1989 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers' 1989 season was a season in American baseball. The Tigers finished 59–103 and in last place in the AL East. It was the team's first losing season since 1977, the worst record in the Major Leagues, as well as (at the time) the franchise's second-worst season ever in terms of both losses (103) and win percentage (.364). It was also (at the time) the franchise's worst full 162-game season (those marks would be surpassed in 1996, 2003, and 2019).
1989 Detroit Tigers | |
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Owner(s) | Tom Monaghan |
General manager(s) | Bill Lajoie |
Manager(s) | Sparky Anderson |
Local television | WDIV-TV (George Kell, Al Kaline) PASS (Larry Osterman, Jim Northrup) |
Local radio | WJR (Ernie Harwell, Paul Carey) |
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Offseason
- November 16, 1988: Ray Knight was released by the Tigers.[1]
- November 30, 1988: Randy Bockus was signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.[2]
- January 13, 1989: Doyle Alexander was signed as a free agent by the Tigers.[3]
- February 22, 1989: Mark Huismann was released by the Tigers.[4]
- March 23, 1989: Tom Brookens was traded by the Tigers to the New York Yankees for Charles Hudson.[5]
- March 23, 1989: Eric King was traded by the Tigers to the Chicago White Sox for Kenny Williams.[6]
Regular season
In August, pitcher Charles Hudson, driving drunk, slammed his Mercury Cougar into a telephone pole in a Detroit suburb. He broke his left leg and his right knee needed reconstructive surgery. Hudson would later discuss how he began to drink as he struggled in his baseball career. He would not pitch in the major leagues again and the Tigers released him in November 1989.[7]
Season standings
AL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
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Toronto Blue Jays | 89 | 73 | 0.549 | — | 46–35 | 43–38 |
Baltimore Orioles | 87 | 75 | 0.537 | 2 | 47–34 | 40–41 |
Boston Red Sox | 83 | 79 | 0.512 | 6 | 46–35 | 37–44 |
Milwaukee Brewers | 81 | 81 | 0.500 | 8 | 45–36 | 36–45 |
New York Yankees | 74 | 87 | 0.460 | 14½ | 41–40 | 33–47 |
Cleveland Indians | 73 | 89 | 0.451 | 16 | 41–40 | 32–49 |
Detroit Tigers | 59 | 103 | 0.364 | 30 | 38–43 | 21–60 |
Record vs. opponents
1989 American League Records Sources: | ||||||||||||||
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Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TEX | TOR |
Baltimore | — | 6–7 | 6–6 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 10–3 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 4–8 | 8–5 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 9–3 | 7–6 |
Boston | 7–6 | — | 4–8 | 7–5 | 8–5 | 11–2 | 4–8 | 6–7 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 6–6 | 5–8 |
California | 6–6 | 8–4 | — | 8–5 | 5–7 | 11–1 | 4–9 | 7–5 | 11–2 | 6–6 | 5–8 | 7–6 | 6–7 | 7–5 |
Chicago | 6–6 | 5–7 | 5–8 | — | 7–5 | 4–8 | 6–7 | 10–2 | 5–8 | 5–6 | 5–8 | 7–6 | 3–10 | 1–11 |
Cleveland | 6–7 | 5–8 | 7–5 | 5–7 | — | 5–8 | 8–4 | 3–10 | 5–7 | 9–4 | 2–10 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 5–8 |
Detroit | 3–10 | 2–11 | 1–11 | 8–4 | 8–5 | — | 6–6 | 6–7 | 5–7 | 6–7 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 2–11 |
Kansas City | 6–6 | 8–4 | 9–4 | 7–6 | 4–8 | 6–6 | — | 8–4 | 7–6 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 9–4 | 8–5 | 7–5 |
Milwaukee | 6–7 | 7–6 | 5–7 | 2–10 | 10–3 | 7–6 | 4–8 | — | 9–3 | 8–5 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 6–7 |
Minnesota | 8–4 | 6–6 | 2–11 | 8–5 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 6–7 | 3–9 | — | 6–6 | 6–7 | 7–6 | 5–8 | 9–3 |
New York | 5–8 | 6–7 | 6–6 | 6–5 | 4–9 | 7–6 | 6–6 | 5–8 | 6–6 | — | 3–9 | 8–4 | 5–7 | 7–6 |
Oakland | 7–5 | 5–7 | 8–5 | 8–5 | 10–2 | 8–4 | 6–7 | 7–5 | 7–6 | 9–3 | — | 9–4 | 8–5 | 7–5 |
Seattle | 6–6 | 7–5 | 6–7 | 6–7 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 4–9 | 5–7 | 6–7 | 4–8 | 4–9 | — | 6–7 | 5–7 |
Texas | 3–9 | 6–6 | 7–6 | 10–3 | 5–7 | 8–4 | 5–8 | 7–5 | 8–5 | 7–5 | 5–8 | 7–6 | — | 5–7 |
Toronto | 6–7 | 8–5 | 5–7 | 11–1 | 8–5 | 11–2 | 5–7 | 7–6 | 3–9 | 6–7 | 5–7 | 7–5 | 7–5 | — |
Notable transactions
- May 19, 1989: Rick Schu was purchased by the Tigers from the Baltimore Orioles.[8]
- June 16, 1989: Pat Sheridan was traded by the Tigers to the San Francisco Giants for Tracy Jones.[9]
- August 17, 1989: Keith Atherton was signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.[10]
Roster
1989 Detroit Tigers | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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Player stats
= Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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C | Mike Heath | 122 | 396 | 104 | .263 | 10 | 43 |
1B | Dave Bergman | 137 | 385 | 103 | .268 | 7 | 37 |
2B | Lou Whitaker | 148 | 509 | 128 | .251 | 28 | 85 |
3B | Rick Schu | 98 | 266 | 57 | .214 | 7 | 21 |
SS | Alan Trammell | 121 | 449 | 109 | .243 | 5 | 43 |
LF | Fred Lynn | 117 | 353 | 85 | .241 | 11 | 46 |
CF | Gary Pettis | 119 | 444 | 114 | .257 | 1 | 18 |
RF | Chet Lemon | 127 | 414 | 98 | .237 | 7 | 47 |
DH | Keith Moreland | 90 | 318 | 95 | .299 | 5 | 35 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
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Rob Richie | 19 | 49 | 13 | .265 | 1 | 10 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Jeff Robinson | 16 | 78 | 4 | 5 | 4.73 | 40 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
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Farm system
Level | Team | League | Manager |
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AAA | Toledo Mud Hens | International League | John Wockenfuss |
AA | London Tigers | Eastern League | Chris Chambliss |
A | Lakeland Tigers | Florida State League | Johnny Lipon |
A | Fayetteville Generals | South Atlantic League | Gene Roof |
A-Short Season | Niagara Falls Rapids | New York–Penn League | Rick Magnante |
Rookie | Bristol Tigers | Appalachian League | Rubén Amaro, Sr. |
Notes
- Ray Knight at Baseball Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bockura01.shtml
- Doyle Alexander at Baseball Reference
- Mark Huismann at Baseball Reference
- Tom Brookens at Baseball Reference
- Kenny Williams at Baseball Reference
- John Harper (February 22, 1995). "A Crash-Course Cubbie". New York Daily News.
- Rick Schu at Baseball Reference
- Tracy Jones at Baseball Reference
- https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/atherke01.shtml
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball". Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997
References
- 1989 Detroit Tigers season at Baseball Reference
- Tigers at Baseball Almanac