Lance Parrish Lance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel," (born June 15, 1956 in Clairton, Pennsylvania) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers (1977-1986), Philadelphia Phillies (1987-1988), California Angels (1989-1992), Seattle Mariners (1992), Cleveland Indians (1993), Pittsburgh Pirates (1994), and the Toronto Blue Jays (1995).
His best season was 1982 when he hit .284 and blasted 32 home runs, then a record for catchers. He was also the clean-up hitter for the Tigers when they won the 1984 World Series.
Parrish was an eight-time All-Star (1980, 1982-86, 1988, 1990), and he won three Gold Glove Awards (1983-85).
Since retiring, Parrish has served as both Third Base Coach and Bullpen Coach for the Detroit Tigers, along with a stint in the broadcast booth in 2002. Lance most recently has signed on with the Dodgers organization to manage the Ogden Raptors at the Rookie league level.
Parrish has two sons in professional baseball. His oldest son, David Parrish, was selected in the first round of the 2000 amateur draft by the New York Yankees. His son, Matt Parrish, is in the Tigers minor league system, and has earned the nickname "Hubcap" in reference to his father's nickname "Big Wheel."
