Next Tigers Manager?

[DaYooperASBDT]

Just for kicks, let's dust off the crystal ball and predict who the next Tigers manager will be (after :smoker:)

How about we make nominations, then I can run a poll.

I'm thinking Tommy Brookens, as I think the best managers are often players who had a limited skill set, and had to make the most of it. Yes, the old "adversity builds character" argument.

[Yoda]

Mike Rojas. He seems to be more interested in coaching right now than managing, but I doubt that will last long. He's an excellent manager and if there's a vacancy in either Erie or Toledo in the next year or two I suspect he'd take it. I think Leyland will be around for another 2 or 3 years at least. He could manage another 10 if he wanted to.

[DaYooperASBDT]

That's really the wildcard, how long will :smoker: hang in there? He's definitely a family man, so my wild guess would be 3-5 years. Of course anything is possible, due to regime changes, as Sparky found out in Cincinnatti .....

[Tyrus]

Yoop, as you mentioned, my single-biggest fear for the Tigers is a regime change.

I've hated on Mike Ilitch for years, and with good reason. I still think he ran this organization into the ground, and presided over the worst era (by far) in Tiger history, which was brought on in large part by his decisions.

But, as long as the pizza money holds out, I wouldn't want anyone but Ilitch to own the Tigers right now. After years of allowing idiots like Randy Smith, and Denise and Atanas Ilitch to have a say in how the club was run, Mike finally hired the right guy (DD) to steer his organization, and the right guy (Leyland) to run the club on the field.

If Mr. Ilitch can hold out another 10 years, I think we may be looking at a Golden Era of Detroit baseball, right up there with the 1930s and 1980s. Dombrowski has built an incredible farm system in just a few scant years...I'll bet he can do even better with more money, time and resources to work with.

But Mr. Ilitch is pretty old, and he hasn't been in the best of health over the past decade or so. My biggest fear is that, once he dies, his kids will start fighting over control of the ballclub, and the franchise will go straight to hell.

I think the manager will be the least of Tiger fans' worries if this comes to pass.

I just hope Mr. Ilitch writes a iron-clad will leaving the Tigers to his son Chris, the one Ilitch offspring who seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Denise and Atanas can have the Red Wings!!!:classic:

[Cult of Guillen]

I think it will be Walbeck, if they stay inside the organization.

[One Man's Fool]

I think it's possible that Larry Parrish will get another shot.

[keglerv]

I think it will be Walbeck, if they stay inside the organization.

I think he has positioned himself nicely into possibly being the front runner if the Tigers decide to stay in the organization.

[Tyrus]

I think Leyland is going to stay here for quite a while. Yes, he is a family man, but he already took several years off to be with his family.

I don't think Jim got back into managing to just spend a couple years doing it. I think he'll manage as long as he's able to...or as long as ownership continues to support him, and provide him with a decent ballclub to work with.

With all those young pitchers in our system? Shoot, Leyland ain't goin' nowhere!

[Tyrus]

But since this is just for fun...would Alan Trammell have a clam's chance of getting the job? Would he take it?

I'd like to see Alan manage in the minor leagues for a few years, because while I think he was in over his head during his tenure as Tiger manager, I do think he eventually could be a good manager someday. He just got thrown to the wolves too fast.

[Yoda]

I think he has positioned himself nicely into possibly being the front runner if the Tigers decide to stay in the organization.

Actually I'm under the impression that they like Rojas better.

[cruzer1]

Travis Fryman

[Oblong]

My guess is that Chris will run Ilitch Holdings and let DD run the baseball side of things. The success of the team is good for the overall portfolio, due to Olympia Entertainment, the food supply company, Comerica Park, etc.

[keglerv]

Actually I'm under the impression that they like Rojas better.

Interesting. I was just figuring since they jumped Walbeck and company to Double AA it was kind of like grooming players, seeing how AA success often leads to a shot in the majors. You are definitely more in tune with the minors than I am and looking at the probable time line of things you may be right. I think Leyland will hang around another 3-5 years. Walbeck to me seems quite ambitious in getting to the majors as a manager and will likely take off if he has some success and he is able to get a job elsewhere. If Rojas is patient and more interested in coaching for a couple of years as you stated than takes a managing job in AA or AAA the timing may work out in his favor.

[DaYooperASBDT]

OMF, I thought about L.P. also

Cruzer, were you serious about Fryman? Where is he coaching/managing now, I know nothing about what he is doing these days?

OK that's six so far, I can fit four more into a poll:
Mike Rojas
Larry Parrish
Matt Walbeck
Tommy Brookens
Alan Trammell
Travis Fryman

[Yoda]

Keg - Check your PM box in a minute.

