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Denny McLain’s Detroit Tiger Report Denny’s weekly Tigers Report, brought to you by In Play! magazine.

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Denny’s weekly Tigers Report, brought to you by In Play! magazine, can be heard every Friday morning at 8:50am on 100.7 FM The Rock.

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1913 In an exhibition game against the Yankees, 25,000 fans watch the Dodgers play their first game in Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beats New York, 3-2 with Casey Stengel hitting the park’s first home run, an inside-the-parker.

1925 Babe Ruth collapses at railroad station in Asheville, North Carolina, and will be hospitalized in New York.

1934 Babe Ruth, sponsored by Quaker Oats, agrees to do weekly NBC broadcasts. His thirteen week radio salary will be $4000 more than his Yankee contract.

1934 Reds president Larry MacPhail hires Red Barber to broadcast the team games on WSAL. The not-so-old “Ol’ Redhead” will spend the first four years of his Hall of Fame career in Cincinnati calling games from the stands of Crosley Field.

1957 The Phillies trade five players, Ron Negray, Tim Harkness, Elmer Valo, Mel Geho, and Ben Flowers (the player to be named later) and send $75,000 to the Dodgers to obtain much touted Cuban infielder Chico Fernandez. Philadelphia’s new shortstop plays three seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, batting just .242, before being traded to the Tigers.

1966 Don Larsen, who is the last active major leaguer who played Browns, is released by the Orioles. As a rookie 1953, the Michigan City, Indiana native posted a 7-12 record for the hapless franchise which loss 100 games in its final season in St. Louis.

1971 At RFK Stadium, 45,000 fans watch the last Opening Day game to be played in Washington, D.C.

1972 The season opener between Astros and Reds is canceled due to the player strike which started on April 1. It marks the first time in major league history Opening Day is delayed and 86 games will be lost before the labor dispute is settled.

1972 The Mets trade outfielder Ken Singleton and infielders Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen to the Expos in exchange for 28-year old all-star right fielder Rusty Staub. The ‘Le Grand Orange’ will miss most of the season due to injuries, but will play a major role in New York’s ‘Ya Gotta Believe’ pennant-winning team in 1973.

1983 Tom Seaver, making his first appearance as with the Mets since 1977, combines with Doug Sisk to blank the Phillies at Shea Stadium, 2-0. It is Tom Terrific’s 14th National League Opening Day assignment‚ tying Senators hurler Walter Johnson’s record.

1988 With a 6-3 Opening night victory over the Padres, Houston wins its 2,000th game in franchise history. The Astros score five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning making starter Mike Scott the winning pitcher.

1993 At Camden Yards, William Jefferson Clinton becomes the first U.S. president to successfully throw the first pitch of the season from the pitcher’s mound. Orioles starter Rick Suttecliffe doesn’t fare as well as the Birds lose to the Rangers, 7-4.

1993 At Shea Stadium, the Rockies lose their National League debut to the Mets, 3-0. Doc Gooden pitches a 4-hit complete game for the victory.

1993 In front of 42,334 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, the Florida Marlins, in their major league first game ever, defeat the Dodgers, 6-3. Joe DiMaggio throws out the ceremonial first pitch and the team retires uniform number 5 in tribute to Carl Barger, their late president.

1993 On Opening Day, Greg Maddux, who was signed as a free agent, allows no runs and scatters five hits to his former team over 8 1/3 innings as the Braves edge the Cubs, 1-0.

1993 Eric Fox, inserted into the game as late-inning defensive replacement hits a grand-slam home run in the bottom of the eighth inning giving the A’s a 9-4 Opening Day victory before 43,370 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. It will be the outfielder’s only homer of the season.

1997 At Olympic Stadium, the Rockies set a franchise record with seven home runs including three by Larry Walker, who is pulled from game in eighth inning by Rockies manager Don Baylor. The Colorado skipper doesn’t want to run up the score against the Expos with his team ahead 15-1.

