Leyland Decides To Call It A Day

The fiery temper, the wiry build. The profanity laced, chain smoking, shoot from the hip demeanor. The mustachioed, no-nonsense leader. That pretty much sums up the on-field persona of Jim Leyland, who earlier today stepped down as manager of the Detroit Tigers after eight semi-successful seasons.

"I'm going to be 69 years old," he said. "I'm not ashamed of that. I'm proud of it. The fuel's getting a little low."

"I want to retire a Tiger. So long. It's not goodbye. And from the bottom of my heart thank you for having me." ¹

The 68-year old had worked the last handful of years for the Tigers on a year-to-year contract basis. He recently said words to the effect of "Why would it bother/worry me when that's how we've worked for so long" when queried by the media about his future.

Current Diamondbacks manager and former Tiger Kirk Gibson and another former Tiger, Brad Ausmus, are the early names being mentioned to replace Leyland as manager.

It appeared Leyland might have been relieved of his job in 2010 or 2011 after the Tigers finished 5th in the AL Central in 2008 and missed the playoffs the next two seasons. But after a 12-17 start in 2011, the Tigers won the first of three straight division crowns. They reached the league championship series in all three seasons and made it to the 2012 World Series where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. Leyland's Tigers also won the AL pennant in 2006, his first season in Detroit, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic.

With pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, and sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder leading the team, the 2013 Tigers had a great shot at a return to the World Series. However, the team's bullpen and lineup let them down in the key moments of their ALCS loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Leyland was a throwback to the non-number crunching managers that preceded the millennium. His players may not have always liked him, but they respected and played hard for him. No one over the age of 30 will forget his days at the helm of the Pittsburgh Pirates when he chewed out a thinner, but already arrogant Barry Bonds in front of the rest of the team during 1991's Spring Training. (See the profanity laced video below)

People think of Leyland as an old curmudgeon, but he was just 41 years of age when he was hired to manage the Pirates in 1986. (He started a string of 11 seasons as a manager in the Tigers chain at age 20.) After finishing out in the upper half of the division just once in four years, Leyland's Pirates averaged 96 wins and captured the NL East title for three straight seasons (1990-1992).

The '90 squad lost the NLCS to the eventual World Series champion Cincinnati Reds in six games and then lost back-to-back seven game league championship series to the Atlanta Braves. The '92 squad fell in heartbreaking fashion when they blew a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7. The image of former Pirate Sid Bream sliding home with the winning run still resonates with Pirates fans to this day.

Cost cutting cost the Pirates dearly and they won just 53 games in 1995. In the midst of a fourth straight losing season, Leyland told Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy that he was quitting at the end of the season. McClatchy let Leyland out of the remainder of his 4-year, $4MM contract.

Leyland wasn't unemployed long; with the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and California Angels all interested in hiring him, Leyland was hired by the Florida Marlins, which had put together a power packed team. The expansion team had played its first season in 1993 and captured the first wild card under Leyland's tutelage in 1997. The team then went on to win the NL pennant and defeated the Cleveland Indians in seven games for their first World Series title.

But as a precursor to future owner Jeffrey Loria’s putting a wrecking ball to the 2003 championship team, then owner Wayne Huizenga gutted the squad before the next season. The Marlins won just 54 games in defense of their title and Leyland, with no prospect of winning any time in the near future, walked away from his post and replaced Don Baylor as skipper of the Colorado Rockies.

In early September, however, a very emotional Leyland answered reports that he would step down at season's end by saying he didn't have the all of the passion he needed to do the job.

"To do this job right, the fire has to burn 12, 14 hours a day. I'm a maniac during the game and the fire burns like it always has, but I think to the job right, you've got to work at it 12 hours a day, and I'm not sure I'm doing very good at that right now. This is not final. It's a strong possibility." ²

After a 72-90 finish, Leyland indeed resigned to spend more time with his family. The St. Louis Cardinals hired him two months later to be a scout in his home area of Pittsburgh and he would remain in that position until he felt the itch to manage again prior to the 2005 season. (Leyland had been third base coach for White Sox manager Tony LaRussa prior to his hire in Pittsburgh and LaRussa was the Cardinals manager in 2000 when they signed Leyland as a scout.)

