Alan Trammell
Encyclopedia
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American
baseball
shortstop
of the Detroit Tigers
from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series
championship in and an American League East
division championship in . Although his arm was not overpowering, he had a quick release and made accurate throws. Trammell's defense perfectly complemented his double-play partner, Lou Whitaker. The two formed the longest continuous double-play combination in major league history, playing 19 seasons together. At the plate, Trammell was one of the best-hitting shortstops of his era and won three Silver Slugger awards. Trammell later served as Detroit's manager
from 2003 through 2005. He is currently the bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
, Trammell played his first game with teammate Lou Whitaker before the two infielders were promoted, making their major league debut at Fenway Park
together, during the second game of a double-header on September 9, 1977, the first of nineteen seasons together.
Trammell batted
.300 in as he made the All-Star
team for the first time. In 1983 he batted .319 with 14 home run
s, 66 runs batted in and 30 stolen base
s. He won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
in the American League
.
Trammell and Whitaker also made a cameo appearance on the television show Magnum, P.I.
starring Tom Selleck
during the season.
. In the 1984 American League Championship Series
against the Kansas City Royals
, Trammell hit .364 with one home run and three RBI. Finally, in the World Series
, he was 9-for-20 against the San Diego Padres
, including a pair of two-run home runs that accounted for all of Tigers' runs in a Game 4 victory. Detroit won the series 4–1 and Trammell was named World Series MVP
.
was the other and Curtis Granderson
has since joined the club). Trammell also set a career-high with 75 RBI.
In , asked by manager Sparky Anderson
to bat cleanup, Trammell responded with the best season of his career. In September, he batted .416 with six homers and 17 RBIs, putting together an 18-game hitting streak in which he hit a .457, helping his team to win the AL East
division by two games on the last day of the season. He became the first Tiger to collect 200 hits and 100 RBI in the same season since Al Kaline
did it in . In addition, Trammell appeared amongst the league leaders in most AL offensive categories: third in batting average (.343), tenth in RBI (105), third in hits (205), tied for fifth in runs (109), fourth in total bases
(329), fifth in on base percentage (.402), eighth in slugging average (.551), and tied for fifth in game-winning RBI (16). Despite his efforts, Trammell finished second to Toronto
's George Bell in the MVP voting (332–311). After the season finale, Whitaker gave him second base, with the inscription: To Alan Trammell, 1987 AL MVP. From, Lou Whitaker.
In his twenty year career, Trammell batted over .300 seven times ending with a career average of .285 and 185 home runs with 1,003 RBIs, 1231 runs, 2365 hits, 412 doubles
, 55 triples
, and 236 stolen bases in 2,293 games. After his retirement, Trammell coached for Detroit (1999), the San Diego Padres (2000–2002), and managed the Tigers (2003–2005). He currently coaches for the Arizona Diamondbacks
.
as of 2011. In his first ten years of eligibility, he has received the following percentage of votes: 15.7% (2002), 14.1% (2003), 13.8% (2004), 16.9% (2005), 17.7% (2006), 13.4% (2007), 18.2% (2008), 17.4% (2009), 22.4% (2010) and 24.3% (2011).
Trammell's name will appear on the ballot again in 2012. As long as he draws the support of at least 5% of the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America
in each election, he will remain eligible for the main ballot through the 2016 elections.
During the 2003 season, Detroit nearly matched the modern MLB record of 120 losses, set by the expansion New York Mets
(40–120) in 1962. The Tigers won five of their last six games to avoid the distinction.
On October 3, 2005, the Tigers released Trammell after three seasons in which the organization failed to post a winning record. Trammell was replaced by Jim Leyland
on October 4, 2005. Leyland led Detroit to a 24-game improvement in the regular season, an AL pennant and a World Series
appearance in 2006. While there was some media criticism regarding Trammell's managerial strategies and "nice" demeanor, others contend that he was a rookie manager put in charge of a team that was severely lacking in talent, and believe his managerial stint played an integral role in re-instilling professionalism and pride throughout the Detroit organization. Leyland himself attributed a degree of the success that the Tigers saw in the postseason to Trammell's efforts in the three years prior.
In October 2006, Trammell returned to Comerica Park for the first time since his firing to participate, along with Sparky Anderson, in pregame festivities prior to Game 2 of the World Series. Trammell was showered with a lengthy standing ovation from Detroit baseball fans upon taking the field.
After being replaced by Leyland, Trammell turned down an offer to stay with the Tigers as a special assistant, instead opting to sit out 2006. In October 2006, he agreed to join the Chicago Cubs
as a bench coach for the 2007 season, a possible precursor to an eventual return to managing a major league club.
