Underappreciated Tigers

[Tiger337]

53 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Ok, so I lied ... 😏

Well, he did strikeout 8 straight batters!

[SoCalTiger]

Senor Smoke

[casimir]

20 hours ago, chasfh said:

Does anyone think of Travis Fryman anymore?

My wife does, but that's a different story.

[casimir]

14 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

He was arguably the Tigers best third baseman ever.  

Wow, that's kind of interesting.

[casimir]

2 hours ago, alex said:

Did Gibby at one (or two times) simply state he was not interested in being 'selected' to the ASG if not voted in? I am not sure factual but I seem to remember it had nothing to do with the honor as much as he wanted/really needed a break at the time.

I know he has mentioned that rest preference in passing, but without looking at it, it seems like there would have always been 5 or 6 bigger OF names than him in whichever league that he played.

[Tiger337]

2 minutes ago, casimir said:

Wow, that's kind of interesting.

It is their weakest position.  It's either him or Kell.  

[casimir]

2 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

It is their weakest position.  It's either him or Kell.  

Yeah, agree there.  I guess I had just never thought of Phillips as one of their best 3B.  I had always thought of him more as an everyday hitter that was plugged into an available defensive position.

[Tiger337]

Just now, casimir said:

Yeah, agree there.  I guess I had just never thought of Phillips as one of their best 3B.  I had always thought of him more as an everyday hitter that was plugged into an available defensive position.

I was referring to Fryman.

[casimir]

1 minute ago, Tiger337 said:

I was referring to Fryman.

Ah, OK.  I thought you were referring to Phillips.

Without looking at it, I'd have said Kell & Fryman in whatever order of 1 & 2 and then the next best can start at 5.  That's my impression of what Tiger 3B history is.

[Tiger337]

3 minutes ago, casimir said:

Ah, OK.  I thought you were referring to Phillips.

Without looking at it, I'd have said Kell & Fryman in whatever order of 1 & 2 and then the next best can start at 5.  That's my impression of what Tiger 3B history is.

When I did all-time top tens for the Tigers, it was hard to figure out where to put Phillips, but I settled on second base because I thought of him as an infielder and I believe he would have played second if not for Whitaker.  I ranked him #4 behind Gehringer, Whitaker and McAuliffe. 

[casimir]

11 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

When I did all-time top tens for the Tigers, it was hard to figure out where to put Phillips, but I settled on second base because I thought of him as an infielder and I believe he would have played second if not for Whitaker.  I ranked him #4 behind Gehringer, Whitaker and McAuliffe. 

I would suggest he was more of a LF.  He played 1,679 innings as a LF, 1,585 as a 2B, 1,236 as a 3B, 654 as a RF, and then a few hundred amongst CF/SS.  I understand what you are saying about Whitaker "blocking" him.  I guess I just prefer to look at where he actually played.

[Tiger337]

11 minutes ago, casimir said:

I would suggest he was more of a LF.  He played 1,679 innings as a LF, 1,585 as a 2B, 1,236 as a 3B, 654 as a RF, and then a few hundred amongst CF/SS.  I understand what you are saying about Whitaker "blocking" him.  I guess I just prefer to look at where he actually played.

He didn't really have a position with the Tigers but it's pretty close between LF and 2B.  If I listed him as a LF, he'd probably be #3 behind Veach and Horton.  One thing that's tricky in ranking multi-position players is figuring out how to score his defense as a second baseman who played left field or a left fielder who played second base.  If I say he's a left fielder, do I give him credit for second base defense in comparing him to Higginson?  The same problem happens at second base.  

[Tigerbomb13]

Kenta Maeda

[Tigeraholic1]

38 minutes ago, Tigerbomb13 said:

Kenta Maeda

We appreciate him just fine.

[tiger2022]

This might sound crazy, but Brad Ausmus.  He was an all star in 99.

Up until a few years ago, it seems like the Tigers always had at least league average catchers.

[Dan Gilmore]

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p946

[alex]

18 hours ago, casimir said:

I know he has mentioned that rest preference in passing, but without looking at it, it seems like there would have always been 5 or 6 bigger OF names than him in whichever league that he played.

I had talked to a couple other folks and they DO remember him saying in passing to someone, or even aloud, he would pass on any other selection (where he was not voted in) to play in the game because of injury/rest needed.

[Shades of Deivi Cruz]

On 7/4/2024 at 8:49 AM, tiger2022 said:

Skeeter Barnes.  The guy could play anywhere, didn't hurt you defensively and was a solid hitter. 

He'd probably be hitting 3rd on the 2024 Tigers.

You're probably right, even though he's 67 years old.

[Shades of Deivi Cruz]

19 hours ago, casimir said:

My wife does, but that's a different story.

Sounds like a Ryan Reynolds situation.

[Tenacious D]

I submit Champ Summers for your consideration.  Albeit in a part-time role, his ‘79/‘80 seasons with us were phenomenal. More walks than K’s and an OPS over 1000 in 1979.

 

 

[casimir]

18 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

He didn't really have a position with the Tigers but it's pretty close between LF and 2B.  If I listed him as a LF, he'd probably be #3 behind Veach and Horton.  One thing that's tricky in ranking multi-position players is figuring out how to score his defense as a second baseman who played left field or a left fielder who played second base.  If I say he's a left fielder, do I give him credit for second base defense in comparing him to Higginson?  The same problem happens at second base.  

Have you ever looked at ball players as utility players rather than one position or another for your rankings?  Just kind of curious what that list would be.  I'm thinking Tettleton would make the list.  But then how would one define the parameters of a utility player rather than an IF or an OF or a C?  Kind of fun to think that two of those better players in franchise history were on the same team for a few seasons.

[casimir]

24 minutes ago, Shades of Deivi Cruz said:

Sounds like a Ryan Reynolds situation.

Indeed, although Ryan Reynolds never played for the Clevelands.  So I'm not sure how that factors in.  Maybe I don't want to know.

[1776]

I’m surprised I haven’t seen Nook Logan’s name here yet. 😁

[MeanJim]

John Wockenfuss