Pistons Look to Become More Competitive Through 2023 NBA Draft

 Even though the Detroit Pistons have received some valuable talent the last few drafts, unfortunately they  have continued to struggle both offensively and defensively.  With the 2023 Draft picks in Marcus Sasser and Ausar Thompson, the team hopes their fortunes will change.  Both players respectively will address issues on both sides of the ball.  If these players perform as expected, which remains to be seen, this team should improve immensely.

One of the most glaring aspects of the game that needs improvement is the Pistons’ offensive output.  In the past, this squad would live or die by the three point shot.  Furthermore, their inside game was non existent.  If they made 3 pointers on a given night, they would probably win, if they didn’t they would lose. With the addition of Marcus Sasser, they hope to make these shots more consistently.  In his college career with Houston, Sasser shot 38.4 percent from the long line, while averaging 6.9 attempts per game. The offense will hopefully be further improved with his propensity to dish out assists.  If these types of performances are translated to the NBA, the Pistons may find the ability to diversify offensively.

With a brief look at the numbers from last season, the Pistons gave up well over 100 points per game, and needless to say, struggled mightily on defense.  They hope to improve on this facet of the game with the signing of Ausar Thompson.  This Draft pick out of the Overtime Elite League averaged 2.4 steals per game, and had 4 steals several times.  Obviously, it remains to be seen whether Thompson can improve the team’s defensive prowess, but with output like this, it certainly looks promising.

Right now, the Pistons are waiting for previous draft picks to perform as expected, and it is hoped that Sasser and Thompson produce immediate results.  If this scenario comes to fruition, this team should become better imminently.  Assists should increase, as well as, Cade Cunningham with others could become exponentially better.  In theory, due to improved offensive strategies, higher percentage shots will present themselves.  If many of these things occur, more victories shouldn’t be far behind.

For years now, we have heard from ownership and other team leadership that we are building a championship culture in the Pistons organization.  We’ve made big moves that haven’t panned out, drafted elite players that did not meet expectations, and hired the best coaches to get this team perform, and nothing has proved to be the right formula so far.  Will these two change our destiny, only time will tell.

Recent Roster Health Coinciding With Tigers’ recent Winning

 It in no secret that the Detroit Tigers have had to deal with plenty of injuries this season, and it has hindered them from competing at their best.  Not only have they been without a majority of their starting rotation this season, but a significant part of their offense has been MIA as well.  Because of these scenarios, it’s proven difficult to stay competitive, even in the weak American League Central Division.  It appears that the Tigers may be on the verge of getting some major pieces back to help the likes of Spencer Torkelson and Matt Vierling build success in Detroit.

Needless to say, when a majority of the starting rotation is on the injured list for most of year, it is nearly impossible to stay competitive in any capacity.  Though all of the rotation consists of unproven talent, all have shown flashes of success.  The time has come when some of those guys are almost ready to return to the field.  If Matt Vierling and others are any indication of what is to come, the pitchers returning to this team will propel this team to many more wins.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Tigers also have had some vital pieces return.  In addition to Matt Vierling, Kerry Carpenter has also returned with a vengeance.  Not only has he produced some much needed defensive help. but has contributed with a desperately needed power spark that has been non existent this year.  There is little doubt that the return of these players, and the Tigers winning fortunes go hand in hand.

Players like Riley Greene and Matt Vierling have kept this team somewhat afloat during their season long struggles.  They have provided much needed offense by getting on base any way they can.  Whether that be hitting a base hit at a vital time, or hitting a homer at the right time.  Though Vierling has already made his way back to the field, it is hoped Greene is not far behind, which means continued success may follow.

Unfortunately, injuries are an unwanted aspect of sports that must be dealt with by every squad.  Sometimes they happen in bunches, as with the Tigers, and sometimes they are few and far between.  The key to having success as a team is how well those injuries are overcome through depth in the organization.     By all accounts, the Tigers have failed in this endeavor.  As a result, they need their starters to be healthy to have any amount of success.  Obviously, this is proving correct, because as their roster becomes healthier, success seems to follow.

Tigers’ Injuries Proving to Be Downfall

 After holding their own for a majority of the season, it seems a rash of injuries to pivotal players have finally caught up to the Tigers.  Yes, their pitching has performed at decent levels, but it has not been enough to continue to compete in the division.  Unfortunately, since the injuries, the offense has become anemic.  Obviously, when this occurs, sustained success is impossible to come by.

With a plethora of injuries to key players, the team has been unable to find the stride they once had earlier in the season.  Along with serviceable pitching across the board, the offense performed at a level that allowed the squad to stay competitive in the less than stellar American League Central Division. Hitters were hitting homers and driving in runs.  Then, injuries occurred in big numbers to needed contributors.  Riley Greene, Matt Vierling, Eduardo Rodriguez, and others all hit the injured list roughly at the same time.  Given this occurrence, it’s no surprise a 9 game losing streak then followed.  With so many important pieces out, winning games has proven to be a difficult task.

