Detroit Tigers Trade Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler; What It All Means

By Charlie Portelli

Detroit Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski worked his magic yet again folks. He pulled off another blockbuster deal that will greatly benefit the Tigers in the long run. He traded 1st baseman Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers in exhange for 2nd baseman Ian Kinsler. Few general managers in the game have displayed the creative abilities that Dombrowski has exhibited over the years with the Tigers. 

First things first. When the Tigers made the deal two years ago to sign Prince Fielder to a massive 9 year/ $214 million dollar deal, it was not Dombrowski's idea. It was more of a knee jerk reaction to fill a giant hole in the lineup after Victor Martinez' went down with a season ending knee injury. Mike Illitch had an impulsive idea to replace him with Prince. Illitch was like a 6 year old kid and Prince was like the shiny new toy. He wrote the check for Dombrowski, handed it to him and said "make it official". For Dombrowski, it would have been nearly impossible to say no to that. Lets be real here, Prince Fielder is one of the games greatest sluggers. Of course on the surface this seemed like a great idea. You are acquiring a perennial all-star that bashes 30 home runs and knocks in over 100 RBI, year in, year out. But in reality, the contract that was required to sign Fielder would eventually become an enormous burden in the latter half of the contract and would essentially paralyze the entire Tigers organization before long.

Money

Dombrowski turned this into a positive due to his wizardry business skills. He rented Prince Fielder for two years, and then shipped him and his huge contract off to Texas. In return the Tigers receive 2nd baseman Ian Kinsler, a very good baseball player. Prince Fielder was due $168 million dollars over the next 7 years of his remaining contract. Ian Kinsler is due $62 million over next 4 years. In order to complete the deal, Dombrowski agreed to send $30 million along with Fielder to Texas. All in all, the Tigers are saving themselves $76 million dollars. That is an absolute colossal amount of money. Make no mistake about it, that is what this deal is all about for the Tigers. Money. The Tigers saved a whole lot of it by escaping Fielders suffocating contract and bought themselves a boatload of payroll flexibility to spend however they see fit. Kinsler is a nice player, sure, (I will get to him shortly), but this trade was not about acquiring Ian Kinsler.

Cabrera and Scherzer; Protect and Lock Up your Assets

Second to the money aspect of this trade, it was more about the other pieces on this team than it was Kinsler. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter in the game. He is a true talent and can carry any team on his back. When Fielder was traded to the Tigers, it was not an ideal fit on the defensive side of the ball because it would move Cabrera from first base, back to third base. With longevity and durability in mind, Cabrera absolutely has to go back to first base. He is your franchise player, your biggest asset, and he needs to be protected. Playing Cabrera at third base is like having a shitty car insurance policy on your Cadillac, playing him at first is like having full blown coverage. This was evidenced last year when Cabrera, for really the first time in his career, battled serious injuries. This was due to the wear and tear that naturally comes with the third base position. First base will be much easier on the body for Cabrera, and he will indeed be a greater defensive first baseman than Fielder.

Also, with the freed up money, the Tigers will be able to sign starting pitcher Max Scherzer to a long term (an expensive one at that) contract extension.

Starting pitching trumps all in baseball. If you can somehow acquire dominant starting pitching, you need to do everything in your power to hold onto it. If you have a strong starting staff, you give yourself a chance to win a World Series. The Tigers have the best starting pitching staff in the game and trading Scherzer would have been idiotic. Dombrowski should be commended for figuring a way financially to be able to keep his pitching staff in tact. He has his priorities in line.

Ian Kinsler and What He Brings to the Table

I do not want to shortchange Ian Kinsler. He is a really good baseball player. He is extremely scrappy and those kinds of players will always have a place in baseball. Every team needs them, in fact, you cannot have too many of them. (Just ask the World Series Champion Red Sox). He has mastered a lot of the little things that people do not necessarily notice on a stat sheet as well. Although he does not hit for a very high average (career .273 BA), he is an effective leadoff hitter. He walks a lot, finds his way onto base a lot, can steal a base, runs the bases well, and has some nice pop in the bat. He has the ability to hit home runs, as he has hit over 30 twice in his career, but those numbers were absolutely inflated from playing at his home ballpark in Texas. He will never get close to hitting 30 in Detroit, so you can forget about that right now, but he will hit some home runs for you. He is also a very streaky hitter. Over his first 8 seasons in the major leagues, his batting averages and home runs starting with his rookie year in 2006 and ending last year are as follows. (.286 and 14, .263 and 20, .319 and 18, .253 and 31, .286 and 9, .255 and 32, .256 and 19, and then last year .277 and 13.) As you can see, he is all over the place, he has been consistently productive, which is a huge pro, but inconsistent in the way he produces. Another concern with Kinsler is the fact that he frequently deals with injuries. With that said, when healthy, he will be a very solid hitter in this lineup.

On defense, he is also streaky. He is regarded as a plus defender, and one of the best in the game at his position. But he led the AL in errors at second base last year. He will make some spectacular plays, and then follow that up with a defensive blunder.

While his contract is not even close to being as ridiculous as Fielder's was, he is also probably overpaid. That is part of the reason this deal got done as well. He is also turning 32 years old in June, and that is typically when players begin their decline.

Prince Fielder, the Baseball Player

One thing that I cannot seem to grasp is why so many people are rejoicing in Detroit after hearing the news that Prince Fielder had been traded. If it was because we escaped his awful contract, then I understand. But it did not seem to be. Rather, I get the impression that it was because they did not like Prince as a baseball player, which is pretty ridiculous. While I was completely fed up with his playoff ineffectiveness and lack of clutch hitting last year, he provided adequate protection in the batting order for Miguel Cabrera. That is not debatable. Cabrera won two MVP's in the only two years that Fielder was hitting behind him. Fielder has annually delivered 30 home runs while driving in over 100. Those kind of hitters do not just grow on trees.

While I do not think that Fielder's massive playoff struggles were a huge factor in the trading of him, I do think it played a part. The Tigers are not satisfied winning division titles anymore, it is now about winning a World Series. Over the last two postseason runs for the Tigers, Fielder did not help in that regard, in fact, he hurt.

While I may sound a little critical of this deal, I am not. I am merely being realistic about it. I am actually very pleased with the deal.

Having said that, I am more excited to see what follows this deal than I am excited about trading Fielder for Kinsler.

Dombrowski was stuck with Fielder's contract on the books. With this deal he has earned himself some wiggle room. Hold on for the ensuing ride.

Detroit Lions Come Back to Earth; Jim Schwartz Blows It

By Charlie Portelli

Following the Lions big win on the road at Chicago they could not have been on more of an emotional high. That was precisely the reason they could not close the door on the Pittsburgh Steelers after building a 27-20 halftime lead. In the NFL it is not about how you handle failure, it is about how you handle success. Some teams and coaches especially know how to handle success. Jim Schwartz just simply is not one of those coaches at this stage in his career. 

It comes as no secret that I am not a Jim Schwartz supporter. When it comes to coaches, their demeanor tells the story for me. I do not like Jim Schwartz' demeanor and I also think that he struggles managing games. He helped prove that point even further on Sunday. The fake FG call in the fourth quarter was absolutely idiotic. I am a fan of a more aggressive style of coaching, but being smart always has to trump being aggressive. There are times for such a move, but that was possibly one of the worst times for that kind of call. Schwartz had the Lions on the brink of a 7 point lead in the 4th quarter with a short FG but instead chose to run a fake FG with holder/punter Sam Martin on 4th and 5 at their opponents 10 yard line. With the Steelers in the shadows of their own goal line, this obviously does not give the Lions very much room to run on such a fake. More importantly, by not executing the fake, he gave the opponent, who was fueled by a very active home crowd, new life and momentum. It is hard enough to win on the road in the NFL, but Schwartz made it nearly impossible with his error in game management at a critical time. The failure on the fake FG gave the Steelers an inordinate amount of momentum and it completely took the wind out of the Lion's sails. Schwartz obviously defended his decision to fake the FG after the game, but it does not matter what he says. He helped blow the game for the Lions with that brainless call. 

