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Detroit Pistons turnaround may be Dwane Casey’s best job yet

Embed from Getty Images Here we stand,  a little more than  two disastrous months , and Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has turned the Pistons into a playoff contender. The Pistons bottomed out at seven games below .500 in early February. Even as losses piled up there were signs that the team’s offense was beginning to turn the corner.

The once left for dead, the Pistons are two games over .500 now and in possession of the East’s No. 6 seed. Making it a real possibility Detroit makes the playoffs for just the second time in the past 10 seasons.

Last season Dwane Casey won NBA coach of the year with the Toronto Raptors.  While Casey likely will not repeat that honor this season. Detroit Pistons fans can see exactly why he is a very good head coach. Casey’s positivity has been huge too.

The Pistons shot 33.1%  from the 3-point line in their first 50 games, last in the NBA. They’ve shot 39.2%  in their last 20 games, first in the league. With the team getting more production than just Blake Griffin.

What has happened to spur the Detroit Pistons turnaround? Look no further  than  the Pistons  the bench. Starting the season this unit was awful to put it kindly. The first 50 games of the season Detroit was -1.2 plus/minus, averaging 33.3 points per-game.

Now Detroit are at 0.7 plus/minus, while averaging 40.6 points per-game. Due to the fact that Dwane Casey has been far less rigid than his predecessor, Stan Van Gundy. Casey rides hot players and tinkers with his rotation.

Through it all,  Casey has brought this bunch of Detroit Pistons back into the thick of the playoff picture. A far more difficult task than the one he had last season in Toronto.

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Goalie Jimmy Howard expected to sign a one year extension with the Detroit Red Wings

 Embed from Getty Images The Detroit Red Wings are expected to announce a one year extension for longtime Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard at some point this week. The deal is believed to in the $4 million dollar range.

The Detroit Red Wings drafted Howard 64th overall in 2003, he recently played his 500th game and has professed he would like to finish his career with the only NHL team  he has known. Howard said. “I love playing for the Wings. My family loves living in Detroit. It’s very special.” It seems that is the way it will play out.

The extension shores up the Red Wings goaltending through next season. There is currently no  goalie prospect NHL ready in the organization. From the 2016-17 season through 2017-18 season, Howard accumulated a .915 save percentage and 2.63 goals against average.

Howard has been one of the more consistent players for the Red Wings this season, better than his .907 save percentage and 3.07 goals-against average through 47 games reflect. Jimmy Howard said he is comfortable with the one-year contract, as the Red Wings can continue to evaluate the veteran goaltender year to year basis.

The Detroit Red Wings do have some young goalies in the organization. They are no where close to being ready. The Wings need to prioritize developing young net-minders. Detroit in the past has signed veteran goalies like Dominik Hasek and Mike Vernon.

This is the safe road for Detroit. Howard has been a very steady and solid goalie and he is a known commodity to the fans, coaches, front office. It also gives Detroit wiggle room if they want to sign a free agent goalie.

Detroit Red Wings general manager gets some credit, in the past he gave older players outrageously big contract. In terms and years. The fact he is only giving Jimmy Howard a one year deal, signals he understands where is team is in the rebuild process.

 

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Tommy John surgery recommended for Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer

Embed from Getty Images One tragic bullpen session promptly ended Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer’s season before it even began. The Tigers announced Tuesday that Fulmer has been recommended for Tommy John surgery.

At some point in the bullpen session  Fulmer began to experience right elbow soreness a red flag for any pitcher. The  result of an MRI confirmed the worst. The Tigers and Fulmer got a second opinion from famed sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews, but are also going to get a third opinion.

It is every bit a year to year in a half recovery from reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament surgery. “Your thoughts go towards him more than anything else,” Detroit Tigers  manager Ron Gardenhire said. It is a big blow for Fulmer and the Tigers.

There were signs that something wasn’t right this spring training. Fulmer’s velocity, normally 96-97 mph, barely topped 91-92. Fulmer had surgery last season on a torn meniscus, the Tigers thought that caused the dip in velocity. They were wrong.

Michael Fulmer’s knee surgery was performed by the aforementioned Dr. James Andrews. Andrews,  is the pioneering specialist on Tommy John surgeries so he would most likely be the man in charge of repairing the Detroit pitchers elbow.