Any time most of a team’s starting rotation is out for a significant period of time, that is not a recipe for success.  Among those missing are: Matt Manning, Eduardo Rodriguez, Casey Mize, and Spencer Turnbull.  Never have all of them been healthy enough for any length of time to gauge what types of positive impacts they can have. Each of these pitchers have had flashes of success, but have been unable to stay on the field to help this team win.  If this group of pitchers are able to ever perform in unison, their collective performances could make this team unstoppable.

In MLB, every team deals with multiple injuries, it is then, that good teams have talent on the roster to replace the missing production from the starters.  The Tigers have shown this ability on and off this season, but have been unable to do it consistently enough to put more wins on the board.  Though it is unlikely, it remains to be seen whether the current group of Tigers can put it all together and get over the .500 mark.  If they get there, and remain in that vicinity for the rest of the year, this season could be deemed successful.

  For the last couple years, injuries have been the main hindrance to the Tigers developing a winning culture.  This year seems to be panning out similarly.  Both pitchers and hitters have been decimated by the injury bug.  It is unclear if and when this will change.  If the team is unable to avoid this amount of injuries each year, success may be further away than we think.

Former NBA Coach Floats Sweeping Rule Changes to the Way the Game is Played

  In every professional sport, rule tweaks and changes are a frequent occurrence.  Many changes are proposed, but few are implemented.  Some changes that are made have a profound effect on the way the game is played, some do not.  Perhaps, the adjustments proposed by former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy would be the most jarring in NBA history.  Among the wanted changes by Van Gundy include: eliminating  or shortening halftime, and doing away with free throws until the last 4 minutes of each game. Needless to say, changing regulations in such a manner would have historic implications on the way the game is played.

Though it probably will never be put into practice, one of the most consequential rules Van Gundy proposed was eliminating free throws for a majority of each NBA game.  Unfortunately, this would eliminate one of the most utilized strategies in the game.  If a team has a particularly weak free throw shooter, the opposing team will foul that player in an effort to prevent them from scoring points.  This is especially true if the team is behind in the final minutes of a game.  Poor free throw shooting frequently affects outcomes of games.  Therefore, dumping this facet of the game eliminates the opportunity to win or lose a game at the stripe.  Implementing such a rule would tear away at one of the major tenets of the game while, at the same time, denigrating one of the most exciting parts of it as well.

If the NBA wants to be as successful as possible, it is vital that its players be as effective as they can be.  This means getting plenty of rest before, during, and after games.  Under the former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets Head Coach’s proposal, this opportunity would be severely limited, as he would like to eliminate or shorten halftime.  If this were allowed to occur, quality of play would be enormously hindered, and crispness of play would be affected.  Furthermore, the overall performance on the court would be greatly diminished.

It is the now broadcaster’s contention the NBA games should be played in a 2 hour window, and he feels his suggested changes would accomplish that goal.  However, as in any sports league, the NBA is a business and wants to make money.  Making any of Van Gundy’s adjustments, means less of an opportunity to maximize profits.  In addition, shortening games, gives another nod to a society that is growing more impatient and restless by the minute.  We do not need to ruin the fabric of another sport to satisfy the needs and wants of the younger generation.

By comparison, basketball is one of the shortest of the four major sports.  The average basketball game length is 2 hours and 25 minutes, any shorter, and it’s not worth attending.  Not only would Van Gundy’s NBA affect length of games, but quality and integrity would be irreparably harmed.  Without a doubt, other aspects of the game could be tweaked to maintain continuity and flow of the game.

Is It Finally Time to Get Excited About the Detroit Tigers?

 We’ve been waiting quite awhile now for the Detroit Tigers to put it all together, and compete for Division Titles and Championships.  It appears they have made strides in that direction of late.  They have had some unexpected production from some unlikely sources recently.  Newcomer Zach McKinstry has had some timely hits, and some good defensive play.  Furthermore, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene are finally contributing on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in a manner experts thought they should.  If we continue to see these type of performances by this team, the height of their achievement is unlimited.

As a general rule, for a team to have success, several players must exceed expectations and the Tigers are no exception.  Players like Matthew Boyd, Alex Faedo, and Alex Lange have been pivotal to the Tigers being division contenders for most of the season. In Boyd’s case, he has accumulated 3 wins, and hitters have only accrued a .249 batting average against him.  Moreover, closer Alex Lange has maintained a 1.21 ERA, along with hitters only batting .135 against him.  With a few more contributions from others on the squad, the Tigers could far exceed expectations for this season 

One of the most prominent improvements of this year’s version of the Tigers is their offensive output.  During this campaign, Tigers hitters have featured more homers, hits, and walks.  In fact, in the month of May, the Tigers have led the league in walks.  Up to that point, the team was at the bottom of the pack in that category.   Because the team has been more selective in the pitches they choose to swing at, it has led to a dramatic improvement in overall offensive numbers.  If this type of production is maintained, it’s quite likely that the Tigers rise to success will continue.

