Wayne Krenchicki – #15
The summer of 1983 gave Tigers fans a glimpse of what was to come a year later: a young core of star players ready to move to the next level in the American League East. Detroit was in the race until September when the eventual World Series champion Orioles pulled away for good.
That season also introduced fans — ever-so briefly — to a role player with one of the best names in baseball history: Wayne Krenchicki.
He came to the Tigers in a late-June trade with the Reds for once-promising-lefty Pat Underwood. With Alan Trammell nursing injuries, the club needed some infield help.
As he always did with newly acquired players, manager Sparky put Krenchicki right to work, inserting him in the starting lineup against the Orioles and rookie Storm Davis.
On July 1, batting eighth in the lineup, Krenchicki went hitless in three at bats against Davis and the Tigers lost 9-5. He got his first Tigers hit two days later, a third-inning double off Tim Stoddard, in a 10-1 Tigers win.
In all, Krenchicki appeared in 59 games for the Tigers in 1983, seeing time at every infield position but played primarily at third. His time in Detroit was brief; in November that year, the Reds purchased his contract from the Tigers.
He finished his eight-year big-league career with the Reds and Expos, and retired after the 1986 season.
Birthdays
Leonys Martin, Marcus Thames, Gabe Alvarez, Roberto Duran, Joe Hall, Karl Best*, Ed Mierkowicz and the late Joe Orrell and Bob Swift.
*Best was traded by the Mariners to the Tigers for Bryan Kelly on June 22, 1987, but never appeared in a game. On March 28, 1988, the Tigers dealt him to the Twins for Don Schulze … who also never appeared in a game for the Tigers.
Today’s Grid
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 339 9/9 — Rarity: 21
Four former Tigers and one Tigers nemesis.
See you tomorrow.
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