearing move, Dumars traded Afflalo and Walter Sharpe for basically nothing (future 2nd rounder). This deal only makes sense if Dumars signs a notable big man. The likely target is Glen Davis of the Celtics.

Ever since the Lions traded Shaun Rogers, Detroit's lacked an athlete nicknamed "Big Baby." Glen Davis will fill that void. He's also a good baller. When Garnett went down, Big Baby stepped into the starting role and performed quite well - averaging 15/5 in April. He doesn't quite rebound that well for a 290 pounder, but I imagine the Pistons will get outboarded every game anyway.

If the Pistons don't sign Big Baby, I'll be quite angry. Afflalo was a great role player. Sure, he didn't have the intangibles of a star, but he wasn't afraid to play defense. And he had a great attitude, even throughout that crappy '08/'09 season. Ah well, the Nuggets get another gift. You're welcome.

Tigers by the Numbers, pt 2

At the All-Star break, the Tigers find themselves in the 1st place, 3.5 games clear of the White Sox. With negligible contributions from the massive salary drains of Bonderman, Magglio, Robertson, Sheffield, Dontrelle, and Guillen, compounded by subpar offensive production from Polanco and Granderson, it's a damn miracle this team is above .500.

Credit must go to Jim Leyland who wasted little time in benching Maggs in favor of Clete Thomas and Don Kelly, who provided instant impact. Yet, watching this team, it's clear the wins aren't due to the bats. It's the defense. In the offseason, Dave Dombrowski signed unheralded Adam Everett for a bag of balls, and named Inge the full-time 3rd baseman. Those two guys were unbelievable defensive upgrades from a year ago.

In 2008, the Tigers were 2nd worst in the AL in fielding percentage and errors. This year, they are third best! The 2009 Tigers are also 3rd best in team ERA. I must give them credit for that. Yes, the bullpen needs a lot of work, but the starters carried the load in the first half.

Of course, the road ahead could be very bumpy. How long can they rely on Rodney? Will Zumaya every regain his control? Can Inge maintain his torrid HR pace? And Maggs... what, oh what to do? Many questions linger, but they're in first! Well done.

Summer League
For those unaware, the NBA conducts a summer league for incoming rookies and other young free agents looking for a chance to impress NBA scouts. It's difficult to gauge how a star in the rookie league will fare in the NBA. The competition level is dramatically different. But this much I do know... if you don't star in the rookie league, you've got no chance in NBA. Thus far, the Pistons 2nd round pick, Dajuan Summers appears to be the real deal. He's beaten up the competition as a solid all-around scorer. Piston blogger extraordinaire, Dave Dial, put together a nice recap of the first two summer league games.

Evidently, Austin Daye, the Stones first round pick, did well in Game 2, playing the entire 40 minutes. He's got the upside. Now he needs to put in the hours, working out, shooting, getting in shape. I'm convinced that's what sets starters apart from the end-of-bench dudes. They've all got the talent -- but do they have the work ethic?

FAs

Ansar Khan, MLive's Red Wing insider, posted an excellent list of available free agents. Notable names: Mike Grier, Manny Malhotra, and Petr Sykora.

Grier is actually a native Detroiter who usually gives the Wings fits. He'll be 35 next season, but could be a decent 3rd line, Samuelsson-esque replacement. Malhotra, the cheapest option, is still in his 20s and may blossom in the Red Wings system, like Cleary. It's more likely he'd be a minor contributor like Kopecky.

Then there's Sykora. The guy is a bonafide NHL scorer (25 goals last season, 300 career!). For some reason, he was a regular scratch for the Pens in the playoffs. He would, however, continue the Red Wing/Penguin offseason swap streak alive. If Sykora would take less money, he'd be the guy to get. If he sucks on defense, then scratch him like the Pens did. The Wings' playoff roster is set. They just need goals in the regular season.

Stupid Fans

The past week, countless Piston fans have chirped on the radio about Dumars destroying the team. Yesterday, a dude complained, "So Dumars basically traded Billups and Rasheed for Gordon and Villa-wave-uh?" (nobody can pronounce his name). Then today I overheard: "Bill Davidson must be turning over in his grave with how Dumars is dismantling his team. Mr. D would never have let Dumars push McDyess out of town."

Huh?