While I place a great deal of blame for this loss on coach Jim Schwartz, it was certainly a collective 2nd half collapse for the Lions in this game. The Lions scored 0 points in the 2nd half after lighting the scoreboard up for 27 in the first half. Stafford only threw for 35 yards in the 2nd half. Calvin Johnson was completely shut down in the 2nd half. Stafford threw to him just 3 times in the 2nd half, but none of those throws were completed. They also dropped interceptions, missed many tackles, had an ineffective pass rush, and of course coached terribly. The Lions are not accustomed to the success that they have enjoyed so far this year. A steady head coach can help ground a team and keep them focused, unfortunately, the Lions lack that. Luckily for them their schedule and injuries to other teams in their division give the Lions hope to win the division, but it will still not be easy. 

The Lions are set up to win their first division championship since 1993. The stars are aligning for them. It is theirs for the taking. Unless their own head coach gets in their way. 

NFL Pecking Order: Week 11

By Charlie Portelli

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it is not always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive wins. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there is not an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 11 starting with number 10.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-4, AFC NORTH) Last week: 10 

The Bengals very narrowly hang on to the last spot in the Pecking Order this week after losing their second OT game in a row. They had built a two game lead over the Ravens and Browns in the division but the Ravens are a good team and it should not surprise anyone that the Ravens won Sunday to tighten up the divisional race. The Bengals are not going to run away with this division. Their talent should end up being enough to prevail when it is all said and done. Rookie RB Gio Bernard could be the difference for their offense but he still shows signs of being immature while taking big losses on broken plays. Dalton has to be the steady hand for the Bengals and with WR AJ Green at his disposal he should be just that.

9. Detroit Lions (6-3, NFC NORTH) Last week: Unranked

The Lions jump back into the top 10 after missing out last week. The Lions were able to grab a tough road win over a divisional opponent; a task that should never be taken lightly. That was the kind of win the Lions can build off of. QB Matthew Stafford is more than capable of leading this team to a division championship now that Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers is out for at least the next few weeks with a broken collarbone. I still do not trust the coaching staff in Detroit and there is certainly enough time for the Lions to screw this one up, but for now they deserve credit for where they have this team. DT Ndamukong Suh is having an incredible year and his counterpart DT Nick Fairley plays great in spurts. The Lions offense has been great, and their front 7 on defense is improving every week.

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-3, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 4

What the hell happened to the Colts on Sunday? As I have said many times before, the NFL is extremely close and any team can win on any given Sunday. With that said, the Colts came into Sunday without reminding themselves of that apparently and they were buried in their own stadium 38-8 by the Rams. While that was an embarrassing loss to say the least, the Rams are a weird team. They have looked like they could be a bottom 5 team in this league at teams, and other times, they have looked like a playoff team. Credit to the Rams for showing up and bringing the Colts back to earth. Luck looked more like a second year QB on Sunday rather than the savvy veteran he has all year. He threw 3 INT's and also lost a fumble. This loss could prove to be a positive. Every good team needs a swift kick in the ass in order to whip them into shape. Better now than later.

7. Carolina Panthers (6-3, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 8

I know what everyone is thinking while reading this. "How the hell are the Panthers at number 7 on the Pecking Order after they beat the 49ers on the road?" The answer to that question is simple. It would be a knee jerk reaction to shoot them up the Pecking Order after that win. I love this team and that win was legitimate, no question about it. They won 10-9 at tough place to play against a tough team. In a defensive struggle, they were able to get the only TD on a nice run by Deangelo Williams and that was the difference. The teams that remain in front of them in the order are better than them right now, even San Fransisco. QB Cam Newton still shows that he can sometimes get in his own way. I am in no way downplaying the Panthers win on Sunday, because it was huge for them and equally as bad for San Fran, but one big win for the Panthers does not make them a top 5 team in this league at the present time.

6. New England Patriots (7-2, AFC EAST) Last week: 7 

The Patriots are looking good at midseason. They sit at 7-2 and will win the division easily. Coming off of their bye week, they will head to Carolina for a stiff test on MNF. The Patriots have only played two games against tough opponents this year. They lost to the Bengals on the road, and the next week were able to beat the Saints at home. The game against the Panther looms large as it will serve as a measuring stick for the Patriots. The Pats will have their work cut out for them playing on the road, against a red hot team, on MNF, with a rowdy Carolina home crowd who is excited about their team. Not an easy task. The week off should help Belichick prepare for this one thought. The Pats were sitting at home watching as the Panthers poured their heart and soul into a huge win over the 49ers.

5. San Fransisco 49ers (6-3, NFC WEST) Last week: 2

The 49ers lost a huge game at home against the Panthers on Sunday. They will be directly fighting with the Panthers for a wild card spot so this was certainly a game they needed. The defense looked great, limiting QB Cam Newton's overall effectiveness all day. They only allowed 10 points on the day. The defense should only improve as All-Pro rush end Aldon Smith is worked in more and more each week. Unfortunately, QB Colin Kaepernick looks completely lost running the offense. RB Frank Gore continued his dominant season with 82 yards and a 5.1 yard per carry average, but when it came time to change the pace and throw, Kaepernick was just 11/22 for 91 yards and 0 TD's. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman have their work cut out for them to get Kaepernick back on track because this team is too good to let this season slip away.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 5

At this point, the story is well documented for the Chiefs. They have not beaten anyone. With that said, they are undefeated and have shown a capable offense in the process. The defense on the other hand is downright dominant. The Chiefs will travel to Denver to take on their division rival Broncos. Head coach Andy Reid has fit in better than anyone could have expected this early in the process.

3. New Orleans Saints (7-2, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 6

The Saints bounced back in a big way this week after a bad loss at the hands of the Jets in week 9. They absolutely dismantled the Cowboys on Sunday night. Other than the Seahawks, the Saints are probably the team with the best home field advantage. They look unbeatable at home, but on the road they are much more vulnerable. When Drew Brees has all of his weapons at his disposal they are perhaps the most potent offense in the league. Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan has done a nice job to turn around this defense but they have slowed in their last few weeks. The Seahawks and Saints should be the two teams battling for home field throughout the playoffs and that is one to keep an eye on because it will be an enormous factor.

2. Seattle Seahawks (9-1, NFC WEST) Last week: 3 

After a couple of underwhelming wins for the Seahawks the traveled to Atlanta and proceeded to blow out the Falcons. It is tough to put a lot of stock into a win over the Falcons at this stage in the game but the Seahawks continue to stockpile wins. They are 9-1 and just one game against the lowly Vikings stand between the Seahawks and their much needed bye week. The Seahawks need to get healthy on the offensive line as they prepare for a playoff run.

1. Denver Broncos (8-1, AFC WEST) Last week: 1

The Broncos were able to take down the Chargers on the road on Sunday to improve their record to 8-1. They will come back home this week and host the undefeated Chiefs. The main concern in Denver is obvious; the health of Peyton Manning. Manning is battling what seems to be a high ankle sprain and it is clearly limiting his mobility in the pocket. This is something to keep an eye on going forward here. He is going to have his hands full this Sunday with the Chiefs pass rush. They narrowly edge out the Seahawks in this weeks Pecking Order.

Detroit Lions: Win Over Bears Could Prove to be Turning Point

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Lions have been a popular pick among analysts over the last handful of years to make a jump into the elite group among NFC teams. They have made a habit over those years to build some hype with encouraging play through the preseason and into early season action only to have it squandered by a string of letdowns that have hardly become a surprise. The Lions visited Soldier Field on Sunday for a contest against the Chicago Bears in a 3-way tie for the division lead as they shared the same record as the Bears and Packers at 5-3. This was a prototypical spot for a typical letdown for the Lions. Only the opposite happened. They were the better team for 60 minutes and came away with a hard fought victory on the road and emerged as the division leaders at 6-3.

The Lions win on Sunday was extremely encouraging. In a year filled with steps in the right direction for the Lions, Sunday was a huge leap. Their defense was able to step up and hold Bears RB Matt Forte to his lowest rush total of the entire season (33 yards) as well as his lowest average per carry (1.9). The Lions coaching staff made it a point to stop the run and dare a hobbled Jay Cutler to beat them through the air. The Lions front four took care of that part. Defensive tackles Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh combined for 8 quarterback hits on Jay Cutler and each had a sack. Linebackers Stephen Tulloch and especially DeAndre Levy also played admirably and have helped form an impressive front seven for the defense.

