AL CENTRAL DISCUSSION

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Phil Coke

In Detroit, Phil Coke was not the real thing. Coke began his career as a New York Yankee and was part of the Bombers' 2009 title winning team. Coke departed the Bronx for Detroit in 2010, and while his 17-24 overall record at Detroit wasn’t so bad for a reliever, his 4.25 ERA and 1.52 WHIP were unacceptable. Detroit experimented with making the southpaw Coke a starter in 2011, but that backfired and he endured his worst season in the big leagues.

Coke also lost the decisive Game 4 of the 2012 World Series in extra innings as the Tigers were swept by the Giants. And just when Coke showed improvement in 2014, he left the team. Coke has since fizzled so badly in the majors. He currently pitches in Japan.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Justin Thompson

Thompson was the Tigers’ number one pick in 1991 (32nd overall), but he only managed a career 36-43 record from 1996-99. In selecting the lauded lefty Thompson, the Tigers passed on Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Schmidt, and Derek Lowe among many others vastly superior in delivering on the promise of talent. Thompson was shown respect right out of the gate by Detroit, never once getting pulled from the rotation and being banished to the bullpen in the 101 career games he started as a Tiger. But he only regressed, flaming out in his final season with Detroit, posting a pathetic 5.11 era and a 1.48 WHIP, terrible even by Steroid Era standards. Thompson somehow made the 1997 MLB All-Star Game, but that’s more a testament to the mandatory rule requiring All-Star rosters have one player from each franchise rather than a tribute to Thompson’s ability.

 

[Iffster]

I have not crunched the numbers on this...but does anyone think there is a connection between Harbaugh's hiring at UM and the decline of the Detroit Tigers? I recall another UM football coach did a lot of damage to the Tiger franchise.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Jeremy Bonderman

A first-round pick (26th overall) of the Oakland A's in the 2001 Amateur Draft, Bonderman never lived up to his potential. More a beneficiary of the Tigers' miraculous mid-2000s resurgence than a contributor to it, Bonderman posted a career 68-78 won-loss record for baseball's Bengals. The right-handed starter, and occasional reliever, just never could piece it all together, going 8-10 in his final season in his first stint with Detroit in 2010, when lack of experience and being on a bad team were no longer excuses.

Whereas contemporaries like Justin Verlander got better as the years progressed, Bonderman stagnated. As noted by Detroit Athletic Co. Bonderman also has the dubious distinction of being one of the worst Tigers' hitting hurlers in their vast history; going a career 1-for-28, with that lone "hit" being an infield dribbler. He tried to come back in 2013, posting a 6,48 ERA in 11 games and retired.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

I have not crunched the numbers on this...but does anyone think there is a connection between Harbaugh's hiring at UM and the decline of the Detroit Tigers? I recall another UM football coach did a lot of damage to the Tiger franchise.

As much as I liked Bo that was a terrible decision

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Mike Maroth

Someone has to be held responsible for the Tigers nearly record-breaking 119-loss season in 2003 and the left-handed Maroth, who “led” the big leagues with 21 losses that year while winning 9 for an abysmal .300 winning percentage, is just the man to shoulder that blame. It’s not like Maroth can really blame his terrible teammates on those ‘03 Tigers, either. His earned-run-average was a comical 5.73 as he paced the majors by surrendering 123 runs while serving up 34 homers. When the Tigers turned the corner in 2006, Martoh was basically done in Motown, as he only got into 13 games in the Bengals’ pennant-winning season. Maroth’s miserable career in Detroit ended mercifully in mid-2007 and he finished his Tigers career going 50-62 with a sad 4.81 ERA

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Larrin LaGrow

The embodiment of those really crappy Tigers’ teams of the mid-1970s, LaGrow lost 19 games for the '74 Tigers and followed that up by "improving" to only 14 losses in ‘75. LaGrow's overall record for the Tigers was a nauseating 16-39, and even on a bad team, that's bad. The right-handed starter’s five-year Tigers’ ERA of 4.40 was also way, way too high for the 1970s, when those numbers ran much lower than today, due to various factors including larger ballparks that dominated the decade.

