A New Project for 2011: “Today’s Tiger”

Today I’m launching a project that I’ve wanted to explore since I started The Daily Fungo in March 2006. I’m calling it Today’s Tiger, a daily look at a Tigers player from the past, posted each day of 2011. Some installments will be brief, others more in-depth but hopefully you’ll learn a little bit about Tigers history and the players that’ve worn Olde English D.

Let me know what you think — and feel free to suggest players you’d like me to highlight.

So, with that, here’s the first installment.

Lynn Jones

  • Born: Jan. 1, 1953 in Meadville, PA
  • Acquired: Drafted from the Reds in the 1978 rule 5 draft, Dec. 4, 1978.
  • Seasons in Detroit: 5 (1979-83)
  • Uniform number: 35 
  • Stats: .264 avg., 6 HR, 71 RBI, .658 OPS

LynnJones.jpg
The Tigers selected Lynn Jones from the Reds in the December 1978 Rule 5 Draft and, as they were required to do, kept him on the 25-man roster the entire 1979 season. In 95 games that year Jones batted .296 with four home runs, seeing time mostly in the outfield but also as a pinch-hitter.

Jones was a role player and pinch hitter for Sparky Anderson’s earliest Detroit teams, posting a decent on-base percentage in his first three seasons. The 1982 and ’83 seasons, though, saw his production slip and as a result his playing time was limited to 64 at bats in ’83.

That offseason the Tigers made him a free agent and he promptly signed with the Royals. In 1984, Jones hit a career-high .301 in a similar role to what he played in Detroit. He faced his former team in the American League Championship Series, going just 1 for 5.

The next season Jones appeared in 110 games for Dick Howser‘s Royals — a career high — but saw his average plummet 90 points. It wasn’t a total downer though, he won a World Series ring that year and had two extra-base hits in the Series against the Cardinals.

1986 would be his final big-league season — and his worst statistically. He hit .128 in 67 games with a single RBI and after that season he became a free agent but didn’t sign with another team.

Jones was the Royals’ first base coach in 1991 and 1992 before managing in the Marlins system. In 2001, he was the Marlins’ first-base coach. He earned his second World Series ring in 2004 as a member of Terry Francona‘s coaching staff in Boston. Today he’s the Braves’ baserunning coordinator.

Author: Mike McClary

Upbeat guy.

11 thoughts on “A New Project for 2011: “Today’s Tiger””

  2. Hey Mike- Happy New Year.

    I have always been a big Norm Cash fan. How about him and maybe Eddie Mathews, too.

    Love the blog- love the podcast- Go Tigers.

    Matt

    Like

  3. Roy,

    Mickey Tettleton will definitely be on the list. No one is off the list! Except, maybe, my least-favorite Tigers player: Craig Monroe. 😉

    Keep reading — we’ll get to Tettleton, one of my favorites too!

    Mike

    Like

  4. So Tettleton wont be added? I am a young Tigers fan so I guess I wont be reading. Thanks though. I know who Al Kaline and Cobb are. and Freehan. But you should add names of the late 80’s or early 90’s so younger fans like me are interested. Those guys you are adding are before my time. I was born in 81. if you are just doing players from the mid 80’s and before I wont be interested.

    Like

  6. Butch,
    I’ll definitely add Freehan and Stanley to my list!

    As for my initial choice, I should’ve explained my rationale for starting with Lynn Jones. First, it was his birthday so it made him an easy target. Second, he’s the kind of obscure Tigers player I like to profile only because he is so obscure. I’m not going to avoid the big names like Cobb and Kaline in this project, but there have been countless words written about them over the years so they’ll come later on. Thanks for your input and for reading!

    Mike

    Like

  9. If your gonna do this i think Mr. Kaline or Cobb should have been first. But i love the ideal. But Bill Freehan was my favorite as a kid and what ever happened to Micky Stanly

    Like

Leave a comment