Where did I go wrong?

Just eleven days ago I thought the Tigers had a chance. I was so confident, I posted this treatise on what it would take for the Tigers to contend. I consider myself a rational individual, no drinker of the Kool-Aid. I wrote, "We could be in for a very enjoyable ride." That statement is about as fallacious as the unsinkable Titanic.

In the past eleven days, the Tigers have won three and lost 9. They averaged a woeful 2.8 runs/game during that stretch, and, worst of all, suffered an embarrassing no-hit game last night at the hands of Matt Garza (career record: 38-39). The Tigers will not contend this season. They will take a sub-.500 record into the month of September and likely finish double-digit games behind first. This is a far cry from where I thought they'd be. Where did it all go wrong?

From an offensive standpoint, I stated:

"With Damon, Cabrera, Maggs, Boesch, and Guillen hitting 2-6, that's the most dangerous lineup in the Central."

Whoops. Last night, the 2-6 batters were Will Rhymes, Damon, Cabrera, Boesch, and Raburn. The day before was Santiago, Raburn, Cabrera, Boesch, and Sizemore.

I wrote:

"For the Tigers to win the Central, they'll need continued production from the 2-6 hitters."

I should've wrote, "For the Tigers to win the Central, they'll need to friggin' stay healthy! And continued production from the 2-6 hitters." Neither of which actually happened. Maggs broke his ankle. Guillen strained his calf. And Inge broke his hand. The Tigers are now Miggy and the Mud Hens - the LEAST dangerous lineup in the Central.

In addition to the injuries, healthy Brennan Boesch cooled off dramatically. Since the All-star break, Boesch is hitting a woeful .102. His four hits? All singles. The baseball experts who picked this kid to be a middling major leaguer are breathing a collective sigh of relief. His glorious 1st half may just be a fluke. That would be devastating for the Tigers and their fans, who've waited a generation for that big left-handed bat.

The pain doesn't stop there. I also wrote:

"For the Tigers to win the Central, they'll need... continued dominance from the bullpen."

Since the All-star break, the once-stingy pen has posted a 5.1 ERA. Jose Valverde went 0-1 with a 7.9 ERA. Things are not good.

Surprisingly, the one aspect of the game that hasn't totally abandoned the Tigers is starting pitching. In the past twelve games, the starters posted a not-horrible 4.46 ERA. It's not their fault the Tigers continue to lose. It's the bats and the bullpen - the two things that carried the team to 49 wins in the first half.

So, we're looking at a long, painful end of the season. The Tigers will struggle. Even before the injuries, the bats were slumping. Now, with that massive hole where Maggs and 1st-half-Boesch once stood, the Tigers strike fear in no man.

Yesterday, radio personality Mike Valenti said it was a good thing Maggs was gone 6-8 weeks. The Tigers won't be on the hook for his $15million salary next year. I suppose from a purely financial standpoint, the injury is a good thing, but Valenti is certainly no Tiger fan. He follows the Yankees, and that's painfully obvious. The Maggs' injury was the final nail in the 2010 Tiger season. Tiger fans now have to suffer through the final two months. The games will have no entertainment value. This current squad is reminiscent of 2003, with all the Mud Hens in the lineup. It's no fun. No, Mr. Valenti, as a Tiger fan, Maggs' injury totally sucks.

The worrisome Pistons and piling on

Happier Times


Apparently, the rest of the country was sick of the Pistons. After years of predicting the team to fail, the Pistons finally complied last year. Now, it's open season.

If I were to judge the Pistons franchise based on current public sentiment, I'd think they were on par with the Golden State Warriors or LA Clippers... not a team two years removed from their 6th consecutive trip to the Conference Finals. Between 2001 and 2008, the Pistons averaged a 55-27 record. That's a .670 winning percentage! For seven straight seasons!

