Tag: Chet Lemon

April 30, 1984: Off Day in Detroit

April 30, 1984: An Off Day in Detroit

The Tigers have the day off before starting a three-game series against the Red Sox. So let’s look at a game on April 30 from another year.

April 30, 1978: Mariners 4 – Tigers 3 (11)

W: Enrique Romo (2-0) – L: Steve Foucault (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 13-5

Highlights

  • Jack Billingham started, pitch seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
  • Foucault allowed six hits in two-and-a-third innings, including four in the 11th, and gave up the winning run.
  • Both teams had 12 hits.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Kingdome
  • Umpires: HP – Rich Garcia, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Nestor Chylak, 3B – Ron Luciano
  • Time of Game: 3:20
  • Attendance: 7,474

Steve Kemp #33

When the Tigers traded left fielder Steve Kemp to the White Sox for Chet Lemon, it was the quintessential Jim Campbell Winter Meetings Trade™.

Kemp made too much money and former GM Campbell didn’t like players who held out (Rusty Staub) or won in arbitration (Kemp, again).

Campbell also liked to trade players who, like Kemp and Ron LeFlore in 1979, were entering their walk year.

Steve Kemp was terrific during his five years patrolling left field at Tiger Stadium. He produced a .284 average, 89 home runs (lowered a bit with his nine homers in the strike-shortened 1981 season), and averaged 84 RBI and 23 doubles. He also displayed a keen eye at the plate averaging 75 walks — including 97 in 1978.

On Nov. 27, 1981, the Tigers and White Sox swapped outfielders — both who were former top selections in the amateur draft — Lemon by Oakland in 1972, Kemp number-one overall by Detroit in 1976. They were roughly the same age and had put together similar careers to that point.

In his only season in Chicago, Kemp had a career year batting .286 with 19 HR and 98 RBI in 160 games. After the ’82 season Kemp cashed in on a free-agent contract with the Yankees.

In 1983, Kemp hit .241 with just 12 home runs in 109 games. After the ’84 season he was traded with Tim Foli and cash to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Dale Berra, Alfonso Pulido and Jay Buhner.

An eye injury, suffered when Kemp was hit by a batted ball in batting practice, shortened his career in the mid-1980s. He last played in the majors in 1988 when he played in 16 games for the Texas Rangers, hitting just .222 in 36 at bats. His career batting average in 11 seasons was .278 — five points higher than Lemon’s.

When Campbell pulled the trigger on the Kemp-for-Lemon deal he probably had no idea that Kemp would flame out and that Chet the Jet would play more than 1,100 games in the outfield for Detroit.

Still, he had to like the odds that the trade would work out better than LeFlore for Dan Schatzeder.

Birthdays

Phil Garner and the late Chet Laabs

See you tomorrow.

April 28, 1984: Tigers 6 – Indians 2

April 28, 1984: Tigers 6 – Indians 2

W: Jack Morris (5-0) – L: Rick Behenna (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 17-2

Two of these guys pitched for the Tigers.

Highlights

  • Another complete game for Morris. This time a three-hitter.
  • The Tigers hung six runs on Indians starter Behenna in three-and-a-third innings. Fourth-inning homers by Chet Lemon and Lou Whitaker ultimately chased him.
  • Detroit had 10 hits, Lemon and Whitaker with two each.

Miscellany

  • Venue: Tiger Stadium
  • Umpires: HP – Larry Barnett, 1B – Dale Ford, 2B – Ken Kaiser, 3B – Rocky Roe
  • Time of Game: 2:25
  • Attendance: 28,253

John Cerutti #55

The late John Cerutti would have turned 64 today. The long-time Blue Jays lefty pitched his final major-league season in Detroit.

  • After spending his first six seasons in Toronto, he signed with the Tigers as a free agent on Jan. 14, 1991.
  • Cerutti appeared in 38 games for the Tigers, including eight starts. His final line: 3-6, 4.57 ERA and two saves. As a Blue Jay from 1985-90, he appeared in 15 games against the Tigers: 2-1, 4.63 ERA
  • He passed away in 2004 at 44.

