Friday, May 29, 2009

Shades of '08

Three times last night the Tigers had a man on 3rd with less than 2 outs. All three times they failed to score.

This is one reason why I was excited earlier this season when I saw Inge=HOF and Granderson hit sacrifice flies. Sacrificing was a foreign element to the '08 Tigers. The '09 team has been better, so let's hope last night was an aberration.

In the top of the 8th, the Tigers were down 2-1. Laird came to bat with one and runners on 1st and 2nd. Ol' reliable Mario Impemba announced that the Tigers were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Ouch. Laird grounded the first pitch to the 3rd baseman. Double play. End of the inning. 1 for 11.

If the Tigers are to make a run toward the playoffs, they will have to improve at the plate. Not only do they need to sacrifice, but they gotta avoid grounding into double plays. They lead the entire majors in that dubious category (51).

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Helm

Let's just take a moment to reflect on the fact that Darren Helm played a grand total of 16 games for the Wings this season -- 23 games for his entire regular season career. His career +/- is -9.

He was the best player on the ice last night.

How is that possible? Credit must go to the Red Wings organization. As mentioned before, they do an incredible job at putting players in a position to succeed. The Grand Rapids Griffins employ the same puck-possession style, and the management has little turnover (Griffins' GM is going on his 13th straight season). When Helm got the call, he could slot right into a familiar role. Last year, he averaged a mere 7 minutes per game in the playoffs. Last night, he played 16+ and was the games 3rd star (after Ozzie and Huet). While I praise the organization, the majority of the credit should go to Darren Helm himself.

Helm is also a rare statistical anomaly - he's played more games in the playoffs than the regular season. Both last year and this year, the team asked Helm to jump into the lion's den with extremely little on-the-job training. He served as the Draper replacement - skate fast, disrupt the opposition, fight for turnovers and hope for a breakaway. Mission accomplished.

During the playoffs last year, the star players carried the wings. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Franzen led the team with 13, 10, and 13 goals respectively. Nobody else had more than 5. (It should be noted that Franzen's '08 playoffs made him a "star player.") This year, Filppula has 13 assists, Cleary notched 8 goals, and we all know about Samuelsson's clutch scoring. It's been a balanced attack. With so many stars injured, the team had no choice.

A writer on ESPN.com wonders if the injuries will be the teams undoing. Last night, the Blackhawks dominated possession for long stretches, and the Pens are even more offensively talented. The defensive skills of Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Ericksson, and Draper will be crucial. If they don't return, it's up to the Helms of the world.

RIP Chicago
Gotta give some credit to the Blackhawks. They took a more experienced wings team to 3 overtime games. They're an absurdly youthful team with an average of like 15, so they've got a bright future. My one quibble would be with their management. They traded Steve Wisniewski to the Ducks for Sammy Pahlsson. Pahlsson notched 5 points in the playoffs. Wisniewski, meanwhile, with his dominant physical play, brought the Wings to the brink of elimination. Pahlsson's a fine player, and he's won a Cup. But, man, Wisniewski is exactly the type of player that Chicago lacked - big, strong d-man. Those guys, more than goalies, carry teams through the playoffs. The Wings had Kronwall and Stuart. The Hawks had... Seabrook? He's the closest and could turn into a dominant player, but he's very, very young. Wisniewski would've helped.

Et tu Sergei, pt II
Chris Osgood offered some insight into the Fedorov saga. Earlier this week, I postulated that Fedorov left Detroit because he would get $10million/season. Osgood felt Sergei had different motives:
After a while players get stagnant and they want a change of scenery.

That's an interesting take. Ozzie felt Sergei was, in general, misunderstood, and that definitely appears so. If Sergei did want a change of scenery, I certainly couldn't blame him. He had been in Detroit over a decade, won three cups, and a Hart trophy. Why not try his luck elsewhere? Especially since the fan base never forgave him for holding-out with contract disputes. The move out of the D didn't help his career at all, but perhaps he was happier. Fare thee well, Sergei. You may get that #91 in the Joe's rafters some day. But will you even care?

