Tigers Minus 40
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Tigers Minus 40
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Marty Castillo was released by the #Tigers in January of 1986. He played in the Twins organization in 1986, but was out of baseball at the end of the season.
November 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Marty Castillo, 28 year old from Anaheim, started 19 games behind the plate, 5 at 3B and 5 as DH. A 1984 World Series hero with a HR in game 3, Castillo struggled offensively in 1985. He played in a total of 57 games, hitting a paltry .119 with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs.
November 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
The #Tigers traded Bob Melvin, along with Juan Berenguer, after the 1985 season to the San Francisco Giants. Melvin spent nine more seasons in the majors with the Giants, Orioles, Royals, Red Sox, Yankees, and White Sox.
November 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Bob Melvin, a 24 year old rookie from CA, started 25 games at catcher for the #Tigers in 1985. He started the season at Nashville, hitting .312 with 8 HRs in 36 games, earning him a callup. Melvin made his major league debut on May 25. He returned to Nashville in August and was a September callup.
November 22, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Lance Parrish played one more season with the #Tigers. The team was reluctant to sign Parrish to a long term contract with his back issues. Parrish became a free agent and signed with the Phillies.
November 22, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Lance Parrish, 29 year old from California, started 117 games at C and 22 at DH in 1985. Parrish hit .283 with 28 HRs and 98 RBIs. In his ninth season, Parrish made the All-Star team for the fifth time and won his third Gold Glove. He did miss nearly three weeks in July with a strained lower back.
November 22, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Alejandro Sánchez was traded in January 1986 with Chris Pittaro to the Minnesota Twins. Sanchez played only 8 games for the Twins in 1987 and 2 for Oakland in 1988. Sanchez played in the Mexican League until 1994 and then again in the US minor leagues until 1998.
November 19, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Alejandro Sánchez joined the #Tigers organization in an April trade for pitcher Roger Mason. Sánchez, a 26 year old from the Dominican Republic, started the season in Nashville, but was called up to Detroit in late April. Sanchez started 28 games in the OF for the #Tigers.
November 19, 2025 at 3:46 AM
But Gibson was not in big demand after the 1985 season as teams did not negotiate and offers did not come. Kirk Gibson signed a three year, $4.1 million contract with Detroit. After two more good seasons with the #Tigers, an arbitrator ruled that the Major League owners were guilty of collusion.
November 19, 2025 at 3:45 AM
For the second consecutive season, Kirk Gibson remained injury free, playing in a career high 154 games. He started 124 games in RF, 18 in CF and 8 as DH. The 28 year old from Waterford, MI had his best season as a member of the #Tigers.
November 19, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Jim Weaver bounced around several organizations, from Minnesota to Seattle to Chicago to San Francisco. He played in the majors for the Mariners in 1987 and the Giants in 1989. He was out of baseball after the 1990 season.
November 19, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Jim Weaver, a 26 year old outfielder from Sarasota, was obtained in the Rule 5 draft from Minnesota. He started the season on the major league roster. He played in only 12 games, mostly as a defensive replacement. Weaver had only one hit in seven at bats. On May 22, he was sent back to the Twins.
November 19, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Chet Lemon played five more seasons with the #Tigers, moving to RF when the team acquired Gary Pettis to play CF. Lemon retired from baseball after he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder in spring training of 1991. He spent 3 months in the hospital, losing 60 pounds.
November 19, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Chet Lemon, a 30 year old from Los Angeles, started 143 games in CF for the #Tigers in 1985, his 11th season in the major leagues and 4th with Detroit. Lemon had his standard consistently good season, hitting .265 with 18 HRs and 68 RBIs.
November 19, 2025 at 12:40 AM
John Grubb played two more seasons with the #Tigers in the same part time role, with his best season being 1986 when he hit .333 with 12 HRs and 51 RBIs. His 1987 season was his worst as a Tiger, hitting .202 with 2 HRs.
November 11, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Johnny Grubb, a 37 year old from Richmond, VA and a 14 year veteran of the majors, played in about half of the games for #Tigers in 1985. He started 31 games at DH and another 14 in the outfield, mainly in left field. Grubb hit .245 with 5 HRs and 25 RBIs for the season.
November 11, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Simmons never again played for the #Tigers. He bulked up with weights during the winter after the 1985 season. Sparky Anderson always felt that too much muscle affected the player negatively.
November 11, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Nelson Simmons, a 22 year old rookie outfielder from San Diego, made the Opening Day roster after a September callup last year and a good spring training this year. But on Opening Day, while warming up in the outfield, Simmons felt a pop in his armwhile throwing.
November 11, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Larry Herndon played with the #Tigers through the 1988 season. In his eight years with the #Tigers, Larry Herndon was included in many highlight moments.
November 11, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Larry Herndon, a 32 year old outfielder from Memphis, started 111 games in left field for the #Tigers in 1985. Herndon, in his 4th season with the team, saw his batting average drop again this season to .244 while hitting 12 HRs with 37 RBIs.
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Chris Pittaro never again played for the #Tigers. He was traded after the 1985 season, along with Alejandro Sanchez, to the Minnesota Twins for Dave Engle. Pittaro played parts of two seasons for the Twins but never had a regular role.
November 10, 2025 at 12:26 PM
During spring training Sparky Anderson proclaimed that Lou Whitaker was going to be moved to third base to make room for rookie Chris Pittaro at second base. But the move did not last. When the #Tigers went north from Lakeland, Pittaro was the starting third baseman.
November 10, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Tom Brookens played three more seasons with the #Tigers. When the team brought in Chris Brown to play third base for the 1989 season, Brookens was traded to the Yankees. He played one season in New York and was released. He caught on in Cleveland for the 1990 season, his last in the majors.
November 10, 2025 at 12:23 PM
No matter who the #Tigers bring in to play third base (Darrell Evans, Barbaro Garbey, Marty Castillo, Chris Pittaro, and even Lou Whitaker),they always seem to go back to Tommy Brookens. The 32 year old from Chambersburg, PA, started 134 games at third base for the #Tigers in 1985.
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Doug Baker played in parts of two more seasons for the #Tigers after 1985. He was traded to the Twins in February of 1988. Baker spent parts of three seasons in Minnesota, leaving MLB after the 1990 season.
November 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM