#411 Sparky Anderson

Card thoughts: Sparky Anderson seems about a million years old in this picture (he is only 51!). A lifetime of sun and no sunblock will do that to you.

The player/manager: Like most managers, Anderson was no great shakes as a player. Strangely enough, he played just one season in the majors, but that was as the Phillies staring second baseman. In 152 Games in 1959, he hit .218, and then he never played another major league game.

But as a manager, Anderson was much more successful, although he tended to be a tad too boastful. He was hired at age 36 to be the Reds manager, and guided that team to two World Series wins and four pennants. One of his first acts as the Reds manager was install #1 Pete Rose as the team captain. He also made sure the team was disciplined, on and off the field. I n a time when spring training was still seen as a way too slowly gear up for the season after an off-season of lying about, Anderson insisted on organizing drills and having curfew times. Players were also required to be clean cut, and wear suits while travelling. In exchange, Anderson preferred to run the club as a type of extended Socratic dialogue, as players were encouraged to question his methods and actions.

One innovation Anderson introduced was pulling starters early. I’ll bet you’d be hard pressed to name a dominant pitcher on any of those Big Red Machine teams, but their relief corps was always top notch. Anderson was nicknamed “Captain Hook” for this tendency, which was notable in an age when starters were expected to finish games.

Eventually, in the late 70s the Reds hit a rough patch as their team aged. Anderson was fired after the 1978 season, and was about to sign a long contract with the Cubs (!) (oh what might have been!), when the Tigers hired him. The Tigers had a great core of young players, and Anderson disciplined them to become winners. He predicted they’d win a World Series in five years, which basically came true (they on after being in first wire-to-wire in 1984).

After being successful for years on teams that were “expected” to win, Anderson won with an overachieving Tigers team in 1987, winning the Manager of the Year award in the process. But his work ethic was taking a toll on him, and he was sent home for exhaustion for a few days in 1989. He ended up managing until 1995, but the Tigers teams he managed were uniformly terrible. He was elected into the Hal of Fame in 2000, having won the fifth most games all-time (2194 wins), having only lost 1834 (a .545 winning percentage).

Rear guard: No glaring omissions. No doubt Topps wanted to make sure they completely covered the reigning world champs.

#393 Chris Pittaro

Card thoughts: So many Tigers in this set are shivering in the dugout. Quite a contrast to the sunny Florida photos so prevalent in this set. Also, Pittaro’s position should be solely third base.

The player: Sparky Anderson was a great manager, but a terrible evaluator of young talent. He deemed Pittaro the “best rookie he’d seen in 15 years”—but he lasted only 28 games with the Tigers.

The son of a former minor leaguer with the Twins, Pittaro played ball at the University of North Carolina. Drafted in the sixth round, he played second base in the minors, but that was a problem because the Tigers had #20 Lou Whitaker starting there. Anderson liked Pittaro so much, Whitaker was asked to move to third (which he rightly refused).

Instead, Pittaro was the one moving to third, as he was the Opening Day starter there in 1985. It was intended that he would platoon with veteran Tom Brookens. But after two months, he had an OPS of just .621, and he was sent down to AAA, never to return to the Tigers.

A trade with the Twins after the season (for #43 Dave Engle) gave him another opportunity, as he once again broke camp with a major league club. But a .095 average in 11 games sent him right back down to the minors again. After a few more games at the major league level in ’97, and 73 games at AAA in ’88, Pittaro retired.

He has had much more of an impact on baseball in retirement. A former minor league roommate of Billy Beane, he is considered one of the architects of the A’s “Moneyball” system as a scout, and later scouting director.

Rear guard: Pittaro had three hits opening day, and stole a base. His first hit came off Bert Blyleven and was a single.

Schoolboy Rowe was an excellent hitting pitcher. In his 15 year career he hit .263 including 18 home runs. That grand slam was his only home run in 1939. 

#367 Auerlio Lopez

Card thought: This is the last time Lopez was appear as a Tiger on a Topps card. He was an Astro by the following season. Interesting note: Lopez’ previous two Topps cards show him in almost identical poses.

The player: Lopez was a star in the Mexican League way before he made it to the majors for good at age 30.  There’s even a statue of him in his hometown.

Lopez started in the Mexican minor leagues, but was soon promoted the “majors" in 1968, at age 19. He had several outstanding seasons in the Mexican League, leading the Mexico City Reds to the World Series in 1974, and winning 19 games in 1977 (as a closer!), earning MVP honors along the way. He was known in Mexico as The Vulture of Tecamachalco.

Lopez was first brought to the American “major leagues” while on loan from Mexico City to the Royals in 1974. Used for the stretch drive that season, he had a mediocre 5.63 ERA in 8 games. His contract was bought back by Mexico City, and he wouldn’t again appear stateside until the Cardinals bought him in 1978.

