The Cat was this close to a complete game win, but he allowed three ninth-inning runs and Sparky pulled him with two outs. Lopez came in and struck out Willie Wilson to end the game.
Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Marty Springstead, 2B – Jim McKean, 3B – Durwood Merrill
Time of Game: 3:06
Attendance: 8,497
Rick Leach #7
Here are seven things to know about Rick Leach, who went from start Michigan quarterback to Tigers first baseman.
He was drafted by the Tigers in the first round (13th) of the 1979 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Michigan. He was previously drafted by the Phillies twice: in the 11th round of the 1975 draft from Flint Southwestern High, and in the 24th round of the 1978 draft from Michigan.
On May 6 in Oakland, Leach got his first big-league start: batting seventh and place first. He finished 0 for 1 that night, but with three walks. The following day, he got his first major-league hit, a single to left off Matt Keough that drove in Champ Summers.
Leach saw his playing time increase between 1981 and 1983, appearing 54, 82 and 99 games respectively. His best year was 1983: .248, three home runs and 28 RBI.
With Dave Bergman, Bárbaro Garbey and Darrell Evans all slated for playing time at first, the Tigers released Leach on March 24, 1984 — the same day of The Trade that brought Bergman and Willie Hernandez to Detroit. And he signed, with of all teams, the Blue Jays. (He appeared in only two games against the Tigers.)
Leach had his best years in Toronto. In five seasons, he batted .283, eight home runs and 95 RBI.
In the 5-4 Tigers loss to the Rangers, Jones started in centerfield, batting eighth, and went two for three with a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.
All told, he appeared in 95 games in his rookie year, batting .296 with four home runs.
Jones was a role player for Sparky’s earliest Detroit teams, seeing time mostly in the outfield and as a pinch-hitter, and posting a .347 on-base percentage in his first three seasons.
The 1982 and 1983 seasons, though, saw his production slip and 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 was the final big-league season of his eight-year career. He made his final appearance on the last game of the season: Oct. 4 against the A’s. Jones replaced Rudy Law in left field in the bottom of the ninth and the first batter, Terry Steinbach, hit the ball to him for an out.
Jones 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.
His final numbers: .252 average, seven HR, 91 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
In 1991 and 1992, Jones was the Royals’ first base coach 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 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
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.
Happy New Year to you and Happy 56th Birthday to former Tigers outfielder Lynn Jones.
The Tigers selected Jones from the Reds in the 1978 Rule 5 Draft. He played for the Tigers from 1979 through 1983 and was a part-timer’s part-timer. He appeared in an average of 61 games for the Tigers in those five seasons. His best season was 1979 when he hit .296 with four homers and 26 RBI in 95 games.
After the 1983 season the Tigers granted free agency to Jones and he signed with the Royals. He faced the Tigers in the ’84 ALCS and won a World Series with K.C. in 1985.
Final stats for his eight-year career: 527 games, 239 hits, seven homers (six with Detroit), and a .252 average.
Happy Birthday, old number 35.
P.S. Today also marks the birthday of Tigers Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg.
Happy New Year to you and Happy 56th Birthday to former Tigers outfielder 
dailyfungo.com 