BoomGaspar

I have a collection of Tigers media guides from 1970-2019. It seems that starting with the 2020 season, the media guides went fully digital and the team no longer prints a physical copy. For a while at least, the Tigers were the only one of 30 MLB teams not to print a physical copy of their media guide. Bust out that fact the next time someone claims we don't use modern analytical technology...

With Miguel Cabrera's playing career presumably over, where does he rank historically? He is... 17th in MLB history in hits with 3174. He would have needed 11 more to pass Cal Ripken Jr. for 16th. 8th in team history in hits with 2332. He would have needed 34 more to pass Alan Trammell for 7th. Tied with Mel Ott for 25th in MLB history in home runs with 511. He would have needed 2 more to pass Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for 23rd. Tied with Norm Cash for 2nd in team history in home runs with 373. He would have needed 27 more to pass Al Kaline for 1st. 13th in MLB history in RBI with 1881. He would have needed 29 more to pass Willie Mays for 12th. 5th in team history in RBI with 1358. He would have needed 70 more to pass Charlie Gehringer for 4th. 13th in MLB history in doubles with 627. He would have needed 6 more to pass David Ortiz for 12th. 5th in team history in doubles with 444. He would have needed 54 more to pass Harry Heilmann for 4th. 14th in MLB history in total bases with 5368. He would have needed 6 more to pass Frank Robinson for 13th. 4th in team history in total bases with 3909. He would have needed 349 more to pass Charlie Gehringer for 3rd. 54th in MLB history in walks with 1258. He would have needed 5 more to pass Jack Clark for 53rd. 7th in team history in walks with 936. He would have needed 70 more to pass Norm Cash for 6th. 57th in MLB history in runs scored with 1551. He would have needed 4 more to pass Hugh Duffy for 56th. 9th in team history in runs scored with 1102. He would have needed 14 more to pass Sam Crawford for 8th. 14th in MLB history in extra base hits with 1155. He would have needed 3 more to pass Carl Yastrzemski for 13th. 4th in team history in extra base hits with 824. He would have needed 61 to pass Charlie Gehringer for 3rd. 25th in MLB history in games played with 2797. He would have needed 12 more to pass Frank Robinson for 24th. 7th in team history in games played with 2077. He would have needed 38 more to pass Sam Crawford for 6th.

Update to the update: The record is now 48 seasons! On April 25, 1982, Cardinals pitcher Jim Kaat intentionally walked rookie Phillies shortstop Julio Franco. That marks 48 years from Kaat's debut in 1959 to Franco's final game in 2007. You're welcome. Update to the update's update: The record is tied at 48. On August 22, 1986, Cubs pitcher Jamie Moyer retired Reds first baseman Tony Perez three times on three fly ball outs. That also marks 48 years from Perez's debut in 1964 to Moyer's final game in 2012.

While making today's post in the "One and Done" thread, I mentioned Ivan Rodriguez playing in a 2004 game with Zack Greinke, representing 32 seasons in a single game. That got me thinking...what game has the most seasons represented between two players? Doing a bit of baseball-reference research (yes, I'm off today)...I came up with 47. On June 16, 1986, pitcher Jamie Moyer made his MLB debut for the Chicago Cubs in a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies starting pitcher that day was Steve Carlton, marking 47 seasons of baseball between Carlton's MLB debut in 1965 and Moyer's final game in 2012. Can any game top that? (Hint: I already checked Nolan Ryan, who did appear in a game opposing Eddie Mathews, but that's only a span of 41 years from Mathews's debut in 1952 to Ryan's final season in 1993.) Update: I don't think 47 seasons can be topped. Second place may be on May 3, 1979, when Mets rookie pitcher Jesse Orosco struck out Giants first baseman Willie McCovey...that's 44 seasons from McCovey's debut in 1959 to Orosco's final game in 2003. Tommy John and Early Wynn were both on the Cleveland Indians roster in September of 1963, but they never appeared in a game together. That would have given us 50 years from Wynn's debut in 1939 to John's final game in 1989, but alas, it was not to be.

