Lucas French Career Tracker

Height: 6’4 Weight: 220
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Born: September 13, 1985 (23) in Salina, KS
Obtained: Selected by Detroit in the 8th round of the 2004 draft
Full name: Lucas William French

PERSONAL/MISCELLANEOUS
Attended Heritage High School in
Colorado ...selected to play in the inaugural AFLAC All-America High
School Baseball Classic on August 23, 2003 at Hammond Stadium in Ft.
Myers, FL ...signed by Brian Reid ...resides in Littleton, CO

CAREER TRANSACTIONS
Originally selected by Detroit in the 8th round of the 2004 draft.

CAREER

2005: Made his season debut on June 24 with the Gulf Coast
Tigers after extended Spring Training ...made four starts with Single-A
Lakeland in July, going 3-1 ...made six starts with Single-A West
Michigan in August, going 1-2...struck out a season-high seven batters
on August 15 at Kane County.
2004: Began his pro career with the
Gulf Coast Tigers, going 1-3 in 11 games (10 starts) from June
24-August 24...struck out a season-high nine batters on July 26 at GCL
Phillies - was his first pro win...allowed just 1 HR in 49.1 innings
...finished 10th in the Gulf Coast League in ERA (2.74)

2006: Spent the entire season with Single-A West Michigan in the
Midwest League, going 11-8 with a 3.72 ERA (65 ER/157.1 IP) in 26
starts...struck out a season-high seven batters three times ...won four
of his first six starts on the year...named MWL Pitcher of the Week
July 17-23 after throwing a one-hit shutout vs. Dayton on July 21
...started two games in the post-season, going 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA (4
ER/11.1 IP).

2007: Spent the season with Single-A Lakeland...struck out a season-high nine batters on May 9 at Daytona...selected to the Florida State League’s mid-season all-star squad ... longest outing was 8.0 innings on May 25 vs. Palm Beach...was 0-7 in his final eight starts ...finished 4th in the FSL in innings pitched (149.0)and 2nd in starts (27)

2008 SEASON
Spent the year with Double-A Erie in the Eastern
League, going 9-11 with a 4.02 ERA (76 ER/170.0 IP) in 27 games (26
starts)...struck out a season-high eight batters on August 5 vs.
Harrisburg...threw three complete games on the season (two were 7.0
innings)...went 4-0 in his final five starts of the year...was 5-5 with
a 5.38 ERA at home and 4-6 with a 2.81 ERA on the road...established a
career-high in innings pitched (170.0).

We still should have brought up Dolsi maybe.

The 23-year-old French has enjoyed a solid opening season in the Mud Hens' rotation, posting a 2-2 record and a 2.91 ERA in six starts with 29 strikeouts over 34 innings.

gdennis59 wrote:

We still should have brought up Dolsi maybe.

They wanted a long reliever, and French is a starter, so innings are no problem.

Quote :

He earned the call over a lefty reliever, such as Clay Rapada, in part because of the role.
"We needed a long lefty desperately," Leyland said. "He was starting, so he fit into that role."

Postgame roster move
BECK'S BLOG

The Tigers optioned left-hander Luke French back to Triple-A Toledo after the game tonight so that they can activate Nate Robertson from the 15-day disabled list in time for Thursday's game.

That's likely to be the only roster move made in time for Thursday's game. Manager Jim Leyland said he does not expect Magglio Ordonez to be back in time for the game, so he'll likely remain on the family medical emergency list.

* Posted on May 20, 2009 at 10:33 PM

Too bad we signed Lyon to a Major League deal...

Now we can only release him.

That sucks that French got demoted

I think if French had the same big league innings that Perry and Rick are getting, he would be great. I am sad to see him go back.

It makes you feel better to see we have lots of good younger players just waiting to come up to Detroit!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

It makes you feel better to see we have lots of good younger players just waiting to come up to Detroit!

6/22/2009

Lucas French Named IL Pitcher of the Week!