I'm the first to admit that Dumars is not a perfect GM. He may never live down the '03 draft. Yet, his moves in player personnel this summer are solid, if not stellar. Let's live in the hypothetical world where Dumars did trade Billups and Sheed for Gordon and Villanueva. That's a massive Piston upgrade. True, Billups is an all-star, but he's also going to be 33 next season. Rasheed will be 35 (same with McDyess). Gordon will be 26 and Villanueva 25. Gordon already is a 20pt scorer, and Villanueva - not quite in Rasheed's class - could blossom into a Rasheed-like threat. So, instead of allowing the Pistons to drift off into obscurity with aging players, Dumars parlayed them into two young players about to enter their prime.

As far as McDyess is concerned... Dumars did try to keep him in town. McDyess landed a 3 year / $15 million contract. I can't fault Dumars for not offering Dice a 3-year deal. Not that it would've mattered. McDyess was brutally disappointed with the Pistons last season - as we all were. He thought he was returning to a championship team and found a team in disarray. While, the additions of Gordon and Villanueva at least provide a core of players that want to be in Detroit, they are far from elite.

But why all the hate? The team can't stay elite forever. It's time to rebuild, and this summer was a good start.

206 points

Petr Svboda, Hudler's agent, told the Wings that Hudler will be playing in Russia next year. I doubt Ken Holland thought he'd lose both Hudler and Hossa, but, when you're no longer Stanley Cup champ, I guess you're no longer the prettiest girl in school. Maybe these guys see the Wings as a team on the decline, or perhaps it's just about money.

Hossa, Hudler, Samuelsson, and Kopecky accounted for 206 pts last season. That's a shocking 2.5 pts/game. Despite the harsh reality of those numbers, I still don't think the Wings will be affected. The only game-changer leaving is Hossa. Holland made the correct decision targeting Zetterberg first and Franzen second. Hossa scored 40 goals, but we all know that Z and Franzen were the top Wing forwards in the playoffs. Four years ago, the Mule was an unknown grinder. Most Wings fans wanted (former) Russian phenom Igor Grigorenko in the lineup instead of Franzen. My how times have changed. The bottom line is that Red Wings management knows talent. They may score less this season, but I doubt it will matter in wins/losses.

Hudler

So, I put it in my update section, but I thought I'd begin a Hudler-specific topic to allow for comments. This is a pretty shocking development. While I do believe Hudler will still sign with the Wings, we should now accept the possibility that the Wings may in fact be without FOUR forwards from last season - Hossa, Kopecky, Samuelsson, and now Hudler.

That's a pretty severe cut.

Ken Holland said that he could use the extra money to sign another forward, and I'm sure he could do just that. In fact, the team may be better if they find a solid 2-way player, but the pickings will be slim. How will the Wings fare missing an entire line from '08/'09 roster?

They already told Abdelkader he'll be starting in Grand Rapids. I imagine those plans have changed. No doubt Ville Leino will pick up some scoring slack. Perhaps Filppula will score 20. What about the others?

Kuester

Pronounced Q-ster.

I think the freep put it best: Dumars' pick - obscure assistant John Kuester. Big time egg-on-the-face for Joe D. Doug Collins turned him down. Avery Johnson turned him down. Dumars finally got long-time assistant John Kuester to say yes.

The reports say that Kuester is the offensive mastermind behind the Cavs resurgence this past season. There may be an element of truth to that, but Kuester will find it much harder to score without Lebron James. Kuester will have a high-scoring shooting guard in Ben Gordon, shifty point guard Rodney Stuckey, and multi-dimensional PF Charlie V. As of now, Tayshaun Prince is still on the team, and so is Rip Hamilton... though I don't expect that to last.

Dumars compared this team to Rick Carlisle's first team - a team in transition. If this random collection of talent wins 50 games as Carlisle's team did, I'll do cartwheels. I just can't see it happening. I still see too many holes. But I will admit that Joe is charting out a direction. Gone are the days of a swarming defense. Dumars is switching to an offense-first outfit. I'm not sure how that will play in Detroit, but at least the team will have a semblance of an identity. My guess is that the new players will play defense if the team notches a few wins. If they start 5-10, it could get ugly.

No Avery

Dumars - jilted by yet another coach. The reports are that Dumars and Avery Johnson couldn't agree to terms. If the Pistons weren't already paying Flip Saunders and Michael Curry, perhaps Joe D could've been more lenient. I suppose this is the price he'll pay for hiring/firing the wrong coach, repeatedly.