For the rebuilding Tigers who were counting hard on the 26 year old right handed pitcher, it is a big blow. The Tigers in no way, shape or form should bring up prized pitching prospect Casey Mize. If the team was going to be in contention for the division title then they would bring Mize up.

Casey Mize is ready for MLB. However the Tigers want him to have as much time in the minors so that he is 100% comfortable when he is brought up. Now is simply not the time.

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila was asked about a realistic time frame for Casey Mize he said:

“Well, Casey Mize, I guess, realistically, the most important thing, people have to understand, we have to build up a pitcher’s innings,” Avila said. “When he gets to the big leagues, you don’t want to worry: ‘Oh, I have to shut him down. He’s pitched too much.’

“In the minor leagues, you can go at your own pace. You give them 30 percent increases (every season) in innings. A lot depends on health, the stress of the innings he’s pitched. You have to build him up.”

That is the right path to take. So now the Tigers have one week to come up with a starting pitcher. Not ideal for sure.

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The Detroit Red Wings are facing a HUGE offseason

Embed from Getty Images The Detroit Red Wings have been rebuilding their roster. That is not new news. During this time the Red Wings have placed emphasis on restocking with promising young talent. The  Wings are in a good position to win the 2019 NHL Draft Lottery. But there is more to the offseason story.

For starters questions surround the future of general manager Ken Holland who is under contract though 2019-2020. There is a loud noise coming out of Detroit, Holland could be replaced this summer by former Red Wings Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman, who built the Tampa Bay Lightning into a league powerhouse.

Ken Holland has been been mentioned with the current general managers job with the  Edmonton Oilers. It is well known Holland and Oilers owner Daryl Katz are good friends. So there could be something to this rumor.

The Detroit Red Wings currently stand with an 11.5% chance at the number one pick in the NHL draft. Even if Detroit does not have the top pick they will have a top five pick and will be able to grab a potential impact player in the top-five.

With plenty of salary cap space, Detroit could look to set their  sights on a club with limited salary-cap space. Holland (or whoever is in the general mangers chair) could dangle offer sheets to young restricted free agents on cap-strapped teams.

The Detroit Red Wings Pipeline is in very good shape as far as prospects, who could be trade bait to pry away a budding stars such as Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner.

With the young Red Wings core taking steps forward, this is a bit of a critical offseason. The Red Wings next phase needs to be bringing in good solid veterans. Both offense and defense. No reason to go sign a player like Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks just yet.

But a couple of players that can bring the young Wings to the playoffs doorstep. That is what needs to happen as the curtain closes on the 2018-19 regular season and the Detroit Red Wings begin to prep for the offseason.

 

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Michigan Spring practice underway, Shea Patterson may not be the #1 quarterback

Embed from Getty Images Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh has three quarterbacks on his roster who are all highly regarded. Last season starting quarterback Shea Patterson  returned for his senior season after starting all 13 games and complete 64.6%  of his passes for 2,600 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2018. Patterson is only penciled in as the starter.

Competition is what Jim Harbaugh has harped on during his time in Ann Arbor. Both  Dylan McCaffrey and Joe Milton are said to be putting the heat on  Shea Patterson this spring leading Harbaugh to say “There’s no possible way that Shea Patterson will be able to put his feet up, in my opinion.”

This is how far the quarterbacks at Michigan have evolved. From one good one, to three above average quarterbacks on the roster all battling for for roster positions on the depth chart. It has been a process, but it paying off.

Dylan McCaffrey, was a 4-star recruit who will be a redshirt sophomore in 2019, Dylan saw plenty of time as Patterson’s backup last fall. He threw his first career touchdown pass the next week against Western Michigan. Dylan also showed he can use his legs to make plays a 44-yard touchdown run on a zone read against Wisconsin was promising.

While Joe Milton who also was also a 4-star recruit showed he may have the strongest arm of the Michigan quarterbacks. Milton played in three of the Wolverines final four games of the season and was able to preserve his redshirt status.

Harbaugh said that offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is giving the three players  equal reps this spring. All three players are looking good so far. It is fair to say the Wolverines starter will be the player who steps up into a leadership role. Who can command the huddle as well as not get rattled when things are not going well during the course of a game. Shea Patterson was that player last season.

This season appears to be different at least in the now. All eyes will be on the three quarterbacks to see if anyone separates from the rest.

