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5 Reasons to Watch the Detroit Tigers in 2018

3/29/2018

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Picture
By: Alex Drain

It’s going to be a long year for the Detroit Tigers. After last fall’s masterful tanking effort that saw the Tigers finish with baseball’s worst record (64-98), netting them the #1 overall pick, 2018 figures to be more of the same. In the offseason, Ian Kinsler was traded to the Angels for depth prospects, while only veteran journeymen were signed in free agency, meaning that the outlook for this year’s squad isn’t rosy. That said, unlike 2003, there are players and storylines worth watching with this Tigers’ squad, so I present to you, the 5 reasons to watch the Detroit Tigers in 2018:


1. Young Arms Developing
Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris, and Matt Boyd all have roles to play in the Tigers’ rebuild. Either they will become trade chips to be flipped for top tier prospects who can accelerate the rebuild, or they themselves will be a part of it. The first of those three names is a mainstay, All-Star Michael Fulmer. Fulmer won the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year and was named to the 2017 AL All-Star Team before he ran into injuries. Dating back to when he added the changeup to his repertoire in late May 2016, Fulmer was on a streak of 40 starts where his ERA was over 2.80 over 263.1 innings when his elbow flared up in mid-July. He would go on the DL in August and would be shut down for the season several weeks later. Now in his age 25 season, Fulmer remains a budding star in the MLB and if he can get back on track, he gives the Tigers the option to either hang onto him for the rebuild or to deal him down the road for blue chip prospects.

Norris and Boyd are a bit different. The two young lefties acquired for David Price in 2015, they have shown their immense potential at times but have been unable to consistently figure it out. Take Matt Boyd’s September 2017 for example: while he finished the month with an excellent 2.95 ERA, it included a complete game shutout, a pair of other quality starts, but also a game where he gave up 7 hits and 5 earned runs in 5 innings. Boyd has the potential to be a solid back-end starter, but he needs to smooth it out and become more consistent. At age 27, Boyd will be too old for the Tigers’ rebuild, but if he could emerge as a solid starter, he could be a useful trade chip for GM Al Avila. Lastly, we have Daniel Norris. Between Fulmer, Boyd, and Norris, Norris has the best raw stuff. But his career has been marred by inconsistency and injuries, as he still doesn’t have the Art of Pitching down. He’s been far too hittable and far too wild, with a career WHIP of 1.44, issuing 44 walks in 101.2 innings in 2017, along with 120 hits. New pitching coach Chris Bosio’s biggest job will be to try and fix Norris, because if he figures it out, the Tigers will have a second 25 year-old front-end starter on their hands. He’s a talent that is too good to be wasted and will need to show meaningful progress in 2018. Bosio had an excellent track record of similar reclamation projects in Chicago, like Jeff Samardzija and Jake Arrieta. He will need to work his magic again in Detroit in 2018.

2. Can Miggy Bounce Back?

The most shocking thing about the 2017 Tigers season was unquestionably the decline of Miguel Cabrera. The 2x MVP and 11x All-Star is one of the greatest hitters I have ever seen, yet in 2017, he couldn’t hit worth a darn. I don’t think it has to do with age honestly. The dude was a monster in 2016, sporting a .316/.393/.563/.956 quadruple slash with 38 HR’s. And that was at age 33! Did something really happen at age 34 to make him fall off a cliff? I don’t think so. To me it was his back issues, combined with the weird affair/child support controversy. Miggy has always seemed to me to be a guy who at age 70 could still probably hit .250 in the majors. It’s the one thing he’s always been exceptional at. Him remaining a good hitter is crucial to the Tigers as well. His contract is an albatross, no question, but if he remains an above average hitter, a la late years David Ortiz, then he will simply be overpaid. But boy if 2017 Cabrera is the way it is the rest of his career, that contract might turn out to be the worst in MLB history. Simply put, since he’ll be in Detroit until the end of time thanks to the contract, the Tigers desperately need him to be a David Ortiz type, someone who will (probably) shift to DH and remain a potent bat and a good clubhouse veteran you can build a young team around. The good news is that he looks healthy and reinvigorated in spring training, but only the full season can tell us how it will end up.

3. The Candy Man
The only young position player who fits into the Tigers rebuilding plans that will be on the 2018 roster is 24 year-old third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who came over from the Cubs in the fleecing that Al Avila did of Chicago last summer. Candelario probably won’t be a superstar as an MLB player, but he has the potential to be an above-average/borderline All-Star 3B and was a top-100 prospect prior to last season. After having a stellar season in AAA Iowa/Toledo, Candelario was called up to the Tigers in September and was nothing short of terrific. He posted a .330/.406/.468/.874 quadruple slash, and while we shouldn’t expect to see anything near that in 2018, it showed the great potential his bat has. In 2018 he will be the everyday third baseman and that will be a grind that he has not yet been exposed to in the majors, but should be a good test. Candelario reaching his ceiling depends on whether he can a) develop a really fine bat that can hit 20-25 HR’s and post a .260/.360 type average/OBP and b) be a replacement level fielder at his position, whether that position is 3B or 1B down the road. Watching a young player like him will be a key storyline as the season goes on.

4. Trade Chips for the deadline

I mentioned the young arms as being potential trade chips, but that would be down the road. In this season, it’s experienced veterans who could be flipped for prospects and their production will be crucial. All the Tigers need is about 3.5 good months from a few veterans before they can cash their chips in for prospects. For example, last year Justin Wilson and Alex Avila had pretty mediocre years overall, but because most of their production came in Detroit, the Tigers were able to sell high and commit a train robbery on the Cubs in July. This year, watch for Francisco Liriano, Jose Iglesias, Nicholas Castellanos, Shane Greene, Victor Martinez, Leonys Martin, and Mike Fiers as potential trade chips. Liriano was a signing I didn’t love because taking on another veteran arm after Fiers had already been signed felt unnecessary, but on a one year deal, Liriano could be a useful rental if he pitches well. Now, that’s no guarantee given that he was dreadful as a starter for Toronto last year, but Bosio should be working with Liriano as a reclamation project. If the 34 year-old lefty can put up a solid ERA (say, 3.60 range), there may be a market for him in July. Not a big one, but depth prospects are better than nothing.

Iglesias and Victor Martínez are gone for sure most likely, as both are on the final years of their deals. Iglesias is a dying breed of shortstop quite frankly, as his lack of power is out of step with the modern day shortstop mold. But he’s still a plus-fielder and if he can find a way to hit .300 like he did in 2015, he can be a nice 3 WAR player who would have some value in July. Probably not much, but the Tigers will be dealing him no matter the return, even if it’s a bag of chips. V-Mart is a similar dying breed, the old DH who can’t do anything but hit (without much HR power). Both of his knees are gone and he has no hope of doing anything other than DH. That limits the market for obvious reasons, but if he posts a solid .300/.350 type clip and the Tigers are willing to eat most of the money he’s owed in August and September, some AL contender might add him as a solid bench bat.

Shane Greene and Nicholas Castellanos are getting dealt if they boost their value through a good campaign, as their contracts are not up yet, so there’s no rush to deal them at the moment. Greene will come into 2018 as the new closer, and that right there boosts trade value since MLB teams are still largely illogical about the notion of closer. Since being added to the Tigers’ bullpen, Greene has shown fleeting spurts of effectiveness. From the start of last July to the end of the season in 2017, Greene posted a 1.67 ERA in 32.1 IP with 35 K’s. The issue that bogs him down is the walks, which bloated his WHIP to 1.24 in that span, but if he can continue that success while lowering the WHIP to near 1.00, there could be a huge market for him at the deadline, especially with the multiple years of team control remaining. He is quite frankly, the Tigers’ best potential trade chip. Then there’s Castellanos, who had his best career offensive season in 2017, hitting 26 HR’s with an .811 OPS. What holds Castellanos back is his inability to draw walks, which limits the OBP, along with his horrific fielding. If he could simply be a replacement level fielder, he would have a shot at an All-Star team. But the ghastly defensive metrics hurt his WAR and player value as a whole. He’s moving to right field this year, and if he can improve there, his age (26) and several remaining years of team control could make him an attractive piece.

