August 9 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Dusty Allen had a baseball career that lasted one season split between the Tigers and the Padres.  Yes, Dusty was a Tiger product by way of Randy Smith’s San Diego trail.  He was with the Pads when Randy traded Gabe Alvarez straight up for Dusty.  Dusty would play 18 games with the Tigers in 2000 and went 7 for 16 with 2 homers.  Not bad numbers percentage wise.   That is a .536 slugging and a .438 batting average.  If only we could extend that for a full season.  But heck, how many major leaguers can say they hit over .400 for their entire major league career?

Troy Percival was paid $12,000,000 by the Tigers over two years.  However, Troy only played for the Tigers for one year, 2005.  He came from Anaheim where he played ten years with 316 saves.  He was going to be our closer of the future in 2005 taking the place of Ugeth Urbina.  But Troy got injured after only 8 saves.  Ugeth ended up with 9.  Troy was still on the Tigers payroll in 2006 but was injured so he did not even make an appearance.  In 2007 Troy was a free agent and signed with the Cardinals.  The 8 saves comes out to $1.5M per save. 

Bob Scanlan split 1996 between the Tigers and the Royals.  For the Tigers he was in 8 games and did not record a decision nor a save.  He posted a 10.64 ERA.  For the Royals that year he pitched in 9 games and went 0-1 but had a 3.18 ERA.  For his career Bob won 20 games over 9 years with the Cubs and Brewers mainly but also spent time with the Expos and Astros.  Bob was part of the trade that sent Mitch Williams to the Phils.  I think Curt Schilling liked Bob better.

John Moses played for the Tigers for 20 days in the month of August, 1991.  He had six seasons for the Mariners from 1982 thru 1987 and then went to the Twinkies until 1990 when he was released by Minnesota.   He then was picked up by the Red Sox in 1991 and released before playing the season started.  He was picked up by the Rockies and released before playing a game in Colorado and then did the same with the Pirates.  They released him on August 5 and the Tigers signed him the same day.  He played in 13 games for the Tiges that August and got one hit in 21 at bats.  He also got an RBI.  On August 25, he was released by the Tigers.   

Kevin Saucier played two seasons with the Tigers in 1981 and 1982.  He came to the Tigers from the Rangers in a trade for Mark Wagner.  He was a left handed closer for the Tigers in 1981 with 13 saves in that strike shortened season.  He posted a 4-2 record and a 1.65 ERA.  In 1982 he lost the roll of closer to Dave Tobik and Elias Sosa.  The two of them combined to finish 58 games and make 13 saves to Kevin’s 14 games finished and 5 saves.  He finished the season in Evansville and was released before the 1983 season started.  His professional career was over.

Bill Campbell played the 1986 season with the Tigers as a right handed reliever.  Bill had been signed by the Tigers in January of that year after he was released by the Cardinals.  He had spent his career with the Twins, Red Sox and Cubs.  And even one year with the Phils before coming to Detroit.  He was 3-6 in relief with a 3.88 ERA.  After being released, Bill was picked up by the Expos and played only seven games before being released on May 1, 1987.   His professional career was over.

Jerry Moses played 9 years in the majors on seven teams including the Tigers.  He came to the Tigers in a wild three way trade that didn’t amount to a whole lot.  The Jerry came to the Tigers from the Indians.  The Tigers sent Ed Farmer to the Yankees and Jim Perry to the Indians.  The Indians sent Walt “No neck” Williams and Rick Sawyer to the Yankees.  Jerry was the starting catcher in 1974 as Bill Freehan was aging and spent a lot of time at first base.  Jerry hit .237 for the Tigers and hit 4 homers and 19 RBI’s.  He was sold to the Mets after the season. 

Milt Bolling and his brother Frank both played with the Tigers in 1958.  That was Milt’s only year with the Tigers while Frank played several more years with the Tigers.  Milt had played six years with the Red Sox as a shortstop before going to the Senators for one of the Throneberry brothers.  For the Tigers, Milt played in 24 games and hit .194 with no RBI’s, homers or triples.  He did hit two doubles.  He was done in the Majors and in pro ball after 1958.    

This Side Of Copperstown

George Vico’s major league career consisted of two seasons with the Tigers in 1948 and 1949.  He was the starting first baseman for the 1948 Tigers.  A mediocre team that finished 5^th in the league with a 78-76 record.  The leftie, George, hit .267 with 8 homers and 58 RBI’s.  In 1949 George was low man of three that played first for the Tigers.  He as behind Paul Campbell and Don Kolloway in the depth chart and his .190 batting average did not help his case. He continued to play in pro ball after 1949 but never again in the majors. 

Ralph Houk managed the Tigers from 1974 thru 1978.  The team was not a very good team and was only above .500 in 1978 thanks to some young talent in the likes of Lance Parrish, Alan Trammel and Lou Whitaker.  Ralph is often demonized for pitching Mark Fidrych too much in 1976 and ruining his arm.  But that is said with 20-20 hindsight.  There were no pitch counts in 1976 and Ralph had a team to manage that was not a very good team.  He had to put his best foot forward and the Bird was it.

Jake Wells played one year for the 1888 Detroit Wolverines.  He was a back up catcher behind Charlie Bennett of Bennett Park fame.  In 16 games Jake hit .158 with no walks.  He managed 1 double so that his slugging percentage was brought up to .175.  But he did score five runs and drove in 2.  At the end of the 1888 season Detroit was done in the National League.  Jake stayed on and played for the Wolverines of the In