Tony Phillips wore many gloves during his five seasons with the Tigers.
If you had to describe Tony Phillips as something that could fit in your pocket, it would have been a Swiss Army knife.
Few ballplayers in baseball history have been as handy, as capable, as versatile, as Phillips, who played for the Detroit Tigers for five seasons, from 1990 to 1994. To Tiger skipper Sparky Anderson, Phillips was indispensable.
Everything Tony did was useful. He was a switch-hitter, he could play almost every defensive position, and he had no problems bouncing around between those positions. As long as his name was in the lineup, Phillips was happy. Well, sort of happy. He did have a fiery disposition, often tossing bats, glaring at or arguing with umpires, and barking at pitchers who dared to throw the baseball to close to him.
Phillips played second base, shortstop, third base, and the corner outfield positions. In 1992, when neither Milt Cuyler or Gary Pettis could produce enough offensively to secure the center field spot, Phillips filled in there too. Sparky often used Phillips as his designated hitter as well, since he excelled at getting on base in front of the powerful bats of Cecil Fielder, Alan Trammell, Mickey Tettleton, Rob Deer, and Kirk Gibson.
Phillips normally hit leadoff, succeeding Lou Whitaker in that role. If there was one thing “Tony the Tiger” could do, it was draw a base on balls. Peering out at the mound from an exaggerated crouch, Phillips’ eagle eye and postage stamp sized strike zone led to plenty of free passes. In 1993, he coaxed 132 walks, leading the American League. He averaged 104 per season as a Tiger.
Phillips also struck out a lot, especially for a leadoff man – 96 times per year in Detroit. Thus, the Tiger handyman usually failed to put the ball in play about one in every three time he came to the plate. Yet, it was impossible not to watch Phillips. He was a ball of energy, argumentative and prone to dramatic facial expressions. He had what old time baseball observers called “pep”.
With Whitaker and Trammell entering the latter stage of their careers, Phillips found his way into the lineup filling in for the veteran double play combo. Though he was an averaged defender, Phillips was solid everywhere he played. No matter which glove he took into the field, Phillips was a key offensive performer. His best year was 1993 when he hit .313 with a .443 on-base percentage and 113 runs scored. He rarely missed playing time, usually among league leaders in games and plate appearances.
By his final season in Detroit, Phillips had learned to take advantage of Tiger Stadium, belting 19 homers in a strike shortened season. He was no Fielder or Gibson, but Phillips wasn’t a punch-and-judy either.
The Tigers never advanced to the playoffs during Phillips’ tenure with the Tigers, which coincided with Sparky’s exit from Detroit. But little Tony’s career .395 OBP as a Tiger ranks among the best in franchise history.
And for usefulness, it’s hard to top “Tony the Tiger.”
February 17, 2012 7:30 AM
February 17, 2012 7:30 PM
