Tag: Mark Salas

The Friday Fungo: May 31

May 31, 1984: An Off Day in Detroit

The 37-9 Tigers await the defending World Series champ for a weekend series at Tiger Stadium. Baltimore comes to town with a 28-21 record.

Record: 37-9

May 31, 1979: The Underwoods Face Off

Tigers 1 – Blue Jays 0

W: Pat Underwood (1-0) – L: Tom Underwood (0-7)– Save: John Hiller (4) | Boxscore

Pat Underwood shut out the Blue Jays for eight-and-a-third innings at Exhibition Stadium, earning his first major-league win as the Tigers beat Toronto, and his brother Tom, 1-0 thanks to Jerry Morales‘ eighth-inning solo home run.

How great is this? Underwood picked off Blue Jays second baseman Danny Ainge at second base.

Mark Salas – #10 and #27

Here are five things to know about catcher Mark Salas:

  1. The Tigers signed him as a free agent on April 8, 1990.
  2. The left-handed hitting Salas made his debut on April 14 against the Orioles. He pinch hit for Mike Heath in the seventh and struck out.
  3. He appeared in 74 games for the Tigers that season — wearing number 10 — hitting .232 with nine home runs, 24 RBI and a .737 OPS.
  4. He appeared in just 33 games, now wearing number 27, for the 1991 Tigers. He hit .088 with a homer and seven RBI.
  5. Salas’s final big-league game was Oct. 5, 1991, like his first, against the Orioles. In the bottom of the sixth, he replaced pinch hitter Rich Rowland, playing first and batting ninth. His career came to an end when he led off the ninth by grounding out to pitcher Mark Williamson.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whom the Tigers drafted in 1994 and traded in 1998 to Indians for Geronimo Berroa.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 425 7/9: Rarity 246

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.

The Friday Fungo

Skeeter Barnes – #9

This post should have been written yesterday, on William Henry “Skeeter” Barnes‘ birthday — he deserved better!

So, here are 10 things to know about a fun player from some mediocre Tigers seasons:

  1. Drafted by the Reds in the 16th round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur out of University of Cincinnati.
  2. He debuted on Sept. 6, 1983, against the Giants, in a game featuring Darrell Evans at shortstop, Dave Bergman at first, and Champ Summers pinch hitting.
  3. From 1983 to ‘84, he appeared in 47 games for the Reds. On April 26, 1985 the Reds sent him to the Expos for Max Venable. He appeared in 19 games for the ‘85 Expos.
  4. Barnes saw no major-league action in 1986, and on July 24 he was traded, with former Tiger Dan Schatzeder, to the Phillies for Tom Foley and Lary Sorensen.
  5. In 1987, he signed with the Cardinals but only appeared in four games. After spending 1988 in Triple A, he appeared in five games for the Reds.
  6. Then, on Jan. 21, 1991, he signed with the Tigers. After starting the year in Toledo, Barnes made his Detroit debut with gusto on June 14, in a 5-1 win in Seattle. He hit a solo homer in his first Tigers at bat, off Brian Holman, with two out in the first inning.
  7. Sparky used him just about everywhere: 1B, 2B, 3B, Shortstop, all outfield spots.
  8. From ’91 to ’94, he appeared in 278 games for the Tigers batting .281 with 11 homers, 73 RBI and a .739 OPS.
  9. Barnes’ final career hit came on June 16, 1994 — a single to right off the Brewers’ Bob Scanlan.
  10. His final major league appearance came on June 20, 1994, as a defensive replacement for Cecil Fielder at first base.

Birthdays

Mark Salas, Lance McCullers, Justin Thompson, Juan Encarnacion, Chris Lambert, Bob Stoddard, Joe Staton, Jim Small and the late Pete Fox, Ray Francis and Ollie O’Mara.

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 341 7/9 — Rarity: 275

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.