Permanently a major leaguer now, he was swifty traded to the Tigers after the season with Jerry Morales for Jack Murphy (never made the majors) and Bob Sykes (three mediocre years as a Cardinal). With the Tigers, Lopez’ career really took off. A 10-5 record in 1979 (to go along with 21 saves) earned him consideration in the Cy Young award race. He had a nearly identical year in 1980, establishing himself as one of the top relievers in baseball.

Despite his closing prowess, he shared closing duties with Kevin Saucier in 1981. It was good that the Tigers had Saucier in reserve, because Lopez was felled by shoulder problems for much of 1982. At one point, he quit the team after being sent to the minors for much of the year. One of the reasons Lopez gave was the Mexican economic situation, thought to have referred to the cratering of the Mexican peso, which led to the government to pressure Mexican nationals living abroad to retain their resources in the home country.

Regretting his decision, he returned to the Tigers 1983, despite being the first player to ever get his pay cut in arbitration. Lopez didn’t let that set him back, as he returned to form, going 9-8 with 18 saves. He was even more spectacular the following season. Considering that Willie Hernandez won the Cy Young as the Tigers closer that year, Lopez record of 10-1 with 14 saves and a 2.94 ERA really shows how strong their bullpen was.  In the playoffs, he pitched in three games and didn’t give up a run. Confusingly, Auerlio was referred to as Señor Smoke, the same nickname later given to teammate #47 Juan Berenguer.

But Lopez was now 36, and his arm was growing tired. The Tigers stumbled to a 84-77 record in 1985, and lack of bullpen depth was one reason. With Hernandez taking more and more closing opportunities, the aging Lopez was given middle relief duties and he struggled, putting up a 4.80 ERA. Granted free agency, he signed with the Astros and pitched two more seasons with them before retiring in 1987. During spring training of his last season, he got a DUI.

Lopez was so popular in Mexico, that he was elected mayor of his hometown of  Tecamachalco. During his stewardship, a municipal water and sewer system was developed. In the rough and tumble world of Mexican politics, the previous mayor’s loyalists shot up his house a couple of times, but Lopez remained mayor until his death in a car accident in 1992. Eerily, all three Auerlios in major league history died in car accidents in their mid 40s or early 50s. After his death, he was named to the Mexican Hall of Fame.

Still remembered fondly in Detroit, local band Electric Six named their 2006 album Señor Smoke in a tribute to him.

Rear guard: Note that the Mexico City "Reds" are correctly referred to as "Rojos" as the team that signed him first in 1967. Lopez' debut was a poor one. He pitched 2 2/3 innings and gave up 4 hits and 2 runs in relief of Steve Busby.

#295 Kirk Gibson

Card thoughts: From this perspective, Gibson looks like he’s playing in front of a model of Tiger Stadium.

The player: A star football player in college (he was drafted by the St. Louis (football) Cardinals), Gibson was known for his hard-nosed, all-out approach to the game. With a rare blend of power and speed, he looked destined for long term stardom. But bad knees derailed his career and limited his effectiveness: As a 12-year starter, he only managed over 600 plate appearances three times. Despite several great seasons, and an MVP award, he never made an all-star team.

It took a while for the Tigers to have confidence in Gibson.  In his first three full seasons, he was the generally the fourth outfielder or designated hitter, and he surprisingly got MVP votes in 1981 while he was in this role. But in 1984 Gibson, who had once been compared to Mickey Mantle, became the Tigers regular right fielder, a position he would hold until 1987.  That 1984 season was magical for the Tigers and Gibson as he finally fulfilled his promise when he hit 27 home runs, drove in 91, and slugged .516. He also stole 29 bases.

In the World Series, as a precursor to his famous home run in 1988, Gibson hit a dramatic three-run home run of Goose Gossage in Game 5 of the World Series that year, solidifying the win for the Tigers. The decision to pitch to, rather than walk, Gibson flabbergasted manager Sparky Anderson, as seen in this dramatic clip (narrated by none other than a civil #291Tommy Lasorda). 

The next few years, Gibson put up almost identical numbers. Then, it turned out that he had been underpaid the past few years, a victim of collusion. The courts made Gibson a free agent and he signed with the Dodgers. While not being his best year offensively (he had career highs only in batting average (.290) and runs scored (106)), it was obvious that he was instrumental in the Dodgers winning the pennant, and he won the MVP award in a controversial decision. Many have credited his chastising of Jesse Orosco in spring training for a prank with instilling the team with a renewed sense of professionalism.