On the other side of the ball, Matthew Stafford did not have the stats that might jump out at you on paper Sunday but he continues his progression as a QB that has the capability of carrying a team on his back. He makes the big throws when the pressure is at its greatest and has done so all year. WR Calvin Johnson is now healthy and there is obviously no need to over analyze his value to this team. He is the best receiver in the league and quite possibly the most lethal weapon in football on offense. The mere presence of Calvin on the field has made the signing of RB Reggie Bush pure genius. Reggie Bush and the Lions offense are the perfect marriage. He had shown flashes of excellence throughout his 8 year NFL career but it was not until this year, his first season with the Lions, that he has lived up to his sky-high potential. The Lions coaching staff has done an admirable job of late to keep him healthy by limiting his touches because lets be real, the season is only half completed and the playoffs are in their sights. It is imperative that Bush stays fresh.

Perhaps the most surprising asset for the Lions through the first half of the season has been their offensive line. Personally, I thought that the Lions would struggle in all phases of their offense due to poor offensive line play. They were inexperienced on the line but most notably at the two tackle positions. LT Riley Reiff has been incredibly steady for a player that played sparingly last year as a rookie and was rumored to be moved to an inside guard position in the offseason due to his inability to handle a tackle spot. For what very well should be a catastrophic mess for the Lions, the right tackle position has been equally steady. Most fans are probably unaware of the situation, and by all means, that is a great thing. They started the season with a first time starter in often injured Jason Fox. It did not take long before he went down with a groin injury.  Next up, Corey Hilliard. He quickly went down with a knee injury. The third man up was undrafted rookie LaAdrian Waddle and he has been excellent. He first filled in against the Bengals and impressed. That earned him a start against the Cowboys where he shined. Then on Sunday he started again and did not allow a single QB pressure and also helped open holes for RB Reggie Bush as he gashed the Chicago defense for 104 yards. He averaged a striking 7.5 yards per carry. RB Joique Bell tacked on an extra 41 yards on the ground for good measure as he continues to be the perfect complimentary back to Bush.

The Lions win on Sunday should not be downplayed; it was enormous. They completed their sweep of the Bears and put themselves in the drivers seat to win the division. They were also able to improve their record against their own division to 3-1 (which could be key in the event of a tiebreaker for the division title). Their remaining schedule also happens to be the easiest in the NFL, so all of sudden, hosting a playoff game does not seem so far-fetched.

With that said, this is the NFL. The league is extremely competitive and any team can win any game on any given Sunday. Just ask the Colts. They were blown out 38-8 in their own stadium yesterday by an inferior St. Louis Rams team. Something that was not so inspiring on Sunday was the Lions showing signs of the "same old Lions" as they committed three personal fouls late in the game. Stafford also threw an interception late that could have derailed their winning effort. Also, despite the defensive line's success on Sunday, the secondary is still a major issue as they struggle with bigger receivers. Rookie CB Darius Slay has been a disappointment thus far for a unit that could really use the help. Of course they were not going to be perfect on the road but as I said, they were the better team over the course of the entire game but still managed to give the Bears an opportunity to steal the game at the end.

For once, luck seems to be on the Lions side this year. Green Bay's star QB Aaron Rodgers is out for the foreseeable future with a broken collarbone, Chicago's QB Jay Cutler is now battling an ankle injury on top of his injured groin. For the most part, the Lions are healthy.

The Lions have not hosted a playoff game since 1991. They find themselves in a rare position heading into week 11. They control their own destiny and have a chance to win their division for the first time since 1993 and play a playoff game in front of a sold out Ford Field.

A division championship seemed inconceivable for Lions fans before the season began, but things change quickly in the NFL. Not only is it now conceivable, its expected.

NFL Pecking Order: Week 10

By Charlie Portelli

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it is not always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive wins. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there is not an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 10 starting with number 10.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-3, AFC NORTH) Last week: 9

The Bengals drop back to number 10 on this list after an overtime loss to the Dolphins on the road Thursday night on national television. The Bengals were riding a four game winning streak heading into the game and even after the loss, sit at a comfortable 6-3 atop their division. The Bengals were being predicted to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl by many after Andy Dalton's recent surge of success. Pump the brakes. Dalton is an average QB in this league. With the roster that the Bengals have, Dalton could help this team reach that goal but I do not see this team making a deep run into the playoffs with Marvin Lewis as their head coach. Lewis is a good coach and a likable one as well, but in my opinion will keep this team "stuck in the mud" if you will. His voice is growing old in Cinci. The Bengals will be a playoff team for the third year in a row but any more than that is stretching it for me.

9. Green Bay Packers (5-3, NFC NORTH) Last week: 7

The Packers drop in this weeks Pecking Order for one obvious reason; Aaron Rodgers' broken collarbone. The Packers have also dealt with several other key injuries but the injury to Rodgers has the NFC North wide open now. The Packers, Bears, and Lions are all tied with 5-3 records. The Packers are hoping for a quick recovery from Rodgers. I am thinking that their goal would be to welcome back Rodgers for their Thanksgiving shootout with the Lions. Until then, coach McCarthy should find a way to tread water behind a growing running attack with Eddie Lacy and James Starks. It is essential now more than ever to work Starks in in order to keep Lacy fresh for what promises to be a fight for the division to the finish.

8. Carolina Panthers (5-3, NFC SOUTH) Last week: Unranked

The Carolina Panthers make their debut this week in the NFL Pecking Order and steal the Lions spot.  The Lions were on bye last week but the nod goes to the Panthers as they continue to impress. They have won 4 in a row which is never an easy thing to do in this league. Those 4 wins all happened to be blowouts. The Panthers coaching staff looks to be finally figuring their team out. Cam Newton is playing selfless football for the first time in his career which has helped this team immensely. They also have a surplus of good running backs with the athletic Deangelo Williams, bruising goal line back (who can catch the ball out of the backfield as well) Mike Tolbert, and now welcome back Jonathon Stewart who will keep legs fresh in the backfield. Their front 7 is among the best in the game, first round pick  DT Star Lotulelei has been a force in the middle and backing him up is the best young linebacker in the game, Luke Kuechly. Watch him play, he is all over the field. Best thing about this is we are going to really see who this Panther team is in the second half of this season. They play at San Fransisco and then home against the Patriots over the next two weeks and also play the Saints twice. If they maintain their health like that have thus far, they have a shot at the playoffs despite their difficult remaining schedule.

7. New England Patriots (7-2, AFC EAST) Last week: 8

The Patriots looked more like the Patriots of old while putting up 55 points on the Steelers last week. Unfortunately, the Steelers are not what they used to be. The Steelers defense has been bad week in, week out but it was a great sign for the Patriots nonetheless. Brady made the best of what he had early, but now has Gronk back. He also has WR Danny Amendola back (until he gets hurt again). The running game has been the most impressive thing in New England thus far thanks to RB Stevan Ridley. They will also have RB Shane Vereen back soon as well, whom the Patriots love because of versatile style. Belichick is the greatest coach of all time because of his ability to make adjustments. He knows how to win in more than one way. He built a running attack this year in order to beat the Broncos. The recipe to beat Peyton Manning is to play man to man on defense, and to run the football on offense in order to keep Peyton off the field.

6. New Orleans Saints (6-2, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 4

The Saints suffered a loss to the Jets on the road last week and drop to 6 in the NFL Pecking Order. The Jets have a nice defense and all with one of the best front four's in the league, but the Jets have to win those kinds of games on the road. Graham is not healthy and is not on the field as much as he normally is, Colston missed the game, and Sproles exited the game in the first series with a concussion. The Saints offense is predicated on creating matchup issues and those three are their best at doing just that. The Saints should be fine but their defense is not looking as stout as before, the secret is out, teams can run on the Saints.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 6

I am putting stock into the Chiefs win last week over the Bills, even with undrafted rookie QB Jeff Tuel starting under center. The Bills are actually a competent team in the NFL and they were at home. The Bills have an extremely underrated defense, they rank 2nd in the league in QB sacks, and anytime I see that stat, I love it.  It seemed to me that the Chiefs were just begging to lose coming into this one with their bye week on the horizon but after getting down early, they stormed back to win, by 10 points no less. Their truest of test are yet to come as they still have not faced an elite opponent. Their best win is still a narrow victory over the embarrassing Cowboys. I still believe the Chiefs will win 1 of their 2 games against the Broncos this season.

