Tag: rebuild

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The Detroit Red Wings must show improvement 2020-21

The Detroit Red Wings rebuild has gone on for about three full years now. With current Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman overseeing the past two years. The 2020-21 NHL season is critical to the rebuild. Since Yzerman arrived in Motown the organization has been trending upward.

This season in order for a light to be seen at the end of the long rebuild tunnel, The Detroit Red Wings need prospects to play, in Detroit, at Little Caesars Arena to be exact.  Prospects such as  Mathis Bromé, Gustav Lindström, , Evgeny Svechnikov Joseph Veleno, and Filip Zadina an others need NHL playing time.

By perhaps adding a goalie in free agency and another player the Red Wings will not become a contender during the 2020-21 season. They organization can however takes steps towards becoming a contender.

Yzerman, understands todays NHL is a young players league now. The Red Wings have long believed in sending prospects development. No matter a players draft position they are sent to the minors to fine tune their skills.

That said the Red Wings do have players who need to take the next step which is NHL time. It is something the Columbus Blue Jackets have done with most of their top prospects.

The future of the Red Wings will be centered around the teams top line of Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin, and Anthony Mantha. The Red Wings now need to fill in other lines with players who will be playing on the other three lines.

This is where the Detroit Red Wings rebuild is. It is time to the next step or phase (depending how you like to say it.) The team is preparing to add another prospect during this years NHL draft.

This season will be a measure marker for the Detroit organization.

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The Detroit Red Wings could be in position to be buyers

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has never had a problem working the phone when it comes to upgrading the teams he has been in charge of. The Red Wings with $43 million in cap space available and the NHL salary cap expected to stay at $81.5 million Yzerman could look to make a deal or two.

With only Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha needing new deals, the Detroit Red Wings will have enough money to sign a player or two to help begin to bring the Red Wings play back to a more respectable level.

NHL teams such as the Washington Capitols, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues who were beaten in the NHL playoffs and some others could look to to moves players in an attempt to shake up current rosters.

There is little doubt as Yzerman and the rest of the Red Wings organization waits for prospects to develop, he will be looking to upgrade the roster to help the continued growth of Dylan Larkin, Matha, Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek and a couple of others.

Bringing in savvy veterans be it by trade or free agent signings, will go a long way to help the Detroit Red Wings rebuild. Yzerman, has typically been able to get players to sign for reasonable deals in both term and length. That said it is possible the Detroit GM looks for a player who will be around longer than one to two years.

While the Red Wings rebuild presses on, steps need to be taken to ensure it is done properly. Steve Yzerman understands this and will make his off season to-do list with the intention of being smart with the cap space while improving the roster with an eye on the future. Even if that is to sign a player for three or four years.

This is a big off season for the Detroit Red Wings. It is time to begin to add a player or two, perhaps more to keep the Red Wings moving forward. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds.

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The Detroit Tigers should be sellers at the MLB trade deadline

Embed from Getty Images The time is coming. The time is not now. What time is that you say? Time for the Detroit Tigers to add to the core players who the organization hopes will pull them out of a rebuild and in to contention again. Until that time arrives the Tigers need to sell off players and continue to add to the prospect pool.

The Detroit Tigers are coming off a 2019 season that had very few silver linings as they chalked up 114 losses. While the Tigers minor league system is ranked #5 or #6 depending on who is doing the rankings. The system still needs to improve.

The Detroit Tigers must sell. They have some nice players to offer.  C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop, Cameron Maybin and starting pitcher Ivan Nova could be rentals for teams aiming for the MLB Postseason.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd, who is controlled through 2022 was  shopped by Tigers general manager Al Avila last season but no trade was made as rumors circulated the Tigers were asking for a premium return for the left-handed pitcher.

In the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, teams will have a short window to decide if they needs to add a player for a playoff push. In my opinion this could be a busy trade season in the 60 game sprint to the playoffs.

Matthew Boyd very well could be moved this summer for a team with the assets to gain his services. This would help the Detroit rebuild as it could potentially add more talent to the Tigers farm system.

With some very good pitching in the system, Avila has focused on hitters in the last two MLB drafts. The Tigers have more than enough arms to make up for Boyd should he be dealt. The team should focus on middle infielders in any return should Boyd be traded.

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The Detroit Lions are rebuilding, even if no one will acknowledge it

Embed from Getty Images Do not call it a rebuild. Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn will not. Head coach Matt Patricia will not say the word either. Yet, that is exactly what is taking place within the Lions organization. The Detroit Lions have slid into last place in the NFC North standings with six straight losses and nine in their past 10 games, Patricia has referenced the “process” his team is going through.

Patricia was asked Wednesday if that (“process”) is code for “rebuild,” he simply would not associate that word with where the Lions are 29 games into his tenure as head coach.

“I don’t know. You can divide the English language however you want,” Patricia said. “I think for us, you know me, we’re just trying to get better this week. We got a lot of young players out there that are trying to get better and certainly for us, I think every season is a process.”