Finally, Mike Fiers and Leonys Martín are like Liriano, grizzled veterans who could be trade chips if they produce, but that’s a very big if.

5. Do any prospects get the call?
The vast majority of the Tigers’ top prospects, particularly their young arms, are a few years away from the MLB. However, there are a few names worth watching in AAA who will have a chance of making the Tigers’ roster at some points. Most notably is Christin Stewart, a 24 year-old power-hitting but defensively incapable OF. Stewart draws a lot of walks and hits with a ton of power (30+ HR power), but his ability to make it in the bigs will depend on his ability to find somewhere in the field that can limit his defensive deficiencies. Starting in Toledo, it’s likely Stewart gets the call at some point in 2018. Mike Gerber might also make it to the majors, a former college outfielder who will turn 26 in 2018, Gerber projects as nothing more than a good bench player who can hit with average and play all three OF positions. He’s nothing special but would be a useful 4th OF on a good team, and any new blood will be a welcome sight for fans of the Tigers.

The other two are infielder Dawel Lugo and pitcher Grayson Long. Lugo is a 23 year old infielder who came over from Arizona in the JD Martinez trade, and while he’s no one’s ideal of a top prospect, he has a shot to make it in the MLB. A low strikeout, low walk guy, Lugo has a chance to unlock more power, and with Iglesias leaving after the season, meaning Machado is shifting to SS, Lugo has a good chance to be the starting 2B in 2019. Which likely means Lugo gets the call at least once in 2018. Then there’s Grayson Long, who came over from the Angels in the Justin Upton trade. Long will be 24 in 2018 and he profiles as a very solid #4-5 starter in the MLB. Long had an excellent season with AA in 2017 and will start in AAA. A big dude and potential innings eater, Long needs to tweak his command in order to improve, but he’ll be among the first call ups to the MLB when injuries set in. He’s a name to watch going forward.

Bonus 6: Who does Detroit draft at #1 overall?
This doesn’t have to do with watching the MLB games but it’s a super important storyline for the Tigers going forward. Whenever you have the #1 overall pick, you have the chance to pick a top tier talent who can be a franchise cornerstone going forward. The last two World Series champions both converted on top draft picks, turning them into franchise players (Carlos Correa #1 overall for Houston and Kris Bryant #2 overall for Chicago). The Tigers will have that chance in 2018, the option to pick anyone they want. The top talent in this draft is mostly pitching, and while the Tigers already have what some consider to be an elite group of pitching prospects, you can never have too many young arms. It’s generally seen as quite risky to go with a HS pitcher at the top of a draft, so look for the Tigers to target a college arm. While Brady Singer was seen as a top candidate, he’s slid down some draft boards. Rather, keep your eye on LHP Shane McClanahan from South Florida, RHP Casey Mize from Auburn, RHP Jackson Kowar from Florida, though if they do go after a prep pitcher, LHP Matt Liberatore is a name to watch.

Image Credit: ESPN (http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2016/0606/r90079_600x600_1-1.jpg)
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Top 25 MLB Players Under 25 Heading into 2018

3/29/2018

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By Max Brill
Article originally from MSabr.com

The premise and methodology are both fairly straightforward: I will consider a player's body of work in the majors, the minors (to a lesser extent), his pedigree, and his potential for growth. There are a plethora of young talented players in baseball but not all of them are well-known, so I'll look to highlight the best of those youngsters in this series. In order to be eligible for the list, a player has to have made at least one appearance in the big leagues (so no minors-only players; apologies to Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Ronald Acuna). I will be evaluating players on a combination of their projected upside and how they have already performed in the major leagues. After each player, I will list their position, team, and age on Opening Day 2018.

Just Missed

There were 15 guys that I picked out that just missed the top-25 cut for a plethora of reasons. I've listed them alphabetically below according to position.

Pitchers
Dylan Bundy, SP, Baltimore Orioles
Jake Faria, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Lucas Giolito, SP, Chicago White Sox
Dinelson Lamet, SP, San Diego Padres
German Marquez, SP, Colorado Rockies
Alex Reyes, SP/RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Luke Weaver, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

Hitters

Ozzie Albies, 2B,  Atlanta Braves
Albert Almora, CF, Chicago Cubs
Lewis Brinson, CF, Miami Marlins
Manuel Margot, CF, San Diego Padres
Rougned Odor, 2B, Texas Rangers
Dansby Swanson, SS, Atlanta Braves
Nick Williams, LF/CF/RF, Philadelphia Phillies
Bradley Zimmer, CF, Cleveland Indians
And now, for the list:

#25: Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Boston Red Sox (Opening Day Age: 24)
The #25 spot was splitting hairs between Eduardo and a couple of other guys. I can't say I have been overwhelmingly impressed with Rodriguez's work so far, and due to injury he hasn't pitched a full season since coming to the majors. He is also slated to begin the year on the DL. In spite of all this, Rodriguez is just 24 years old with room for improvement, and 2017 was his best season in terms of fWAR, so he's trending in the right direction. His 4.23 career ERA is a little unsightly for one of the "top 25 under 25," but he's been a solid contributor at the MLB level for the past three seasons and consistency is to be rewarded.

#24: Jesse Winker, RF, Cincinnati Reds (Opening Day Age: 24)
Everyone who reads my blog or talks to me about baseball is well aware that I am a big Jesse Winker fan. He is my pick for NL Rookie of the Year this season. Despite other "25 under 25" lists not including Winker in the top 25, I felt I needed to shout him out due to his good stint in the majors last year, his pedigree, and his solid production in the minors. His .298/.398/.449 minor league triple-slash is not gaudy, but it is very good. In his short time in the majors, though Winker was a flat-out stud, triple-slashing .298/.375/.529 with 7 HR in 137 PA. He also walked at a 10.9% clip as a 23-year-old, which is very impressive. Winker does not get enough love and he's going to show everyone why he deserves to be on this list heading into 2018.

#23: Nomar Mazara, RF, Texas Rangers (Opening Day Age: 22)
I'm not the biggest Mazara fan, but as I said consistency is to be rewarded. Mazara owns a .259/.322/.421 over 1184 MLB plate appearances and he doesn't turn 23 until the end of April. Mazara has consistently been one of the youngest players at each level and he has proven his ability to hang with older and tougher competition. The Rangers have rewarded him with aggressive assignments and promotions, and he captured a full-time role during the 2016 season. Mazara is looking to post his third consecutive 20-HR season in 2018 and continue to improve upon his plate discipline metrics.

#22: Edwin Diaz, RP, Seattle Mariners (Opening Day Age: 24)
It's always tough to evaluate relief pitchers since they simply do not produce as much of a sample size as batters and starters. Diaz, though, has been one of the best relievers in baseball since making his big league debut. Here's a comprehensive list of pitchers with a better K/9 than Edwin Diaz since his debut in June of 2016: Craig Kimbrel, Kenley Jansen, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Corey Knebel. Strikeouts are not everything; Diaz is also the proud owner of a career 3.06 ERA, 52 saves, and 75 games finished. The fireballing righty is just 24 years old, so there is still room for improvement despite his excellent performance so far.


#21: Ian Happ, 2B/CF, Chicago Cubs (Opening Day Age: 23)
Happ was lauded as a top-50 prospect in all of baseball entering 2017 but does not have an everyday role guaranteed for 2018. After he triple-slashed .253/.328/.514 with 25 HR in 115 games in 2017, it will be hard for the Cubs not to find ABs for the youngster, but the Cubs have a lot of talent on their roster. Happ will be competing with Albert Almora, Javier Baez, Albert Almora, and (to a lesser extent) Ben Zobrist for playing time. He would certainly be higher on this list if he had more of a track record of success in the major leagues, but because the Cubs are loaded with great players, they can afford to rest the young lefty whenever they feel necessary.

