Saturday, January 29, 2011

D'oh


Not many teams would've lost to the Heat last night. The Heat were without Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Udonis Haslem. They were on the 2nd night of a back-to-back, in which their flight from NY didn't arrive until 4:30am. All those factors seemed to point to a rare Piston road win. Unfortunately, the Pistons failed to pull away and ultimately left the game in the hands of the officials.

The final two minutes was a see-saw affair with the Heat taking a 2pt lead, and then Austin Daye nailing a 3 to put the Pistons up 1. Both teams then failed to score on their ensuing possessions, and the Heat carried the ball up the court with 25 seconds left. The Pistons D did a fine job of shadowing Lebron, and the ball ended up with Eddie House. House drove the lane, pump faked, and let loose an off-balance jumper from the corner of the key. The ball fell well short. But the refs bailed him out. They called a foul on Ben Gordon, who bit on the pump-fake. Replays showed little or no contact. House hit both freebies.

With 2.7 seconds remaining, the Pistons had a chance to still win, down just 1. Kuester drew up a stellar inbound play, with T-Mac lobbing the in-bound pass to Austin Daye for an alley-oop. The pass was perfect, and Daye was about to hammer home the dunk. But he got a stiff arm to the chest and another arm blocked his hand. The dunk attempt caromed off the rim, and the game was over. T-Mac was livid. He couldn't believe there was call. Neither could I, honestly. If Gordon received a phantom foul the previous possession, why wasn't there a whistle when the contact was more obvious?

Well, these things happen in the NBA, especially when you're the lowly Pistons playing the mighty Heat in their home arena.

Ultimately, though, the Pistons have themselves to blame. They had plenty of opportunities to put the Heat away. Often throughout the game, the Pistons led by 8, only to let the Heat crawl back in. Then, when it comes down to the officials, well... the losing teams are rarely going to get the benefit of the whistles.

One nice thing about this game, though, was another clutch 3 by Austin Daye. As the Pistons prepare for life sans-Tayshaun, it's nice to see Daye will at least have no problem handling the scoring burden. Whether he provides Prince's defense, passing acumen, or knack for the game-saving-play remains to be seen.

It was also great to see T-Mac display visible frustration at the end. The dude is in his waning years, on two bum legs, getting paid the minimum on a crap team. Yet he still cares. That's endeared him to Piston fans and the front office. I'd be surprised if he signed a long-term deal with Detroit, but I definitely think Joe D should make a play to keep him in the D for at least one more season. He's helped this team tremendously, both with his play and leadership.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Imperfecto

For an absolutely brilliant (and entertaining) analysis of the Pistons' surprising road win over the Magic last night, check out PistonPowered.com. It was a strange game in which the Pistons displayed poise and clutch-shooting often lacking the past two seasons. Late in the 4th quarter, with the Magic about to seize control of the game, Austin Daye hit a deep 3-pointer that seemed to signal this Piston team would not go quietly. Those moments of defiance have been few and far between this season, so it would be wise to cherish this one.


In other developments, the Tigers traded Armando "Imperfecto" Galarraga to Arizona yesterday, in exchange for two low-level prospects. Earlier this month, the Tigers signed oft-injured pitcher Brad Penny, which made Galarraga expendable. With Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello, Phil Coke, and Penny as the five starting pitchers, the only options for Galarraga were to accept a bullpen role or get traded. Galarraga was out of options, so hanging at Toledo until Penny (or Porcello) got hurt was not possible. So, instead of exposing him to waivers, Dombrowski at least picked up two minor league pitchers - Kevin Eichhorn and Ryan Robowski. Eichhorn is the more prized of the two players, but his prospects of gracing Comerica are limited. At the rookie-level (lower than Single-A) last season, Eichhorn pitched 74 innings, sporting a solid 1.2 WHIP. His ERA wasn't spectacular at 4.9, but I did like that he only walked 15 batters. He struggled when he moved up to the Single-A level. He's 20 years old, so the jury is still out.

