Waiving Woodie goodbye

Woodie Fryman with the Phillies in 1971

One of the best, albeit most unheralded, waiver wire pickups of all-time occurs 54 years ago today as the Detroit Tigers gladly pluck left-handed pitcher Woodie Fryman from the Philadelphia Phillies’ roster. ‍

Fryman, who is 4-10 with a 4.36 earned-run average for a dreadful Phillies team in ’72, promptly wins 10 of 13 decisions for Detroit with a skinny 2.06 ERA in 16 appearances.

After Fryman joins the team, the Tigers surge to the American League East title before falling to Oakland in the playoffs.

Fryman spends another two seasons with the Tigers before becoming one of baseball’s better situational relievers with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos.

Fryman, an offseason tobacco farmer from Kentucky, retires after the 1983 season at the age of 43.

Over 18 seasons in the majors, Fryman wins 141 games with a 3.77 earned-run average over 625 appearances and earns two National League All-Star Game selections.

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