Frank Tanana

4.1. California Angels

From 1973 to 1979, Frank Tanana was a cornerstone of the California Angels' pitching staff alongside Nolan Ryan. Their formidable partnership led to the popular saying, "Tanana and Ryan and two days of cryin'", highlighting their dominance and the challenge they posed to opposing hitters. This duo was often compared to other legendary pitching teammates like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tanana described pitching with Ryan as "exciting," noting, "He was just an amazing athlete, and you know we both wanted to be the best pitcher on the team, so it was good for both of us-that good, healthy competition. We had a wonderful staff."

Tanana made his major league debut on September 9, 1973, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, taking the loss after giving up four runs in four innings. However, in his very next start on September 14, also against Kansas City, he pitched a complete game, allowing only two runs (one earned) to earn his first major league victory. He concluded his debut season by throwing a two-hit shutout in the Angels' final game of the year on September 30, a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Twins.

In his first full season in 1974, Tanana was named the Angels' number two starter, behind Ryan. He endured a challenging period with a seven-game losing streak due to an elbow injury, a streak he couldn't recall ever experiencing before. Despite the setback, he avoided losing 20 games in his rookie season by securing two late-season victories, including a shutout against the Oakland Athletics in the last game of the year. In 39 games (35 starts), Tanana finished with a 14-19 record, a 3.12 earned run average (ERA), 12 complete games (four shutouts), and 180 strikeouts in 268+2/3 innings pitched. His 180 strikeouts ranked seventh in the American League (AL).

On June 21, 1975, in the first game of a doubleheader, Tanana made history by striking out 17 batters in a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers, becoming the first left-hander in AL history to achieve such a feat. He recalled feeling "invincible" that day. Later that season, on September 22, he pitched 13 shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox but received a no-decision in a game the Angels eventually won in 16 innings. Tanana concluded the 1975 season by leading the American League with 269 strikeouts, the only time from 1972 to 1979 that someone other than the often-injured Ryan led the AL in this category. He also placed fourth in ERA (2.62), tied for third with five shutouts, and finished with a 16-9 record. He tied for fourth in Cy Young Award voting.

In 1976, Tanana was named the Angels' Opening Day starter, the first of four consecutive Opening Day starts for him. He earned his first All-Star selection that year. Despite the Angels' offense not always providing strong support, as seen in his 13 scoreless innings no-decision against Catfish Hunter of the New York Yankees, Tanana had a standout season. He finished with 19 wins, a career high, and was among the league leaders in ERA (2.43), strikeouts (261, second to Ryan's 327), and complete games (23). He placed third in Cy Young voting and also received votes for the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Tanana made his second consecutive All-Star appearance in 1977. From April 29 through July 3, he recorded an impressive 14 straight complete games. However, an inflamed tendon in his left arm forced him to be sidelined for nearly two weeks, and he was eventually shut down for the remainder of the year after September 5. Despite the injury, 1977 was considered his best year by United Press International. He led the AL in ERA (2.54) and shutouts (7), while posting a 15-9 record. His 205 strikeouts ranked third in the league, and he finished ninth in Cy Young voting.

The 1978 season started strongly for Tanana with a 1-0 shutout of Oakland on Opening Day. He earned his third consecutive All-Star selection. By the end of July, he held a 14-6 record with a 2.99 ERA. However, his performance dipped in his final 11 starts, where his ERA rose to 5.22. He still concluded the year with an 18-12 record, tying for ninth in the AL in wins, and recorded ten complete games and four shutouts. His 3.65 ERA was his highest at that point in his career, and his strikeout total dropped to 137 despite pitching 239 innings.

By the end of 1978, Tanana had begun to modify his pitching approach, relying less on his hard fastball and more on changing speeds due to recurring arm injuries. Although he had recovered from the tendinitis of 1977, the fear of re-injury led him to adopt a slower, more deceptive style. On June 10, 1979, he was sidelined for a couple of months with shoulder tendinitis after struggling against the Detroit Tigers. Limited to 18 games (17 starts) that season, he finished with a 7-5 record, a 3.89 ERA, and 46 strikeouts in 90+1/3 innings.

In 1979, the Angels made their first-ever playoff appearance, winning the AL West division. Tanana played a pivotal role in clinching the division, allowing only one run in a complete game against the Royals on September 25. He started Game 3 of the AL Championship Series (ALCS) against the Baltimore Orioles, holding them to one run through five innings. Though he was removed in the sixth inning and received a no-decision, the Angels won that game 4-3, their only victory in the series as Baltimore defeated them in four games.

In 1980, Tanana's performance declined, and he slipped to fifth in the Angels' starting rotation. After a difficult start with a 2-6 record and a 7.93 ERA through May, his turn in the rotation was skipped. However, he improved significantly in his subsequent 23 starts, lowering his ERA to 3.33. He finished the season with an 11-12 record, a 4.15 ERA, and 113 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched.