This is a pretty huge loss since there aren't any other experienced coaches out there. If Joe hires an assistant (and it's looking like Cleveland assistant John Kuester), he'll face a wave of criticism. How could he replace the inexperienced Curry with an ever less experienced coach in Kuester? At least Curry had one year as an NBA head coach under his belt!

I honestly don't care. These guys are likely all upgrades over Curry. This is a team in transition, so next year will suck regardless.

The Tigers By the Numbers

I'm sure there are people that believe I'm too pessimistic. Why should I complain about a 1st place team? Why call them a house built on quicksand?

This is why they are not a team built to last:
Batting
Team Batting Avg - .259 (11th in AL)
Team Hits - 711 (12th in AL - ahead of only KC and Oak, teams they recently lost to)
Team Sacrifice Flies - 18 (13th in AL)
Grounded into Double Plays - 80 (most in all of baseball)

Pitching
Walks allowed - 308 (2nd most in AL)
Blown saves - 15 (most in AL)
Save % - 55 (13th in AL)

Granted, these are selective stats. They are middle-of-the-pack in most pitching categories, and they're near the top in fielding. Yet, they do not fare well in reliever stats, and, of course, they're absolutely dreadful at producing runs.

I wouldn't be so critical of their hitting woes, if the bullpen was stronger. They could be a defense-first team, and that would be enough to get them into the playoffs. Unfortunately, the team was built as a hitting team. With Grandy, Polanco, Maggs, Laird, and Guillen hitting well below their career average (or injured), the team must rely on the pitching. That puts the bullpen under more scrutiny.

Microcosm

The loss to KC tonight was a microcosm of the entire season. Good starting pitching, awful hitting, and a complete flameout by the bullpen.

Thanks to a fine outing from Armando Galarraga, the Tigers found themselves leading 2-1 in the 8th inning. Zumaya relieved Galarraga and proceeded to give up a hit and a walk (sandwiched between an out). The next dude shot his next pitch into the gap, scoring 2. Yea, bullpen!

Amazingly, Ryan Raburn doubled home Josh Anderson to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th. The problem is that nobody told Raburn it was a double. He tried to stretch it into a triple, and the poor 3rd baseman had time for tea and crumpets by the time he tagged out RyRay. That could've been the play of the game.

Rodney pitched the 9th and gave up a homerun. No late-game heroics from the Tigers in the bottom of the 9th as they had difficulty doing anything against the KC closer, Soria. Pretty awful loss, considering KC exposed the Tigers bullpen as a total sham. This does not bode well. Nobody in Detroit believes the Tigers will be able to hold onto first place, and count me among 'em. They're not a complete team.

Curse of Señor Smoke

This sorta started as a joke, but, after doing some research, it's proved to possess some merit. Or... at least serve as an interesting coincidence.

The Detroit Tigers traded Juan Berenguer after the 1985 season. Juan played a season with the Giants and then signed with the Twins in early 1987 - that's when the curse began. The Tigers had an incredibly memorable season in 1987. For most of the 2nd half, they battled the Blue Jays for first place (and the best record in all of baseball). In a stroke of scheduling luck, the two teams ended their season with a 3-game series in Detroit. The Tigers had to win all three to win the division outright. They did just that, and they finished with an awesome 98-64 record.

Berenguer had a memorable season of his own with the Twins. Then dubbed Señor Smoke, the part-time starter went 8-1 with a 3.9 ERA. Along with a soon-to-be legendary cast of characters, the Twins won their division with a pedestrian 85-77 record. Few people (outside of Minnesota) gave the Twins much of a chance. The Tigers were a team of destiny. They captivated all of baseball with their dramatic pennant race that came down to Frank Tanana's complete game 1-0 shutout win on the final day! This was a team that made headlines. But the curse of Señor Smoke shattered the dream.

Once the playoffs began, things started going the Twins way. Starting with the venue. Despite winning 13 fewer games than the Tigers, the Twins earned home-field advantage due to the archaic "alternate-each-year" system (this system is no longer in place). Then the Twins bats caught fire. They shellacked the Tigers for 8 runs that first game, with Señor Smoke pitching 2.2 scoreless innings in relief.

