1977 Detroit Tigers season

{{Infobox baseball team season

| name = Detroit Tigers

| season = 1977

| misc =

| league = American League

| division = East

| ballpark = Tiger Stadium

| city = Detroit, Michigan

| owners = John Fetzer

| general_managers = Jim Campbell

| managers = Ralph Houk

| television = WWJ-TV
(George Kell, Larry Osterman, Joe Pellegrino, Al Kaline)

| radio = WJR
(Ernie Harwell, Paul Carey)

|}}

The 1977 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 77th season and the 66th season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers finished in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 74–88, 26 games behind the New York Yankees. They were outscored by their opponents 751 to 714. The Tigers drew 1,359,856 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1977, ranking 7th of the 14 teams in the American League.

Offseason

February 23, 1977: Tito Fuentes was signed as a free agent by the Tigers.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fuentti01.shtml Tito Fuentes page at Baseball Reference]

Regular season

With 212 hits, 100 runs scored, and a .325 batting average, center fielder Ron LeFlore was the team's most valuable player, and the recipient of the "Tiger of the Year" award. First baseman Jason Thompson led the team with 31 home runs and 105 RBIs, and second baseman Tito Fuentes was the team's only other .300 hitter, with a .309 batting average and 190 hits. Designated hitter Rusty Staub also had a .278 batting average, 173 hits, 22 home runs, and 101 RBIs. Rookie Steve Kemp (the first pick in the 1976 amateur draft) hit .257 with 18 home runs and 88 RBIs.

The rookie sensation of 1976, Mark Fidrych pitched in 1977 (2.89 ERA), but tendinitis limited "The Bird" to 11 games. The pitching star of 1977 for Detroit was rookie Dave Rozema who went 15–7 with a 3.09 ERA and finished eighth in the American League Cy Young Award voting.

1977 also saw the debut of Steve Kemp (debut April 7, 1977), Dave Rozema (debut April 11, 1977), Jack Morris (debut July 26, 1977), Lance Parrish (debut September 5, 1977), Alan Trammell (debut September 9, 1977), and Lou Whitaker (debut September 9, 1977).

= Season standings =

= Record vs. opponents =

= Notable transactions =

April 12, 1977: Willie Horton was traded by the Tigers to the Texas Rangers for Steve Foucault.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hortowi01.shtml Willie Horton page at Baseball Reference]

= Roster =

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"
colspan="10" style="background-color: #003366; color: white; text-align: center;" \| 1977 Detroit Tigers
colspan="10" style="background-color: #bd5d29; color: white; text-align: center;" \| Roster
valign="top" \| Pitchers {{MLBplayer\|36\|Fernando Arroyo}} {{MLBplayer\|21\|Ray Bare}} {{MLBplayer\|28\|Jim Crawford}} {{MLBplayer\|20\|Mark Fidrych}} {{MLBplayer\|29\|Steve Foucault}} {{MLBplayer\|48\|Ed Glynn}} {{MLBplayer\|49\|Steve Grilli}} {{MLBplayer\|18\|John Hiller}} {{MLBplayer\|47\|Jack Morris}} {{MLBplayer\|17\|Dave Roberts}} {{MLBplayer\|19\|Dave Rozema}} {{MLBplayer\|31\|Vern Ruhle}} {{MLBplayer\|27\|Bob Sykes}} {{MLBplayer\|32\|Bruce Taylor}} {{MLBplayer\|39\|Milt Wilcox}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Catchers {{MLBplayer\|11\|Bruce Kimm}} {{MLBplayer\|12\|Milt May}} {{MLBplayer\|13\|Lance Parrish}} {{MLBplayer\|14\|John Wockenfuss}} Infielders {{MLBplayer\|40\|Bob Adams}} {{MLBplayer\|15\|Luis Alvarado}} {{MLBplayer\|44\|Tito Fuentes}} {{MLBplayer\| 2\|Phil Mankowski}} {{MLBplayer\| 4\|Aurelio Rodríguez}} {{MLBplayer\| 9\|Chuck Scrivener}} {{MLBplayer\|30\|Jason Thompson}} {{MLBplayer\|42\|Alan Trammell}} {{MLBplayer\| 7\|Tom Veryzer}} {{MLBplayer\| 5\|Mark Wagner}} {{MLBplayer\|43\|Lou Whitaker}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Outfielders {{MLBplayer\|25\|Tim Corcoran}} {{MLBplayer\|23\|Willie Horton}} {{MLBplayer\|33\|Steve Kemp}} {{MLBplayer\| 8\|Ron LeFlore}} {{MLBplayer\|22\|Ben Oglivie}} {{MLBplayer\|24\|Mickey Stanley}} Other batters {{MLBplayer\|34\|Bob Molinaro}} {{MLBplayer\|10\|Rusty Staub}} \| width="25px" \| \| valign="top" \| Manager {{MLBplayer\|35\|Ralph Houk}} Coaches {{MLBplayer\|52\|Fred Gladding}} {{MLBplayer\|51\|Fred Hatfield}} {{MLBplayer\|50\|Jim Hegan}} {{MLBplayer\|53\|Dick Tracewski}}