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Another Guard

A few weeks ago, I posted that the Pistons were settled at the 1 and 2 spots, with Stuckey, Hamilton, Bynum, and Afflalo. With the assumed departures of Rasheed and Dice, the Pistons will desperately need big men. So, why would the Pistons take another guard with their 15th pick in the draft? And, more importantly, why would I be okay with it?
Let's face it, if you're not picking in the top 5, you're not getting a quality big man. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule, but, for every Memo, David Lee, and Paul Millap, there are twenty Robert Traylors.
And speaking of Robert Traylor, he was actually the #6 pick, surrounded by this future all-star bunch:
4. Antawn Jamison
5. Vince Carter
6. Robert Traylor
7. Jason Williams
8. Larry Hughes
9. Dirk Nowitzki
10. Paul Pierce

Yikes. That's a Darko-level gaffe. In recent years, only Darko and Shelden Williams have been outright busts as top-5 big man picks. Tyrus Thomas and Bargnani showed flashes of top-level ability and may develop into dominant big men. Outside the top-5 is slim pickings. Except for the guards. Even the awful '06 draft had Brandon Roy (6), Ronnie Brewer (14), Rajon Rondo (21), and Sergio Rodriguez (27). Talent at the guard position will be there for the Pistons at #15. Why waste a pick on BJ Mullens, just because he's 7'0? Take a guard if that's the best option.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

No Nick, no Pav, no Draper, no problem?

Huh? Wha? How the heck did the Wings play their best, most focused game of the series without Nick, Pav, and Drapes? Perhaps it's yet another example of the Ewing Theory. For those unaware, the "Ewing Theory," coined by ESPN writer Bill Simmons, states that teams often play better when a superstar is out. In the Red Wings case, the entire roster, from Hossa to Abdelkader, played with the same determination and fight that they brought against Anaheim.

When I first saw the d-line pairings and noticed Lidstrom was absent, I arrogantly stated, "No Lidstrom or Datsyuk? Count this one as a loss." My Dad wisely responded, "Lots of hockey to be played." A few seconds later, my Dad added, "Hossa's due for a goal." As if on cue, Hossa and Filpulla pounced on a Blackhawk miscue and raced down the ice for a shorthanded 2-on-1. Hossa's goal set the tone for the game, and I think it sent a message to the fans that the United Center would not be a party that day. My Dad then commented, "You know, Franzen is also due for a goal." Boom! Franzen scored that backbreaker right before the end of the first.

While that was the end of my Dad's prognostications, it was not the end of the goals. Trailing 3-0, the Hawks managed a power play goal to get within 2. But a shocking 12 seconds later, Hossa (again) answered to retake the 3 goal lead. The Hawks lost their cool after that one.

With such a dominant win, Yahoo sports printed a Wings vs. Penguins Stanley Cup preview. I suppose that means the Blackhawks will win Game 5. Didn't newspapers learn their lesson after Dewey Defeats Truman? Thanks to sweet NHL scheduling, we gotta wait until Wednesday to find out. Despite such a dominant win without the two stars (and one reliable role player), the Wings need those guys. Both Datsyuk and Lidstrom could return, but Draper is out indefinitely.

Et tu Sergei?
In not-at-all related news, Fedorov played his last game in the NHL, without even a goodbye. I can't blame the guy for wanting to maximize his earning potential. He certainly wouldn't have been able to earn $10million/year with the Wings. But how much money did the dude need? He earned $14million in ONE SEASON (1998) thanks to a clause in his contract that gave him a massive bonus if he reached the conference finals. Yet, his actions say he wasn't all about greed. He donated $2million the next season to start the Sergei Fedorov foundation to help Detroit area children. A pretty complicated dude. From a hockey standpoint, it's rather sad he left Detroit. His production tailed off dramatically, and he basically became irrelevant. He'll probably land in the Hall of Fame, and I guess it's deserved... right?

Friday, May 22, 2009

Edwin

Very impressive outting for Edwin Jackson yesterday. While he did not have his best stuff (5 walks), Jackson left the game after 8 innings, allowing only 3 runs. In a shocking move, Leyland did not go to the bullpen, despite Jackson throwing 100 pitches through 7. Even when Jackson gave up a game-tying double, he let him finish the inning. Ultimately, Jackson threw a career-high 132 pitches. No doubt many fans think Leyland left Jackson in too long. My take is that it's just as likely the bullpen would've lost the lead. At least Jackson limited the damage to 2 runs. Despite the high pitch count, his fastball actually improved - at one point hitting 101mph.

For the record, the Tigers gave up Matt Joyce for Jackson. Joyce was sent to the minors on April 12. This is no knock on Joyce - he's a solid, power-hitting outfielder. Yet, to acquire a starting pitcher with the 3rd best ERA in the AL is quite a trade for Dave Dombrowski. Yes, I know I'm flirting with danger. Now that I'm singing his praises, the TBDL curse will likely hit Jackson in his next start (Galarraga still hasn't recovered), but I have to acknowledge DD's sterling trades as well as his gaffes.

