resday, June 141 1977 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Poge Eleven
Chance to pitch aids Foucault
Oh, what a relief.
DETROIT TIGER RELIEF ARTIST Steve Foucault has come
out of the bullpen to save the Tigers six times this season.
The righthander, acquired from the Texas Rangers in April
could see some action tonight when the Tigers open a three
game home series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
tets ready to deal
lo Reds for star firei
By DON MacLACHLAN
Special To The Daily
DETROIT-It used to be com-
monplace for Detroit manager
Ralph Houk to signal for a
lefty whenever he strode to the
mound to change pitchers. But
times have changed at Tiger
Stadium.
THE LEFTY? Old reliable
John Hiller of course. However,
that was the past and now the
B e n g alI s possess a reliable
right-hander to compliment Hil-
ler-Steve Foucault.
"With Steve we've got a left-
hander and a right-hander in
the bullpen which gives us ma-
neuverability," Houk said. "He's
really done a fine job every time
he's been on the mound for us.
He's been outstanding."
Foucault has posted a 3-2 rec-
ord with an ERA of 2.17 along
with six saves in 15 appearances
this year. His success has allow-
ed Houk to move Hiller to the
starting rotation.
HOWEVER, BEING the ace of
the bullpen is nothing new for
Foucault. With Texas in 1974 he
was 8-9 with a 2.24 ERA and
posted 12 saves. He followed up
in 1975 with an 8-4 record in 107
innings of work.
But last year in Texas things
just didn't go right for the right-
handed reliever. The Rangers
acquired Adrian Devine from
the Atlanta Braves and as a re-
stilt Foucault was replaced as
the Ranger ace. In fact, he
Seaver
man
to trade Tom Seaver," said
Grant. "He has told us he is
dissatisfied and he wants to be
traded. If that's what he wants,
we are trying the best we can
to satisfy a dissatified Seaver.
"All he has to do is tell us he
is satisfied and he is perfectly
welcome to stay. We'd be de-
lighted to have him keep pitch-
ing for us."
The major league trading
deadline is Wednesday mid-
night.
When trade talks for Seaver
were initiated, the Mets asked
the Reds about players like Ken
Griffey and Dan Driessen, but
were told they couldn't be had.
Nobody with the Mets was say-
ing whether the Reds had since
changed their minds.
wasn't even assured a spot on
the roster.
"They got Devine and put him
in my place," Foucault said.
"That made me expendable.
Last year I pitched alright. I
didn't pitch real bad or real
good-it was just one of those
things. Inconsistent might be the
word."
"HEY, HE HAD some good
years with Texas," said Tiger
pitching coach Fred,,Gladding.
"He had an off year last season
and a change of scenery some-
times helps. He certainly has
pitched great for us."
For Foucaul: last season was
a year to forget. But this April
P. new opportunity arose for
Foucault when he was dealt to
the Tigers in exchange for Ben-
gal slugger Willie Horton.
Foucault was happy with the
transaction. Having to pitch in
Tiger Stadium - a hitters park
with small dimensions - didn't
worry him a bit.
"IT NO DIFFERENT pitchhig
here," Foucault susd. "If you
niike the good pityhes you will
get them out aiyh w."
Foucault is very happy to be
throwing a lot of pitches this
summer rather than watching
teammates warm-up in the bull-
pen while he sits like a lone-
some teenager waiting for the
phone to ring.
"It's tough to pitch once a
week because you don't know
what to expect of yourself-you
might be wild," said Foucault.
"The best way for a reliever to
pitch is three or four times a
week for one or two innings."
FOUCAULT HAS never start-
ed a game in his five year ma-
jor league career. However, he
doesn't r e a l1 y prefer long
stretches on the mound, such as
earlier this year when he shut
out the Chicago White Sox on
one hit for four and two thirds
innings.
"I don't prefer long relief but
I'll pitch when Ralph needs me,"
Foucault said. "I would rather
pitch like the other night when
I came in to finish up. It's what-
ever Ralph feels is best for the
club.
"I enjoy relief pitching be-
cause you come to the park and
know you have a chance to pitch
every day," Foucault added.
"Being a starter would be a bet-
ter job if you are a good one-
pitching every five days and
making a lot of money."
WHEN THE 27-year old Du-
luth, Minnesota native is sum-
moned from the bullpen he's got
to take the slab and be raring
to go--especially in tight situa-
tions.
"Concentration is most impor-
tant for a reliever,' Foucault
said. "I'd rather pitch with guys
on base rather than start the
inning tecause you'll he concen-
trating-and if you aren't con-
centrating you can get whupped
bad.
"I know most of the hitters
pretty well except for the young
guys I face for the first time,"
added Foucault, w h o s e best
pitch is his fast ball. "The only
thing you can do in that situa-
tion is to go with your strongest
pitch. If you have to get beat
you wanna get beat with your
best pitch."
SEEING FOUCAULT chug-
ging in from the bullpen to take
the mound is frequent nowadays
and he certainly enjoys the
chance to hurl regularly.
"The trade to Detroit was a
break for me," Foucault said.
"I don't like to sit around and
not pitch. Pitchers like to pitch
and hitters like to hit."
And Foucault will be doing a
lot of pitching for the Tigers in
the future.
Welcome Students
TO THE
DASCOLA
HAI RSTYLISTS
ARBORLAND-971-9975
MAPLE VILLAGE--761-2733
E. LIBERTY-668-9329
l. UNIVERSITY-662-0354
NEW YORK (UPI) - T o m
eaer will become a member
the world champion Cincin-
ati Reds within the next 48
ours-unless he kills the deal
imself by telling the New York
lets he has decided to stay
rith them for the same salary
hey are paying him now.
The Mets are understood to
be getting three players for
their three-time Cy Young
Award-winner, the best known
of which is right-handed re-
liever Rawley Eastwick; the
national League's "Fireman
of the Year" last season.
Infielder Doug Flynn also has
een ientioned as one of the
eds' players involved.
Seaver had asked the Mets to
trade him when they refused to
renegotiate the three-year con-
tract he signed with them last
year calling for $225,000.a year.
He gave his approval to a deal
with the Reds over the week-
end.
Before beating the Astors, 3-1,
in Houston Sunday, Seaver said,
"There is a strong possibility
this-could be my last game for
the Mets."
M. Donald Grant, the Mets'
b o a r d chairman, acknowl-
edged Sunday a deal was in
the process of being comn-
pleted but- still left the door
open for Seaver.
"I've said it dozens of times
before and I'll say it again, the
Mets have never had any desire
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