As for Galarraga, it's a rather sad end to an up-and-down career as a Tiger. He burst on the scene in 2008, winning 13 games and posting a sub-4.0 ERA. He was the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. Yet, he never regained that '08 form. Leyland regularly accused Galarraga of trying to aim the ball, instead of challenging the hitter. Pitching inside was definitely a trademark of his '08 success, but it's also possible that hitters figured him out.

Of course, not a single hitter figured him out that fateful game last season. He mowed down 28 straight batters, allowing just that one faulty hit. The "imperfect" game illustrated Galarraga's potential. Yet, the rest of the season illustrated his inconsistency. The imperfect game was one of only 4 wins all season. He finished with an ugly 4-9 record and a fair 4.5 ERA.

From a statistical standpoint, picking Brad Penny over Galarraga makes sense. Penny is a former All-star, with a career ERA of 4.11. The risk is that Penny pitched just 55 innings in 2010. 94 innings in 2008. The year in-between, 2009, was anything but a success. For both the Red Sox and Giants combined, Penny pitched 173 innings with a 4.88 ERA. The hope, however, is that Penny displays the form of '06 and '07 when he won 16 games each year. In '07, he posted a sterling 3.03 ERA. Penny is indeed a risk, but, as the 5th starter, he's worth it.

Perhaps the bigger risk is Phil Coke. Coke doesn't have the injury history of Penny, but he's never served as a regular starter in the majors. It's an enormous assumption that he'll be able to simply take the mantle of 4th starter. In an ideal world, I'm sure Dombrowski would've preferred to have Galarraga as a backup in case either Coke or Penny faltered. And Porcello is no sure thing either. How often do teams use the same five starters the entire season?

Without Galarraga, Dombrowski is gambling on up-and-comers like Jacob Turner and Andrew Oliver to serve as the fill-ins. I doubt this Galarraga trade will make-or-break the season, but it's just a bit strange seeing a pitching-hungry team trade a semi-reliable arm.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Down to Earth


The Pistons lost twice last night.

The first loss occurred in the early evening when New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov officially nixed the 3-team Carmelo Anthony trade. That sad bit of news means that, despite my grandiose claims that it was "only a matter of time," poor Rip Hamilton won't be leaving the Pistons any time soon.

Later, the Pistons took the best team in the East - the Boston Celtics - to the wire, only to lose in a rather demoralizing fashion. For most of the game, the Pistons matched the Celtics beat-for-beat. This wasn't the broken down, disinterested Celtic team that visited the Palace a month ago. Everyone was healthy and firing on all cylinders, and the Pistons actually outplayed them for long stretches.

During the third quarter, normally the Pistons bugaboo, the Celtics could not shoot straight. Whether it was solid Pistons' D or just cold shooting (likely the latter), the Pistons had a chance to build a substantial lead. But Boston ramped up their effort just enough to stay close. Then, in the 4th quarter, the Celtics really brought the pain and thoroughly dominated the Pistons, like a big brother pinning the helpless, frustrated underling.

With 7 minutes to go, the Pistons actually had a 6pt lead. Yet, Kuester inexplicably opted to bench Ben Gordon who just found his shooting rhythm. The Celtics proceeded to go on a 7-1 run to tie the game, as the Pistons' offense went cold. The one player who surprisingly delivered in the clutch for Detroit was Greg Monroe. He made two successive layups to give the Pistons a 4pt lead with under 3 minutes remaining. Boston countered with their own hoop to cut it to 2. Then, with 1:30 left, Prince intercepted a pass and rushed down for a potential fast break. Boston hurried back to negate a layup. Prince fed McGrady at the top of the arc. In what can only be called a bone-headed play for a guy who I've praised regularly for his excellent decision-making this season, T-Mac hoisted a long bomb with 20 seconds to go on the shot-clock. The shot clanged off the rim. Boston quickly tied it and easily closed out the game as the Pistons couldn't solve the high-pressure Boston D.

And, no, Rip never left the bench.