Left-hander Lucas French displayed dominating stuff in two starts last week, but surprisingly has only a 0-1 record to show for it. He far and away led the International League with 16.0 innings pitched (next highest was 13.1) and 18 strikeouts (next highest was 12). Last Monday on the road against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, French was credited with a complete game despite losing 1-0 to the IL North leaders. He allowed just one run on seven hits and one walk in 8.0 innings and matched his season high with 8 strikeouts, but his teammates mustered only two hits against three Yankee hurlers.

Yesterday afternoon at Rochester, French was even better. Pitching in the second game of a doubleheader, he limited the Red Wings to one run on four hits while issuing no walks and striking out 10, a new season-high. Once again French threw 8.0 strong innings (in a game originally scheduled for 7 frames), but he left with the score tied 1-1 and did not factor in the decision. French is now 4-4 on the year, though his 3.01 ERA and .240 opponent’s batting average suggest he has been better than his record indicates.

23-year-old Lucas French is in his first season playing above the Double-A level. Last year with Erie he went 9-11 with a 4.02 ERA in 27 games. This May he made his Major League debut for the Tigers, appearing in two games as a reliever. He did not allow a run in 3.0 innings. French is a native of Salina, Kansas.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Call him back!

For sure!

We want Lucas!

He was pitching scoreless frames, so we send him down?

Nice.

Get him back up here.

Chop chop.

Figaro sent down, French to start Friday
BECK'S BLOG

We have a rotation switch: Alfredo Figaro was optioned back to Triple-A Toledo after the game, and Luke French is coming back up. He'll join the Tigers in Oakland, work briefly out of the bullpen there and then start Friday's series opener at Minnesota.

"We just felt like giving French a shot against them," manager Jim Leyland said.

The move seemed to have less to do with Figaro's performance in Houston Saturday, though that certainly didn't help, and a little more to do with the matchup. Adding French gives the Tigers a left-handed starter to put up against Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, though Leyland didn't really want to talk about that.

French has been on an absolute tear recently, basically for the last month. He has given up four earned runs on 16 hits with 26 strikeouts over 23 innings in his last three starts, though he hasn't won any of them. Further back than that, he has lasted at least 6 2/3 innings with two earned runs or less in five of his last six starts, bringing down his ERA for the year to 2.98.

Posted on June 28, 2009 at 5:28 PM

Luke Frenchwalker. That doesn't sound as cool as Luke Scottwalker.

Why do the Tigers keep bringing up minor league pitchers, when Zach Miner is right here? Figaro wasn't ready, what makes them think French is?

Zach Miner needs to be starting!!

Lefty Luke French gets shot in rotation against Minnesota tonight

BY JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • July 3, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS -- Given the slew of quality left-handed hitters in the majors, it's usually a good idea for a big-league team to have at least one left-hander in its starting rotation. Tonight, Luke French begins to have a chance to fill that job for the Tigers.

French makes his first big-league start when he faces the Twins in Minnesota. It will be the third big-league appearance for French, 23. He had two scoreless relief outings for the Tigers in May.

It will be only the eighth start by a Tigers left-hander this season. Dontrelle Willis made the first seven. He's on the disabled list indefinitely because of an anxiety disorder.

French has been a starter throughout his five years in the Tigers' farm system, and he prefers that role to relieving. He likes the routine of pitching once every five days. His repertoire: fastball, slider and change-up.

French described how he'll prepare for the Twins.

"I'll get together with the coaches and the catchers -- they know more about that (pitching to the Twins) than I do," French said. "I'm going to take in what they say and make my game plan. I'd also like to study some video of their hitters."

Twins closer Joe Nathan has never blown a save against the Tigers. He's making a run at Lee Smith's record for being perfect in career save chances against one team.

Nathan is 27-for-27 lifetime in saves against the Tigers. Smith went 37-for-37 lifetime in saves against the Montreal Expos. According to STATS LLC, if Nathan retired right now, he'd have the second-most saves against one team without a blown save.

