Pitching and Defense

The good ol' days
It's no secret. The Tigers win or lose based on pitching and defense.

Sure, they'll have a game every now and then when they can't string two hits together. But long term success or failure of this team will be determined by their pitching and defense.

Take last night...

The Mets pummeled Tiger pitching for 20 hits. They scored in six of the nine innings. The Tigers' bullpen was so dreadful that Leyland asked Don Kelly to get the final out. No joke. The Mets hit 10 of 20 with runners-in-scoring-position. What's more impressive about that number -- that the Mets hit .500 or that they had 20 opportunities?!

The previous night, the Mets were 7 of 13 with RISP. Over the two nights, that's 17 of 33. The Tigers, by contrast, hit 2 of 14 with RISP. Of course, it's not the Tigers bats that lost the past two games. Porcello, Coke, Schlereth, Purcey, and... gasp... Alburquerque all got shelled. For Schlereth, it was the last straw. He received his walking papers today.

Last night, the Tigers offense did score 9 runs. That would be enough to win most nights. Even with the pitchers offering up hits, the Tigers' defense could have stemmed the tide. As we've seen with this team for years, they failed to do the little things to win games:

In the first, Reyes (hitting .600 with 4 runs and 2 SB against the Tigers) got a single. He advanced to 2nd on an error by Cabrera. Coke managed to get the next two dudes out. Then Reyes stole 3rd because everybody steals on the Tigers. Coke proceeded to throw a wild pitch, allowing Reyes to score.

With just a single, the Mets somehow found a way to bring that run home despite not actually advancing the runner. The Tigers provided all the advancing.

Coke then had a chance to limit the first inning damage to just one run. It seemed fine. He had nobody on with two outs. Yet, shaky Coke gave up four straight hits, including a bases-clearing triple. The rout was on.

Or was it?

The Tigers kept clawing back. Cabrera hit two monster home runs to keep the Tigers in shouting distance. It was 8-6 Mets in the 7th. Alburquerque relieved Ryan Perry. The bases were loaded with 2 outs. Alburquerque induced a grounder to 2nd base. Ryan Raburn, apparently the Tigers' top option at 2nd base, ranged to his left. The ball dribbled under his glove into right field. Two runs scored.

A good 2nd baseman dives, collects the ball, and throws the guy out at first. Inning over. An average 2nd baseman dives, collects the ball, and, even if he's not quick enough to throw the guy out at first, at least he limits the damage to one run. Yet, Raburn doesn't dive. He misses the ball completely. And his body language afterward said it all. He looked dejected, embarrassed, and frankly wanted to bury his head in the sand. This is a guy who earlier hit a home run. But, man, he is killing this team. Leyland can't hide Raburn's defensive deficiencies. Carlos Guillen can't get here soon enough.

Of course, if Raburn was the only culprit, the score wouldn't have been 16-9. Austin Jackson also mishandled a grounder, allowing a run to score. The Mets stole 4 bases. Every single player in the Mets lineup got a hit. All but two players had multi-hit games. It was ugly.

Like last time the Tigers assumed first place, they quickly lost a handful of games and reminded us that they are at best an average team. Don't get fooled. They got too many holes.

Looking Up at the Team from the South

"They're as dynamic as any Mexican team I've played against."

- Landon Donovan, after Saturday's 4-2 loss

For the past decade, the US dominated Mexico on home soil. Despite Mexico's technical superiority, the yanks always found a way to win. During the last World Cup qualifying cycle, the Mexican team seemed in disarray. It was February 2009. The Swede Sven Goran Ericsson brought his Mexico squad to Columbus, Ohio, for the opening game in the World Cup Qualifying Hex.

There were definite rumblings that Ericsson was not a great fit for the Mexican team. He employed a more structured formation, and the Mexican players did their best to accommodate him. The results were dreadful. Despite a newfound dedication to defense and organization, the Mexican players seemed handcuffed. They lost 2-0.

Mexico next held serve on their home court with a 2-0 win over Costa Rica. But, a few days later, Honduras destroyed Mexico 3-1. Sven Goran Ericsson received his walking papers the next day. In the wake of the firing, the Mexican team opted for former manager Javier Aguirre. Aguirre knew the Mexican players flourished in a more flowing, attacking environment. He freed up the players. Yet, the team did not respond immediately. In the next qualifying game, El Salvador shocked the giants of CONCACAF with a 2-1 win. Mexico stood at the very bottom of the Hex with an unheard-of 1 win and 3 losses.

This was the lowest point for Mexican soccer in perhaps 50 years... more than the immediate aftermath of their 2-0 loss to the US in the 2002 World Cup knockout stage. That loss surely hurt to the core. But the Mexican team and fans at least knew the team was good enough to make it to the knockout stage in the grandest tournament in the world. Staring up at El Salvador and Costa Rica and... the US!... in the standings was a dagger to their pride.

So, on the heels of the loss to El Salvador, what did the Mexican team do? It was the Summer of '09. They jettisoned some of the older guard (Cuatemoc Blanco) and built the team around the burgeoning youth like Giovanni Dos Santos.

