The Friday Fungo

April 26, 1984: Tigers 7 – Rangers 5

W: Doug Bair (2-0) – L: Frank Tanana (2-2) – Save: Aurelio López (2) | Boxscore

Record: 16-1

Highlights

  • No pitching duel in this one. The Tigers ambushed Frank Tanana with five hits and four runs in the first inning. He lasted
  • ‘Twas also a rough start for Dave Rozema: 4.1 IP, 5 runs, 7 hits and 3 home runs.
  • Doug Bair and Señor Smoke carried the load the rest of the way, blanking the Rangers on just four hits.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Dan Morrison, 2B – Mike Reilly, 3B – Al Clark
  • Time of Game: 2:50
  • Attendance: 13,559

Rick Schu #35

Rick Schu was tasked with replacing Mike Schmidt when he retired from the Phillies. That could not have been fun, nor could it have been fun coming to the 1989 Tigers, who were 14-24 when the club purchased his contract from the Orioles on May 19.

He made his debut on May 21 against the Royals. He started at third and batted ninth, going 1 for 2.

Schu’s final game with the Tigers came on Oct. 1, a 5-3 Tigers win against Yankees to close out a 59-103 season. He went 1 for 4.

His Tigers career ended after 98 games, with a .214 average, seven home runs and 21 RBI. The Tigers released him on Dec. 8, 1989.

Birthdays

Felipe Lira and the late Virgil Trucks and Dale Alexander

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 390 8/9 – Rarity: 189

Ken Griffey Jr. did not win the Rookie of the Year?

See you tomorrow.

The Thursday Fungo

1984 Game 16: Tigers 9 – Rangers 4

W: Milt Wilcox (2-0) – L: Dave Stewart (0-5) – Save: Willie Hernández (2) | Boxscore

Record: 15-1

Highlights

  • Wilcox went six innings, allowing six hits and two runs.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Don Denkinger, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Mike Reilly
  • Time of Game: 2:38
  • Attendance: 25,883

Bill Krueger #30

Here are a few things to know about lefty Bill Krueger:

Bill Krueger, not displaying his tremendous high leg kick.
  • The Tigers signed Krueger on Dec. 11, 1992. He spent the ’92 season with the Twins and Expos.
  • He made his Tigers debut on April 7, 1993 against his original club, the A’s, in a 12-7 Tigers loss. His line: 3.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
  • The 1994 Tigers were not good and Krueger’s year aligned with his team’s. He had appeared in 16 games — his last a June 2 start against the Orioles in Baltimore — before the Tigers released him on June 4, with an 0-2 record and a 9.61 ERA.
  • Bill Krueger’s final line in Detroit: 6-6 with a 4.60 ERA.

Birthdays

Daniel Norris, Jacque Jones, Larry Pashnick and the late Tony Phillips, Woody Davis and Fred Haney

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 389 7/9 – Rarity: 219

My misses: Bruce Bochy in the middle square, and Tommy Henrich bottom left.

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo

April 24, 1984: A ☃️ Doubleheader

It was Easter vacation, so I went to this one with my friend Steve and, after much guilt-heaping and nagging, my sister and her then-boyfriend, now husband.

Man, was it cold in the upper deck bleachers.

Game 14: Tigers 6 – Twins 5

W: Jack Morris (4-0) – L: Ron Davis (2-2) | Boxscore

Record: 13-1

Highlights

  • The Twins jumped out to a 4-1 and then 5-1 lead, before the Tigers started chipping away.
  • The Tigers scored two in the fifth and then won it with three in the ninth off Ron Davis.
  • A typical Morris start: nine innings, seven hits, five earned runs, five walks and one strikeout.
  • Lou Whitaker drove home the tying and winning runs with a single to right.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Don Denkinger
  • Time of Game: 2:16
  • Weather: COLD

Game 15: Tigers 4 – Twins 3

W: Glenn Abbott (1-0) – L: Frank Viola (0-3) – Save: Aurelio López (1) | Boxscore

Record: 14-1

Highlights

  • If this game had been played today, it would’ve been called a bullpen game. Petry, Abbott and Lopez each pitched three innings.
  • The Tigers turned three double plays, including a pivotal one in the ninth with the potential tying run on first.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Mike Reilly, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Don Denkinger, 3B – Dan Morrison
  • Time of Game: 2:29
  • Attendance: 20,315
  • Start Time Weather: COLDER

Birthdays

Todd Jones, Bill Krueger and the late Howard Ehmke

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 388 9/9 — Rarity: 25

See you tomorrow.

The Tuesday Fungo: April 23

🌧️ Game 14: Postponed

Easter Sunday’s cold and rainy weather in Detroit persisted and the Tigers and Twins face a doubleheader on April 24.

Record: 12-1

Eric Davis – #33

The 1993 season was a weird one. From April 23 to June 25, the Tigers were either in first place or tied for the division lead.

Then, beginning June 23, they lost 10 in a row and 13 of 14. The next thing you know, they were 4.5 games back by July 1.

On Aug. 31, sitting in third place and six games back of the Blue Jays, the Tigers made a curious and intriguing deal with the Dodgers, acquiring former All-Star outfielder Eric Davis for a player to be named later.

Davis was a superstar with the Reds and was traded to Los Angeles in December 1991 and re-signed with his hometown team in November 1992. He didn’t match the dual-threat production he had in his first eight seasons* in Cincinnati — 177 homers, 247 stolen bases — so at the Aug. 31 traded deadline, the former Gold Glover was sent to Detroit.

