Sad Day for Detroit Sports Fans

[mark_clark]

It is indeed a sad day for us Detroit Sports fans. Former Detroit Pistons basketball head coach Chuck Daly has pancreatic cancer. To my knowledge that is one of the toughest forms of cancer to have.

Also, the wife of Detroit Red Wings hockey great Gordie Howe has passed away. Colleen Howe had been suffering from Pick's disease which is an incurable neurological form of dementia. She was 76.

Please keep their respective families in your prayers.

Comments

[sean-montgomery.livejournal.com]

I heard about Chuck Daly the other day. :( It certainly is a sad day for Detroit fans, but perhaps things will get better somehow. Keep your chin up, fans.

(Totally off-topic, but how ready for baseball season are you, friend?)

[mark-clark.livejournal.com]

Chuck is got a tough battle to face and if treatment works than he should be fine.

As for baseball, bring it on. A lot of people are writing the Tigers off and you probably know how that makes me feel, lol. I think they may surprise a LOT of people. Their pitching is going to rebound from last year and their defense should be improved as well. My boys should have a legitimate shot at the post season and hopefully injuries won't pile up like last year.

Now for the WBC, I kinda hate that's it's played during Spring Training. MLB players who participate don't get a lot of time to prepare for the upcoming season because of it. The WBC should be played sometime after the World Series so that it doesn't conflict with Spring Training. Btw, Canada plays the US in their opener of the WBC in Toronto. I have a pretty good idea on what team I'll be rooting for. ;)

[sean-montgomery.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling the Tigers will be better, too, but their main concern, I think, is their pitching. Rather, I should say the future of Dontrelle Willis. I don't know about you, but I'm totally rooting for him to be the AL Comeback Player of the Year. Willis is too good and too talented to having problems with his command and location in the strike zone. I really, really hope he can get back to his 2003 form. He's so much fun to watch, and seeing him fade away like this is tough.

I can tell you one problem you won't be having. I think I heard you scream in joy when Todd Jones retired... :D

As for the WBC, I have... mixed feelings about it. The baseball fanatic in me says "BASEBALLOMG!!!1!!", but its timing seems off. I know the NFL has plans of moving the Pro Bowl to the week before the Super Bowl. Maybe MLB should consider moving the WBC after the World Series? Like you said, it wouldn't conflict with Spring Training, and managers wouldn't have to worry about players getting injured before the start of the season.

Now, as for the Boys in Blue (*wink*)... this is the first time in a long time that I've heard people say that the Royals might have a chance to do something this year. Two big-name opinions I've heard are from:

Bill James, who says that Kansas City and Minnesota are the two hot teams in the AL Central this year (which I totally consider bogus; no, you can never rule out the Twins, but hello! Cleveland is dead, yes, but the White Sox are always full of surprises, and the Tigers still have a powerful lineup AND they plan on coming back healthy this year. I don't know how you can narrow this division down to two teams. I really don't.)

And Bill Simmons, who says that the off-season success the Chiefs are having could start something in KC's baseball woes (and he meant this seriously, too. For years, Simmons has made KC his punching bag and one-liner city, but he specifically mentioned the Royals as a team you might have to watch out for; who, in his own words, could be the 2009 version of the Rays. Imagine my shock at hearing this, and my immediate skepticism afterward.) :D

In the end, though? Pssht. Bring it on. Baseball is baseball. Have you seen the pics of the New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field in New York? Pretty nifty stuff (but NYS is a total 'meh' for me. It screams "NEW BALLPARK!!1!111!" just a little too much.)

[mark-clark.livejournal.com]

The Royals should have a good year except that the Tigers will finish ahead of them, lol. They did make some good moves over the winter and Royals fans must hope that things work out.

I too am hoping Willis performs better this year and I think he will. He hasn't been too bad this Spring. If he bounces back, several people have him pegged for AL Comeback Player of the Year.

The Tigers pitching will definitely be key this year. Zumaya seems to be progressing well and Bonderman may get ready for game shape soon. Their new pitching coach is going to help the Tigers out and hopefully turn things around.

[sean-montgomery.livejournal.com]

I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, man, but now I have to make the prediction:

KC and Detroit square off in a one-game playoff for the Wild Card/Division title. To make things interesting, let's put it at Comerica Park. :D

How do you think Verlander is going to do this year?

[mark-clark.livejournal.com]

Verlander will bounce back as will the rest of the team.

In my world, the Tigers will win the Central Division. Or better yet, Detroit and KC have a one game playoff to determine who goes to the postseason as the Central winner or the Wild Card. Of course the Tigers will win the division while the Royals take the WC.