Birthdays

Sean Douglass, Jim Poole and the late John Cerutti, Tom Sturdivant and Charlie Metro 

See you tomorrow.

April 24, 1984: A ☃️ Doubleheader

It was Easter vacation, so I went to this one with my friend Steve and, after much guilt-heaping and nagging, my sister and her then-boyfriend, now husband.

Man, was it cold in the upper deck bleachers.

Game 14: Tigers 6 – Twins 5

W: Jack Morris (4-0) – L: Ron Davis (2-2) | Boxscore

Record: 13-1

Highlights

  • The Twins jumped out to a 4-1 and then 5-1 lead, before the Tigers started chipping away.
  • The Tigers scored two in the fifth and then won it with three in the ninth off Ron Davis.
  • A typical Morris start: nine innings, seven hits, five earned runs, five walks and one strikeout.
  • Lou Whitaker drove home the tying and winning runs with a single to right.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Dan Morrison, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Al Clark, 3B – Don Denkinger
  • Time of Game: 2:16
  • Weather: COLD

Game 15: Tigers 4 – Twins 3

W: Glenn Abbott (1-0) – L: Frank Viola (0-3) – Save: Aurelio López (1) | Boxscore

Record: 14-1

Highlights

  • If this game had been played today, it would’ve been called a bullpen game. Petry, Abbott and Lopez each pitched three innings.
  • The Tigers turned three double plays, including a pivotal one in the ninth with the potential tying run on first.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Mike Reilly, 1B – Al Clark, 2B – Don Denkinger, 3B – Dan Morrison
  • Time of Game: 2:29
  • Attendance: 20,315
  • Start Time Weather: COLDER

Birthdays

Todd Jones, Bill Krueger and the late Howard Ehmke

See you tomorrow.

🌎 April 22, 1984: Tigers 9 – White Sox 1

1984 Game 13: Tigers 9 – White Sox 1

W: Juan Berenguer (1-0) – L: Tom Brennan (0-1) | Boxscore

Record: 12-1

On a cold and wet Easter Sunday, Juan Berenguer delivered one of his best Tigers starts, at least that I can remember. He gave up just two hits — and didn’t allow one until the fifth — with one walk. He struck out seven.

The Tigers had 18 hits, paced by:

Michigan native and fellow WMU alum first baseman Mike Squires was pressed into pitching duty, with two gone in the five-run eighth, for the final out.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
  • Time of Game: 2:58
  • Attendance: 10,603

Jim Crawford – #28

Lefty Jim Crawford was acquired by the Tigers in a Randy Smith-style trade with the Astros on Dec. 6, 1975. He came to Detroit with Milt May and Dave Roberts for Terry Humphrey, Mark Lemongello, Gene Pentz and Leon Roberts.

He appeared in parts of three seasons, 1976-78, as a reliever and spot starter.

Crawford made his Tigers debut on April 20, 1976 against the A’s in Oakland. He came into the game in the ninth, relieving starter Joe Coleman, with the Tigers clinging to a 5-3 lead. Crawford got Bill North to line out but the next batter, Joe Rudi, singled to tie the game. Crawford was lifted for rookie Mark Fidrych who gave up a single to Don Baylor and the A’s won, 6-5.

His final game came on July 27, 1978 against the Orioles. Starter Jim Slaton gave up five runs on nine hits in three innings and Crawford came in to pitch the fourth — and gave up two runs of his own on three hits. Jack Morris relieved him with four scoreless.

Crawford’s final line in Detroit: 10-19, 4.62 ERA and 3 saves.

Birthdays

Tyson Ross, David Purcey

See you tomorrow.

