unknown minor-leaguer named John Smoltz. The Tigers got more than they could have possibly hoped for in Alexander, who went 9–0 with a 1.53 ERA to propel the Tigers to the division title. However, he struggled again in the ALCS, going 0–2 with a 10.00 ERA, bringing his postseason totals to 0–5 with an 8.38 ERA. The following year, Alexander went 14–11 with a 4.32 ERA, earning his only All-Star appearance. In 1989, his performance declined (6-18, 4.44 ERA) in part due to pitching with a fractured jaw. He retired following the season. Although Alexander performed fairly well for the Tigers, the Braves ended up getting the better end of the trade in the long run; Smoltz would go on to pitch twenty years with the Braves and became a Hall of Famer. Alexander (and Smoltz) have been cited many times since 1987 because the Tigers-Braves trade was indicative of a deal in which each team sought something different and received it: the Tigers wanted Alexander to bolster them in the short-term (which he did by helping them reach the playoffs in 1987 and pitching well for Detroit in 1988) and the Braves wanted Smoltz to contribute to their long-term rebuilding plans (which he did by having a long Hall of Fame career and contributing to Atlanta's rise as one of MLB's most enduringly successful franchises since 1991). References External links 1950 births Living people Albuquerque Dodgers players American expatriate baseball players in Canada American League All-Stars Arizona Instructional League Dodgers players Atlanta Braves players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Alabama Columbus Clippers players Daytona Beach Dodgers players Detroit Tigers players Fort Lauderdale Yankees players Kinston Blue Jays players Los Angeles Dodgers players Major League Baseball pitchers New York Yankees players People from Cordova, Alabama San Francisco Giants players Spokane Indians players Texas Rangers players Toronto Blue Jays players Tri-City Atoms players