2003 The Royals become the first major league team to begin the season 5-0 after losing 100-games the prior year. Runelvys Hernandez, the winner of a coin toss making him the Opening Day starter, wins his second game as allows two hits in seven innings beating the Indians, 2-1

2003 To show support for the U.S. troops in Iraq, the White Sox announce all active military members showing a military ID will be given free admission to home games at U.S. Cellular Field. Tickets would not be available for the Cub series in June.

2004 Braves’ general manager John Schuerholz announces the team has exercised the option to retain Bobby Cox as the team’s manager through the 2005 season. The 62-year old skipper, who is ninth in all-time in managerial wins with 1,906, has won a record 12-consecutive divisional titles.

2005 The Washington Nationals, formerly known as the Expos, lose their inaugural season opener bowing to the Phillies, 8-4. The franchise, which played its initial 36 years in Montreal, becomes the first team to represent the nation’s capital since the Senators left to become the Texas Rangers in 1971.

2006 Sluggerrr, the Royals’ Mascot, celebrates his tenth birthday at Kauffman Stadium. In the off-season, the nearly seven-foot tall lion with a crown built into his skull is very active in the Kansas City community visiting local schools encouraging youngsters to be good students and a good citizens.

2009 In an Opening Day 4-1 victory over the Phillies, Jordan Schafer becomes the 99th rookie to homer in his first major league at-bat. Joining Joe Harrington (1895), Chuck Tanner (1955) and Jermaine Dye (1996), the 22-year old outfielder becomes only the fourth player to accomplish the feat in franchise history.

TIGERS ACQUIRE JAY VOSS FROM FLORIDA MARLINS FOR NATE ROBERTSON AND CASH CONSIDERATIONS

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has acquired lefthanded pitcher Jay Voss from the Florida Marlins in exchange for lefthanded pitcher Nate Robertson and cash considerations.

Voss, 22, split the 2009 season between Single A Jupiter and Double A Jacksonville for the Marlins. In 10 games with Jupiter, he compiled a 2.03 ERA (13.1IP/3ER) and 10 strikeouts. Voss posted a 3-0 record, 2.97 ERA (36.1IP/12ER) and 36 strikeouts in 30 appearances with Jacksonville.

CONTINUES

1939 In his second exhibition game, Dodger Pete Reiser homers in his first at-bat against the Cardinals to begin a streak of 10 consecutive hits.

1962 Roger Maris declines to pose with Mets coach Rogers Hornsby because the Hall of Famer had criticized him in the Rajah’s’ book, My Wars with Baseball.

1962 In the first meeting between the two clubs, the Mets defeat the World Champion Yankees in a spring training game. Casey Stengel, the former skipper of the Bronx Bombers, now the manager of the new National League expansion team in New York, clearly wanting to beat his old club, calls upon veteran outfielder Richie Ashburn, who delivers a ninth-inning pinch-hit single giving the Amazins’ the dramatic walk-off 4-3 victory at Al Lang Field.

1972 The Yankees trade first baseman Danny Cater to the Red Sox for lefty reliever Albert Walter Lyle. Over the next seven years, Sparky will pitch in 420 games in relief with 57-40 record and a 2.41 ERA notching 141 saves as he helps the Bronx Bombers to appear in three World Series.

1986 Yankee pitcher Britt Burns, an 18-game winner with the White Sox last season, will miss the entire season due to a degenerative hip condition.

More interesting baseball facts

Cover story features interviews with Olympic Gold Medalist Roberto Luongo and Silver Medalist Brian Rafalski. Plus article on the infamous Tail of the Tiger Golf Balls, The Hanson Brothers and a whole lot more! Detroit’s ONLY sports magazine is In Play!

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1960 The Southern Association announces the New Orleans Pelicans, for the first time since 1901, will not be part of the Double-A circuit. The franchise, a major league affiliate of the Yankees in 1958, will be replaced by the Little Rock Travelers.

