Tuesday, August 19, 2014

August 19 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

David Palmer finished his major league career with five games as a Tiger.  He started his major league career with the Expos in 1978 and was up and down with the Expos until the Expos let him go at the end of the 1985 season.  He signed with the Braves and played in Atlanta for two years and then one year with the Phils before signing with the Tiges in the spring of 1989.  He started five games and pitched a total of 17.1 innings with Detroit but did not get a win.  He went 0-3.  In his last game he started against the Orioles and lasted on 2.2 innings.  He gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks.  That game was on June 30, 1989.  The Tiges released him about 2 weeks later. 

Terry Harper split the last season of his career between the Tigers and the Pirates.  He started his major league career with the Braves in 1980 as a 24 year old back up outfielder.  He stayed in Atlanta as a back up outfielder with the exception of 1985 when he was a starter.  He was traded by the Braves in January of 1987 wih Freddy Tiburcio for Chuck Cary and Randy O’Neal.  With Detroit in 1987 he played in 31 games and hit .203 with 3 homers and 10 RBI’s in 74 plate appearances.  On June 26, he was sent to Pittsburgh for Pete Rice and Shawn Holman.

Fred Lasher was a member of the 1968 World Champion Tigers.  He was a right handed submarine reliever.  His submarine pitching gave him the nickname of “The Whip”.  He made his major league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1963.  He came in to face the Kansas City Athletics in a game the Twinkies trailed 6-0.  He pitched a scoreless 8th but the Twinkies still lost.  He went on to pitch only 11.1 innings that year and did not recorded a decision.  The Tigers picked him up in the minor league draft at the end of the 1966 season.  He was brought up to the Tiges in August the following year and showed immediate success saving 9 games and winning 2 in 17 games played.  His first win came against his old team, the Twins when he pitched three scoreless innings and K’d 4 while allowing only one hit, a single, and no walks.   He made the roster in 1968 and was in the pen for the entire season.  He won five games during the 1968 season all be the same score of 5-4.  Fred got into the World Series and pitched 2 scoreless innings of game 4.  He was also warming up in game seven in case Mickey Lolich needed help. While Fred made the roster in 1969 for opening day Manager Mayo Smith did not use him as the closer and in instead seven other Tigers earned saves in 1969 while Fred earned 0 yet still posted a 3.07 ERA.  In May of 1970 Fred was traded to the Indians for Russ Nagelson and Billy Rohr.  Fred finished his Tiger career with totals of 10-6, 17 saves, and a 3.49 ERA.  He was done in the majors after two games with the California Angels in 1971. 

Jim Finigan played one season as Tiger in 1957.  He was in his fourth major league season after spending three seasons with the Philadelphia and Kansas City Athletics.  He was the starting third baseman for the first game ever played by the Kansas City Athletics.  With Detroit he was a back up third baseman to Reno Bertoia.  Jim hit .270 with Detroit and drove in 17 runs.  In the winter after 1957 Jim was traded to the San Francisco Giants with $25,000 for Gail Harris and Ozzie Virgil. 


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