The GM during that remarkable run was Joe Dumars - the "24th best GM in the NBA". The Pistons are one of only seven teams to win the NBA Championship since 1983. The franchise has three total. The other six championship teams are Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Rockets, Bulls, and Heat. They've hoarded the past 28 championships! Yet, oddly, as a franchise, the Pistons rank no better than the Suns, 76ers, Jazz, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Jazz, and Thunder (?!?!).

I have no doubt that the national pundits would see things differently if this was 2007. They could not deny the Pistons' strength and history. Now, however, with the team on the heels of a lottery season, it's time to pile on. They ignore the team's glorious past, the attendance records, the All-star players. They're simply the team that plays ugly basketball. Can't score. Darko. I've heard Mateen Cleaves name brought up more this past year than ever before. Sure, Cleaves was a bust, but Dumars also deserves credit for unearthing 2nd rounder-now-All-star Mehmet Okur.

People in Detroit are sensitive. It's our plight to be the butt of the joke. But don't disrespect our Pistons. They've proven to be one of the best organizations in the NBA for decades. And they'll be back.

Yesterday, 97.1 the ticket was laughing at Dumars' lack of activity this offseason. Nobody wants to trade with him. No players want to come here. That may be entirely true. Yet, didn't we all know that the Pistons would not make a move until late in the summer at the earliest? Their best bet was to wait until the main free agents signed and then see which teams were left wanting. Dumars will make a significant move. Of course, I thought he'd trade Rip last season, and that didn't happen. But he's got to move a shooting guard, and he knows it. My guess is that teams may be more interested in Ben Gordon. With the prices paid mediocre athletes this offseason, Gordon's contract is much easier to stomach. Everyone assumes Rip will be gone, but my guess is that Gordon is just as likely.

Simmer down, Lions fans

I suppose this is my yearly plea to temper enthusiasm for the Lions.

I will admit they should be better this season. They even drafted a player worthy of excitement - Ndamukong Suh. Yet, they have the same exact issues as your Detroit Tigers. Both teams employ players of supreme talent (Calvin Johnson, Miguel Cabrera), but they also have gaping holes. Glancing at ESPN's depth chart, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how to attack the Lions offensive line, nor how to beat their defense.

Let's start with the offense. I put together a completely subjective evaluation of the Lions' eleven starters. The players received either a green dot or red dot. The green dot signifies the player is a legitimate NFL-caliber player. The red dot means that particular player would have a difficult time landing a job in the NFL, if not for the Lions.

Say what you want about Peterman, but I have zero faith. And, Gosder... well, he's the last of a long-line of underperforming Matt Millen draftees. If the team hadn't invested so much in the young man, he'd be cut. In fact, if he loses his starting position, I suspect he will get cut.

The Lions did upgrade their backfield with the addition of Jahvid Best who may serve as the 3rd-down back. Otherwise, they're desperately weak. Oft-injured Kevin Smith isn't much of a threat when healthy. The Lions will attack teams through the air. It's no secret. They'll be one-dimensional yet again. And opposing defenses will take advantage of the weak right side of the line. To be honest, the left side, with Jeff Backus, ain't All-World either, but it's an upgrade from Gosder.

The defense has even more holes. And I should state I don't necessarily blame the coaching staff. They've had to rebuild this squad from scratch. Millen and Marinelli left the cupboard completely bare. The Lions are no different than an expansion team, and expectations should reflect that. Here's my evaluation of the defense:

Ko Simpson? Eric King? Chris Houston? Really?

I love the fact that Lions are "discovering" undrafted talent, but I'm a little nervous that 3 out of the 4 starters in the secondary didn't even find a taker in the SEVENTH ROUND! The Lions did sign Dre Bly a few weeks ago, and he may supplant Houston or King. I surely hope so. So at least they'll have a legitimate playmaker on defense, though Bly is near the end of the line physically.

The Lions did upgrade their defensive line with Suh and Vanden Bosch. Teams might not tally two 100-yard rushers per game against the Lions this season. Yet, with that secondary, we should expect the Lions to once again claim the top spot in passing yards allowed.

