http://tomferda.com Sportswriter Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:48:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/tiger-historys-most-bizarre-moment/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/tiger-historys-most-bizarre-moment/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:18:31 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=532 On August 19, 1951, the Detroit Tigers played the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis in a game that many believe provided one of the most bizarre moments in MLB history. During the second game of a double-header, Brown’s owner Bill Veeck inserted Chicago-born Eddie Gaedel into the line-up to pinch hit. Unusual? In [...]]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/tiger-historys-most-bizarre-moment/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/nba/top-10-reasons-to-want-to-be-traded-to-the-pistons/ http://tomferda.com/nba/top-10-reasons-to-want-to-be-traded-to-the-pistons/#comments Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:47:02 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=371 HUMOR--The Top 10 Reasons Players Want To Be Traded To The Detroit Pistons . . . 10. You know ahead of time you can plan family vacations just before the Finals. 9. You will never have the most technical fouls on the team. 8. You get to hang out at a Palace with a guy named Prince. 7. Great chance of attending a . . . ]]> http://tomferda.com/nba/top-10-reasons-to-want-to-be-traded-to-the-pistons/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:08:46 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=101 Previously published in Baseball Digest Daily. DETROIT - This year, star MLB players are learning there are no guaranteed positions on the rosters. Despite receiving enormous salaries and long-term contracts, All-Star players and fan favorites are being forced to trade chartered flights to MLB cities for trips to away games on a bus. Dontrelle Willis (29 million over three years) discovered that in June when the Detroit Tigers sent the All-Star left-handed pitcher to their Single A affiliate in Lakeland. Willis was given that assignment after posting an 0-1 record with the Tigers over four starts, lasting a total of 11.1 innings. He experienced severe control problems in those games, walking 21 (almost two per inning average) and posting an ERA of 10.32.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/detroit-tigers/demoted-francoeur-joins-dontrelle-willis/feed/ 0 http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/ http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/#comments Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:24:35 +0000 Tom Ferda http://tomferda.com/?p=79 Previously published in The Detroit Free Press and Baseball Digest Daily on May 28, 2008. ATLANTA - The last time Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox said, "This kid can pitch, he'll be around here for a while." he wasn't kidding. The year was 1988, Cox was the GM for the Braves and the "kid" he was referring to was John Smoltz, a young, hard-throwing pitcher who had just been obtained in a trade with the Tigers. Since then, Smoltz, who still pitches for the Braves, has blossomed into a sure Hall of Famer, posting 210 wins, 154 saves and over 3,000 strike outs. In May, 2008 as manager of the Braves, Cox made a similar statement, "This kid can pitch, he's gonna' be a good one". This time the "kid" Cox is referring to is another acquisition from the Tigers.]]> http://tomferda.com/mlb/atlanta-braves-mlb/jair-jurrjens-making-early-run-for-rookie-of-the-year/feed/ 0