OT - Ausmus out as Tigers manager
http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/detroit-tigers-not-bringing-man…
Obviously not shocking news, but it is now official.
Edit: Wasn't clear in the title--they are "letting him go" after the season is over, so he gets to coach out the last 10 days or so.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^
About time.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:42 PM ^
They opened spring training talking about selling off the team. This season was doomed before it began. No one was going to win with this team. Whoever gets this job next will be fired in 3 years also.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:10 PM ^
it almost seems besides the point. They are going total rebuild, and no manager will make an impact with bad players. Might as well let him stay. the time to fire him was last year, when this year could have been different with ta different manager and a last chance team.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^
Now if only we can get Ken Holland out...
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^
Only a season or two late
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:31 PM ^
Good he was a bitch boi, now do Avila
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:33 PM ^
I don't see a rebuild with Avila at the helm turning out well.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^
Why? Avila has done well acquiring a solid list of prospects this year, including a guy who's hitting .362, albeit in limited ABs, and showing a little pop. Not to mention finding a solid player in Mahtook.
I think this is the right move for the Tigers though. The manager really does matter. Look at what Black has done with the youngest rotation in baseball, and what Counsel has done with one of the youngest teams. Get the right guy in there.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:42 PM ^
A manager with strong pitching development skills. The key to the speed at which the rebuild occurs is the development of six to eight pitchers now in the system. They include Norris and Boyd at the major league level and guys like Burrows, Faedo, Manning, Funkhouser and Perez. One guy to take a hard look at is Mickey Callaway, the Cleveland pitching coach.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:49 PM ^
Callaway is a good idea. Obviously he’s helped build the best rotation in baseball, which is also a fairly young roatation. And I agree. The Tigers have some very good arms, and the devopment of those arms should be the main focus. Norris and Boyd both took a huge step backwards this year. They still have high potential though under the right circumstances. Get a coach that knows pitching upside down.
September 23rd, 2017 at 7:41 AM ^
What would it take to get him away from the Pirates?
September 22nd, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^
Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Pelfrey make me have serious reservations about Al Avila's competence.
I don't think the rest of the poker players at the table fear Al.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:35 PM ^
I'm surprised. This organization seemed to really love Ausmus.
So I don't think you can say "obviously not shocking news."
I expected him to return.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
With the way the team was spiraling to the finish this year and with the team in full rebuild mode, I thought he was pretty much doomed, but that may have been more of a personal opinion than anything based in fact.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^
baseball orgs don't bring back a manager in the year his contract runs out. If they are going to keep him around they extend him before the final season on the contract begins. It's taken as a sign of disrespect if they make him play out the final year so if there wasn't bad blood before there is then.
Always thought BA got somewhat of a bad rap. Not much he could do with the junk they gave him for bullpen arms and some of the contracts they gave out (e.g. Anibal).
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:39 PM ^
I watched him play for the tigers and really hoped he would succeed as their manager
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:11 PM ^
the position players this year (before we traded everyone). Way too often the team looked listless and lethargic. that's on him
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:37 PM ^
At the end of the day this rebuild is all about the GM. Obviously Brad was not the guy to take the Tigers to the World Series but who is going to want this job going into an obvious multi-year rebuild?
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:41 PM ^
I didn't expect them to fire him, but it's probably a good thing they did. There's so many issues with this team, might as well start from scratch for the most part
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:43 PM ^
FIRE LEYLAND!!!
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:14 PM ^
HIRE LEYLAND!!!!!
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:18 PM ^
I'd take some Jim Leyland
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^
Would be torture to listen to that grumpy old milkshake mumble at reporters again...
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:57 PM ^
and, get you to the playoffs.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:06 PM ^
Not next year, he won't.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:12 PM ^
Like you are going to watch this tire-fire next year, much less the pre- and post-game talks with the manager
September 22nd, 2017 at 7:20 PM ^
Smoke some Marlboros in the dugout!
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 PM ^
A few yrs to late....oh well. it was a fun ten yrs of almost and wasted talent for Detroit.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:20 PM ^
his billionaire former minor league baseball player wallet closed or, died too.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 PM ^
He never seemed like a good fit. It will be interesting who they go after for what is not going to be a good team for a couple of years.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:00 PM ^
if they turn out like the Houston Astros. Unfortunately, we have Avila at the helm as GM. Now if Ilitch the Younger sacks him after the last game...
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:17 PM ^
Exactly, something my grandkids can look forward to.
September 23rd, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^
It's been said Chris I takes an accountant's point of view when running the team -- whereas Mike I took the fans'.
If that's true, I don't think Avila is going anywhere. Avila is good at the bottom line stuff.
September 22nd, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
He wasn't qualified for the job in the first place.
It's a rebuild. They need a guy who has experience with managing young players. The next guy is getting clipped inside 3 years anyway, and this team isn't contending until at least 2020. Get the next Ralph Houk, the guy who managed the Trammell-Whitaker-Parrish-Morris core through their first couple years, until Les Moss and then Sparky got them in 1979.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:16 PM ^
My priorities would be getting a top pitching coach, maybe a second for the minors. That's one position I'd overpay for. Then a good minor league manager to take over Detroit and another to take over Toledo.
That's a lot of hires, so they need to decide on Avila's future ASAP.
September 22nd, 2017 at 11:12 PM ^
That last part is easy. Avila is coming back for the duration.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
after getting swept by the Orioles in 2014. The team was on a slow decline and you don't try to reverse that with band-aids.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
The hiring of Ausmus to coach a veteran, star-loaded team was a huge mistake. That was the beginning of the end of an era of good Tiger baseball. A memorable era, that ended up being fruitless.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^
but at the same time, I lack confidence in this management group finding the right replacement.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:08 PM ^
ain't interested.
https://twitter.com/FakeLeyland/status/911327911025811456
Seriously if Al Avila calls me ONCE the phone is getting tossed into the hot tub. You're on your own
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:21 PM ^
Have been fired the day the Orioles embarrassed us in the playoffs. Management prohibited this team from winning a WS. I was in kindergarten in 84 so I don't remember a WS title. Could have had 2 in the last 10-12 years...instead nothing and now 3-4 of rebuilding. Sucks.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:25 PM ^
OT - tigers of of contention for next 8 years
...really this is what we are looking at
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
I think Ausmus is underrated as a manager, and gets a lot of undeserved flak from Detroit fans. However, the Tigers are going to be in rebuilding mode for the next 2-3 years, and putting a new face on the franchise is best for all concerned.
Like others have said above, I just hope the Tigers' management is capable of hiring the right guy. The baseball equivalent of a Doug Collins would do nicely.
September 22nd, 2017 at 6:25 PM ^
Scuttlebutt has it that Avila has contacted Mayo Smith.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:29 PM ^
This should be another Posbang. Avila turn out the lights on your way out.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:30 PM ^
Nobody was going to do much with the Tigers after 2013. I'm not familiar with the farms, but my guess is the next manager will be guy from the minors - someone familiar with the kids.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
Neyland.
September 22nd, 2017 at 8:11 PM ^
And I really don't care to have anything from Knoxville up here.
September 22nd, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
Get the Astros' GM or Epstein