4. Indianapolis Colts (6-2, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 5

The Colts had a very impressive win over the Texas on the road Sunday Night. While I do think that their efforts were aided by the fact that Texans head coach collapsed and was rushed to the hospital at halftime, it was still a great comeback. The Texans had the game won but the unfortunate incident occurred and took the life out of the team, but the Colts still had to make the plays, which they did. They were able to outscore the Texans 24-3 in the second half of the game. The Colts are minus a key player in WR Reggie Wayne down the stretch, which hurts this team badly. QB Andrew Luck has his work cut out for him.

3. Seattle Seahawks (8-1, NFC WEST) Last week: 1

The Seahawks drop back to the third slot this week after eking out a win over the lowly Buccaneers at home. This marks two weeks in a row that the Seahawks have struggled against inferior opponents. This week is more concerning considering the fact that they were at home. The Seahawks were down 21-0 at half and to their credit, they were able to come back and win this game, which says a lot about QB Russell Wilson's resiliency. I love this team going forward but they just look like a tired and unhealthy team that is desperately in need of their bye week which unfortunately for them is not until week 12 after games at Atlanta next week and then home to Minnesota.

2. San Fransisco 49ers (6-2, NFC WEST) Last week: 3

The 49ers are coming off of a bye week but are moving up to the 2 slot this week. I have been high on this team all along and since their rocky start they have righted the ship behind coach Jim Harbaugh. They have a huge game this Sunday as they welcome the streaking Panthers to town. No one has been talking about the 49ers lately and believe me, that is fine with them. While they certainly do not want to look forward, you can bet your ass they have week 14 circled on their calender for when the Seahawks visit Candlestick (49ers home field). The 49ers might not be able to win in Seattle but the story is likely different in San Fransisco.

1. Denver Broncos (7-1, AFC WEST) Last week: 2

The Broncos are also coming off of a bye week and they move up as well and claim the top spot on the Pecking Order. They have shown their deficiencies but remain an outstanding team. Their defense has become soft but they have time to get that in order because they still show tons of speed. Head Coach John Fox is not currently with the team due to some health concerns but defensive coordinator and former NFL head coach steps in on an interim basis. QB Peyton Manning needed the bye week to rest his ankles and is hungry for a Super Bowl ring in Denver.

Detroit Tigers Get it Right; Hire Brad Ausmus as Next Manager

By Charlie Portelli


I am not going to beat around the bush with this one; I absolutely love the hire of Brad Ausmus to be the next Detroit Tigers manager. I believe Dave Dombrowski and the others involved in the hiring process nailed this one. Ausmus was the one guy that I had eyed from the very beginning of the managerial search. The idea of a young and hungry manager looking for his first shot to prove himself had me intrigued and excited. I was hoping that Dave Dombrowski would interview him. Ausmus eventually got that interview, (after a couple of other candidates interviewed) and he blew Dombrowski and others away, which did not surprise me in the slightest. The Tigers now have their manager in place, with a ready made winning team at his disposal. With that said, there seems to be a good deal of skepticism coming with the hire of Ausmus among fans. Let me ease your mind.

The main knock on Brad Ausmus as Tigers manager is obvious, he has never managed before. That is certainly a legitimate concern but at the same time it isn't the end all, be all either. Ausmus is respected by many ex-managers, players, and other peers in the game. Dave Dombrowksi consulted with many people, most notably two of the greatest managers in the history of baseball, Tony Larussa and Joe Torre.  Joe Torre, who managed Ausmus at the end of his career with the Dodgers, was one of the biggest advocates of Ausmus getting a shot at managing in the Major Leagues. 

"Every time Brads name came up, it was effusive with praise" said Dombrowski. 

 This is a guy that was simply looking for his first shot at a chance to manage an MLB baseball team and Tigers fans should consider themselves lucky that he is getting his first crack here in Detroit. 

Who is Brad Ausmus and Why Will He Be Successful in Detroit?

Ausmus spent a career in the Major Leagues that lasted 18 years as a catcher. Throughout his career as a catcher in baseball he was never considered a great player. He was traded from team to team. He started with the Padres, then the Tigers, Astros, Tigers again, Astros again, before finishing with the Dodgers. When his playing days finally ended (a mere 3 years ago) he had only a career .251 batting average. However, Ausmus excelled as an actual catcher because he simply had a mind for the game of baseball. He won 3 gold gloves in his career and pitchers loved to pitch to him. He called great games and made life easier for the pitchers. He also took a lot of pressure off of his managers when he was catching due to their trust in him managing the game on the field. When catchers are at their best, they are the manager on the field. It is the catcher that is the leader on a baseball diamond. This is what Ausmus did best. He played into his 40's despite never sporting a batting average over .275 in any one season. He was able to do this because he was an incredible asset to teams as a game manager, mature leader, and a great defender. 

The best managers are rarely former superstars in the league. They are mostly made up of players like Ausmus that have sustained careers based on their intelligence and intangible values that can oftentimes be overlooked by the average fan.

 Jim Leyland is a model example. He was a smart catcher but could not hit to save his life. He never made it out of the minor leagues because of his short comings as a hitter, but was able to become a manager in the major leagues where he was so successful it might lead him to the Hall of Fame.

 It also comes as no coincidence that Brad Ausmus getting hired as Tigers manager now makes it a whopping 9 major league managers who were former major league catchers. That makes up nearly a third of the teams in the league. Catchers make good managers. He joins the likes of Joe Girardi (Yankees), Mike Scoscia (Angels), Bruce Bochy (Giants), Bob Melvin (Athletics), Mike Matheny (Cardinals), Ned Yost (Royals), John Gibbons (Blue Jays), and Mike Redmond (Marlins). Reread that list. Those just so happen to be some of the best managers in the game today. Also not a coincidence. 

As I said, the fact that Ausmus has not actually managed before is a real concern, it would be silly to overlook that fact. But sometimes a young and fresh outlook can be refreshing to a ball club. I thought it would have been an epic mistake to stay in house by hiring an existing coach on the Tigers staff to replace Jim Leyland. The hitting coach, Lloyd McClendon interviewed for the position and others such as bench coach Gene Lamont and third base coach Tom Brookens were rumored to be interested as well. Many thought that this would be the way to go, given the Tigers success in recent years. Also, with so many established stars in the locker room who had grown comfortable with a certain culture, changing too much could destroy what the Tigers had worked so hard to build over the last decade. While the Tigers never won a World Series under Leyland, they sustained extreme success that most teams in the league strive for. 

An example in sports where this sort of "comfortable, maintain the same culture" approach was taken, look no further than down the road with the Detroit Red Wings. After the 2002 Stanley Cup winning season, Scotty Bowman retired as the head coach of the Red Wings. He left behind a franchise that had enjoyed multiple Stanley Cup Championships in recent years. With no need for a big culture change, an existing assistant coach on the Red Wings named Dave Lewis took over. Dave Lewis was successful in the regular season with a dominant roster but failed in the playoffs going 6-10 over two years before he was removed as head coach. The Dave Lewis experiment was disastrous in Detroit, just like a Lloyd McClendon, Gene Lamont, or Tom Brookens experiment would be. 

Another factor that supplements my confidence in Brad Ausmus as the next Tigers manager is the fact that he has already named Gene Lamont as his bench coach. Gene Lamont (also a former Major League catcher) was Jim Leyland's right hand man for essentially his entire career as a Major League manager. In the case you are unfamiliar with what a bench coach in baseball is, it is basically a second manager, he helps the manager manage the baseball game and serves as a second set of brains to the lead manager. Lamont obviously has great familiarity with the ball club, knows the in's and out's, and will enhance Ausmus' ability to successfully manage the Tigers. While Ausmus is capable, he will need Lamont's help, especially in year one of the process. 

I am willing to predict Brad Ausmus as the next great thing as a manager in the Major Leagues. It does not hurt that he is inserted into a great situation with the 2014 Detroit Tigers where he is set up to flourish. There will be tough times, happy times, and everything in between. 

