Light Hitting Infielder #9

March 19th, 2009

The newest light hitting infielder is.....................

Former Detroit Tiger Jim Walewander.....

When I was covering the Royals in spring training the Arizona chapter of the baseball alumni association played a game on the main field. There was a home run hitting contest with current players (Kila, House, and Cory Smith) former Royals Steve Scarsone (a man hopeful of being on this site at some point) participated. The names of the alumnus were mostly made up of guys that barely receive their pensions. I was about to leave and head over to watch the minor leaguers when a comet blew by me in the parking lot. I looked up and the comet turned into a man...a man built not much bigger than a pixie, a man wearing a Tigers uniform, a man with a name so big it barely fit on his smallish back

. The name WALEWANDER !!!!!!

"Jim Walewatcher" I said, "Yes" Jim answered (at this point i was amazed that a future member of the lighthittinginfielder.com fraternity travelled without paparazzi and a security team following his every step) I was in the presence of greatness and I did not want to blow it... "you playing today" I asked (i could not think of anything better-i was so nervous) "Yep, I forgot my sunglasses" Jim said (not so much said, as the tone i heard was more like an angel getting its wings).

Jim looked more like an accountant needing to file his tpc reports than a alumnus of the MLPBA...but, he looked like that when he played too That was my conversation....a story I will tell the person that empties my trash can every day, the person that is lucky enough to be around me for my 10th beer at Lews, and the 3 people that read this site....

Jim Walewhalder was the 9th round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers out of the now defunct Iowa State baseball program in 1983. Sparky Anderson knew the value of a light hitting infielder (after all, he had the soon to be inducted Darrell Chaney and Doug Flynn as members of his big red machine---Chaney and Flynn were the nuts and bolts of that machine) and brought Walenwader to his club on May 31st, 1985. Walewonder played in 53 games in 1985 and had only 54 at bats going 13-54 good for a .241 avg.

In 1988 Walewopper was a valuable back up to Whitaker and Trammell...while I did not live in Detroit at that time...nor were there countless bloggers like there are today...I can imagine how many times fans and media wondered when Walewhiler would take either of the 2 players jobs. Anyway, he played in 88 games and went 37 for 175 which was good for .211 avg. He did steal 11 bases.

Jim was let go after the season and signed with the Yankees...the Yankees knew that Waledewander was a money making machine at the gates so they teased the fans and kept Jim in the minors for the 1988 season. In 1989, I imagine they had a Jim Walewammer countdown party and finally the Bronx faithful got to see their man on September 10th. He went 1-5 on the season. Jim left the Yanks after the season and signed with the Rangers who kept him grounded until the Angels came calling.

In 1993 Walewandro had one last shot at the big leagues and played in 12 games going 1-8. When it was all over Wale blessed us with a .215 avg in 242 at bats. (at this point I am sure you are asking..."what are the criteria to get into the lighthittinginfielder.com hall of fame?..."is this enough at bats to get in?" the answer is yes....you see I am part of a unique group of people that can pick out a light hitting infielder from miles away.... I can sniff them at a little league park... can drive thru the barrios of Los Angeles and find the next Mario Mendoza....I can also tell if a player like Waleder (if given more chances) would maintain his status as a light hitting infielder...and I would answer emphatically....YES-Jim Walewander would have hit .215 in 3000 at bats....

Things that mattered to Jim's neighbor Roger during his career:

1st game: 5/31/87 1st game of a DH vs the Twinsg starts at 2B bats 9th and goes 1-2 with a rs, po, and 3 assists

1st hit: that first game a double off of Bert Blyleven in his 1st AB

1st HR: He only hit one but it was 7/26/87 off of Angels starter Wille Fraser in Detroit

Best game: 9/29/87 vs Bal 3-4 with a TP, and 2 rs loved to face: Mike Flanagan 3-7

Hated to face: Floyd Bannister and Paul Kilgus 0-6