Tag: Duffy Dyer

Aug. 15, 1984: Tigers 8 – Angels 3

W: Dan Petry (15-5) – L: Tommy John (7-10) | Boxscore

Record: 78-43 — 9 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Tigers gently knocked around Tommy John: 10 hits — all singles — and four runs (three earned) in six innings.
  • Detroit got five hits and three RBI from the number-three slot with Bárbaro Garbey going 3 for 3 and Dave Bergman, replacing Garbey in the seventh, having a 2 for 2 night — a pair of triples! — and three RBI. Tom Brookens also went 3 for 3.
  • Peaches went eight innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk, and struck out five. Willie Hernández pitched 1-2-3 ninth.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Don Denkinger, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Rich Garcia, 3B – Tim McClelland
  • Time of Game: 2:46
  • Attendance: 33,940

Birthdays

Roberto Novoa, Bob James, Duffy Dyer, Arlo Brunsberg, Barney Schultz and the late Chris Brown, Joe Casey and Jack Warner

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 501 9/9 — Rarity: 16

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo: May 29

May 29, 1984: A’s 8 – Tigers 5

W: Bill Krueger (3-1) – L: Milt Wilcox (6-2) – Save: Bill Caudill (10) | Boxscore

Record: 36-9

Highlights

  • The A’s knocked Wilcox around early: seven runs on seven hits and three walks, in three-and-a-third innings.
  • Oakland built up an 8-1 lead in the fourth.
  • Chet Lemon‘s seventh-inning two-run homer, one of his two hits, was the Tigers highlight. All told, they had six hits.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
  • Umpires: HP – Steve Palermo, 1B – Rick Reed, 2B – Dave Phillips, 3B – Jerry Neudecker
  • Time of Game: 2:42
  • Attendance: 22,499

Duffy Dyer #15

The Tigers picked up Don Robert “Duffy” Dyer in a March 15, 1980 trade with the Expos for Jerry Manuel. The 34-year-old was, throughout his career a backup catcher and on some decent teams — including the 1969 Miracle Mets.

By the time Dyer came to Detroit, his career was drawing to a close. But before we get to that, let’s look at his brief time as a Tiger:

  • He made his Tigers debut on April 12, 1980 against the Royals. Dyer started at catcher, batting eighth, and went 0 for 4.
  • In all he appeared in 48 games in 1980, mostly as a catcher and a few games at DH.
  • In 1981, Dyer appeared in two games, but had no at bats. His last big league hit came on Oct. 4, 1980, a single off the Yankees’ Rudy May.
  • His final appearance came a year and three days after his debut — both against the Royals. On April 15, he was a defensive replacement for Lance Parrish in the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers won, 4-0. On May 18, 1981, he was released.

His final line: .185 average, four home runs and 11 RBI.

Check out this full bio on Dyer on the SABR Bio Project website.

Birthdays

Trevor Miller, Eric Davis, Billy Beane, Fred Holdsworth, John Baumgartner, Denny McLain and the late Ferris Fain and Jack Lively 

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 423 8/9: Rarity: 167

See you tomorrow.

The Tuesday Fungo

Tim Corcoran – #25

Fifty years ago this June, the Tigers signed Tim Corcoran as an amateur free agent, and he started hitting as soon as he got to Lakeland (.270) and Bristol (.370).

In 1975, Corcoran was promoted to Double-A Montgomery and hit .245 with a .666 OPS, but in ’76 he hit 64 points higher with a solid OPS: .309 / .811.

  • Corcoran made his Tigers debut on May 18, 1977, against Gaylord Perry and the Rangers. As Ralph Houk’s DH, he walked in his first big-league at bat and scored, but went 0 for 3 in a 6-3 loss.
  • The left-handed hitter played parts of four seasons with the Tigers as an outfielder/DH/first baseman combo.
  • From 1977-80, Corcoran appeared in 273 games for Detroit, with a final line of:
AverageHitsHome RunsRBIOPS
.272164766.690
  • He spent most of the 1981 season in Evansville where all he did was hit: .298 average, an .826 OPS and 100 hits in 106 games. Still, it wasn’t enough to last in Detroit.
  • On Sept. 4, 1981, the Tigers sent him to the Twins as the player to be named later in the Aug. 23 trade for Ron Jackson.
  • After spending time with the Twins and getting decent playing time with the Phillies from 1983-85, Corcoran’s final major-league appearance came on June 6, 1986 with the Mets. In ’87 and ’88, he played for the Triple-A Maine Phillies.

Birthdays

Tim Corcoran, the late Gee Walker, Tex Covington and Billy Maharg*

*Check out Maharg’s career

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 352 9/9 — Rarity: 121

See you tomorrow.