The Lions are a team in transition. They're a 2nd year expansion team that may surprise a few teams based on the sheer talent of their high draft picks. Four wins? It's possible. Any more than that would be a massive achievement.

It's dark in here

I don't really see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Since putting forth my grand plan for the Tigers to win the Central, they've proceeded to lose five in a row. These aren't pretty games either. Last night, the Tigers lost to the Rangers, an otherwise very good team. But the Tigers brought the Rangers down to their level. The teams combined for a whopping 5 errors and 29 LOBs. On this night, the Rangers were just slightly less crappy than the Tigers.

The play that summed up everything occurred in the 11th. With one out, Boesch came up to bat with Damon on second base and Cabrera on first. Boesch hit a single to right field - his only hit of the night. Damon should've scored, but the right fielder, Nelson Cruz, acted like he was going to catch the ball. Damon held up. As the ball dropped, Cruz couldn't believe that the deke actually worked. Damon only had time to get to 3rd base. With the bases loaded, Carlos Guillen hit into an inning-ending double play.

Cruz later hit a 2-run homer to win the game. Yay, Tigers!

The truly sad thing about this game was that many aspects of the game actually went according to plan. Maggs hit a homer. Cabrera hit two. Papa Grande pitched out of a jam in the 9th. Yet, the supporting players did not shoulder their load. To compete, I postulated the Tiger starting pitchers had to average a 4.00 ERA. That didn't happen. And the big bats would have to stay hot. Maggs and Cabrera held up their end of the bargain, but Boesch continued his slump. 1 for 7 last night.

And now Inge is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand. It'll be interesting to see if Dombrowski takes on more payroll by trading for a 3rd baseman... or if he continues with Don Kelly. My guess is he'll make a trade, and that new guy will proceed to hit .125.

That's just how things go with this team. Predicted final record - 78-84.

Nowhere Town

(Updated: Monday, July 19, 8:02am)

I officially amend my prior post. The 2010 Tigers are going nowhere. You can't lose twice four times in a row to a dreadful team like the Indians and expect to be a contender. To further the embarrassment, the Indians were missing Grady Sizemore, Shin Soo-Choo, and Jhonny Peralta. They were a team of 4A players that somehow beat the vaunted Tigers.

Well, I'm a fool no more. This team officially sucks. When Maggs, Cabrera, and Boesch play poorly, the rest of the team can't carry the load. Those guys will not bring the pain every night clearly. And, the folks waiting for Boesch to come down to earth may finally get their wish.

Today Saturday, Verlander allowed the weak Cleveland bats to punish him for 3 runs in six innings. JV also walked 5. Coke came on in relief and continued the bullpen's push toward mediocrity in the second half by taking the loss, giving up the winning run.

It's not Leyland's style, but he should rip into these guys. If they truly want to compete with the best, they have to destroy teams like the Indians. Instead, they get pushed around. Pathetic.

The 2nd Half

Prior to the season, I predicted the Tigers' starting rotation would be the team's undoing. As it turns out, only two starters did not get released or sent to Toledo during the first three months. But the Tigers remain in the hunt. What I did not foresee was that the bullpen would become the most reliable in the American League. I supported the Valverde signing - because any closer is better than Ryan Perry - but I had no idea he'd sport a sub-1.00 ERA into July!

Offensively, the big dog Cabrera carried the team throughout the first half. It's not a major surprise. When Cabrera surfaced after a self-imposed four month exile into alcohol rehabilitation, it was clear he mentally turned a corner. Cabrera's return actually coincided with the Tiger Woods scandal, and it was interesting comparing the two. Cabrera fought the spotlight, simply mentioning that he quit booze cold turkey. When Cabrera turned on the jets this season, he became simply the greatest Tiger hitter in my lifetime. It'll be exciting to see what he does next.