"Gio" was part of a new generation of Mexican players plying their trade overseas. For as long as I can remember, the Mexican team featured stars of the Mexican domestic league. Despite their stylish skill on the ball, few Mexican players ever ventured overseas. Jared Borgetti was the perfect example. Borgetti is Mexico's all-time leading scorer for the national team (an impressive 46 goals). An outright star in the Mexican domestic league, Borgetti signed with Bolton in 2005. In 19 appearances, Borgetti managed just 2 goals. He returned to Mexico in 2006.

But Rafael Marquez was the exception. At age 20, the strong Mexican defender signed with Monaco back in 1999. In a few years, he was the captain at Barcelona, where he stayed for eight seasons. With such a successful run in Spain, it's no surprise that European clubs, especially those in Spain, started viewing Mexican talent in a different light.

Gio landed a contract with Barcelona. Andres Gardado signed with Racing Santander. Hector Moreno went to play in the Netherlands. This past season, Javier Hernandez, aka "Chicharito," signed with Manchester United and scored a whopping 20 goals.

This is the new Mexico.

Now, let's go back to the Summer of '09. While the US made waves in the Confederation Cup by losing unceremoniously to Brazil and Italy, only to somehow destroy Egypt and shock Spain, the Mexican team blew through the Gold Cup. Few American fans really cared about that Gold Cup. Unlike this year, the Gold Cup winner in 2009 received no invite to the Confed Cup. The tournament was held just for exhibition purposes. Still, Mexico saw an opportunity. They trotted out more new blood, and the team steamrolled the competition, including a 5-0 thrashing of the US in the Gold Cup final. Mexico was back.

The good feelings continued as they rallied back in World Cup Qualifying. They beat the US 2-1 in Azteca. They won five straight games in qualifying, easily earning the trip to South America for World Cup 2010.

It wasn't a World Cup to remember, though. They finished second in their group, but drew Argentina in the knockout round. Argentina thrashed them 3-1. Still, the tourney provided valuable experience for kids like Chichirito, who scored two goals which obviously caught the attention of Man U. The Mexican players started to thrive overseas. Their American counterparts had less success. Only Clint Dempsey and Stuart Holden stood tall at their European clubs. American up-and-comers like Jozy Altidore shifted from club to club hoping to earn playing time. The same was true with Michael Bradley, Oguchi Onyewu, and especially Freddy Adu.

Now, I don't want it to sound like the world was aces for the Mexicans and Hell for the yanks. Gio Dos Santos experienced his share of disappointment too. He couldn't get any minutes at Barcelona, so he signed with Spurs. While he's a regular in the 18-man roster, he rarely starts. Still, there's absolutely no doubt that the top European club competition has proven beneficial to the Mexican national team. Donovan's quote up top says it all. The Mexican team shredded a rather decent US squad. As much as I want to criticize the Yanks, they're not horrible. I knew they were a step down from previous years, perhaps due to an emotional come-down following the draining 2010 World Cup run. But this team, despite fielding almost the same lineup, is not nearly as good as the team who finished atop their group in South Africa. That team had its own problems (conceding early goals), but they were significantly more energized, organized, and creative. Mexico's dominant 4-2 win last weekend should say more about the state of the Mexican team than the American's.

This miraculous rebound in glory came in a short two year span. Can the yanks do the same? I doubt it. Americans don't have the same passion or resources for soccer. It's the culture. That won't change. The American system may produce a Clint Dempsey or Jozy Altidore every now and then, but they need to produce TEN Jozy Altidores. TEN Donovans. TEN Tim Howards. That's how this team will improve.

Until then, we're stuck with this current incarnation. With Bob Bradley as coach. Yippee.

White + Stuckey = ?

I highly recommend reading the entire hilarious Bill Simmons' draft recap (linked on the right), though I wanted to highlight one poignant section.

After the Pistons drafted White, Simmons and his friends pondered this:

Random question: What would happen if Detroit re-signed Rodney Stuckey, then started Knight and Stuckey together? If you start two combo guards, does that equal one point guard and one shooting guard? I say it does; Jacoby thinks it cancels each other out; Wildes solves it by saying, "If you have two Arnold Palmers, that doesn't mean you have one iced tea and one lemonade, it means you have two Arnold Palmers." He's right. Stuckey needs to go.

Genius. Pure genius.

Pistons' White Knight

Just like in 2010, the Pistons modest draft position failed to hinder them. Last year, the Golden State Warriors surprised the league by taking Ekpe Udoh one pick ahead of the Pistons. Udoh rewarded the Warriors by missing most of the season with an injury. Greg Monroe, as we all know, fell into the Pistons lap and proved to be one of the top players in the entire draft. Just 21 years old, he may be the most mature Piston.

This year, the teams drafting ahead of the Pistons fell in love with European big men. Four foreign power forwards/centers were off the board before the Pistons picked at #8. No doubt the playoff performance of Dirk Nowitski reminded these GMs that foreign players can actually succeed in this league. Detroiters, though, still feel the sting of Darko. A Euro big-man would be a tough sell to fans. Prior to the draft, rumors swelled that the Pistons were in fact leaning toward Texas big man, Tristan Thompson. I can't say I was terribly enamored with Thompson. Apparently, he and Bismack were the most athletic big men in the draft, but neither had much offensive game. Thompson shot just 49% from the FT line. At least Bismack had more bulk and a penchant for blocks.