Always a fragile player, Gibson injured his knee and hamstring in the NLCS, and was not expected to play in the 1988 World Series. However, with the Dodgers down 5-4 and facing Dennis Eckersley, Lasorda elected to use him as a pinch hitter. Mike Davis had already walked in the inning and had stolen second base. Now you must remember that Eckersley was all but unhittable in 1988, and the sight of Gibson limping gamely to the plate to face him looked to be an extremely uneven match. Or so it seemed. On a 3-2 pitch, he extended his arms to the outside part of the plate and flicked a low hanging splitter into the right field stands. I remember watching this on TV (I was rooting for the Dodgers—I hated Canseco and McGwire) and thinking that was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen in baseball. The image of Gibson gimping around the bases, making a “lock and load” motion with his arm has been burned indelibly in my brain.

The next two years, Gibson battled injuries and couldn’t make it on the field for more than 100 games in any season. Signing with the Royals as a free agent, his health recovered somewhat and he played in 132 games. It was obvious he was past his prime, as he hit only .236 with a scant 16 homers and 18 steals.

He only stayed one season in Kansas City before being signed by the Pirates to platoon in right field with Lloyd McClendon. But Gibson was released in May after hitting just .196 in April. He considered retiring and sat out the rest of the 1992 season. But his old manager Sparky Anderson convinced him to give things another go, and Gibson returned to the Tigers where he mostly DH’d for the last three years of his career. He had one more solid year with the bat in 1994 when he hit 23 home runs and drove in 72.

Gibson is the current manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and he won plaudits (the NL Manager of the Year award) for guiding that team to a division championship in 2011, his first full year as a manager. Before managing, Gibson was a bench coach on the Tigers and the Diamondbacks. Whenever I see Gibson’s face today, I find it unfamiliar as he no longer sports the trademark mustache of his playing days. His face looks oddly unfinished.

Rear guard: Bobby Veach was an awesome player for the Tigers in the teens and twenties, but had the misfortune (in terms of name recognition) to play along side three Hall of Fame outfielders: Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, and Sam Crawford.  In 1920 he drove in 113 runs, but only had 11 home runs. Of course, he also had 39 doubles and 15 triples. 

Veach went 6 for 6 in the game he hit for the cycle in, driving in 6 runs.

#270 Jack Morris

Card thoughts: Judging by his grip, Jack Morris is about to throw a split finger fastball. I really like these mid-afternoon shots early in the season at Tiger Stadium. The white uniforms just seem to glow. And Mr. Morris shares my birthday (but not birthdate)!

The player: Morris is certainly one of the consistently best Tiger pitchers in the last 50 years, and I think that you can make a very good case he should be in the hall of fame. Even though he didn’t win the magic number of games (300), there are many pitchers in the hall of fame that didn’t reach that plateau, and Morris was a big game, dominant pitcher when his teams needed him. The big drawback with Morris is that his career ERA (3.93) is pretty high for an “ace”. But he did pitch most of his games either at Tiger Stadium or the Metrodome, both offense happy stadiums.

Morris was almost immediately a star pitcher for the Tigers. After moving around between the bullpen and rotation in 1978, Morris made 27 starts for the Tigers in 1979 going 17-7. After a mediocre year in 1980, Morris had his first dominant season, leading the league with 14 wins the next strike-shortened season. However, Morris also led the league in walks with 78, which would continue to be Morris’ Achilles heel throughout his career. 

Another mediocre season followed, but then Morris went on a dominant  5-year career, where he won over 20 twice (1983 and 1986) and nearly another time (1984). Morris also was in the top 10 in the Cy Young Award voting ever year but the one represented by this card. The secret of Morris’ mastery was learning to effectively throw the split-finger fastball, a pitch taught to him by #111 Roger Craig. This led to dramatic increase in strikeouts (jumping from 135 to 232 from 1982 to 1983) allowing him to negate his wildness somewhat.

Morris continued to be the Tigers #1 starter until the end of the 1980s, although his final two years with the Tigers (1989: 6-14 4.86  ERA; 1990 15-18 4.51 ERA) were not memorable.

The Twins were leery of Morris’ recent poor numbers, so they signed him to a one year contract. But Morris proved to be the boost they needed, as his veteran presence in the rotation propelled the Twins to the World Series. Or his part, Morris’ ERA dropped by more than 1 run, and he won 18 games (against 12 losses).

This performance allowed Morris to sign an incredibly lucrative contract with the Blue Jays, who were looking to take their talented team to the next level. Morris certainly helped them out, winning a league leading 21 games despite having an ERA over 4. 

But Morris was now 38. Despite setting a record by starting on opening day for the 14^th consecutive season, the 1993 season was a poor one for Morris. He only 7 games, and his ERA was a horrendous 6.19. Although the Blue Jays repeated their World Series win, Morris, once one of the biggest game pitchers, was left off the post season roster. 