Helping him shoulder the burden was Maggs and Boesch. Coming off his dreadful '09, I predicted Maggs would return to form, hitting over .315 this year. He's currently at .313. What I did not expect was his strong RBI numbers (56). I also, of course, had no idea Brennan Boesch would ascend to superstar power hitter. The kid is a revelation. Those three have carried the Tigers to 48 wins. If the team has any hope to contend, they'll have to keep it up because the rest of the lineup underwhelmed.

I will concede that Austin Jackson proved quite capable at the plate. He's sporting a strong .300 batting average, but his 88 strikeouts are way too high for a lead-off hitter.

So what can we expect for the second half?

I was in Chicago two weeks ago, and not a single radio personality considered the Tigers a threat. Keep in mind that this was when the Sox were still in 3rd place! Now they're in 1st. No doubt the Chicago locals are thinking World Series. That's just how they are. In Detroit, we're always looking behind us, thinking the worst is about to happen. In Chicago, they tend to OVERsell themselves. They do need to worry about the Tigers. I'm no Tiger apologist, but any team with Miguel Cabrera should be feared. Further, the White Sox has pitching worries, just like the Tigers and Twins. Their starters are significantly stronger, with four capable arms, compared to just one for Detroit (two, I guess, if you count Bonderman). But their bullpen fared slightly worse than Detroit's through the first three months.

As for Minnesota, they will no doubt be there down the stretch. Right now, they're limping without Morneau, and Mauer is less than 100% too. But they're still Minnesota, and they've still got the best manager in the American League. It would take a major catastrophe for Minnesota to somehow fall out of contention.

From a player-to-player comparison, the Tigers simply to do not match up well with either the Sox or Twins. What the Tigers have in their favor is the best hitter, the best pitcher, and the best closer. They also have a tremendous wildcard in Brennan Boesch. Other teams don't quite know what to make of that kid. With Damon, Cabrera, Maggs, Boesch, and Guillen hitting 2-6, that's the most dangerous lineup in the Central. Unfortunately, the Twins and Sox go eight deep, if not nine (Nick Punto somehow beats up on Detroit). If the Tigers can compete offensively, they must find a way to improve defensively. That, of course, begins with the starting pitching.

Verlander provided a workmanlike first half of '10. So far, so decent. Bonderman proved he's a capable MLB pitcher, post-surgery. Scherzer pitched like a solid #2 since his return from Toledo. And "Imperfecto" Galarraga... well, he's been hot and cold. For the Tigers to have any chance, those four need to pitch at a 4.00 ERA clip from here on out. I'd love for the Tigers to also improve with their fielding, but I don't see that happening. The team was built for their bats, not their gloves. Errors will be a way of life with this team.

It comes down to this... for the Tigers to win the Central, they'll need continued production from the 2-6 hitters, continued dominance from the bullpen, and consistent above-average-ness from the starting rotation. I'm not asking for Gerald Laird to hit .300. Or for Inge to win a Gold Glove. These goals need to be achievable. The hitters and bullpen just need to stick to their current gameplan. And, if the Bonderman, Scherzer, and Galarraga somehow find a consistent groove, we could be in for a very enjoyable ride.

As for those Pistons

Another event that hit the back-burner during the World Cup was the NBA Draft. It's terribly unfortunate how the Pistons completely screwed themselves last Spring. Entering the final slew of games, the Pistons were positioned with the fifth worst record in the NBA. Then Ben Gordon finally shook off his season-long slump and led the Pistons to a 4-2 record to finish out the year. That brief push saw them ultimately tie Philadelphia for the seventh worst record. The Pistons then lost a coin toss to Philadelphia which officially slotted Detroit behind Philly in the lottery.

The bad luck continued.