The Cavs felt differently. The picked Thompson at 4.

Then another surprise -- SacTown picked Bismack at #7. That gives the Kings a frontcourt of DeMarcus Cousins and Biyombo. Interesting combination of bulk and attitude.

Next to pick was the Pistons. Entering the draft, the Pistons desperately needed a big man to complement Greg Monroe. Preferably one with defensive acumen. Yet, the team truly had more holes than just size. Last season was a total clusterf***. No player - save Monroe - should be guaranteed a spot. There were deficiencies at every position. With the majority of the big men off the board, the Pistons likely chose between PG Brandon Knight, PG Kemba Walker, and SF Kawhi Leonard.

Most folks know Kemba Walker from his incredible run in the tourney. As a junior, he's a shade older than the others but also more polished. We didn't get to see too much of Leonard, though. The Pistons liked his wingspan and hustle - two elements they'll likely lose assuming Tayshaun signs elsewhere. But the Pistons passed on Leonard, and he fell all the way to #15.

The Pistons opted for Brandon Knight, who many predicted would go as high as #3. Knight comes from the John Calipari school for point guards. Calipari's churned out NBA-ready point guards for three years running -- Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall. It's like Miami U churning out QBs in the 80s -- Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Steve Walsh. The first three were Pro Bowlers (Kelly's even made the Hall of Fame). Steve Walsh had a lengthy but unheralded NFL career. Let's hope Brandon Knight isn't the Steve Walsh in his group.

Knight certainly didn't looked too thrilled when Stern called his name:

I can't blame him. He lost millions falling to #8. Last year's #3, Derrick Favors, made $4M last year. His contract increases steadily to $7M in 2014. The 8th pick will be lucky to earn half that. Why did Knight fall? It could be as simple as the teams ahead simply felt the big men were more valuable. When the run on big men started at #3 with Enes Kanter, the subsequent GMs felt they were best served to snatch up a big man before they were all off the board. It's also possible more GMs felt Brandon Knight was too raw. Compared to the other Calipari point guards, he's not the athlete of a John Wall. He's not as big as a Tyreke Evans (who at 6'5 can also play SG). And, quite simply, he's not Derrick Rose. Not even close.

Rose has the size, athleticism, and intangibles to be a franchise player. The dude's already an MVP in this league. I mean, come on. But comparing him to Rose is not really fair. Every point guard in the league bows at the altar of Rose. Only Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook, and a few savvy veterans (Billups, Nash, Parker) can match up with that dude.

So being a Kentucky product may have helped Knight's prestige initially. Yet, he didn't compare well with the recent Calipari guards. He was held to this high standard, and that may have hurt his stock.

Knight's tangibles are this: 17.3 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.0 rpg, and 3.2 turns. He shot 42% from the field and 80% from the line. As a freshman, those are acceptable stats. For comparison sake, John Wall's stats at Kentucky: 16.6 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.3 rpg, and 4.0 turns. Wall shot 46% from the field and 75% from the line.

Both players had difficulty holding onto the ball. Due to Knight's impressive scoring average and somewhat meager assists, most folks consider Knight a "combo" guard. For Piston fans that's a dirty word. Stuckey is a combo guard. Not a great point guard; not a great shooting guard. He's somewhere in the middle. Whether he's a combo guard or not doesn't matter. What the Pistons need more than anything is a stabilizing force on the offense. They need someone who will stand up and lead this team to the next level. Someone with confidence and the ability to back it up. We'll find out next year if Knight is that man.

No doubt the addition of Knight to the team impacts Stuckey's future. Are his days as a Piston over? I for one am pulling for that. Why bring Stuckey back if he's only going to add to an already crowded back court. Next season, Stuckey would definitely bring more to the table than Knight. Stuckey's an established veteran who doesn't turn the ball over. He can also score 15ppg. Brandon Knight is a 19 year old kid. He only recently chopped his braids! But the Pistons need to think long-term. After four years, I'm convinced Stuckey is not the point guard of the future. His petulant attitude last season was the last straw. Give the ball to Knight and see what the kid can do.

Piston fans should be pleased this morning. The team entered the draft with glaring needs. While they didn't address the need for a big man, they perhaps addressed an even bigger need. With Knight, they get a potential floor leader. And perhaps most impressive is the fact that the Pistons landed a real player in a draft with precious few.

Help Me Make Sense of this team

The Tigers, after taking sole possession of first place, responded by losing 4 of their last 5. The lone win in that span was, of course, Verlander's 4-hit gem against Colorado.

What's their problem? Why so inconsistent? I suppose inconsistency has been their calling card all season. Check out their season broken down into ten game segments:

March 31 - April 11: 3 wins - 7 losses

April 12 - April 22: 7 wins - 3 losses

April 23 - May 3: 3 wins - 7 losses

May 4 - May 14: 9 wins - 1 loss

May 15 - May 27: 3 wins - 7 losses

You get the idea. They're consistent only in their inconsistency. I mentioned back in April that this Tiger team simply can't rely on the bats. The lineup is top-heavy. Believe it or not, the Tigers have five players in the top 14 in AL batting average -- V.Mart, Cabrera, Avila, Peralta, and Boesch. The big dropoff is after Boesch. A Tiger bat doesn't make an appearance on the list until #61 - Austin Jackson (.248). And then another dropoff, as no other Tiger shows up in the Top 85. To be fair, Don Kelly is batting .258, but he doesn't qualify with enough plate appearances. Regardless, the point is that the Tigers' lineup hits for average and power from the #3 spot to #7. Then it's a precipitous decline.

