Tom Brookens
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dale Brookens is a former third baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Detroit Tigers
(1979–1988), New York Yankees
(1989), and Cleveland Indians
(1990). Brookens is currently the first base coach for the Tigers.
. In 12 major league seasons, Brookens played 1,065 games at third base, 162 games at 2nd base, and 119 games at shortstop. Tigers radio announcer Ernie Harwell
nicknamed Brookens "the Pennsylvania Poker", a play on the song "Pennsylvania Polka".
Brookens batted
.246 in his 12-year career, with 71 home run
s and 431 RBIs
in 1,336 games. His range factor
(putouts and assists per game) was well above league average. He did lead AL
third basemen in errors
twice, in 1980 and 1985, but that was largely because he was getting to so many more grounders than other fielders; his range factor
, which measures the number of plays a fielder makes, was consistently above league average. Brookens also has the dubious honor of sharing (with 21 others) the AL record for the most errors in a game by a third baseman, four, on September 6, 1980.
Traditionally an infielder, Brookens found himself behind the plate in a game against the Texas Rangers
on July 20, 1985. With regular catcher Lance Parrish
hurt and Bob Melvin
and Marty Castillo removed from the game in favor of pinch-hitters, Brookens (who had never caught a pro game before, even in the minors) filled the role and wound up catching five innings (11th through the 15th) before Detroit finally won the game.
On August 20, 1980, Brookens went 5-for-5 with a triple
and a home run, and also started a triple play
in an 8–6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers
.
He won a World Series
ring with the Tigers in .
Oneonta Tigers
in the Detroit Tigers minor league system. In , Brookens was hired to lead the West Michigan Whitecaps
which won the championship of the Class A - Midwest League
that year. After winning a championship with the Whitecaps, the Tigers promoted Brookens again in 2008, this time to the Erie SeaWolves
, their Class AA - Eastern League affiliate.
On November 9, 2009 the Detroit Tigers hired him as their new first base coach. The move reunites Brookens with Tigers manager Jim Leyland
, whom had managed Brookens in the minor leagues in the 1970s; many believe Brookens is being groomed as Leyland's eventual replacement as Detroit's skipper.
, pitched for the Tigers in , while Ike's son Casey Brookens also played in the minors in the 1990s before retiring to become a successful high school coach in Pennsylvania.
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for 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...
(1979–1988), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1989), and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1990). Brookens is currently the first base coach for the Tigers.
Playing career
On January 9, 1975, Brookens was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (4th pick overall) of the 1975 amateur draft1975 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft..Many baseball draft experts consider the 1975 draft to be the weakest in MLB history.- External links :*- References :...
. In 12 major league seasons, Brookens played 1,065 games at third base, 162 games at 2nd base, and 119 games at shortstop. Tigers radio announcer Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
nicknamed Brookens "the Pennsylvania Poker", a play on the song "Pennsylvania Polka".
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 :...
.246 in his 12-year career, with 71 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 and 431 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1,336 games. His range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
(putouts and assists per game) was well above league average. He did lead AL
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...
third basemen in errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
twice, in 1980 and 1985, but that was largely because he was getting to so many more grounders than other fielders; his range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
, which measures the number of plays a fielder makes, was consistently above league average. Brookens also has the dubious honor of sharing (with 21 others) the AL record for the most errors in a game by a third baseman, four, on September 6, 1980.
Traditionally an infielder, Brookens found himself behind the plate in a game against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
on July 20, 1985. With regular catcher Lance Parrish
Lance Parrish
Lance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
hurt and Bob Melvin
Bob Melvin
Robert Paul Melvin is the manager of the Oakland Athletics, and a former Major League Baseball catcher.During a 10-year playing career, he played from 1985–94 for seven different teams...
and Marty Castillo removed from the game in favor of pinch-hitters, Brookens (who had never caught a pro game before, even in the minors) filled the role and wound up catching five innings (11th through the 15th) before Detroit finally won the game.
On August 20, 1980, Brookens went 5-for-5 with a triple
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 a home run, and also started a triple play
Triple Play
A triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
in an 8–6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
He won 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...
ring with the Tigers in .
As a manager
Brookens in 2005 and 2006 was the manager of the Class A New York - Penn LeagueNew York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
Oneonta Tigers
Oneonta Tigers
The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York - Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games at Damaschke Field...
in the Detroit Tigers minor league system. In , Brookens was hired to lead the West Michigan Whitecaps
West Michigan Whitecaps
The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids.-Franchise history:...
which won the championship of the Class A - Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
that year. After winning a championship with the Whitecaps, the Tigers promoted Brookens again in 2008, this time to the Erie SeaWolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
, their Class AA - Eastern League affiliate.
On November 9, 2009 the Detroit Tigers hired him as their new first base coach. The move reunites Brookens with Tigers manager 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...
, whom had managed Brookens in the minor leagues in the 1970s; many believe Brookens is being groomed as Leyland's eventual replacement as Detroit's skipper.
Family
Tom's twin brother Tim was also drafted in 1975, by the Texas Rangers; he was later traded to the Tigers organization, but never made the majors. (In spring training, Tim and Tom would sometimes switch identities, even suiting up in other's uniforms; Tim is believed to have played at least one exhibition game disguised as Tom.) Their cousin, Ike BrookensIke Brookens
Edward Dwain "Ike" Brookens , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Detroit Tigers. He batted and threw right-handed...
, pitched for the Tigers in , while Ike's son Casey Brookens also played in the minors in the 1990s before retiring to become a successful high school coach in Pennsylvania.