DETROIT — Maybe all the Tigers really needed was a sloppy game to finally clean up at the plate. And who better to lead them to Thursday’s error-filled 7-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians than Ian Kinsler, the guy who loves to get a little dirty. Kinsler hit a key three-run home run off Danny […]
DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers’ first homestand at Comerica Park ended with their first loss. The Tigers returned home Wednesday and the result didn’t change. The Cleveland Indians held on for a 3-2 win as the Tigers lost for the fifth time in their last seven games. Detroit hasn’t scored more than two runs in […]
EAST LANSING — Pressed to come up with the best thing that he has seen from his defense this spring, Pat Narduzzi eventually settled on this: “The best thing is everybody’s been on time for meetings, OK?” The Michigan State defensive coordinator and assistant head coach was quicker to specify on the other end of […]
ANN ARBOR — Mitch McGary is well on his way to being healthy, which might not be good for Michigan’s future. The sophomore center, who missed most of this past season with a back injury and had January surgery, apparently is no longer restricted. Asked if health will play a role in McGary’s NBA draft […]
DETROIT — Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said there’s not one disadvantage to starting the first-round playoff series against Boston on Friday. Three NHL series began Wednesday night. Montreal and Tampa Bay and Dallas and Anaheim will play Game 2 of their respective series Friday, when the Wings play Game 1 against the Bruins. […]
ANN ARBOR — Tuesday’s seeds were sown last April, when Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III stood and watched in the Crisler Center press room. Robinson watched Tim Hardaway Jr. explain how he worked for the team in college but when the NBA called, he would surprise the doubters. Stauskas watched Robinson and Mitch McGary have […]
EAST LANSING — “You might as well kiss the floor,” Gary Harris’ Michigan State teammates joked with him before the Spartans’ senior day at Breslin Center — the expectation was there all along that Harris would eventually choose the NBA after his sophomore season. “I didn’t really feel comfortable doing that,” Harris said Tuesday of […]
DETROIT — Drew Smyly was excited. He was anxious. It has been two weeks since the Detroit Tigers’ left-hander made the trip north from Florida as a member of the team’s starting rotation. And in that time, he made zero starts and two relief appearances. “I’m excited for Wednesday, for sure,” he said during the […]
DETROIT — As Henrik Zetterberg was flying home from Sochi, Russia, in February, a fellow NHL Olympian rushed to help him. Zetterberg, who was scheduled to undergo back surgery within days, was hauling a bag when he was approached by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara. “Chara is the guy who helped me with my bag […]
A measure of confidence is deserved, but the Detroit Red Wings are not fools. They beat their first-round playoff opponent three times in four meetings, beat them twice without Pavel Datsyuk, beat them in Boston and beat them in Detroit. That said, when the series starts Friday night at TD Garden, the biggest advantage the […]