1971 Bernie Gera, a thirty-nine year old New York housewife, files a civil right suit against MLB after her contract to umpire in the New York-Penn League is voided after six days without an explanation.

1974 In Yuma, Arizona, Ron Bryant, a twenty-four game winner for the Giants last year, is hurt in a pool accident during spring training. The promising southpaw’s record will drop to 3-15 this season, and the Redlands, California native’s career will end in 1975 after a brief 0-1 stint with St. Louis.

1975 The Dodgers sign their once arch-nemesis Juan Marichal as a free agent. After two-regular season outings, that includes a loss to Cincinnati, the former San Francisco superstar and future Hall of Famer will retire in mid-April.

1977 In a nine-player spring training trade with Pittsburgh, the A’s send Phil Garner, Chris Batton and Tommy Helms to the Pirates for Tony Armas, Mitchell Page and four pitchers, including Doc Medich and Dave Giusti.

1999 The Yankees name Don Zimmer as the interim skipper of the club. The team’s bench coach will fill for Joe Torre, while the manager receives treatments for prostate cancer.

2000 In spring training action, Red Sox star Pedro Martinez and five relievers combined on a perfect exhibition game beating the Blue Jays, 5-0.

2008 In front of 12,224 fans, a near sellout at the new Olympic venue in Beijing, the Dodgers and the Padres played to a 3-3 tie in the first major league game ever to take place in mainland China. In the seventh inning, the crowd hears “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, but not knowing the lyrics just listen without singing.

2008 Five days after unilaterally renewing his contract for the upcoming season, the Pirates sign Ian Snell (9-12, 3.76) to three-year deal reported to be worth $8 million. The 26-year old right-hander, eligible for salary arbitration after 2009 season, has compiled a 24-26 record with the struggling ball club over the past three seasons.

1941 The Dodgers announce their players will begin to wear helmets when batting. The use of the safety headgear will not become mandatory in the National League until 1954 and the AL will follow suit four years later.

1951 J.Edgar Hoover , longtime director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, declines the post of baseball commissioner. President Calvin Coolidge appointed him to 1924 and the nation’s top cop remained in the FBI until his death in 1972.

1963 In an exhibition game against the White Sox, rookie Pete Rose goes 2-for-2 in his first appearance as a Red .

1992 The Pirates trade pitcher Neal Heaton (3-3, 4.33) to the Royals for outfielder Kirk Gibson (.236, 16 HR, 18 SB).

1993 Sherry Davis becomes the first woman major league public address announcer when she is hired by the Giants to work at Candlestick Park.

1995 Citing the labor unrest as the reason, former Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan announces he is leaving baseball to return the NBA.

2004 When asked by Senator John McCain to renegotiate the major league baseball’s contract in regard to the use of controlled substances, Donald Fehr refuses to comply. Although the union boss condemns the use of steroids, he believes the players oppose random drug testing as a violation of privacy, an argument countered by the Arizona republican as unacceptable and promised congressional action if the status quo.

2005 Singling off Brad Thompson in a Cardinal intersquad game, former pitching prospect Rick Ankiel goes 1-for-2 in his debut as a position player. Historic wildness and injuries ended the 25-year old once very promising career on the mound.

2006 Jhonny Peralta (.292, 24 ,78) agrees to a $13 million, five-year deal which includes a club option for 2011. In his first full season, the Indians shortstop established himself as one of the top offensive players for his position.

2006 Shairon Martis throws the first-ever no-hitter in WBC history as the Netherlands rout Panama, 10-0. The 19-year-old Dutch hurler threw exactly 65 pitches, which is the Classic’s pitch limit, to accomplish the historic deed in a game which was called after seven innings because of the mercy rule; a 10 run lead after seven innings.