Pav4Hart
Is injured. Yikes. Despite his lack of goal production, losing Pavel would severely cripple the Wings. He's one of the best defensive forwards, and he occupies the opposition's best defenders. If Pav is out, there will be much less room for the Zetterbergs and Franzens. Let's hope Pav's injury heals quickly.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Goat to Hero


For those that live outside Detroit, you'll have to trust me that Wings fans beat up on Mikael Samuelsson. Well... they used to beat up on him. He was not quite in Brandon Lyon territory, but he was usually the first on the list of players the team needs to dump. He never scored, he sucked on the power play, and he was taking a valuable roster spot away from (overhyped young player X).

I recall when he first came to the Wings in '05. He was a late addition during training camp and likely bumped Jiri Hudler back to Grand Rapids for the season. The move paid immediate dividends as the unknown Samuelsson scored 6 goals in the first 8 games. The Red Wing brass uncovered another Swedish gem! His scoring tailed off a bit, but he still finished with a solid 23 goals. Then came the playoffs - the time when a whole slew of new Red Wing fans start to tune in. Before exiting after six games to Edmonton, Samuelsson notched one solitary point - an assist.

The following season, his scoring dropped to 14 goals, and the next year it dropped even further to a shocking 11 goals. He did manage 5 goals in the playoffs, but the public's opinion was confirmed - Samuelsson must go.

I fell prey to the complaining as well. My main complaint against him was his shot selection. Samuelsson evidently has one of the hardest shots on the team. Yet, his shots rarely make it to the net. They're either blocked or off-target. For a guy who works the point on the power-play, his shot needs to be on net. Otherwise, the ricochet can lead to a breakaway the other direction.

So, he's not perfect. But he's been absolutely astounding the last three games. With all of Red Wing nation watching, Samuelsson scored the game winner in Game 7, and then notched two more in the following two games. There was a time against Chicago when I actually mistook him for Datsyuk! He was twisting and twirling and possessing the puck like a master. At intermission, one of the Vs. color guys mentioned how he's going to cash-in this summer as a free agent. Wait - Samuelsson?! Cash in?! It's true. Gotta give the dude some credit. He's played well.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Slow Day

Due to the relatively slow sports day yesterday, I'll take this time to further more rumors about the upcoming NBA draft.

Tonight is the lottery, and Pistons fans should take note of where Washington ends up. As mentioned before, the Wizards will be looking to deal their pick if it's not #1 or #2. Despite a disappointing season, the Wiz want one more run with their big three - Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and (a healthy) Gilbert Arenas. Next season, they'll have Flip Saunders at the helm, and we all know he can run an offense. The Wizards may deal their #3 or #4 pick for Detroit's #15 and Tayshaun or Rip. I'd hate trading either of those guys while their value is so low.

Joe may be better served to wait a few weeks into the season and see if either Tay or Rip turn it up a notch. Cleaning out both AI and Sheed should do wonders for the organization. I have a hard time believing the #3 pick will offer much to the Pistons next season, whereas a veteran like Bosh, Boozer, Millsap, or Okur would make quite a splash. Free agency should still be Joe's focus. With that said, I'd be more excited about this draft if it weren't for Thabeet. I watched UConn a number of times and rarely saw Thabeet dominate. Yes, he's 7'3, but he was more Cherokee Parks than Motumbo. I hope he proves me wrong, though I'd still rather have the Pistons take smooth shooting Earl Clark or Jordan Hill if they get the Wiz pick.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Elephant in the Room

Yay Tigers. You swept the A's. This, on the heels of getting swept by the Twins, just after sweeping the Tribe. How do we make sense of this?

The team is still wildly inconsistent. For the most part, the hitting will always be inconsistent. Cabrera is playing at an All-star level and might continue through the rest of the season. Polanco should continue to hit at a .300 clip. But after those two, though, the Tigers are streaky - and that includes Granderson, Maggs, Inge, etc. The fact that they clobbered the A's for 14, 9, and 11 runs is awesome, but I doubt they'll be able to always rely on the bats.

I've harped on it before, and my opinion has not changed. The team will go nowhere until the bullpen gets an upgrade. Let's go back to that telling statistic - Inherited Runners Scored (IS%). This season, the Tigers used eleven pitchers out of the 'pen. Two of those have always started innings and, thus, have no inherited runners (Rodney and French). The other nine:

Pitcher IS%
Rincon* 100%
Rapada 100%
Nate 75%
Bonine 60%
Lyon 50%
Seay 43%
Miner 40%
League Ave. 37%
Zumaya 20%
Perry 0%

(*released)
Folks, the Tigers have two pitchers of nine below the league average. The bullpen is failing. If Zumaya and Perry are not available (such as the 3rd game against the Twins), no lead is safe. Furthermore, Perry and Zumaya are still unproven - Perry has a career 16 innings under his belt, and Zumaya is coming off two straight injury-riddled seasons. Thank God they're pitching well, but they need help. What about Bobby Seay? He killed the Tigers last week. It's clear to me that his role is simple - situational lefty. Bring him in for one or two batters. Any more than that and he'll blow up.