#20: Paul DeJong, SS, St. Louis Cardinals (Opening Day Age: 22)
In a lot of ways, DeJong and the aforementioned Ian Happ are very different. DeJong (pronounced dih-YOUNG) burst onto the scene in a big way in 2017. A relatively unheralded prospect, he did not appear in the Cardinals organizational top-10 prospects (according to MLB) during his minor league tenure, though some outlets placed him near the bottom of the top-10. He then made everyone look silly for not giving him more love by triple-slashing .285/.325/.532 with 25 HR in 108 games. DeJong is the typical Cubs prospect: unheralded coming out of the minor leagues and then simply very productive but not all that flashy once reaching the major leagues. The Cards have so much faith in DeJong that they traded away Aledmys Diaz, who started at short for St. Louis on Opening Day in 2017. DeJong is the shortstop of the future for the Cardinals.

#19: Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox (Opening Day Age: 21)
Devers made a name for himself in the major leagues by hitting a game-tying HR off a 103 MPH Aroldis Chapman fastball with one out in the top of the ninth in August of 2017. Prior to that, though, he quietly mashed in the minor leagues and was ranked as the top 3B prospect entering 2017. His minor league triple-slash line of .296/.354/.482 is nothing short of impressive, especially considering that he has been one of the youngest players at every level he has played. He was the youngest player in the AL in 2017 (20 years old) and will not celebrate his 22nd birthday until October of 2018. Devers is a star in the making and should occupy the hot corner for the Red Sox for at least the next half-decade.

#18: Yoan Moncada, 2B, Chicago White Sox (Opening Day Age: 22)
It's possible that I am ranking Moncada too high because I have had him on my fantasy team since he signed with the Red Sox in March of 2015. Then again, possibly not. Moncada struggled in a brief stint with the Red Sox in 2016 and was shipped to the White Sox in the Chris Sale trade the following offseason. He improved his numbers a little bit after debuting in Chicago but didn't really get going until September of last season. Prior to September last season, Moncada posted an abysmal triple-slashed of .188/.328/.356 with a 36.1% strikeout rate and just 3 HR in 122 PA. He went on the disabled list at the end of August and shortly after returning showed everyone why he was such a highly-touted prospect. He triple-slashed .276/.349/.469 with 5 HR, an improved 27.5% strikeout rate (which still needs work), and a 9.2% walk rate in September. The 22-year-old Moncada is set to open 2018 as the White Sox leadoff hitter and could shoot up this list prior to next season if he continues his September performance from 2017.

#17: Byron Buxton, CF, Minnesota Twins (Opening Day Age: 24)
I'm just as surprised as you that Buxton is just 24 years old, because it feels like he's been around for a handful of seasons. He was Minnesota's full-time starting CF in 2018 and did not disappoint, though he was not stellar either. His defense is elite (the gap between his 25 Outs Above Average and second place Ender Inciarte's 19 is larger than the gap between Inciarte's OAA and fifth-place Lorenzo Cain's 15 OAA) and his bat finally came around a little bit in 2017; he triple-slashed a not-bad-not-great .253/.314/.413 with 16 HR and 29 SB (and just 1 caught stealing! That's a 96.7% success rate!). His plate discipline could use some work (29.4% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate in 2017), but all-in-all, things are looking up for the young Twins outfielder.

#16: Joey Gallo, 3B/1B, Texas Rangers (Opening Day Age: 24)
Joey Gallo is like Adam Dunn on steroids. Not literal steroids, but he's basically the second coming of Dunn. Adam Dunn is considered the original three true outcomes (walk, strikeout, home run) player due to the fact that 49.9% of his career 8328 PA ended in a walk, strikeout, or home run. If you think 49.9% of plate appearance resulting in one of the three true outcomes is a high number, you haven't seen Gallo's percentage: 60.6%. Seriously. And, unfortunately for Gallo and Rangers fans, the strikeouts are a whole lot more likely than the other two.

With that being said, Gallo triple-slashed .209/.333/.537 with 41 HR in 2017 which is even more impressive once you see his 36.8% strikeout rate. He also hits the ball ridiculously hard; his 93.1 average exit velocity in 2017 was the second-highest in all of baseball. Gallo is going to be a perennial 50-HR threat if he can get his contact rate up at least a little bit, and if he does, he'll likely become one of the best players in all of baseball.

#15: Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins (Opening Day Age: 24)
Sano and Gallo are very similar. Sano's 92.4 MPH average exit velocity ranked 4th, just behind Gallo. Whereas 60.6% of Gallo's PA end in one of the three true outcomes, just 53.5% of Sano's do. Perhaps "just" isn't the right word there; 53.5% of PA ending in one of the three true outcomes is a pretty big number. Over Sano's 313 MLB games, he has posted a triple-slash line of .254/.348/.496 to go along with 71 HR and a 124 wRC+. His 35.8% strikeout rate could use some work, but it is mitigated by his 12.3% walk rate and the fact that when he does make contact, he hits the ball hard. The fact that Sano is just the second of three Twins on this list is a great sign for that squad, and Sano will be anchoring the Twins lineup for the foreseeable future.

#14: Jose Berrios, SP, Minnesota Twins (Opening Day Age: 23)
Berrios was one of the most highly-touted pitching prospects in all of baseball leading up to his debut in 2016. He then posted a comical 8.02 ERA in 58.1 innings pitched his rookie year and had to begin the 2017 season at AAA. Once he returned to the major leagues, he drastically improved his numbers. His 2017 season saw him go 14-8 with a 3.89 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, and 3.84 FIP. He improved across the board in 2017 but still has not reached the elite level that he was expected to as a prospect. Fortunately for the young righty, at just 23 years old, there is plenty of time to improve and develop into the truly dominant starter he was expected to become.

#13: Roberto Osuna, RP, Toronto Blue Jays (Opening Day Age: 23)
This will be Osuna's fourth season in the league and he does not turn 24 until 2019. In his three seasons as a big leaguer, he has been nothing short of dominant, amassing a 2.86 ERA, 0.905 WHIP, 10.4 K/9 (that has improved every season), and 95 saves. Not only is Osuna one of the best closers in baseball, but he has a legitimate shot at breaking Mariano's save record because he got started so early. He would likely have to pitch until he is at least 40 to break it, but it's very possible. Osuna has been one of the best relievers in the league since entering in 2015 and at the young age of 23, shows no signs of slowing down.

#12: Matt Olson, 1B, Oakland Athletics (Opening Day Age: 23)
Olson made his MLB debut during a 2016 cup of coffee and was absolutely terrible (52 wRC+), so it came as a shock to nearly everyone when he hit .259/.352/.651 with 24 HR in 59 games after being called up in 2017. He also had the seventh-highest rate of barrels per plate appearance behind names like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Joey Gallo, just to name a few. After his obscene performance last year, Olson is penciled in as the Opening Day first baseman for the Athletics and should remain there until Billy Beane decides to trade him, as the GM tends to do with most Athletics stars. Until then, Athletics fans should enjoy watching one of the young budding sluggers taking the league by storm.

#11: Matt Chapman, 3B, Oakland Athletics (Opening Day Age: 24)
"But Max," you say, "Chapman made his debut last year and hit .234 in 326 PA. Why is he so high?" Because he plays incredible defense, and behind that average sits a 9.8% walk rate and 36.0% hard-hit rate that was almost 5% above league average in 2017. I have always been a sucker for defensive standouts; Kevin Kiermaier, Andrelton Simmons, and Billy Hamilton are among my favorite players. Chapman is next in the line of players who will not get enough love because they make their biggest contributions on defense. For reference, Chapman compiled 2.7 fWAR in just 84 games in 2017, which would make him a 5+ WAR player over a full season. And if you are a sucker for defensive highlights like I am, I hope you'll enjoy this video as much as I did.