Dan Feldman of PistonPowered.com felt compelled to drag out the dreaded "moral victory" tag for this game. When a 14-26 team takes the best team in the East to the wire in their own barn, I guess it should qualify as a moral victory. And why would the Pistons be above that? Their a lottery team trying to find an identity. They displayed good effort and decent decision-making prior to the final two minutes. Boston merely showed that they have infinite more experience in closing out tight games. If the Pistons are lucky, they'll learn that same skill, and I daresay they're on the right path.

Last night, they didn't look like a a 14-26 team. Yet, they have a tough stretch of games looming - @New Jersey, Phoenix, @Orlando, Denver, @Miami, @Knicks. The games against the Nets and Knicks shouldn't be considered tough, but the Pistons have won just 4 road games all season. Every road game is tough. If the team can somehow go 3-3 during that stretch, I believe they'll have a shot to potentially sneak into the playoffs. They won't sniff a .500 record, but the playoffs will be a good accomplishment for the team that began in such disarray.

As for poor Rip, he again received a DNP-CD. With no trade on the horizon, the dude must be doubly dejected. Watching the Pistons struggle in crunch time against the suffocating Boston D, I was left wondering if the Hamilton of old might reappear and carry the day. Alas, those golden moments are forever in the past. If that Hamilton were to once again see the light of day, it will be in a different uniform. Unless, of course, something incredible happens - i.e. another trade. And, no, I'm not talking about resurrecting the Rip-to-NJ debacle. I'm talking about keeping Hamilton a Piston and instead trading Ben Gordon.

First off, Gordon is younger and, despite his poor stretch of games, isn't considered broken down like Rip. He's still respected around the league as a top scorer and could command a solid return. Further, dumping his contract would save the team even more money. My guess is that Joe D knows this and is soliciting offers for both guards. If BG is traded, Rip can settle into the back-up guard position. His ego may still take a hit, but, partnered with a true PG like Bynum, my guess is Rip would do just fine.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Pistons Look Decent


For the first time all season, the Pistons won three games in a row. The first was a nail-biter in Toronto. The second was a furious comeback against the Sacramento Kings. And the third was an impressive near-blowout of the Dallas Mavericks.

To put this in context, Toronto and Sacramento are a combined 22-58. We're not talking about playoff teams here. And Dallas is in the midst of a six game losing streak. Dirk Nowitski, who did play yesterday, is not 100%, and the team was playing without Caron Butler and Tyson Chandler. So, the Pistons shouldn't be patting themselves on the back with too much fervor. Yet, three wins is still three wins, and the team looked pretty darn good, especially yesterday.

Much of the talk surrounding this win streak is that it's coinciding with the benching of Rip Hamilton. At this point, I can't say it's anything more than a coincidence, but, with each win and with each impressive offensive outporing, it becomes less of a coincidence. The absence of Rip is not the only change. For one thing, Tracy McGrady is now the starting point guard, and Rodney Stuckey is now primarily a shooting guard. What's not making headlines is that these wins are also coinciding with Ben Wallace's injury. Is it just as likely that Big Ben was holding them back? Perhaps with Greg Monroe eating up 40 minutes/game, the Pistons' offense is more efficient, fluid, and opportunistic with Monroe's offensive boards/putbacks.

Whether or not Rip and Ben were holding the team back, one thing is for sure - the offense is way more fun to watch. They pass much better, often resulting in easy layups or dunks. They scored 50 points in the paint last night. This team was exclusively a jump-shooting team just last season. Things have changed.

One thing that hasn't changed is Tayshaun Prince. While he's upset at Hamilton's benching and groused openly with the coach this season, Prince has put up solid numbers. In fact, he's playing as good as I've ever seen. He still slows down the game with his deliberate post-up moves, but somehow it works in this offense. Hamilton's game with the Pistons relied upon other teammates setting double-screens for him to get open and catch-and-shoot. This season, Hamilton tried altering his game somewhat to become more of a face-up player who takes his man off the dribble. It didn't work, and his field-goal percentage plummeted. Somehow, Hamilton's slow-down game hurt the offense, but Prince's did not. One possible explanation is that Prince is a more willing passer. Hamilton more likely will force the difficult shot, whereas Prince will only force with the clock winding down.

