Not this weekend.

Detroit’s recent good fortune against the Sox continues. (Right?)

• Here’s a terrific piece about Sparky Anderson from someone who knew him in his southern California community for 40 years.
• Out here in Phoenix, there’s some noise about the Diamondbacks pursuing the Mets’ David Wright. All things being equal — and Brandon Inge’s mono notwithstanding — I’d sure rather see him in Detroit. What about you?
• The Tigers’ all-time record against the White Sox heading into play tonight is 1,012-996-1. Why does it seem as if  half those losses have come since 2004?
• Two tidbits about tonight’s starter Andy Oliver: 1. He was selected to participate in the Futures Game held prior to last year’s All-Star Game in Anaheim, but was unable to participate because he’d been called up to the Tigers. 2. Following last season, Baseball America named Oliver the third-best prospect in the Tigers organization, the 13th-best prospect in the EasternLeague and the 19th-best prospect in the International League.
• On this date in 1952 the Tigers acquired lefty Bill Wight, infielders Johnny Pesky, Walt Dropo and Fred Hatfield and outfielder Don Lenhardt from the Red Sox for righthander Dizzy Trout, infielders George Kell and Johnny Lipon and outfielder Hoot Evers.
• Have you been itching for a closer look at the Tigers’ platoon situations? ESPN.com’s Christina Kahrl has you covered:

The Tigers might be the team with the most potential variations, to the point that Jim Leyland could flirt with multi-positional solutions every bit as creative as [Rays skipper Joe] Maddon’s. After all, the Tigers broke in Ryan Raburn in a multi-positional utility role with a lean toward starting him against lefties in the past, and using youngsters Andy Dirks and Casper Wells as platoon outfielders now. Raburn and Brennan Boesch have struggled to stick in regular roles, opening up a host of possibilities for Leyland to try to hide some of his players from the sources of some of their struggles.

• Over at The Platoon Advantage, Bill offers up three ways to improve the All-Star Game.

Finally, Happy 61st Birthday to singer Suzi Quatro, who played Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days. Did I just date myself?

Have a great weekend.

In the meantime, here are some odds and ends from the last week:

• If you’re still coming to grips with the notion of Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta manning the left side of the Tigers’ infield next season, here’s something I noticed that will either make you feel better or worse – and nowhere in between.

  Based on this year’s stats, it appears that Inge and Peralta are practically twins:
  

  2010 Stats	Inge	Peralta
  Games	144	148
  At bats	514	551
  Hits	127	137
  Home Runs	13	15
  RBI	70	81
  Average	.247	.249
  On-base Percentage	.321	.311
  Slugging Percentage	.397	.392
  OPS	.718	.703

  Of Peralta, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski last Sunday said: “We don’t know what we will do with his ($7.25 million) option, but would like him back next year as our shortstop.”

  I’m like many Tigers fans: skeptical, at best, about Peralta as a full-time shortstop. True, he’ll bring more pop to the position than either Danny Worth or Ramon Santiago. But that’s not saying much, is it? As for his defense, the 2010 edition of Baseball Prospectus described Peralta as “increasingly immobile.”

  Gee, if we wanted an immobile shortstop, why not give the job back to Carlos Guillen?

  Discuss.

• Yahoo! Sports‘ Tim Brown last week gave some major love to former Tigers infielder/current Braves sensation Omar Infante.
  

  Years ago, he was run off positions and out of at-bats in Detroit by Ramon Santiago, Carlos Guillen, Placido Polanco and Fernando Vina, so he earned back a few swings by playing six different positions, figuring it out, surviving.

  Now 28, hardened by his positional vagabonding and inspired by the public ridicule that accompanied his surprise All-Star selection in July, Infante no longer plays from the bench. In the leadoff spot and back at third base, he has become part of a new core of Braves, that being what was left from a grueling and injurious season. From the Braves’ opening day eight, only two started game 162, a win that clinched the organization’s first playoff appearance in five years.

  All things considered, who would you rather have at shortstop for the Tigers next season: Infante, Worth or Peralta?

• Getting caught up on some recent Fungo Flash Poll results:
  • Do you like the Tigers’ decision to put Phil Coke in the rotation next season? 52 percent (115 votes) said Yes; 48 percent (107) said No.

  • If the Tigers decide to re-sign only one of these players, who should they choose? Inge: 79 percent (214 votes); Bonderman: 21 percent (56 votes)

  • With the Tigers season winding down, what are you looking forward to the most? Top three vote getters: Michigan Football, 25 percent (41 votes); Spring Training, 24 percent (40); Red Wings, 23 percent (38). I’m disappointed that no one — not a single vote! — cast a vote for my alma mater: Any Western Michigan Team Sport (0 percent, 0 Votes). Ouch.

