October 19 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Q. What current speedster, now playing for his fifth team in the majors, has stolen 40+ bases in four out of the previous five seasons?

Hint: He's well on his way to top that total again this year.

Hint: After three seasons in the minors, he switched from switch. He now bats only right-handed.

Twint: He got his first stolen base in the majors two weeks before he got his first hit.

Twint: Although he starred football and basketball as well, he chose baseball as a Huskie.

A. RAJAI DAVIS (23 SB in 71 G this year; Has played for PIT, SFG, OAK, TOR, DET; 1^st SB16-Aug-2006, 1^st H 29-Aug-2006; University of Connecticut Avery Point)

Dave Haas pitched for the Tigers in the early 1990’s. He played at Wichita State for four years before signing with the Tigers and working his way up the minor league system. He got a late season call up in 1991 and in his debut pitched 4.1 innings of relief against the powerful Oakland A’s and held them to two hits. He also struck out four including McGwire and Canseco and he got McGwire to hit into a double play as well. He got his first win and only for the season when he came in to a game in the 13^th with the Tigers having just taken the lead when Pete Incaviglia hit single to drive in Skeeter Barnes. But Dave gave up a run to the Orioles and had blown the save. But Mickey Tettleton hit a walkoff the next inning to give Dave the win. Dave was back with the Tigers in 1992 and used as a spot starter. He was 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA. He came back again in 1993 but was 1-2 as a reliever and posted a 6.11 ERA. He was done playing in the majors after that season but hung around in the minors for another four seasons. His career record was 7-5 with a 4.84 ERA all with the Tigers.

Mike Gardiner was a middle reliever for the Tigers in the early 1990’s. He started his career as a starter in Seattle and then later in Boston. He was their number two starter in 1991 and was 9-10 with a 4.85 ERA. But in 1992 the Red Sox added Frank Viola, Joe Hesketh and John Dopson so Mike was expendable. He was 4-10 with a 4.75 ERA but was traded at the end of the season with a minor leaguer to Montreal for Ivan Calderon. Mike was solid at AAA Ottawa and had a 2.16 ERA in five starts. But Mike never found his role in Montreal. He was used as a spot starter and a reliever and posted a 2-3 record with a 5.21 ERA and released in August. The Tigers then signed him as a free agent and used him the rest of the year exclusively as a reliever. He did not record a decision but dropped his ERA to 3.97. In 1994 he was again in Detroit but only started one game. He was used again mainly in relief and was 2-2 with a 4.14 ERA. He was released and then resigned by the Tigers for 1995. But 1995 saw the Tigers greatly reduce Mike’s role. He got in only 9 games and pitched 12 innings. His ERA was 14.59 and was again released at the end of the year but never made it back to the majors. He pitched in the minors until 1998 with the Mets, Yankees, Astros and Marlins farm teams.

Tim Belcher had been a starter for seven years before he signed with the Tigers as free agent for the 1994 season. He had been a solid starter for the Dodgers in his early career. He was 50-38 over five years with the Dodgers and had 21 complete games including a league leading 10 with 8 shutouts in 1989. He went to Cincy in the Eric Davis deal and then on to the White Sox before coming to Detroit. He was signed as a free agent for $3.4 million for the Tiges. In 1994 for Detroit he led the league in starts with 25 in that strike shortened year. He also led the league in losses with 15. He won 7 for the Tigers and had a 5.89 ERA. The Tigers released him at the end of the season and he signed with the Reds the following May only to be traded less than 2 weeks later to the Mariners without ever pitching for the Reds. After the Mariners he went on to the Royals and Angels. His career totals for 14 seasons were 146 and 140 with a 4.16 ERA and 42 complete games.

Gary Taylor attended Central Michigan University before joining the Tigers in 1966. He pitched at A level teams from 1966 through 1968 and in 1969 made a big jump to AAA in Toledo. He had a solid year in Toledo with a 12-5 record and was called up to the Tiges in September of 1969. In his debut he came in to pitch against the Royals in a game the Tiges trailed 6-2. He gave up a walk and a single but did not allow a run. He stayed up and pitched in 6 more games. He did not get a decision except for a loss to Bill Lee and the Red Sox. Bill and Gary both came in in relief. Bill pitched 6.2 innings and allowed 5 hits and 5 walks but did not give up a run. Gary pitched 3 innings and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. Gary was back in the minors in 1970 and stuck around to 1971 in the Tigers farm system before his pro baseball career was over at the age of 25.

Ossie Alvarez was Cuban born player in the Washington Senators minors for years before becoming a Tiger. He actually made it up to the Senators in 1958 as a back up infielder. He was a weak hitting shortstop mainly, hitting .209 in 87 games for the Nats. He had 41 hits of which 3 were doubles. He was traded to Cleveland at the end of the 1958 season for Jay Porter. Less than a month later he was traded again to the Tigers with Don Mossi and Ray Narleski for Billy Martin and Al Cicotte. For Detroit Ossie appeared in 8 games and never played in the field. He was mainly a pinch runner and only had 2 plate appearances. In his first he struck out against Herb Score. In his second he was a pinch hitter for Jim Bunning and got a single off of Jim Perry. That was his last major league plate appearance. He played in the minors until 1966 often in Mexico where he made his home until he died in 2008. Today you can find his 1959 Topps card as a Tiger to commemorate his pinch hit off of Jim Perry.