The two teams that Detroit leap-frogged in the final week (Philly and Washington) proceeded to WIN the lottery! Washington got the first pick, and Philly the second. The Pistons settled for the 7th overall. As folks on this blog know, I was a big fan of DeMarcus Cousins. He went exactly where the Pistons should've drafted at #5. The final top-shelf big man was inexplicably passed-over at #6 when Golden State nabbed Ekpe Udoh. So, the Pistons eagerly nabbed Greg Monroe of Georgetown. I know significantly less about Monroe than Cousins. It's entirely possible that Monroe may be a better pro... but I doubt it.

Last night, in their first head-to-head, Cousins and Sac-town absolutely demolished the Pistons rookie team 97-68. Cousins posted a double-double (14 and 10 but with 5 turns). Monroe had a quiet 7 and 7. I should note, however, that the Pistons rookie team did fare significantly better in their prior two games, both wins. Austin Daye showed off a polished offensive attack that neither the Lakers nor Warriors could contain. Monroe was relatively quiet but did pull down some rebounds.

I've followed the rookie league for a few years now and know to take everything with a grain of salt. Last year, Dajuan Summers was far-and-away the best Piston player, but he ended up spending the entire season on the bench. A few years before, Rodney Stuckey dominated the rookie league, leading to his first wave of hype. Against the big boys, Stuckey fared much worse. The rookie league won't often break any new star... but, if you hope to make a splash in the NBA, you better dominate. Most of the teams are populated by - at best - bench players and rounded out by guys likely to get cut. If you can't dominate that group, you'll likely get cut yourself.

Last year, the Pistons' brass didn't know what to make of Jerebko. He played sporadically in the rookie league, as the team wanted to see Summers and Daye. They tried Jerebko at center just to get him some burn. By the end of the summer league, Jerebko finished strong when he earned some minutes at SF and PF. The kid returned this summer, to offer some veteran leadership. He's clearly a better player. Despite the presence of high draft pick Greg Monroe, the Pistons may be better off grooming Jerebko and Daye. Granted, Monroe and Daye won't compete for minutes, but Monroe may steal starter minutes from Jerebko. We'll see how it pans out.

A bit more on Daye... I was worried about his long-term viability in this league after he withered last season. He showed flashes of impressive scoring touch, but he was terribly inconsistent. Watching him tear up the scrubs in the rookie league showed me the kid has a very high ceiling. He can create his own shot, pull up off the dribble, and drain the three. It's reminiscent of Danny Granger. I don't think Daye will develop, though, unless he gets starter minutes. With Tayshaun Prince ahead of him on the depth chart, that just ain't gonna happen.

My guess is that Tayshaun will be gone by at least the trade deadline. Daye will have to be patient until then.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program

With the World Cup simmering down, it's time to return our focus to Detroit sports. A lot has happened. The Pistons drafted a big man. The Tigers beat up some bad teams, lost to some good ones, and then lost Zumaya indefinitely. The Red Wings signed Eaves. Okay, maybe it wasn't all big news. But not every sports story warrants a 1-hour ESPN special titled "The Decision."

I'll start with the Tigers. They just wrapped up a three game sweep of the Orioles. Other than the middle game, the Tigers were fairly dominant. That middle game was quite sad, with the Orioles doing everything right... except winning the game. They reminded me of the Tiger teams of a decade ago. The Tigers find themselves in first place with a series against Minnesota about to start tonight. This month, the Tigers feasted on last-place teams. When they went on the road to face decent competition, they went a meager 3-6. So, I still don't think they're a playoff team, but they may squeak in if Minnesota doesn't heat up in August (big IF).