Though he missed out on the Philadelphia Phillies job the prior year, a refreshed, renewed Leyland was hired by the Tigers prior to the 2006 season. Signed to a 3-year deal (a 1-year extension was added a year later), Leyland admitted he never thought he would manage again.

 "I did a lousy job my last year of managing," Leyland said. "I stunk because I was burned out. When I left there, I sincerely believed that I would not manage again."

"I always missed the competition, but the last couple of years -- and this stuck in my craw a little bit, I did not want my managerial career to end like that."³

This time around it sounds like Leyland felt good about leaving. He is expected to take a position within the organization. Leyland leaves the game with 1769 wins, a .506 winning percentage, one World Series title, three pennants, and two Manager of the Year awards.

Good luck to a guy who did things his way and once yelled at Barry Bonds.

Headphones or low volume are advised if you are at work or have little kids around.

1 - USA Today.com
2 - Tuscaloosa News

3 - ESPN.com

Mariano puts the Mo in Most Valuable Player

You could kind of see it coming- no one player stood out in the American League's 3-0 win in Tuesday night's All-Star game. So it was no surprise when the player most honored on the night took home some hardware at the end of the night.

AL manager Jim Leyland threw everyone a changeup when he brought Mariano Rivera into the game in the 8th inning to throw his prized cutter.  While it upset a lot of people, based on the reaction on Twitter, it made perfect sense to a manager that did not want to go down in history as the guy who couldn't get the greatest closer of all time into his final All-Star game.

With a 3-0 lead in the 8th inning, Leyland knew that if the National League scored more than three runs there was a good chance there would be no bottom of the 9th for Rivera to enter.  So the Sandman entered one inning earlier to the strains of Metallica blasted over the Citi Field loud speakers.  The fans rose to their feet, the NL squad rose to their feet, and Rivera's AL teammates waited in the dugout to give #42 a stage all to himself.

The roar of applause nearly brought Rivera to tears as he acknowledged the crowd with a wave of his hat and nod of his head. Then it was all down to the business of protecting a three run lead. Four cutters to shortstop Jean Segura resulted in a ground out to second baseman Jason Kipnis.  It took six cutters before pinch-hitter Allen Craig lined out to Alex Gordon in left field.

Former Met Carlos Gomez hit the sixth straight cutter he saw on the ground to shortstop Jhonny Peralta for the final out of the inning. 16 pitches, 16 cutters, and a 1-2-3 inning to close out Rivera's All-Star game career. It was a somewhat appropriate ending since Rivera first rose to fame as the set up man for John Wetteland in 1995-1996. Texas closer Joe Nathan got the save for the game, then handed the baseball to everyone's idol as a human being.

Then it was time for the post-game and sure enough there was Rivera alongside MLB commissioner Bud Selig. The closer joined long time teammate Derek Jeter as the only Yankees to win the All-Star game MVP Award. (There was no MVP Award until the 1962 games, which was also the last year two games were played in one year.). Rivera was then given an award that was more Alex Rodriguez than Mariano Rivera.

He couldn't help but chuckle with amusement and amazement as he was presented with a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that sat parked on the field. I can see it being auctioned off to raise money for Mr. Cutter's church.

The greatest gift on the night though was the admiration of the fans, his teammates, and his peers. Everyone knows there will never be another player person like Mariano Rivera.

Yankees Go Gentle Into That Crappy Night

Wonder if A-Rod hit on her? - photo courtesy of Kansas City Star

The Yankees exited the playoffs on Thursday with the expected whimper. The only bang heard was ball meeting bat whenever CC Sabathia threw said ball. The Yankees best pitcher saved his worst for last and was the Yankees starter of the post-season to get truly hammered. The end result was an 8-1 Detroit Tigers pasting that put them in the World Series vs. either St. Louis or San Fran.

The Yankees were held to just two hits by Tigers' starter Max Scherzer, who like the other Orioles and Tigers pitched like Sandy Koufax in his prime. Let me rephrase that- the Yankees made Scherzer look like Koufax in his prime. And that's not to take anything away from Scherzer. The Yankees were just incredibly horrendous in this post-season.

Sabathia, who had pitched so well in the ALDS clincher, didn't make it out of the 4th inning. He had already thrown 93 pitches and was charged with six runs. Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta smashed 2-run home runs off him in the 4th inning. Peralta would add another off of David Robertson and Austin Jackson took Derek Lowe deep as well.