Having watched Rip through the years, I know he's a capable passer, who, when focused, can accumulate the assists like a point guard. My guess is that his heart just isn't in it this year. The losses, the poor shooting nights, and the in-team grousing just took their toll. No doubt his skills should allow him to thrive elsewhere, and I fully expect him to lay 30 on the Pistons in his first game against them.

As for the rest of the Pistons, Greg Monroe looks more and more like a keeper. He may never be a star in this league, but he does many of the little things to help the team win. His four steals last night were critical. And he had a key steal against Sacramento that led to a Bynum layup during crunch time. Right now, Monroe's game on offense is mainly to stay active, try to get open for an easy dunk, or, failing that, grab an offensive board. The team doesn't run plays for him, so he's not developing an NBA-ready post-up game. Yet, he's still scoring double-digits each night. Clearly he's making an impact without requiring a ton of shots or plays. This is a great sign for a team in desperate need of an impact big man. In many ways, he's like Prince - who also does little things to help the team win. Despite playing just four NBA seasons, Monroe is perhaps the Pistons best big. That's both an indictment on the roster and a compliment to Greg.

Monday, January 10, 2011

It's only a matter of time


Late last week, a story surfaced that the Pistons nixed a deal that would've sent Hamilton to the Nets. In the proposed deal, the Pistons would send Hamilton and their 2011 first round pick to the Nets, in exchange for Troy Murphy and Johan Petro.

Troy Murphy has a $12million expiring contract. He's also not a horrible player who might actually help the Pistons with rebounding. On most teams, Murphy would be the 4th or 5th option. On a team as desperate as the Pistons, he might see time in the starting lineup (doubtful, but possible).

Johan Petro, however, is a different story. For some reason, the Nets signed him to a 3 year deal that will pay him $3.25M next season and $3.5M the season after that. This is for a guy who's scored 88 points total this season. No thanks. In addition, the Nets wanted the Pistons 1st round pick - a pick that will likely be in the top 7. That's just crazy. The Pistons would love to unload Hamilton's $12.5M/year contract, but they ain't that desperate.

So, apparently, the Nets reconsidered. They nixed their demand for a first round pick. The Nets want to make this trade happen, but the Pistons are the least of their worries. At the center of this trade is the Denver Nuggets. The trade originated as a way to bring Carmelo to New Jersey. In its current incarnation, the Nuggets would send Carmelo and Chauncey to New Jersey, thus reuniting Chauncey with Rip. The Nets would send 2 first-round picks and most of their important players not named Brook Lopez to Denver. Troy Murphy and Petro go to Detroit.

All the parties seem committed to making this deal happen. Now, it's only a matter of time.

From the Pistons perspective, it sorta sucks to take on a stiff like Petro, but it's better than dealing with Hamilton's 3 year contract. Adrian Wojnarowski of YahooSports tweeted that the Nets may even give the Pistons a draft pick just so they can dump Petro. That would be nice.

With Hamilton leaving, part of me will definitely be a bit sad. Despite his horrible play the past few seasons, I still consider him an immense talent. He was a great Piston. Not just good -- he was great. In the playoffs, he was the most consistent scorer. He seemed immune to pressure, and, until recently, seemed to be a great guy in general. I have no doubt he'll succeed elsewhere, especially if reunited with Billups. Piston fans should cheer Rip in his return. He gave a lot to the team.

UPDATE: Pistons will receive a 2nd Rounder from New Jersey. Good on Joe to go from having to give up a 1st rounder to getting NJ to give him a pick! Unfortunately, this trade is still speculation. Denver remains the holdout.

Friday, January 7, 2011

A Tiger Fans' Case for Tram


The title of this post admits my bias on this subject. I grew up during the 80s, and it was the Tigers who initially turned me on to sports. Admittedly, Trammell was never my favorite player (that honor belonged to Lance Parrish), but it was clear that Tram was the best player on a strong Tiger team.

With Sparky Anderson at the helm, the Tigers were above .500 for all but one year during the decade - the dreadful 1989 campaign when they lost 103 games. Otherwise, they averaged an 87-69 record (the total games are a bit off due to the strike-shortened 1981 season). The Tigers finished atop their division twice, winning the World Series in 1984 and later losing to the Twins in the ALCS in 1987 (due, of course, to the Curse of Señor Smoke).