During the four-game suspension of Lou Piniella
in 2007, Trammell was acting manager of the Chicago Cubs.
Trammell was passed over for the Cubs' managerial position when Lou Pinella retired midway through the 2010 season.
Trammell was named bench coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks in October 2010 joining his former teammate Kirk Gibson
who had earlier been named manager. Gibson had previously been Trammell's bench and hitting coach with the Tigers.
In 1998, Trammell was also inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions
into the Breitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/baseball/alan-trammell/
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championship in and an American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
division championship in . Although his arm was not overpowering, he had a quick release and made accurate throws. Trammell's defense perfectly complemented his double-play partner, Lou Whitaker. The two formed the longest continuous double-play combination in major league history, playing 19 seasons together. At the plate, Trammell was one of the best-hitting shortstops of his era and won three Silver Slugger awards. Trammell later served as Detroit's manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
from 2003 through 2005. He is currently the bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.
Early years
While playing for the Tigers' farm team in Montgomery of the Southern LeagueSouthern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, Trammell played his first game with teammate Lou Whitaker before the two infielders were promoted, making their major league debut at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
together, during the second game of a double-header on September 9, 1977, the first of nineteen seasons together.
Trammell batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.300 in as he made the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team for the first time. In 1983 he batted .319 with 14 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 66 runs batted in and 30 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. He won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
.
Trammell and Whitaker also made a cameo appearance on the television show Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network....
starring Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
during the season.
1984
Trammell, along with his Tiger teammates, enjoyed a championship-winning season in , when they started the season 35–5 and won the World Series. Despite a season-long battle with tendinitis in his shoulder which caused him to miss 23 regular season games, he finished fifth in AL batting race with .314 and ranked eighth in on base percentageOn base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. In the 1984 American League Championship Series
1984 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriGame 1 was a blowout in Kansas City, as Jack Morris pitched seven innings and allowed a single run, with Willie Hernandez pitching the final two innings. The Tigers scored eight runs...
against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, Trammell hit .364 with one home run and three RBI. Finally, in the World Series
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, he was 9-for-20 against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, including a pair of two-run home runs that accounted for all of Tigers' runs in a Game 4 victory. Detroit won the series 4–1 and Trammell was named World Series MVP
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
.
Glory Years: 1985 to 1988
In , after two consecutive years of batting not lower than .314, Trammell was hampered by injuries and posted only a .258 batting average. He underwent postseason surgery on left knee and right shoulder. The following season, playing without any injuries, Trammell became only the second player in Detroit history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases (Kirk GibsonKirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
was the other and Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
has since joined the club). Trammell also set a career-high with 75 RBI.
In , asked by manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
to bat cleanup, Trammell responded with the best season of his career. In September, he batted .416 with six homers and 17 RBIs, putting together an 18-game hitting streak in which he hit a .457, helping his team to win the AL East
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
division by two games on the last day of the season. He became the first Tiger to collect 200 hits and 100 RBI in the same season since Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
did it in . In addition, Trammell appeared amongst the league leaders in most AL offensive categories: third in batting average (.343), tenth in RBI (105), third in hits (205), tied for fifth in runs (109), fourth in total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(329), fifth in on base percentage (.402), eighth in slugging average (.551), and tied for fifth in game-winning RBI (16). Despite his efforts, Trammell finished second to Toronto
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
's George Bell in the MVP voting (332–311). After the season finale, Whitaker gave him second base, with the inscription: To Alan Trammell, 1987 AL MVP. From, Lou Whitaker.
Later years, injuries and retirement
The following years, Trammell suffered a long string of injuries that reduced his production. In , knee and ankle injuries limited Trammell to 101 games. During the following season, the aging shortstop played 29 games before breaking his right ankle. He retired in .In his twenty year career, Trammell batted over .300 seven times ending with a career average of .285 and 185 home runs with 1,003 RBIs, 1231 runs, 2365 hits, 412 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 55 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 236 stolen bases in 2,293 games. After his retirement, Trammell coached for Detroit (1999), the San Diego Padres (2000–2002), and managed the Tigers (2003–2005). He currently coaches for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
.
Hall of Fame eligibility
In 2001, Trammell was rated as the ninth best shortstop of all time in "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract," rating him higher than fourteen Hall of Fame shortstops. Furthermore, in recent years, Trammell's candidacy for the Hall of Fame has picked up increasing support from the sabermetric community. However, Trammell has not been enshrined into the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
as of 2011. In his first ten years of eligibility, he has received the following percentage of votes: 15.7% (2002), 14.1% (2003), 13.8% (2004), 16.9% (2005), 17.7% (2006), 13.4% (2007), 18.2% (2008), 17.4% (2009), 22.4% (2010) and 24.3% (2011).
