Tag: Jack Billingham

The Friday Fungo: June 14

June 14, 1984: Off Day

After losing two of three to the Blue Jays, the Tigers travel to visit another A.L. East rival, the Brewers, for a three-game weekend set at County Stadium.

Record: 44-16 — 6 games up on Toronto

So here’s another June 14 game. This one from 1978:

June 14, 1978: Royals 7 – Tigers 1

W: Paul Splittorff (8-5) – L: Jack Billingham (5-4) | Boxscore

Record: 31-27 — Fifth place, 91/2 games back of Boston

Highlights

  • The Tigers scratched out just four hits off of Splittorf who threw a complete-game gem.
  • Billingham was roughed up for eight hits and four walks in six innings, and allowed five earned runs.

Miscellany

  • Venue:  Royals Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dave Phillips, 1B – Larry McCoy, 2B – Steve Palermo, 3B – Don Denkinger
  • Time of Game: 2:05
  • Attendance:  21,025

Mike Laga – 1B #4

The first paragraph of the 1984 Tigers Yearbook profile on Mike Laga pretty much summed it up:

“Mike Laga has been called the Tiger first baseman of the future. And despite the presence of a veteran star like Darrell Evans, it seems clear the Tigers still have high hopes for Laga.”

I’d go so far as to say we still have high hopes for Laga.

We heard so much about the left-handed hitting slugger but he didn’t capitalize on his brief visits to Detroit from 1982 through 1986 — and as I recall, injuries were a problem.

1982: Laga made his debut on Sept. 1, 1982 against the Angels and faced Ken Forsch, flying out to left. Two days later he hit his first homer, a two-run shot, off the A’s Rick Langford. He played in 27 games for ’82 Tigers, essentially the starting first baseman in September.

1983: The bulk of his season was spent in Evansville with a dozen games in Detroit: 21 at bats, no homers, .190 average.

1984: Laga again was a September call up but appeared just nine games: but he hit .545 — six for 11.

1985: Another nine-game stint. Thirty six at bats, two home runs, .167 average.

1986: Laga made the Opening Day roster and appeared in 33 games before being sent to Nashville. The Tigers traded him to the Cardinals, as a player to be named later, along with Ken Hill for catcher Mike Heath.

His final numbers with Detroit: 72 games, .239 avg., eight home runs, 28 RBI and a .691 OPS.

Birthdays

Michael Hollimon, Mike Laga, Bill Fahey and the late Hal Manders

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 439 9/9: Rarity: 12

See you tomorrow.

The Tuesday Fungo: April 30

April 30, 1984: An Off Day in Detroit

The Tigers have the day off before starting a three-game series against the Red Sox. So let’s look at a game on April 30 from another year.

April 30, 1978: Mariners 4 – Tigers 3 (11)

W: Enrique Romo (2-0) – L: Steve Foucault (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 13-5

Highlights

  • Jack Billingham started, pitch seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
  • Foucault allowed six hits in two-and-a-third innings, including four in the 11th, and gave up the winning run.
  • Both teams had 12 hits.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Kingdome
  • Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Nestor Chylak, 3B – Ron Luciano
  • Time of Game: 3:20
  • Attendance: 7,474

Steve Kemp #33

When the Tigers traded left fielder Steve Kemp to the White Sox for Chet Lemon, it was the quintessential Jim Campbell Winter Meetings Trade™.

Kemp made too much money and former GM Campbell didn’t like players who held out (Rusty Staub) or won in arbitration (Kemp, again).

Campbell also liked to trade players who, like Kemp and Ron LeFlore in 1979, were entering their walk year.

Steve Kemp was terrific during his five years patrolling left field at Tiger Stadium. He produced a .284 average, 89 home runs (lowered a bit with his nine homers in the strike-shortened 1981 season), and averaged 84 RBI and 23 doubles. He also displayed a keen eye at the plate averaging 75 walks — including 97 in 1978.

On Nov. 27, 1981, the Tigers and White Sox swapped outfielders — both who were former top selections in the amateur draft — Lemon by Oakland in 1972, Kemp number-one overall by Detroit in 1976. They were roughly the same age and had put together similar careers to that point.

In his only season in Chicago, Kemp had a career year batting .286 with 19 HR and 98 RBI in 160 games. After the ’82 season Kemp cashed in on a free-agent contract with the Yankees.

In 1983, Kemp hit .241 with just 12 home runs in 109 games. After the ’84 season he was traded with Tim Foli and cash to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Dale Berra, Alfonso Pulido and Jay Buhner.

An eye injury, suffered when Kemp was hit by a batted ball in batting practice, shortened his career in the mid-1980s. He last played in the majors in 1988 when he played in 16 games for the Texas Rangers, hitting just .222 in 36 at bats. His career batting average in 11 seasons was .278 — five points higher than Lemon’s.