class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%;"

colspan="10" style="background-color: #003366; color: white; text-align: center;" | 1977 Detroit Tigers

colspan="10" style="background-color: #bd5d29; color: white; text-align: center;" | Roster

valign="top" | Pitchers

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Catchers

Infielders

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Outfielders

Other batters

| width="25px" |

| valign="top" | Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Batting =

== Starters by position ==

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" \| Pos ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| RBI
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| C	{{sortname\|Milt\|May}}	115	397	99	.249	12	46
align="center" \| 1B	{{sortname\|Jason\|Thompson\|Jason Thompson (first baseman, born 1954)}}	158	585	158	.270	31	105
align="center" \| 2B	{{sortname\|Tito\|Fuentes}}	151	615	190	.309	5	51
align="center" \| 3B	{{sortname\|Aurelio\|Rodríguez}}	96	306	67	.219	10	32
align="center" \| SS	{{sortname\|Tom\|Veryzer}}	125	350	69	.197	2	28
align="center" \| CF	{{sortname\|Ron\|LeFlore}}	154	652	212	.325	16	57
align="center" \| LF	{{sortname\|Steve\|Kemp}}	151	552	142	.257	18	88
align="center" \| RF	{{sortname\|Ben\|Oglivie}}	132	450	118	.262	21	61
align="center" \| DH	{{sortname\|Rusty\|Staub}}	158	623	173	.278	22	101

== Other batters ==

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| AB ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| H ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| Avg. ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| HR ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| RBI
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Phil\|Mankowski}}	94	286	79	.276	3	27
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Mickey\|Stanley}}	75	222	51	.230	8	23
align="center" \| {{sortname\|John\|Wockenfuss}}	53	164	45	.274	9	25
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Tim\|Corcoran\|Tim Corcoran (first baseman)}}	55	103	29	.282	3	15
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Chuck\|Scrivener}}	61	72	6	.083	0	2
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Mark\|Wagner\|Mark Wagner (shortstop)}}	22	48	7	.146	1	3
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Lance\|Parrish}}	12	46	9	.196	3	7
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Alan\|Trammell}}	19	43	8	.186	0	0
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Lou\|Whitaker}}	11	32	8	.250	0	2
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bruce\|Kimm}}	14	25	2	.080	0	1
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bob\|Adams\|Bob Adams (first baseman)}}	15	24	6	.250	2	2
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Willie\|Horton\|Willie Horton (baseball)}}	1	4	1	.250	0	0
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bob\|Molinaro}}	4	4	1	.250	0	0
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Luis\|Alvarado}}	2	1	0	.000	0	0

= Pitching =

== Starting pitchers ==

Note: G = Games; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Dave\|Rozema}}	28	218.1	15	7	3.09	92
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Fernando\|Arroyo}}	38	209.1	8	18	4.17	60
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Dave\|Roberts\|Dave Roberts (pitcher)}}	22	129.1	4	10	5.15	46
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Mark\|Fidrych}}	11	81.0	6	4	2.89	42
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Vern\|Ruhle}}	14	66.1	3	5	5.70	27
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Jack\|Morris}}	7	45.2	1	1	3.74	28
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Ray\|Bare}}	5	14.1	0	2	12.56	4

== Other pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| IP ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bob\|Sykes\|Bob Sykes (baseball)}}	32	132.2	5	7	4.41	58
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Jim\|Crawford\|Jim Crawford (baseball)}}	37	126.0	7	8	4.79	91
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Milt\|Wilcox}}	20	106.1	6	2	3.64	82
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Ed\|Glynn}}	8	27.1	2	1	5.27	13