The Tigers are built to contend for a championship once again next year, and Ausmus should only enhance their chances of winning it all. 

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Fantasy Football vs. Real Football

By Charlie Portelli

Every guy loves fantasy football. Hell, there are even a lot of women who are into it these days. It's spreading rapidly and extensively. Its easy to join, easy to draft, easy to manage and most anyone can grasp the concept of fantasy football overnight. It has helped the National Football League reach record profits and is also a huge factor in the NFL making all-time marks in television ratings. The problem is, people are so engulfed by their fantasy football team that they have lost sight of the true beauty of the most exciting sport to watch in the world; real, athletic, hard hitting, American Football.

In case you have been living under a rock for the past decade and are unfamiliar with what fantasy football is, it is very simple. You draft a team of real NFL players consisting of a Quarterback, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Kicker, and a team defense. Each week you are matched up with another fantasy football team in your league and you compete against each other and acquire points based on your player's accumulation of stats. You are essentially your team's general manager and begin by drafting your team. Throughout the season you can trade with other teams, add/drop players, and change up your roster.

Like the majority of guys out there, I also participate in fantasy football. Although I am always invited into several leagues each year, I limit myself to just one league with 9 other guys who happen to be my best friends. I am also the commissioner of the league. Win or lose in our league (I mostly lose), I have an absolute ball with it. It's fun to throw some money in a pot, draft with your buddies, talk some shit, and see how it all plays out. With that said, I don't let it get out of hand like too many guys out there tend to.

Everyone hates "3-fantasy football league guy" who has so many conflicts of interest he doesn't know who the hell he is rooting for in every game. He needs Matt Ryan to play decent because he owns him in one league, but he is also playing against him in another, but the first league is more important so I guess he can throw like... 2 TD passes, but no more. Oh, and he can't throw any of those TD passes to Tony Gonzalez because hes playing against him.

Dude, shut up.

How about the guy that you watch the game with that keeps his mouth running every single play? "Alright, the Patriots need to pass. Let Tom Brady pass. Why the fuck are you running the ball?!?! Pass the ball damnit!"
We are certainly all guilty of this one to some degree. I'd be lying if I told you I didn't root for a particular player to score a TD while in the red zone.

But seriously, every play? Give me a break.

Almost as bad as him is the guy that is staring at his fantasy football roster on his phone for the duration of a game. Then he tells everyone "Demarco Murray just scored a touchdown!", everyone chimes back, "We just saw it live on TV while you had your head buried in your phone".

Something else that irks me is the fact that fantasy football experts think they know it all about real football. This year they tell me that Tom Brady sucks. He isn't putting up the gaudy stats that he used to, so now he sucks.

Really, pal? I will argue the contrary. He is having a great year this year. He has helped lead his team to a 6-2 record thus far with wide receivers that are undrafted rookies. So in case you are having trouble grasping that, these are players that are in their first year in the league, who after 254 draft selections this year, were passed by. No one wanted them. So then the Patriots signed them after no one chose to draft them, and they're now Tom Brady's primary weapons on offense. Tom Brady has been incredibly resilient this year. If they understood real football and watched the games and not just glanced at box scores or their fantasy football points, they too would realize this.

Even worse than fantasy football nerds are the guys who play fantasy football and have completely lost touch with reality because of it. It has become far too common in a world where social media dominates and a football player receives death threats to him and his family based on a poor performance. The player's poor performance resulted in lost points for this fantasy owner's team, so he threatens his life. It sounds like a sick joke, but the truth of the matter is that it happens very often. Some fans are so persistent with these threats that team security has to step in. Some people forget that while these professional football players are icons and many of them make millions of dollars, they are real people too. These players don't give a shit about your fantasy football team, and I don't blame them.

All of these different types of guys have lost sight of the true beauty of the game of football that we've all fell in love with.

While I enjoy fantasy football, I do not let it tarnish real football. I grew up watching football with my grandfather (before fantasy football was popular) and fell in love with the raw human competition. Coaches drawing up plays, creating game plans and then attempting to execute them against another team on Sundays. I also witnessed my grandfather's emotional roller coaster as I saw him root so feverishly for a team that he had bet on that day. For all you nerds out there who participate in 3 fantasy football leagues every year and have all your football watching excitement bank on your wide receiver catching a deep pass, I have an idea for you. But first, you're going to have to grow a pair. After you've done that, take some of your hard earned money and do the old fashioned thing, bet on a football game. You want to talk about exciting? Throw some money on a football game with a buddy, split a 12 pack to ease the nerves and hang on for the ride. You'll be white knuckling it until the final whistle. You'll never take your eyes off that TV and you will truly appreciate the real football game. Now of course, gambling on sports is nothing to joke about. You could easily become addicted and lose all your money, that's the reality of it, as scary as it sounds. With that said, exercise some self-control and keep it fun. Don't bet your mortgage or car payment. Just some extra cash to have fun with. I am not an advocate of betting on sports, but at the same time, I think everyone should experience it at least once, especially fantasy football nerds who think they know real football.

Listen, fantasy football is great. But too many people are getting out of hand with it and losing sight of the real game that we've all fell in love with one way or another. So this Sunday put your smart phones down, sit in front of the TV, crack a beer and watch with bated breath while I hope like the hell the Baltimore Ravens cover the point spread.

NFL Pecking Order: Week 9

By Charlie Portelli

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it isn’t always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive wins. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there is not an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 9 starting with number 10.

10. Detroit Lions (5-3, NFC NORTH) Last week: Unranked

I gave the Detroit Lions the nod over the Carolina Panthers here but it was very close. The Panthers will probably be the main competitor with the Lions for what looks to be one of the final playoff spots in the NFC. Detroit is not even close to what Carolina is on the defensive side of the ball but they boast a much more potent attack on offense behind QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson. Although I am not a believer in Head Coach Jim Schwartz, I will also give him a slight edge over Carolina's head coach, Ron Rivera. Detroit has the easiest remaining schedule in the entire NFL so a playoff spot is their's if they want to rise up and grab it. It should also be noted that LB Deandre Levy has emerged as one of the most versatile linebackers in the game and has become one of the lone bright spots on a struggling defense for the Lions.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2, AFC NORTH) Last week: 8

The Bengals look to be the class of the AFC north at the halfway point of the season. They are extremely talented and are now riding a 4 game winning streak with wins at home vs the Patriots, at Bills, at Lions, and then this past Sunday at home vs the Jets. Their offense perked up against the Jets, blowing them out 49-9. QB Andy Dalton who once looked like he was limiting the Bengals potential is coming off his third straight dominant performance. Their defense has been very steady behind defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer who will garner plenty of attention from teams looking for a head coach this coming offseason. The Ravens are sitting at 3-4 in the division but will still get two cracks at the Bengals so this one has not been decided yet.

8. New England Patriots (6-2, AFC EAST) Last week: 9

The Patriots have remained steady despite playing games without their 3 best defensive players. NT Vince Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo are out for the remainder of the season and CB Aqib Talib has missed the last two games. The Patriots might not be as much of a threat in the AFC as they have been in years past but teams always have to be cautious of a team led by coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots have built an attack on offense based off extreme balance as they boast as many as 3 to 4 running backs week in, week out. Tom Brady has his favorite target back in TE Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots sit comfortably atop their division after they took care of the struggling division rival Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

7. Green Bay Packers (5-2, NFC NORTH) Last week: 7

The Packers have been dealing with a lot of key injury issues but behind QB Aaron Rodgers they have not missed a beat. In fact its seems to be an annual thing that the Packers hit their stride midseason and march towards another division championship. The Lions are nipping at their heels in the division but the Packers are far too experienced and battle tested to give the divisional crown up to the Lions. Injuries are knocking Rodgers offensive weapons off the board on a weekly basis but the next man steps up and suits Rodgers fine. They are expected to welcome WR James Jones back this week and star LB Clay Matthews shouldn't be far behind. RB Eddie Lacy has emerged and become a dependable back and has helped create a balanced attack.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (8-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 6

The Chiefs have taken care of their business, and at 8-0 there is no denying that. Yet they are sitting back at #6 on the Pecking Order because they have yet to have a true test. Their best win was week 2 over the Dallas Cowboys where they won by 1 point. Their defense is every bit as good as advertised and I have stated before I think that they actually match up quite well with the Broncos who they will be contending with for the AFC west division title. Defensive ends like Von Miller of the Broncos, Jared Allen of the Vikings, and Demarcus Ware of the Cowboys garner most of the attention in the media but DE Tamba Hali has to be one of the most disruptive rush ends I have ever watched play. They are stacked at every level in this defense. We will see if their limits on offense will restrict them going forward as their next 4 games are at Buffalo, at Denver, Chargers, and then Denver again.

