Succeeding Jim Leyland
In the spirit of yesterday's Cabrera trade post, my thoughts turned to Jim Leyland: how long does he want to manage?
More to the point, is his eventual successor in house? Gene Lamont had a near miss with Boston this year, and I wonder if he's the organization's safe pick when Leyland decides to hang it up.
Joe Maddon would be nice; so would Terry Francona. Last summer, when there was a lot of fan talk about firing Leyland, no one could ever come up with an apt replacement. Since I'm just spitballing here I haven't delved into Joe Maddon's contract status but knowing Francona's available, and the esteemed Lamont (tongue in cheek) is right here, it's fun to speculate.
Your thoughts?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bless You Boys writing staff.
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I'd love for it to be Maddon
Or if we could get Gibby to leave Arizona
Did we really just sign Prince Fielder? Holllllllllly sh*t.
by tigers22 on Feb 10, 2012 3:05 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Ilitch can be per$ua$ive
but at this stage, I think Gibby’s doing fine in AZ. Would love it, though.
"You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it was the other way around..." Jim Bouton
I think Phil Nevin in Toledo gets a good look
but given the investment in the team they may feel better getting a more proven commodity at the MLB level. Hard saying. But Nevin will find his way to the MLB at some point I think.
If we're in rebuild mode, I see Nevin
If Mr. I stays healthy, or HIS successors are as committed to going for it as he is right now, I think they’d go for a “name” guy. Maddon, Francona, etc. Kind of like he/they did with the Wings and Scotty Bowman
"You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it was the other way around..." Jim Bouton
by JimWalewander on Feb 10, 2012 3:55 PM EST up reply actions
Patty, Erin and I had this discussion over lunch during Christmas
Patty postulated that DD has told Terry Francona “You go ahead and spend a year as a baseball commenter and we’ll hire you next year when Leyland’s contract is up” Of course, a WS win would go a long way toward JL’s job security, assuming he wants to keep managing.
But if he doesn’t or the Tigers fail miserably this season, mark Patty’s words.
"Some guy told me I should walk with the Lord. I'd rather walk with the bases loaded" Ken Singleton
Successor to JL
Personally I like Gibson but he has a job. It appears the tigers missed the boat on that opportunity. But even he may be available once again some day. I don’t really think there’s anything imminently opening up, so JL is likely our guy for at least the next 3 or 4 years. Might not be all bad, nobody’s perfect on this planet.
I bet JL doesn't want 3 or 4 more years
I think he’s fine with one-year deals because he might decide he wants out soon.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981
While I like Gibby and Maddon
I don’t think they really fit with this team and aren’t what the Tiger’s should look for in their next manager. Gibby and Maddon have excelled with young players on teams without bonafied super-stars (before you start whining about Longoria, he was not a superstar when Maddon started). While you can, and should, argue with a lot of Jim’s in-game strategy I don’t think you can make a strong complaint about his ability to manage people and personalities. A big-budget team like the tigers, with bonafied stars, doesn’t need a ra’ra’ motivational manager like Gibson, or a “lets have fun and dress in drag for the plane ride” guy, like Maddon, those two are far better suited to managing young players who haven’t really developed professional attitudes yet.
agree on Maddon and Gibson
If they had to make the move today, I would put Tito at the top of the list. He makes sense as a type who can manage and soothe the respective egos of established, big-time players.
I admit I’m no fan of Gibson and am surprised by his huge success, but I still don’t think he makes sense in a clubhouse like ours.
while i would love if nevin or brookens took over...
i do think we’ll get a “name guy” as some have said.
i doubt Gibby would leave arizona, but you never know.
that being said, i would absolutely love Maddon! the way he can handle a young squad, it would be awesome to see what he could do with established talent (not saying the rays don’t, but stacked up against the Tigers… c’mon). he also does an excellent job at keeping the clubhouse calm and cool.
another would have to be one that’s been mentioned, but i’ll say it again: Francona. however, i really think he’ll get a job in an organization before the next season is done.
however, what if the Tigers actually win the World Series…? would the Tigers renew JL’s contract? would he want to continue managing (or go out a la La Russa)? would they let JL walk if the Tigers make it to the ALCS or WS, but not advance/win?
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by DetroitTigersGeek on Feb 11, 2012 12:27 PM EST reply actions
Call me crazy...
but I’ve always felt that Carlos Guillen would make a great manager (besides the fact that he may need a pinch-runner for pitching changes), and just think of all the Venezuelans we could attract.
oh I agree completely
Everything I’ve heard is about how knowledgeable Carlos is and I think some beat writers have put up the “manager” flag too.
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 11, 2012 6:57 PM EST up reply actions
When his playing days are done
I think it would be a mistake to not offer him a spot somewhere in the organization, guy’s a gamer, with a lot of fire and decent style(I’m a high socks guy, but double back pockets out’’ll do), a winning attitude, and I feel like he’d take a bullet for one of his guys.
A long time ago
I remember listening to a FSD broadcast about how the Tigers wanted Carlos in their farm system as a manager when he retires.
by metatron5369 on Feb 11, 2012 7:50 PM EST up reply actions
1. Maddon, 2. Gibby, 3. Francona
I think that Maddon and Gibby are exactly what the Tigers need, which is someone that understands how to get runs across the plate in a close game, and how to get maximum effort from their players. Leyland is good at the latter.
Unfortunately, Maddon and Gibby have both signed extensions recently with their current clubs. Francona is available.
I think that Leyland will be around for a few more seasons, one at a time.
"King of Minutiae"
I can't imagine the Tigers without Leyland
When we got Leyland and he named his coaching staff, I thought that was pretty amazing. I love Lloyd McClendon and expect that he’ll take over as manager when Leyland retires. Love Gene Lamont and all the experience he brings. He’d be a great choice to take over as manager also. Pitching coaches: I liked Chuck Hernandez, hated Rick Knapp, but love Jeff Jones. Love Rafeal Belliard as our infield fielding coach. Love Brookens at 1B, but would like to see him moved to 3B eventually.
Legendary Lloyd may have been the worst manager
in the last 30 years. His record in Pittsburgh was horrific. He had at least one complete meltdown and no major league team has given him serious consideration since. I would prefer Lamont over McClendon by a mile.
However Gino has been tagging along behind Leyland, like Alex Grammas did with Sparky for many, many years. When Leyland hangs em up so will Lamont.
My choice would be Alan Trammell who got royally screwed by Dombrowski.
He “saved the franchise” by being an attendance grabber during the really, really lean years. When the team started to improve iIn 05 DD traded away the bullpen that July and the big free agent Magglio missed a third of the season. Ivan Rodriguez was pulling his “I’m the star” crap going over Trammell’s head to Illitch and when the team floundered Dombrowski canned Alan after the season. When Leyland came in the next year it was with two great rookies (Verlander and Zumaya) and a couple of free agents that really clicked, Kenny Rodgers and Todd Jones.
Leyland looked like a genius and had little to do with the success. I’d like to see Alan Trammell given a chance to manage with a decent team…..but it will never happen.
What WILL happen is Terry Francona, another over rated retread manager, taking control in 2014. He will manage during the biggest stretch of Fielder’s contract. When the Tiger’s fire him in 2016 the Tigers will hire Ivan Rodriguez (a Boras client) to manage.
And that’s when I take up golf until the Tigers fire Rodriguez midway through the 2018 season.
I always assumed it was Brookens!
I thought I had read a few years back that Brookie had always been thought of as the guy with the right temperment and smarts to be the heir apparent to the Tiger’s head coaching crown. McClendon seems like he does a good job too and has been there before. Maddon would be great, but who knows if he would even come here.

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