5 candidates to take over as Tigers manager
The Detroit Tigers announced Friday that Brad Ausmus will not return to manage the team next season after a disappointing campaign which has them sitting near the bottom of the American League Central.
Detroit's subpar season involved the trades of some of the team's best players - including Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, and Justin Upton - as the organization shifted its focus towards a rebuild.
Ausmus won a division title in his first of four seasons in the Motor City, but as the Tigers suffered through a dreadful 2017 despite one of the sport's highest payrolls, the writing appeared to be on the wall.
General manager Al Avila says the Tigers will emphasize managing experience in either the big leagues or the minors as they search for Ausmus' replacement, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Keeping that in mind, here are five candidates for the team's latest job opening.
Ron Gardenhire
If the Tigers are serious about valuing experience, they should look no further than Gardenhire, who won more than 1,000 games in the AL Central with the Minnesota Twins during his 13 years as their skipper. The 59-year-old took home AL Manager of the Year honors in 2010 and is the bench coach for an impressive Arizona Diamondbacks squad under Torey Lovullo.
Lloyd McClendon
Avila said Friday that coaches within the Tigers organization would receive consideration for the managerial gig, which presumably puts McClendon in the mix. The 58-year-old Tigers hitting coach has experience as a big-league skipper after managing the Pittsburgh Pirates for nearly five seasons from 2001-05 and the Seattle Mariners from 2014-15. His .451 winning percentage isn't impressive, but his familiarity with the organization's younger players - he managed the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate for part of 2015 - could give him a leg up.
Omar Vizquel
Speaking of candidates from within the organization, first-base coach Vizquel could get a look too. The Venezuelan was arguably one of the best defensive players in the majors during his time in the big leagues and has a great rapport with a number of his fellow countrymen on the team, such as Miguel Cabrera. He was selected to manage the Venezuelan national team at the 2017 World Baseball Classic and is popular among fans.
Mike Redmond
One name that immediately surfaced following Friday's news was Redmond, who's currently serving as a bench coach with the Colorado Rockies. He played for former Tigers skipper Jim Leyland with the 1998 Florida Marlins while Avila was in their front office. Redmond spent 2013-15 as Marlins manager, going 155-207 before he was fired early in the 2015 season. He began his managerial career with a very successful stint in the minors, helping the Lansing Lugnuts - the Class-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays - post the best record in team history in 2011.
Jim Leyland
It may be a long shot, but stranger things have happened. Leyland, who retired in 2013, could potentially be considered for a reunion with the Tigers if they're looking to add a skipper who's both experienced and familiar with how the organization works. The 72-year-old is a special assistant with the Tigers and recently managed the U.S. national team at the World Baseball Classic, so he isn't completely rusty. Leyland's impressive resume includes a World Baseball Classic championship, three Manager of the Year awards, and a World Series title. However, there's no current indication that he's interested in managing full-time again.
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