Zumaya & Perry need help, and I have serious doubts these other dudes will improve. Dombrowski should look to make some moves now. The Tigers are fortunate to currently find themselves in first place. DD should take advantage. Raburn's stock is high - same with Clete Thomas and Josh Anderson. One or two of those guys could land a decent arm, right?

Galarraga
Oofff. Four straight painful starts. He needs to sit for a while. Send him to the bullpen. Let Miner fill-in. Galarraga has the goods, but he needs to retool something. On the heels of Verlander's awesome 13K outting, the Galarraga/Verlander karmic see-saw continues...

Edwin
Let's have a show of hands of the folks who questioned the Matt Joyce for Edwin Jackson trade. Anyone? Anyone? On mLive.com, many Tiger fans were livid. Where are they now?

Up and Down

A relatively up-and-down performance by the Wings yesterday. The Hawks were definitely the fresher team out of the gate. They were unlucky not to notch at least two goals in the first period. When Cleary broke away to score goal #1, it was against the run of play.

The Cleary goal energized the Wings, and they seized control of the game. Chicago had few chances throughout the first and second periods. No longer facing the dominant d-men of Anaheim, Datsyuk and Zetterberg had much more space to create. Franzen notched the second goal, and he could've scored a few minutes earlier on a point-blank attempt on the power play.

While I complained about him in the regular season, I have to single out Mikael Samuelsson. He saved the Wings in Game 7 and provided a back-breaking 3rd goal yesterday. Very timely scoring by a regular whipping-boy. My knock on him is that his shots never reach the net. For whatever reason, the defense easily reads his shots, and they often lead to quick transitions the other way. If he just got his shots on net, he'd perhaps score or get some tasty rebounds. He's finding a way this playoffs.

Osgood also came up huge in Game 1. When the rest of the players were suffering post-Ducks hangover, Osgood saved their butts. Very solid.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Good Game, Now Leave

Hell yeah. That's all I can really say. When the Ducks scored the tying goal, I (and I'm sure most of Detroit) had that sinking feeling that this was going OT. I have to give the Ducks credit - they rallied in the 2nd period to score twice and played perhaps the most inspired hockey of their playoffs. They attacked the Red Wings consistently, though they did receive the benefit of questionable whistles.

Pronger, involved in two of the more bizarre referreeing decisions, pushed Hudler into his own goalie. Hudler was promptly penalized for goalie interference. A few minutes earlier, Pronger literally body-slammed Marian Hossa (who did not have the puck) and received no penalty. The Hudler penalty occurred mere moments after the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead. The Ducks wasted little time on capitalizing to inch closer to 3-2. That was a key turning point in the game, and the ref played a major role.

Then, in the 3rd, the Red Wings failed to clear the puck out of the zone, thanks to a well-positioned broken stick. The puck ricocheted off the stick, the Ducks took possession, the Wings' D scrambled, and the puck ended in the back of the neck. The Ducks did a fine job capitalizing, and the Joe fell silent. The rest of the game was back-and-forth, with the dreaded "playoff-type goal" the series decider. The Wings had possession deep in Duck zone. After a few unsuccessful attempts at threading a pass, Zetterberg mishandled the puck and decided to simply flip the puck toward the goal. It bounced under Hiller, and Cleary, positioned perfectly in front of the net, slid his stick under Hiller and pushed the puck (and Hiller's leg) into the goal. The puck slid in, and the crowd roared.

The Wings gobbled up the final three minutes without allowing the Ducks much room to make a final push. While Osgood ultimately gave up three goals, he had no chance on any of them. Throughout the game, he came up huge, stopping the Ducks on numerous point-blank shots. It was an absolutely stellar game from Osgood. In the traditional end-of-series handshake, Osgood and Giguerre spent a few extra minutes chatting. If Giguerre weren't so darn expensive, it'd be nice to have him in Detroit as Ozzie's eventual replacement.

As the other players shook hands, I couldn't help but think, "Good series, Ducks, now get the hell out of here."