The Yankees only base hits came from Eduardo Nunez, and Nick Swisher, who drove in the lone Yankees run in the 6th inning. Alex Rodriguez (0-2) and Curtis Granderson (0-1, K) entered the game as pinch-hitters after Jim Leyland pulled Scherzer after 5.2 innings, 10 strikeouts, and 98 pitches thrown, in favor of lefty Drew Smyly.

And now begins the arduous task of making this franchise back into something. More on that later.

Baseball Digest | Tigers Need Max Effort From Scherzer In Game 2

Max Scherzer has been here before, in fact less than a week ago. Detroit Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander pitched one inning in Game 1 of the ALDS before rain suspended play and the Tigers lost to the New York Yankees when play resumed the following day. Down 1-0 in games, the Tigers turned the ball over to Scherzer, the “other” hard throwing right-hander in their rotation, for Game 2. The 27-yr old responded with 5.1 innings of no-hit ball as the Tigers evened the series at a game apiece.

Scherzer will take the hill in Game 2 with his team again down a game after rains affected the opener of the American League Championship Series on Saturday. The Texas Rangers edged Detroit 3-2 after a pair of rain delays limited the game’s starters, Verlander (4) and C.J. Wilson (4.2), to less than five innings.

Read the remainder of this free article, including updates on Delmon Young and Magglio Ordonez, at BaseballDigest.com.

BD Hot Stove: AL Managers | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: AL Managers | Baseball Digest

Only 14 of 30 managers have the same position they held when I last took a lot at the major league skippers back in March, 2009. Some were fired (and some were then rehired elsewhere), and others have retired. With spring training a couple of weeks away it’s time once again to see who should make the cut for a full season, who’s walking the tightrope, and who is on the thinnest of ice. The hot stove starts the two part series by looking at the American League.

AL East

This is one of the most secure divisions for a manager to lead in baseball with four, and possibly all five, managers sitting as comfy as an old man on a porch swing. Joe Girardi (2009), Terry Francona (2007), and Joe Maddon (2008) have all made it to the World Series in the last four seasons. Francona had the toughest task of the three last season and arguably did the best job in all of baseball. With injuries to players like Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Josh Beckett, Francona kept his team in contention for a playoff spot until the final weeks of the season.

Girardi signed a new three year deal this off-season that will pay him $9M. You can bet he hopes for a bounce back season from A.J. Burnett, another year out of Andy Pettitte, and some good fortune out of the collection of Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and others for the back end of the rotation. Maddonhas his work cut out for him this year. The Rays won their second division in three years in 2010, but much of that team is now gone. Carl Crawford, Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, Carlos Pena, Joaquin Benoit, Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, and Dan Wheeler are among the players who signed or were traded elsewhere. And now he gets to deal with the “Manny being Manny” show.

There are two new kids on the block, though one isn’t really new. Buck Showalter managed the last 57 games for Baltimore last season and had them 11 games over .500 (34-23). He, along with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, are trying to change perceptions and attitudes in Baltimore. A team that was powerful in the ’60s and ’70s and still competitive through the ’90s, has been awful in the new millenium. Showalter’s deal keeps him in black, orange, and white through 2013. Showalter has already helped turn teams around in NY, Texas, and Arizona. Crabtown hopes he can do the same for them.

The rookie manager of the division is Toronto’s John Farrell, who spent the last five seasons as the Red Sox pitching coach, and had been fielding managerial requests for the last few years. He’s taking the reins of a team that is in a rebuilding stage, having jettisoned veteran centerfielder Vernon Wells (and his enormous contract) and its best pitcher, Shaun Marcum. Farrell has said he wants the team to be much more aggressive on the basepaths this season, contradicting the moneyball vision previous GM J.P. Ricciardi had instilled.

AL Central

Our cover boy/man Jim Leyland is indeed in trouble as he enters his sixth season at the Detroit Tigers helm. For one thing, he has no contract beyond this season. But most important is success, and Leyland’s Tigers are just five games over .500 for the last three seasons combined. A slow start or a mid-season fade could spell the end for this fiery, “take no prisoners”-style skipper. Leyland isn’t worried about being a lame duck manager, and told mlb.com’s Jason Beck that he’s excited about this season. “Am I excited about our team? Yeah, I think we have a good team. I really do. I know we have a good team. I don’t think there’s any question about that. We have a good team.” Verlander, Porcello, Coke, Scherzer, Penny, etc. will be the key players to determine if Leyland is right.

