Leyland to Marshal Tiger Troops

The Tigers have scheduled a major press conference for 5:30 this afternoon, at Comerica Park and from the recent developments it seems evident, it is to announce Jim Leyland as their new manager.

Leyland, was contacted by Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers’ President and General Manager after he fired Alan Trammell on Monday. The two met in Detroit on Monday night and again on Tuesday morning.

Leyland, who turns 61 in December, is one of the most respected managers of his generation. He was named NL Manager of the Year twice while he was with Pittsburgh. This will be his fourth big-league managing job. In his first, with Pittsburgh in 1986-92, he took the Pirates from last place to three straight division titles.  And this might be the perfect spot for Leyland. Detroit is within driving distance of Leyland's home in Pittsburgh. He grew up about an hour south of the city in Perrysburg, Ohio. And, most important, he is comfortable with general manager David Dombrowski; the last time the two were together, they helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series.

Leyland had earlier in 1999 walked out of his contract with Colorado Rockies, two years before his term expired, saying that he was burnt out. "The time away from the game has helped him a great deal," Dombrowski said Monday. He further added that the 60-year-old manager is motivated to return to the dugout. "He has the passion burning," Dombrowski said.

It seems unlikely that Leyland would walk out on the Tigers, since Dombrowski and Leyland have worked together earlier, when Leyland won a World Series championship with the Florida Marlins in 1997, Dave Dombrowski was the Marlins' GM then. And Dombrowski will most certainly value Leyland’s opinion and will also support him with the personnel input that the new coach would like to have.

The Tigers on Monday had fired Alan Trammell (the MVP of the 1984 World Series after he helped Detroit win it), who had one year before his actual term ended after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993. The Tigers were expected to be close to .500, if not better, but fell short with a collapse toward the end of the season and finished 71-91 and were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell. With a lineup and bullpen that seemed upgraded, the Tigers thought they had a chance for a winning season. The Tigers were 42-44 at the All-Star break and 61-62 in late August before losing 29 of their last 39 games. "Looking back, it is fair to say that we hit a wall," Trammell said last week.

"All the sudden, during the last six weeks, we didn't win many ballgames," Dombrowski said. Though he did not give any reasons about the sacking of the coach saying  "I did to him; I don't think I owe it to you," he said.

Though Detroit's clubhouse lacked harmony, Dombrowski said that wouldn't be a big problem for Leyland if he hired him.

"We won a world championship with some high-maintenance ballplayers and he handled Barry Bonds (in Pittsburgh)," Dombrowski said.

Tigers pitcher Mike Maroth was very familiar with Leyland's accomplishments.

"I know he won a championship with Florida and had a lot of good years in Pittsburgh," Maroth said this week. "Jim Leyland has a lot of experience and that's something he has over Tram because this was his first managerial job."

Leyland, 60, will command more respect from disgruntled veterans like catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez and right fielder Magglio Ordonez, both of whom proclaimed in September that the team "stinks."