December 8 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Robbie Wienhardt was a career Tiger.  He was actually in the Alaska Baseball League before enrolling at Oklahoma State University.  The Alaska Baseball League is a summer collegiate baseball league.  He did well enough at Oklahoma State to be drafted by the Tigers in 2008.  He had a great initial year in pro ball going 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA with games in Rookie Ball and in A+ level at Lakeland.  He moved up to A+ and AA in 2009 and dropped his ERA to 1.57.  He moved up to AAA and was solid in Toledo in 2010 with a 1.57 ERA again.  This earned him his first call up to the majors in July 2010.  In his debut he relieved Max Scherzer in the 8^th with the Tigers ahead 4-1 against the Orioles.  He hit Migel Tejada as his first batter but then got Nick Markakis to hit into a double play and got Ty Wigginton to end the inning with a ground out.  He then gave up a leadoff triple in the 9^th and was pulled for Phil Coke.  Phil allowed the runner on third to score so Robbie had a 9.00 ERA in his debut.  Don’t feel bad for Robbie.  Less than a month later he was called in to relieve in game that Armando Gallarago lasted only 4 and 2/3 of an inning.  Enrique Gonzalez came in as relief but only finished the inning and no further with the Tigers ahead 4-1.  Robbie came in and pitched the next two innings and did not allow a run.  This was enough to make him the pitcher of record and thus he got the win over John Lester and the Red Sox.  That was his first win of his career.  In September he got another win while also getting a blown save.  This gave him his second and last win as a major leaguer.  He finished 2010 with a 2-2 record and a 6.14 ERA.  He was back in Detroit at the beginning of 2011 and in 2 games against KC he was 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA.  The Tiges sent him back to the minors from which he never returned.  He gave up the game in 2013 always a member of the Tigers.

Ed Brinkman was the Tigers shortstop on the 1972 team. After 11 seasons with the Washington Senators he was traded to the Tigers as part of the Denny McLain deal. He was an outstanding defensive shortstop. In 1972 he was Tiger of the year and had a .990 fielding percentage. The league average was .967. He was an All Star and won a Gold Glove that season. He was a bit less than an All Star at the plate. He was a career .224 hitter with 60 career homers in 15 seasons.

Razor Ledbetter pitched the 9^th inning for the Tigers on an April 16^th game against the Indians in 1915. He pitched one inning and game up one hit. But the runner was taken off the base paths and he faced the minimum of three batters in that one inning. He never pitched in the majors again.

Jack Rowe was the Wolverines starting shortstop playing with the Deacon White on the same Wolverines of 1886, 1887 and 1888. Jack was a seven year veteran from the Buffalo Bisons when he joined the Wolverines. He hit .301 in his three seasons with the Wolverines. He followed Deacon White to Pittsburgh in 1889 and finished his career as did Deacon with the Buffalo Bisons of the Players League in 1890. His brother Dave Rowe also was a major leaguer from 1877 to 1888.