Tag: Mike Laga

The Sunday Fungo: June 23

June 23, 1984: Tigers 5 – Brewers 1

W: Milt Wilcox (8-5) – L: Chuck Porter (5-3) | Boxscore

Record: 51-18 — Up 7.5 on Toronto

Highlights

  • Milt tossed a beaut: Eight innings, four hits, one run.
  • The Tigers raced out to a 5-0 lead by the third inning, fueled by homers from Kirk Gibson, a solo shot in the first, and Howard Johnson a three-run job in the second.
  • Lance Parrish had a pair a doubles and Gibby went three for four.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Dan Morrison, 3B – Marty Springstead
  • Time of Game: 2:33
  • Attendance: 44,680

Bill Nahorodny – C #18

He didn’t play very long for his hometown Tigers, but catcher Bill Nahorodny can, at the very least, say he appeared in a game, for the home team, at Tiger Stadium. Here are a few things to know about him:

The Hamtramck native was drafted by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 1972 MLB June Amateur Draft from St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron.

After several seasons with the White Sox and Braves and one each with the Phillies and Indians, he signed with the Tigers on March 1, 1983.

At Evansville, he ran roughshod over International League pitching in 1983 — 127 games, a .335 average, 21 home runs, 94 RBI and a .945 OPS — and it earned him a September call up.

Nahordony’s Tigers debut came on Sept. 24 at Tiger Stadium. In the bottom of the eighth he pinch for Marty Castillo and, facing John Tudor, grounded out to shortstop Ed Jurak.

Four days later, facing the Orioles, he pinch hit for Mike Laga and drew a walk off Tippy Martinez.

And that would be it for Nahorodny’s Tigers career. The Tigers released him on Oct. 21, 1983. He spent the ’84 season with the Mariners

Birthdays

The late Tom Haller, Bubba Floyd, Aaron Robinson and Al Clauss

See you tomorrow.

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.