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Detroit Lions are Wins Above Replacment free agent winners

Embed from Getty Images One week into the NLF offseason, Pro Football Focus looked at each teams additions and subtractions, along with Wins Above Replacement or WAR. The Detroit Lions came is as the 4th biggest winner.

Wins Above Replacement, is a non-standardized sabermetric statistic developed to sum up a player’s total contributions to his team. It is newer to the NFL and football as WAR has been used in baseball for some time. Yet it is just as effective.

Now, let us take a look at what WAR shows us with newly signed free agents by the Detroit Lions, We will start with Detroit’s big signee defensive edge rusher Trey Flowers. The Lions signed Flowers to a 5 year $90 million dollar deal is he worth it?

WAR shows us that Flowers had at least 77 quarterback pressures in each of the past two seasons. What does that mean? The Lions have had no, zero pass-rusher in the Pro Football Focus (PFF) era that had more than 72 pressures in a season. Not only that but only twice since 2006 has a Lions pass-rusher had more than 70. Ndamukong Suh had 72 in 2013 and Ezekiel Ansah had 71 in 2014. Making Flowers a solid addition.

The next big Detroit Lions free agent get was cornerback Justin Coleman. What did WAR reveal about Coleman? Tracy Walker and Darius Slay were the only two Detroit defensive backs to that saw grades above 70.0 for the Detroit Lions. Last season was Justin Coleman’s second season in a row where he rated at 75.0. His near third of WAR shows us how valuable Coleman is.

While it is true the Detroit Lions have spent money this offseason. WAR shows us they spent the money wisely. The grabbed two players who are both 25 years old and who both rate high in WAR. So Detroit clearly did their homework. Not only nabbing two players entering their prime, but players who without doubt helped their teams.

 

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Detroit Tigers prospect update Parker Meadows

Embed from Getty Images Parker Meadows is a prospect all Detroit Tigers fans need to both know and follow. He is one of the Detroit Tigers most exciting prospects based on his high ceiling. The Tigers drafted Meadows last summer out of high school for good reason.

Playing in 22 rookie ball games last summer gave a tease of the talent that Parker Meadows brings to the Tigers. Hitting .284 with 2 doubles and 4 home runs was a solid start. Meadows then moved to the Connecticut Tigers where in six games Parker hit . 316.

The goal for Parker this season is to stay injury free and continue to move up the minor leagues. Last season Meadows battled a hamstring injury early in rookie ball, followed by a back injury in Connecticut.

At 6-foot-5, Parker Meadows hits for average, hits for power and an aspect of his game that surprised some in the Detroit Tigers front office, Parker has speed.  Making him the player with perhaps the most athleticism in the Tigers minor leagues.

“He’s got the arm, he’s got the power, he’s got the speed, Basically, he has all the ingredients that you are looking for in a baseball player.” Tigers general manager Al Avila said. Detroit scouts did a fantastic job of finding Meadows.

Word is the Parker Meadows is all business. He goes about his training all out. Meadows  worked out with a personal trainer four days a week and focused on his diet for the first time.

Parker Meadows currently ranks as Detroit’s No. 9 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Expect Parker to climb the rankings this summer. He should at some point reach Grand Rapids this season and play for the White Caps.

Parker Meadows has all the tools to be an above average MLB player. It should be fun to watch his growth this summer.

 

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The Detroit Pistons look like they will end the cities playoff drought

Embed from Getty Images Detroit has not seen a professional sports team in the playoffs since 2016. The city has produced eight championships since 1984. No Detroit team is close to winning a championship. These are sad days in Motown.

The Detroit Tigers have not been in the post season since they were swept in 2014 by the  Baltimore Orioles. Now coming off the second consecutive 98 loss season the Tigers are still in rebuild mode.

In 2015 the Detroit Lions lost to the  Seattle Seahawks, in the wild-card round.  In 2018 the Lions finished 6-10, but have their sights on the 2019 playoffs after a solid free agent signing period and a top ten draft pick. That is enough to give Lions fans hope.

The Red Wings will miss the playoffs for the third year in a row. While the Wings are closer to returning to competitive hockey, they are still a couple years away from being a serious Stanley Cup threat. Yet they are getting better that is the good news.