#10: Cody Bellinger, 1B/LF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Opening Day Age: 22)
I want to give a quick shoutout to my brother, Sam, because he is one of Bellinger's biggest supporters. Maybe he'll forgive me for ranking Bellinger at the back of the top 10. In 2017, Bellinger was one of the best overall players in baseball; triple-slashing .267/.352/.581 with 39 homers will do that. However, he did go down on strikes 26.6% of the time and his defense wasn't exactly spectacular. I have no doubt he will be higher on this list next year, but because of his strikeout numbers and his average defense, I don't think I can slot him in any higher than this for 2018.

#9: Lance McCullers, SP, Houston Astros (Opening Day Age: 24)
First off, I just want to say that Lance McCullers is a great Twitter follow, so go throw him a follow if you have not already. Now that you've done that, let me tell you about how dominant McCullers has been since coming up to the major leagues. In parts of three seasons, the young righty has put together a 3.60 ERA, 3.14 FIP, 10.2 K/9, and 7.8 fWAR. The only problem is that he's pitched just 325.1 innings over those three seasons due to injuries. If McCullers can remain healthy for a full season he will unquestionably be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, but that's a big if. The best ability is availability, and until he demonstrates that there's no logical reason to move him up this list.

#8: Andrew Benintendi, LF, Boston Red Sox (Opening Day Age: 23)
Benintendi gave Red Sox fans a taste of what he is capable of by posting a .295/.359/.476 triple-slash with 2 HR in 34 games at the end of 2016. In 2017 he became the everyday left fielder for the Red Sox and triple-slashed .271/.352/.424 with 20 HR, 20 steals, and a 10.6% walk rate. He tied for 27th in the big leagues last season among qualified hitters with a 0.63 walk-to-strikeout ratio. In addition to being one of the most eligible bachelors in the United States, the 23-year-old is in the conversation for best hair of any major leaguer. Oh, and he's a pretty good ballplayer, too.

#7: Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros (Opening Day Age: 23 and 364 days)
Bregman has quietly been one of the best 3B in baseball since being called up to the big leagues in 2016. His career triple-slash of .279/.342/.476 has justified the Astros selecting him with the second pick in the 2015 draft. He should threaten 20/20 every season for the next decade (he had 19 HR and 17 steals in 2017), and adding him to an infield that features Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa is flat-out terrifying. Bregman doesn't do anything particularly flashy, but quiet consistency is even better than flashiness.

#6: Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals (Opening Day Age: 24)
Speaking of flashiness, let's take a trip to our nation's capital. Turner has yet to play in a full MLB season due to injury, but those injuries have mostly been freak accidents, so expect him to put together a full year in 2018. The young shortstop owns a career .304/.348/.491 triple-slash line in the majors with 25 HR and 81 steals (seriously) just 198 games. If he plays a full season in 2018, I fully expect him to lead baseball in stolen bases just because he can actually hit the ball and Billy Hamilton can't. Turner is going to be a stud for years to come but the injuries have prevented me from elevating him on this list.

#5: Luis Severino, SP, New York Yankees (Opening Day Age: 24)
After a decent 2015 and a bad 2016, Severino was simply spectacular in 2017. The young righty earned third place in AL Cy Young voting thanks to a 2.98 ERA, 1.040 WHIP, 4.51 K/BB ratio, and 152 ERA+. The best part about Severino's 2017 season is that he threw 193.1 innings, proving his ability to be a workhorse. His 6'2", 215 frame also suggests that he will be able to handle 200+ inning workloads for the next few seasons. Severino will only get better from here on out, so expect him to sit on or near the top of Cy Young ballots for the next decade.

#4: Aaron Nola, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (Opening Day Age: 24)
Maybe it's something about people with first names starting in "A" that makes them have great hair. And while I think I have to give Benintendi the edge on hair, Nola has certainly been the better player to this point in his career, and gets almost no love. Through three seasons (356.2 innings, 60 starts), Nola has put together a 3.94 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 9.41 K/9, and 2.45 BB/9. He's a bonafide ace, and if he is able to throw 200+ innings in 2018, he should be in the conversation for Cy Young.

#3: Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers (Opening Day Age: 23)
Corey Seager is another rock of consistency, which is incredibly impressive considering his age. He's already compiled one five-WAR and one seven-WAR season (measured in fWAR) and he's only 23 years old. He owns a career triple-slash of .305/.374/.502 in the big leagues which, when coupled with his 9.6% walk rate, is nothing short of elite. Seager has not even hit his final form yet, which is the best part of all his success. Unfortunately for him, the two names ahead of him have been even better, but Seager and the two gentlemen in front of him comprise the top-tier under 25 players in all of baseball right now.

#2: Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians (Opening Day Age: 24)
"Mr. Smile" has had a lot to be happy about since being promoted to the big leagues in 2015. Frankie is the proud owner of a .293/.349/.474 triple-slash line, 60 HR, and 46 stolen bases in three seasons. He has also finished in the top ten in the AL in MVP voting back-to-back seasons and opens 2018 as just 24 years of age, which is old relative to other guys on this list, is still extremely young in the scope of the big leagues. Lindor is a tried-and-true stud and aside from being one of the best players under 25, is also one of the best players in baseball in general.

#1: Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros (Opening Day Age: 23)
It seems fitting that the top player on the list is one of the top players on the top team in baseball. Correa debuted in the big leagues as a 20-year-old and hasn't stopped raking since then. In three seasons, he has triple-slashed .288/.366/.498 with 66 HR, 29 SB, and a 10.7% walk rate. His career wRC+ is 135. For reference, all the other players on this list who have played at least 81 games in a season (half the year) have combined for just two seasons of 135 or more wRC+ (Bellinger's 2017 and Seager's 2016). Correa is one of the elite talents in Major League Baseball right now and deserves to be treated as such, which is why he tops this list.

Like what you read? Head on over to Musings of a Baseball Addict to read more by Max! 


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UConn Means More to Women’s Basketball Than Its Wins

3/28/2018

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By: Emily Herard
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As I watch UConn continue to dominate in March Madness, I’m growing tired of people saying the program is bad for women’s basketball. UConn winning is not the problem but rather it’s how the media and society frame their success. Oftentimes instead of celebrating or appreciating UConn’s greatness, people use their success to discredit the rest of women’s basketball. People claim that there is no parity within the women’s game and although there is a big jump  from the top ten teams to most of the other schools in the NCAA, that’s not to say there isn’t a lot of talent and fun teams to watch besides UConn. People continue to compare men’s and women’s basketball, and view the women’s game as lesser than the men’s. However, people don’t take into account that women’s basketball didn’t become an NCAA sport until 1982 (the first men’s NCAA tournament was in 1939). That’s eighteen years after the start of the UCLA men’s basketball team’s dominance, winning 10 national championships in 12 seasons. So relatively speaking, UConn is essentially dominating at the same point on the timeline of women’s basketball’s development  in the NCAA. To compare women’s college basketball side-by-side to men’s is unfair because it ignores the biases and inequalities that women face within the sports world. Young girls and women have not been given the same opportunities as men to participate in sports and until the passage of Title IX in 1972, the participation rates of girls in sports was well below those of boys, not because of a lack of interest but because of a lack of opportunity. Now that more girls are playing basketball there will be more elite players to compete across the NCAA Division I level. To say UConn is bad for women’s basketball is to ignore the fact of how the Huskies have not only pushed others around them to be better but have also put women’s basketball in the spotlight, giving young girls players to look up to. UConn stars such as Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore have inspired younger generations of girls to play basketball at a high level.


