Year of the Pitcher
|
1968 Detroit Tigers | | Home Field: Tiger Stadium |
World Champions | | Hit: #1 R; #4 BA |
W - 103 L - 59 | | Pitch: #1 OR, #3 ERA |
Manager: Mayo Smith | | Def: #1 FA |
In a season that was dominated by pitching and defense, it's appropriate that the league's MVP
was a dominating pitcher. Denny McLain posted 31 victories against just 6 defeats. By doing so,
he was the first man in over 30 years to reach the 30 victory plateau, and nobody has reached
that level since. In spite of McLain's brilliant season, it should be noted that Detroit's
march to the title involved a lot more than their star pitcher.
One season earlier, Mayo Smith became Detroit's manager and nearly pulled out the pennant before
being eliminated on the season's final day. They would not be denied in 1968. The Tigers won
103 games and captured the pennant by 12 games. Backing McLain on the mound was southpaw Mickey
Lolich who went 17-9. Earl Wilson, a year removed from a 22 win season, added 13 wins as a
solid #3 starter.
Despite hitting .235 as a team (it should be noted that the league's average was .230), this
was not a hitless wonder club. Willie Horton led the Tigers with 36 homers and a .285 average.
Catcher Bill Freehan and first sacker Norm Cash added 25 homers apiece, while right fielder Jim
Northrup led the squad with 90 RBIs. Setting the table was Dick McAuliffe, a scrappy second
baseman who led the loop with 95 runs scored. The club overcame a broken arm by star outfielder
Al Kaline, who missed half the season as a result of the injury.
Detroit faced St. Louis, the defending World Series champions, in the fall classic. The much
anticipated pitching showdown between McLain and Bob Gibson was one-sided. Gibson won both
matchups easily, and St. Louis's 10-1 triumph in Game 4 put the Cardinals one win away from
the title. Lolich came through with a win in the fifth game and Detroit's bats came alive with
a 10 run third in Game 6 to setup a one game showdown. This time it was Lolich who took the
hill against Gibson. He outdueled Gibson 4-1 to win his third start of the series and deliver
the World Championship to the Motor City.
1968 Champion Tigers
Pos |
Player |
Bats |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
BA |
   AL Rank |
C |
Bill Freehan |
R |
540 |
142 |
73 |
25 |
84 |
.263 |
   #5t HR |
1B |
Norm Cash |
L |
411 |
108 |
50 |
25 |
63 |
.263 |
   #5t HR |
2B |
Dick McAuliffe |
L |
570 |
142 |
95 |
16 |
56 |
.249 |
   #1 R |
SS |
Ray Oyler |
R |
215 |
29 |
13 |
1 |
12 |
.135 |
|
3B |
Don Wert |
R |
536 |
107 |
44 |
12 |
37 |
.200 |
|
LF |
Willie Horton |
R |
512 |
146 |
68 |
36 |
85 |
.285 |
   #4 BA, #2 HR, SA, #4t RBI |
CF-1B-SS |
Mickey Stanley |
R |
583 |
151 |
88 |
11 |
60 |
.259 |
|
RF |
Jim Northrup |
L |
580 |
153 |
76 |
21 |
90 |
.264 |
   #3 RBI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
Al Kaline |
R |
327 |
94 |
49 |
10 |
53 |
.287 |
|
SS-2B |
Tom Matchick |
L |
227 |
46 |
18 |
3 |
14 |
.203 |
|
SS-3B-2B |
Dick Tracewski |
R |
212 |
33 |
30 |
4 |
15 |
.156 |
|
C |
Jim Price |
R |
132 |
23 |
12 |
3 |
13 |
.174 |
|
OF |
Gates Brown |
L |
92 |
34 |
15 |
6 |
15 |
.370 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total: |
Team |
|
5490 |
1292 |
671 |
185 |
640 |
.235 |
   #1 R, #4 BA |
  |
League Average |
|
53709 |
12359 |
5532 |
1104 |
5126 |
.230 |
|
|
Pitcher |
Throw |
G |
IP |
W |
L |
ERA |
PCT |
   AL Rank |
  |
Denny McLain |
R |
41 |
336 |
31 |
6 |
1.96 |
.838 |
   #1 W, #2 K, #4 ERA |
  |
Mickey Lolich |
L |
39 |
220 |
17 |
9 |
3.19 |
.654 |
|
  |
Earl Wilson |
R |
34 |
224 |
13 |
12 |
2.85 |
.520 |
|
|
Joe Sparma |
R |
34 |
182 |
10 |
10 |
3.71 |
.500 |
|
|
John Hiller |
L |
39 |
128 |
9 |
6 |
2.39 |
.600 |
|
|
Pat Dobson |
R |
47 |
125 |
5 |
8 |
2.66 |
.385 |
|
|
Darryl Patterson |
R |
38 |
68 |
2 |
3 |
2.12 |
.400 |
|
|
Fred Lasher |
R |
34 |
49 |
5 |
1 |
3.33 |
.400 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total: |
Team |
|
|
|
103 |
59 |
2.71 |
|
   #1 OR, #3 ERA, #1 FA |
|
League Average |
|
|
|
|
|
2.98 |
|
|
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