April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3 (10)

April 18, 1984: Tiger 4 – Royals 3, 10 innings

W: Willie Hernandez (1-0) L: Joe Beckwith (0-1) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • The Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the top of the eighth. With two out, Jorge Orta hit a three-run homer of Jack Morris to tie it.
  • Morris and Royals starter Bud Black both scattered nine hits, allowed three runs and struck out three. Morris did it in nine innings, Black in seven.
  • Parrish homered, part of a three for five night. Chet Lemon hit two doubles.
  • Record: 9-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Nick Bremigan, 1B – Vic Voltaggio, 2B – Joe Brinkman, 3B – Larry McCoy
  • Time of Game: 3:02
  • Attendance: 12,310

6 Things to Know about Rico Brogna – #13

A left-handed hitting first baseman, Rico Brogna was, like Travis Fryman and Steve Searcy and Rich Rowland, a highly anticipated Tigers prospect in the early 1990s. 

Here are a few things to know about him:

  • He was the Tigers’ first-round pick in the 1988 draft.
  • Brogna made his Tigers debut against the Blue Jays, doubling in his first at bat, off Dave Stieb.
  • He finished the night one for four. On Aug. 11, he hit his first major-league homer, off Melido Perez, at Tiger Stadium.
  • He appeared in just nine games before being sent back to Toledo, where he’d spend the rest of the ’92 season and all of 1993.
  • On March 31, 1994, the Tigers dealt him to the Mets for catcher Alan Zinter.
  • Brogna went on to have a nice career with the Mets and even more so with the Phillies.

Birthday

Jake Rogers, Miguel Cabrera, Rico Brogna, Doug Flynn and the late Brian Dubois and Wahoo Sam Crawford

See you tomorrow.

April 13, 1984: Tigers 13 – Red Sox 9

Tigers 13 – Red Sox 9

W: Doug Bair (0-1) L: Bruce Hurst (1-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

Talk about the tale of two games. The Tigers ambushed Bruce Hurst for seven runs in an eight-run first. Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, Barbaro Garbey reached on an error.

Lance Parrish struck out and then the next eight batters reached:

  • Rusty Kuntz: single (5-0), and that was it for Hurst.
  • Whitaker reached on an error by Jerry Remy, scoring Kuntz and Brookens. (8-0)
  • Trammell doubled.
  • Dave Bergman, pinch-hit for Garbey — how often does that happen in the first inning? — and walks.
  • Parrish grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
  • Milt Wilcox takes the mound with an 8-0 lead … and allows the first seven hitters to reach. He gets one more out than Hurst, but after yielding five runs, gives way to Doug Bair.
  • Boston scores again in the second, to make it 8-6, and the Tigers in the fourth, on a Parrish solo shot.
  • Instead, the Red Sox tag him with three runs in the bottom of the eighth.
  • Mercifully, the ninth is scoreless, but not exactly clean, and Tigers hold on.
  • Record: 8-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Drew Coble, 1B – Jim Evans, 2B – Greg Kosc, 3B – Ted Hendry
  • Time of Game: 3:11
  • Attendance: 35,179

Birthdays

Doug Strange, Mark Leiter and the late Ike Brown, Jake Mooty, Roxie Lawson, Ken Jones, Rufe Clarke, Al Platte, Red Killefer, Kid Elberfeld, Herman Long

Have a great weekend. See you tomorrow.

April 11, 1984: Off Day in Detroit

April 11, 1984: Off Day in Detroit

Note: I had mistakenly posted today a game recap for April 12 — forgetting that the Tigers had an off day on April 11 for the usual Opening Day rainout makeup date. Check back tomorrow for that recap.

5 Things to Know About Sid Monge #42

The Tigers purchased his contract from the Padres on June 10, 1984.

He debuted with the Tigers on June 11 against the Blue Jays. He faced one batter, Willie Upshaw, who singled to center.

Monge’s longest outing with the Tigers came on Aug. 7 against the Red Sox, in the first game of a doubleheader. Boston chased Jack Morris after an inning and a third, surrendering nine runs. Sid came in for four and two thirds, allowing six hits and three earned runs.

His final appearance with the Tigers came on the last day of the season: a one-inning stint against the Yankees: one inning, two hits, two earned runs.

Sid wasn’t on the Tigers postseason roster. His final line: 19 appearances, 1-0 and a 4.25 ERA.

Birthdays

Pete Kozma, Charlie Furbush, Sean Bergman, John Martin, Sid Monge and Mike Kilkenny and the late Barney McCosky

See you tomorrow.