With that said, I've enjoyed this Tiger season much more than the past few. The reason is relatively simple - they've got hope for the future. We all thought they'd be screwed without Granderson. I know I fell prey to the Granderson love. Yet, Dombrowski was wiser than us all by acquiring younger and cheaper parts. Austin Jackson filled the Granderson hole quite well in centerfield, and he's maintained a .300 average all season (while Curtis is below .250 but hits with power). Scherzer also settled into a solid arm in the rotation since his stint in Toledo. But the biggest reason is Brennen Boesch. The kid is exactly what the doctor ordered. The Tigers have been looking for a power hitting lefty since Darrell Evans retired. In recent years, they've trotted out a parade of lefties... hoping one would stick... Aubrey Huff, Jeff Larish, Sean Casey, Matt Stairs, Carlos Pena, Eric Munson, etc. It seemed every other team in the Central had their left-handed bomber - Morneau, Jim Thome, Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Carlos Quentin - they all had their time feasting on Detroit pitching. But the big lefty bat continued to elude the Tigers. Until 2010. Like Jenny McCarthy on Singled Out, Brennen Boesch made an immediate impression. Tiger fans keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Brennen to hit an Inge-like dryspell. So far, he's stayed hot. He's hitting .341, with 12 HR, and 47 RBI.

Apparently, he was the 25th-rated Tiger prospect entering this season. I found this scouting report from the end of last season, that didn't even list Boesch among the top 30! Yet, if I look at his stats from Double-A Erie last season, it makes no sense why he was ignored. While he didn't have a killer batting average (.275), he did hit 28 HRs with an impressive 93 RBIs. Those are solid numbers in any league. In many ways, Boesch is just continuing what he did last year in Erie. He started this year at Toledo, and, in 15 games, hit .379 with 17 RBIs. So, it's more a case of the media just missing the boat on this kid than Boesch actually doing anything out of the ordinary. The stats and power numbers were there for anyone to see.

We should also be thankful that Boesch didn't make the All-star team. The kid has never played 162 games and could use the break. Besides, we've all seen how an All-star appearance can curtail an otherwise excellent season (thank you, Brandon Inge).

More on the Player Pool

Continuing last week's post on the nats player pool...

Damarcus Beasley - remember him? He was actually on the roster, though his career has nosedived since the '02 World Cup. I've dropped his name numerous times on this blog, so I won't rehash the usual drivel. Suffice to say, the kid needs to stay healthy and find a club that wants him. The best things about Beasley's game are speed and work-rate. Like Donovan, he'll track back on defense. It's precisely that commitment to defense that sparked Bob Bradley's decision to try Beasley as a left defender during qualifying. The experiment failed miserably. Beasley is a left midfielder. That's it. If he can somehow regain his '02 form, he may yet offer something to the team. Until then, the dude should find a club.

Ricardo Clark proved to be the scapegoat during this World Cup. It's quite a shame since he's a decent player. In the right situation, Clark provides strong defensive bite and a wicked long-range shot. It may seem trivial now, but Clark scored the crucial goal in the US's 1-0 win over T&T in Port of Spain. That away win practically clinched a World Cup spot for the yanks. Since that glorious goal, Clark moved from MLS to the Bundesliga (Eintracht Frankfurt) and apparently is well-liked at his new club. Which makes it all the more strange that Clark would lay a big, fat egg in the World Cup. If anything, Clark was a decent, reliable player during qualifying. Whether it was just a run of bad form or simply getting overmatched, Clark was terribly exposed against England and later against Ghana. Most American fans would prefer to never see the dude earn another cap. That's a bit harsh. He's earned his place on the squad, but it's clear he's not the best option when facing top-tier competition. Clark is only 27 and may improve, especially facing Bundesliga-level talent.

The better option at defensive mid is Maurice Edu. Edu moved from MLS to Rangers a few years ago. Like Beasley, his time at Rangers was marred by injury. He did, however, recover this season to earn a starting spot and score a goal against hated rival Celtic. When Edu was in the US's lineup this World Cup, the team settled down defensively. He simply was the better option. As both a defensive and offensive weapon, Edu offers a bit more than Clark. The poor guy was denied a glorious World Cup goal against Slovenia when that Malian referee inexplicably waived it off. At 24 years of age, Edu should be around the US nats for quite a long time.

