Walbeck Walks the Plank to Piratesville

Over the past year at BYB, I've spent a handful of posts wondering if Matt Walbeck will eventually succeed Jim Leyland as manager of the Detroit Tigers.  He was a fast-riser in the Tigers' minor league system from 2004 to 2007, quickly moving from West Michigan to Erie, highlighted by being named Baseball America's Manager of the Year for the '07 season.

But maybe that's an idea I need to let go of now.  At least that's what I'm left to ponder after Walbeck was dismissed from his job as the Texas Rangers' third base coach, and will now be a manager in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization next season.  (At which level he'll be managing has yet to be determined.) 

Is Walbeck on the outs with the Tigers?  Or am I just trying too hard to read into this?  According to Walbeck, anyway, I might be imagining things:

After the Rangers fired him, Walbeck said the Tigers were the first team he contacted.

"I talked to them, but they just didn't have any openings available,'' Walbeck said.  "I was open to any opportunity, but managing is probably what I'm best at.''

Well, maybe it's just that simple.  You can't hire someone for a job opening that doesn't exist.  (Presumably.)  It looked like there was an opportunity to bring Walbeck back when Jeff Jones was fired as bullpen coach.  But then Jones was re-hired, seemingly because he and new pitching coach Rick Knapp meshed.

Walbeck also mentioned in that GoErie.com story that the Rangers' General Manager hired him for Ron Washington's staff, not Washington himself, which might better explain why he was let go.

Of course, none of this means that the Tigers couldn't just hire him after Leyland decides to step down, is told to step aside, or isn't given a new contract after the 2009 season.  But really, how could you not want a guy who institutes a policy like "Call Everybody By Their First Name Fridays"?