• Some birthdays today: Patrick Leyland, 19; Jeff Larish, 28; and, Dmitri Young, 37. Today’s also the 81st birthday of George Kell‘s brother, Skeeter.

• On this date in 2006, Alexis Gomez and Curtis Granderson each hit home runs as the Tigers beat the A’s 8-5 in Oakland to take a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

• And on this date in 1944, the Tigers acquired catcher Bob Swift and infielder Don Heffner from the Athletics for outfielder Rip Radcliff.

Finally, on this date in 1975 “Saturday Night Live” debuted on NBC, which makes me feel old — and bummed out that it’s not nearly as funny as it used to be.

68-70, 3rd Place; 13 GB

Today’s Results

White Sox 5 – Tigers 4 (10 innings)

• W: Chris Sale (1-1)
• L: Jose Valverde (2-4)
• HR: Don Kelly (6)

Yesterday’s Results

Royals 2 – Tigers 1

• W: Kyle Davies (7-9)
• L: Brad Thomas (5-2)
• HR: Casper Wells (2)

Tigers History Lesson

On this Date in Tigers History

• 2009 — After striking out in his first three at-bats, Brandon Inge hits a grand slam off Russ Springer in the ninth inning to give the Tigers a 5-3 win over the Rays in Tampa.

• 2006 — Former Tigers outfielder Barney McCoskey, who was once traded to the Athletics for George Kell, died at 78.

Here’s clip one and here’s clip two.

Ten years later, Kell and Kaline would be paired up in the Tigers’ TV booth. Later, Kell and sidekick Larry Osterman talk to Dick Tracewski and Jim Price.

Here’s part one.

This is the first of three installments — the others to follow.

41-35, 2nd place; 1/2-game behind Minnesota

Today’s Game

Tigers @ Twins | 1:10 p.m. ET – Target Field | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 and 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Andy Oliver (0-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Kevin Slowey (7-5, 4.79 ERA)

Yesterday’s Results

Twins 11 – Tigers 4

• W: Nick Blackburn (7-5)
• L: Armando Galarraga (3-2)
• HR: Jim Thome (8)

Tigers History Lesson

Today’s Birthdays

• Davy Jones (1880-1972)

On this Date in Tigers History

• 2004 — For the third straight game, the Tigers win thanks to a walk-off home run. Following the lead of Eric Munson and Carlos Pena in the two previous games, Dmitri Young hits a two-run shot in the 11th inning to beat the Indians, 9-7.
• 1997 — Bobby Higginson belts three home runs and drives in seven and Justin Thompson allows four hits in eight innings as the Tigers down the Mets, 14-0. It’s the most lopsided shutout in Mets history. Detroit hits more homers, six, than the Mets have hits (five), and it’s the most home runs given up by Mets’ pitchers since April 29, 1978.
• 1983 — The Tigers acquired infielder Wayne Krenchicki from the Reds for LHP Pat Underwood
• 1948 — In his first full season as a pitcher, the Indians’ Bob Lemon pitches a no-hitter, beating the Tigers 2-0 in front of 49,628 at Briggs Stadium. Lemon has only two scares: Dale Mitchell makes a miraculous catch of a George Kell drive in the fourth and Ken Keltner makes a great stop behind third base in the fifth. The Tigers’ home was the last park in the junior circuit to use lights, installing illumination only two weeks ago.

• 1934 — In a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Browns, Tigers centerfielder Gee Walker is picked off base twice on the same frame, earning him a 10-day suspension for his ineptitude. After Hank Greenberg singles, Walker reaches base on a error, but then gets caught off base when catcher Rollie Hemsley throws to first. Greenberg attempts to draw a throw by running to third and is thrown out, with Walker taking second. Moments later, with Walker standing six feet off the bag, pitcher Jack Knott’s throw to shortstop Alan Strange nails Walker. Mickey Cochrane is so furious he
  suspends Walker and fines him $20 — the sixth time this season that Walker has earned a $20 fine. His next appearance won’t come until July 16 when he pinch-hits for Cochrane.

Today’s Game

Tigers vs. Indians | 1:05 p.m. ET – Comerica Park | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 and 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Rick Porcello (4-5, 5.27 ERA) vs. LHP David Huff (2-6, 5.54 ERA)

Yesterday’s Results

Tigers 3 – Indians 0

• W: Armando Galarraga (2-1)
• L: Fausto Carmona (4-4)
• HR: Miguel Cabrera (15)

Tigers History Lesson

Today’s Birthdays

• Ed Glynn, 57

On this Date in Tigers History

• 1952 — The Tigers acquired LHP Bill Wight, infielders Johnny Pesky, Walt Dropo and Fred Hatfield and OF Don Lenhardt from the Red Sox for RHP Dizzy Trout, infielders George Kell and Johnny Lipon and OF Hoot Evers.