On this current road trip, Leyland opted to further weaken his lineup. Playing in National League parks, the lineup was already missing a DH. In the 1st game against the Dodgers, Leyland trotted out:

Austin Jackson (.248)

Casper Wells (.244)

Maggs (.172)

Cabrera (.324)

V.Mart ( .324)

Peralta (.299)

Raburn (.210)

Worth (.375)

Penny (.000)

Outside of the middle 3, where's the pop? Is it any wonder they were 2-hit?

Of course, I shouldn't harp too much on the batting. This team, we've proven, simply does not provide reliable offense. They will rise and fall based on their pitching. During that early May stretch when the team went 9-1, the starters were incredible. Even Penny and Coke pitched well. Recently, though, only Verlander has shown any semblance of reliability.

Porcello's ERA in the month of June is 4.76. Not horrible, but a full run higher than his stellar May ERA of 3.52. Scherzer's descent is even more stark. On May 16, Scherzer posted an ERA of 2.98. In his last seven starts, though, he's rocking a 7.79. Last year, we saw Scherzer experience a similar rocky road. He even spent a brief spell in the minors before rebounding with a killer 2nd half of the season. For the Tigers to contend, they desperately need Scherzer to regain that form.

The team must be happy with the performance of Penny and Coke so far. While Coke sports a dismal 1-7 record, he's still pitching to the best of his ability. He's only had one game where he gave up more than 4 runs, and, for the season, Coke has a 3.95 ERA. With better run support, Coke's move to the starting rotation would be hailed as a massive success. Penny, meanwhile, gives the Tigers decent innings for the 5th starter. He usually cruises for a few innings then suddenly loses it - reminiscent of Nate Robertson. For the season, Penny's at a 4.80 ERA, though he did have a very good May (3.24). Like Scherzer, Penny's struggled recently, but the team can't expect too much more from the dude. He's coming off massive surgery. I doubt anybody in the minor league system would do much better.

If Coke and Penny continue at their current pace, the Tigers will only contend if Porcello and Scherzer regain their dominance. We know the bats may only get five or six hits some nights. The pitching must keep them in games.

D-Day

Future Piston?
The NBA Draft is Thursday.

For lottery teams like the Pistons, the draft is one day when fans experience a semblance of hope. This year, draft "experts" predict this crop to be weak. A handful of lottery prospects, Perry Jones (Baylor) and John Henson (UNC), opted to stay in school due to the pending NBA lockout, further weakening the draft.

Is it possible this draft will be as weak as 2006? That year saw Andrea Bargnani go #1 overall. Bargnani's had a fine NBA career as a scorer, but his team (Toronto) finds itself in the lottery every year. A #1 pick is supposed to be a difference maker. To date, Bargnani is too one-dimensional, and the worst #1 pick since Kwame Brown. Lamarcus Aldridge - a fine player and future All-star - went #2. But then the poor Charlotte Bobcats regrettably took Adam Morrison. The Gonzaga slasher found the NBA too physical to get to the rim, and he never developed a competent jumpshot. He actually won two rings as the 12th man on the Lakers, but, now, at age 26, he's out of the League. That's a poor pick and draft class, though Portland somehow made the most of it, landing two stars in Lamarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy (at #6). Further down the list is Rajon Rondo at #21. He's a potential Hall of Famer.

So the point is that even in weak classes like '06, potential All-stars and even Hall of Famers may emerge. The trick is to first find that diamond in the rough. The next part - the even harder part - is to develop that player and surround him with a cast that exploits his talents.

In the current draft, many of the lottery picks will be European players. That's one reason why folks consider it to be a weak class. The average fan has never seen these kids play. Partizan Belgrade's games aren't on ESPN, so we're not privy to Jan Vesely's development. One player we've all seen is Jimmer Fredette. His draft stock may be a good indicator of this class's strength (or lack thereof). He's a streaky scorer who may, if all the stars align, have a career like Jamal Crawford. That's his best case scenario. I like Crawford. He's one of the most consistent scorers in the league. Yet, he's not the kind of player a team can build around. He's a complementary piece. A role player. Fredette may become that. It's more likely he'll end up like Craig Hodges - a 3pt specialist, earning a few minutes per game to stretch the defense.

So where would a potential Craig Hodges go in the draft? Nbadraft.net has Fredette going #13. Draftexpress.com has Fredette going at #7! I suppose potential Craig Hodges may bring in female fans, but is that worth a lottery pick? Fredette's draft position is as much an indictment on this draft as anything else.

