June 10 Happy Birthday to Former Tigers or Detroit Wolverines

Al Alburquerque made the Tigers in 2011 as a 24 year old rookie relief pitcher.  He made his debut against the Oakland A’s on April 15.  He pitched 2 innings and gave up 1 hit.  His best game that year may have been against Toronto where he pitched 2 innings and struck out 4 and did not give up a hit.  He recorded a rare feat when he recorded wins on back to back days against the Twinkies on May 30 and May 31^st.  Not many pitchers get an opportunity to record back to back wins in today’s game.  At the time of his birthday that rookie year he was 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA. He ended the season 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA.  He got in the post season that year and did not do well against the Yankees.  In game one against the Yanks with the bases loaded and 2 outs he replaced Doug Fister.  He faced Curtis Granderson and on an 0-1 pitch Curtis hit a grand slam to make the score 8-1, Yanks.  He then got A-Knob to ground out to second before his game ended.  In game 4 he was brought in with the bases loaded again in the 8^th and no outs and the Yanks leading 4-1.  He balked in A-Knob to make it 5-1.  Then he gave up a single to score another run and then walked the last batter he faced before being pulled.  Those were the only two games the Tiges lost to the Yanks.  He did much better against the Rangers in the ALSC when eh went 1.2 innings and did not give up a hit.  But he had been troubled with arm pain and in December he underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his elbow.  He missed the entire first half of the season and In 2012 he did not record a decision in 8 games but did have a 0.68 ERA.  In the postseason he came in with the score tied 4-4 in the 9^th and with two outs and runners on the corners he got the next batter to ground out to him for the last out of the inning.  The Tiges scored a run on a Don Kelly sac fly and Al got the win having faced only 1 batter.  In 2013 Al spent a short amount of time in Toledo while appearing in 53 games in Detroit.  He put up a 4.59 ERA.  In 2014 Al returned with a bang and spent the season with the Tiges and was 3-1 in 72 games with a 2.51 ERA.  In 2015 his ERA has climbed a full run to a 3.63 in 23 appearances. 

Elias Sosa came to Detroit in 1982, after ten years in the majors mainly in the NL.  He was obtained by Detroit from the Montreal Expos in March of 1982.  He shared closing duties with Dave Tobik.  Actually, Dave was brought in more when it was a true save situation and Elias was used to close games in most of the non save situations.  Elias finished his season with a 3-3 record and a 4.43 ERA.  At the end of the season we sold him to the Padres where he finished his career in the majors. 

Hank Foiles was a back-up catcher on the 1960 Tiger squad.  He hit .250 in 56 at bats.  He did not get a home run but he did get three RBI’s.  he was actually the number 4 catcher on the team behind Lou Berberet, Red Wilson, and Harry Chiti, whose claim to fame was that he was the only player to ever be traded for himself.  Hank came close to that feat.  He was sent by the Pirates to the Kansas City A’s in December 1959.  Six months later the A’s sent him back to the Pirates.  The next Day the Pirates sent him to the Indians who sent him to the Tigers a month and half later.  At the end of the season he was picked up by Baltimore.  So in one year he went, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, back to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit and finally Baltimore.  Nothing like feeling like your wanted.