5. Indianapolis Colts (5-2, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 4

The Colts are behind all three powerhouse teams that they have impressively defeated in this weeks Pecking Order because of an injury that will be extremely difficult to overcome, WR Reggie Wayne. Behind DE Robert Mathis and of course QB Andrew Luck, Wayne was the next guy that they just simply could not afford to lose. They have also sustained losses on their already suspect offensive line. This is a team that I viewed as a possible participant in the Super Bowl out of the AFC but with the loss of their veteran leader in Wayne, that picture is a little more cloudy. Anything is still possible with QB Andrew Luck who has undoubtedly emerged as a legitimate top 5 QB in the NFL. Their defense is still stout and has become a rugged, hardworking group just like their QB. CB Vontae Davis has dominated in man coverage as evidenced by his performance on SNF while taking down the vaunted Denver Broncos.

4. New Orleans Saints (6-1, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 3

The Saints have just one blemish on their record, a last second loss at the hands of the Patriots. TE Jimmy Graham is battling an injury that could nag him throughout the season and if he isn't right, neither will this team. After falling behind briefly to an underrated Bills team last week, the Saints feasted on their weak QB play and forced turnover after turnover. Brees threw 5 TD passes as they rolled. Head Coach Sean Payton is thirsty after serving his year long suspension and its going to be interesting to see who grabs that top seed in the NFC conference between the Saints, Seahawks and 49ers because home field throughout the playoffs will mean a great deal, especially for the Saints or Seahawks.

3. San Fransisco 49ers (6-2, NFC WEST) Last week: 5

Everyone seemed to forget about the 49ers after they started the season 1-2 and lost by wide margins to the Seahawks and Colts. Another thing people seemed to forget was that this is the same team led by head coach Jim Harbaugh that led his team to the Super Bowl the year before. After those two losses they have rattled off 5 wins in a row over the Rams, Texans, Cards, Titans, and Jags. The average margin of victory over those 5 wins? A whopping 22.6 points, in typical Harbaugh fashion. They got back to what they do best and that is running the football. RB Frank Gore has answered the bell and this team now leads the NFL with 153 rush yards per game.  Newsflash: The 49ers are still an elite team in the NFL and Jim Harbaugh wants a ring.

2. Denver Broncos (7-1, AFC WEST) Last week: 1

The Broncos bounced back nicely after their thrashing defeat at the hands of the Colts. They may have only ended up losing that game by 6 points, but it was indeed a thrashing, the Colts dominated in every phase and shocked the Broncos nation. For the first time this season, they looked like the lesser of the two teams on the field. They were able to bounce back and do the same against the Redskins on Sunday. The Broncos started slow, but finished fast. Peyton Manning has looked like the Peyton of old, average in big games. He has a below .500 record for his career in the playoffs. His defense will have to perk up if they want to win a Super Bowl because the Colts showed 2 weeks ago that Peyton cannot do it all by himself, he needs help. DE Von Miller returning will help a great deal. The Broncos still look like the best team in the AFC, but now they look beatable and teams aren't intimidated.

1. Seattle Seahawks (7-1, NFC WEST) Last week: 2

The Seahawks return to the top spot on the Pecking Order after a close road victory on the road. The Seahawks have some real issues on the offensive line but should welcome back LT Russell Okung back in week 11. Their defense gave up yards in bunches on the ground to the Rams but were still able to hold the Rams out of the end zone the entire game as they won 14-9 on a game ending goal line stand. The Seahawks are at their best when their defense dictates the game and RB Marshawn Lynch has a steady diet of carries. QB Russell Wilson has kept it all together by not making mistakes and making big throws off play action. When his back has been against the wall and they needed him to make plays late in order to win, hes done just that, with his arm and his legs. He is a true dual-threat, pass first quarterback. RG, take notes.

Detroit Lions: A Win Is a Win, Right?

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Lions pulled off an improbable comeback on Sunday over the Cowboys that has Lions fans far and wide jubilant. With their backs against the wall in front of a sold out home crowd, Stafford and the Lions drove 80 yards with less than a minute on the clock and no timeouts remaining to cap an amazing victory. The win puts the Lions in the driver seat for a playoff spot in the NFC. All's well that ends well for Lions fans, right? Proceed with caution.

The Lions were extremely fortunate to be able to come away with a win Sunday. On defense, they continued to display a strong degree of ineptitude. Their inability to generate a consistent pass rush, coupled with the fact that their secondary has been awful has developed some real concerns for this team. They were just seconds away from dropping a second consecutive game at home where they desperately need wins. The Lions defense has given up 7 passing plays 40 yards or more, tied for 3rd worst among all NFL teams. They have also given up 4 rushes over 40 yards, which is the worst in the NFL. The Lions are known around the league to have one of the best defensive lines in the game, yet they have only accumulated 13 QB sacks, good for the 5th fewest in all of football. In typical Lions fashion, they again shot themselves in the foot several times. They committed 4 turnovers (2 INT's and 2 fumbles) and after losing one of their fumbles, rookie TE Joseph Fauria committed a brainless personal foul that put the Cowboys directly into field goal range. These are all recipes for losing. A recipe that the Lions have mastered. The win tends to mask many deficiencies for some, but not for me.

The Dallas Cowboy defense is every bit as bad as the Lions defense, so lets not over-analyze this one, that's why the Lions were able to win this game. They continued to allow Calvin Johnson to burn them time and time again as he amassed 329 yards on 14 catches. When the Cowboys had to make one play to finish the game, they could not.

Of course, we have to give credit where credit is due. Stafford was incredible in this game, and all season long for that matter. In a quarterback driven league, Stafford has shown the ability to carry his team to victory. He has about as much talent throwing the football as any in the game. He and Calvin have developed the most explosive connection in the league and their rapport continues to grow. The Lions stayed the course in this one, and despite their defensive inefficiencies, their offense prevailed. Perhaps the most impressive trait through eight games for the Lions has been their ability to protect Stafford. The offensive line has only allowed 10 sacks on the season, the lowest in the NFL. Much of that credit goes to Stafford as well, as he has been brilliant at getting rid of the football quickly and not allowing the defense the time to get to him.

Many fans think that this win is the difference. The Lions were never able to win these games in the past, so winning them now proves that this team has made that jump. Although in reality, that is hardly the case. The Lions have the easiest remaining schedule in the entire NFL, but they will NOT win their division. Luckily for them, there should be one playoff spot left for the taking after the 4 division winners and 49ers claim their spots. Will the Lions do what is required and grab that last spot? Depend on wins like they had this past Sunday against the Cowboys and they can forget about that.

Jim Leyland Retires As Tigers Manager; Now What?

By Charlie Portelli

Jim Leyland announced yesterday that he is retiring as Detroit Tigers manager after reaching the ALCS for the third straight year. Leyland stated this morning that he was "running low on fuel"  and decided it was time to end his eight year tenure with the Tigers. Whether you liked Jim Leyland as Tigers manager or not, he was very successful in Detroit despite falling short of the ultimate goal; winning a World Series Championship.