Los Tigres
Verlander was simply dominant. 13 strikeouts. The Twins batters could not get a handle on the guy and spent much of the game trudging back to the dugout, cursing. Verlander honestly made most of the players look stupid.

Then came the 7th inning. Verlander had thrown 120+ pitches and let two dudes get on base. In came Bobby Seay. The Tigers 5-0 lead quickly became a 6-5 deficit, thanks to none other than Joe Crede with the game-winning hit. Yuck.

Make no mistake, the Tigers' bullpen will be their undoing.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Stats

After a quick glance at the box score from the Tigers 14-10 loss to the Twins last night, I noticed the Tigers stellar relief core notched two blown saves and a Loss. In one game. Lyon didn't get a blown save because he entered the game when it was still tied. If only the Tigers had scored earlier, they'd have three pitchers with a blown save.

I went to bed after the 12th inning and had a dream that Brandon Lyon gave up a 5-run home run. I woke up realizing that this was impossible, but, if anybody could find a way, it would be Lyon. As it turned out, Lyon did give up a grand slam and 5 total runs that inning. Weird.

I don't want to beat up too much on Lyon, though. He was fine for the two prior innings of work. It's not his job to go three innings deep. No Twin reliever went more than 2.0 innings, but two Tigers did. That's on the manager, who, in this game, was Lloyd McClendon.

Crede
The Tigers should've signed this guy if only to keep him out of the opposition's lineup. He destroys the Tigers, even when he's slumping. In 69 games against Detroit, he's hit 24 HRs. For the season, he's batting .237. I suppose the Twins in general destroy the Tigers at the Metrodome regardless of their record. It's been that way since '87 and Juan Berenguer.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Gut Punch

Put simply, the Ducks played better. With their backs against the wall, they outskated the Wings for most of the game. The Wings did not play poorly, per se... in fact, their forecheck in the 1st period created a couple chances. They just seemed a step slower than the Ducks. If they were not a step slower, they were merely neck-and-neck with the Ducks, which isn't enough. In this series, when the Wings don't absolutely punish the Ducks, the Ducks find a way to win.

The Ducks have the best defense in the NHL, and they've completely corralled Datsyuk. While I didn't see the replay, the rumor is that Niedermeyer elbowed Datsyuk at the end of the game. I saw Datsyuk roughing it up - helmetless, while Niedermeyer had a helmet and visor, so perhaps Datsyuk while have extra fire in Game 7. It's the Wings first elimination game in two years. I believe they'll respond like Champions.

The Ducks will anticipate a fired-up Wings team in the first. My guess is the Ducks will play their energy line quite a bit in the first to cause havoc on the forecheck and stifle any Wing attack before it starts. Scott Niedermeyer and Wisniewski will see tons of minutes early. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Ducks get an early goal, with the Wings pressing. Eventually, though, I think the Wings will wear down the Ducks - IF they can stay out of the penalty box. That dang third straight penalty they committed in Game 6 ultimately doomed the Wings. It was just too many minutes of power play to give the strong Duck team.

It should be quite a show tomorrow. Too bad it conflicts with the Office season finale. If there was ever a reason to upgrade to a better DVR, tomorrow is it!

Galarraga
My boy Armando Galarraga continues to suck. It's his 4th straight game of sucking. My new theory is that he and Verlander are on opposite sides of a karmic see-saw. When Verlander sucked royally in 2008, Galarraga had a career year. This continued in April '09. Verlander posted a 6.75 ERA, while Galarraga was hovering at 1.8. This month, Galarraga's got a 9.0 ERA, and Verlander? A scintillating 0.56.

More on the Wings
While I was researching the baseball stats, I had a chance to check out more on the Wings/Ducks post-game fight. I'll only make one comment and then leave the rest for your own personal interpretation. The "rumor" I mentioned earlier about Niedermeyer elbowing Datsyuk is complete fact - it's capture in all its shocking unsportsmanship below (near the end):

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

To Play or Not to Play

The rumor is that Rafalski's "upper body injury" healed to the extent that he'd be ready to play tonight, if needed. Still no word on Lilja or Draper, though I think Draper is in a similar situation to Rafalski. I'll focus on Rafalski, as I don't think the team has missed Draper to the same extent. Draper's replacement, Darren Helm, definitely exceeded expectations through the first nine playoff games. He's aggressive, fast, and actually scored a timely goal. That sounds like Draper.

As for Rafalski, he logs 25 minutes per game and mans the point on the power play. Brad Stuart stepped into the power play spot and did a decent job, but he's no Rafalski (at least offensively). Since the Wings won games 3 & 4, the fact that they went 1 for 8 on the power play in that span went unnoticed. The one goal, by the way, was scored by the 2nd unit (not Rafalski's).

So, the question is whether or not he should play. My vote would be to use him sparingly. Defensively, the play of Stuart and Ericsson has severely limited the Ducks. Those two have earned more minutes, and I'm doubtful Rafalski would be more effective. Likewise, the two Nicks bring the finesse and muscle. After Lebda, there's a significant dropoff. Whether it's Chelios or Meech, Babcock hasn't felt comfortable giving that 6th defenseman many minutes. Meech played 3:19 last game. Even in his semi-injured state, I'm guessing Rafalski could handle that. If the docs say he's ready, let Rafalski play. The wings will need all hands on deck to close out this very impressive Duck team.

Daly
Big shout-out to the first Piston coach I ever knew - Chuck Daly. No doubt everyone's heard that Mr. Daly passed away a few days ago at age 78. While it's well known he led the Stones to 2 championships and coached the first-ever Dream Team, he actually left an equally notiecable and lasting legacy besides his wins and losses. It may seem crazy now, but, prior to Daly, NBA coaches rarely wore suits. Daly not only dressed slick, he actually landed a sponsorship deal with a men's clothing store. Within a few years, every coach, pro and college, wore suits on the job. I worked for some; not for others.

In Detroit, Daly will always be remembered, revered, and respected as the man who ushered in a Pistons era of Greatness. Since the mid-80s, few NBA teams can claim the same level of success, and much of that is due to the professionalism and work ethic of Chuck Daly.

Monday, May 11, 2009

The Catch

No doubt, most of you have seen replays of Granderson's catch Friday night. I actually only caught the 9th inning of that game, but was fortunate to see the catch live. It was truly remarkable.

The Tigers only scratched one run off Cliff Lee, and Verlander pitched a shutout, allowing only 2 hits and a walk through eight. Leyland sent Verlander to finish it off in the 9th. He was throwing only heat. He got the first out then walked the next batter. Up came Tiger nemesis Grady Sizemore. Verlander threw fastball after fastball, and Sizemore kept fouling them off. Then Sizemore finally connected, sending a long flyball deep to centerfield. It had all the makings of a great Tiger backbreaker - a walk-off HR against the Tigers ace who threw one pitch too many.

That may have been the case last year, but this is 2009. Granderson leapt and speared the ball out of the air, and, in one fluid motion, heaved it back to first to try to double-off the runner. Verlander struck out the next dude to seal the win. Just an awesome game.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Flurry

At the very least, the Red Wings brought the pain in Game 4. It was the type of dominant performance that I haven't seen from the Wings all year. Despite the nightmare beginning, the Red Wings responded with the energy, tenacity, and downright power they'll need to propel them through the playoffs.

After tying the score at 1-1, the line of Franzen, Hossa, and Filppula completely dominated the Ducks. They were a threat to score on every shift. Then Franzen netted his second of the night, but, instead of hanging back, the Wings kept up the pressure. Seconds after the goal, the Wings were back in the zone, pressuring. It was a flurry of skaters, relentlessly attacking. The Ducks would steal the puck, and the Wings would steal it right back, charging forward. I was thinking that, if I was a Duck fan, I would've been extremely frustrated. The Wings had all the mojo.

Then, somehow the Ducks evened the score at 2. At that point, I started thinking about US/Mexico soccer games. The Mexicans always dominate possession, but somehow the Americans find a way to score against the run of play. The Ducks were pretty lucky to find the net, and it seemed like Fate may be on their side. Prior to the Duck goal, Zetterberg hit the post, Lebda almost scored from short range, and Kronwall made a wonderful rush to net, past 3 defenders, but couldn't lift his shot over Hiller's stick. It didn't matter. The Franzen, Hossa, Filppula line would come through yet again. In a matter of minutes, Hossa scored twice for the 4-2 lead.

And how sweet was it watching Hiller get pulled? The dude who stoned the Wings in the previous two games, sulking back to the bench? Yes, it was only one win, but it was awesome watching the Wings dominate and maximize their skill.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Trade Rip?

There's an article today, postulating that Dumars may trade Rip for the opportunity to draft 7'3 Thabeet out of UConn. If Washington lands outside the top two spots, they'll dangle that #3 or #4 draft pick for a veteran shooting guard, and the Pistons have one of the best.

