Pair of Unlikely Tigers Catch On After Parrish Departs From Detroit

Former Detroit Tiger catcher Lance Parrish isn’t having the time of his life at his new job in Philadelphia.

He’s not getting a lot of hits, he’s not throwing out a lot of runners, and he’s hearing a lot of boos from Phillie fans. From Philadelphia, Detroit doesn’t look too bad.

Unfortunately for Parrish, Thomas Wolfe was probably right: You can’t go home again.

Not that the Tigers would mind a postcard now and then from their former All-Star, but, thanks to the team of rookie Matt Nokes and journeyman Mike Heath, they don’t exactly miss him.

Nokes has 19 home runs, 50 RBIs, a .316 average and is a member of the American League All-Star team that will play Tuesday in Oakland.

Saturday night, however, in the Tigers’ 12-5 drubbing of the Angels, it was Heath who was among those that knocked around starter Jerry Reuss in the first two innings.

Heath, batting .293 with five home runs before the game, improved his average to .301 on a 3-for-6, three-RBI night.

The 32-year-old singled and scored in the first, then doubled, drove in a run and scored in the second off Reuss. Heath drove in two more runs with a seventh-inning single off reliever DeWayne Buice. All after grumbling his way through a poor batting practice.

“Jerry made some good pitches,” Heath said. ‘But I saw the ball very well all night, which isn’t exactly the way it went during batting practice.”

But Nokes has clearly demonstrated he is the Tigers’ catcher of the future. He hit his 18th homer of the season Thursday and his 19th Friday against the Angels before sitting down Saturday night.

That Nokes seems to have made the future now is typical for the Tiger organization. Good rookies come--and go--in Detroit. Remember Barbaro Garbey of the 1984 world champion Tigers? And how highly Manager Sparky Anderson spoke of him? Garbey was supposed to be the next Roberto Clemente. Carl Willis was supposed to become the next Rollie Fingers. Chris Pittaro was supposed to be around for 10 years, but played only in the ’85 season.

Things appear to be going differently for the 23-year-old Nokes. For one thing, the ebullient Anderson is about as reserved as he can be when discussing his rookie.

“There’s no pressure on Matthew,” Anderson said, “but he doesn’t look at it that way. You have to know him, he’s all business.

“But Nokes, to me right now, is the No. 1 catcher in either league.”

For another, the left-handed hitter from San Diego sits down against left-handed pitchers, and Heath takes over.

Heath, of course, was the catcher of the future in both Oakland and St. Louis. The Tigers picked him up last August in a deal that sent infielder Mike Laga and pitcher Ken Hill to the Cardinals. Heath homered in his American League debut off Steve Carlton, then with the Chicago White Sox. His .301 average so far this season is his best since moving up to the majors in 1978.

While Nokes is playing in the All-Star Game, Heath will return home to Tampa, Fla., as he and his wife Linda are expecting their first child. So, on second thought, Parrish, keep your postcards.