Leyland Stepping down as Manager

[Yoda 720]

I blame Dombrowski for bring Valverde back. He was signed to be their closer. Leyland left him in the role about as long as most managers would with the veteran closer. He actually started out fine (although lucky).

I agree, but why didn't Leyland just make Benoit the closer to begin with? Maybe DD wouldn't have had to bring in Valverde.

[irvink 67]

I will definitely miss Leyland. A good time to be a managerial candidate/free agent, with openings in Detroit, Cinci and Washington. Have to think Detroit is the most desirable gig, so hopefully DD gets his pick of the litter.

[JayVee 10]

I'm gonna miss the old bird. By far my favorite Tigers skip. Sparky is second mostly because I was such a youngster back then.

The choices aren't exactly hard for anyone under 50. Who else are you going to pick? Luis Pujols? Phil Garner?

[JayVee 10]

I trust Dombrowski to make a good choice for manager.

I promise not to freak out when he announces his decision.

/except for Ozzie. Ozzie would be death.

Better Ozzie than Baker or Wash.

And I frickin' hate Ozzie.

[ROMAD1 2,489]

I haven't had much energy for the day since hearing Dan sign off Saturday night. The end of a season always hits me that way. The Leyland announcement just underlines and highlights that ending feeling. I keep hearing that Ernie segment when he talked about how things change but every spring there would be baseball at the corner. Ernie had a poet's eye but Leyland was a poet's subject.

Nice...

Sadly, I'm in a fluorescent-lit cubicle in a high-stress job, with definite demands on my time. But, I know how I feel. And Son of a $$$$$ nobody around here gets where my head or heart is right now.

[tiger337 3,082]

I agree, but why didn't Leyland just make Benoit the closer to begin with? Maybe DD wouldn't have had to bring in Valverde.

I get the impression the organization never saw him as a closer. It seemed like all the talk during the off-season was about grooming Rondon for the role and that they would use a committee to get to Rondon. Benoit switching to closer didn't really fix the bullpen anyway. All it did was move his 8th inning work to the 9th and still left them short in the bullpen. I thought Dombrowski did a poor job of addressing the bullpen last off-season, so I mostly blame him.

[ben9753 47]

Why is everyone in the national media dropping Dusty Baker's name for the Tigers gig? Dombrowski isn't a dummy. Baker will not be the Tigers manager.

Because the media consists of a bunch of morons. They google coaches who have been fired recently and decide that obviously Dombrowski is going to hire one of them. Isn't it a rule that you must hire a worn out retread manager?

[LooseGoose 679]

Rod Allen is a baseball genius. He should be the next Tigers manager.

Who would he talk to at the batting cage then?

[Corky 15]

Wonder what becomes of Fakejimleyland. Will he retire also?

[ROMAD1 2,489]

Because the media consists of a bunch of morons. They google coaches who have been fired recently and decide that obviously Dombrowski is going to hire one of them. Isn't it a rule that you must hire a worn out retread manager?

There is probably an element of propping up buddies or people who are with the same sports agent. MLB Network talking heads do this all the time. They carry a lot of water for agents.

[Unlock the Shrine 10]

I don't really get why Dombrowski is getting so much flak for the bullpen last offseason. Villarreal was coming off a phenomenal year, as was ABQ, Benoit should have been expected to rebound and he did, Dotel was great the year before, Coke was a serviceable LOOGY, and we knew one of Smyly/Porcello would be in the pen. Pretty much everything that could have possibly gone wrong with the pen did, from Coke losing what little talent he had, to Dotel suffering a career ending injury, to Villarreal completely losing everything, to ABQ being terrible until October. I know bullpens are volatile and there should be a lot of depth in case of that, but that's a lot that went wrong.

[JayVee 10]

Count me in on the Brad Ausmus bandwagon. Loved him as a player, have heard only good things since.

I think Acta's a decent choice, too.

If it's someone else with limited/no experience, I will trust DD. If it's a retread, I will be more than upset.

[tiger337 3,082]

I don't really get why Dombrowski is getting so much flak for the bullpen last offseason. Villarreal was coming off a phenomenal year, as was ABQ, Benoit should have been expected to rebound and he did, Dotel was great the year before, Coke was a serviceable LOOGY, and we knew one of Smyly/Porcello would be in the pen. Pretty much everything that could have possibly gone wrong with the pen did, from Coke losing what little talent he had, to Dotel suffering a career ending injury, to Villarreal completely losing everything, to ABQ being terrible until October. I know bullpens are volatile and there should be a lot of depth in case of that, but that's a lot that went wrong.