He tried his luck with the Indians, but despite his 10-6 record, his ERA was still extremely high at 5.60. After an aborted comeback attempt with the Reds, and a short stint pitching in the independent leagues (record for the St Paul Saints: 5-1, 2.69 ERA), Morris retired.

Morris was always at his best in the World Series (career ERA: 2.96) but not necessarily the ALCS (ERA 4.87). He won World Series rings with three different teams (Tigers, Twins, and Blue Jays). Among his more memorable World Series starts, he completed both his starts in 1984, giving up only two runs each times; he pitched a 10 inning shutout to defeat the Braves 1-0 in the deciding Game 7 in 1991; and, in a negative way, his 8.44 ERA in two 1992 starts (including 7 runs given up in Game 6). He won the World Series MVP in 1991.

Morris has received more Hall of Fame votes every year he’s been up for election, reaching over 66% last year (a player needs over 75% to make it in). If he makes it in, his ERA will be the highest for any pitcher in the Hall. Hall of Fame pitchers that Morris compares favorably to are Bob Gibson, Red Ruffing, and Amos Rusie.

Rear guard: It was Morris' no hitter, early in the 1984 season, that more than any other event established him as one of the greatest pitchers of the 80s. The hapless victims were the White Sox. But although Morris was unhittable, he walked 6, including the bases loaded in the 4th inning. Here's the end of the game call by Ernie Harwell.

#243 Johnny Grubb

Card thoughts: Johnny Grubb and #101 Dave Bergman. Always got these guys mixed up. Although Grubb is obviously the handsomer of the two. Some have compared his square-jawed visage to Clark Kent.

The player: Grubb was one of a talented crop of young hitters that came up in the Padres system in the early 70s. In his 1973 rookie season, Grubb came in sixth in Rookie of the Year voting by batting .311. The next year, he made the all star team but flew out in his only at bat. Grubb remained the Padres regular left fielder until 1976, but remained mostly a singles hitter. He did reach the top ten in doubles with 36 in 1975.

In a trade that was seen as bad at the time, the Indians traded George Hendrick to get him in 1977. Grubb promptly blew out a knee, and got into only 36 games that year, hitting .301. Grubb finally learned to slug for power the next two years, hitting 15 and 10 home runs, respectively. He became a better left fielder as well, leading the AL in assists in 1978.

By 1979, Grubb was on the Rangers, a team he would fill the role as fourth outfielder/ designated hitter and platooning right fielder. Highlights of his Texas days include a 21 game hitting streak in 1979.

By the time he was traded to the Tigers in 1984, Grubb was generally used as a lefty pinch hitter off the bench. He pinch hit 3 times in the ’84 World Series, but only appeared twice (two other times, he was announced, but didn’t bat). He got 1 hit in 3 at bats.

After his retirement, Grubb coached for his former high school for a decade.

Rear guard: Grubb's grand slam was in a losing cause against White Sox starter Francisco Barrios. It drove in Duane Kuiper (who had reached on a fielder's choice); Buddy Bell (hit by pitch); and Jim Norris (walked).

This date in baseball history: Gaylord Perry is caught for the first time doctoring the ball, and is ejected in 1982. Perry, who had pitched 20 years at that point, had always been suspected of cheating.

#217 Bill Scherrer

Card thoughts: Someone is having a geeky good time riding the pines.

The player: As a rookie for the Reds in 1983, Scherrer had what would turn out to be his best season. In 73 games in relief (4th in the league), he pitched 92 innings and had 10 saves along with a 2.74 ERA. Perhaps overworked at such a young age, Scherrer regressed to a 4.99 ERA the next year before being traded to the Tigers for their stretch run (the Reds got an insignificant pitcher, Carl Willis, in return).

He perked up with the Tigers, winning a game and having a 1.99 ERA over 19 relief innings. Scherrer did not appear in the ALCS, but pitched 3 games in the World Series, giving up 1 run.

This would be the highlight of his Tigers career, as the next two campaigns saw Scherrer struggle mightily with his control as he became an unreliable bullpen arm. In 1987, he signed back with his original club, the Reds, in hopes of recapturing his earlier magic. He pitched well in the minors, but not so great in the majors. The next season saw Scherrer join, and be released by, 4 organizations: The Phillies, Giants, Cubs, and Orioles. He reached the majors for the last time with both the Orioles and Phillies--he was marginally better with the Phillies.

Scherrer was not done hopping organizations, as he played with both the Mets and the Rangers AAA team in his last pro season.

