Tag: Zach Miner

The Tuesday Fungo

Ruppert Jones – #32

The 1984 season was an embarrassment of riches on so many levels. And when the Tigers signed Ruppert Jones to a minor-league deal on April 10, 1984, it was almost too much to comprehend.

Jones started the year in Evansville for what amounted to an extended spring training. That didn’t stop my friends and me from wondering:

When will he get called up?

Where will he play? 

When will he play?

  • The answer to the first question was early June, after lighting up the American Association, batting .313, 9 HR, 45 RBI and a .986 OPS in his 45 games with the Triplets.
  • The answer to the second question was left field and centerfield, with spot DH duty.
  • As for question three: 79 games. He finished the year with a .284 average, 12 HR, 37 RBI and a .862 OPS. 

In the postseason, Jones played in just four games — ALCS games one and two, and World Series games two and four — and notched only a walk and a run scored in nine plate appearances.

After the ’84 season, the Tigers let him walk — not a popular move in my eyes at the time (or now!). In January 1985, Jones signed with the Angels and played for them until his final big-league game, Oct. 4, 1987.

Check out this full bio on Jones by Adam Ulrey as part of SABR’s Bio Project.

Birthdays

Zach Miner, Craig Dingman, Ruppert Jones, Larry Rothschild and the late Eulogio “Frankie” De La Cruz and George Maisel

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 345 9/9 — Rarity: 11

If I had put Jack Morris in the top-right square, I could have had a Tigers bottom-right-to-top-left-diagonal Hollywood Squares win situation.

See you tomorrow.

2009 Player Profile: Nate Robertson

The results of our most recent poll indicate that loyal Daily Fungo readers would prefer Dontrelle Willis (43%), Zach Miner (38%) or perhaps even Felipe Lira as the Tigers’ fifth starter over Nate Robertson (19%).

Nevertheless, we want to continue our series of player profiles today with The Nater for two reasons — actually three, I just thought of a third: First, he made more starts last season than either Miner or Willis. Second, I already had the profile written. Last, we’ll do our friend and avowed Nater Hater, Ian Casselberry, a favor and get it out of the way.

Nate Robertson #29

  • Height: 6′ 2″ | Weight: 225
  • 2008 Stats: 7-11, 6.35 ERA

RobertsonHead.jpgThe Tigers had no shortage of pitching frustrations in 2008 and one could argue that the most perplexing of all was Robertson. Once considered a core member of the rotation, the lefthander’s performance in ’08 raised questions about whether he could physically and mentally take his game to a higher level. In fact, Robertson’s season was so off-kilter that he found himself in the bullpen after a 5-8, 5.26 ERA first half.

Things improved little after the All Star Break and the 31-year-old enters 2009 as a major question mark. However, if any Tigers pitcher is likely to adopt the mantra of new pitching coach Rick Knapp – throw first-pitch strikes – it’s Robertson, who had above-league-average success in this area in ’08. (Nearly 60 percent of his initial offerings were strikes.)

A reversal of fortune for the Tigers in 2009 will be tied closely to Robertson’s ability to rediscover his command – especially his slider – and log quality starts. The club hopes an off-season exercise regimen designed to improve his flexibility will help him in the short and long term. Barring a Spring Training meltdown, expect him to return to the rotation in 2009 and to stay out of the bullpen.