Wire To Wire Champions - The 1984 Detroit Tigers

[skyballer455]

After thoroughly enjoying rjl518's 1986 New York Mets replay thread and fergman78's 1986 Boston Red Sox replay thread, I've decided to try my hand at one.

The 1984 Detroit Tigers are by far my most favorite historical team. Even though I didn't exist when they won the World Series, I still feel a sense of awe at what they were able to accomplish. Finishing the season with a franchise best 104-58 and having a closer, Willie Hernandez, win both the Cy Young award and the MVP award are the most significant in my mind.

I will be playing out every game of the 1984 season with the Tigers. Not only that, but I'll also be managing every game. I will be using the actual lineups and actual transactions.

I'll give a report on every game, and also provide weekly and monthly updates throughout the season.

Let's see if I can replicate the resound success they had that season. I don't think I'll be able to, but you never know.

With all that said, I'll start off by posting a little retrospective of their previous season.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

[skyballer455]

In the 1983 season, the Tigers had a fairly solid year, finishing with a record of 92-70. However, this wasn't enough to make the playoffs, as they finished 6 games behind the eventual world series champion Baltimore Orioles.

Here are the final American League regular season standings for 1983:



The best hitter was Lou Whitaker, who batted a solid .320 for the year. The best pitcher? Closer Aurelio Lopez, with a 2.81 ERA and 18 saves.

This year, they hope to go all the way and secure their first playoff berth since the 1972 season and, hopefully, their first World Series title since the 1968 season.

But, the other Major League teams won't let them do that without a fight. In the American League, the Kansas City Royals look like a contender, with the likes of position players George Brett and Hal McCrae and pitcher Brett Saberhagan. Also, the Boston Red Sox have the pieces to become an elite team, with relative newcomer Wade Boggs, veteran Dwight Evans, rookie pitcher Roger Clemens and Dennis Eckersley, a solid pitcher with two All-Star appearances under his belt. And let's not forget the Baltimore Orioles, who no doubt are looking to repeat as World Series champions and are perfectly capable of doing so, with such players as Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray, and pitcher Mike Boddicker.

Should they get to the World Series, there are two viable contenders in the National League they could face. The first of these is the San Diego Padres. They have two power hitters in Graig Nettles and Carmelo Martinez. Their star pitcher no doubt is closer Rich Gossage. The defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies will be eying yet another pennant. They have a great veteran player in Mike Schmidt, and a promising relative newcomer named Ozzie Virgil Jr. Their best pitcher is 39-year-old Steve Carlton.

And just what do the Tigers have to combat all this? Find out in the pre-season report, coming up next!

[rjl518]

this should be interesting...i forgot all about the 1984 DET Tigers...one awesome team they had!
Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris, Lance Parrish, and IMO...and unsung player in Tom Brookens!

[skyballer455]

Originally Posted by skyballer455

And just what do the Tigers have to combat all this?

The real question you should be asking is, what don't they have?
This team definitely looks like a 100+ win team if you ask me. There are lots of great players on the roster.
The standouts among them are Kirk Gibson, Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker, Chet Lemon, and Alan Trammell. Need I say more?
On to the pitching side of things.
Jack Morris is definitely the best starting pitcher ratings-wise.
I was quite surprised to find that the closer Willie Hernandez has a better overall rating than the best starting pitcher, making him the best pitcher on the club!
A team like this deserves to win the World Series
But can they?

[boogeyboard1]

Originally Posted by skyballer455

I was quite surprised to find that the closer Willie Hernandez has a better overall rating than the best starting pitcher, making him the best pitcher on the club!

If he won Cy Young and MVP as a closer, he's gotta be amazing

Edit: didn't mean to put the grumpy face at the top of this post

[fergman78]

Good Luck with this. I will definitely be following.

[wwines]

As a 16 yr old, living in suburban Detroit in 1984 this definitely has my interest. Please give us an update after 40 games, interested to see how you do trying to go 35-5. Personally I don't think that record will ever be broken by a team.

[skyballer455]

Originally Posted by wwines

As a 16 yr old, living in suburban Detroit in 1984 this definitely has my interest. Please give us an update after 40 games, interested to see how you do trying to go 35-5. Personally I don't think that record will ever be broken by a team.

Well, I'll try my best.

[skyballer455]

Here is the schedule for the first month of the season. Interesting that we play only one game in Boston.
Other than that, we also play the Twins, White Sox, Rangers, Indians, and the Royals.
If you recall, I listed the Royals as one of the teams we'll have to keep a look out for during the season.
Just to reiterate, I'll be playing out and managing every game of the season. I'll also be using the actual starting lineups for a full replay.
So lets see how this season goes.
Up next: the Preseason Predictions!

[rjl518]

Remember...since you are using the actual lineups and transactions...the schedule you are using is the schedule as played...not as scheduled...most of those days off were probably rainouts.

[skyballer455]

In case you weren't convinced that the Tigers are nothing but greatness, three Tigers pitchers are predicted to be in the Top 10!
I think that the prediction for the New York Yankees is a bit too optimistic in my opinion. They have a couple of good players, but not much else. Even their pitching staff isn't very remarkable.
Just as i thought, The Kansas City Royals are expected to be a contender in the AL West. Same goes for the Phillies in the NL East.
The other teams I mentioned are expected to be mediocre at best, however they all are capable of competing with the Tigers.
And now... on to the first game of the season against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. See you then!