He was more effective in his post playing career as a scout with the Marlins, Reds, and White Sox. Scherrer is now the assistant to White Sox GM Kenny Williams.

Rear guard: Bill Scherrer got the Cubs' Larry Bowa to fly out to left, and Bill Buckner to ground back to the mound as he got the win in relief of #108 Ted Power.

Donovan, nicknamed "Wild Bill" was a pitcher, not a position player. His nickname came from his propensity for walking batters. He went 186-139 in a 18 year career. In 1906, he only went 9-15.

This date in baseball history: Mario Soto is suspended after attacking Cubs third base coach Don Zimmer in an altercation related to a Ron Cey foul ball being called a home run (later reversed) in 1984.

#192 Milt Wilcox

Card thoughts: Milt Wilcox: tortured mound artist, in a downbeat pose, no doubt contemplating the perfidy of Rogozhin, Nastasya, and Ganya in The Idiot.

The player: Wilcox found early success as a member of the Reds, spent years as a hard-throwing, ineffective pitcher, and finally became a good pitcher in his 30s as result, ironically, or his arm troubles. His out pitch was a devastating forkball, but many said that he became a better pitcher after learning the spitter from Gaylord Perry. But Wilcox owed most of his career success to his stubbornness and determination, as well as his propensity to brush back batters. Wilcox was also suspicious—he always threw the same 8 warm-up tosses and ate blueberry pancakes the day before a start.

Wilcox initially made his mark with the Reds. Arriving in Cincinatti at the tender age of 20, Wilcox went 3-1 with a 2.42 Era to close out the season. In the playoffs, he became the youngest pitcher to ever win a post season game, defeating the Pirates in a three inning relief appearance of Tony Cloninger. He was not as lucky in the World Series, when he took a loss to the Orioles, when he gave up two runs in the fifth inning in the second game. Wilcox was back the next season, but he clashed with manager Sparky Anderson and catcher Johnny Bench over pitching style, as so was shipped off to the lowly Cleveland Indians for Ted Uhlaender.

With the Indians, he was made a full time starter for the first time, but he didn’t take well to it, posting records of 7-14 and 8-10 in his first two seasons with the team. Wilcox hurt his arm in the latter season, which caused his velocity to drop. The Indians were unwilling to trust him any longer in the rotation, so he was banished to the bullpen in 1974, where he pitched marginally better.

Now a sore-armed, ineffectual pitcher, Wilcox was unceremoniously shipped to the Cubs for Brock Davis (a 30-year-old minor leaguer) and closer Dave LaRoche, who was really good for the Indians. Wilcox was reduced to a mop up role, and was sent to the minors on a “deal” with manager Jim Marshall, who promised that he would be back up in six weeks if he “shaped up.” Six weeks elapsed without a call, and Wilcox had to convince the GM to let him come back up. The next season, he wasn’t even that lucky, as he was busted down all the way to AA Wichita as the emergency starter and mop up man. He was thought so little of, he was loaned out to the Tigers AAA club when that team had trouble filling out their starting rotation. The Evansville club eventually traded some old uniforms (!) for Wilcox, and he was now Tigers property.

Wilcox finally learned how to pitch in Detroit. Due to his arm injury, he had to rely on guile rather than power to get pitchers out. He was a much better guile pitcher than power pitcher. Wilcox would begin a string of seasons between 1978 and 1984 where he won more than 10 games and had an above .500 record. In 1981, Wilcox placed in the top 10 in wins with 12. Wilcox almost pitched a perfect game in 1983, but White Sox pinch hitter Jerry Hairston singled just past the outstretched glove of #20 Lou Whitaker. Wilcox, upset, reportedly walked the streets of Chicago all night long. Here’s Ernie Harwell’s call of the final inning.

But his best season was the Tigers 1984 World Series winning season when he went 17-9 with a 4.00 ERA. Wilcox established a record that year by being the first pitcher in baseball history to spend an entire season in the starting rotation without a complete game. This record is now the norm for starters. Wilcox also found time to record some commercials, showing better than usual polish in the spots.

Arm soreness returned to Wilcox during the season shown on this card, and he started only 8 games and won only 1. The Tigers released Wilcox at the end of the season, and he signed with the Mariners. A terrible year followed where he went 0-8 in 13 starts, with a 5.50 ERA. This convinced Wilcox to retire.

In his retirement, Wilcox has won a couple of “air dog” contests, you know those weird tourney’s where dogs jump off a diving board. He even runs his own air dog organization.

Rear guard: Little did Wilcox know that his solitary win in 1985 would be his last. He lasted only five innings against the Rangers, but didn't give up a run.

This date in baseball history: Mets manager Gil Hodges suffers a fatal heart attack after playing a round of golf in 1972. He will be replaced by another New York baseball legend, Yogi Berra.