The final midfielder on the roster was 22 year old Jose Torres. I waved the Torres flag proudly after the England match, and Bob Bradley responded by giving the young kid a rare start. I figured Torres' ability to hold the ball in traffic and his strong passing acumen would rejuvenate the US' offense. Torres' 45 minutes of action did not result in any goals, and the poor kid was partially responsible for Slovenia's opening tally. With the US down 2-0 at the half, Bradley benched him for the remainder of the World Cup. It was pretty harsh, in my opinion, but there's little denying that Maurice Edu (his replacement) fared significantly better. And Benny Feilhaber offered exactly what we'd expect from Torres except in much grander, impressive fashion. Still, Torres has a bright future. He's young and plays for a great squad in Mexico's top division (Pachuca).

(2014 Roster: Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Feilhaber, Edu, Holden. Alternates: Clark, Torres. While the US is relatively deep at midfield, there should still be at least two spots available for newcomers in the 2014 Cup.)

Defenders

Ugh. We knew the US was defensively weak entering this cup, and they lived up to that billing. Opposing teams had little difficulty finding seams in the defense, as they strangely gave up early goals in every game, save Algeria (though Algeria did manage to hit the crossbar in the fourth minute).

Bocanegra and Cherundolo will be 35 in 2014. That's a bit long-in-the-tooth, even for a defender. I sincerely hope that neither is on the roster, and that's not out of spite. The US desperately needs some new blood on the backline. Cherundolo had a wonderful Cup this time around, but will he be as speedy at age 35? Boca had decent moments but, in general, was overmatched. He may be the team leader, but the US would be better served with somebody else as center defender.

Oguchi Onyewu was once thought to be the long-term answer at the center of the defense, but his ruptured patella tendon derailed everything. He's still recovering from that injury. With massive competition looming at his club, Onyewu will do well to see ANY game action this upcoming season. He'll be 32 for the next World Cup. My hope is that he'll still be around, but my heart tells me this injury may take a permanent toll.

Jonathan Bornstein came on halfway through the Cup and provided some stability at left defense. He did not inspire confidence throughout qualifying, and it was great to see the youngster raise his game against the big boys. I'm still not sold on him as a long-term solution, but he will no doubt play a role for the next round of qualifying.

Jay Demerit played every minute of this World Cup. I hope he enjoyed it because it will likely be his last. He was a fair replacement for Onyewu, but the poor dude was caught out of position on almost every goal. He's a good bruiser but simply not quite talented enough at the highest level.

As for the subs, neither Jon Spector nor Clarence Goodson saw any action. Goodson is 28 but still somewhat new on the International scene. He's improving with each game and may factor into qualifying. Spector had a dreadful season at West Ham. Last year in the Confed Cup, he was the first choice right defender. He's obviously got chops, and, at 24, age is still on his side. The question for him is whether his horrible season was an aberration or a sign of things to come? The US team can use his talents. Let's hope he recovers.

(2014 roster: Onyewu. Alternates: Spector.)

Goalies

Only Howard saw action. He was hot and cold. Against England, he looked to be a world-beater. I figured he'd have a run of form like Brad Friedel in '02. It was not to be. He was beaten badly on both Slovenia's goals and then let two in against Ghana - one on the near-post. All those goals were great shots, of course, so Howard wasn't completely to blame. I was just hoping he'd bail the team out with world-class, jaw-dropping, Schmeichel-esque saves. It wasn't to be. With all that said, Howard is still, by far, the US's best option in goal and one of the best in the world. For the next Cup, Howard will be 35. Unlike field players, goalies can play deep into their 30s, so Howard may still be the best option. If not Howard, it will be...

Brad Guzan. This youngster (25) plays behind Brad Friedel at Aston Villa and rarely sees the pitch. '09-'10 was a forgettable season for that very reason. My guess is that Guzan will force a loan to a smaller club this season just so he can get some games. He's talented and hungry and likely the heir apparent to Timmay.

