The Windsor Star from Windsor, Ontario, Canada • 17

COLUMNSFEATURES SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1993 B1 A tradition transition Ilitch learns with mistakes from early days with Wings By Bob Duff which had appeared in the playoffs in just two of the previous 16 seasons. He cleaned house, naming Jimmy Devellano as general manager and Nick Polano as coach. The early strategy was to buy time with veterans, signing free agents like Jim Rutherford, Tom Rowe and Reggie Leach and trading for the likes of Darryl Sutler and Rick MacLeish. Impatient with building through the draft an exercise he once referred to as a slow process," in 1985, Ilitch rocked the hockey boat, throwing millions of dollars at free-agent players. HE SIGNED Veterans like Harold Snepsts, Mike McEwen and Warren Young, paying Young more than $1 million to lure him away from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ilitch also signed several college free agents, paying over $1 million for Ray Staszak, as well as inking Adam Oates, Dale Krentz, Tim Friday and Chris Cichocki. When Detroit slumped to the bottom of the NHL at 17-56-6 that season, hockey people snickered about Hitch's bonus babies, referring to them as the dough boys. Over the long haul, Ilitch has had the last laugh, as solid drafting over the years has put Detroit among the NHL elite. Ilitch says he has learned from those early lessons. Sometimes, I think the fan part of me takes over and it hurts me a little, Ilitch said.

"Im a little impulsive. But Ive been in franchise sports for a while now, so Ill be okay. In the Tigers, he inherits a club which has had just one winning season in the past four. See ILITCH, B5 Star Sports Reporter Disappointing. Humiliating.

Eye opening. Mike Ilitch uses all of these adjectives to describe his early tenure as owner of the Detroit Red Wings. Now, 1 1 years later, Ilitch gets set to begin his first full season as owner of the Detroit Tigers, hoping he has learned from past mistakes. Those years could have been very frustrating," Ilitch said recalling his early days as owner of the Red Wings, then one of the National Hockey League's most woeful clubs. 1 was confused for awhile, but I learned to look at hockey as a business.

In over a decade as owner of the Wings, Ilitch proved he wasnt afraid to spend a buck to achieve success. He also learned that money alone wont buy a championship. I WANT TO WIN, Ilitch said. But (California owner) Gene Autry has proven you can go out and get talent and still not win. Youve got to have management and all the rest.

Its not always a matter of spending money. When he purchased the Red Wings on June 22, 1982, Ilitch was buying a club which was an NHL doormat, one 5, i'' el A h.1 ONE OF THF most visible physical changes planned by new owner Mike Ilitch at Tiger Stadium this year is the Tiger Plaza nn" er unarmed once again A Designer Name At 25 Off Theyre All Specially Priced. Choose from 1 Blazers, Reg $200, Skirts, Reg $195, Short Sleeve Blouses, Reg $85 and Short Sleeve Jackets, Reg. $225. All Now 25 Off Fashion Swing Coats in Sizes S.M.L& XL All Your Favourite Spring Colours.

Regular Prices to $195, All 25 Off AtThe FreedsWoman Pitching sure to determine fate of team LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) The Detroit Tigers have a new owner and several new players. Even Tiger Stadium has a new look. Yet for all the changes, one old problem remains. The Tigers will open the season with questionable pitching.

Frank Tanana, Walt Terrell, Eric King, Scott Aldred. Theyre all gone from a staff that had the worst earned-run average in the majors. Mike Ilitch, a former Tiger farmhand who now owns the club, tried his hand In the free-agent market during the winter. The club signed pitchers Mike Moore, Bill Krueger and Tom Bolton. Detroit also drafted right-handed reliever John Hudek from the Chicago White Sox system and signed Mark Grater from the St.

Louis system. During the last week of camp, Detroit picked up left-handed reliever Bob MacDonald from Toronto. The holdover pitchers include Bill Gullickson who will start the season on the disabled list John Doherty, David Haas, Mike Munoz and Mike Henneman. Add rookie Greg Gohr, a product of the farm system, and you have the Detroit pitching staff. Frankly, it doesnt strike fear in the hearts of many American League clubs.

The team ERA was well over 5.00 in spring training. We didnt need David Cone, manager Sparky Anderson says. "We dont need someone throwing shutouts. All we need is someone to hold the other team to three runs. His reason for feeling that way is obvious.

The Tigers are an awesome offensive machine. Last year, the Tigers scored 791 runs, by far the most in the league. They hit 182 homers. But the pitchers allowed 794 runs. Only one American League team, the Seattle Mariners with 799, allowed more.

Detroits team ERA was 4 60. "You give us Atlantas pitching, or Torontos pitching, and we would make a farce out of the game of baseball, third-base coach Dick Tracewski says. We might win by the biggest margin in history. As good as the Tigers offence was in 1992, it has a chance to be even better. That's because Ilitch also lured Kirk Gibson back into baseball, and into a Detroit uniform.

And Alan Trammell, who missed most of last season with a fractured ankle, also is back. TRAMMELL AND Gibson are going to make a big difference in our depth, Anderson says. If we play defence, do the little things and get some pitching, we can compete. From top to bottom, the lineup does look impressive on paper. Yet how many championships are won on paper? Youll recognize this Designer's Name on Sight.

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Mickey Tettleton is a solid catcher. And, of course, there is the franchise. Big Daddy. Cecil Fielder is the first baseman. The heart of this team, both physically and emotionally.

Thats why Ilitch signed Fielder to a five-year contract worth $36 million. In three years since the Tigers got him from Japan, Fielder has hit 130 borne runs. That's the most in the major leagues over a three-year span since Frank Howard launched 136 in 1968 to 1970. i 1 4a A VvaI T.f kw y. Star staff photos face a few rough years with Tigers A Last season, Fielder hit 35 home runs and led the majors with 124 runs batted in.

That made him only the second player in history to lead the major leagues in RBIs for three consecutive years. The other was Babe Ruth from 1919 to 1921. Cuyler needed knee surgery during the off-season. He reported to spring training complaining that his right knee still didnt feel right Top brass practically had to force him into his first exhibition game. Small wonder that trade rumors followed Cuyler all over Florida.

Gullickson had knee and shoulder surgery. He will start the season on the disabled list. No matter what happens, things will be better around here Anderson says. "I'll tell you what this aint no bad ball club this year. Its totally changed around here.

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