#160 Chet Lemon

Card thoughts: I swear, every Tiger card shot was taken on a dismal cold cloudy day. "Chet" is one my favorite names, probably because I read a lot of Hardy Boys as a kid and their bumbling, rotund chum was named Chet Morton.

The player: Lemon was drafted in the first round by A's, but he was traded before he ever reached the majors with them. In the minors, Lemon was a third baseman and came to camp with the White Sox expecting to make the team in that capacity. But his fielding wasn't up to major league standards so he was put in center, where he excelled. In center, Lemon had tremendous range, setting an American League record with 512 putouts and 524 total chances in 1977. As a batter, Lemon leaned out over the plate, which meant he led the league in being hit by pitch 4 times. But he was also a consistent .300 hitter in the late 70s and early 80s, and was the White Sox lone all star representative in 1978 and 1979. His best season with the Sox came in 1979 when he led the league in doubles with 44, hit a career high .318, and drove in 86 runs.

In a straight up deal for another outfielder, Lemon was dealt to the Tigers for Steve Kemp after the 1981 season. With the Tigers, Lemon's average dropped, but his power numbers increased. Playing on a winning team for the first time in his career, Lemon his over 20 home runs three times in his 9 year Tiger career. After being hitless in the 1984 ALCS, Lemon hit a respectable .294 in the World Series. He was a popular player in Detroit, as evidenced by this promo spot.

Lemon eventually moved the right field when Gary Pettis arrived in 1988. The next season, he was stricken by a rare spleen disease and missed a significant number of games. After attempting a comeback in 1990, the disease forced him into retirement. The spleen has since been removed.

Lemon coaches high school baseball in Florida. His son was arrested for a bank robbery last year.

Rear guard: Here's his first card. As for his fellow rookie outfielders, Ellis Valentine would have several good years, including an all star game appearance, with Expos and would hit .278 over a 10 year career; Terry Whitfield will be discussed later in this blog; and Henry Cruz played 53 games for the Dodgers in 1975, which is a bit much or someone appearing on a prospect card. Anyhow, he only lasted 4 seasons and finished with a .229 average. Lemon would get a All Star Rookie Cup on his first solo card the next year.

Two of Lemon's five hits were doubles; he was also caught stealing once. He scored on a single by Jim Essian in the 8th inning, and drove in Oscar Gamble with a single in the 5th.

This date in baseball history:  In 1976, in a decision that changed baseball forever, Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally successfully challenged the reserve clause after playing the 1975 season without a signed contract. They would be the fist ever "free agents." McNally ended up retiring and Messersmith, once a star pitcher, wasn't the same after signing with the Braves.

#130 Alan Trammell

Card thoughts: Apparently #121 Nelson Simmons wasn't so alone. Looks like Trammell was right there with him (and looks similarly miserable).

The player: For the first six years of Trammell's 20 year career, he was one of the better American League shortstops in the field. He had above average range, a strong, accurate arm, and didn't make a lot of sloppy errors. Starting about 1983, Trammell began hitting the ball with more authority: He began to reach double digits in home runs and hit over .300 consistently. His first great season was the Tigers' World Series winning year of 1984. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting while hitting .314 and driving in 69 runs.  He also won his fourth gold glove and went to his second all-star game. Trammell also batted .364 in the ALCS and .450 in the World Series.His best year came in 1987 however when he hit .343  garnered over 200 hits and drove in and scored over 100 runs. All these were career highs. He came in second in the MVP voting. Trammell would remain a productive player for the next several years, but injuries began eating significantly into his playing time after 1990.

Trammell retired in 1996, after playing his entire 20 year career with the Tigers, including a record 19 with #20 Lou Whitaker as his double play partner. There are many who believe that Trammell should be in the hall of fame (he got 24% of the votes he needed in the latest election). When you compare his stats to hall of famers Rabbit Maranville, Luke Appling, and Marty Marion, he certainly tops these guys. But he is unfairly compared to the modern day slugging shortstops rather than his peers who, with the exception of Ozzie Smith (for fielding) and Cal Ripken (for hitting) few could touch. That being said, his statistics compare to Edgar Renteria (not hall of fame caliber) and Barry Larkin (debatable). A longer discussion of whether Trammell is hall-worthy can be found here.

After his retirement, Trammell coached, and then managed, some horrendous Tiger team. The team he helmed in 2003 is the worst AL team ever in terms of losses (119). The next two years weren't much better, as the Tigers lost 90 or more each year. After being fired by the Tigers in 2005, he eventually became the bench coach for the Cubs from 2007-2010. After being passed over for the manager job in 2011, he rejoined his old teammate and batting and hitting coach Kirk Gibson as the bench coach for the Diamondbacks.