It’s demeaning for people to discredit UConn’s dominance in women’s college basketball. Because of gender biases, people don’t watch women’s sports at nearly the same rate as men’s sports. When people say women’s college basketball is boring because UConn is guaranteed to win, it’s just another excuse to dismiss women’s sports and  reduce its media attention. UConn shouldn’t be blamed or discredited for being great but instead, true basketball fans should admire the amazing athleticism and basketball talent they put on display every game, no matter the score. Although most people have already concluded that the Huskies will win it all this year, anything can happen. Just last year they lost to Mississippi State in the Final Four. Even if UConn regains its status of National Champions this year, I ask you to take a closer look at the other players and teams with incredible talent. With the recruitment of Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Uconn will continue to attract top recruits and be seen as the national championship favorites. But, only thirteen scholarship players can go to UConn. Instead, fans should pay attention to other stories of star players going elsewhere. Like A’ja Wilson, a South Carolina native, who decided to stay in her home state and helped the Gamecocks win the National Championship last year. Other programs are beginning to make a splash in the women’s game and that can be attributed to UConn’s standard of excellence. Take for example the University of Michigan Women’s Basketball team. Coming off one of its best seasons in program history, the Wolverines’ success is in part due to the recruiting ability of head coach Kim Barnes Arico, who recruited top players Katelynn Flaherty and Hallie Thome among other standouts. Flaherty, Michigan’s all-time leading scorer, could have chosen to play for many top teams but decided to help build the Michigan team into a relevant women’s basketball program. It’s important to mention that Kim Barnes Arico beat UConn in 2012 as head coach of St. John’s, breaking UConn’s 99 game win streak. So before you dismiss UConn’s greatness, you should appreciate how their dominance has not only created one of the greatest dynasties in sports but also how it has also continued to help the women’s game grow. Women’s basketball is evolving and it’s time for sports fans to catch up.
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Pistons Week in Review

3/28/2018

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By: Bogart Lipe

Andre Drummond, who is playing like if a lovechild between Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash existed, can shoot free throws now. To celebrate, we’ll have an article every week whose length is based on Andre’s free throw percentage. For example, 0.500 from the line calls for a 500 word article, 0.700 is a 700 word article, and so on. So here we go. Andre Drummond is shooting 0.613 from the free throw line, so here are 613 words on the Pistons’ week.

Sports are just like relationships.

Last week I compared the possibility of the Pistons reuniting with Chauncey Billups to getting back together with someone you always loved and always will love. This is a good, happy thing.

This week let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum. Let’s talk about breaking up. This can be complicated. Maybe you’ve just grown apart, you aren’t getting treated as well as you would like, or maybe there is someone else in the picture. Any way you go about it, break ups are frequently difficult.

I just went through a break up. No, not with a significant other. With a sports team. Yes, I’ve broken up with the team these weekly pieces have been about all year, the Pistons. It’s been difficult. Time has helped the wounds heal, sure. I am still getting over Stan Van Gundy leading me on. I’m still getting over Reggie Jackson’s injury, but I’m not upset at him, as neither he nor I had any control over the circumstance. I still like Andre Drummond. I’ll get emotional if I speak too much about him, but I still love watching Anthony Tolliver play basketball. However, lately I’ve made the conscious decision to cut off contact with the team. I’ve had to try to get over them.

There’s different ways to get over somebody. Pints of ice cream and Chinese takeout will likely help you feel better in the short run (with the Chinese likely making you feel worse in the long run). Sometimes putting yourself back out there may expedite the healing process, especially if you find someone new that you take a liking to.

I’ve found someone else. But it’s complicated. I was involved with this someone else while I kept watching the Pistons, hoping the Pistons would change and turn things around and give me a reason to stay. But when the Pistons proved this year wasn’t going anywhere, I started becoming more serious with this someone else. This someone else is younger. This someone else is the University of Michigan men’s basketball team. Do I wish I would’ve broken things off with the Pistons before, instead of leading both parties on before finally picking the Wolverines? Sure. But I can’t control the past. The downturn of the Pistons almost perfectly lined up with the Wolverines’ spectacular run, which has now culminated in a 13 game winning streak and a Final Four appearance.

When you finally get over a breakup, it’s liberating. You feel a weight come off of your shoulders. You value the time you had together and look forward to the best for you and your ex.

I’m glad I made the decision to finally distribute all of my energy to the Wolverines instead of splitting my energy between them and the Pistons. I’m happy. This is what rooting for a sports team should feel like. I wish the best for the Pistons the rest of the season. I hope they lose enough games to pull off a miracle and keep their top 4 protected pick in the upcoming draft. That’d be good for them. As for me, I’m having a great time now. I have a big date with my new team this Saturday night. I think we’re going to Scorekeepers, a fabulous establishment here in Ann Arbor. We’ve had other great dates there lately, including the buzzer beating win against Houston to reach the Sweet 16 and the game against Florida State to clinch a Final Four appearance. Hopefully we make some more memories together.

Until then, I wish the Pistons the best.

(And I’ll probably get back with them in October like I always do.)

*Picture credit: 
http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2017/03/as_playoff_hopes_dim_pistons_p.html​
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All Hail Mel Pearson and John Beilein

3/27/2018

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By: Alex Drain

It was quite a weekend for Michigan athletics. Not just was there a sweep of Michigan State in baseball, a Big Ten Championship in women’s gymnastics, a win streak that hit 18 in softball (albeit it was finally snapped), but more importantly, the basketball team made the Final Four and the hockey team made the Frozen Four. It is the first time since 2001 that any school has sent both its basketball and hockey squads to the Final Four/Frozen Four simultaneously, and the 4th time in University of Michigan history that it has happened. And what’s more incredible is that neither was supposed to happen. Not anything close to it! Yet it happened. That’s thanks to two fantastic coaches in Ann Arbor, veteran John Beilein, experiencing a second peak of his Michigan tenure, and first year man Mel Pearson. Both of these teams could win the National Championships, though they also could easily not. But no matter what happens the next two weekends, it’s time to honor the fantastic work of Pearson and Beilein, both this season, but also setting their programs up for success long term.

A Sweeping Success on the Ice - Mel Pearson’s Magic
Michigan hockey was bad last year. Very bad. Legendary head coach Red Berenson retired after the season and 2017-18 was expected to be a rebuilding year, as the program looked to get back on its feet before returning to the mid-90s-mid-00s glory. It was picked to be 6th out of 7 teams in a very deep and competitive Big Ten Conference. Instead, it has overachieved more than anyone could’ve imagined back in October.

With the two wins over the weekend, which I will comment on in a minute, the Wolverines are now 14-4-1 in their last 19 games. They have not lost a game in regulation since February 3. That’s the beauty of this team, and the excellence of Mel Pearson’s coaching. Not just has this team overachieved and made it to the Frozen Four, but they got significantly better as the year went on. Back in early January, Michigan was 8-10-2 and far from any national college hockey pundit’s radar. But the team turned it on, thanks to the growth of young players like Quinn Hughes, the leadership of Cooper Marody and Tony Calderone, and the stellar play of emerging goalie Hayden Lavigne. And this winning streak has come even while top 6 forward Will Lockwood is out for the season (injured in early January).

Now onto this weekend. Michigan entered the Northeast Regional as the #2 seed, facing Northeastern. I previewed the regional in this post last week, and in it, I noted how difficult the region was. Michigan was staring down a Northeastern team with two of the five or six best players in college hockey, a stud goalie, and one that had given up the fourth least goals while scoring the fourth most. Oh, and they had a lethal power play, Michigan’s kryptonite. Also in the region was #1 seed and defensive monster Cornell, along with red hot and NHL-talent laden Boston U. It was not going to be easy.

Yet, the Wolverines emerged as the Victors Valiant. On Saturday, they thoroughly outplayed Northeastern, perhaps Michigan’s most complete performance of the season. They played largely clean (though did surrender one power play goal), got some timely goals, and stifled Northeastern’s top line. The Huskies barely had any good looks with the goalie pulled, and Michigan won 3-2. Then on Sunday against the #4 seed Boston U. Terriers, the Wolverines were in for a tough fight. The Terriers were 14-2-3 in their final 19 games preceding Sunday and with an insane amount of NHL talent, this was no ordinary 4 seed. After all, Boston U was the preseason #2, a talented team finally figuring it out. But Michigan played the better game, converting on the power play, not taking many penalties, possessing the puck, limiting turnovers, and most of all, getting the timely goal. Jake Slaker put Michigan up 4-3 in the third and Nick Boka added insurance late, before Nick Pastujov’s empty netter to seal the win. Michigan beat two quality teams en route to the Frozen Four and put together two complete performances in consecutive days.