Jim Leyland was beloved by many in Detroit. He was also disliked by many and most others fell somewhere in between. But his success in Detroit should not be taken for granted nor should it be unappreciated. In fact, Leyland was one of the greatest managers the Detroit Tigers have ever had in their history rich franchise. To put his success into perspective, consider this. He managed the Tigers for 8 seasons, but before looking at his time as Tigers manager, lets reflect on the 8 seasons before Leyland arrived in Detroit. The winning percentage over those 8 years? A lowly 40%. The 8 years with Leyland as manager? A much more impressive 54%. Also, Leyland took over a dumpster fire of an organization. Just three years prior to taking over in Detroit, the Tigers had posted one of the absolute worst win/loss records in the history of baseball, winning just 43 ball games and losing a whopping 119 (the worst in Tigers history). Jim Leyland turned the ball club around overnight and led the Detroit Tigers to the World Series in his very first year as the manager in 2006. It was the first time the Tigers had even made the postseason in 19 long, dreadful years on the baseball diamond. Although Leyland never brought a World Series Championship to Detroit, it would be asinine to say he failed in Detroit. During his 8 year term as Tigers manager, the Tigers reached the ALCS or better 4 times. That is success. Most franchises long for that kind of run. To sum up Jim Leyland as a baseball manager, just talk to his players. His players loved him and Leyland loved his players. His players would run through a wall for him if he asked them to. Leyland is the epitome of a "players manager". Towards the end of his run in Detroit his true personality showed more. He wore his heart on his sleeve and showed a lot of raw emotion, in which the fans really responded to. Leyland will be missed in Detroit by players and fans alike for his humor, down to earth attitude, hard-nosed persona, but most of all, his part in bringing Detroit Tigers baseball back to relevance.

Moving On

With an end of era in Detroit, a new one is born. So here we sit with a dream roster consisting of two different MVP's still in their prime, multiple Cy Young candidates, and incredible talent filled in everywhere else on the field, with a large vacancy at the helm. Many are sad that Leyland would leave at a time like this, so close to completing our mission of winning a World Series for the first time since 1984. Others are worried how this team will respond to a new manager after playing for one who was universally loved in the clubhouse. But the fact of the matter is that Leyland left at an opportune time. He had his chances at a ring, but fell short. The foundation is set for a new manager to step in; whomever that may be. Sometimes, after a lengthy stay as manager for a team, players get a little too comfortable. The team has lacked a little bit of that healthy edge in the clubhouse, dugout, and on the field and that could all return with a new voice. When there is talent in place, it makes for a much easier transition. A current example of this is with Andy Reid. Andy Reid is a football coach, but the similarities of the situation are there nonetheless. Andy Reid had been very successful as a football coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for many years but after a long reign, his voice was not heard in the same way that it once was due to the players being too comfortable. The Eagles ran Andy Reid out of town despite his overall success there. Andy Reid was still a very capable coach, just not in Philly any longer. Reid was unemployed for all of five minutes. He promptly took over the Kansas City Chiefs as head coach following their season as the league's worst team. He now has them 7-0 and in first place. I don't blame Philly for firing Andy Reid, it was time to move on. Philly had grown tired of Reid, and the Chiefs were looking for a new voice. I am not saying that Detroit has grown tired of Leyland, because that's not it at all. What I am exemplifying here is that it was a good time for Leyland to walk away from the Tigers managerial position. He had grown older and tired and the Tigers need a change, a splash of water in the face if you will.

Leyland had a knack for managing young and unproven ball clubs and getting the very best out of them. Look no further than Leyland's very early success of leading the Tigers to an AL pennant in his very first year as their manager. The team was littered with young talent. With the state of the current, veteran laden Tigers team, Leyland had gotten the most out of them as he probably ever would have.  It takes some real guts and courage to be able to walk away from a team as talented and as built to win as this Tiger team, and I commend him for doing so.

Who is Next?

General Manager Dave Dombrowski has the difficult task of finding a replacement for this legendary manager. He has big shoes to fill but I think the key is to find an even keeled, younger type of manager. The last thing that you want is someone with too strong of a personality that might ruffle the feathers of this group. The team is full of experienced talent. They have all played under the brightest of lights and tasted the success. They were a mere 6 wins away from a World Series ring, so too much of a change could cause an epic collapse. 

Its very early in the process yet to properly consider names to replace Leyland. There are a few managers I know that I do not want. Among them are Don Mattingly, Manny Acta, Ozzie Guillen and to a lesser extent, Dusty Baker. I am certainly intrigued by the idea of Brad Ausmus. The main turnoff with Ausmus is the fact that he does not have any managerial experience, whether it be at the major or minor league level. An example of a manager currently in the league that took a high profile job without any managerial experience, look no further than Mike Matheny who is the manager for the St. Louis Cardinals and will be managing the Cardinals in the World Series starting tomorrow. He is also the youngest manager in the game at 43 years old. Other than having no managerial experience before taking the Cardinals job, Matheny and Ausmus share some similarities. Both are young. Ausmus is 44. Both were catchers, and catchers are very cerebral baseball players, they understand the game. Matheny was a catcher for the Cardinals, now manages them. Ausmus was a catcher for the Tigers in '96, '99, and '00. Matheny's experience in the game after his playing career was finished came with being a special assistant in the front office for the Cardinals for a couple years before being named their manager after Larussa retired. Ausmus is currently a special assistant with the San Diego Padres. Ausmus has interviewed for other managing vacancies and thinks he has what it takes to be a successful manager in the big leagues. 

He might just get his first crack with the Tigers next year. 

Prince Fielder Should Be Benched

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Tigers are in a desperate spot. They are down 3-2 in a best of 7 series with the Red Sox and have to travel to Boston to play in a do or die game 6; win or go home. The season is on the line and it is time for Jim Leyland and the Tigers to do absolutely everything they can do in order to win and that includes benching Prince Fielder.

Jim Leyland is a manager who tends to make decisions based on track records. For instance, if he has a proven major league hitter in his lineup that is struggling mightily at the plate over a long period of time, he will stick with that player based on his track record in the past. He is resilient enough to stay the course and withstand media and fans alike screaming and shouting both literally and figuratively for the benching of this said player. In my opinion, this is the proper way to manage and Leyland might just be the best in the game in that regard. However, this instance is different and it is time to make a change.

After Fielder went 1-4 with a weak groundball single through the box in game 5 in the ALCS he raised his postseason batting average to .211. Although that average is much lower than desired, the real problem lies elsewhere. Prince Fielder has just one extra base hit and zero RBI in the entire postseason. He has displayed no power, and no clutch hitting. He also has committed unforgivable miscues on defense as well. To put Prince's struggles into context, lets will compare his postseason production to the St. Louis Cardinal shortstop, Pete Kozma. Pete Kozma is the no. 8 hitter in the Cardinal lineup and has 9 RBI over the last two postseasons compared to Prince Fielder who has just 3 RBI in roughly the same amount of games. That is pathetic.

The major league baseball season is extremely long and players go through slumps of the worst kind throughout the dog days of summer. But unlike the regular season, the postseason is constructed into short series and in this best of 7 series it is time for Leyland to make an exception to his "stick with the track record" style of managing. The Tigers are one loss away from ending their season which was World Series or bust from the get go. There isn't time to play around anymore and the bottom line is Leyland has to field his very best lineup and Fielder is not one of the 9 best that they have right now.

The Tigers are lucky to have someone in Victor Martinez who is swinging one of the hottest bats of anyone in the entire postseason who could step into Fielders spot and produce. Jhonny Peralta would provide adequate protection behind Martinez. Also, by benching Fielder the Tigers would make improvements on defense. Victor Martinez could play first base which would open up the designated hitter spot for Peralta. This enables the Tigers to insert another left handed bat to play left field, either Andy Dirks or Don Kelly, who are both significant upgrades on defense over Peralta, who is a defensive liability.

There are two other options to consider. Moving Fielder down in the lineup in hopes that it sparks his bat like it did Austin Jacksons when he was moved from the leadoff spot to the 8th spot. Or, simply leaving Fielder as is. Jim Leyland is most likely going to stick with the track record of Prince Fielder and leave him as is and count on him to come out of it tonight and help the Tigers push this series to a decisive game 7 tomorrow. With that said, lets hope Prince spent the majority of his day off praying to the baseball gods to pull him out of this awful postseason slump.

Detroit Lions: Playoff Bound?

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Lions fan base is among the hungriest in the league for success after enduring a lifetime of disappointment. The Lions have satisfied that hunger by delivering an impressive 4-2 record through the first six weeks of the regular season. That inspiring start has the entire city of Detroit buzzing. They have the look of a playoff team thus far as they sit atop the NFC North, but is this lead that the Lions have created sustainable?