Villarreal and Alburquerque were big question marks and they should not have expected much from either. I'm surprised Alburquerque even pitched at all. I don't think they had enough reliable guys for a team going all in for the World Series.

[Keepleyland2 766]

Count me in on the Brad Ausmus bandwagon. Loved him as a player, have heard only good things since.

I think Acta's a decent choice, too.

If it's someone else with limited/no experience, I will trust DD. If it's a retread, I will be more than upset.

Depends on the retread. Bob Brenly I don't think I'd be that upset. Dusty Baker? Burn that mother down.

[ROMAD1 2,489]

Depends on the retread. Bob Brenly I don't think I'd be that upset. Dusty Baker? Burn that mother down.

KL2...I remember the dark days of 2009/2010...you hung in there very well.

[Unlock the Shrine 10]

I know writers like Knobler don't actually have any insight towards the organization but the fact that Gibson and Baker are constantly getting mentioned on twitter right now scares the hell out of me. I can't think of anyone that would make me more upset than these two. Rather have Ozzie Guillen.

The most exciting part about Leyland retiring, though, is that we might finally have a competent third base coach. That should add a couple of wins right there.

[TheCouga 124]

I do have to say, I would still rather they go with a SABR-metric manager--but one that can also manage the clubhouse. Like Joe Maddon. He is the perfect manager. If you give me one or the other, I'd rather have clubhouse management over someone who writes lineups or substitutes pitchers in an optimal fashion. Which is why I always supported Leyland.

But of course, I'd much rather have both at the same time...they're not mutually exclusive. They shouldn't be all that hard to do, though. I'd rather they find the guy that can do that, whether it be a rookie or a veteran.

[FloridaTigers 27]

I'm be fine with Ausmus as manager.

Not convinced Leyland was such a problem, but if he felt it was time, than we'll see who takes his place.

[FloridaTigers 27]

Just please don't be Lamont or McClendon.

[JayVee 10]

ESPN (though I'm not sure how he still has a job there)'s Jim Bowden:

if I'm Dombrowski, the first two calls I make are to Dusty Baker and Charlie Manuel

Read the rest of the inanity here:

Tigers needs proven winner to succeed Jim Leyland - ESPN

[rhino 272]

I didn't hear the whole press conference. Did anyone in the media ask if the coaches would be staying? Or is that something the new manger would decide?

[ben9753 47]

ESPN (though I'm not sure how he still has a job there)'s Jim Bowden:

Read the rest of the inanity here:

Tigers needs proven winner to succeed Jim Leyland - ESPN

Oh god. The proven winner. They need Cabrera healthy and Fielder to hit to succeed.

[Nastradamus 270]

I don't really get why Dombrowski is getting so much flak for the bullpen last offseason. Villarreal was coming off a phenomenal year, as was ABQ, Benoit should have been expected to rebound and he did, Dotel was great the year before, Coke was a serviceable LOOGY, and we knew one of Smyly/Porcello would be in the pen. Pretty much everything that could have possibly gone wrong with the pen did, from Coke losing what little talent he had, to Dotel suffering a career ending injury, to Villarreal completely losing everything, to ABQ being terrible until October. I know bullpens are volatile and there should be a lot of depth in case of that, but that's a lot that went wrong.

This is perfectly said. Relivers are very up and down and we just had bad luck if you ask me. Every single one of our releivers tanked early on. Rondon,Coke,Dotel,Villareal,AA and even Valverde. All of them had been at the very least, a useful bullpen arm the year before. Coke kind of stunk, but he still got lefties out and was fantastic as the closer in the playoffs. Villareal was fantastic, AA always dazzles you with potential and Rondon was doing the same. Valverde completely fell apart, but for the first 4 months of 2012 and even his first few weeks of 2013, he got the job done. Dotel never managed to get healthy. That can be expected of an old guy, as can a guy like Rondon not being ready. You just don't expect every single thing that can go wrong will go wrong. All bullpens are filled with guys like this. Uehara has basically never closed in his life and Tazawa has never been that special. Breslow is a good one, but you don't necessarily figure he'll have a 0.00 ERA in the postseason either.

They moved Smyly to a set up role, got Rondon going for a while and snagged up Veras who pitched pretty well for us. I'll take it.

[Biff Mayhem 592]

I didn't hear the whole press conference. Did anyone in the media ask if the coaches would be staying? Or is that something the new manger would decide?

He skirted it by talking about their contracts expiring 10/31/13 but didn't elaborate.

[Mark The Shark 11]

ESPN (though I'm not sure how he still has a job there)'s Jim Bowden:

Read the rest of the inanity here:

Tigers needs proven winner to succeed Jim Leyland - ESPN

That you have to pay extra to read that drivel is the best part.