1998_Detroit_Tigers_season
1998 Detroit Tigers season
Major League Baseball team season
The 1998 Detroit Tigers finished in fifth place in their first season in the American League Central with a record of 65–97 (.401), 24 games behind the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers were outscored by their opponents 863 to 722. The Tigers drew 1,409,391 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1998, ranking 11th of the 14 teams in the American League.
Quick Facts Detroit Tigers, League ...
| 1998 Detroit Tigers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | American League | |||
| Division | Central | |||
| Ballpark | Tiger Stadium | |||
| City | Detroit, Michigan | |||
| Owners | Mike Ilitch | |||
| General managers | Randy Smith | |||
| Managers | Buddy Bell, Larry Parrish | |||
| Television | WKBD (Ernie Harwell, Al Kaline) FSN Detroit (Kirk Gibson, Josh Lewin) | |||
| Radio | WJR (Frank Beckmann, Lary Sorensen, Jim Price) | |||
| ||||
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The Tigers missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season, tying a record set between 1973–83. It was also the team's fifth consecutive losing season. Both streaks would last until 2006.
- November 11, 1997: Melvin Nieves was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Cincinnati Reds for Paul Bako and Donne Wall.[1]
- November 18, 1997: Travis Fryman was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Gabe Alvarez, Joe Randa, and Matt Drews (minors).[2]
- December 16, 1997: Billy Ripken was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.[3]
- December 22, 1997: Joe Oliver was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.[4]
- March 25, 1998: Doug Bochtler was purchased by the Detroit Tigers from the Oakland Athletics.[5]
Season standings
More information W, L ...
| AL Central | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Indians | 89 | 73 | 0.549 | — | 46–35 | 43–38 |
| Chicago White Sox | 80 | 82 | 0.494 | 9 | 44–37 | 36–45 |
| Kansas City Royals | 72 | 89 | 0.447 | 16½ | 29–51 | 43–38 |
| Minnesota Twins | 70 | 92 | 0.432 | 19 | 35–46 | 35–46 |
| Detroit Tigers | 65 | 97 | 0.401 | 24 | 32–49 | 33–48 |
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Record vs. opponents
More information Team, ANA ...
Sources: | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ANA | BAL | BOS | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TB | TEX | TOR | NL |
| Anaheim | — | 5–6 | 6–5 | 5–6 | 4–7 | 8–3 | 6–5 | 6–5 | 6–5 | 5–7 | 9–3 | 6–5 | 5–7 | 4–7 | 10–6 |
| Baltimore | 6–5 | — | 6–6 | 2–9 | 5–6 | 10–1 | 5–6 | 7–3 | 3–9 | 8–3 | 6–5 | 5–7 | 6–5 | 5–7 | 5–11 |
| Boston | 5–6 | 6–6 | — | 5–6 | 8–3 | 5–5 | 8–3 | 5–6 | 5–7 | 9–2 | 7–4 | 9–3 | 6–5 | 5–7 | 9–7 |
| Chicago | 6–5 | 9–2 | 6–5 | — | 6–6 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 4–7 | 4–7 | 4–7 | 5–6 | 5–6 | 4–6–1 | 7–9 |
| Cleveland | 7–4 | 6–5 | 3–8 | 6–6 | — | 9–3 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 4–7 | 3–8 | 9–2 | 7–3 | 4–7 | 7–4 | 10–6 |
| Detroit | 3–8 | 1–10 | 5–5 | 6–6 | 3–9 | — | 6–6 | 8–4 | 3–8 | 7–4 | 3–8 | 5–6 | 3–8 | 5–6 | 7–9 |
| Kansas City | 5–6 | 6–5 | 3–8 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 6–6 | — | 7–5 | 0–10 | 7–4 | 4–6 | 8–3 | 3–8 | 6–5 | 9–7 |
| Minnesota | 5–6 | 3–7 | 6–5 | 6–6 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 5–7 | — | 4–7 | 4–7 | 2–9 | 7–4 | 7–4 | 4–7 | 7–9 |
| New York | 5–6 | 9–3 | 7–5 | 7–4 | 7–4 | 8–3 | 10–0 | 7–4 | — | 8–3 | 8–3 | 11–1 | 8–3 | 6–6 | 13–3 |
| Oakland | 7–5 | 3–8 | 2–9 | 7–4 | 8–3 | 4–7 | 4–7 | 7–4 | 3–8 | — | 5–7 | 5–6 | 6–6 | 5–6 | 8–8 |
| Seattle | 3–9 | 5–6 | 4–7 | 7–4 | 2–9 | 8–3 | 6–4 | 9–2 | 3–8 | 7–5 | — | 6–5 | 5–7 | 4–7 | 7–9 |
| Tampa Bay | 5–6 | 7–5 | 3–9 | 6–5 | 3–7 | 6–5 | 3–8 | 4–7 | 1–11 | 6–5 | 5–6 | — | 4–7 | 5–7 | 5–11 |
| Texas | 7–5 | 5–6 | 5–6 | 6–5 | 7–4 | 8–3 | 8–3 | 4–7 | 3–8 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 7–4 | — | 7–4 | 8–8 |
| Toronto | 7–4 | 7–5 | 7–5 | 6–4–1 | 4–7 | 6–5 | 5–6 | 7–4 | 6–6 | 6–5 | 7–4 | 7–5 | 4–7 | — | 9–7 |
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Transactions
Roster
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
More information Player, G ...