Today’s Game

Tigers vs. Indians | 7:05 p.m. ET – Comerica Park | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 and 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Armando Galarraga (1-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. RHP Fausto Carmona (4-3, 3.69 ERA)

Yesterday’s Results

Indians 3 – Tigers 2

• W: Jake Westbrook (3-3)
• L: Jeremy Bonderman (2-3)
• HR: Russell Branyan (7), Shin-Soo Choo (8)

Tigers History Lesson

Today’s Birthdays

• Neifi Perez, 37
• Darnell Coles, 48
• Gene Michael, 72

• Jerry Lumpe, 77

On this Date in Tigers History

• 1990 — Randy Johnson pitched the first no hitter in Mariners history, blanking the Tigers 2-0 at the Kingdome. Johnson struck out eight and walked six.
• 1980 — The Tigers acquired OF Jim Lentine from the Cardinals for LHP John Martin and OF Al Greene.
• 1950 — George Kell hit for the cycle as the Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics 16-5 to sweep a doubleheader at Shibe Park.

• 1933 — The Tigers acquired RHP Vic Frazier from the White Sox for RHP Whit Wyatt.

Tigers’ Record: 22-16, 2nd place; 2 GB Minnesota

Today’s Game

Tigers vs. White Sox | 1:05 p.m. ET – Comerica Park | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 & 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Rick Porcello (3-3, 6.08 ERA) vs. Freddy Garcia (2-2, 4.75 ERA)

Yesterday’s Results

Rain Out

Tigers History Lesson

On this Date in Tigers History

• 1912 — The Tigers use a team of replacement players against the Philadelphia A’s. With 19 players on strike in protest of the recent suspension of Ty Cobb, manager Hughie Jennings recruits college players and a number of local semipro players to avoid a forfeit and fine. Detroit loses to the Athletics, 24-2, as pitcher Al Travers gives up all 24 runs on 26 hits.
• 1946 — The Tigers acquired third baseman George Kell from the Philadelphia Athletics for outfielder Barney McCosky.
• 1982 — Larry Herndon hits three home runs in an 11-9 win over the A’s, and in the process becomes the 14th player in major-league history to hit homers in four-consecutive plate appearances. On May 16, he homered in his final at bat to give the Tigers a 7-6 victory over the Twins.

Here’s a link to the episode.

• Today marks Justin Verlander’s 99th career start at the major
  league level with the Tigers. With one more starts,
  he will become the 54th pitcher in Tigers history to
  start 100 games.

• Verlander entered his start this afternoon against the Rangers tied
  for third among American League pitchers with 46 wins since the start of the 2006 season, while he is sixth with 96 starts, seventh with 592.1 innings pitched and 12th with 474 strikeouts.

• Since the start of the 2007 season, the Tigers are tops among all American League clubs with a .474 slugging percentage against lefthanded pitchers, while they are second with a .287 batting average. During that stretch, the Tigers have compiled a 54-39 record in games started by lefthanded pitchers.

And some non-Game Notes nuggets:

• The 2011 All Star Game will be in Phoenix at Chase Field. Now the locals can stop griping about it.

• Kurt weighs in on some interesting stuff (as always), particularly the third item in his Bunt Singles roundup — April in the D Fatigue is now a widespread affliction.

Finally, Happy 58th Birthday to Sid Monge. (It’s also the birthday of Barney McCosky, the man the Tigers traded to the Philadelphia Athletics for George Kell.) Other birthdays include Sean Bergman (39) and John Martin (53)

Great day today! The weather was nice. Not perfect, but a lot better than anticipated. And I’ve definitely seen worse.

Didn’t make it inside for the player introductions, so I didn’t hear what kind of reception Lyon received. The first pitch ceremony was nice. It was nice NOT to see the usual local politicians and the ritual booing that accompanies them.

Bummed that I missed the George Kell tribute, but there was just so much going on outside the park. There really is nothing like Opening Day around here.

Nice moment for Nick Adenhart. Tragic story, and so senseless.

Okay, enough with the appetizers, let’s get to the meat:

Galarraga: Doesn’t look like he’s planning on any sophomore slump. Seven strikeouts, and the run he gave up was a result of three bloop hits.

Perry: Didn’t look as sharp today. Command wasn’t there.

Cabrera: If the Tigers stay in contention, Miggy will be in the running for MVP. He is simply one of the best hitters in MLB. It is scary how well and how hard he is hitting the ball.