The power hitter joined a lineup already full of power hitters: Cecil Fielder, Rob Deer, Mickey Tettleton, Pete Incaviglia and even Kirk Gibson.

He debuted with the Tigers on Sept. 3 at Tiger Stadium against the White Sox. Sparky slotted him in the seven spot, in centerfield. He doubled in his second at bat and homered in the bottom of the eighth — a three-run shot to draw the Tigers to within two, 8-6. That was the final score.

Davis’s 1993 Detroit totals: 23 games, six homers, .253 average and a .904 OPS. He also stole two bases, bringing his L.A./Detroit combo to 35.

As for the Tigers, they finished tied for third, 10 games back of Toronto.

The Tigers brought Davis back in 1994, but injuries limited him to just 37 games. He batted .183 with three home runs.

His final game with Detroit was July 26, 1994; he went 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored in a 9-1 win over the Mariners.

All told, his 60-game Tigers career wrapped with a .210 average, nine home runs, seven stolen bases and a .706 OPS.

*After sitting out 1995, he returned to the Reds for one more season in 1996, and then had a post-cancer resurgence with the Orioles, Cardinals and Giants.

Birthdays

Zach Logue and the late Elam Vangilder and Harry Coveleski

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 387 9/9 — Rarity: 92

Two former Tigers …

See you tomorrow.

🌎 The Monday Fungo: April 22

1984 Game 13: Tigers 9 – White Sox 1

W: Juan Berenguer (1-0) – L: Tom Brennan (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 12-1

On a cold and wet Easter Sunday, Juan Berenguer delivered one of his best Tigers starts, at least that I can remember. He gave up just two hits — and didn’t allow one until the fifth — with one walk. He struck out seven.

The Tigers had 18 hits, paced by:

Michigan native and fellow WMU alum first baseman Mike Squires was pressed into pitching duty, with two gone in the five-run eighth, for the final out.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
  • Time of Game: 2:58
  • Attendance: 10,603

Jim Crawford – #28

Lefty Jim Crawford was acquired by the Tigers in a Randy Smith-style trade with the Astros on Dec. 6, 1975. He came to Detroit with Milt May and Dave Roberts for Terry Humphrey, Mark Lemongello, Gene Pentz and Leon Roberts.

He appeared in parts of three seasons, 1976-78, as a reliever and spot starter.

Crawford made his Tigers debut on April 20, 1976 against the A’s in Oakland. He came into the game in the ninth, relieving starter Joe Coleman, with the Tigers clinging to a 5-3 lead. Crawford got Bill North to line out but the next batter, Joe Rudi, singled to tie the game. Crawford was lifted for rookie Mark Fidrych who gave up a single to Don Baylor and the A’s won, 6-5.

His final game came on July 27, 1978 against the Orioles. Starter Jim Slaton gave up five runs on nine hits in three innings and Crawford came in to pitch the fourth — and gave up two runs of his own on three hits. Jack Morris relieved him with four scoreless.

Crawford’s final line in Detroit: 10-19, 4.62 ERA and 3 saves.

Birthdays

Tyson Ross, David Purcey

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 386 9/9 — Rarity: 9

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: April 21

1984 Game 12

Tigers 4 – White Sox 1

W: Dave Rozema (1-0) L: LaMarr Hoyt (2-1)  Save: Doug Bair (1) | Boxscore

Record: 11-1

Highlights

  • Dave Rozema pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, to walks and striking out seven.
  • Whitaker homered off Hoyt, and drove in three runs.
  • Doug Bair pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Larry McCoy, 1B – Nick Bremigan, 2B – Vic Voltaggio, 3B – Joe Brinkman
  • Time of Game: 2:35
  • Attendance: 34,395

On TV: Tigers @ Yankees: April 21, 1987

W: Joe Niekro (1-1) – L: Walt Terrell (1-2) – Save: Cecilio Guante (1) | Boxscore

Birthdays

Aquilino Lopez, Les Lancaster and the late Bill Faul

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 385 8/9 – Rarity: 254

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: April 20

Game 11: April 20, 1984

Tigers 3 – White Sox 2

W: Aurelio López (2-0) – L: Ron Reed (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • Milt Wilcox celebrated his 34th birthday with a solid outing: eight innings, eight hits, three walks three strikeouts and just two runs: a second-inning, two-run homer to Ron Kittle.
  • Floyd Bannister was just as good for the White Sox: 6.1 innings, eight hits and two earned runs.
  • Record: 10-1

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Joe Brinkman, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Nick Bremigan, 3B – Vic Voltaggio
  • Time of Game: 2:36
  • Attendance: 33,554

5 Things to Know About Tim Tolman – #38

  1. The Tigers signed the right-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman Tim Tolman* as free agent on Feb. 10, 1986.
  2. After hitting .298 with 11 home runs and 71 RBI (.812 OPS) at Triple A Nashville, Tolman was a September call-up in 1986. He played almost every day — appearing in 16 games from Sept. 7 to Oct. 4 — and batted .186 with six hits in 34 plate appearances.
  3. In 1987, Tolman started the season at Triple A Toledo and hit .314 / 14 homers / 30 doubles and a .919 OPS. He was called up in July and played in nine games, hitting .083 — one hit in 21 plate appearances.
  4. His final big-league game was Aug. 16, 1987 against the Royals.
  5. Tolman passed away on June 3, 2021 at age 65 from Parkinson’s Disease.

Birthdays

Milt Wilcox and the late Tim Tolman, Earl Harrist and Lou Vedder

Today’s Grid

See you tomorrow.