== Relief pitchers ==

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; GF = Games finished; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" \| Player ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| G ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| W ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| L ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SV ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| GF ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| ERA ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" \| SO
class="wikitable sortable"
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Steve\|Foucault}}	44	7	7	13	34	3.15	58
align="center" \| {{sortname\|John\|Hiller}}	45	8	14	7	27	3.56	115
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Steve\|Grilli}}	30	1	2	0	13	4.83	49
align="center" \| {{sortname\|Bruce\|Taylor\|Bruce Taylor (baseball)}}	19	1	0	2	12	3.38	19

Awards and honors

= Award winners =

Ron LeFlore

Tiger of the Year Award from the Detroit baseball writers
Finished 20th in AL MVP voting

Dave Rozema

Finished 8th in the AL Cy Young Award voting

Jason Thompson

Finished 21st in AL MVP voting

== All-Stars ==

Jason Thompson, reserve

= League top ten finishers =

Fernando Arroyo

#4 in AL in losses (18)

Mark Fidrych

AL All Star Team, pitcher

Tito Fuentes

AL leader in innings played at second base (1327)
AL leader in putouts at second base (379)
AL leader in double plays at second base (115)
AL leader in errors at second base (26)
AL leader in complete games at second base (144)
#2 in AL in singles (156)
#8 in AL in hits (190)
#8 in AL in triples (10)
#9 in AL in sacrifice hits (13)

Steve Kemp

AL leader in games in left field (148)
AL leader in complete games in left field (146)
AL leader in innings played in left field (1316)

Ron LeFlore

AL leader in assists by a center fielder (12)
#2 in AL in hits (212)
#2 in AL in singles (156)
#2 in AL in at bats (652)
#2 in AL in singles (156)
#2 in AL in times caught stealing (19)
#4 in AL in plate appearances (698)
#4 in AL in strikeouts (121) (tied with Tito Fuentes)
#5 in AL in batting average (.325)
#5 in AL in stolen bases (39)
#5 in AL in total bases (310)
#6 in AL in Power/Speed Number (22.7)
#8 in AL in triples (10)
#8 in AL in times on base (253)
#9 in AL in runs scored (100)
#9 in AL in outs (475)
#10 in AL in runs created (110)

Dave Rozema

AL leader in bases on balls per 9 innings pitched (1.40)
#5 in AL in Adjusted ERA+ (138)
#6 in AL in strikeout to walk ratio (2.71)
#7 in AL in ERA (3.09)
#8 in AL in complete games (16)
#9 in AL in win percentage (.682)

Rusty Staub

#1 in AL in times grounded into double plays (27)
#2 in AL in outs (490)
#3 in AL in sacrifice flies (10)
#5 in AL in plate appearances (695)
#7 in AL in at bats per strikeout (13.3)
#8 in AL in doubles (34)

Jason Thompson

#6 in AL in home runs (31)
#6 in AL in sacrifice flies (9)
#8 in AL in RBIs (105)

Alan Trammell

Youngest player in the AL (19)

= Players ranking among top 100 all time at position =

The following members of the 1977 Detroit Tigers are among the Top 100 of all time at their position, as ranked by The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract in 2001:

Lance Parrish: 19th best catcher of all time (played 12 games as a rookie)
Lou Whitaker: 13th best second baseman of all time (played 11 games as a rookie)
Alan Trammell: 9th best shortstop of all time (played 19 games as a rookie)
Aurelio Rodríguez: 91st best third baseman of all time
Ron LeFlore: 80th best center fielder of all time
Ben Oglivie: 64th best left fielder of all time
Willie Horton: 55th best left fielder of all time (played one game for 1977 Tigers)

Farm system

{{MLB Farm System|level17=AAA|team17=Evansville Triplets|league17=American Association|manager17=Les Moss

|level18=AA |team18=Montgomery Rebels|league18=Southern League|manager18=Eddie Brinkman

|level19=A |team19=Lakeland Tigers|league19=Florida State League|manager19=Jim Leyland

|level20=Rookie|team20=Bristol Tigers|league20=Appalachian League|manager20=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lewis-004jos Joe Lewis]

}}

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Montgomery, Lakeland, Bristol

References

External links

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1977.shtml 1977 Detroit Tigers Regular Season Statistics at Baseball Reference]

Category:Detroit Tigers seasons

Detroit Tigers season

Detroit Tiger

Category:1977 in Detroit