January 13 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Jose Capellan pitched part of one season with the Tigers.  He started his time in the majors as a late season call up with the Altanta Braves in 2004  In three games he was 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA.  At the end of the season he was sent to the Brewers for Danny Kolb.  He stayed in Milwaukee for the next three and a half years.  He was 5-5 with a 4.17 ERA with the Brewers while being used as a middle reliever.  On July 1, 2007 the Brewers traded Jose to the Tigers for minor leaguer Christopher Cody.  Two days after the trade Jose made his Tiger debut.  He came in to pitch the tenth inning of a 4-4 tie game with the Indians.  He proceeded to send down the side in order with two K’s.  In the Tigers half of the tenth Placido Polanco got a one out single.  Then Gary Sheffield did the same followed by a wild pitch that put the runners on second and third.  Magglio Ordonez was then intentionally walked bringing up Carlos Guillen.  He popped up to third.  Then Pudge came up and gounded out to the pitcher.  Jose came back in the 11th and sent the first two batter down including a strike out.  Then Casey Blake hit a homer to deep left.  Jose got out Jhonny Peralta but the damage was done.  The Tigers went out 1-2-3 in their half of the 11th and Jose took the loss.  It was his only decision in Detroit.   Jose got in 9 more games and pitdhed 12 more innings.  His final line in Detroit was was 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA.  At the end of the season he was traded to the Rockies.  He got in one more game in the majors before  his time was up.  In 2010 Jose was pitching in the KBO, or Korean Baseball Organization.  He gave up 7 runs on opening day to the SK Wyverns.  I am sad for Jose but my team in the KBO is the SK Wyverns.  They were the first team I saw play in the KBO.

Orlando Miller played one season for the Tigers.  He started his major league career with the Houston Astros in 1994.  He stayed in Houston through 1996 as a shortstop.  He hit .262 with the Astros and was their starting shortstop in 1996.  But at the end of the season Randy Smith made a trade with the Astros that involved a catcher and Orlando.  The Tigers sent Brad Ausmus, Jose Lima, Trevor Miller, C.J. Nitkowski and Daryle Ward to Houston for Doug Brocail, Brian Hunter, Todd Jones, some cash and Orlando.  Orlando got in 50 games for the Tigers in 1997 as a back up to Deivi Cruz.  Orlando hit .234 to Deivi’s .241.  Both had identical .979 fielding percentages but Deivi had more range.  In December after the season Orlando was waived by the Tiges and claimed by the Royals.  20 days later,without playing a game, Orlando was released. 

Jim Foor was a first round draft pick by the Tigers in 1967. He was working his way up the Tigers farm system and in 1970 was at AA Montgomery. He went 11-6 with a solid 1.93 ERA in 20 starts and 5 relief appearances. The next season he started up with the Tigers and on April 9 made his major league debut. In the bottom of the eighth of a 5-5 game against the Orioles, Jim got the call to face Elrod Hendricks but pinch hitter Merv Rettenmund took Elrod’s place. Jim walked Merv and was taken out of the game for Tom Timmermann. Two days later Jim was called in to start the bottom of the eighth of a game the Tiges trailed the Orioles 7-1. He struck out Pail Blair then walked Boog Powell, Jerry DaVanon and Merv Rettenmund (again!) before striking out Brooks Robinson. With two outs and the bases loaded Andy Etchebarren stepped up and hit a single scoring Paul Blair and Boog Powell. Jim then got Mark Belanger to hit a pop fly to Mickey Stanley in center. Three days later Jim was called in to face Bobby Murcer of the Yankees with runners on first and third with two outs. Bobby hit a single to center scoring Felipe Alou and advancing Curt Blefary. After that Jim went to Toledo for the rest of the season. Jim was back with the Tigers during 1972 and got in 7 games. In a game against the Angels he was called in to pitch the top of the sixth with the Tigers trailing 9-2. He got the side out while only giving up a walk. In the bottom of the sixth the Angels pitching collapsed and the Tigers roared back for 8 runs to take the lead 10-9. Jim was pulled but got his first and only win in the majors. He pitched a total of 2.2 innings for the other six games he was in and posted a 14.73 ERA. At the end of the season he was traded with Norm McRae to the Pirates for Dick Sharon. He got in three games for the Pirates and his time in the majors was over.

Les Cain was the youngest Tiger at spring training in 1968 at the age of 20.  The left hander had showed promise as a minor leaguer throwing a no hitter at Montgomery in 1967.  He went north with the Tigers and made an auspicous major league debut.  He started the second game of a double header against the Yankees and through the seventh had only given up 5 hits and no runs while getting a double himself.  But the Tigers had only managed to score one run.  The lead off Yankee in the 8th hit a homer and Les was taken out of the game with no decision.  He would pitch in 8 more games and got his first major league win against the Senators.  But in June he found himself in Toledo where he stayed for the rest of the season and for the 1969 season.  In 1970 he started the season in Toledo.  But the Tiges called up Les soon after the season started.  While his first game back was a loss he did strike out 9 in the 5 innings he pitched.  He then got a complete game victory for his second career win in his next game.  He got one more loss before realing off 8 consecutive wins.  At the all star break he was 9-2 with a 3.62 ERA.  But then the arm troubles started.  He stuck out the season but finished it at 12-7 with a 3.84 ERA.  Les came back in 1971 but was hampered by the same shoulder problem.  He missed all of April and most of May.  After the time off he looked good going 5-1 with a 1.10 ERA.  But he finished the season at 10-9 with a 4.35 ERA.  Cain came back in 1972 but was still nursing his shoulder.  He pitched in five games in 1972 but was 0-3 with a 3.80 ERA.  He was done as a major leaguer in May of 1972 at the age of 24.  He ended up setting a long awaited precedent when he sued the Tigers for workers comp after being forced to pitch while injured.  He won his suit and gets paid $111 a week for the rest of his life.