Rear guard: I turned 7 the day Trammell hit his first home run of the 1982 season against the Twins' Brad Havens. That grand slam drove in Lance Parrish, Johnny Wockenfuss, and Lynn Jones and cut the Twins' lead, 5-0 at the time, to just one run.

#121 Nelson Simmons

Card thoughts: Simmons looks lonely and cold, sitting by himself on the bench. Maybe he's sad because he realizes this will be his only Topps card. And the position should read "OF-DH," as he played the field more.

The player: Some ballplayers resemble submarines. They surface only a brief time in the majors, yet their career is long. Through perseverance, blind hope, a passion for the game, or just lack of anything better to do with their life, they continue toiling in obscurity in the minors. Simmons is that type of player. In a cup of coffee with the Tigers in 1984, the switch-hitting Simmons mashed the ball at a .433 clip. Impressed, the Tigers made him a reserve outfielder the next year, the one represented by the card. Here, he was less effective, hitting only .239, but showing good power with 1/3 of his 60 hits going for extra bases (11 doubles and 10 home runs). Two of the home runs came in a game against the Orioles where hit one from both sides of the plate (each off of a different Martinez!). Simmons surfaced again for his opponent that day in 1987 for 16 games.

But at age 24, that would be the last he would see of the majors. Instead, he played 7 more years of affiliated ball for various organizations, hitting just enough to make a AAA or AA squad. Simmons career as an organization man was followed by 4 years in the independent Western League. He finally ended his career at age 37 with Reynosa in the Mexican League, hitting a measly .217.

Rear guard: Simmons was on fire in 1984. All three of his hits on September 19 were singles and he stole a base as well. His first home run was a pinch hit, 2-run shot off White Sox pitcher Gene Nelson. He drove in
Chet Lemon.

#101 Dave Bergman

Card thoughts: This is a really odd angle on Dave Bergman. The shadows are all wrong, and it looks like he's wearing sunglasses. It's likely this shot was taken in the late afternoon before a night game.

The player: In the days of the platoon player (made possible by using less relief pitchers), Bergman was a valuable commodity, as a good fielder and competent left-handed hitter. The guy raked as a hitter in the minors, hitting under .300 only once before reaching the majors, despite the fact that his first manager said he was the worst player he'd ever seen. Once he got to the majors, his lack of power generally relegated him to the bench, where, like most players who are primarily pinch hitters and defensive replacements, he had his up years and down years. He played for the Yankees, Astros, and Giants before landing with the Tigers in 1984 where he would have his greatest success. He drove in 44 runs while hitting .273 in that World Series winning year, despite only coming to bat 271 times. Bergman was also known as having a good eye at the plate, rarely striking out more than walking. In 1989, with the departure of Darrell Evans, Bergman finally got a chance to start at first at age 35. He responded with a decent average, but poor power numbers. He retired in 1992 after a 17 year career. He currently runs an elite traveling baseball club, the Gross Pointe Redbirds, in an elite Detroit suburb.

Rear guard: Dave Bergman came in as a defensive replacement in that game in 1982; he had no hits. Wrong again Topps! The two homers were against the Expos and he drove in five runs that day, as he had 4 hits on that day.

#73 Randy O'Neal

Card thoughts: I love how these Tiger action shots are actually taken at Tiger Stadium. There never seems to be anyone in the stands though. O'Neal looks like a small guy here, probably because of his crouching, deceptive delivery, but he was actually 6'2"

The player: O'Neal spent his career as an insurance policy for several different clubs. He swung between starting and long relief with the Tigers, Braves, Giants, Phillies, and Cardinals, spending time in the minors at least part of all of these seasons. He generally had a sub-.500 record and an ERA north of 4. He could be wild. He was 5th in the National League with 10 wild pitches in 1987, despite only pitching 66 innings. The season shown on this card was perhaps his best season, as he sported a career low 3.24 ERA. He wouldn't get his ERA below 4 again until his last season with the Giants when he sported a 3.83 mark in 47 innings. IN 7 seasons, he ended with a 17-19 record. He does have a black mark with some players, however, as he crossed the picket line during spring training when the players struck in 1995. For that, he was kicked out of the union and will get no pension.

O'Neal currently coaches baseball and teaches high school at Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida.

Rear guard: No, it's not this Onslow. Eddie Onslow only played 64 major league games, and he spread that out between the ages of 19, 20, 25, and 34. He did play 20 years in the minors, however, mostly with Toronto and Providence in the International League where he rarely hit under .300.