2009 At Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium, the Netherlands WBC team, made up of mostly unknown players, upsets a heavily-favored the Dominican Republic club for the second time in four days to advanced to the next round of the World Baseball Classic. The Dominicans, considered to be an odds-on favorite, with a roster filled with major league All-Stars including David Ortiz (Red Sox), Hanley Ramirez (Marlins), and Miguel Tejada (Astros), are eliminated in the first round of the 16-team tournament.

March 9

1897- The Cleveland Spiders sign Penobscot Indian Louis Sockalexis. Although the former Holy Cross star plays only three seasons due to alcoholism, the fans admire his outstanding skills and refer to team as the ‘Indians’- in 1915 the name will become official.

1943-The Dodgers trade first baseman Babe Dahlgren to the Phillies for outfielder Lloyd Waner and infielder Al Glossop.

1961- The Yankees announce the team will be leaving its spring training home in St. Petersburg to move to Fort Lauderdale by 1963. The Yankee owners also encourage new yet unnamed National League New York franchise to play its home games at the Polo Grounds and not to consider Yankee Stadium.

1979 -Fearing legal consequences, Bowie Kuhn gives access to female reporters to enter major league locker rooms. The commissioner’s unpopular ruling puts the players in an awkward position in their once all-male domain.

1994- Phillies first baseman/outfielder John Kruk is diagnosed with testicular cancer. After surgery, doctors expect a full recovery. 1961 The Yankees announce the team will be leaving its spring training home in St. Petersburg to move to Fort Lauderdale by 1963. The Yankee owners also encourage new yet unnamed National League New York franchise to play its home games at the Polo Grounds and not to consider Yankee Stadium.

1995- With a vote of 28-0, the major league owners admit two new teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The teams will be assigned leagues in January of 1997.

2005- Current and former big leaguers players as well as baseball executives are issued subpoenas to appear on March 17 by the House Committee on Government Reform. The eleven ‘invitees’ to the congressional hearing on steroid use include Sandy Alderson, Jose Canseco, Donald Fehr, Jason Giambi, Rob Manfred, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa and Frank Thomas and Kevin Towers.

2006- At Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan a “Down with Fidel,” sign, seen by millions of television viewers — including those watching the WBC contest in Cuba, creates an international incident. A Cuban official attending the game confront the male sign-holder, but Puerto Rican police quickly intercede take Angel Iglesias to a nearby police station where the vice president of Cuba’s National Institute of Sports is reminded that Puerto Ricans enjoy the right to freedom of speech.

2009 -Alex Rodriguez undergoes an 80-minute arthroscopic surgical procedure to repair torn cartilage in his right hip. The Yankees third baseman, who will need a more extensive operation in the offseason, expects to return to the lineup in May.

March 7

1903-The Giants trade last season’s part-time manager Heinie Smith to Detroit for second baseman Kid Gleason. Gleason is immediately sent to the Phillies.

1923-Commissioner Landis turns down the American Legion requests to discontinue major league morning games on Memorial Day.

1924-At the age of 48, Reds’ manager Pat Moran dies of Bright’s disease at spring training.

1955-Commissioner Ford Frick announces he favors the legalization of the spitter.

1956- Still seeking workman’s compensation coverage, the players accept the owners’ position on the World Series television deal and the proposed minimum salary structure.

1995- The Veterans Committee selects former players Richie Ashburn‚ Vic Willis‚ and Leon Day, and past president of the National League, William Hulbert, for induction to the Hall of Fame. Day, a Negro League right hander, who played in Baltimore with the Black Sox and the Elite Giants and with the Brooklyn and Newark Eagles, will be dead of a heart attack in less than a week after hearing the good news.

2001- Bud Selig upholds the January 14 Blue Jay and White Sox trade which sent Toronto pitchers David Wells and Matt DeWitt to the White Sox in exchange for pitchers Mike Sirotka, Kevin Beirne and Mike Williams and outfielder Brian Simmons. Although, upon further medical examinations, Mike Sirotka was determined to be ‘damaged goods’ prior to the deal, the commissioner used a ‘buyers beware’ policy stating the individual club must take responsibility for the information originally used in making the transaction.