A final facet of the game that must be superb in order to achieve as much success as possible is defense.  Without tight defense, the opponent is given extra outs, and thus the opportunity to score unnecessary runs.  Thankfully, this season, the Tigers are averaging less than 1 error per game.  In addition, this squad is usually good for a couple outstanding plays per game, which is necessary to be considered an elite defense.  This is a status that must be attained to play at a championship level.  If the team is able to maintain this level of play, the future looks bright for this ball club.

When emphasis is placed on completing the fundamental tasks of the game, successful outcomes are more likely.  For the first time in several years, team leadership is demanding that the fundamental facets of the game be completed more successfully.  With that being said, it’s no surprise, that the Tigers are experiencing moderate success at the moment.  As long as the current philosophy continues to be implemented, the amount of success for this team should be unlimited.

Politically Charged Issues Should Be Stripped From the Sports World

For years, sports and politics managed to coexist without crossing into each other’s lane.  In fact, sports was one of the subjects that people from either side of the aisle could engage in with little controversy.  That all changed unfortunately, about a decade ago, when various sports leagues decided to give the appearance of promoting certain political movements.  At that point, the separation between sports and politics began to disintegrate.  Along with this, the vehicle that athletic events provided to escape certain realities has vanished.

Needless to say, political issues are amongst the most divisive that permeate society today.  When sports organizations begin to pontificate on those ideas, it’s virtually impossible to leave the divisiveness at the door.  Therefore, fans of any sport begin to discontinue watching or attending the sports they love, thanks to the unnecessary injection of politically charged ideas, that have no place in the discourse of any athletic discussion.  As a further consequence, relationships built through the benign idea of sports are unnecessarily frayed because leagues have chosen to elevate certain political issues of the day.  Because organizations have chosen to dilute the purity of sports with controversial ideas, it’s uniting qualities have been severely damaged.

Many utilize sports to avoid the firestorm that politics can ignite.  People consider sports an avenue of enjoyment that is void of serious controversy and confrontation.  However, with many of the powers at be  choosing to delve into the social and political issues game, they are depriving many of the opportunity to escape the world of politics which surrounds them.  For this reason, the sports arena is failing to provide their patrons with a product that dwells completely on the chosen activity they are engaging in.

The primary issue that has arisen with the sports and politics intersection is that neutrality is difficult to project.  If you promote this issue but not that one, half your base is unhappy.  Therefore, the culture of togetherness that sports promotes becomes non existent.  There are so many other areas of life where political consumption is readily available on a voluntary basis, that it is unnecessary to taint sports with the poison of political rancor.  It’s difficult to determine why the sports world, as a whole, has chosen to damage its integrity in such an overt manner.

There is no doubt that if these sports leagues want to remain relevant for the foreseeable future, they must rid themselves of participating in any and all politically charged activity.  Engaging in such activity provides yet another avenue to divide this country unnecessarily.  Professional sports provides an opportunity for individuals of all political stripes to engage in mutually enjoyable activities.  To ensure that athletics can continue to act as a baum to heal what divides us, politics must be stripped from the sports conversation.

What is Fueling the Tigers’ Winning Ways?

 Has it finally happened?  Are the Tigers on a winning path for the long term?  It appears that this could be the case.  Despite not having a long list of All-Stars on this squad, they have played relatively consistently all season long.  They have avoided the long losing streaks for the most part, something they have been unable to dodge in previous campaigns.  Along with their 15-18 record, they have scored 5 or more runs in  6 of 7 games.  Furthermore, with continued good play in other facets of the game, this team is well on its way to a more successful season than expected.

A good team usually begins its success with solid pitching.  For the most part, the Tigers have gotten that from both the bullpen and the starting rotation.  In fact, the team ERA is 4.50, yes it’s not great, but respectable.  Also fueling the pitching success, is the fact that the pitching staff as a whole has stayed relatively healthy, only having a few injuries as a team.  If this good fortune continues, the team is sure to continue to have good things happen.

Clearly, one of the most improved parts of the team’s game is the offense.  They are getting productive at bats from the likes of Javier Baez and the newly called up Andy Ibanez.  This is in stark contrast from last season, when good at bats were hard to find.  Furthermore, batters seem to be more patient at the plate, which inevitably leads to more positive results. With production from unlikely sources, and being selective in what pitches are offered at, success for the Tigers is likely to continue to occur.

Having a superb defense is a pivotal piece of the game that must be mastered, in order to have sustained success throughout any MLB season  So far this season the Tigers have been able to hold fielding mistakes to a minimum.  Through 33 games, the Tigers have 18 errors, good for a .986 fielding percentage.  This is thanks to consistent play from Jonathan Schoop and Riley Greene, despite some struggles with the bat.  It’s vital that the excellent defensive play continue if they want to progress to a championship caliber team.

To become playoff contenders, clicking on all cylinders must occur on a consistent basis. This means the pitching, offense, and defense must converge to create a well oiled machine that is able to propel an organization to new heights.  Any aspect of the game that struggles to perform for any length of time threatens to derail any championship aspirations.  As of now, with a few tweaks here or there, I see championship play in the near future for the Detroit Tigers.