Lino Urdaneta Lino Urdaneta made a nightmarish appearance on the mound for the Tigers on September 9, 2004 as the team was annihilated 26-5 by the Kansas City Royals. The game is difficult to describe...Tigers starting pitcher Jason Johnson lasted 2 1/3 innings, in which he surrendered 11 runs. Into the game in the third inning (with the bases loaded) trotted Lino, making his MLB debut as a September call-up. He faced six batters, achieving the following results: walk (run scores), single (run scores), single (two runs score), single (run scores), single, single (run scores). That was it for Lino, as manager Alan Trammell trudged to the mound to replace him with fellow September call-up Franklyn German, who promptly surrendered two more singles to clear the bases. Overall, Lino faced six batters. All six batters reached base, and all six batters scored. That means Lino has a Tigers ERA of infinity. Infinity. The Royals sent 16 batters to the plate in the third inning, scored 11 runs, and at one point 13 straight Royals batters reached base. Capping his nightmare, Lino was sent back to AAA Toledo four days later. That's right...during the season of September call-ups and expanded rosters, poor Lino was demoted. He was released from the Tigers organization during the '04 playoffs, but did manage to reappear in two games for the 2007 Mets. 26 runs is, to date, the team record for most runs surrendered in a single game. One more fun fact about this game: the oldest player in the game was Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who made his major league debut in 1991. The Royals winning pitcher in this game was Zack Greinke, who lost to the Tigers YESTERDAY. That's 32 years of baseball in a single game. You're welcome.

Bill Graham Bill Graham pitched 2 innings for the Tigers on October 2, 1966 in a 7-5 loss to the Kansas City Athletics, the final game of the 1966 season. He is the only player in team history to make his MLB debut in the season's final game. Graham pitched the sixth and seventh innings, surrendering two singles and no earned runs, striking out KC center fielder Rick Monday and catcher Phil Roof. Tigers batters **** McAuliffe and Norm Cash both hit home runs, but starting pitcher Johnny Podres was ineffective and took his fifth loss of the year, giving up 6 runs in just 2 1/3 innings of work. Graham was sold to the New York Mets on August 31, 1967 while pitching for AAA Toledo and pitched in 5 games in September of 1967 before leaving professional baseball. He died in 2006 at the age of 69.

I played the game for real and had this result: ⚾️ Immaculate Grid 109 9/9: Rarity: 183 IMMACULATE! 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 Play at: https://immaculategrid.com @immaculategrid x @baseball_ref However, it is possible to (while cheating) produce an all-Tigers grid with quite a rarity score. ⚾️ Immaculate Grid 109 9/9: Rarity: 2 IMMACULATE! 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 Play at: https://immaculategrid.com @immaculategrid x @baseball_ref

John DeSilva John DeSilva pitched 1 inning for the Tigers on August 15, 1993 in a 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Called up from AAA Toledo three days earlier to take the roster spot of pitcher Sean Bergman (who was optioned to Toledo), DeSilva spent 8 days on the Tigers roster before returning to the Mud Hens when pitcher David Wells came off of the disabled list. His only action came when he made his major league debut in the 8th inning at County Stadium, surrendering two hits and one run but benefiting from Tigers third baseman Scott Livingstone making a nice snag of a ground ball off the bat of Brewers right fielder Darryl Hamilton to start a 5-4-3 double play. The Tigers left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth when Alan Trammell was called out on the base path for runner interference on a Kirk Gibson ground ball. DeSilva was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 7 as the player to be named later that netted outfielder Eric Davis for the Tigers. He made brief MLB appearances with the Dodgers and Orioles, but had greater success playing baseball in Venezuelan winter leagues, in which he won 16 games.

Immaculate Grid 108 9/9: Rarity: 116 IMMACULATE! 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 Play at: https://immaculategrid.com @immaculategrid x @baseball_ref

Tom Yewcic Tom Yewcic appeared as a defensive replacement at catcher for the Tigers on June 27, 1957 in a 7-2 loss to the Washington Senators. He entered the game in the 6th inning and batted once, popping out to Senators shortstop (and future Tiger) Milt Bolling. A native of Pennsylvania, Yewcic attended Michigan State University and became a star athlete, quarterbacking the Spartans to an undefeated season and the national championship in 1952, following that up with a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl victory in 1953. He was also an All-American catcher for the MSU baseball team, capping a senior year in which he was named the MVP of the college world series. Following his graduation from MSU, he signed with the Tigers and toiled in their minor league system both before and after his single game MLB appearance. After the 1959 season, Yewcic switched back to football and became the starting quarterback for the Boston Patriots, then of the AFL. He also punted and played running back for the Patriots, making him one of two players in Patriots history to have passed for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass, rushed for a touchdown, and punted. You may have heard of the other player, a fellow named Tom Brady. Yewcic was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2003 and died in 2020 at the age of 88.