They were a regular contender. They won the World Series. They fielded All-stars every season. So why is not a single member of that team in the Hall of Fame, let alone their best player?

The case against Trammell is relatively simple - numbers and awards. When the dust settles on a career - and the emotions and memories of the player's ability fade - the numbers and awards remain. Trammell had the misfortune of playing during the 80s, a decade without eye-popping offensive numbers. Nobody hit 50 homers. 150 RBIs was a thing of legend. In 1988, Will Clark led the entire NL with just 109 RBIs. In the 90s, Trammell faced a series of injury setbacks, hindering his chance to accumulate hits. He retired after 20 seasons with 2,365 hits, 1,003 RBIs, 185 HRs, and a .285 BA. While Brandon Inge would die for those numbers, they simply won't win the attention of many Hall of Fame voters.

To augment his case, Trammell needed some hardware. He did win the World Series MVP in 1984. He earned 4 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers, and 6 All-Star appearances. What he lacks, though, is the AL MVP award. Damn George Bell narrowly edged Tram for the MVP award in 1987, perhaps dooming Tram's HOF chances. Would one MVP award make the difference? I honestly believe so, because it's tangible proof that the particular player was the best in the league. The Hall of Fame wants the best of the best. It wants MVPs and record-setters. Without that hardware, Trammell becomes just another hopeful.

Let's just ignore numbers and awards for a while. I realize that's about as likely as asking the Oscars to ignore box office receipts, but humor me. Let's make the assumption that Trammell was the best player on the Tigers. Let's also assume that the Tigers were one of the best teams of the 80s (their W-L record and 1984 World Series championship back that up). Almost all Trammell's contemporaries that fit that description are in the Hall.

Best player on the Brewers? Robin Yount. Hall of Fame.
Best player on the BoSox? Wade Boggs. Hall of Fame.
Best player on the Orioles? Cal Ripken. Hall of Fame.
2nd Best player on the Orioles? Eddie Murray. Hall of Fame.
Best player on the Twins? Kirby Puckett. Hall of Fame.
Best player on the Royals? George Brett. Hall of Fame.

And, of course, the most irksome Hall of Fame honoree to Tiger fans:
Ozzie Smith.

From a numbers standpoint, Smith doesn't hold a candle to Tram. The guy had just 28 home runs career. He retired with a pedestrian .262 BA, but to judge the Wizard of Oz by numbers is to judge the Beatles by record sales. Ozzie Smith was the Michael Jordan of shortstops. His acrobatics made him a human highlight reel, and the fans adored him for it, voting him into the All-star game every season. So, in spite of the numbers, Ozzie Smith received an invite to the Hall in his first year of eligibility. Maybe the Hall isn't always about numbers? The voters also take into account popularity and defense. Outside of Detroit, Tram just didn't have the popularity. At shortstop, he was in the shadow of Cal Ripken, fer cryin' out loud. But, Tram's defense compares favorably to the wondrous Wizard of Oz. Their fielding percentage is almost identical (.978 to .977). My guess is that Tram's defense is usually overlooked due to the lack of highlight reel plays.

To date, Tram's had 10 chances to get in the Hall. He needs 75% to get in. While his numbers have, in general, gone up each year, he's still receiving just 24.3% of the votes. That's way short. By comparison, Jack Morris received 53.5% last year. Morris, of course, has the whole "Winningest Pitcher of the 80s" - a tangible factoid that proves Morris's "greatness". Trammell's got nothing to rely on but memories and the belief that he was the best player on a great team. My hope is that will be enough.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

To salvage the season


During a time when neither the Wings nor Pistons can win, the Lions strangely can't lose. I was tempted - during my Holiday layoff - to write about the rejuvenated Detroit gridiron heroes. Despite 3 hobbled QBs and a defense missing half the starters, the Lions rattled off 4 straight wins. I'll take it. Yet, I won't get pulled into any optimistic fervor, believing this team has turned a corner. The Lions did show marked improvement from the year before, and I firmly believe Jim Schwartz is a fine coach. But, ultimately, they're a 6-10 team. That's not good. Moving from a historically bad team (2008) to a generically bad team (2010) is not newsworthy.