Aft
er just six weeks in the young season no team has yet to punch their ticket into the postseason, just like no team can be ruled out of making the postseason this early. But as fans, we naturally look ahead and think of the possibilities. I am not fond of playing the “schedule game” by looking ahead to every game on the schedule and predicting wins and losses. However, we have a lot better idea now as to what certain teams are than we did before the season began when the schedules were first released. With that said, lets take a look specifically at the next two games on the Lions schedule beginning with this Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals visit Ford Field and then next Sunday which also happens to be at home when the Dallas Cowboys come knocking.

These next two games are crucial for the Lions because they are against formidable opponents and also when you are playing in front of your home crowd it is imperative to win those games. These two games will be a great measuring stick for the Lions going forward as they continue their march through the season as playoff hopefuls. 

It all starts this Sunday against the Bengals who like the Lions, have also fought their way to a 4-2 record thus far. The Bengals have a legitimate top 10 defense in this league as they rank in the top 10 both in points allowed and yards allowed. They have talent at all three levels of their defense. The secondary has been getting healthier as well. The offense on the other hand has not been nearly as impressive as they have struggled to meet their potential behind mediocre QB Andy Dalton. Dalton is however coming off his best game of the year after passing for 337 yards and 3 TD's but its no secret that the Bengals are at their best when they run the ball behind their two running backs that seem to compliment each other well. Benjarvus Green-Ellis is the gritty between the tackles runner that usually starts the attack and finishes at the goal line while in between they like to mix in rookie running back Giovanni Bernard who is much quicker and athletic and also loves to catch the ball out of the backfield.

In the second half of this home stand for the Lions they will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Ford Field for an NFC clash. The Cowboys currently stand at 3-3 on the year and are tied for the lead in the struggling NFC East division. One of the those three losses for the Cowboys came at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a classic battle coming down to the final seconds. Tony Romo has had a remarkable year thus far and is doing all he can to lead this team to a division championship and playoff berth. Behind Romo and all his offensive weapons, the Cowboys have proven they can score points in bunches. The Cowboys have looked inconsistent on defense and are starting to battle some injuries that could prove costly as they have most recently lost star DE/LB Demarcus Ware for possibly the next four weeks. They are also without their other stud DE Anthony Spencer for the year who was not as flashy as Ware but was a reliable run stopper for the Cowboys.

Lets take a look at a stat for the Lions that may at first seem like a positive, but I will argue otherwise. The Lions are tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with 10 already through just 6 games. You may be asking yourself "...and this is a bad thing, why?" I will tell you why. When your defense is depending on turnovers, it is not a good thing. Turnovers can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing and if a team has a knack for forcing them, that of course is a valuable asset, but that is not what I am arguing. What I am arguing is that type of defensive success is not sustainable. You do not want your defensive success to be dependent upon interceptions or fumble recoveries. There is a bit of luck involved there with leading the league in interceptions. As I have stated many times before, this is a head coach and quarterback driven league. The quarterbacks that the Lions have faced off with so far this year have been Christian Ponder, Carson Palmer, Robert Griffin III, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, and Brandon Weeden. So in 6 games, they have faced just one quarterback you could even consider above average in Aaron Rodgers who is of course elite. It comes at no coincidence that he threw zero INT's vs. the Lions and the Lions of course lost that game. I would argue the rest of those QB's are average AT BEST. (Do not even get me started on RGIII, I said he was overrated last year and I was right. Talented? Without a doubt, but far from elite). My point is, to the Lions credit, they feasted on inferior QB's, but it is not something you can count on moving forward.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has done an outstanding job leading this team to where they stand now. He has proved that he is a driven winner and is an absolute gamer by doing it all with a hobbled Calvin Johnson. Over the next two weeks we'll all get a much clearer look at where the Detroit Lions stand in the NFC playoff hunt as they will be at the halfway point of the season. Win these next two home games and the Lions have put themselves in the drivers seat. Lose them and they are the same old Lions.

Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox: “Teams of Destiny”

By Charlie Portelli

Major League Baseball got the American League Championship matchup they had hoped for with two storied franchises with plenty of star power facing off between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox beginning Saturday night at historical Fenway Park. This series has the makeup of a true battle between two very talented teams and has a chance to be one for the ages. Both fan bases are sure that their team is a winner. You are always hearing fans and people in the media alike say, “This is a team of destiny!” And while I have certainly been guilty of this myself, let’s just throw that shit out the window here because you could argue that both of these teams are “teams of destiny”.

 First we have the Red Sox. The Red Sox are coming off of a year in which they made a drastic move in ousting their long time manager, Terry Francona after he and the Red Sox lost 18 of their last 24 games which culminated in them losing their playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. Although the move to replace Francona seemed obvious after the epic collapse, it was not popular among many Bostonians as you can imagine because after all, Francona is the manager who can be credited with ending the Red Sox dreadful 86 year World Series title drought after winning the championship in 2004. He went on to follow that up with another World Series title in ‘07. To say the least, Francona was beloved in Boston by many. General Manager Ben Cherington chose to replace Francona with an opposite personality, Bobby Valentine. Valentine, who had to fill those big shoes, took over a very talented team with high expectations and to be quite frank, he could not have done a worse job. Valentine was disastrous in Boston and was an awful fit from the word go. He was fired after just one year on the job while finishing in last place in their division and the Red Sox were back to square one looking for a new manager. Meanwhile, impatient fans in Boston who had recently become accustomed to winning grew restless. The GM Ben Cherington was given the task of finding another new manager to properly fit with the strong personalities in team leaders Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz and he found a perfect match in John Farrell who just so happened to be a former pitching coach with the Red Sox under Terry Francona from 2007-2010. Cherington also did a masterful job of adding blue-collar, grinding type of players that fit Boston’s persona to compliment his already talented team. He added 1B/C/DH Mike Napoli, OF Shane Victorino, OF Johnny Gomes, backup Catcher David Ross, and SS Stephen Drew among others to the roster. The Red Sox came together and performed at a high level all year long and claimed the American League’s best record when the regular season concluded. Not only did the Red Sox team get it done on the field, they meshed better than anyone could have predicted off of the field. Their current trademark that was born midseason is to grow facial hair; big, bristly, bushy facial hair at that.

All the adversity that the Red Sox went through as a team over the last couple of years has helped lead them right to where they are now; the ALCS and on the brink of returning to the World Series.

Next, we have the Tigers. While the Tigers also have the feeling of “a team of destiny”, it is for the opposite reasons. The Tigers have experienced recent success. They have won three consecutive division titles and reached the ALCS in 2011.They followed that up with a World Series berth last year where they were eventually swept by the San Fransisco Giants. The Tigers had to watch the Giants celebrate a World Series championship on their own field. Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowksi went on to add a savvy veteran, OF Torii Hunter in the offseason and also welcomed back DH Victor Martinez after he missed the entire 2012 season with a knee injury. Both Hunter and Martinez have had successful careers in the major leagues but Hunter being 38 years old and Martinez 34, time is running out for these players who are both seeking that final piece to complete their career; a World Series ring. Jim Leyland took over as Tigers manager in the 2005 season when the Tigers were absolutely abysmal and had been for years. It took him just one year before he led the Tigers to the AL Pennant and a World Series berth in ’06 where they ultimately fell short after losing to the Cardinals in 5 games. Jim Leyland is 68 years old and the time is running out on his managerial career and to complete his tenure in Detroit properly he is also missing one thing; a World Series ring. In sports it takes a while to build a championship contender and as we all know there is oftentimes only a small window of opportunity for a team to accomplish that championship and that window does not stay open forever. The Tigers have what looks to be a perfect balance of experience and youth on their team, not to mention some superstars in the prime of their career with Miguel Cabrera 30 years old, Justin Verlander 30, Max Scherzer 29, and Prince Fielder 29. Detroit Tigers fans are thirsty for a World Series championship having not seen one since 1984.

The time is now for the Detroit Tigers as they appear in the ALCS for the third consecutive year. The Tigers have been on the brink of winning it all in recent years but they believe this is the year that they finally bring that championship home to the fans of Detroit.

I will take the “team of destiny”, the Detroit Tigers in 6 games.