2006- In their World Baseball Classic debut, Team USA blanks Mexico, 2-0. Home runs by Derrek Lee and Chipper Jones along with Jake Peavy and bevy of relievers combining to throw a four-hitter proves to be the difference as the United States defeat their neighbors from south of the border.

2008- With a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning off reliever Colter Bean, Danny Sandoval spoils the Braves bid for a spring training combined no-hitter. Atlanta uses seven hurlers beating the Indians at Winter Haven 4-1.

2008- The Cape Cod Times reports MLB has threaten to withhold their annual grant from from Cape League if the six teams in the 10-team circuit sharing nicknames with big league, such as the Chatham Athletics, do not purchase all future uniforms and souvenir merchandise from licensed vendors, a more expensive option. The deadline has been extended until March 21, to give league officials more time to resolve the issue.

By Justin Cousineau
In Play Magazine

Spring training is underway and its time for everyone to breakdown the players. Everyone would like to think they know what’s best for their favorite teams lineup but when reality hits it’s what the manager says goes.

When you look at a player like Alfonso Soriano you think lead off hitter for the Chicago Cubs. This may have been the case in the past but manager Lou Pinella had change on his mind while is lead off hitter was batting a rough .241 avg last season.

Last season Pinella put Soriano in the sixth spot and that will be his home for the 2010 season as well.

With the Tigers lacking from production from certain individuals last season like the Cubs were I’m curious to see how Jim Leyland will fill his batters card.

Curtis Granderson is gone which leaves the lead off spot open but could already be filled with Austin Jackson. I can’t argue with the decision for spring training, but at the same time I won’t agree with it. It’s easy for us to wait for failure and say, “I knew he shouldn’t have been there.” Or if Jackson starts batting consistent and for average we’ll say, “I knew he was the guy.”

I’d like to see Johnny Damon fill that spot with his ability to hit home runs, doubles and steal bases. He’s a consistent player on both sides of the ball and a fan favorite where ever he goes. That being said Jackson could learn a lot from Damon and help use his youthfulness to get on base and let MagglioOrdonez and Miguel Cabrera do their job.

When looking at the first five players on the Tiger roster the top half of the lineup can do really well as long as everyone plays their role and stays healthy.

This picture is a very accurate portrayal of the Detroit Tigers offense. This was the final out in the 11-1 loss against the Cleveland Indians on Sunday. Maybe the homestand will get them going again. Regardless, the Detroit Tigers have to start hitting or they can kiss first-place good-bye!

Photo by the Associated Press

If any player deserved to be an All-Star this year, that player was Brandon Inge. He’s clutch for the Tigers this season and along with Miguel Cabrera has led the Tigers offense. He leads the Tigers in homeruns and RBIs all while playing on a sore knee. His defense at third base has been as great as always. I made sure to cast a few votes his direction…

“We’re thrilled Brandon has been voted to join his teammates to represent the Detroit Tigers at the All-Star Game,” said Detroit Tigers President, CEO and General Manager David Dombrowski. “It’s a tremendous honor to have such an opportunity. We especially want to thank all Tigers fans for their passionate support in the voting process.”

Here’s to a healthy knee and a solid second half for Brandon Inge and the Tigers!

Read Brandon Inge: Winner of Final Vote, Winner of Life! at Bless You Boys

The Detroit Tigers announced today that they have extended manager Jim Leyland’s contract 2-years to 2011. With the start they have had to 2009 it was only a matter of time before this was going to be done. I’m amazed more every day when I look at the production from the offense and the bottom half of the rotation that they are still in first place, and the manager deserves some credit. Now if he can only figure out how to get Maggs going and find a starting pitcher (maybe Miner?) to replace Dontrelle “Ball 4″ Willis, then I’ll be feeling alot better.

Read Tigers give Leyland two-year extension at MLB.com