4.2. Boston Red Sox

On January 23, 1981, the Angels traded Tanana to the Boston Red Sox along with Jim Dorsey and Joe Rudi in exchange for Steve Renko and Fred Lynn. Tanana himself succinctly summarized his performance with Boston as, "I stunk." He pitched for the Red Sox for only a single season, recording 4 wins against 10 losses in the strike-shortened season. While his 4.01 ERA was an improvement over his previous season, he found it challenging to pitch at Fenway Park, where he posted a 5.36 ERA. He later described Fenway as a place where "Anything can happen in this ballpark, like in a pinball game." Despite a shutout victory against the Cleveland Indians in his final start of the year (at Cleveland Stadium), he was granted free agency by the Red Sox on November 13, 1981.

4.3. Texas Rangers

Frank Tanana signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers on January 6, 1982, agreeing to a two-year contract worth 375.00 K USD annually, plus a 75.00 K USD signing bonus. In his first season with the Rangers, his ERA increased to 4.21. Playing for a team that lost 98 games, Tanana was responsible for 18 of those losses, tying with Matt Keough for the AL lead in losses, while only securing seven wins.

In 1983, for the first time in his career, Tanana did not begin the season as part of his team's starting rotation, instead serving as a long reliever for the Rangers. However, he quickly proved effective in this role, posting a 1.57 ERA in eight games, which led to his return to the rotation on June 10. He maintained good form, but a five-game losing streak at the end of the year resulted in a 7-9 record. Overall, he appeared in 29 games (22 starts), recorded a 3.16 ERA, and struck out 108 batters in 159+1/3 innings.

Returning to the rotation full-time in 1984, Tanana had his best season since 1978, despite playing for a Rangers team that finished in last place in its division. He threw eight shutout innings in a 1-0 victory over the Yankees on April 21, and later pitched his first shutout since 1981 on June 13, a 3-0 win against the Twins. He concluded the season with a 15-15 record, a 3.25 ERA, and 141 strikeouts in 246+1/3 innings pitched.

The 1985 season started poorly for Tanana, as he posted a 2-7 record with a 5.91 ERA through his first 13 starts. His teammate, Charlie Hough, expressed sympathy, stating, "He hasn't pitched the way he's capable of pitching, and we haven't played as well as we're capable of playing behind him." Tanana himself was more critical, calling his performance "Awful. Absolutely awful." On June 20, 1985, he was traded by the Rangers to the Detroit Tigers for minor-league pitcher Duane James. During his time with the Rangers, Tanana also served as the team's player representative.

4.4. Detroit Tigers

Frank Tanana considered his trade to the Detroit Tigers, his hometown team, a "wonderful gift from the Lord," calling it "a dream come true" to play for the team he rooted for growing up.

He made an impressive debut with the Tigers on June 23, 1985, throwing seven shutout innings to help Detroit defeat the Yankees 3-1. His ERA significantly improved with Detroit, and he won each of his last five starts that season. In 20 starts for the Tigers, Tanana compiled a 10-7 record, a 3.34 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 130+1/3 innings pitched. His combined totals for the 1985 season, between Texas and Detroit, were a 12-14 record, a 4.27 ERA, and 159 strikeouts in 215 innings.

In 1986, Tanana twice recorded ten-strikeout games, including a 14-0 shutout victory over the Seattle Mariners on August 23. He finished the season with a 12-9 record, a 4.16 ERA, and 119 strikeouts in 188+1/3 innings.

During the final year of his contract in 1987, Tanana earned 662.50 K USD. On July 12, he achieved his 2,000th career strikeout against the Angels, though it came in a 5-4 loss. While he maintained a 3.40 ERA through August 6, he struggled thereafter, posting a 9.00 ERA in his next eight starts, which led manager Sparky Anderson to temporarily remove him from the rotation in September. However, Tanana rejoined the rotation quickly as the Tigers were in the midst of a pennant race. On the final day of the 1987 season, in a direct showdown for the American League East title, Tanana pitched a memorable 1-0 complete-game shutout over the second-place Toronto Blue Jays to clinch the division for the Tigers. As the final out was recorded, a jubilant Sparky Anderson rushed to the mound, embracing and kissing his pitcher. Tanana later described that game as "probably the highlight of my career." He finished the year with a 15-7 record in 34 starts, a 3.91 ERA, and 146 strikeouts in 218+2/3 innings pitched.

The Tigers advanced to face the Twins in the ALCS. In Game 4, Tanana was matched against Frank Viola. He allowed six hits over 5+1/3 innings, walking four batters and giving up four runs (three earned) in a 4-3 defeat. The Twins ultimately won the series in five games.

Following the 1987 season, Tanana entered arbitration with the Tigers. Although he initially sought a two-year contract, he eventually received a one-year deal worth 1.10 M USD, which was 300.00 K USD more than the Tigers had initially offered. In 1988, Tanana started strong, winning eight of his first ten decisions, matching the best start of his career. He recorded his only two complete games of the year in back-to-back starts in July and August. In 32 starts, Tanana finished with a 14-11 record, a 4.21 ERA, and 127 strikeouts in 203 innings.