There are just too many unknowns. No better example than Bismack Biyombo. The dude dominated a showcase game against top high schoolers, shooting up the draft board. Then, in his workout for NBA scouts, Biyombo's raw, undeveloped offensive ability was on display for all to see. He's a Dikembe Motumbo-type prospect. That's a high ceiling. Yet, he could also flame out like plenty of big centers who can't rely solely on athleticism. Many folks compare Biyombo to Ben Wallace, but that's focusing entirely on their tangibles (size, shot-blocking ability, rebounding, lack of scoring). What made Big Ben an All-star and Defensive Player of the Year was the intangibles - his high basketball IQ. Ben could outwit his opponent. At 6'8, Ben somehow could effectively guard the 7'6 Yao Ming. Ben and Rasheed contained the uncontainable Dwight Howard. Ben, as we all know, outright dominated games without scoring. That takes some severe basketball smarts. Biyombo may have that. He's played professionally for two years in Spain. That's huge. We've seen what pro ball in Europe did for the development of Jonas Jerebko - he came to camp ready to play, unlike the higher-ranked college prospect, Austin Daye. Off the bench in Spain, Biyombo averaged 7.7 pts, 5.8 rb, and 2 blocks in 19 minutes. Those are solid stats for an 18 year old.

As a shot-blocker and rebounder, folks in Detroit see him as a key complement to Greg Monroe, who is more a finesse, fluid passing big man. Biyombo could offer the Pistons the paint presence they've desperately lacked since Big Ben signed with the Bulls.

If the Pistons pass on Biyombo, there are plenty of other Euro options available. Most of the Euro big men fall into the 6'10 perimeter mold. The Pistons already have Charlie Villanueva. Do they really need another? Of course, this may just be lazy scouting. It's possible these kids are taught to work on their outside shots, so, when a scout sees them lining up for a 3, they view them as a poor man's Bargnani. These kids are 18 and 19 years old. Barely done growing. It's impossible to tell how they'll pan out. One prospect, Enes Kanter, didn't even play last season. He tried to play at Kentucky, but the NCAA ruled him ineligible because he received roughly $33,000 in compensation while playing hoops in Turkey. Gotta love the NCAA. They outlaw this kid because as a 16 year old, he made $33,000 in Turkey - all above board. Yet, they avert their eyes when Heisman candidates roll up to practice in Bentleys.

Kanter will have the last laugh. He's a big, strong prospect and likely will make millions as an early draft pick. He'd be a great fit for the Pistons with his 6'11 stout frame. But my guess is he'll be the first center taken, perhaps as early as #4.

If the Pistons opt to go small, the likely candidate is Kemba Walker. Many Piston fans may cringe at the thought of another UConn guard. Yet, if Dumars lets Stuckey walk, it's possible Walker may easily fill the void. He's a solid scorer with small stature. He'll have trouble guarding the more physical point guards in the league. But that won't matter if he blossoms as a true point guard, making his teammates better. Piston fans haven't seen a player like that since Chauncey.

Flirting with Excellence

Why is this man smiling?
I've followed Justin Verlander's career since his first game as a Tiger. It was on the 4th of July six years ago, against the very team that he stonewalled last night - the Cleveland Indians.

In that game, however, Cleveland touched the greenhorn Verlander for 7 hits, 3 walks, and 4 runs in Verlander's 5 innings of work. To say Verlander has improved in those six years is an understatement. He's now one of the top pitchers in the AL, if not the entire MLB.

Last night, Verlander needed 117 pitches to mow down the Cleveland roster. They registered two singles and one walk. Since his no-hitter, Verlander has posted a sterling 1.82 ERA. Even more impressive is his WHIP during that time. In his 64 innings of work, Verlander allowed just 45 combined hits and walks. That's an incredible 0.70 WHIP. Not surprisingly, Verlander leads the majors in WHIP, followed by Phillies' Cole Hamels.

Of course, we've seen greatness from Verlander before. Many times throughout his career, Verlander has appeared untouchable, only to give up 7 runs his next game. The guy is plagued by inconsistency. It's the only thing that separates the Tigers' ace from the top pitchers in the game - Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee. Has Verlander, at the age of 28, finally found a semblance of consistency?

This season, Verlander conceded 4 or more earned runs just once in 15 starts. That's dominant stuff. Today is June 15th. The big question is whether Verlander continues the hot streak. He normally starts slow, but this year he needed no time to warm up. He's already firing on all cylinders.

US Nats

Very ho-hum effort from the Nats last night. The team dominated Guadeloupe, as they should, for extended stretches. But they simply could not finish. Well, one guy could finish. That was Jozy Altidore. His goal, early in the game, was simply... well... take a look for yourself:

It's incredible that after a finish like that, the US team could not muster another one. Dempsey, in particular, blew numerous chances. None more painful than this:

Regardless, the game finished as a 1-0 win. The defense, overall, did enough to keep Guadeloupe off the board, though they did hit Howard's crossbar in the 4th minute.

Next up for the US is Jamaica in the quarterfinals. Jamaica won their group in impressive fashion, as did Mexico. Based on the group stage games, the US is no favorite. Yet, this is soccer, and anything can happen. Who knew the US would thrash Egypt and Spain immediately after embarrassing drubbings by Brazil and Italy? The game is unpredictable... even with Bob Bradley at the helm.