The Twins took five games to dispatch the Tigers and then went on to win the whole shebang - earning the distinction of having the worst record (85-77) to ever win the World Series. That record now belongs to the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, who won just 83 games (and, yes, also beat the Tigers).

Of course, the Twins proved to be much more than a one-year fluke. They won the Series again in 1991 and spawned a Hall of Famer in Kirby Puckett and countless All-Stars (Kent Hrbek, Jeff Reardon, Frank Viola, Gary Gaetti, Chuck Knoblauch, and so on). For the next two decades, the Twins were among the class of the American League, and their sheer domination of the Tigers continued unabated (save for the hiccup in '06). Since 1987, the Twins own a commanding 182-125 record against Detroit. Now, that includes both home-and-away. I'm downright scared to look at results of only the Metrodome games. Prior to 1987 ... prior to former Tiger Señor Smoke signing with the Twins, the Tigers' record against the Twins was a stellar 60-36 (going back to 1980).

This year, the trend continues. The Twins are 6-2 in games against Detroit. Remove the Tigers from their schedule, and they're a below .500 team (37-38). Next season, the Twins abandon the Metrodome for an outdoor stadium. That switch can't happen soon enough.

The Maggs Situation

"Anonymous" asked in an earlier post about the $18million kicker clause in Maggs' contract. This link explains it in fine detail, but the bottom line is that the Tigers will have to pay Maggs $18million next season if he starts 126 games or has 456 plate-appearances. To date, he has 283.

One more quick note about the Tigers... yeah, they really sucked on this road trip. Yet, they remain in first place after a pretty brutal schedule. They've played 34 home games versus 47 games on the road. If they can continue their dominance at Comerica, they might contend down the stretch. A six-game home stand starts tonight.

A trade in the works?

Very intriguing blog post by Dave Dial this morning. The Pistons signed their 2008 2nd round pick Deron Washington. Washington played in Israel last season. As yet another 6'7 small forward (didn't the Pistons draft three small forwards a few days ago?), Dave Dial postulates that this signing is the precursor to a trade.

Clearly, there's no reason for the Pistons to have five small forwards on their roster, so this guy will likely be on the move. The question is where? And for whom? The likely candidates would be Tyson Chandler or Boozer. Both guys will make over $12million this season. If Dumars ships Rip only, the salaries won't match - Rip will make a little under $11million.

My guess is that Utah would be extremely willing to part with Boozer. They were hoping he'd opt out anyway. And Rip would fit in quite well to their lineup. A starting lineup of Deron Williams, Rip, Kirilenko, Memo, and Millsap would be formidable. As for Chandler, New Orleans already tried to trade him once. I'm not sure why they don't like him. Perhaps his injury was more serious than originally thought? If he is healthy, he'd be a great pickup. He was entering his prime before the injury took him down, averaging 12pts/12boards in 07/08. The Pistons desperately need his defense and rebounding.

Collins

Shows what I know. Doug Collins removed his name from consideration. Perhaps I'm looking too deeply into things, but this has got to be a slap in the face for Joe, no? The timing is also a little strange. The day after Joe D signs Ben Gordon and Charlie V, Collins says he's not interested. What happened? I suppose it doesn't matter because the job is now primed and ready for Avery Johnson, who could be the best option anyway. The knock against Avery is that he was a control freak in Dallas. If he's learned to chill a bit, he could be a fantastic hire. The Pistons need a guy who has the intestinal fortitude to stand-up to players when they err but also the patience to let the players be themselves. In essence, they need Chuck Daly.

These aren't freshmen who needing a crash-course in Xs and Os. The youngest player, Stuckey, will be entering his 3rd year in the league. My guess is these guys know their roles. They need a leader, a guiding hand, who will unite the different personalities. With so many new faces, chemistry will be key. Even with the infusion of new talent, their record in the Fall of '09 could be quite awful. I'll hold off on judging them until the 2nd half of the season.

Dead Bats Continue
Rather pathetic showing by the Tigers yesterday. Maggs is now tied for 5th in the majors with most GIDP (grounded into double plays). The dude is killing the team. Leyland gave him three days off - Maggs needs a few weeks off. I believe he still has the talent, but he's going through a mammoth of a slump. And he's not alone.

On this road trip, the Tigers are 7-41 with runners in scoring position (Maggs is 0-6). That's a pretty sweet .170 average in those clutch situations. My pet peeve for the past few years is that this team simply can't hit a sac fly. If they don't get a hit, that runner on 3rd ain't coming home.