That was about all Motown could take of Lerrin Harris LaGrow, and they promptly sold him to the Cardinals. In all, LaGrow pitched in 1970, and then from 1972-75, compiling a wretched record of 16-40 for the Tigers. He bounced around four teams in a five-year span after leaving Detroit.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Jeff Weaver

Jeff Weaver never did live up to all that potential contained in his imposing 6-5 frame, going 39-51 for the Tigers from 1999-2002. The right-hander was Detroit’s number one pick in 1998 (#14 overall), the Tigers passing on pitchers like division rivals C.C. Sabathia (Indians) and Mark Buehrle (White Sox) in the process. Control issues plagued Weaver, as he lead the league in hit-by-pitches in both 1999 (17 batters plunked) and 2000.(15). During his forgettable 2001 campaign, Weaver led the league in batters faced with 985, a sign he never got command of his wicked stuff. He was traded to the Yankees in mid-2002. The older brother of the much more accomplished Jered, Jeff Weaver retired after a couple of winning, but non-descript years with the Dodgers.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Duke Maas

A .357 might be a good designation for a firearm, but it’s lousy for a winning percentage for a major league pitcher, but that’s the best Maas could amass for the Tigers in his career. The right-handed starter/reliever's revolting run was punctuated by a winless 0-7 record for the 1956 Tigers, who actually were a decent team, going 82-72 that year. Overall, Maas only managed 15 wins against 27 defeats during his three seasons (1955-57) with Detroit when he was probably given one too many chances by manager Bucky Harris.

Naturally, when Maas wound up on the dynastic New York Yankees in 1958, ol’ Duke compiled a lifetime 26-12 record with the perennial pennant contending Bronx Bombers. Perhaps he just needed the right situation to thrive.

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

I hope you guys enjoyed all of the baseball posts about the AL Central Detroit Tigers. It was my pleasure

 

[Wamu]

People need to stop picking on doug. Because if you ignore all the endless stupid shit he says he's not that bad of a bozo.

 

[handicappers]

I hope you guys enjoyed all of the baseball posts about the AL Central Detroit Tigers. It was my pleasure

Can you do up a report of for my favorite Indians players...Kenny Lofton and Masahide Kobayashi?

 

[dougplayer]

That reminds me of 2013.
When Dodgers beat d backs in NLCS...
Dodgers jumped in to the swimming pool in arizona after whipping d back ass....d backs just cried to the press. Couldn't do any thing about. I laugh about to this day. Bawwwwhawwwe

 

[dougplayer]

True fact. Kershaw and detriot lions great Matt Stafford went to school together. Best friends.

 

[Iffster]

That reminds me of 2013.
When Dodgers beat d backs in NLCS...
Dodgers jumped in to the swimming pool in arizona after whipping d back ass....d backs just cried to the press. Couldn't do any thing about. I laugh about to this day. Bawwwwhawwwe

Someone may be suffering from Alzheimers'. I think he has told that story 4 05 five times this year. Look up Aricept, doug

 

[Iffster]

Gotta go but I have a question.....

This @navamind guy? Professional D-bag or does he still have amateur status?

 

[PEOPLESCHICKEN]

Can you do up a report of for my favorite Indians players...Kenny Lofton and Masahide Kobayashi?

Let me work on that

 

[handicappers]

True fact...Dallas Texas produced Stafford and Kershaw...both are Texans and both are great

Texas=Great

 

[Iffster]

True fact...Dallas Texas produced Stafford and Kershaw...both are Texans and both are great

Texas=Great

Did you see THAT bit of info doug? YOU got f-ing burned. LMAO

 

[dougplayer]

Yes. D BACKS just watched Dodgers jump in the pool. They were so butt hurt. I laugh so hard when I think of this......dodgers own the D backs.. but. It's early May. D BACKS can hope bawwwhhhawww