Slow Start Doesn’t Worry Trammell or Tigers : Detroit Shortstop Is Confident That His Time Will Come

It wasn’t that long ago that Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson predicted that Kirk Gibson would be the second coming of Mickey Mantle. Gibson arrived, sort of, then went to the Dodgers.

It was only last season that Anderson said Tiger catcher Matt Nokes was the best young catcher he’d ever had. Which prompts the musical question . . . Johnny Bench?

And it was just this season that he looked at shortstop Alan Trammell and dubbed him the best player in the American League.

Which is finally one in the ballpark. Trammell was named the most valuable player of the 1984 World Series. Last season, he placed second in the American League most valuable player voting to Toronto’s George Bell. He led a second-half surge that placed the Tigers in the playoffs.

Well, the best player in the American League came into Wednesday’s game against the Angels hitting all of .247. Which is where his batting average stood after Wednesday’s game, since Trammell was able to get only one hit in four at-bats.

Of course, it was the game-winning hit--the Tigers won, 1-0. His second-inning home run to left center came off his close friend and former teammate, Dan Petry.

Trammell had thought it might go for a double.

“I didn’t think I hit it that well,” he said. “I was just hoping it got over (Devon) White’s head.”

Perhaps when you’re not hitting like the American League’s best player, your hopes shrink likewise.

But slow starts are nothing new for Trammell. Last season was his best offensively. He hit .343, with 205 hits, and drove in 105 runs. Yet, as late as May 18 last year, he had hit just 1 home run and had 11 RBIs. As he struggled, so did the Tigers, who found themselves six games behind the New York Yankees by the beginning of June.

He then hit .376 for June, with 9 homers and 21 RBIs. He hit .416 in September. By the time October rolled around, the Tigers had won the East.

“Baseball’s a long season,” Trammell said. “I know that. I’m not going to give up because things aren’t going great.”

Though they do show some healthy signs of improving. Trammell has a six-game hitting streak (10 for 26) and the Tigers have won four of their last six to improve to 15-10.

“You know, at this point, I don’t worry about Alan Trammell,” Anderson said. “I know he’s going to come through.”