The 2019 Detroit The Lions are 3-9-1 and have won just nine games under Patricia, who inherited a team coming off back to back nine win seasons. Before he was brought in to coach the Lions, general manager Bob Quinn famously said he thought the Lions were better than their record under Jim Caldwell, and he was looking for a coach who could lead the team to Super Bowls.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, left tackle Taylor Decker and wide receivers Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay, hid the fact the Lions were about to enter a rebuild. Last season’s 6-10 result was considered a minor step back to take two steps forward.

Back to this past Wednesday, Patricia would not utter the word rebuild, rather he stated the Lions are”just building.” This season was always going to be bumpy and tough, and that has been the case.

Current Fox NFL television analyst and former Detroit Lions legend, Chris Spielman, who still does a weekly spot on the teams official website said, “I think the Lions as an organization made a decision to rebuild. It’s like renovating the house. Sometimes you’ve got to tear it down to the studs. They’re changing what type of team they are and it’s my opinion that you have to be a little bit patient with that. I have numbers to back that up.”

I do not think Quinn or Patricia should be fired. There is enough evidence the suggests the Lions are on the right path.

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The Detroit Tigers are proving rebuilds are no fun

Embed from Getty Images Having good prospects is well and all, however when the current Detroit Tigers are in a seven game losing streak the prospects seem a long way off. Rebuilds are no fun.

It was never going to be a good season for the Detroit Tigers. But on paper it should not be or have been this bad. The Tigers are getting decent pitching, not great mind you but decent. The Tigers can not hit this season.

When they are hitting no one is on base to knock in. It has not been pretty as of late in Motown. The Tigers currently sit 9 games under .500 and 12.5 back in the standing, good for second to last in the American League Central.

Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer were brought in as free agents. The hope was that both former All-Star players would add stability both in the field and in the batting lineup. Mercer is hitting .206, with 1 home run and 3 R.B.I.’s. While Harrison is hitting .161, with 1 home run and 8 R.B.I.’s.

It is not on those two players only. But that is just a microcosm highlight of what is taking place this spring heading into summer at Comerica Park. Not good, not fun. Growing pains were going to take place. But this was not the predicted level of pains.

While it is good for the organization top prospects are performing well. Some are also struggling, which is to be expected as they figure things out at a new baseball level.

Yet, fans in Detroit do not care about what is going on in Grand Rapids Michigan, Lakeland Florida, Erie P.A., or Toledo Ohio. It is hard to root for prospects to develop when players that should be developed and are getting paid very well are failing on such a large scale.

But that should be the fans focus. It is the Detroit Tigers front office focus as well. It is all about prospects. Most Detroit area media members want to talk about Casey Mize or Matt Manning or another prized prospect. That is what this season is in Detroit.

Next season will see the arrival of some of those prospects and the sun will shine again. Right now it is dark.

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Detroit Red Wings give Jeff Blashill a two year extension

Embed from Getty Images Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill will be back behind their bench the team announced the two year contract Tuesday morning. General manager Ken Holland had been talking about an extension since the trade deadline.

The timing of the contract comes as the Red Wings have enjoyed their longest winning streak of the season, at five games, and have won seven of their last eight games. “I’m not going to do a one-year deal,” Ken Holland said. “I think Jeff has to walk in that locker room and the players know that he’s the boss.”

It appears the front office likes how competitive  Blashill has had the team playing, and the development of the young guys who are key to the rebuild. Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi are all having career years this season.

Jeff Blashill  135-143-47 as Red Wings head man. Ken Holland is convinced Blashill is a better coach now than when he started. Perhaps he is. He has done a solid job with young players. Despite having a losing record behind the bench.

The Detroit Red Wings are committed to keeping Blashill to oversee the rebuild, as they should be. He came to Detroit as a known player development specialist. He has done his job. Not too mention most nights the Wings have been very competitive in games.

“I grew up a Red Wing fan, so as a lifelong fan, it’s unbelievable to be able to do this on a daily basis,” Jeff Blashill said. He went on to say he believes the team is  starting to head in the right direction.

One of the biggest criticisms of Blashill has been his tendency to favor underperforming veteran players. This season has been different. He is letting the young players play a lot.

A rebuild is not about wins and losses. It is about getting the young players to take the next step and become playoff ready. Jeff Blashill has done and is doing that. He absolutely should be able to see the rebuild through.

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Detroit Tigers: preparing for next season

Embed from Getty Images With year one of the Tigers rebuild in the books. It is time to look to next season. A season Tigers fans will see flooded with more top prospects by seasons end.

 

With many of the organization’s top prospects graduating during the 2018 season. The rebuilding Detroit Tigers are one step closer to being a contending team once again.

 

With two bad seasons now behind them. The Detroit Tigers are looking at 2019 as a bridge year to a brighter future. Given the talent in the Detroit farm system that is exactly what next season will be.

 

It is highly likely the Tigers will not be aggressive in trades or free agent signings until after next season. Still Tigers general manager Al Avila recently said “you can’t have a lineup of .200 hitters.” So it is possible the Detroit field architect will sign a middle infielder this offseason.

 

The start of next season will look an awful lot this season. Up and down play. As the season moves along Tigers fans will begin to get what they have been waiting for. Fresh top talent at Comerica Park.