Trammell's name will appear on the ballot again in 2012. As long as he draws the support of at least 5% of the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
in each election, he will remain eligible for the main ballot through the 2016 elections.
Coaching career
Alan Trammell was named the manager of a struggling Tigers team on October 9, 2002. The team lost 119 games in his first season in , an American League record, before posting a 72–90 record in . In the season, however, the team's record regressed slightly, finishing 71–91. During Trammell's three years as manager, the Tigers compiled a record of 186–300.During the 2003 season, Detroit nearly matched the modern MLB record of 120 losses, set by the expansion New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(40–120) in 1962. The Tigers won five of their last six games to avoid the distinction.
On October 3, 2005, the Tigers released Trammell after three seasons in which the organization failed to post a winning record. Trammell was replaced by Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
on October 4, 2005. Leyland led Detroit to a 24-game improvement in the regular season, an AL pennant and a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
appearance in 2006. While there was some media criticism regarding Trammell's managerial strategies and "nice" demeanor, others contend that he was a rookie manager put in charge of a team that was severely lacking in talent, and believe his managerial stint played an integral role in re-instilling professionalism and pride throughout the Detroit organization. Leyland himself attributed a degree of the success that the Tigers saw in the postseason to Trammell's efforts in the three years prior.
In October 2006, Trammell returned to Comerica Park for the first time since his firing to participate, along with Sparky Anderson, in pregame festivities prior to Game 2 of the World Series. Trammell was showered with a lengthy standing ovation from Detroit baseball fans upon taking the field.
After being replaced by Leyland, Trammell turned down an offer to stay with the Tigers as a special assistant, instead opting to sit out 2006. In October 2006, he agreed to join the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
as a bench coach for the 2007 season, a possible precursor to an eventual return to managing a major league club.
During the four-game suspension of Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
in 2007, Trammell was acting manager of the Chicago Cubs.
Trammell was passed over for the Cubs' managerial position when Lou Pinella retired midway through the 2010 season.
Trammell was named bench coach of the Arizona Diamondbacks in October 2010 joining his former teammate Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
who had earlier been named manager. Gibson had previously been Trammell's bench and hitting coach with the Tigers.
Managerial record
| Team | |Regular Season | DET 2003 Detroit Tigers season The 2003 Detroit Tigers lost more games than any other team in American League history and came within one loss of tying the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in modern major league history. The team’s record was 43-119, giving them a .265 winning percentage... |
2003 2003 Major League Baseball season *World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S... |
162 | 43 | 119 | .265 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET 2004 Detroit Tigers season The Detroit Tigers' 2004 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:*January 14, 2004: Bobby Estalella was signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.... |
2004 2004 Major League Baseball season * Playoff MVPs** Manny Ramírez ** David Ortiz ** Albert Pujols * All-Star Game, July 13 at Minute Maid Park: American League, 9-4; Alfonso Soriano, MVP-References:* *... |
162 | 72 | 90 | .444 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | – | ||
| DET 2005 Detroit Tigers season The 2005 Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the AL Central.-Offseason:*October 15, 2004: DeWayne Wise was selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers from the Atlanta Braves.... |
2005 2005 Major League Baseball season Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star... |
162 | 71 | 91 | .438 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | – | ||
| MLB Total | 486 | 186 | 300 | .383 | – | – | – | – | ||||
Career highlights
- 1984 World Series MVP
- 6-time All-Star (1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)
- 4-time Gold Glove (1980, 1981, 1983, 1984)
- 3-time Top 10 MVP (1984, 1987, 1988)
- Collected both 200th hit of season and 1,500th career in same at batAt batIn baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
(October 1, 1987) - Had a 21 game hit streak during the 1987 season.
- Had a 20 game hit streak during the 1984 season.
- Comeback Player of the Year (1983)
- Sporting News AL Silver Slugger Team (1987, 1988, 1990)
- Along with teammate Lou Whitaker holds AL record playing together (1,918 games). They also set the major league record by turning more double plays than any other shortstop-second baseman combination in the long history of professional baseball.
- The Trammell–Whitaker duo twice won Gold Gloves together, joining a list of eight shortstop-second baseman duos have won the honor in the same season while playing together (1983, 1984).
In 1998, Trammell was also inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions
San Diego Hall of Champions
The San Diego Hall of Champions is an American multi-sport museum in San Diego, California. Located in the Federal Building in Balboa Park, the facility recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments and traditions involving more than forty-two sports...
into the Breitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.http://www.sdhoc.com/awards/hall-of-fame/baseball/alan-trammell/
See also
- List of Gold Glove middle infield duos
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
External links
- Alan Trammell: Behind the Dugout
- Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame - Player Profile