I’m not going to get into a Frozen Four preview, that’ll come next week. But I like the matchup with Notre Dame, given the success Michigan had against the Irish throughout the season. And this is college hockey. Anything can happen in the course of one singular 60 minute game. If Michigan is to defeat the Fighting Irish, they will face either Minnesota-Duluth or Ohio State in the title game. My gut says I’d rather face Duluth, but it doesn’t really matter. The Wolverines are on fire and have so far exceeded expectations that they’re playing with house money at this point. No matter what happens, this is a team to be proud of, and it’s thanks to Mel Pearson. He’s shaken up the style of play and given the locker room a fresh voice. And with almost every starter returning next year, the addition of several top recruits, and maybe generational talent Jack Hughes, the Wolverines will likely be a college hockey powerhouse for the foreseeable future. So thank you, Mel.

A Hardwood Return to Stardom - John Beilein’s quest for greatness
Michigan basketball’s run to the Final Four hasn’t been as surprising as hockey’s to the Frozen Four, but looking back on the earlier stages of the year, it absolutely has been a shock. This was a rebuilding year too, a team that had lost the three best players from its squad a year ago. This dude from BTN had Michigan slated to be 8th in the Big Ten at the start of the year. Michigan was a preseason 8 seed in the NCAA Tourney, according to Joe Lunardi. Even midseason, like after the Ohio State loss in December, no one could’ve seen this run coming for the Wolverines. But just like Pearson’s hockey squad, the team has gotten significantly better as the year has gone on.

Charles Matthews has gone from a raw star in November to a lost talent midseason, only to become a refined/budding star in March. Zavier Simpson seized the starting job in December/January and has elevated his play to become maybe the best defensive point guard in the country. Duncan Robinson and Moe Wagner’s defense has improved substantially and suddenly Beilein’s group has the 4th best defense in the country, per KenPom (Texas Tech is now barely ahead of Michigan). It’s a team winning in a way that no other Beilein group could, with teamwork, toughness, and an ability to pull games out even when the shots weren’t falling. There’s no singular star, and in some ways, the team resembles the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, with intensity and gritty team defense leading the way. They have not lost a game since February 6, and since then, they are 13-0, and according to Bart Torvik’s T-Rank, they are the best team in the country over that span.

The Final Four will be tougher. Michigan will be prohibitive favorites over Loyola-Chicago, a game they absolutely should win, but don’t write off the Ramblers. That said, assuming the Wolverines find themselves playing for a National Championship next Monday, it will be against either Villanova or Kansas, two of the 8 best teams in the country according to Kenpom, and 2 of the five best over that same span where Michigan is #1. It will not be easy. Michigan would probably be even money against Kansas, and slight underdogs in the betting markets about Villanova. I like Michigan’s matchup against Kansas a little more but a 40 minute, single elimination basketball tournament contest is anyone’s game. And in anyone’s game, that leaves the possibility for a title, one that would be so unlikely, it was laughable just a few months ago.

But before I conclude, I want to look back at John Beilein’s career arc, and acknowledge what I see as his “second peak”. Beilein arrived in Ann Arbor in 2007 and inherited a barren program, crushed by poor coaching and NCAA sanctions. It took several years to get the program up and running, but he finally had a group of players he was comfortable with from 2012-2014, claiming a pair of Big Ten Regular Season titles, two Elite Eight appearances, and one Final Four/National Championship Game appearance. That was the first peak. However, the program hit a speed bump when all his players left for the NBA. As a head coach, you try to plan out your program, how many scholarships allocated for which specific years. During that span, he had an unprecedented amount of early departures to the NBA. There is no way Beilein could’ve planned that 4 star Mitch McGary and Nik Stauskas were going to leave two years early or that three star Trey Burke was going to leave two years early, or that Caris LeVert would have the final two years of his career damaged by injuries.

Yet that is what happened, and it demonstrated itself in 2015 and 2016, with two down years. And for a good chunk of 2017, that was the case too. But since the disappointing loss to Ohio State in early February 2017, Beilein is 44-10 (0.815), with two sweet 16 appearances and a Final Four. Whether he wins the title this year or not, he has returned to the mountaintop, gotten the program back in order and with lots of talent returning and one of the strongest recruiting classes Michigan basketball has had under Beilein, expect continued success for the Wolverines for the next several seasons. That growth, perseverance and resilience is why we should be saluting John Beilein this week.

Image Credit:
https://bit.ly/2GvI6T4

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The Yaklich Factor

3/26/2018

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By: Adam Rich
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     Amidst the chaos in the Michigan locker room following the team’s 58-54 victory over Florida State to advance to the Final Four, the most powerful image in the room filled with hugs and celebrations was the one pinned to the whiteboard at the front of the room. A 12 x 12 photo of a rabid pitbull was situated for all to see, but few seemed to notice it. In a way, that may as well be a metaphor for assistant coach Luke Yaklich. The team’s conventional pitbull is Zavier Simpson, but in a way he’s personified the mentality of the Wolverines’ defensive coach.


     In his first year in Ann Arbor after several at Illinois State, Yaklich has transformed the defense into an elite unit. Aided by excellent personnel that possesses both length and the ability to defend individually on the perimeter, Yaklich molded the team into exactly that -- a team. As the season progressed, Yaklich’s team learned how to defend on a string and in unison; rotating seamlessly from the weakside to protect the rim despite hard-hedging pick and rolls, closing out hard but under control, and making sure everyone found a body on box-outs.

     Last night, I could have spoken to anyone in the locker room. But my heart, and inner basketball nerd, led me to Yaklich. While the players on the court, deservedly so, had gotten all of the praise for their stellar defense, I became increasingly impressed by the man on the sideline who knew which play the opposition was running each time down the floor. As opponents crossed half-court, Yaklich sprung from his chair, cupped his hands around his lips and hollered out the play that would soon be run. I first noticed this against Northwestern, when late in the game Yaklich recognized the Wildcats preparing to run the Spurs’ famous hammer play. Naturally, after Yaklich relayed to his team the incoming play, the Wildcats ran hammer, but were stifled by Jon Teske, who heeded his coach’s call and stepped into the perfect position to prevent a score. This weekend in Los Angeles,, Yaklich was at least two steps ahead of the Aggies and Seminoles at every turn, as he has against opponents all season, announcing plays before they occurred.

     While speaking to reporters, Yaklich’s passion for the game was almost as impressive as his eloquence. Yaklich praised players regarding their talent and effort, alluding to their penchant for leaving everything on the floor and always giving their all, even in practice. He frequently referred to the team’s grit, intensity, and how hard they grind, all of which he would never admit can be traced back to him. Despite deflecting the praise, kenpom highlights just how important Yaklich has been towards defensive excellence. Last season, Illinois State ranked 19th in adjusted defensive efficiency. This year they ranked 137th. In the same one year span, Michigan jumped to 4th after finishing 69th in 2017. Call it the Yaklich Factor.

     Although ever quick to defer praise to his superb players and the lessons he has learned under John Beilein, Yaklich has been key to the Wolverines’ improvement relative to last season’s squad, and even the team they were at the beginning of the season. Although the national appreciation has not come as readily as it should have, Yaklich is unfazed, and appears prepared to return to what he and his mentally tough team do best: keep grinding.
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Analyzing Michigan Hockey's Path to the Frozen Four

3/24/2018

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By: Alex Drain

In the midst of your Jordan Poole-related euphoria, Michigan Hockey had its Selection Sunday last week and while the fate of the team as a tournament squad was already sealed, the Wolverines learned of their destination: Worcester, MA. And first round opponent: the Northeastern Huskies. And the date: 4:30 pm today. So, with that information, it’s time to break it down.