The whole offense: Did exactly what this team needs to do, which is punish mediocre pitching. Nice to see them taking a few walks. That game was actually cruising along before the bottom of the 7th.

Granderson: Way to work a walk after an 0-2 count! Two years ago, he’s carrying his bat back to the dugout.

Inge: How about getting those throws up a little?

Laird: Nice triple! With Sardinha’s three-bagger last year, the Tigers have cornered the market on most unlikely triples hitters.

Texas bullpen: Back to the drawing board, Rangers braintrust. Five straight walks! Ouch!

This was a typical Tigers-Rangers game (with a little less Rangers offense than I’m used to seeing), with plenty of runs, and a lengthy time of game.

All in all, a great Opening Day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go file my scorecard and read my new Tigers yearbook.

This episode was originally broadcast on March 14, 2007. In it we talk with Hall of Famer and former Tigers TV and radio voice George Kell, who passed away today, March 24, 2009, at the age of 86. We spoke to Mr. Kell from his home in Swifton, Arkansas.

Here are some of the numbers from George Kell’s 15-year career (1943 to 1957):

• Played for Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles
• Career .306 hitter
• Won the 1949 American League Batting Crown by less than two ten-thousandths of a point over Ted Williams. Kell batted .34291 to Williams’ .34276
• A 10-time All Star including eight straight between 1947 and 1954. He missed the game in 1955 but was an All Star his final two seasons.
• Lowest batting average was in his rookie year when he batted .262

Mr. Kell also broadcast Tigers games on radio and TV from 1959 to 1996. He sat out one year, 1964, before returning to the booth.

Download the audio file or grab the RSS feed here.

——> If you like the podcast, please leave a comment on our iTunes page!

Leave a message on the listener line, (602) 903-5174, or leave a comment here.

Theme music for the podcast produced by Paul Minshall.

I grew up with George Kell and he will always be my favorite broadcaster — apologies to Ernie.

Two years ago I had the honor of interviewing him on the podcast. If you haven’t listened to it, and you want to hear his voice again, check it out here.

I’m sure I’ll write more later but feel free to use the comments to share your memories of George Kell.

>> So Freddy Dolsi got sent out of big-league camp yesterday. As we watched last season crater, I kept thinking that Dolsi’s experience would benefit him in the long run. Sending him to Triple-A to start this season makes sense. Get him into some pressurized situations in the IL and he could be a nice addition when the bullpen needs reinforcements.

>> Former Tigers farmhand James Skelton continues to get ink in the Phoenix paper about his attempts to make the Diamondbacks as a Rule 5 selection. Arizona is trying to make Skelton — a “card trick connoisseur” according to the piece — a utility player, or so it appears.

>> Every year I pickup The Sporting News‘ baseball preview issue and every year I realize I learned nothing new or different than what I gleaned from off-season reading on the Web. This year, however, I’m singing a different tune. It’s not half bad. In an effort to cram the pages to look like a CNBC feed, TSN added a blurb about each team’s best-ever third baseman. Here’s who they selected for the Tigers:

1. George Kell
2. Aurelio Rodriguez
3. Don Wert

Other than Kell, that sure is some slim pickin’s. (Tom Brookens can’t get an Honorable Mention?) And just imagine if the Tigers had held onto Howard Johnson. Methinks he’s be number one. And to think Chris Brown didn’t make this list.

>> This should be a more offensive — offensive, that is — week in Lakeland for the Tigers. For the first time since who know when they’ll have the complete lineup. I doubt we’ll see anymore no-hitters (or shutouts) this Spring.

It was a freezing cold day in Detroit just like it was at Comiskey Park. Making matters worse, the Tigers and White Sox were playing at night. (Imagine last Friday night’s game in Chicago — only colder and without the precipitation.)

The Tigers’ Milt Wilcox pitched the game of his life against the White Sox’s pot-smoking and eventual Cy Young Award-winning LaMar Hoyt (or according to Baseball-Reference.com, “La Marr Hoyt”). And to this day, it was the most meticulously pitched game I’ve ever seen … though Mike Mussina‘s near-perfecto against Boston in 2001 was darned close.

Twenty six Chicago batters up, 26 down. More on that in a moment.