I have a big problem with this. I'm not sold on Thabeet as an NBA player. Typically, if the Pistons land the #3 overall pick, they'd get quite a player (OJ Mayo, Al Horford, Deron Williams, Ben Gordon, Carmelo), but this is not a strong draft. In '06, the #3 pick was Adam Morrison. The pick is only as good as the draft class. Furthermore, it seems that Joe D would be again dealing a player when his stock was at its lowest. Hamilton is still an elite player, with all-star skills. When focused, he'll consistently score 18/night, and he's money at the line. He's done it in the playoffs, against top defenses, and, at age 31, still has plenty of productive years ahead of him.

The player to trade, if a trade must be made, is either Stuckey or Tayshaun. Tayshaun, we now know, is a complementary player. He's somewhat unique with his expansive reach and shot-blocking ability, but he's just an average scorer for a small forward. The Pistons need a scorer out of that position. If they landed that type of player, it would take the offensive pressure off Stuckey and Hamilton, and allow the big men to focus on rebounds. If they got a scoring big man like Bosh, all the better. Tayshaun and the #15 for Bosh? Make it happen.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Thoughts on Game 3

I don't have many. Sorry. The 10:30pm start is a killer, and I only watched the first period. When I saw the final score, I was not surprised, as the wings were clearly dominated in the 1st. From what I read, the wings turned it around in the 2nd and 3rd, peppering Hiller with shots.

The Ducks are winning with exactly what we expected - superior defense. They've got the best 6-man defensive core in the league, and they've effectively neutralized the Datsyuk line. The onus is now on Babcock to reassess his strategy. I doubt Detroit will be able to play better defensively (especially with Rafalski and Draper out), but they've got to find a way to score. This wings team is at its best scoring 4 or 5 per night. The Ducks are good but not invincible.

The Ref
Obviously, the big story in Detriot this morning is the Hossa goal that was waved off. Not surprisingly, the NHL says the ref made the right decision blowing the play dead. This is one reason why I believe it's entirely okay to bitch about the refs. It's usually seen as sour grapes to complain about a blown call. The popular logic is that players ultimately decide games, and the refs impact, albeit negative, should be overcome by good teams. I find this logic faulty.

In an evenly matched game, a referee can be the deciding factor. A foul call in the waning seconds of an NBA game can determine the outcome. A pass interference in the endzone gives the offense the ball at the 1 yard line. These are huge human decisions that happen all the time and greatly impact the games. And it happened again last night. It's hard to find to more evenly matched teams than the Ducks and Wings. When the ref blows a call, like the Hossa goal, it's perfectly okay to bitch. It was a bad call.

Solution

I've got a solution to all the Lions' problems: they need to play in a Spring league with no pads. Why? Because, according to the coaches, the team right now looks great, fast, and has no glaring holes.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Captain


After Lidstrom notched two goals against Anaheim in Game 1, I overheard a number of radio callers refer to Nick as "The Captain." The radio host, Pat Caputo, found this quite interesting. Is it acceptable for there to be another "The Captain" in Detroit, other than, well, the original?


I had no immediate reaction to people calling Nick "The Captain" simply because he currently wears the "C". It's the truth - he is the captain. It's a true badge of honor for Nick that Red Wing fans would seemlessly put him in that category. I recall during the late 90s, Ken Holland was singing the praises of the great Red Wings. He said Yzerman would be considered the best Red Wing of all time, next to Gordie Howe. Then he added the kicker, with Nick Lidstrom following right behind. At the time, we all knew Lidstrom was an all-star, perhaps even a Hall of Famer. But the Red Wings organization is littered with Hall of Famers: Sid Abel, Delvecchio, Howe, Lindsay, Sawchuk, etc. Would Lidstrom's exploits surpass all those but the legendary Howe and Yzerman?


In my estimation, it's possible he's surpassed even Yzerman. When Yzerman was out with an injury and then later retired, the team hardly missed a beat. Perhaps it was random coincidence that, when Yzerman went down with an injury in '94, Fedorov stepped up to win the Hart trophy and lead the team to 100pts. Or when his career slowed down in the mid-2000s, Zetterberg and Datsyuk were ready to take over. The fact remains that when Lidstrom went out with an injury last season, the team crumbled. It was something like a 1-9-1 record in that span. All this is coming from a lifelong Yzerman fan - somebody who has a #19 jersey in the closet. Lidstrom may in fact be the better, more valuable player than Yzerman.


Of course, Lidstrom will never replace Yzerman in the heart's of most fans. Yzerman was the guy who symbolized the team's resurgence. With Yzerman in charge, the wings went from NHL laughingstock to perennial title contenders and 18 straight seasons (and counting) in the playoffs. Lidstrom came along when the team was already good, and his no-nonsense style will never sell many products or pitch fast-food. I should also mention that, with Yzerman out in '94 (Fedorov's Hart season), the wings crashed out in the 1st round. No doubt Yzerman's playoff heroics cemented his status. I'm thinking that Lidstrom's playoff heroics may eventually trump Stevie Y's.