Could the looming presence of such a terrific closer influence Jim Leyland's managing before the ninth inning? Might he push harder to tie a game before the ninth than he might otherwise?

"It does change things," Leyland said. "You try to get the game at least tied by the eighth because you know if you don't, you're probably in trouble."

... CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE.

Contact JOHN LOWE: 313-223-4053 or jlowe@freepress.com. .

Go French!

He survived last night!

He did good.

Only gave up 2 Eearned runs in 4.2, why did they take him out? Did he have a lot of pitches?

Left-handed pitcher Luke French joins Mariners in Texas


Left-hander acquired from Detroit Friday reports to club; will join rotation

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced today that left-handed pitcher Luke French has reported to the club. To make room on the Mariners Major League, 25-man roster, first baseman Chris Shelton has been designated for assignment.
French will wear #25 for the Mariners.

French, 23, split the 2009 season between AAA Toledo and Detroit. With the Tigers, he is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 7 games, 5 starts. In 29.1 big league innings, he's allowed 11 earned runs, walked 11 and struck out 19. He started against Seattle on July 23, allowing 2 earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched. In 13 starts with Toledo, French posted a 4-4 record with an impressive 2.98 ERA (27 ER, 81.2 IP). He walked only 20 while striking out 72 in 81.2 innings pitched with the Mud Hens.

French, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound left-hander was selected by the Tigers in the 8th round of the 2004 June draft. He led the Eastern League in innings pitched in 2008, and was a Florida State League All-Star in 2007. He graduated from Heritage High School in Colorado.

Shelton, 29, appeared in 9 games since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on July 9 and was hitting .231 (6x26) with a run, 2 doubles and 4 RBI. In Tacoma he was hitting .319 (96-for-301) with 23 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs and 64 RBI in 76 games this season. Shelton has spent parts of four seasons in the Majors with Detroit (2004-2006), Texas (2008) and the Mariners.

Seattle now has 10 days to trade, release or outright Shelton to the minors.

um, wasn't Chris Shelton a Tiger once?

laprimamirala wrote:

um, wasn't Chris Shelton a Tiger once?

Yes he was

kinda like Brad Asmus!

Ink Shelton to a minor league deal?

I think it would have it's benefits.

Playing for Mariners a dream for French
Recently acquired left-hander grows up following Seattle

By Jim Street / MLB.com

08/02/09 7:50 PM ET

ARLINGTON -- When he walked into the hotel room occupied by the Tigers' general manager on Friday morning, right-hander Lucas French knew something was up.

But he didn't know the news he was about to get would take him back in time.

"When I was in the fifth grade," the Colorado native said, "I made a time line about where you want to be in the future and it was on my time line that I wanted to play for the Mariners. So this is pretty cool. The Mariners were my favorite team."

That was back in the mid-90s, when the Mariners had such French favorites as Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Jay Buhner, among others.

"I was a big fan of theirs," French said.

And, as little kids do, French had big hopes. He put those hopes down on paper.

Those hopes became reality on Friday, when French -- along with 20-year-old left-hander Mauricio Robles -- was traded to the Mariners for veteran left-hander Jarrod Washburn.

"When the Tigers told me I'd been traded to Seattle, my first thought was, 'Awesome!'" he said.

He couldn't remember the exact date he put on his time line for when he would actually play for the Mariners, but he probably didn't miss by much.

His Mariners debut comes on Wednesday night against the Royals in Kansas City.

French received an autographed jersey from Griffey last month when the Mariners played the Tigers in Detroit, and on Saturday received a typical Griffey "welcome" to the Mariners.

"Mike Sweeney and I were talking when he walked up and stood there near us," Griffey said. "We knew he wanted to introduce himself, so when we were done talking, both of us turned and started to walk away.

"Luke had his hand out and he just stared. Then I turned around and said, 'I'm just messin' with you."

Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Just watch the ex-Tiger blossom!

laprimamirala wrote:

Just watch the ex-Tiger blossom!

As usual!