 

Some player will arrive as soon as Memorial Day. It is very likely that when the roster expands next September the kids will have taken over. Casey Mize, Beau Burrows, Franklin Perez, Matt Manning, Daz Cameron and Isaac Paredes will have punched their Detroit ticket.

 

That is what is needed in a rebuild. The difference is Detroit is doing it the right way. Moving prospects up the chain after they have shown they have mastered a new level.

 

By the time the 2020 MLB seasons rolls around the Detroit Tigers will once again be heavy favorites to win the division. It will be one of the fastest rebuild in the modern baseball era. The Tigers will be the blueprint. They took what the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros did. Only the Tigers have done it faster.

 

I have seen the talent in the Detroit Tigers system and it should scare teams. They are set to be very good for a very long time.

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Detroit Tigers: are losing again and that is a good thing

Embed from Getty Images While I do believe the Detroit Tigers are as bad as their record. I also believe they may be tanking a bit. Giving the franchise another top 5 draft pick in  next June’s MLB draft, and that is alright.

 

In a week that saw the Tigers finish 1-5 against teams that were suppose to be worse than them. There is little question the tank is on. As I have stated before it is the quickest way to competitive baseball. Like it or not.

 

It seems the Detroit Tigers front office, has chosen bad unwatchable baseball over wining. For the Tigers too add to an already rising minor league systems this is the best rout for the organization to take. To the dismay of some of the fan base.

 

In a season that has seen Matt Manning, Alex Faedo, Christian Stewart, Jake Robson, Daz Cameron, Kody Clemens, Isaac Paredes dominate in the minors adding another top 3 draft pick would do nothing more than speed up the rebuild.

 

Impatient fans will try to say Tigers general manager Al Avila has not done enough or done things fast enough for their liking. That is a joke. In today’s MLB it is all about drafting assets and developing that talent to keep them together for a prolonged playoff run.

 

It will not happen next season either. The Detroit Tigers, are on a 2020 trajectory for a return to competitive baseball. There is absolutely no reason to rush player development.

 

There is also no reason to think Al Avila is doing a bad job. Baseball rebuilds take time. When done right, it is well worth the wait. When the season started the Detroit Tigers minor leagues were ranked 30th. They are now #9.

 

#9 staring at another top 3 draft pick. Detroit is doing this the right way. That is good news.

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Detroit Tigers: This is a rebuild?

Embed from Getty Images The Orioles, Royals, White Sox, Rangers, Marlins, Reds, Dodgers and Padres eight major league baseball teams are all on pace for 100 losses. In year one of a full blown rebuild the Detroit Tigers are not.

Picked to be the worst team in MLB this season the Detroit Tigers, are defying the laws of rebuilding. They stand just 1.5 games out of first place. While the Dodgers, who many picked to return to the World Series are only three games better than the Cincinnati Reds. The worst team in baseball.

The Tigers are a scrappy bunch who compete. No really they compete from first inning to ninth. Even with a suspect bullpen. In the words of former Detroit Red Wing Tomas Tatar, “are you not entertained?”

This team lead by manager Ron Gardenhire, has been an absolute delight to watch. They are a rag-tag bunch made up of nearly an entire Triple-A roster. The best part for both the organization and fans is that none of the top prospects have played in Motown.

Yet, through it all we can start to see the players that will be part of the Detroit Tigers, next title run. Relief pitcher Joe Jimenez, figures to be the closer as he has been great this season.  Outfielder JaCoby Jones who has become a fan favorite with his all-out play will be there.

There are a few others. The Tigers, seem to have thrown the “rebuilding teams must lose a lot of games” method from their plans. They are winning fans over in the Motor City.

Enjoy the rest of the baseball season. No matter what it brings. Remember Detroit, will only get better when top prospects put of the Old English “D.”

 

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Detroit Tigers: they are actually watchable

Embed from Getty Images They were supposed to be bad. Really bad. While they are two games below .500 the Detroit Tigers, in the first full year of a rebuild has refused to roll over and play dead.

They are by no means a great team. They may not even be a good team. But manager Ron  Gardenhire, has Detroit playing well. Yes they got swept in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. But they were in those games.

For a team full of rookies and only a few veterans that is remarkable. It is also why Gardenhire, was brought in. Tigers fans, are being treated to a much kinder rebuild than what is going on in places like Cincinnati.

How can fans not enjoy watching young Detroit Tigers third basemen Jeimer Candelario ( who as of today is hitting .284 and leads the team in doubles and is a slick fielder? Or pitcher Matthew Boyd who despite being 0-1 has a 1.40 era?

Second basemen Dixon Machado, is another player worth watching. I’m not sure he fits into the Tigers, long range plans so he could become a valuable trade asset closer to the MLB trade deadline.

Right fielder Nicholas Castellanos has contiuned his hot bat from last season and is drawing more walks in this early 2018 Detroit Tigers, baseball season. If general manager Al Avila is unable to sign Castellanos to a long term deal. He could be traded and bring in a nice haul of prospects.

For a team that was left for dead before the season even kicked off. This team is actually fun to watch. It is certainly making the rebuild process a bit easier to handle.