When Campbell pulled the trigger on the Kemp-for-Lemon deal he probably had no idea that Kemp would flame out and that Chet the Jet would play more than 1,100 games in the outfield for Detroit.

Still, he had to like the odds that the trade would work out better than LeFlore for Dan Schatzeder.

Birthdays

Phil Garner and the late Chet Laabs

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 394 9/9: Rarity: 34

Two former Tigers …

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo

George Cappuzzello – #41

George Cappuzzello, the man who allegedly was on an ice cream and doughnut diet during Spring Training in 1981, appeared in just 18 games that year for the Tigers.

Originally, Cappuzzello was drafted by the Tigers in the 27th round of the 1972 amateur draft. He spent six seasons in the Tigers’ system before being traded with minor leaguer John Valle (minors) to the Reds for Jack Billingham on March 6, 1978. He returned to Detroit after being released by the Reds in April 1980.

Cappuzzello made his major-league debut on May 31, 1981 against the Orioles, in a start against Scott McGregor. He pitched only the first inning, giving up two hits, three walks and three runs, all earned.

He finished his Tigers career with a 1-1 record with one save in 18 appearances (three starts) and a 3.48 ERA.

After his March 1982 release from Detroit, he appeared in 17 games that year for Astros with a final line of 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA.

Cappuzzello pitched in his final game on Aug. 5, 1982 against the Giants, in relief of former Tiger Vern Ruhle, pitching a third of an inning, allowing two hits, and two earned runs.

Birthdays

Clay Rapada, C.J. Nitkowski and the late Jim Landis, Ron Kline, Hughie Wise and Lefty Williams.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 342 5/9 — Rarity: 455

Things I learned today:

  1. Bobby Grich never earned a Gold Glove.
  2. Eric Young stole 30+ bases 10 times in his career … just never with the Angels. The caffeine hadn’t kicked in yet and I misread the rows thinking the stolen bases was linked to the Rockies.
  3. Andres Galarraga never had 200+ hits in a season with the Rockies. The closest he got was 191 in 1996.

See you tomorrow.

The Wednesday Fungo

Random Game: Oct. 2, 1986

It’s hard to find a matchup more ’80s than Jack Morris versus Pete Vuckovich.

  • The Cat prevailed in this one, 2-1, raising his record to 21-8. Vuckovich fell to 2-4.
  • Alan Trammell homered with two out in the fifth, and Lou Whitaker stole home for the Tigers’ second run.
  • Ben Oglivie led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot to right, but Morris got three straight fly outs to end it.

Here’s your boxscore.

Details
  • Attendance: 6,268
  • Venue: County Stadium
  • Game Duration: 2:15
  • Night Game, on grass

Birthdays

Alan Trammell, Bill Slayback, Doug Gallagher, Jack Billingham and the late Alex Remneas

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 325 9/9 — Rarity: 47

  • Three ex-Tigers.

See you tomorrow.

Today’s Tiger: George Cappuzello

George Cappuzello

  • Born: Jan. 15, 1954, in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Bats: Right Throws: Left
  • Height: 6′ 0″ Weight: 175 lb.
  • Acquired: Signed as a free agent on April 28, 1980.
  • Seasons in Detroit: 1 (1981)
  • Uniform Number: 41
  • Stats: 1-1, 3.48 ERA, 1 save

George Cappuzello, the man who allegedly was on an ice cream and doughnut diet during Spring Training in 1981, appeared in just 18 games that year for the Tigers.

Originally, Cappuzello was drafted by the Tigers in the 27th round of the 1972 amateur draft. He spent six seasons in the Tigers’ system before being traded with minor leaguer John Valle (minors) to the Reds for Jack Billingham on March 6, 1978. He returned to Detroit after being released by the Reds in April 1980.

After his March 1982 release from the Tigers, he appeared in 17 games for Astros, pitching in his final game on Aug. 5, 1982.

By the way, he turns 57 today.

Happy Birthday, Tram

TramRookie.jpg Happy 51st to perhaps the classiest guy ever to wear the D.

Today’s also the birthday of two former Tigers pitchers:

  • Bill Slayback, a member of the 1972 A.L. East Division champs, turns 61. A seventh-round pick in the 1968 draft, he pitched three years in Detroit posting a 6-9 record and 3.84 ERA in 42 appearances. In his rookie year of ’72, Slayback (who wore number 44) appeared in 23 games (13 starts, three complete games) and notched a 5-6 record.

  • Jack Billingham turns 65 today. He won 25 games for the Tigers from 1978-80 and he did so wearing number 41. Did you know that Billingham is a cousin of Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson? For a funny Billingham vs. Kirk Gibson nugget, revisit this post from last year.