More of the same

While the US national soccer team provided the single most glorious moment in sports for 2010, their run to the Cup ended abruptly. The 2-1 loss in the 2nd round proved the US improved little from the '06 squad. Was the US's advancement into the knockout stage an actual improvement, or did they just benefit from a weaker group?

I would argue the latter. The '06 squad started the tournament in dreadful fashion, getting spanked 3-0 by the Czech's. Many fans in the US wrote the team off after that embarrassment. Yet, Bruce Arena's squad rallied the next game, drawing with Italy, despite playing with nine men the entire second half. They even had a game-winning goal nullified courtesy of a dubious off-sides call. In the 3rd game, Claudio Reyna coughed up the ball to grant Ghana their first goal, and later the ref granted Ghana a penalty kick on a phantom foul by Onyewu. Yet, Dempsey put the US on the board to make the game interesting at 2-1.

Both Ghana and Italy advanced to the next round, with Italy winning the whole thing. The US was the only team to draw with Italy. In hindsight, I see little difference between the '06 and '10 squads other than quality of their opponent. Both teams suffered dreadful calls from the referees, and both teams did their best to rally.

The bottom line is that the Bob Bradley incarnation differs very little from Bruce Arena's. In fact, I'd say the Bradley team may be a step back. Bruce Arena's resume included the high-point of US soccer -- the '02 World Cup where the US reached the final 8. While that team still displayed maddening inconsistency (3-1 loss to Poland?), they raised their game in the knockout stages. They beat a sound Mexico squad and earned the respect of the world in a dramatic loss to Germany. Despite that loss, the US team looked aggressive, confident, and poised to become a world power.

That never happened.

Arena, in his second World Cup cycle, could not replicate the '02 success. And Bradley's current incarnation looks also to be a step backward.

After the disappointing exit from last summer's World Cup, the US Soccer Federation opted to retain Bob Bradley. The only other serious candidate was Juergen Klinsmann, who apparently demanded too much coaching control. So, the USSF big Kahuna, Sunil Gulati, went with the safe choice. Let's take a look at the US team's results since that fateful decision:

Aug 10, 2010: Brazil 2 - US 0 (in NY)

Oct 9, 2010: Poland 2 - US 2 (in Chicago)

Oct 12, 2010: Colombia 0 - US 0 (in Chester, PA)

Nov 17, 2010: S. Africa 0 - US 1 (in S. Africa)

Jan 22, 2011: Chile 1 - US 1 (in LA)

Mar 26, 2011: Argentina 1 - US 1 (in NY)

Mar 29, 2011: Paraguay 1 - US 0 (in Tennessee)

Jun 4, 2011: Spain 4 - US 0 (in Boston)

Jun 7, 2011: Canada 0 - US 2 (in Detroit)

Jun 11, 2011: Panama 2 - US 1 (in Tampa)

Every game but one was a home match. The US's overall record in Bob's second tenure? 2 wins, 4 losses, 4 draws. Even more worrisome is that the US team scored just 8 goals over that 10 game span. Less than a goal per game. If that isn't an indictment on Bob's tactical acumen, I don't know what is.

It's not like these are high-pressure games when opponent's bunker down. Every match but two was a friendly. Teams tend to open up and experiment. The one time when Bob truly did experiment - when he introduced newcomers Teal Bunbery, Juan Agudelo, and Mixx Diskelrud in South Africa - the US actually won the match:

Granted, that 1-0 goal was a bit of a fluke, but at least Bob saw the benefit of trying new things. Ultimately, it only resulted in Juan Agudelo graduating to consistent starter status. Bunbery and Diskelrud lurk on the outside. Bob remains committed to his regular starters who look disinterested, burnt-out, or perhaps even overmatched.

It's difficult to know what to expect going forward. It's entirely possible this US squad will thump Guadeloupe and cruise all the way to the Gold Cup Final. But it's just as likely that the team will flame out early.

Bob Bradley's squads exhibit no defining characteristics. He's loaded with midfielders, though two of the most offensively-gifted - Stuart Holden and Bennie Feilhaber - are injured. Still, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, and Jermaine Jones are available. All three play at top European clubs, but I wonder... does that even matter any more? Against Panama, MLS defender Tim Ream and European-based defender Clarence Goodsen could not contain striker Luis Tejada. Where does Tejada ply his trade professionally? Well, he was apparently not good enough for MLS, earning just five appearance in '07. He's now in Peru (?!).

The US roster is littered with an impressive array of European club players, but the Panama loss proved club success means nothing in the International arena. Chemistry, determination, and creativity trump European club pedigree every time. Under Bob Bradley, the team may have fitness, and they occasionally have determination. But they desperately lack chemistry and creativity. Unless there's a massive change to Bob's coaching style and approach, I simply don't see any improvements on the horizon.

Expect more of the same.

D-Fense

For those unaware, I was out of town the past five days and did not get a chance to watch the Tigers recent surge.

As I drove to work early Tuesday morning, I heard WDFN's Matt Sheppard ask, "Are you now happy with your Detroit Tigers?" He went on, "... or if there's one change you would make, what would it be?"