April 10, 1984: Tigers 5 – Rangers 1

Tigers 5 – Rangers 1

W: Dan Petry (2-0) L: Dave Stewart (0-2) | Boxscore

Highlights

The Rangers got off to a fast start in the first, greeting Petry with a couple of singles — one by Buddy Bell and, after a groundout, another by Larry Parrish — and jumping out to a 1-0 lead.

It didn’t last.

  • In the bottom half, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell walked, leading to Darrell Evans‘ first Tiger Stadium at bat. Evans blasted Dave Stewart‘s 1-0 pitch deep into the upper deck in right and, I think I can speak for most of us, we could hardly contain ourselves.
  • Petry threw a four-hit complete game, walking three and striking out seven.
  • With one out in the third, Herndon doubled and the next man up, Dave Bergman, drove him in for the Tigers’ final run.
  • Record: 6-0

*Somehow, Howard Johnson did not make it on my Top-5 Tigers list Honorable Mentions. I’m correcting that now. I was not happy when he was traded to the Mets after the ’84 season.

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Marty Springstead, 1B – Jim McKean, 2B – Durwood Merrill, 3B – Tim McClelland
  • Time of Game: 2:32
  • Attendance: 51,238
  • Start Time Weather: 62° F, Sunny, No Precipitation

Birthdays

Eric King and the late Frank Lary, Cliff Bolton and Rudy Kneisch 

See you tomorrow.

The Sunday Fungo: April 7

Game 4: April 7, 1984

Tigers 4 – White Sox 0

W: Jack Morris (2-0) – L: Floyd Bannister (0-2) | Boxscore

So much to say about this game.

A hot start, a Game of the Week appearance and a win would have been enough to satisfy me at an age, but at 16, well, adding a no-hitter by my favorite Tiger … come on.

  • As no-hitters go, it wasn’t clean — Morris walked six — but who cared? He struck out eight, facing 32 batters.
  • Then, with Fisk on third and Baines on second, Morris struck out Ron Kittle to end the inning.
  • Chet Lemon hit a two-run homer in the second, and the Tigers scored a pair in the fifth to make it 4-0.
  • Record: 4-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Durwood Merrill, 1B – Tim McClelland, 2B – Marty Springstead, 3B – Jim McKean
  • Time of Game: 2:44
  • Attendance: 24,616
  • Start Time Weather: 50° F, Wind 8mph in from Centerfield, Sunny, No Precipitation

5 Things to Know About Jack Lazorko – #36

No Tigers baseball card for Lazorko, it seems.
  • Jack Lazorko signed as a free agent with the Tigers on Feb, 7, 1986.
  • He spent most of the season in Triple-A Nashville, where he made 29 starts, finishing with an 8-6 record and 3.20 ERA — and one save.
  • The right-hander appeared in three games over the course of six days with the ’86 Tigers, his first on Aug. 9 against the Red Sox in Detroit: 1.2 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks and a strikeout.

Birthdays

Ben Petrick and the late Ed Lafitte

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 371 8/9 – Rarity: 171

Three former Tigers today, and my blank square was a guess for George Kell. He didn’t hit .300 for the Orioles, but got close. In his final big-league season, at age 34, he hit .297 for Baltimore.

See you tomorrow.

The Saturday Fungo: April 6

Game 3 – April 6, 1984

Tigers 3 – White Sox 2

W: Milt Wilcox (1-0) – L: Richard Dotson (0-1) – Save: Willie Hernandez (1) | Boxscore

Highlights

  • The Tigers score three in the first to spoil the White Sox’s (is that grammatically correct?) home opener.
  • Record: 3-0

Miscellany

  • Umpires: HP – Jim McKean, 1B – Durwood Merrill, 2B – Tim McClelland, 3B – Marty Springstead.
  • Time of Game: 2:51
  • Attendance: 42,692

Birthdays

Ken Williams, Western Michigan U’s Phil Regan and the late Mickey Cochrane

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 370 8/9 – Rarity: 140

A swing and a miss on Chet Lemon in the bottom middle square.

See you tomorrow.