Daniel Fields Daniel Fields played left field for the Tigers on June 4, 2015 in a 7-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics. Fields was added to the active roster on June 2 to temporarily take the place of Rajai Davis, out on paternity leave. After not starting any of the three games he spent with the Tigers, he was inserted in left field in the third inning on June 4 after starter Yoenis Cespedes reported dizziness and flu-like symptoms. Fields struck out in his first two at bats AND committed an error when a Billy Butler line drive rolled under his glove, but doubled off of Oakland reliever Dan Otero in the 9th inning, eventually scoring on a Tyler Collins home run. Sent back to Toledo as Davis returned after the game, he became the first player since 1949 to hit a double in his only major league game. Fields retired from professional baseball in 2022 while playing for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League. His father, Bruce Fields, played for the Tigers in 1986 and served as their hitting coach from 2003-2006.

Matt Kinzer Matt Kinzer pitched 1 2/3 innings on May 26, 1990 in a 10-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Acquired in an offseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, Kinzer was assigned to AAA Toledo in Spring Training 1990. He was recalled from the Mud Hens on May 25, making his season debut the next day. Entering the game in the 8th inning with one out and White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen on first, he surrendered a walk, a double, and two singles leading to four Chicago runs before finally getting out of the inning. He returned to pitch the top of the 9th, this time issuing only a leadoff walk to White Sox catcher Ron Karkovice before retiring Craig Grebeck, Lance Johnson, and Robin Ventura. Two days later, he returned to Toldeo, never to be seen on a major league mound again. Of note, however (as mentioned by RedRamage), Kinzer is, to date, the only person to have appeared in a game for both the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Lions. On October 11, 1987, Kinzer served as a replacement player as much of the NFL was on strike. Having been the punter during his time at Purdue University, he punted seven times for 238 yards as the (mainly) replacement Lions beat the (mainly) replacement Packers in overtime by a score of 19-16. Once the NFL players and owners reached an agreement later that week, Kinzer's NFL career came to an end.

Jay Sborz Jay Sborz pitched 2/3 of an inning on June 22, 2010 as the Tigers were thumped 14-6 by the New York Mets in interleague action. Sborz, who had been recalled from Toledo earlier in the day, entered the game in the third inning in relief of an ineffective Justin Verlander and had an inauspicious start to his career as he hit the first two batters he faced (on consecutive pitches, no less). He then managed to induce a groundout and a strikeout (though it was Mets pitcher Jon Niese bunting foul), followed by three consecutive hits to Mets batters Jose Reyes, Angel Pagan, and David Wright. At that point, manager Jim Leyland had seen enough and went to the mound (presumably cursing under his breath (barely)) to retrieve the shell shocked Sborz. Two days later, Sborz returned to Toledo, never to be seen on a major league mound again, saddling him with a career ERA of 67.50. He did, however, make it on to several trading cards.

Immaculate Grid 102 8/9: Rarity: 286 🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜️🟩 Play at: https://immaculategrid.com @immaculategrid x @baseball_ref

Don Leshnock Don Leshnock pitched one inning against the California Angels on June 7, 1972. It was his only career major league game despite spending the entire month of June on the Tigers' active roster after being recalled from Toledo on May 30. Leshnock pitched the 9th inning of a 5-1 Tigers loss, during which he struck out Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan and future Tigers batting coach Vada Pinson. He surrendered two hits and no runs, giving him a pristine career ERA of 0.00. Ryan pitched a complete game 3-hitter, striking out 5 Tigers batters to pick up his 5th win of the season. Leshnock spent three more seasons pitching for assorted minor league teams and was inducted into the Youngstown State University Hall of Fame in 1986.