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Higginson | 157 | 612 | 174 | .284 | 25 | 85 |
| Tony Clark | 157 | 602 | 175 | .291 | 34 | 103 |
| Brian L. Hunter | 142 | 595 | 151 | .254 | 4 | 36 |
| Damion Easley | 153 | 594 | 161 | .271 | 27 | 100 |
| Joe Randa | 138 | 560 | 117 | .254 | 9 | 50 |
| Luis Gonzalez | 154 | 547 | 146 | .267 | 23 | 71 |
| Deivi Cruz | 135 | 518 | 118 | .260 | 5 | 45 |
| Paul Bako | 96 | 305 | 83 | .272 | 3 | 30 |
| Gabe Alvarez | 58 | 286 | 46 | .231 | 5 | 29 |
| Frank Catalanotto | 89 | 213 | 60 | .282 | 6 | 25 |
| Gerónimo Berroa | 52 | 126 | 30 | .238 | 1 | 10 |
| Juan Encarnación | 40 | 164 | 54 | .329 | 7 | 21 |
| Joe Oliver | 50 | 155 | 35 | .226 | 4 | 22 |
| Bip Roberts | 34 | 113 | 28 | .248 | 0 | 9 |
| Kimera Bartee | 57 | 98 | 19 | .194 | 3 | 15 |
| Billy Ripken | 27 | 74 | 20 | .270 | 0 | 5 |
| Andy Tomberlin | 32 | 69 | 15 | .217 | 2 | 12 |
| Joe Siddall | 29 | 65 | 12 | .185 | 1 | 6 |
| Trey Beamon | 28 | 42 | 11 | .262 | 0 | 2 |
| Raul Casanova | 16 | 42 | 6 | .143 | 1 | 3 |
| Jeff Manto | 16 | 30 | 8 | .267 | 1 | 3 |
| Gabe Kapler | 7 | 25 | 5 | .200 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Wood | 10 | 23 | 8 | .348 | 1 | 1 |
| Robert Fick | 7 | 22 | 8 | .364 | 3 | 7 |
| Pete Incaviglia | 7 | 14 | 1 | .071 | 0 | 0 |
| Pitcher Totals | 162 | 21 | 3 | .143 | 0 | 1 |
| Team Totals | 162 | 5664 | 1494 | .264 | 165 | 691 |
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Note: Individual pitchers' batting statistics not included
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
More information Player, G ...
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Thompson | 34 | 222.0 | 11 | 15 | 4.05 | 149 |
| Seth Greisinger | 33 | 221.1 | 14 | 13 | 3.90 | 123 |
| Brian Moehler | 21 | 130.0 | 6 | 9 | 5.12 | 66 |
| Frank Castillo | 27 | 116.0 | 3 | 9 | 6.83 | 81 |
| Brian Powell | 18 | 83.2 | 3 | 8 | 6.35 | 46 |
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Relief and other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
More information Player, G ...
| Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Florie | 42 | 133.0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 4.80 | 97 |
| Doug Bochtler | 51 | 67.1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6.15 | 45 |
| Todd Jones | 65 | 63.1 | 1 | 4 | 28 | 4.97 | 57 |
| Doug Brocail | 60 | 62.2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2.73 | 55 |
| Tim Worrell | 15 | 61.2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5.98 | 47 |
| A. J. Sager | 31 | 59.1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6.52 | 23 |
| Sean Runyan | 88 | 50.1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3.58 | 39 |
| Dean Crow | 32 | 45.2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3.94 | 18 |
| Matt Anderson | 42 | 44.0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3.27 | 44 |
| Greg Keagle | 9 | 31.2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5.59 | 25 |
| Roberto Durán | 18 | 15.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.87 | 12 |
| Denny Harriger | 4 | 12.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6.75 | 3 |
| Scott Sanders | 3 | 9.2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17.69 | 6 |
| Marino Santana | 7 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.68 | 10 |
| Will Brunson | 8 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |
| Team Pitching Totals | 162 | 1446.1 | 65 | 97 | 32 | 4.93 | 947 |
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See also: Minor League Baseball
More information Level, Team ...
| Level | Team | League | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Toledo Mud Hens | International League | Gene Roof |
| AA | Jacksonville Suns | Southern League | Dave Anderson |
| A | Lakeland Tigers | Florida State League | Mark Meleski |
| A | West Michigan Whitecaps | Midwest League | Bruce Fields |
| A-Short Season | Jamestown Jammers | New York–Penn League | Tim Torricelli |
| Rookie | GCL Tigers | Gulf Coast League | Kevin Bradshaw |
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LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: West Michigan[6]
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
