Comerica set to enshrine Trammell's number

DETROIT -- The reaction from Alan Trammell when talking about what he'll feel when his No. 3 is put on the wall at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon says a lot about why Trammell is so beloved around the Tigers, not to mention Detroit.
"I almost feel somewhat embarrassed," he said Friday. "But you know what, I'm very proud, no question."
Trammell isn't used to all this attention. He's more in his element spending his summer on the infield in relative quiet, teaching young infielders on the back fields at Tigertown in Lakeland, Fla., giving pointers to shortstops in West Michigan and Erie and Toledo, talking with coaches and executives.
"He has done a lot for this organization," said Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, who managed against Trammell more than a decade ago as division rivals.
From the moment Trammell was announced last December as a 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, that summer was booked. While he has kept us his schedule as a Tigers special assistant, roving around the farm system, he has had to mix in special appearances, Hall of Fame obligations and speechwriting.
Trammell has one more speech to go on Sunday, when the Tigers retire his number before their game against the White Sox. He'll borrow some elements from his Hall of Fame speech, but other parts are unique to Detroit, unique to the fan base.
"For the fans that I played for," he said.
It's that part that makes it so special for Trammell, Detroit alongside Cooperstown. He might not get emotional like teammate and good friend Jack Morris, simply because it's not his style. But the emotions will be there.
"People ask me, and it's 1a and 1b," Trammell said. "To me, to have my number retired is very special, because this is where I played. This is where I made my name. This is why and how I got to the Hall of Fame. Right here. I'll never forget that."
He has not been home to San Diego since just before his Hall of Fame induction a month ago. He won't be there until Labor Day. It feels like Spring Training, he said, except for bouncing from spot to spot. The slight fatigue in his voice signifies the wear and tear, but his energy level and positivity hide it. He was bouncing around the clubhouse Friday talking with shortstop José Iglesias about his workout routine, which included a run Friday on the Tigers' anti-gravity treadmill at Comerica Park.
"You know what, I will look forward to getting back to a little normalcy, though, to be honest with you," Trammell admitted. "It's been a little hectic month, but I knew it would be, and I'm close to moving on from that. And when I come back to this ballpark and see my number up there and my name with Jack, along with the rest of them, it'll be very cool."