Don
Kelly paid his dues before becoming a Tiger.
He was drafted by the Tigers in 2001 and played 6 years in the minors
working his way up the food chain to Toledo in 2005 and 2006. He hit .250 and
.228 while in Toledo as mainly a shortstop.
But after the 2006 season he was granted free agency and signed with the
Pirates before ever making it to the Tigers.
He played 25 games for the Pirates as a first time major leaguer at the
age of 27. In those 25 games he got 27
at bats and 4 hits for a .148 average.
While in Pittsburgh, Don married the daughter of former Tiger pitcher
Tom Walker, who is also father of current Pirate, Neil Walker. At the end of the season the Pirates gave him
his free agency and he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2008 but never
played in the show for them and again found himself a free agent in 2009 when
the Tigers then signed him as a free agent.
Don got in 31 games for Detroit
in 2009 as a left fielder as left was by committee in 2009 with the position
being split between Ryan Raburn, Carlos Guillen, Josh Anderson, Clete Thomas,
Marcus Thames, Don and Wilken Ramirez.
Don hit .250 but had a very good glove and played a bit of infield as
well. In 2010 Don was still mainly left
field but still some infield and hit .244.
But he was now sharing left mainly with Ryan Raburn, Bennen Boesch, Don
and Johnny Damon. In 2011 Don was still
utility but more in the infield as he was the number two third baseman and the
number two first baseman. Don hit .245 and
was back with the Tigers for 2012.
However, he struggled at the plate hitting only .186. He was released by the Tigers in October
after striking out in his only at bat in the post season. However, the Tiges resigned him as a free
agent in January on 2013 and will be trying for a roster spot in spring
training.
Ugeth
Urbina was a Tiger who paid great dividends in the end. Ugeth started out as a starter for the
Montreal Expos in 1995. He has his best
year as a starter in 1996 going 10-5 with a 3.71 ERA. The Expos then converted him to a closer in
1997. He let the league in saves in 1999
with 41 and won NL Reliever of the Year.
In 2001 he was traded to Boston and in 2002 had his second highest saves
total of 40 for the Sox. He moved on to
Florida and Texas in 2003 before the Tigers signed him as a free agent for the
2004 season. Ugeth was the Tigers closer
for 2004 and made 21 saves with a 4.50 ERA.
But before the season ended Ugeth’s mother was kidnapped in his native
country of Venezuela. Ugeth’s family
refused to pay the ransom and she was rescued in a military style operation in
February before the start of the 2005 season.
Ugeth was back in the closer role for the Tiges in 2005 and was 1-3 with
9 saves and a .263 ERA when he was traded to the Phillies with Ramon Martinez
for Placido Polanco. Placido became the
Tigers starting second baseman and Ugeth went home after the season and was
then arrested, tried and found guilty of attempted murder in his home country
of Venezuela. He attacked several farm
workers with a machete on his property who he accused of stealing a gun. He also tried to pour gasoline on them in
order to set them on fire. He was found
guilty and was serving 14 years in prison.
However, after serving 5 and half years he was released in December 2012
and is trying a comeback this year in Venezuela.
Brian
Williams
Buddy
Hicks
Joe
Weber played his entire time in the majors with the Detroit Wolverines. Joe was
born in Hamilton, Ontario and started his time in pro ball with Detroit in 1884
at the age of 22. The last place Wolverines were 3-18 after losing the Thursday
game of a weekend series in Chicago against the 7-14 White Stockings who were
in second to last place. Joe got the nod in one of the Friday games of the
double header. He was one of the starting outfielders but he did not get a hit
and the White Stockings swept the double header 10-11 and 2-12. After the
double header the Wolverines went on a winning streak by winning 3 games in a
row. It was short of their season long streak by one game. On June 5 the now
6-22 Wolverines were still in last place and now playing the 10-17 Cleveland
Blues in Detroit. Joe again was a starting outfielder. Again he did not get a
hit. Again the Wolverines lost, this time 4-5. After that game Joe was done in
the majors. Joe went on to two more seasons in the minors in 1885 with the
Omaha Omahogs/Keokuk Hawkeyes and 1889 with the Utica Braves. He was done in
baseball after 1889.
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