Detroit Tigers News

Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo on Tigers' managerial radar

Reports claim there is mutual interest between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox bench coach (and ex-Tiger infielder) Torey Lovullo for the team's managerial opening.

By Al Beaton Oct 26, 2013, 4:51pm EDT

The Boston Globe reports ex-Tigers infielder Torey Lovullo, now John Farrell's bench coach for the AL champion Boston Red Sox, is on the Detroit Tigers' short list of managerial candidates.

More Tigers and Lovullo: Is Torey Lovullo the answer?

Lovullo told MLive's James Schmehl he was interested in managerial opportunities, but he refuses to address his status until the World Series comes to an end.

"While I have interest in being a major league manager," Lovullo said in an email, "my focus is on trying to help the Red Sox win the World Series at this time."

Already confirmed to be on the Tigers' short list of replacements for Jim Leyland is current hitting coach Lloyd McClendon and Los Angeles Dodgers' third base coach Tim Wallach. Both have conducted interviews with the team this past week.

Lovullo spent parts of the 1988 and 1989 seasons with the Tigers as a player, making the team out a spring training in '89. He was forced to deal with insanely high expectations when Sparky Anderson infamously said before the season Lovullo was "As good a natural hitter as I've ever seen," adding, "I'll die before he comes out of the lineup."

But Lovullo couldn't live up to Anderson's hyperbole. After hitting .115/.233/.172 in 29 games, Lovullo was sent down to Triple-A Toledo and never played for the Tigers again. Lovullo would go on to play 303 big league games with seven different teams over eight seasons, ending his MLB career in 1999.

Farrell believes his protege is ready to take over a major league team, per MLB.com:

"To me, he's a manager-in-waiting," Farrell said. "I think he's going to have opportunities until he ends up securing one of the jobs. But he's been integral to the success that we've had here. He's a great baseball mind. The conversations and the feedback and just the insights that he gives, he's going to be very good."

Lovullo is not only on the Tigers' radar. He is reported to be on the Chicago Cubs' short list for their current manager's opening as well.

The 48-year-old ex-Tiger may not have the MLB management experience of McClendon or the big league player credentials of Wallach, but Lovullo is thought to be on the fast track to a manager's job.