According to Retrosheet.org, here is Detroit’s lineup from that night:

1. Lou Whitaker 2b
2. Howard Johnson 3b
3. Larry Herndon lf
4. Lance Parrish c
5. John Grubb dh
6. Glenn Wilson rf
7. Chet Lemon cf
8. Rick Leach 1b
9. Alan Trammell ss

Wilcox p

And, the White Sox’s:

1. Rudy Law cf
2. Tony Bernazard 2b
3. Harold Baines rf
4. Greg Luzinski dh
5. Ron Kittle lf
6. Greg Walker 1b
7. Carlton Fisk c
8. Vance Law 3b
9. Jerry Dybzinski ss

LaMar Hoyt p

For me, there are many fascinating things about the Tigers’ lineup that night — Howard Johnson batting second and playing third base, Glenn Wilson in right, Rick Leach at first — but none more fascinating than Alan Trammell hitting ninth.

True, he often hit in the nine-hole early in his career. But 1983 was a particularly interesting year for Trammell, who batted primarily ninth during the first half of the season, though occasionally Sparky slotted him at number-two or, less frequently, leadoff. But from Aug. 20 on, Tram never hit below the number-two spot.

The story on this night 25 years ago was Milt Wilcox.

Wilcox’s Road to the Majors

The Honolulu native was drafted by Cincinnati in the second round of the 1968 amateur draft. He debuted with the Sparky Anderson-managed Reds in 1970 at the age of 20, posting a 3-1 record and a 2.42 ERA.

Sparky would earn a reputation for having little tolerance for youngsters on his team. Apparently he didn’t feel that way in 1970 because he pitched Wilcox in the NLCS and World Series that year. He struck out five in just three innings of the LCS against the Pirates allowing only one hit.

The Orioles fared a tad better against Wilcox in the World Series. In two appearances (just two innings pitched), he allowed three hits, two earned runs, two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

After the 1971 season, Wilcox was traded from the Reds to Cleveland for outfielder Ted Uhlaender. After three mostly forgettable seasons with the Indians, he was dealt to the Cubs for pitcher Dave LaRoche and outfielder Brock Davis. Wilcox appeared in only 25 games for the Cubs in 1975 and spent the Bicentennial Year in the bushes.

Welcome to Detroit

On June 10, 1976, the Tigers purchased his contract from the Cubs and his career began to stabilize. From 1977-84, Wilcox was a mainstay in the Tigers’ rotation, averaging 22 starts and nearly eight complete games a year.

But none of his 72 other complete games could compare to the frigid night on the South Side.

26 Down…

Wilcox, wearing number 39, cruised through the first 26 batters with only a couple minor scares — a Tony Bernazard dribbler up the middle in the first that Trammell turned into an out and then a Harold Baines low liner to Herndon in the bottom of the seventh.

In the bottom of the ninth, Carlton Fisk flied out to left on the first pitch. Then Mike Squires, a Western Michigan University product, pinch-hit for Vance Law and promptly grounded out to Leach at first.

Chicago manager Tony LaRussa replaced Jerry Dybzynski with another Jerry, Jerry Hairston

On Wilcox’s first pitch, Hairston grounded a single to center for Chicago’s only baserunner of the night. (And I can still hear George Kell crying out: “Wouldya believe it!“)

The next hitter, Rudy Law, bounced out to Leach to end the game. The Tigers won 6-0, but Wilcox lost a chance at the Hall of Fame.

Here’s what Wilcox told the Free Press‘s Mike Downey:

“I was nervous the whole game,” Wilcox said later. “Pitching a perfect game puts you in the Hall of Fame. That’s the only way I’m going to get there.”

Here’s the final pitching line that night:

Wilcox: 9 IP – 1 H – 0 R – 0 ER – 0 BB – 8 SO – 0 HR

Less than a year later, in the same park and in similar conditions, Jack Morris would throw his no-hitter; perhaps using the leftover karma from Wilcox’s gem.

Though officially it was Hairston’s single that broke up the perfect game, perhaps there was some friendly fire jinxing going on in the Tigers dugout.

Again from Downey’s column:

“I heard them talking about it on the radio,” Wilcox said, and “(Kirk) Gibson said something to me in the fifth inning. I wasn’t worrying about being jinxed. I was worried about finishing the game.”

So much for Gibson following tradition.

Winding Down a Career

Wilcox would finish the 1983 season with a 11-10 record and a 3.97 ERA. His highest win total would come the next year when he finished at 17-8, 4.00 ERA.

His last season in Detroit was an abbreviated one. Arm trouble caused him to shutdown with a 1-3 record and a 4.85 ERA in 1985. The Tigers released him on Dec. 20 that year.

The Mariners signed Wilcox on Feb. 5, 1986. He appeared in 13 games for Seattle that season before being released on June 14 with a 0-8 record and a 5.50 ERA.

In 1984, Wilcox won a game in the ALCS and the World Series (I attended both games). But for most Tigers fans, his defining moment will be his flirtation with a perfect game a quarter-century ago.