The Opponent: #3 seed Northeastern Huskies, 23-9-5
The Huskies find themselves in the NCAA Tournament for the 2nd time in three seasons, making it in 2016 only to lose to a really talented North Dakota team. Northeastern is also making their 6th NCAA Tournament appearance overall, and will try to make their second Frozen Four, having made it previously in 1982. This season the Huskies had an impressive campaign, winning their most games since 2009 and finishing 2nd in the Hockey East standings, losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament. But that showing was good enough to earn them a bid into the Big Dance and the right to play Michigan on Saturday.

An initial on-paper assessment could lead some to believe that Northeastern is a hockey superpower, having allowed the 4th fewest goals while scoring the 4th most. Yet, it’s not all it seems, as they are a very middling possession team. While Michigan is at 51.3% in Corsi For % (a measure of puck possession) at even strength, Northeastern is at 49%, putting the Huskies 15th out of 16 teams in the field. In “Close” situations, where the teams are tied or within 1 goal, Michigan is at 52.9%, while Northeastern is all the way down at 48.6%. So, how did Northeastern have such a good season if they don’t possess the puck more than their opponent in even strength or in close games? The answer is a lethal power play converting at 27.2% (#3 in college hockey) and stemming from that, two players in particular: Adam Gaudette and Dylan Sikura. Those two have combined for 113 points and they are #1 and #3, respectively, in all of college hockey in scoring. Those two players that anchor the top line are the heart and soul of the Northeastern Huskies, and Nolan Stevens is also a factor, with 41 points of his own. Those three combined for 75 of Northeastern’s 134 goals on the season. Quite frankly, if you shut down the top line, you shut down the whole team offensively.

In that way, Northeastern sort of resembles 2016 Michigan Hockey, when the Compher-Connor-Motte line put up ridiculous stats and carried the team. However, a difference is the goaltending, with Northeastern having a really, really good netminder who makes up for their puck possession issues defensively. His name is Cayden Primeau, former NHLer Keith Primeau’s son, finishing 6th in college hockey in save percentage (.932) and goals against average (1.88). Overall, the Huskies are no joke and are a formidable opponent. A win on Saturday would be a very good win.

Keys to the Game:
  • Stay out of the box: this can’t really be said enough, but Michigan’s only big weakness is such a weakness that it will almost definitely cause their demise if they are bounced from the tournament. If Michigan had been able to stay out of the box, or have a functional penalty kill against Ohio State in the Big Ten Semifinals, then they probably would’ve been playing for the title last week. As it is, Michigan has the 4th worst penalty kill and Northeastern has the 3rd best power play. That’s a recipe for disaster. Michigan cannot take penalties. Ever.
  • Big performance from Hayden Lavigne, please: Throughout January and February, Hayden Lavigne stood on his head, with the sophomore goalie showing his true potential, stealing a few games and ensuring Michigan made it back to the NCAA Tournament. But then he let in a few unnecessary goals against Arizona State and was shaky against Wisconsin. While he bounced back in the most recent contest against Ohio State, Michigan needs Lavigne to be sharp. The defense will make mistakes and will need him to bail them out at times. And as it’s said, the best penalty killer is your goaltender and Lavigne may have to come up huge in PK situations.
  • Can someone on Michigan shut down the Northeastern top line? If all the production comes from the top line, then silencing it will be a high priority. I’m not sure what Coach Mel Pearson will choose to do, but it needs to be effective. The DMC line was dominant against Ohio State and they could go with that, or perhaps the speed of Slaker-Norris-random winger replacing Lockwood on the second line will be the decision. But if Michigan can keep clean from the box and find an effective counterattack to the Husky scoring line, I like the Wolverines’ chances overall, since they are a better team in 5-on-5.

Other opponents in the region:
So let’s say for a second that the Wolverines beat Northeastern, who will they have to topple to punch their ticket to the Frozen Four in St. Paul? The winner of #1 seed Cornell vs. #4 seed Boston University. While Cornell is the higher seed, I think Michigan would probably rather face the Big Red than the Terriers of Boston. The reason is that Cornell seems a lot like Notre Dame, a team Michigan matched up very well with during the regular season. Cornell also has a really good netminder (Matthew Galajda), like Notre Dame (Cale Morris), but they also play rather unimpressive and defensive hockey. They also have rather lackluster possession numbers, possessing it less than Michigan at even strength and in close situations, and unlike Northeastern, they don’t have a great power play (17.2%). They’re actually the lowest scoring team in the NCAA Tournament, but they accomplish that by also being the team that gave up the fewest goals by far. That type of close-game, non-possession hockey is one Michigan is suited for.

On the flip side, Boston University has a lot of NHL talent, yet only eked into the tournament by winning the Hockey East tournament. Their numbers are really boring and middling. A good but not great power play, good but not great possession numbers, they score a fair number of goals but also aren’t great defensively. There are no glaring weakness but also no glaring strengths. But their talent level is equivalent to and probably higher than Michigan’s, which is why I’d opt to face Cornell over Boston in the end.

Conclusion
So if I wrap it all up, I’m going to make the bold statement that Michigan’s tougher game by far is the first round matchup with Northeastern. If the Wolverines can get past the Huskies, I think they’re going to the Frozen Four. When you look at just the raw numbers, Northeastern appears to be the best team in the Northeast Regional, and indeed, 5 of ESPN’s 7 pundits have Northeastern winning the regional and going to the Frozen Four. The other 2 have Boston U! So basically, Michigan’s dream is to escape Northeastern and then get Cornell on Sunday. I’m not going to predict what’s going to happen because singular college hockey games are far too random but I do think there is a chance that Michigan makes it to St. Paul. There’s also a solid chance they get bounced on Saturday, and that’s okay too, since this squad has already far exceeded expectations. But hey, if they get to the Frozen Four, there’s a good chance Notre Dame will be waiting for them, and given how they’ve matched up with the Irish this year, that ain’t a bad thing. Regardless, it’ll be fun to watch.

Image Credit:
https://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Cooper-Marody-1040x572.jpg
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Is Michigan Lax Legit...... Yes

3/22/2018

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by Alex Kremer

The Wolverines did it. They beat a former tournament and two-time Big-East Champion team in Marquette. Yes, this is a perceived down year for the Golden Eagles, but make no mistake, this is a signature 12-7 win for the Wolverines. The first of the Kevin Conry era and it should continue the positivity around the Michigan program. Kevin Mack had a breakout game scoring five goals and tallying an assist. The focal point of the offense, junior midfielder Brent Noseworthy, contributed four goals of his own. And Bucky, the last piece of the offensive puzzle, went goal-less but played the role of point man behind the cage and dished out three assists. This attack is turning into a dangerous unit that can threaten the top defenses of the Big Ten. Oh yeah, in his first game back form injury senior goalie Tommy Heidt saved 10 shots and played arguably his best game in a Michigan uniform.


What have the Wolverines accomplished this year? 1. Well to start, this team hasn’t lost at home. I’ll say that again; Michigan Lax has never lost at its new stadium. 2. It’s a 5-2 team with losses only against two ranked teams that the Wolverines took wire to wire. 3. The Wolverines have two freshman attackman who seem to be getting better every game and have no problem switching roles in the offense. They have two 20+ scorers in Noseworthy (26) and Mack (26). Sure, teams like Maryland have Jared Bernhardt and Conner Kelly with 30+ a piece, but Michigan is finally getting close to having offensive players match that fantastic output of the elite teams. For comparison sake, Ian King led the team last year with 26 goals and 47 points total. Now it looks like Noseworthy, Mack, or both will out produce King’s point totals.


​Bucky and Mack are the new faces of Michigan lacrosse. They’re the future. Combine them with the upcoming FOGO Conner Cronin, who has overcome upperclassman Michael McDonnel for the starting spot, and you have a solid backbone for this program going forward. Now, will that future be now? Or will it be in the next two years when Conry has a couple more recruiting classes under his belt. My money is on next year being a tournament and break out year for the Wolverines. They will have three more top 100 recruits coming to Ann Arbor, including a near 5-star in the #26 player in the country, attackman Bryce Clay. We’ll find out exactly what kind of team the Wolverines are in the coming 10 days. Two top-5 teams will face the Wolverines in Notre Dame and Maryland. The Terrapins look stacked this year, and with the only blemish on their schedule a close loss to the #1 team in the country (Albany), they look to be a team Michigan should struggle with. Notre Dame, however, isn’t as elite. They are beatable and when the Wolverines arrive in South Bend on Wednesday Michigan will have to bring their A game. But if they do, they’ll have a great chance to get a resume win.


Update: They got that win.

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Pistons Week in Review

3/21/2018

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By: Bogart Lipe

Andre Drummond, who is playing like if a lovechild between Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash existed, can shoot free throws now. To celebrate, we’ll have an article every week whose length is based on Andre’s free throw percentage. For example, 0.500 from the line calls for a 500 word article, 0.700 is a 700 word article, and so on. So here we go. Andre Drummond is shooting 0.611 from the free throw line, so here are 611 words on the Pistons’ week.

There are things you just know to be a fact. It can be peculiar at times, since you may not have ever been taught these things you know to be facts. You may have never experienced these things, yet you nonetheless know these things to be facts. I have never eaten filet mignon, but if you asked me if filet mignon was delectable, I would confirm. I have never had somebody sit me down and tell me, “Filet mignon is delectable.” But, I know filet mignon is, in fact, delectable. The same thing can be said for the contrary as well. I have never eaten the Burger King Halloween Burger. I have never had somebody sit me down and tell me, “The Burger King Halloween Burger is a culinary catastrophe.” But, I know the Burger King Halloween Burger is, in fact, a culinary catastrophe.
Picture
(Via NY Daily News)
I have no experience with this. I am young. Yet I know this to be a fact. Sometimes two people are meant for each other. Sometimes one is incomplete with the other and vice versa. Sometimes these two people need time away from each other, to see how life is without the other, but ultimately find their way back together. This is just a thing I know to be a fact.
​

In a recent report by The New York Times’ Marc Stein (that was weird to type out), the Pistons are interested in bringing aboard Chauncey Billups to work in tandem with current vice chairman and former player agent Arn Tellem in a “totally revamped front office.”  Both the Pistons and Billups shot down the rumors, as one could have expected. Like the Pistons’ current record, let’s ignore this. Let’s agree that neither would be inclined to confirm the rumors, as Stan Van Gundy currently holds the position that is being rumored to open up, according to Stein.

Chauncey and the Pistons are meant for each other. Now that the report has come out, it feels as though the Pistons would be incomplete without him (He is admittedly just fine without the Pistons, as he looks amazing and is fabulous on TV for ESPN). It’s a beautiful relationship. I miss him tremendously. Every Pistons fan shares my sentiment. Chauncey will always be one of the most beloved figures in Pistons and Detroit sports history. Chauncey, like the rest of the players from the 2004 team, are immortalized in the city and state. Him taking (at least some of) the reins in the front office, a position Chauncey has expressed interest in at the NBA level, feels like a necessary and timely change for the team and the fans.

Stan Van Gundy has worn out his stay. As a supporter of SVG since his first day, even I know this. If he does end up losing his job upstairs with the Pistons, he will have to be relieved of his coaching duties as well. He will find another job elsewhere, as he is an objectively good coach and the NBA will have openings every year.

However, Chauncey would be a flawless hiring. He has always been a basketball intellectual, and seems that he would make for a successful general manager or a comparable position. And if he’s not? Honestly, whatever. The team is already stuck on the treadmill of mediocrity. Why not take a chance (again) on Chauncey, a man who has made it clear he still loves Detroit? It would prove to be great PR and would also make logical sense to hire him.

Not to mention, the last time the Pistons hired a former Piston Finals MVP to a front office position, things went pretty well.
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Three Things I Learned From Media Day

3/20/2018

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By Nathan Sorensen

Before their Tuesday evening flight to Los Angeles, the Wolverines got in a practice today and humored us folks in the media.  At his press conference, Coach John Beilein, as delightful as ever, gave fresh insight into the team as they head into their Thursday night match against the Texas A&M Aggies.

First off, a bit of hope.  Going into the opening weekend of the tournament, many feared that the team would be rusty after a 10 day break, which was a product of playing the B1G conference tournament a full week before all other major conferences.  These fears appear to have been validated as the Wolverines turned in two woeful offensive performances against Montana and Houston, which luckily lead to victories due to excellent defense and a certain shot. Beilein was quick to downplay the role of the extended break in their performance, citing North Carolina who couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn and experienced no such break.  Whatever the cause of these bad shooting performances, they are hopefully in the rearview mirror of this Michigan squad. On Monday, the team ran through shooting drills, which Beilein said were some of the best he had ever seen. A highlight of the day was Zavier Simpson going a cool 60/80 from the arc. Hopefully that kind of shooting performance will rollover to Thursday’s matchup. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine them shooting much worse than in their prior two games.  

Another interesting note Beilein made about their practice leading into their Sweet Sixteen game: the team has been utilizing tennis balls.  Now, I’ve heard of using tennis balls for ball handling drills to sharpen hand-eye coordination, but this was a little different. The coaching staff has made Moe Wagner and Duncan Robinson hold tennis balls while playing defense in the hope that it will prevent them from fouling.  Holding the balls is supposed to prevent them from grabbing and illegally touching their opponent which has been a problem for both players. Wagner is a foul magnet, and Robinson finished the thriller over Houston on the bench after picking up five fouls. Players drawing silly fouls has also been a theme for many teams so far in the tournament. From my casual watching, many games have been slogs filled with whistles and it has lead to many teams finishing games without their stars. Most notably, Texas lost an overtime battle to Nevada in the first round in large part because their star freshman Mo Bamba fouled out while logging only 31 minutes in his final game as a Longhorn (at least that was more than Jaren Jackson played). If anything is keeping me up at night going into the Texas A&M game, it’s our own Moe going down in similar fashion.  Texas A&M boasts a deep frontcourt and Michigan will need Wagner to not be chained to the bench. Do tennis balls actually help? I can’t say and I’m not about to doubt Beilein.

Lastly, Beilein put an end to a (not actually) furious debate.  As soon as Jordan Poole’s miraculous three-pointer to defeat Houston hit the bottom of the net, the shot was being compared to the heroic actions of one Trey Burke that came five years (already?) prior.  Of course the comparison was bound to be made. Each was a miraculous occurence that gave life to a season that was all but lost. Both came on college basketball’s biggest stage, the Big Dance, the most grandiose and romanticized spectacle in all of sports.  They’re both moments of pure joy that this fanbase will cherish forever, so of course instead of simply enjoying them, everyone has jumped at the opportunity to rank them. As for myself, I am very conflicted on this issue and after much deliberation I have come out in favor the Burke shot.  As soon as the ball left Burke’s hand, I was certain Michigan’s 2013 tournament run was over. A team that was loaded with talent could have underperformed the entirety of the season and finished the tournament forgettably in the round of 16. When that prayer found the basket, I had never felt more shock, relief, and awe in my entire life. Thankfully, Beilein has come down on this issue and provided a definitive answer. When asked, he stated without hesitation that the Poole shot was superior. This was mostly on the grounds that Poole’s shot was a game-winner while the Burke shot still left Michigan plenty of work to do in overtime. Whichever way you fall on it, I think we can all agree that each shot was a beautiful piece of Michigan basketball history and that Poole had a way cooler celebration.

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