Marcus Hahnemann was the feel-good story on this roster. At age 38, most figured his international days to be over. Yet, he made his first-ever world cup roster this time around, thanks to a stellar season at Wolverhampton. Obviously, it's also his last world cup run, though he may figure into the qualifying rounds. He's still got the talent.

(2014 roster: Howard, Guzan)

So, according to my estimates, the US 2014 roster has some gaping holes at striker and defense, though the midfield and goalie spots are relatively secure. Incidentally, the two most notable young yanks to escape the grasp of the USSF - Guisseppi Rossi and Neven Subotic - are a striker and central defender, respectively. Despite American roots, Rossi opted to play for Italy, and Subotic for Serbia. Of course, both Stuart Holden and Jose Torres chose the US over other countries, so it wasn't a total loss.

If Donovan and Dempsey continue with their current form, I'd be less concerned with the offense than the defense. There has to be young American talent that can fill the defensive void. Anybody know a young Alexi Lalas?

Player Pool

A bit of nostalgia before we delve into the future:

Where do we go from here? It's almost impossible to predict what will happen in four years, but that's never stopped us before.

Strikers

No doubt Jozy will return. He'll be 24 and entering his prime. For the past three years, Altidore steadily improved his touch and passing ability. The only lingering question is where he'll play his club ball. He's still under contract to Villareal, though they show little signs of actually wanting him for the senior side. My guess is he'll be loaned again to an EPL side that loses a striker in training.

Poor Buddle will be 33 and likely out of the mix. His great run of form, though, may keep him around for the infrequent friendly matches prior to qualifying. If he does well, his age won't matter. Just stay hot, and you'll stick around. As for Findley, he's currently 25, but I've frankly not seen much to get excited about. If he's still in the player pool in 2014, the US is in trouble. Then there's Herc. He's had an up-and-down career. I loved his tenacity on the field and nose-for-goal. He was a great option to bring off the bench for a late charge. I wouldn't be surprised if, at age 32, Herc remains a viable striker candidate. Yet, like Buddle, he'd have to remain scorching hot.

That's not terribly encouraging that only one striker is a safe bet to be around in four years. Charlie Davies is the wild card. He'd be a shoe-in if not for the dreadful car accident. Nobody knows how he'll perform once he steps on the field. My guess is that, with today's medical technology, Charlie's superb fitness level, and his drive to succeed, he'll eventually return to form. He'll be in the mix come 2014.

(2014 Roster: Altidore, Davies. Alternate: Gomez)

Midfielders

Dempsey and Donovan will be 31 and 32, respectively. Barring injury, both will remain the mainstays of the US offense. They can play all over the midfield and at striker, where the team is obviously weak. 2014 will be Donovan's fourth World Cup, an impressive feat for any player. Dempsey's club situation is somewhat settled at Fulham, but Donovan may move from MLS. He's currently fielding an offer from Man City, but my hope is he finds a way to return to Everton. He found a niche there, and, for an American, that's a rare, precious commodity.

Another player who impressed this tournament was Michael Bradley. At age 22, he's still improving. Bradley will be the cornerstone around which the midfield is built for the next eight years. Bradley currently plays for middling Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach. He's fared somewhat well there, but my guess is he'll eventually move to either Italy or England.

Benny Feilhaber and Stuart Holden will be in their late 20s in 2014. Both possess that rare bit of skill so lacking in American players. Holden didn't get much run this time around, but I'm positive he'll be a player during the next cycle. He recently signed with Bolton. Feilhaber, meanwhile, made quite a splash as a sub. Whenever he entered the field, the US attack seemed to spring to life. He may be the first choice center midfielder (with Bradley) in 2014, but only if he settles at a club. He's bounced around more than the Gummi Bears. Right now, he's in Denmark and faring quite well. If he sticks at the Danish club, great. My guess, though, is that he'll try to move somewhere more prominent. Just don't screw it up, kid, and end up losing an entire season like you did at Derby County.

(To be continued...)