DETROIT – Welcome to another edition of Detroit Sports Misery, as a top Tigers prospect and a Pistons’ first-round draft pick have injuries.
Everyone knows it’s been a miserable half-decade of professional sports in Detroit. Since the Tigers got knocked out of the postseason in 2014, all four major teams -- the Tigers, Lions, Pistons and Red Wings -- have been largely dreadful.
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But it feels like we might have reached a bit of a turning point. The Tigers are stockpiling prospects and starting to becoming more competitive. Troy Weaver has started to rebuild a roster of exciting young players on the Pistons. Steve Yzerman is back where he belongs with the Red Wings. Even the Lions are looking for a new direction after firing Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn.
The Tigers and Pistons are in different stages of their rebuilds, but both appear to be heading in the right direction -- finally.
That’s what makes nights like Monday so much more discouraging.
Daz Cameron, the Tigers’ No. 7 prospect who debuted last season, was shut down in the middle of the Puerto Rican Winter League due to an arm issue.
Cameron has reportedly returned to the United States for evaluation, which is bad news for his offseason development. He barely saw the field in 2020 because there was no minor league baseball, so the timing of this injury acts like salt in the wound.
At 23 years old, Cameron is already a strong outfielder and a fast runner, but he needs work at the plate. The only way he’s going to improve is by getting more at-bats. That’s what the Tigers were hoping to accomplish this winter.
On the basketball court, the Pistons’ No. 7 overall pick, point guard Killian Hayes, suffered a hip injury Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite their 1-6 record, the Pistons have been surprisingly fun to watch early this season. They’re competitive, they have promising young players, and most importantly, they actually have direction under Weaver.
Hayes hasn’t been a bright spot for the Pistons so far, struggling with his confidence and shooting. He’s only 19 years old, so the Pistons are trying to get him as much development this season as possible.
If he’s sidelined for an extended period of time, that development will be stunted, and the Pistons’ plans take another major hit.
Monday just felt like the sports world kicking Detroit while it’s down, especially since Tigers pitching prospect Alex Faedo recently announced he needed Tommy John surgery and exciting Pistons guard Josh Jackson limped off the court Sunday with an ankle injury.
Maybe Cameron and Hayes will be fine -- all of Detroit sure hopes so. But with both the Tigers and Pistons trying to build around young players, these types of injuries are a blow.