MichMash wrote: ↑Mon Sep 19, 2022 5:34 pm
Here's what I remember about the '72 ALCS, which I always thought was not a highlight in Billy Martin's managerial career:
- I couldn't understand Martin's love for Duke Sims, who was an August waiver-wire pickup for the Tigers that year. Sims started in all three losses (at catcher ahead of Bill Freehan in Games 1-2 in Oakland, and in LF in game 5), and also started game 4 in LF but was lifted in the 8th inning (the Tigers came back to win that game in extra innings). Sims was the definition of a journeyman player but I couldn't see why Martin started him at catcher over perennial All-Star Freehan (unless Freehan was hurt; don't recall ever hearing if that was the case), and then Martin started Sims in left field ahead of Willie Horton in games 4-5.
- I couldn't understand why Joe Coleman only had one start in the series. Coleman dominated the A's 3-0 in game 3, but it was his only appearance (and his only career postseason game); Lolich (0-1 and a no-decision) and Woodie Fryman (0-2) started the other four games.
My parents were at the game against the Red Sox when the Tigers clinched the AL East title. Took them a long time to get home from downtown that night. My dad talked about watching the idiots sitting in the upper deck behind home plate who decided to shinny down the foul screen to join the on-field celebration when the game ended.
With Joe Coleman, he pitched the middle game of the five-game series, on 10/10, followed by starts by Lolich on 10/11 and Fryman on 10/12. It's fair to wonder why they didn't start Coleman after Lolich, but apparently Fryman was inserted into the pitching rotation between those two after he was acquired in August (
https://www.baseball-reference.com/team ... ores.shtml)
This might help explain why Martin used Duke Sims so much. These are from the archives of the
Detroit Free Press on Newspapers.com.
Detroit Free Press
Detroit, Michigan
08 Oct 1972, Sun
When Bill Freehan fractured his finger in Boston on Sept. 27, it was Billy Martin who felt the most pain. He thought it might cost his team the chance to win it all. But all that Martin had to fear was fear itself. The Duker the happy, carefree Duke Sims was ready to step in and play the best ball of his life.
Detroit Free Press
Detroit, Michigan
13 Oct 1972, Fri
(Game story after Game 5 loss that ended series)
They lost because Duke Sims playing left-field for the second day in a row, but only the second time this season took a little too long getting rid of the ball on Tenace's single. You'll have to excuse the Tigers if they scarcely seemed convinced. Martin refused to second-guess any of his players. He defended Sims in left field, saying "nobody on our team has got a stronger arm than Duke Sims nobody who can play left-field." But Billy wouldn't say whether he thought Sims had wound up before releasing the throw that failed to beat Hendrick to home plate in the fourth.
All along the icy wastes, there are faces smiling in the gloom.