Tom Brookens, baseball player, 1979-1990

Tom Brookens

Born: 8/10/1953 in Chambersburg, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1979-07-10 | Final Game: 1990-09-30

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: Thomas Dale Brookens

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Biography

Tom Brookens, born in 1953, was a versatile position player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1990. Over the course of his career, he played in 1,336 games, accumulating 950 hits and achieving a batting average of .246. Known for his solid defense and ability to contribute in various roles, Brookens recorded 71 home runs and drove in 431 runs, showcasing his capability as a reliable run producer. His speed on the bases was evident with 86 stolen bases, adding a dynamic element to his game. Brookens spent a considerable portion of his career with the Detroit Tigers, where he was an integral part of the team's success during the 1980s. He played in an era marked by significant changes in the game, including the rise of power hitters and the increasing importance of defensive versatility. His contributions helped the Tigers compete at a high level, culminating in a memorable run during the 1984 season when the team won the World Series. Brookens' work ethic and adaptability on the field left a lasting legacy, earning him respect among teammates and fans alike.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1336 3865 477 950 175 40 71 431 86 281 605 0.246 0.296 0.367 0.663 -6059.3

Career AVG .246 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 5.3% below league average.

Career OBP .296 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 8.6% below league average.

Career SLG .367 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 5.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.663 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — 7.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1979 DET AL 60 190 23 50 5 2 4 21 10 11 40 0.263 .265 (-1%) .329 (-6%) .397 (-6%) .727 (-6%) -219.4
1980 DET AL 151 509 64 140 25 9 10 66 13 32 71 0.275 .264 (+4%) .326 (-3%) .387 (+8%) .714 (+3%) 82.2
1981 DET AL 71 239 19 58 10 1 4 25 5 14 43 0.243 .255 (-5%) .320 (-11%) .368 (-7%) .688 (-9%) -449.7
1982 DET AL 140 398 40 92 15 3 9 58 5 27 63 0.231 .261 (-12%) .324 (-15%) .388 (-10%) .712 (-12%) -1039.4
1983 DET AL 138 332 50 71 13 3 6 32 10 29 46 0.214 .260 (-18%) .324 (-15%) .389 (-16%) .714 (-16%) -1109.0
1984 DET AL 113 224 32 55 11 4 5 26 6 19 33 0.246 .259 (-6%) .322 (-5%) .384 (+3%) .707 (-1%) -68.6
1985 DET AL 156 485 54 115 34 6 7 47 14 27 78 0.237 .257 (-8%) .323 (-14%) .390 (-4%) .714 (-9%) -1035.8
1986 DET AL 98 281 42 76 11 2 3 25 11 20 42 0.270 .257 (+5%) .325 (-2%) .395 (-10%) .720 (-6%) -340.6
1987 DET AL 143 444 59 107 15 3 13 59 7 33 63 0.241 .262 (-8%) .331 (-11%) .415 (-9%) .746 (-10%) -970.7
1988 DET AL 136 441 62 107 23 5 5 38 4 44 74 0.243 .254 (-5%) .317 (-2%) .377 (-7%) .695 (-4%) -374.7
1989 NYY AL 66 168 14 38 6 0 4 14 1 11 27 0.226 .254 (-11%) .319 (-15%) .375 (-11%) .694 (-13%) -394.1
1990 CLE AL 64 154 18 41 7 2 1 20 0 14 25 0.266 .257 (+3%) .324 (-1%) .385 (-7%) .710 (-4%) -139.6

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
10 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1987 ALCS DET 5 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000
1984 ALCS DET 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000
1984 WS DET 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 2 1 3 1 0 1
2B 162 121 256 344 16 89
3B 1065 867 728 1833 155 171
C 1 0 7 1 0 0
OF 7 3 7 1 0 0
SS 119 66 119 225 13 37

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1979 DET 2B 19 17 37 42 3 10
1979 DET 3B 42 38 39 99 8 11
1980 DET 2B 9 8 13 26 0 10
1980 DET 3B 138 129 112 279 29 27
1980 DET SS 1 0 2 2 0 1
1981 DET 3B 71 70 58 139 10 13
1982 DET 2B 26 18 37 57 2 7
1982 DET 3B 113 80 72 206 18 20
1982 DET OF 1 0 3 0 0 0
1982 DET SS 9 4 7 13 0 0
1983 DET 2B 10 8 8 28 1 4
1983 DET 3B 103 72 54 164 17 21
1983 DET SS 30 17 35 62 4 9
1984 DET 2B 26 19 28 48 4 14
1984 DET 3B 68 22 32 63 3 10
1984 DET SS 28 22 38 76 5 11
1985 DET 2B 3 2 2 6 0 1
1985 DET 3B 151 134 123 261 23 26
1985 DET C 1 0 7 1 0 0
1985 DET SS 8 1 3 9 1 1
1986 DET 2B 31 25 67 61 2 18
1986 DET 3B 35 31 26 59 4 4
1986 DET OF 3 1 0 0 0 0
1986 DET SS 14 9 13 24 1 4
1987 DET 2B 11 5 20 20 3 10
1987 DET 3B 122 110 85 208 14 15
1987 DET SS 16 11 14 28 2 8
1988 DET 2B 1 0 0 1 0 0
1988 DET 3B 136 126 101 234 17 16
1988 DET SS 3 0 0 0 0 0
1989 NYA 2B 5 1 4 7 0 1
1989 NYA 3B 51 36 17 70 7 4
1989 NYA OF 3 2 4 1 0 0
1989 NYA SS 7 1 2 7 0 2
1990 CLE 1B 2 1 3 1 0 1
1990 CLE 2B 21 18 40 48 1 14
1990 CLE 3B 35 19 9 51 5 4
1990 CLE SS 3 1 5 4 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 1
First Base 3
Second Base 163
Third Base 1063
Shortstop 120
Center Field 2
Right Field 6
Designated Hitter 23

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1980 Player of the Week Week of 1980-08-22

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1990 CLE AL $425,000
1989 NYA AL $475,000
1988 DET AL $350,000
1987 DET AL $360,000
1986 DET AL $325,000
1985 DET AL $250,000
Total Career Earnings $2,185,000

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield PA 1972, 1973, 1974