DETROIT -- You might say Tom Brookens caught everybody by surprise.
Brookens, normally Detroit's starting third baseman who last year was the Tigers' prized utility man, made his debut as a catcher Saturday night, and performed surprisingly well.
Brookens caught the last five innings of Detroit's 15-inning, 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers.
'It was a lot of fun back there,' Brookens bubbled after his effective switch of positions. 'I don't want to get back there often, but I had a good time. It's just something I've never done before in my life.'
Brookens was pressed into service behind the plate when manager Sparky Anderson pinch-hit for his two available catchers, Bob Melvin and Marty Castillo. Lance Parrish is out of the lineup with a bad back, and earlier Saturday, third-string catcher Scotti Madison was returned to Nashville to make room for John Grubb to come off the disabled list.
'I was very nervous,' Brookens said. 'I didn't know if I could do it. I've never caught a game in my life. I've warmed up pitchers in the bullpen, but I've never caught in a game.'
Everyone in the Texas dugout figured the game would soon be over when Brookens came in to catch, believing any baserunner had an automatic ticket to second base, maybe third -- if they could get on.
'There was no doubt in my mind,' Rangers' manager Bobby Valentine said. '(Reliever Bill) Scherrer did a superlative job of keeping us off the bases. (Aurelio) Lopez did too.'
Lopez and Scherrer permitted only four baserunners in the five innings. Two of them stole in the 13th and it led to a Texas run Detroit matched in the bottom of the 13th.
'He received well,' said a Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell, a Tigersconsultant who views most games with team president Jim Campbell. 'And every pitch meant something.'
'The clincher,' said Castillo, himself a third baseman and learned catching to improve his chances of reaching the majors, 'is that he did on the second pitch what it took me a year and a half to do - not flinch when they swung the bat.'
So much for the Tiger experiment of batting third baseman Tom Brookens second and shorstop Alan Trammell third.
After Brookens went 0-for-14 hitting behind Lou Whitaker, Detroit manager Sparky Anderson decided he'd seen enough of his own genius and junked the plan.
Trammell, last year's AL MVP, was moved back up to second and, with catcher Lance Parrish still out of the lineup and Kirk Gibson still unable to run well because of a bad heel, Barbaro Garbey was put in right field and inserted into the third spot in the lineup.
Garbey delivered the game-winner in Detroit's 15-inning triumph over the Texas Rangers Saturday night and Anderson was a genius all over again.
Tom Brookens found himself in yet another unsual spot Saturday night -- behind the plate instead of beside it in the 11th inning.
Several roster changes and a 15-inning marathon with Texas meant Brookens was Detroit's fourth catcher -- a position he'd never played in his professional career.
The crowd of 38,602 gave a loud cheer when Brookens put on the catching gear and trotted out to his new position in the top of the 11th.
He handled his strange spot flawlessly through the first two innings -- it helped that reliever Aurelio Lopez struck out four of the first six batters he faced.
Minnesota's Mickey Hatcher, who has his own cheering section in left field at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, decided to see the game from their point of view Friday night.
Hatcher, the outfielder who comes off the disabled list July 25, mingled with the fans during the game wi
Every Mariner starter scored at least one run in Seattle's comeback 13-11 decision over the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday night.
Gene Mauch managed his 1,700th major-league victory Saturday when the California Angels topped the Boston Red Sox 5-3 at Fenway Park. The 59-year-old skipper is ninth on the all-time list.