Ron Gardenhire wins, plain and simple. Unfortunately for him and the Minnesota Twins’ fan base, he hasn’t been able to lead the team to a World Series. Gardenhire has a .656 winning pct. in his nine seasons in the Twin Cities and has captured AL Central titles. A 94 win campaign in 2010 led to the AL Manager of the Year award, but the team fell to the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season. The Twins need a healthy Justin Morneau and someone to step up offensively for Gardenhire to finally heard his name over the PA during the World Series.

Manny Acta is in his second season of a three year contract (with an option for a fourth season) as the manager of the Cleveland Indians; a team that was this close to making the 2007 World Series, but it is now in a major rebuilding phase. Pending free agent aces CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, as well as slugger Victor Martinez, were dealt away. Injuries have taken a major toll on the rising star of Grady Sizemore. All of this translated to this near-pennant winner going from 96 wins in 2007 to 65 two years later. The team improved only slightly last year under Acta, winning 69 games. The length of his contract shows the team is committed to Acta, who is still considered an “up and comer” as a manager. For Acta’s sake, the Indians farm system will have to get its act together soon.

Kansas City has not been the place to be for major league managers. Tony Muser, Tony Pena, Buddy Bell, Trey Hillman, and Ned Yost have been trying to make something out of nothing in KC for over a decade. Only Pena’s 2003 squad finished over .500. Yost gets his first spring training with the team after taking over for Hillman last year after 35 games. The Royals have young talent in the system led by the team’s best hitter, Billy Butler, and minor league prospects Mike Moustakkas and Kila Ka’aihue. But with Zack Greinke traded and the injured Gil Meche retired, Yost is still looking at guys like Kyle Davies and Bruce Chen to give him quality starts. Yost will be safe in 2011, but the team could go in another direction the following year.

It was thought that Ozzie Guillen’s job could be in jeopardy as he entered the final year of his contract. But after GM Kenny Williams brought in Adam Dunn and Jesse Crain and re-signed Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynksi, the team committed to Guillen by picking up his option for 2012. The outspoken, fiery Guillen should be fine unless the team plays well below ownership’s expectations. If that were to happen, someone else would definitely be steering the White Sox in the second half.

AL West

Ron Washington may not always do things by the book, but he found tremendous success last year, leading Texas to their first World Series. Now he has to try to repeat the feat without Cliff Lee. Washington’s stock rose exponentially and the victory rewarded team president Nolan Ryan’s faith in him after the manager admitted to snorting cocaine in 2009. Ryan paid him back with a new two-year contract that will keep Washington in Arlington through 2012. But reading between the lines, you could say “just” a two year contract. Washington has a chance to lead the team to back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1998-1999, but the real test may be surviving beyond this season.

Mike Scioscia is arguably the best manager in baseball. Entering his 12th season with the Los Angeles Angels, Sciosia has had his team above .500 in eight of eleven seasons, and he’s won five division titles and one World Series championship. The team fell on hard times last year after a combo of injuries, tragedy, and free agent departures weakened the squad. Thanks in large part to Scioscia, the team still finished just two games under .500. The former Dodger is getting to be like his old manager Tommy Lasorda, who served as skipper in Chavez Ravine for 21 seasons. Sciosia signed a 10 year extension prior to the 2009 season that would have him managing for the Halos through 2018 (He can opt out after 2015).

Seattle’s Eric Wedge returns to managing for the first time since he was let go by the Indians after the 2009 season and seven years in Cleveland. Things are not promising for Seattle, which won 61 games in two of the last three seasons. Outside of Felix Hernandez, Ichiro Suzuki, and Franklin Gutierrez, there’s not much on the 25 man roster to get excited about. Wedge received a three-year deal, which will give youngsters like Dustin Ackley and Michael Pindea time to develop.

Bob Geren is in the final year of his current contract with the Oakland A’s. Geren led the team to its first .500 season since he took over for Ken Macha’s 93 game winner in 2006. With a limited budget, Geren has to do more with less; not an easy task when managing under GM Billy Beane, who got rid of both Macha and Art Howe in the off-season following division titles. With no future contract, Geren’s job is very tenuous.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

It may not be a sign for the future, but mlb.com’s Bryan Hoch reported that Andy Pettitte has an autograph session set up in New York for February 15. That’s after pitchers and catchers are set to report to Tampa for spring training.