On June 9, 1989, Tanana pitched his first complete game of the year, striking out 10, but took the loss in a 2-0 game against Toronto. After Tanana defeated the White Sox on August 6, 1989, Sparky Anderson praised him, stating, "Tanana should have at least 15 wins this year. He is pitching the best for me this year since he came over here. He's a real pitcher. He knows what he's doing even when he makes a mistake." He also threw a two-hit shutout against the Orioles on August 16, striking out 10. Tanana's 3.58 ERA that year was his lowest for the Tigers, excluding his partial 1985 season. He concluded 1989 with a 10-14 record, striking out 147 batters in 223+2/3 innings. He became a free agent after the season but re-signed with the club a week later.

Entering his 18th major league season in 1990, Tanana had accumulated 198 career wins. On April 28, he earned his 200th career victory against the Milwaukee Brewers, despite giving up five runs in seven innings. However, he struggled through much of the season, posting a 6.47 ERA through July 28, which led the Tigers to temporarily remove him from the rotation. During this period, Tanana recorded the only save of his career on August 2, inducing a foul pop-up to secure a 6-5 triumph over the Yankees in the 14th inning. He rejoined the rotation on August 25 and finished the remainder of the year with a much-improved 2.44 ERA. In 34 games (29 starts), he had a 9-8 record, a 5.31 ERA, and 114 strikeouts in 176+1/3 innings pitched.

Following Jack Morris's departure via free agency in 1991, Tanana became the first pitcher other than Morris to make an Opening Day start for the Tigers since 1979, which was also the last year Tanana had made an Opening Day start. He pitched a shutout against the White Sox on April 18, and another against the Angels on June 7. On June 18, he came within one out of throwing another shutout but was removed after giving up two straight singles in the ninth, with Mike Henneman closing out a 2-0 victory over Oakland. On September 27, he became the last player to throw a pitch in the history of Memorial Stadium, allowing one run in a complete game, 7-1 victory over the Orioles. He made 33 starts for the Tigers in 1991, posting a 13-12 record, a 3.77 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 217+1/3 innings pitched.

In the 1992 season, Tanana struggled early, posting a 7.07 ERA in his first six starts, leading to a skipped start after May 7. He was used in relief on May 12, picking up a win against California by pitching two scoreless innings. He then rejoined the rotation and posted a 3.96 ERA for the remainder of the year. Although he had no shutouts in 1992, he threw eight scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory over Texas on August 16. In 31 starts, he finished with a 13-11 record, a 4.39 ERA, and 91 strikeouts in 186+2/3 innings pitched. After the 1992 season, he became a free agent.

4.5. New York Mets and New York Yankees

Frank Tanana signed as a free agent with the New York Mets for the 1993 season. The Mets were interested in him partly for his experience, hoping he could serve as a mentor for left-handed prospect Pete Schourek. His manager with the Mets, Jeff Torborg, had actually been his catcher in Tanana's MLB debut in 1973. Tanana won seven games for the last-place Mets but lost 15, tying for sixth in the National League (NL) in losses.

On September 17, he was traded to the New York Yankees, who were seeking pitching help in their pursuit of the AL East pennant. Tanana lost two of his three starts for the Yankees, and they ultimately failed to reach the post-season. In his last start of the season, and ultimately his final major league appearance, on October 1, he held the Tigers to four runs (three earned) over 6+1/3 innings, leaving with the Yankees leading 5-4. Though Bobby Muñoz blew the lead, costing Tanana a chance for the win, the Yankees eventually prevailed 9-6. Tanana's combined totals for the 1993 season were a 7-17 record, a 4.35 ERA, and 116 strikeouts in 202+2/3 innings pitched. He became a free agent again after the year.

On February 15, 1994, Tanana signed a minor league contract with the Angels, hoping to pitch for another year. He competed for a spot in their starting rotation but was released in favor of Mark Leiter after going 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in spring training, marking the end of his professional career. Over his 21 seasons in the major leagues, Tanana maintained a career ERA of 3.66.

6.1. Religious Beliefs and Social Activities

Since his conversion, Frank Tanana has become a prominent leader within the Christian community in professional baseball. He attributes the success of his marriage and the longevity of his career to his faith. While still an active player, he joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Following his retirement from baseball, he has continued to minister to professional athletes in various capacities. He and his wife, Cathy, serve on the Pro Athletes Outreach Board of Directors. As of 2002, Tanana assisted Detroit Tigers chaplain Jeff Totten and participated in "Home Plate" events at Tiger Stadium, where Tigers players would share their faith in Christ before games. Tanana has also spoken about his faith at various churches and has been involved in leading Bible studies and performing marriage counselling. He reflects on his life, stating, "I've been fortunate and blessed the way my life has turned out."

Tanana met his wife, Cathy Mull, at a Newport Beach disco in 1977, while she was a dance major at Long Beach State University. Five hundred guests attended their wedding in 1978. They have four daughters-Lauren, Jill and Kari (twins), and Erin-and several grandchildren. The couple currently resides in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Tanana serves as an Elder at Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield and has coached young athletes at Southfield Christian School.