I'm happy the fans had something to cheer about. I'm happy the players ended the road losing streak. I'm happy Jim Schwartz won't get fired. And I'm most happy that the Lions' season is over.

Pistons
Last night, the erratic Pistons took on the Jazz in Utah - a place they rarely won even during the best of times. For a team with just three road wins on the season, it was a minor miracle the Pistons even had a chance. They did indeed come close. In the final minute, the Pistons had numerous chances to tie the game, and they had a legitimate gripe when a Jazz 2-point shot was incorrectly ruled a 3. Strangely, the refs opted not to review the crucial shot. For a team in massive flux, this loss may indeed count as a moral victory. I know most fans hate that term, but it's somewhat appropriate for a Pistons' team that's as close to disarray as they are to the playoffs.

During the Holiday break, the Pistons played their best game of the season (the clinical win over the Celtics) but also dropped miserable losses to the Suns and Bobcats. Despite the losses, I learned the Pistons should improve considerably if the following two things happen:

1. Tracy McGrady remains as the starting point guard
2. They remove one guard from the rotation

With Stuckey sidelined, Kuester opted for McGrady as his replacement. It became immediately apparent that McGrady possesses an infinitely higher basketball IQ. Not only does he understand the flow of the game, but, for a guy who was never before a point guard, he's damn good at passing and finding the open man. Against the Celtics, it was amazing watching him break down the defense and regularly find a wide open Chris Wilcox or Charlie V. I've watched Stuckey for four seasons, and his dribble-penetration never resulted in such effortlessly easy layups for his teammates. With Stuckey, nothing was easy.

Now, Stuckey is not a bad player. In fact, I believe he's quite a serviceable NBAer. His speed, tenacity, and decent jump-shot should grant him a long and lucrative career. It's just clear that he's a scorer first, passer second. He doesn't make those around him better. And, most importantly, he's just not doing the little things that help his team win. McGrady is the better option.

The Suns, however, exposed McGrady's one main weakness at the point guard spot - ballhandling. They regularly pressured him, resulting in 5 turns and a shocking plus/minus of -22. McGrady responded well against the Jazz, though, nearly earning a triple double (11 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds, 1 turnover).

To salvage the season, the team also needs to remove one guard from the rotation. Stuckey's injury permitted McGrady to move from small forward to point guard. That shift opened up small forward minutes for Austin Daye. This is absolutely crucial to his development. Daye is the team's best shooter, and Kuester tried to find him minutes as a power forward. Despite a hot-shooting hand, Daye quickly found himself on the bench as opposing power forwards ate him alive on the defensive end. Yet, as a small forward and Tayshaun's primary backup, Daye could thrive.

Off the bench, Daye provides instant offense. His presence on the floor opens up the driving lanes for quicker guards like Bynum, Stuckey, or Gordon. The opposition must respect his 3-point shooting ability. If Bynum drives to the hoop and the defense collapses, Bynum has the option to dish to Daye for a long-range open look. It's not rocket science, but it's the way teams win in this league. And it's the proper way to use an offensive talent like Austin Daye (and Will Bynum). Of course, none of this is possible if Kuester continues to use Daye as a power forward or give his minutes to one of the plethora of guards on the roster.

The Pistons' record stands at 11-23. The schedule does not let up much in January with games against the Lakers, Mavericks, Celtics, Magic, Nuggets, and Heat looming. The February schedule is slightly easier, but my guess is that this team will be all-but-mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by the end of the month. And that's fine. Wins would be nice, but they alone won't salvage the season. The Piston fans need a reason to watch and hope for the future. McGrady, despite his age, is a breath of fresh air. And continued development of players like Austin Daye and Greg Monroe could keep people watching. Lethargic blowout losses, Rip Hamilton ejections, and team in-fighting, though, will send fans to the exits quicker than Usain Bolt.