The Rays have signed 1st baseman Casey Kotchman to a minor league deal. With Dan Johnson pencilled in at 1st base, Kotchman should have a good shot at winning a job.

The Spanish language newspaper El Nuevo Herald reports that the White Sox have signed shortstopAlexei Ramirez to a four year extension worth $32.5M.

Motor City Badman

History was in the making tonight in Detroit. Two outs, top of the 9th. Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians. That's right, a would be third perfect game this season.

Tigers' centerfielder Austin Jackson had kept the perfecto intact with a remarkable over the shoulder basket, catch to rob Mark Grudzielanek of an extra base hit to start the 9th. Mike Redmond grounded out routinely for the second out. That left everything up to rookie Jason Donald. As it turned out not everything was up to the Indians' shortstop.

Donald hit a grounder to the right side. First baseman Miguel Cabrera speared it and threw to Galarraga covering. The pitcher caught the ball and stepped on the bag in one motion. He then raised his arms to begin the celebration. There was just one problem. First base umpire Jim Joyce had called Donald safe.

Cabrera and Galarraga were both stunned. The crowd booed. Tigers manager Jim Leyland came out, but didn't argue with his usual gusto. He seemed stunned too. A bang bang play would generally go to the pitcher with the great game going. But this wasn't even a bang bang play. It wasn't even close.

Galarraga retired Trevor Crowe to complete the one-hitter. And then the booing really began. Leyland came out and this time really lit into Joyce as did some of Galarraga's teammates. After the game Joyce lit into himself.

“It was the biggest call of my career, and I kicked the (stuff) out of it,” Joyce said, looking and sounding distraught as he paced in the umpires’ locker room. “I just cost that kid a perfect game.”

“I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.

“I don’t blame them a bit or anything that was said,” Joyce said. “I would’ve said it myself if I had been Galarraga. I would’ve been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me.”

Galarraga later accepted Joyce's apology and the two embraced. While Joyce gets major points for owning up to his mistake, the mis-call continued the trend of umpires making really bad calls in really big spots.

One only needs to think back to last year's playoffs when Phil Cuzzi erroneously called a Joe Mauer potential extra base hit foul when it was clearly fair. Major League Baseball needs to step up and do a better job of reviewing/correcting and yes, reprimanding umpires who do a poor job of either play calling or mishandling of situations (attention Joe West).

Joyce is said to be one of the best umpires in the game, so perhaps with time this will blow over. (It certainly hasn't for Don Deckinger who made a huge error in the 1985 World Series and is often referred to in these situations.) But the problem of MLB umpiring will continue to be a hot topic until Bud Selig and company get off their behinds and actually do something productive.

As you've noticed I have stuck to correcting/massaging the human error. I am completely against the use of instant replay for judgement calls. But what do you think? Take the new poll at the top of the page and let me know what you think.

Tigers to Sign Freddy Garcia

Jon Heyman of SI is reporting that the Detroit Tigers are the winners of the very limited Freddy Garcia sweepstakes. At one time, it was thought Garcia could make an impact on this year's pennant race. Well, Garcia thought that any way. But teams who took a look at him weren't overly impressed.

The Tigers are a bit short on pitching with Jeremy Bonderman down for the count, so Garcia seemed like a logical option.

On another note, Jim Leyland said that Justin Verlander was suffering from a dead arm after yesterday's start. Perhaps Leyland shouldn't have let him throw 130 pitches his last time out.

Tigers to Sign Freddy Garcia

Jon Heyman of SI is reporting that the Detroit Tigers are the winners of the very limited Freddy Garcia sweepstakes. At one time, it was thought Garcia could make an impact on this year's pennant race. Well, Garcia thought that any way. But teams who took a look at him weren't overly impressed.

The Tigers are a bit short on pitching with Jeremy Bonderman down for the count, so Garcia seemed like a logical option.

On another note, Jim Leyland said that Justin Verlander was suffering from a dead arm after yesterday's start. Perhaps Leyland shouldn't have let him throw 130 pitches his last time out.