[Oblong]

I found an old magazine from 1989 that listed the top ten Tiger prospects. Fryman was #6. "All glove no hit".

[jadefalcon]

Pat Leyeland

[Yoda]

I found an old magazine from 1989 that listed the top ten Tiger prospects. Fryman was #6. "All glove no hit".

Very nice.

[thewave84]

And just think, that was before they moved him to 3rd, he originally came up as a SS.

[beek_27]

But, as long as the pizza money holds out

You make great points about Ilitch and the Tigers future. This is precisely why I buy Little Caesars as much as possible, even here in ABQ, NM!

[Shaggy Ry]

No love for Andy Van Slyke?

[estrepe1]

I am going to take a wild guess that it will be Andy Van Slyke.

My guess is that Chris will run Ilitch Holdings and let DD run the baseball side of things. The success of the team is good for the overall portfolio, due to Olympia Entertainment, the food supply company, Comerica Park, etc.

I agree. I think/hope Chris will be a good owner.

[Commish]

If for some unimaginable reason the managerial change takes place in-season, would Lamont or McClendon make sense to step in, with both having MLB managerial experience? A lot of those "interim" jobs turn into permanence.

Out of curiosity, anyone know what happened to Gibby after he left? I can't find any record of him coaching or managing elsewhere, but maybe my googling skills aren't what they used to be.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Jadef, that was a good chuckle (Pat Leyland), thanks!
:classic:

Up to 9, anybody else have one? I might throw in Gibson just to fill out the list.

Mike Rojas
Larry Parrish
Matt Walbeck
Tommy Brookens
Alan Trammell
Travis Fryman
Andy Van Slyke
Lloyd McClendon
Gene LaMont

[Shaggy Ry]

Kirk Gibson is going to be the bench coach in Arizona under Bob Melvin, signing a two-year deal this off-season.

[cruzer1]

Fryman turns 37 in March. No idea what he's doing now, but I think he'd be a heck of a manager.

[DrWho17]

Mike Rojas. He seems to be more interested in coaching right now than managing, but I doubt that will last long. He's an excellent manager and if there's a vacancy in either Erie or Toledo in the next year or two I suspect he'd take it. I think Leyland will be around for another 2 or 3 years at least. He could manage another 10 if he wanted to.
There was a vacancy in Erie this year, he got demoted to a roving coach, and Walbeck got the job. Seems Rojas is on his way out of the Tiger organization if you ask me, which is too bad, because I thought he was a highly skilled young coach.

[DrWho17]

Fryman turns 37 in March. No idea what he's doing now, but I think he'd be a heck of a manager.
Fryman isn't much of a people person, I couldn't see him managing at the big league level without a personality transplant.

[tiger337]

Charles Liston

[CometGSR]

I bet Brandon Inge would get a shot. He seems to deal with the media pretty good. Some of the best managers were catchers at one time.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Charles ListonThere's always the danger him getting a naked DUI, though.

[DennisDubay]

Fryman isn't much of a people person, I couldn't see him managing at the big league level without a personality transplant.

Fryman was very personable the few times i met him. I was in the Indians locker room when I had the misfortune of meeting Ryan Drese. I was there for an interview with Travis. I asked Ryan if he knew where Travis was, and he said "What the **** do i look like, his babysitter?" .... thankfully, Mr. Thome intervened, and said Fryman was "stuffing his face" ... i looked at Mr. Drese scornfully, and told him "Have a nice day."

Then i went out and bought his baseball card, and have been doing experments with it. HA!

[zCor]

One more name? Carlos Guillen, but I don't expect Leyland to hang around long enough for Carlos to be ready......

[DennisDubay]

I think Lance Parrish should be a mgr. down the road.

[MAROTH4MVP]

i found this on fox sports
Former Tribe third baseman Travis Fryman is due to arrive soon from his home in the Florida panhandle city of Pensacola. ``He'll help out with the big leaguers for awhile then go down to the minor-league camp,'' Eric Wedge said.

[IdahoBert]

Why the hurry? Jim isn't going anywhere for several years is he? Enjoy the ride.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Oh, no hurry, just killing time until the Florida Southern game .... :cheeky:

[Oblong]

"Hopefully, someday he'll end up back home, which is Detroit.'' - Jim Leyland on Alan Trammell.

[estrepe1]

I would be shocked if Trammell ended up the manager again.

[keystone]

The Tigers first-ever draft choice - Gene Lamont.

[MotownRandy]

Jim Leyland's hitting coach.