December 14 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Jeff Robinson started his career amid expectations that he would be the Tigers number three or maybe number two starter. He was a rookie in 1987 with the Tigers and was the number four starter and started 21 games. The same number as Dan Petry. Jeff was 9-6 with 2 complete games, a 5.37 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 1.81. He followed that up with a 1988 season of 13-6 and a 2.98 ERA. But then his ERA started to climb. He dropped to the number four starter his last season in Detroit, 1990 and before the 1991 season he was traded to the Orioles for Mickey Tettelton. He won four games for the O's and split time with the Rangers and Pirates in 1992 winning 7 games between them. Jeff's major league career was over after that without him ever becoming the number two starter.

Marcus Jensen was a career backup catcher that included a stint with the Tigers.  Marcus is a Bay area native having been born in Oakland, CA.  He was drafted by the nearby San Francisco Giants and debuted with them in 1996 when he got into 9 games.  He was with the Giants again in 1997 and in the two years with the Giants was a .161 hitter with 1 homer and 7 RBI’s.  The Tigers traded Brian Johnson to the Giants for Marcus in July of 1997.  He was assigned to Toledo where he hit .175 in 24 games.  He was finally brought to Detroit and made his debut as a Tiger on September 3 as the starting catcher against the Atlanta Braves. He went 2 for 5 including his first hit as a Tiger off of former Tiger John Smoltz.  Marcus started three games as a Tiger that fall and they won all three.  He was in a total of 8 games and hit .182 with 2 hits and 1 RBI.  During the off season the Tigers picked up catchers Paul Bako and Joe Oliver while trading away Matt Walbeck to the Padres so Marcus was expendable.  In spring of 1998 the Tigers released Marcus.  He went on to play with the Brewers, Cardinals, Twins, Red Sox, Rangers and Brewers again over the next five seasons.  In his 7 years in the majors he got in 145 games and hit .184 with 6 homers and 29 RBI’s.  He was managing in the minors for his home town Oakland Athletics farm team in 2011.

Carl Linhart pinch hit for Newhouser.  Faced Early Wynn in his last at bat.

Sam Jones

Jim Walkup was the born James Elton Walkup before he was Tiger.  He was cousin of James Huey Walkup who was also a Tiger.

Rudy Kallio

Henry Gruber Wolverine