That leaves the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons currently hold the 6th position in the East.  The Pistons are likely to be a one round playoff team, certainly if they face Milwaukee or Toronto,  in the East it could very well be the case.

The Pistons fought through a sluggish January and February and the team opted not to tank and go into a rebuild. That could have perhaps sent some fans over the edge. The team now is looking at a playoff spot under first-year coach Dwane Casey.

The Detroit Pistons have not won a playoff game since 2008. While it does not look good at the moment, if the team can somehow slide into the 5th spot in the East, they would have a more favorable match up. Best case, Detroit draws Indiana in the first series. Otherwise, it will be a quick post-season for the Pistons.

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Michigan State Spartans win the Big Ten tournament

Embed from Getty Images The third time was not the charm for the Michigan Wolverines basketball team. Michigan State trailing at halftime fought back and eventually beat their biggest rival for the third time this season. This time Michigan State walked away tournament champions.

Another game, another injury for the Michigan State Spartans. This time Kyle Ahrens went down in what looked like a gruesome injury. Early reports are a very bad sprained ankle. Yet once again the Spartans rallied.

A 3 game season sweep. That is what Tom Izzo’s Michigan State basketball team did to the Michigan Wolverines. Trailing by as many as 13 the Spartans refused to give up. Not that anyone thought they would.

This marks the first time in the storied Michigan, Michigan State rivalry that one school as won three contests. As good as this game was the Ahrens injury silenced the crowd and brought some of his Spartans teammates to tears as Kyle lay on the court squirming and crying from the pain.

Yet, Tom Izzo showed once again he is the band-aid that as held the Spartans together all season. It could be argued Izzo did some of his absolute best coaching than he has in the last three seasons. Instead of folding when Kyle Ahrens went down, Michigan State dug deep down and found the heart of a champion.

The exclamation point came when Michigan State’s Cassius Winston (Big Ten player of the year) who did not have a great game somehow clutch basket to put a dagger in the Wolverines. Good players rise to the occasion, Winston has been that player all season for Michigan State.

After the game was over and the confetti was falling there stood Tom Izzo with an ear to ear grin. Can you blame him? He was masterful and his team responded. Beating Michigan three times in one season leave no doubt, Michigan State earned the tournament title.

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After free agency are the Detroit Lions better?

Embed from Getty Images Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn was aggressive. Starting day one of the free agent signing period. Nabbing two of the NFL’s top free agents as well the markets top tight end. The Detroit Lions appeared to be better. Upon further review there are still questions.

The Detroit Lions still need:

RB2

CB2

Linebacker

Right Guard

Wide Receiver

These are rather large glaring holes that did not get filled during free agencies first week. It is unclear right now, but conventional wisdom says Quinn may look to the NFL draft to fill those needs. He could also use waivers and player cuts to improve the roster.

The question at the moment is, are the Detroit Lions a better team? Adding Trey Flowers helped strengthen an already stout defensive line. Do not get me wrong I am all for bringing in more talent and creating depth. But the Lions had  and have bigger holes to fill.

Nickel defensive back Justin Coleman was a need and Quinn filled it. Detroit had released Nevin Lawson who had been the Detroit Lions nickel back but struggled to find any sort of consistency. Coleman is a big upgrade.

Jesse James TE, was signed because even though Bob Quinn allowed former tight end Eric Ebron to leave as a free agent. Even though Detroit had three TE’s on the roster. The group of tight ends did not improve in dropped passes. James is a player who was used wrong during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Detroit envisions Jess James as a great blocker and a downfield threat. He will have every opportunity to prove he is the guy to break the Detroit Lions run at bad TE’s.

Bob Quinn also signed a right guard who is lightly regarded from the Seattle Seahawks. Oday Aboushi. A solid pass blocker. This seems like a quick fix or a depth move. Aboushi did play under current Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Seattle, for those who like to connect dots.

The short answer is no. No, the Detroit Lions are not better right now. With needs at skilled positions. More talent is needed. Detroit can not count on one running back to shoulder the load in today’s NFL. They also can not head into the season with a right guard who by all accounts is a backup.

Not too mention WR and safety. Detroit wants the defense to step up and be the unit that carries the team. That is fine. It works well in New England. But they are going to need offensive players who can move the chains and put points on the scoreboard.

Things should become more clear the closer draft day approaches.