To make matters worse, Verlander is having major problems on the road (4-4, 4.98 ERA). He's lights out at home, but can't seem to lay down the hammer outside of Comerica. Of course, even those road numbers aren't horrible. If the bats were stronger, they'd be able to carry a subpar pitching performance. Alas, no.

Now, it's on to Minnesota. The Twins could catch the Tigers in the standings with a sweep.

Gordon & Villanueva (Updated)

According to Yahoo Sports, Ben Gordon agreed to a contract $55million/5years. Villanueva is still working out his deal. I still don't know where this puts Rip. I suppose it's possible Rip might be traded to land a Tyson Chandler, but that's wishful thinking.

The article postulates that Villanueva might get roughly $7million/year. That would leave Dumars with $3million remaining for another free agent. I'm doubtful that would be enough to land Brandon Bass. The Pistons would desperately need help with the 4 and 5 positions. Kwame Brown just ain't a long term solution.

[Updated]
Many news outlets are now reporting that the Stones landed Villanueva too (see Yahoo's story). One day after singing his praises, I'm certainly not going to go back on my word. I still see Charlie V as a great pickup. He's young, hungry, and not terribly expensive - the estimate of $7million/year was accurate. Despite the two new contracts, Joe D still has roughly $4million left to spend. That might just be enough to land a big man.

The Yahoo story postulates that Rip will be traded for one of the following big men: Boozer, Kaman, or Chandler. Y'all know my thoughts on Boozer, but committing to him for just one year ain't a bad idea. Chandler would be a better fit, but it's possible Kaman might be the best of the bunch. He's got no ego, and he's cheap ($2million less than Chandler). Don't get me wrong... this is not the making of a championship, but it's an upgrade over Kwame Brown.

Avery & Free Agents

Just to quickly update, the freep learned that Avery Johnson's agent was officially contacted about the Pistons' job. This is a good development.

I also just read that Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are currently in Detroit, negotiating contracts. That's very interesting. I can't see how Gordon and Rip could exist on the same team.

On second thought, Gordon and Rip (and Villanueva) went to UConn... so maybe they're buds. Would friendship trump ego?

Pistons avoid landmine

Carlos Boozer decided not to opt out of his contract. In December, Boozer said, "I'm opting out. No matter what, I'm going to get a raise regardless." I suppose he realized that $12.7million/year ain't such a bad salary after all. I have a feeling that Boozer's cash-grab instincts would not go over too well in Detroit.

Sure, people understand the allure of money, but fans want at least a small sense of team loyalty. Boozer has a history of bolting teams at the first chance of a raise. He left Duke after his sophomore season -- to be a 2nd round pick. He bolted Lebron James and the budding Cleveland Cavaliers for more cash at Utah. And then, of course, his comments last December.

I, for one, am happy he's staying in Utah. It gives the Pistons the chance to push for Millsap. Utah will have to pay the luxury tax to keep Boozer, Okur, and Millsap, and, as of today, it looks like they're willing to do that. They may change their mind if the the Millsap contract offer is too pricey.

Other Free Agents
The local news believes that Ben Gordon is the primary target. I just don't get it. I like Gordon as a player, but he plays the same position as Rip. The Pistons need help inside. Overpaying for Ben Gordon does little to help the team in the long run. Joe D should be focusing his efforts specifically on big men - notably Villanueva, who has no shortage of critics in Detroit. Shortly after the news of his availability hit the press, Mike Valenti and Terry Foster ripped into this guy. What's not to like? He's a 6'11 power forward who can put up 20 per game? He's young and would probably only cost $8million/year.

Phoenix is also looking to unload Amare Stoudamire. Now, that guy would make a difference. Imagine how much better Stuckey would be if he had a big man the calibre of Stoudamire? Neither Villanueva or Stoudamire are known for defense, but Joe could complement one of those guys with a defensive specialist. Perhaps that could be Brandon Bass from Dallas. Bass was a bench player, but he has the athleticism to really shine as a starter. Now that I think of it... Bass should be their #1 target! They could get him for cheap, and he could have an instant impact and would fit well into the Pistons (pre-2008) culture. ESPN says "Bass is a physical player who can get up and down the floor. He is too quick for most 4s to handle..." Sounds like a perfect fit.