I thought to myself... I didn't get a chance to watch the wins over the White Sox or Rangers. This Tiger team to me was still the ho-hum squad that would follow a 5-game winning streak with a 5-game losing streak. It was easy for me to not fall prey to any recent success. So, after Shep posed his question above, my answer was, "No, I'm not happy with the Tigers. And, if there's one change I would make it would be improved defense."

And last night was the perfect example. It was the first game I had the pleasure to watch since Porcello's gem against Minnesota. And things started out quite well. Don Kelly hit a homer in his first at-bat, and Coke cruised easily through the first 2 innings. Then everything unraveled in the 3rd. After getting the first guy to pop out, Coke let the next three guys reach on singles. With the bases loaded, Craig Gentry hit a slow chopper to 3rd. Kelly fielded it cleanly and opted to throw home. Inexplicably, his short throw sailed wide right, allowing two runs to score, without registering a single out. Then Josh Hamilton doubled, giving Texas a commanding 4-1 lead.

I know I shouldn't complain too much about the Tigers. They've won 8 of their last 10. Yet, I simply can't see this team going very far without an improved defense. I know Raburn is fresh off a weekend Grand Salami over the White Sox. But that doesn't change the fact that he can't judge a fly ball. And there's always this:

Yet, this isn't a knock on just Raburn. The team is 4th worst in the AL in total errors committed. Kelly's error last night perfectly illustrates how a simple error compounds problems. If Kelly simply completes his throw to home plate, Coke registers his 2nd out. It saves the Tigers 1 run, if not 2. I also believe it doesn't shake Phil Coke's fragile confidence. The guy has a respectable 4.11 ERA, but, due to bone-headed plays like last night and dreadful run support, Coke's record is 1-6.

I'm content with Avila behind the plate. Cabrera is fine at first, and Peralta has proven to be a serviceable shortstop. Yet, 2nd and 3rd base continue to cause problems. Inge leads the team with 5 errors. Kelly didn't instill any confidence in his stint at 3rd last night. 2nd base has been a revolving door of Will Rhymes, Santiago, Raburn, Danny Worth, and Scott Sizemore.

Outfield isn't much better. Austin Jackson has been fine in center, but the corner spots are iffy. Boesch showed potential as a competent right fielder, but he still occasionally misjudges the pop-ups. Raburn is a nightmare, and Magglio doesn't have the best range. Thankfully, Andy Dirks and Casper Wells both proved to be competent defensive replacements.

For a team that's relied heavily on their starting 5, the rest of the roster should focus on supporting them. If they actually grow to a competent defensive team, they might actually turn this thing into a pennant race.

Ho-Hum

Last night, the US disposed of Canada in the first round of the Gold Cup. The US national team rarely comes to Detroit, so it was a special treat to get to see the boys in blue in our home town. Mrs. Nofrownmotown and I sat with Sam's Army. While the game itself was relatively ho-hum, the atmosphere of Sam's Army made for a unique experience.

The young-ish fans draped in American flags led their fellow yanks in songs and general merrymaking throughout the entire match. Standing was required. Sitting was for half-time. The Sam's Army group did their best to replicate a European environment. It was cool.

Unfortunately, the product on the field left much to be desired. Sure, the US won in workmanlike fashion. Yet, apart from a few moments of brilliance from Dempsey and Howard, the US team was as boring as a Bob Bradley hair-cut.

The US began the match with most of their regular starters. Altidore and Juan Agudelo started at striker. Dempsey, Bradley, Jermaine Jones, and Donovan led the midfield. And Bocanegra, newcomer Tim Ream, Clarence Goodson, and Cherundolo were the back 4 in front of Tim Howard. The US pressured early, wanting that opening goal. It didn't take long.

Donovan did what he does best, sending a pin-point pass to Altidore in the box in the 17th minute. From a sharp angle, Altidore spun around and sent a low-hard shot near post. The goalie, perhaps surprised by the accuracy of the shot from such an acute angle, mishandled the ball. It slipped behind him for a 1-0 US lead. Altidore had a difficult season in Europe, and he celebrated this fine goal accordingly. When the ball hit the back of the net, Ford Field erupted. The stadium was not-quite half-full, but the decibel level, especially in our section, was deafening. This confirmed my belief that a goal in soccer is one of the truly special moments in sports, especially experienced in person.

The US then took their foot off the gas. Canada maintained the lionshare of possession for the rest of the 1st half and into the 2nd. They had several dangerous chances, including a blistering shot from distance by Dwayne DeRosario. Howard extended fully to his left but missed the ball. Luckily it curved inches outside the far post. Howard had a few choice words for his defense after that shot.

The second half started with more of the same - extended possession by Canada. The US went many minutes between shots. Donovan and Dempsey were silent.

Around the 60th minute, the US retook control of the match. Both Donovan and Dempsey suddenly became much more involved. The US had a number of chances inside the box, and it seemed only a matter of time before the US scored another. While Canada had some quality attacking players, their defense and, especially, goalie were lacking.

In the 62nd minute, Altidore sent a cross through the box that found Dempsey far post. From a sharp angle, Dempsey volleyed the shot into the back of the net. Unlike Altidore, Dempsey celebrated with less verve, likely due to his 12 goals in England. He had a stellar season in England and probably expected to score at least one against Canada.

