Detroit Tigers: Eyebrow-Raising Transactions #20-11

Jul 1, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Baseball on the pitchers mound before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

19. Matt Anderson. 100 MPH isn’t everything.

He wasn’t a trade that went bad, but simply a draft pick that stunk. He had a strange way of throwing that eventually ended up destroying his career. He was another one of those guys who could throw 100 mph and his speed wooed the Tigers into giving him a hefty contract. He was the first pick in 1997, and the Tigers put him on the mound in the following year.

He pitched in 245 games and had a career WHIP of 1.524 with the Tigers. His career WAR with the Tigers 0.2, with most of his years in negative numbers. In his disappointing final two seasons with the Tigers he earned $5 million, but pitched in only 35 games. Anderson has even become something of a joke with the rumor that he hurt his arm throwing an octopus for a Detroit Red Wings contest. In actuality, he tore an armpit muscle in practice and never quite recovered.

Next: #18 When the Tigers Trade Players for Nobody