For all his awesomeness, Yzerman's best seasons were with less talented rosters. It wasn't until Stevie Y was past his prime that the wings won the Cup in '97. Lidstrom was 26. It's like the battle of the two most unassuming hockey players of all time. No doubt Nick would say Stevie Y is the best Wing of all time, and vice versa. Maybe that's what makes them so beloved. It's truly a golden age of hockey in Detroit.


Monday, May 4, 2009

OT Nightmares

Why does my stomach sink when the Wings don't win in regulation? Statistically speaking, they should have just as good a chance to win in overtime, right? If you've read this blog before, you know I love stats, and this one's a doozy:
Since 2000, the Red Wings won only 5 of their 21 overtime playoff games.

That's a 24% winning percentage. For a team that's won four Stanley Cups in eleven years, that's pretty shocking. What's the deal? Why do they crumble in OT? It can't be mere coincidence. I honestly have no concrete evidence. Only theories.

Perhaps the best theory is that the wings press too hard in overtime. Desperately seeking the win, the defense pushes forward, pinches in, and often gets caught out of position, leading to a quick counter. Last night was the perfect example of this. The Red Wings dominated the majority of the overtime, while the Ducks packed it in. While the Red Wings piled up shots and opportunities, the Ducks stayed in position and bided their time. Even with that strategy in mind, it's surprising to think it's worked so often against the Wings. There has to be something more.

Los Tigres
Props to the Tigers for ending an 8-game losing streak to the Tribe this weekend. On Saturday, one of my favorite whipping boys, Adam Everett, after grounding out with the bases loaded, hit a grand slam in his next at-bat. Of course, Zach Miner and the vaunted Tiger relief patrol proceeded to lose the 5 run lead, but clutch hitting by Anderson and Granderson secured the win late. With speedy Anderson continuing his solid run at the plate (.369 on-base %, 3rd on the team), it's only a matter of time before he's leading off. Granderson, with such extra-base power, could certainly hit later in the lineup.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Perry & Porcello

I can't blame Leyland for keeping Perry and Porcello on the roster. Coming out of spring training, Perry had close to a 0 ERA, and Porcello was far superior to his competition (Miner, Robertson, and Willis). And both pitchers have had moments of brilliance last month in the big leagues. Yet, I can't help but think... if the Tigers were a better team, these guys would still be in the minors.

Perry, for instance, can't seem to control either his fastball or curve. His wildness may at times work to his advantage, as the opposition enters the batting box with legitimate fear. Teams are only hitting .160 against him, but he's walked 10 in 8 innings! Another year in the minors would do wonders with helping him develop into a big league reliever. Now, he may settle down this season, but he may also lose confidence. As a 22 year old kid, he needs the proper training, and the Tigers are throwing him to the fire.

Porcello is even younger, but he seems to be closer. Despite an inflated ERA over 6, he's shown quite an impressive array of pitches. He's also exhibited no sign of nerves. Prior to getting shellacked by the Yankees, Porcello's ERA was in the 3s, and I think he'll prove to be quite reliable down the stretch. Yet, like Perry, would one more season in the minors hurt his career? He's 20 years old and is not used to throwing 100 pitches/night. Last year, he was limited to 80. Ideally, they could stretch him out to 90+ this year at Erie or Toledo. But, the Tigers have a desperate need for Porcello right now. They're so desperate for starting pitching, they're actually hoping Dontrelle returns to form (he's in Toledo).

In last week's posting on coaching, I wrote that the coach's job was to put a player in a position to succeed. The Red Wings excel at that because they have the luxury of never rushing a player before he's ready. They allow him to develop at a regular pace, and, in fact, they usually hold him back for at least a year which causes a hunger for the big leagues. Hunger is much better than anxiety, and the Tigers are flirting with two anxious cases.


Rick Porcello
Stats
The Tigers also have one more to add to the list of infamy. Clay Rapada joins the IS% (inherited runners scored) club:
Juan Rincon -- 100%
Clay Rapada -- 100%
Nate Robertson -- 75%
Brandon Lyon -- 63%
Eddie Bonine -- 60%
League Average -- 39%
Bobby Seay -- 20%
Come on people... the Tigers have two relievers allowing 100% of the inherited runners to score! That's incredible. And they have three others allowing over 50%. This is an astounding display of awful relief pitching. Go get 'em Tigers!