Tag: Joe Coleman

July 30, 1984: An Off Day in Detroit

The Tigers had a Monday off day at home before the Indians came to town for a three-game set. Let’s look back on a game played on this date 45 years ago …

July 30, 1979: Tigers 6 – Rangers 4

W: John Hiller (4-7) – L: Danny Darwin (2-2) – S: Aurelio López (9) | Boxscore

Record: 53-49 — 5th place, 16 games behind Baltimore

Highlights

  • Jack Morris started and went six innings, allowing eight hits and two runs. He departed with a 4-0 lead.
  • John Hiller blew a save opportunity but the Tigers scored a run in the eighth and again in the ninth to secure the win.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Arlington Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Bill Deegan, 1B – Greg Kosc, 2B – George Maloney, 3B – Dan Morrison
  • Time of Game: 2:40
  • Attendance: 14,297

Birthdays

Scott Fletcher, Mickey Mahler, and the late Gus Triandos and Joe Coleman, Sr.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 485 9/9 — Rarity: 58

See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo: June 21

June 21, 1984: Brewers 4 – Tigers 3

W: Don Sutton (4-7) – L: Juan Berenguer (4-5) – S: Rollie Fingers (12) | Boxscore

Record: 49-18 – 6.5 up on Toronto

Highlights

  • The Brewers tagged Berenguer for four runs on seven hits over 51/3.
  • Sid Monge pitched 22/3 scoreless, one-hit innings to keep the Tigers in it.
  • Detroit scored three in the seventh, two on Larry Herndon‘s pinch-hit home run, and got the tying run on base in the ninth but Fingers doused that flame.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Marty Springstead, 2B – Jim McKean, 3B – Durwood Merrill
  • Time of Game: 2:30
  • Attendance: 32,291

Gene Pentz RHP #39

I’m again stretching the boundaries of this site to feature Gene Pentz on his birthday. Here are five things to know about the Johnstown, Pa. native:

  • The 1975 Tigers were awful, so don’t read too much into the fact that they were 0-13 in games that Pentz appeared.
  • His final line: 0-4, 3.50 ERA, 251/3 innings pitched.

Birthdays

Jefry Marté, Jeff Baker, Sean Runyan and Gene Pentz

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 Thursday Fungo

Fernando Arroyo – #36

Righty Fernando Arroyo began the 1975 season in Triple-A Evansville, and made his major-league debut on June 28, 1975 against the Orioles, and in relief of Joe Coleman. He appeared in 14 games for the ’75 Tigers, finishing with a 2-1 record and 4.56 ERA.

Evansville was his home for the 1976 season, but he came to Detroit in ’77 and, considering his workload, he appeared to be there to stay.

  • 38 appearances
  • 28 starts
  • 209.1 innings pitched
  • 8-18 record
  • 4.17 ERA
  • 2 complete games

But … Arroyo was back in Evansville for most of 1978, appearing in just two games (4.1 IP) for the Tigers — yet he still appeared in the 1978 Tigers Yearbook. Here’s part of his profile:

Maybe there isn’t such a thing as luck in baseball — but don’t try to tell Fernando Arroyo that.

A veteran of seven minor league seasons, the good-looking right-hander got his first real chance with the Tigers in 1977, when he became a regular starter in mid-May. At the close, Fernando had lost 18 games — but six were by one run and 12 came when the Tigers failed to score, scored once or scored twice. That is not the kind of support to enhance a pitcher’s record.

In Arroyo’s case, it meant one losing streak of six straight, and another period of one victory in 11 decisions.

On Dec. 5, 1979, the Tigers traded him to the Twins for lefty Jeff Holly. (Holly never appeared in a game for Detroit.)

His final line in Detroit: 11-20, 4.48 ERA.

Today’s Random Game: Sept. 19, 1977

Yankees 9 – Tigers 4

W: Dick Tidrow (11-4) – L: Jim Crawford (7-7) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • The Yankees pounded three Tigers pitchers, Crawford, Vern Ruhle and Ed Glynn, for 17 hits. Crawford and Ruhle each allowed four runs.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Vic Voltaggio, 1B – Marty Springstead, 2B – Larry Barnett, 3B – Jim Evans.
  • Time of Game: 2:30
  • Attendance: 17,656

Birthdays

Fernando Arroyo and the late Owen Friend, Boyd Perry, Joe Samuels and Frank Sigafoos.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 354 9/9 — Rarity: 61

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: Feb. 3

Happy Birthday, Trixie

Happy 89th Birthday to former Tigers infielder and long-time first base coach Dick Tracewski.

He was a player on the 1968 World Series champs, a coach on the ‘84 team and, officially, once an interim Tigers manager: filling in between the fired Les Moss and the hired Sparky Anderson in 1979.

Ten years later Sparky took a short leave of absence due to the abysmal ‘89 team’s losing and Tracewski took over for a few games, but Baseball-Reference only lists the ‘79 games in his official managerial record.

He was also a World Series winner with the 1963 and ’65 Dodgers.

Other birthdays: Fred Lynn, Joe Coleman and the late Wayne Comer.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 307 8/9 — Rarity: 145

Two former Tigers in today’s grid.

I hope you’re having a great weekend.

See you tomorrow.