Tag: Jim Lentine

Aug. 27, 1984: Heading to Seattle

After taking two of three from the Angels, the Tigers hit the road for three games in Seattle, looking to settle a score from May’s sweep at the hands of the Mariners.

Al Greene – OF #21

Detroit Cooley High grad Altar Alfonse “Al” Greene had one of the more brief Tigers careers: 29 games in 1979, which was a surprise given the power numbers he posted in the minors.

Here are a few things to know about the left-handed hitting outfielder:

  • Greene is the first player from Northwood Institute (now Northwood University) to appear in the majors. He signed with the Tigers as an amateur free agent on Nov. 10, 1976.
  • In 1978, he hit .263 with 32 homers, 84 RBI and an .885 OPS with Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Evansville.
  • In 70 plate appearances, he had eight hits — three of them solo homers — six RBI and a .136 average. His final appearance came on Sept. 30, 1979 at Tiger Stadium against the Red Sox. He batted seventh as the Tigers’ DH and went 0 for 4.
  • On June 2, 1980, the Tigers traded him and John Martin to the Cardinals for Jim Lentine. He passed away in Detroit on Feb. 18, 2014 at 59.

Birthdays

Jordy Mercer, Buddy Bell and the late Em Lindbeck, Bob “Bun” Troy and William “Baldy” Louden

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 513 9/9 — Rarity: 14

See you tomorrow.

The Tuesday Fungo: July 16

July 16, 1984: Tigers 7 – White Sox 1

W: Glenn Abbott (3-2) – L: LaMarr Hoyt (8-10) | Boxscore

Record: 61-28 — 8 games up on Toronto

Highlights

  • A complete-game gem for Glenn Abbott: nine innings, five hits, one walk. The only blemish was Ron Kittle‘s two-out, ninth-inning solo homer.
  • Kirk Gibson went two for three with a first-inning homer and a fifth-inning triple, both off Hoyt.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Ted Hendry, 1B – Drew Coble, 2B – Mark Johnson, 3B – Greg Kosc
  • Time of Game: 2:29
  • Attendance: 41,935

Jim Lentine OF – #27

The Tigers picked up the right-handed hitting outfielder Jim Lentine on June 2, 1980, from the Cardinals for Al Greene and John Martin.

Lentine made his Tigers debut the following day against the Mariners in Detroit. Sparky slotted him seventh in the lineup, playing left field; he went 0 for 3.

On June 6, he had one of his best days at the plate, going 3 for 4 against the Brewers. On June 8, he hit his only Tigers home run: a leadoff shot to left off Milwaukee’s Bill Travers.

He appeared in 67 games for the 1980 Tigers, and finished with a .261 average, with one home run, 17 RBI and a .719 OPS.

Lentine’s final big-league appearance came on Oct. 5, 198o, the last game of the season, against the Yankees. He started the game at DH, batting eighth, and finished 0 for 1 with a walk. In his final plate appearance he flied out to left off Tim Lollar.

The Tigers released him at the end of Spring Training 1981.

Birthdays

Jim Lentine and the late Don Ross, Marv Peasley and Johnnie Williams

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 471 9/9: Rarity: 21

See you tomorrow.