News
Trammell excited to go back to Detroit
Chicago (34-32) at Detroit (38-31), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
06/22/09 10:44 PM ET
ATLANTA -- Alan Trammell had planned on getting in a car Sunday and driving to Detroit after the Cubs' game but a makeup game Monday in Atlanta changed those plans. Instead, he'll arrive late Monday, and try to see as many of his Detroit buddies as he can during the Cubs' Interleague series. |
Now the bench coach for the Cubs, Trammell played his entire career with the Tigers, from 1977-96. He also managed the club from 2003-05. There's talk about a 25th anniversary reunion for the 1984 Tigers team on Sept. 28. It's an off-day for Trammell and the Cubs, but they'll be returning from a long trip. He's not sure he can go. That makes these three days this week something to cherish.
"It'll always be special," Trammell said of Detroit. "It's almost been three years since I've been back. It'll never change -- the way people treated me throughout my career there, I don't know how to thank them. I know I'll always be known as a Tiger, as I should, and I love it." Staying with one team was important to Trammell. He has a World Series ring from 1984 -- he batted .314 that season -- and lots of good memories. The Cubs have some bad memories regarding the Tigers, who beat Chicago, 4-3, in the 1945 World Series. That was the Cubs' last trip to the championship. It was a little payback for the Tigers, who lost to the Cubs in the 1907 and 1908 World Series. These two teams have met as recently as 2006, and Detroit has an 8-3 record in Interleague Play against the Cubs. They'll be playing at Comerica Park, not Tiger Stadium. There isn't much left of the ballpark that Trammell called home for so many seasons. "The state and the city of Detroit have been hit hard and haven't been able to put any money into it," Trammell said. The grass gets mowed once a week, maybe. They spray the weeds. Some of the walls have been torn down. Trammell has seen pictures, and it's sad. He remembers Kirk Gibson hitting a home run out of Tiger Stadium and onto a lumber company. The stadium used to be enclosed but now, because of the demolition, you can see the outside. "When people ask me about Tiger Stadium, it was inevitable this would happen but the one thing they can never take was the memories," Trammell said. "I can see Lou [Whitaker], I can visualize the upper deck, the dugout. Hopefully, I can do that for a lot longer. That's very clear and very special." Pitching matchupCHC: RHP Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.44 ERA)
Zambrano recorded his eighth quality start in his last outing against the White Sox. He gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings, walking three. However, he did give up his first home run since April 17, snapping a homerless streak of 51 2/3 innings. Big Z is 1-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts since he was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list. He has never faced Detroit. DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.39 ERA)
Jackson gave up three runs in six innings in his last start in St. Louis but was really only hurt by three bad pitches. He gave up a solo home run to Yadier Molina and two RBI hits by rookie Colby Rasmus but pitched well enough to win the game. He fell victim, though, to the Tigers' seventh straight game of scoring three runs or fewer. He continues to hold the Tigers' team lead in innings pitched and ERA over ace Justin Verlander. Tidbits
Aramis Ramirez is expected to take batting practice when the Cubs travel to Detroit. If all goes well, manager Lou Piniella expects Ramirez to begin a rehab assignment soon. ... Outfielder Reed Johnson sat out Monday's game in Atlanta due to back spasms. Piniella said that Johnson's back stiffened up on the flight to Atlanta. ... The start time for the Cubs' July 6 game against the Braves at Wrigley Field has been moved from 7:05 p.m. CT to 6:05 p.m. The game has been picked up by ESPN. Tickets
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• Wednesday: Cubs (Rich Harden, 4-3, 5.27) at Tigers (Rick Porcello, 8-4, 3.54), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Thursday: Cubs (Ted Lilly, 7-4, 3.04) at Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 3-7, 5.62), 12:05 p.m. CT
• Friday: Cubs (Randy Wells, 1-3, 2.57) at White Sox (Jose Contreras, 2-6, 5.23), 3:05 p.m. CT
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. Adam Rosenberg contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
