No one could ever have possibly predicted that the Arizona Diamondbacks, managed by former Tiger Torey Lovullo, would advance to the World Series after finishing in second place 16 games behind the Dodgers in the National League west.
With a 84-78 record, just six more victories than the Tigers, and two years removed from having lost 110 games, the Diamondbacks became the first National League team to be outscored in the regular season and win the pennant.
In his seventh season as the Diamondbacks skipper Lovullo is certainly a candidate for the manager of the year award should Arizona win their second world championship in their 26 season of existence.
Many Tiger fans may not realize that Lovullo started his MLB career with the Tigers in 1988.
Detroit selected the California native in the fifth round of the 1987 MLB draft and the infielder made his major league debut with Detroit on September 10, 1988 when he replaced Tom Brookens at third at Yankee Stadium in a 9-4 loss. In his first MLB at bat that day he singled off Rick Rhoden.
In his twelve games for the Tigers that year Lovullo hit .381 and at the end of the season manager Sparky Anderson told reporters, “this guy is as good a natural hitter as I’ve ever seen and if he could run he’d be a million dollar player.”
Anderson was notorious for putting pressures on promising rookies including Kirk Gibson who he said would be the next Mickey Mantle and that Barbaro Garbey would be the next Roberto Clemente.
Lovullo became the starting first baseman for the Tigers starting on Opening Day in 1989, but after going 10 for 87 with a .115 batting average, he was sent to the minors. Finally on March 19, 1991 Lovullo was traded to the Yankees for Mark Leiter.
Years later Lovullo told the Los Angeles Times:
“I didn’t want to let him (Sparky Anderson) down. I put so much pressure on myself to prove him right. I was 23 years old and I was taking the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was too immature. I couldn’t handle it. I fell apart.”
Lovullo spent most of his playing career in the minors but did make other MLB appearances with the Yankees, Angels, Mariners, Athletics, Indians, and Phillies before finishing his MLB career in 1999 with a .224 lifetime batting average over 303 games.
After very successfully coaching and managing in the minor leagues with the Cleveland and Boston organizations, Lovullo reached the majors again as a coach with Toronto and later Boston where he filled in for a time as the interim manager in place of John Farrell who was out with health issues.
In November of 2016 Lovullo was named the manager of the Diamondbacks replacing Chip Hale.
Last Thanksgiving Lovullo traveled with his family to Detroit and visited the Tiger Stadium site. He told MLB.com:
“It was sad for me to go back and see that the stadium was torn down, but I understand why it happened. It brought back some good memories and I was able to tell stories to my wife and my youngest son how on game day this place was bustling and alive.”
When the Diamondbacks played at Comerica Park this past June, Lovullo once again shared fond memories of his times with the Tigers and the influence of Sparky Anderson. He told Arizona beat writer Steve Gilbert:
“I have nothing but the fondest memories of Detroit and playing under Sparky Anderson was one of the highlights of my playing career. Lovullo said that Anderson imparted lessons he still utilizes today.
“I have unbelievable memories of that team, unbelievable memories of those fans,” Lovullo said. “They gave me unconditional love and support through the good times and the bad. I just didn’t play good. I wasn’t a good player. And for the year-plus time that I was around Sparky, I learned so many valuable lessons as to what a true big-league player looks like, inside and out.”
GGg
The “great” Sparky Anderson probably ruined more careers than any other manager.