Against weakish competition like Canada, players like Dempsey and Howard really stand out. They're the only European-based players to excel at their respective clubs. In the field, Dempsey has that innate ability to do something special at any moment. While Donovan may be the most polished field player for the nats, it's Dempsey who has become the most dangerous. Fulham did him wonders.

After the US's second goal, Canada ramped up their attack. Howard made a handful of world-class saves to prevent a last-minute nail-biter. After the match, the teams shook hands and exchanged jerseys. The US players then saluted the fans, with Dempsey leading the charge. He pointed to each section, Hulk Hogan-style. The fans loved it and gave the US players rock-star treatment.

While it's nice to beat up on Sidney Crosby's home country, this game did leave a bit to be desired. It came on the heels of a 4-0 drubbing by Spain. While that Spain match was a friendly, it did illustrate the disparity in skill between the two teams. With Bob Bradley at the helm, I expect the US to follow much the same path they did four years ago. They'll likely battle with Mexico for first place in the Hex. That will get them into the World Cup, where they will get bounced from their group, unless they get a favorable draw like in 2010.

The sad truth is that the US is not close to challenging for a World Cup title. They're not elite. Nor are they on the next tier. The US hovers with the vast sea of middling soccer countries. They have the ability to occasionally pull out a shocking upset but are usually bounced in the early rounds of the major tournaments.

During the 80s, when the US started producing players that could actually play the game professionally, we all thought "it's only a matter of time." It's clear now that the time frame we're looking at is decades or centuries. It's not just a case of producing great athletes. The elite countries possess a soccer culture that doesn't exist in the US. It may never exist. Most American kids don't dream of starring for the soccer team. The other sports are more popular. Yet, I never thought I'd see an American soccer player hold court over a stadium like Clint Dempsey did last night. I imagine that's the same in every stadium across this country. The US team has made strides in popularity. If they can slowly win a permanent role in the nation's sports consciousness, perhaps they'll draw the athletes to take them to the next tier.

Until then, we'll have to be content with 4-0 losses to Spain and 2-0 wins over Canada.

The Curse of...

Who is this man and why did he curse the Twins?
Bizarre happenings in Tigerland.

Last night, the Twins jumped out to a 3-run lead. The Tigers stormed back to go up 6-3. Then, courtesy of a Justin Morneau HR (his second of the game), the Twins regained the lead 7-6. But, the Tigers were not finished. In the bottom of the 7th, Jhonny Peralta tied it with a sac fly. In the bottom of the 8th, Danny Worth led off with a single. Austin Jackson sacrifice bunted, but the Minny pitcher, who fielded the bunt, got greedy. He tried to get Worth out at second, but his throw (late, by the way) missed the target, and everybody was safe! Casper Wells sacrifice bunted everybody over, and then Boesch hit a sac fly to score the winning run.

In that one inning alone, the Tigers had 2 sacrifice bunts and 1 sacrifice fly - helped out by a throwing error by the Minny pitcher. This is not the regular Twins/Tigers script. This is that script in reverse!

Since when do the Twins allow an error? This is just crazy times in the American League Central. With the Twins in last and the Tribe in first, it's the exact opposite of most preseason predictions. And to make matters even more bizarre, the Tigers have now won 8 straight over Minnesota. I don't quite know what to make of it.

I'm sure the Curse of Señor Smoke lives on. Should the Tigers meet the Twins in some pennant race, we all know who will win. It's more likely the Twins somehow acquired their own curse. It may not be a long-term thing. It may just be a temporary curse. Like, perhaps Denard Span needs to switch from chewing tobacco to gum? Or maybe Joe Mauer should get off the hammock and back on the field?

What could be the cause of the curse? We need to look at when the bad luck first began. Minnesota did fine last season, up until the playoffs. They crashed out in 3 straight games to the Yankees. No big surprise there. That season should still be considered a success. Yet, they started the '11 season with a 4-10 record. Something must've happened in the offseason. What on Earth did the Twins do to irk the Baseball Gods?

After scouring the Twins offseason transactions, I discovered the cause of the curse.

In fact, it didn't take long. One transaction (and one name in particular) stuck out like Al Czervik at Bushwood Country Club:

On January 26th, Minnesota Twins' pitcher Mike Maroth retired.

Since the Tigers traded Maroth in 2007, he's bounced around a few minor league systems before signing with the Twins in 2010. After a few injury-plagued seasons, Maroth decided to hang up the cleats. Is it the fact that Minnesota never gave Maroth a chance in the big leagues? Or was Maroth the Tiger bad luck charm that's now gone for good? He lost 21 games in that dreaded '03 season. With him out of the picture, the Tigers are rid of one more reminder of the Dark Ages. (Only one last vestige of '03 remains.) My guess is that Maroth's retirement is a specific curse to the Twins alone. They were the last team to employ him. He retired as a Minnesota Twin product and will curse them until...

Well, that's the big question. Since Maroth was not traded or released by the Twins, this curse should not have any long-term effects - unlike the Curse of Señor Smoke. The Twins can overcome the Curse of Mike Maroth by stringing together a few wins and somehow getting back over .500, something the Tigers never did with Maroth as a regular starter.