#47 Juan Berenguer

Card thoughts: Just a classic shot of Berenguer's pitching motion at old Tiger Stadium. The dark mustache perfectly complements his black and white Tigers home whites. This would be Berenguer's last Tigers card.

The player: Juan Berenguer was an inconsistent starter with the Mets, Royals, and Blue Jays until he signed with the Tigers in 1982 after leading the league in losses the year before. He found his niche as a starter for the next couple of years winning 9 games in 1983 and a career high 11 in the World Series winning year of 1984. He did not pitch in the post season that year, however. His transition to the bullpen during the year shown was not successful and he was traded to the Giants the following year for oft-traded Dave LaPoint, future star Matt Nokes, and Eric King. After a good year in San Francisco, Berenguer signed with the Twins where he had his greatest success. A hard throwing middle reliever when that was a rare commodity, he captivated the hearts of sun-deprived Minnesotans with his on-the-mound antics every time he struck out a batter. Nicknamed "Senor Smoke" and "El Gasolino," Juan consistently won about 8 games a year and had an ERA in the 3s from 1987-1990. But he was terrible in the '87 World Series, losing a game and giving up 5 runs and 10 hits in just 4 1/3 innings.

Despite this, Berenguer starred in a wince-inducing video dreamed up by a bunch horrible ad exec types where a terrible "rap" (I use this term in the loosest sense) was performed by a bunch of faceless studio musicians while Berenguer showed off his signature strikeout move. I kid you not. 

Berenguer had one more good year in him with the Braves, where he signed in 1991. In his only season as a closer, he saved 17 games and had a stellar 2.29. In a bit of bad luck, Berenguer was wrestling with his kids on a off-day and broke his arm, preventing him from going to the World Series with the Braves. He never really recovered from that injury and his career ended a year later with the Royals. I guess playing in Minnesota gave the Panamanian a taste for hockey: His son currently plays minor league hockey.

Rear guard:  Berenguer's first major league win came against the Cardinals. He pitched 7 1/3 innings and gave up 9 hits, 2 runs, and struck out 4. The game was saved by Jeff Reardon, his first major league save.

#36 Tigers Leaders

Card thoughts: This is the second subset of the 1986 Topps set. As a kid, these were useful cards, as you could figure out some of the better players on some of the more obscure teams. Otherwise, how else would I know which Seattle Mariner to trade for? As for the design, I really don't dig the ghostly halo around these players.

The player: In a wise move, Topps chose the longest serving player on each team to appear on the front of these cards. In this case, Lance Parrish barely beat out Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, and Lou Whitaker, who all got called up in September of 1977 but got into games later than Parrish. I miss the era when players stayed with their teams longer. Those are four of the greatest Detroit Tigers in the last 50 years and they had played together for 9 years at this point. You wouldn't see that today.

Rear guard: On the offensive side, Lou Whitaker (discussed earlier on this blog) and Kirk Gibson predominate. I always thought of Gibson as more of home run hitter, but Darrell Evans led the team (and league) in homers that year . . . at 40 years old. Gibby instead led the team in steals. On the pitching side, it's all Jack Morris with the relief leads going to Willie Hernandez.

#20 Lou Whitaker

Card fact: It's time for an update to our tally: In the first 14 cards of this set, 6 are action cards, 6 are head shots, and 2 are posed. Lou Whitaker was considered one of the best 2nd baseman of his era, and was an all-star, gold glove, and silver slugger winner this year. Hence, the card ending in 0.

Card thought: Whitaker's in his home whites and the stadium is NOT Tiger Stadium (I believe that is astroturf). It's likely that this shot was taken in spring training where Whitaker is going for a line drive.

The player: Whitaker was part of the longest double play combo in baseball history. He and Alan Trammell were double play partners from 1978-1995. He won the Rookie of the Year in 1978, and was a five time all star. A superior defensive second baseman similar to Hall-of-Fame second basemen Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Morgan (all of whom were his contemporaries), he also amassed over 2,000 hits, 1,000 runs, and 1,000 RBIs. Many believe Whitaker will join these three in the Hall someday.

A few amusing stories about Whitaker: He forgot to pack his uniform for the all-star game for the year shown on this card. He used some replica uniforms for sale at the game, including a generic mesh hat and a blank white top, which he wrote his number "1" on the back in magic marker. Here's a picture. He also appeared on an episode of Magnum P.I. with double play partner Alan Trammell. Check out the unison beer drinking!

Rear guard: This was the prime of Whitaker's career. At the time the number of  runs, home runs, and RBIs this year were career highs; he would surpass all of these numbers in subsequent years. The inside-the-park home run was hit to center field at old Comiskey park and drove in Trammell and Ron LeFlore. The centerfielder for the White Sox, future Cub Thad Bosley, likely misplayed it.