[skyballer455]

4/3/1984

Wow, did I mess that up! I wanted to watch another game, since that game started earlier than the Tigers' first game. Little did I know that the game would simulate the game I was supposed to manage before the game I was watching. Therefore I only have a replay broadcast view screenshot for this game, but its better than nothing.

But... the Tigers did very well in my absence.

The Twins score early on a long home run by Kent Hrbek in the bottom of the 1st inning, but the Tigers bounce back quickly.
Kirk Gibson leads off the top of the 2nd with a home run on just the second pitch of the at-bat. Later on, Chet Lemon drives in Larry Herndon who reached second base on an error with a single to make the lead 2-1.
After that the Tigers never look back. They score an additional 7 times, including another Kirk Gibson home run to lead off the 4th.
The only other run the Twins can manage is a run scored by Mickey Hatcher off a Tim Tuefel single in the bottom of the 5th.
Jack Morris pitches a complete game to grab his first win of the season.
The Tigers win at the Metrodome on Opening Day, 9-2

RP: 1-0 9-2 W
RL: 1-0 8-1 W 0

[boogeyboard1]

Gibson hits two home runs and is taken out of the game? The AI does weird things sometimes.

[skyballer455]

4/5/1984

Got the broadcast view a little too late, but it's much better than the replay view.

The Tigers are starting their season on a roll, but the Twins didn't make it easy.
Twins pitcher Frank Viola struck out 9 Tigers batters in 6 innings of work. Maybe I should go easy on the "Swing Away" option.
Kirk Gibson has just one hit in this game, but makes it count, tripling to drive Chet Lemon in for a 3-0 lead in the top of the 4th. He then scores a run himself on the next at-bat on Tom Brookens' single.
Dan Petry pitches 5 shut-out innings before giving up a run in the 6th. For a while it looks as if the Tigers will cruise to their second straight win, but things turn ugly in the bottom of the 9th.
Petry gives up a single and two walks to load the bases. Fortunately, I had Dave Rozema warming up in the bullpen. I send Rozema in to face Kent Hrbek, the star player on the Twins.
Unfortunately, Hrbek hits a sac fly to deep center to score the runner from third base. The score is now 4-2.
On the next at bat, Rozema gives up a walk to to once again load the bases. It definitely looks as if the Twins will make a last minute comeback.
But then, Rozema puts it together, striking out the next batter and forcing a groundout to third to secure the win. Now that's what I call clutch defense!
The Tigers just escape with the win and sweep the two game series 4-2.
Up Next: a three game series against the White Sox at Comiskey Park!

RP: 2-0 4-2 W
RL: 2-0 7-3 W 0

[phillyboy19]

Good luck!!!

[boogeyboard1]

Not sure Petry deserves player of the game over Bush

[skyballer455]

4/6/1984

I can't seem to get the final broadcast view with the player photos on the field on the last PbP at the bottom of the screen. Any help rjl518?

The Tigers win yet another game, defeating the White Sox 6-3 in an afternoon game.
In the top of the third inning, Howard Johnson hits his first home run of the season off White Sox pitcher Richard Dotson. Its a two-run homer to the right field seats to take a 2-0 lead.
But then, the Tigers have to get themselves out of another jam.
The White Sox score in the bottom of the third when Julio Cruz scores off a Harold Baines ground out to second base.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, they score again off a Vance Law sac fly to right field to tie the game at two.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers score twice more, first off a walk by Kirk Gibson with the bases load, and second off a Dave Bergman sac fly to center.
After that, the Tigers never look back, scoring another two runs in the top of the eighth.
All the White Sox can manage is a Greg Luzinski home run in the bottom of the eighth off Milt Wilcox, who pitched very well.
For the bottom of ninth, I send in Willie Hernandez to finish the job, and does he ever.
He strikes out the first batter he faces, and then gets a groundout, a single, and then another ground out to close out the game.
Isn't this team great?

RP: 3-0
RL: 3-0 3-2 W 0

[rjl518]

when the final out or play is displayed in the PBP, BEFORE you make the next "Click", activate your snipping tool and save your picture...THEN...make your next "click" that takes you to the boxscore...i saved my snipping tool in my bottom toolbar in windows 10 for instant access

[skyballer455]

Originally Posted by rjl518

when the final out or play is displayed in the PBP, BEFORE you make the next "Click", activate your snipping tool and save your picture...THEN...make your next "click" that takes you to the boxscore...i saved my snipping tool in my bottom toolbar in windows 10 for instant access

Thanks, but while the play is going on, the player pics aren't displayed, just the names of the players, like this from a 1977 replay that I made just so I could show you. This is from opening day:




:

[rjl518]

Originally Posted by skyballer455

Thanks, but while the play is going on, the player pics aren't displayed, just the names of the players, like this from a 1977 replay that I made just so I could show you. This is from opening day:

Attachment 412305


:

make a snip of your in-game options for me