Dave Dombrowski Out As Tigers’ President, GM

According to multiple reports, the Tigers have parted ways with Dombrowski – which is a nice way of saying he was fired.

Before Detroit, Dombrowski and Leyland won their only World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997. From 2011 through 2014, the Tigers won more games than any other Major League Baseball team, reaching the postseason in all four seasons, including three trips to the ALCS, and another appearance in the World Series, in 2012. He became general manager the following April. However, they remain 8.5 games above the Minnesota Twins and 11.5 ahead of the Detroit Tigers, with whom they begin a series on Tuesday night. Al Avila said. “That ain’t gonna happen here”.

Among the Marlins Avila helped bring in during his tenure either through the draft or free agency: Josh Beckett, Livan Hernandez, Alex Gonzalez, Luis Castillo and Miguel Cabrera.

Dombrowski won’t be getting Price money in the free-agent market, but he could have a handful of teams bidding for his services by October, and surely will be working for someone by the annual GM meetings in November in Boca Raton, Fla.

“I’ve committed to the Ilitches to stay here for the rest of my career, ” said Avila.

Avila takes over a team with an uncertain future. Dombrowski did not have a contract for next year and there was quite a buzz in the game the past few months that the failure to extend him suggested his time in Detroit could be nearing completion. The Tigers were rumored to be sellers at the deadline but they had the talent to contend for the postseason if they wanted to. Avila gave Brad Ausmus a vote of confidence during his press conference, but by October, Avila will let us know exactly how he feels judged by his actions. It’s just much bigger, and it’s time the game recognizes that as an inefficiency that has lasted far too long.

If we’ve learned anything so far this season, it’s that the Kansas City Royals’ run through the 2014 playoffs was no fluke. They hated the idea of selling and went back and forth right to the end, eventually deciding that this team, as constructed, had only a small chance of winning this year and by dealing then the Tigers would significantly improve their chances of winning in 2016 and 2017. “The pedal is still to the metal”. He got a no-decision in his first outing against Toronto….

More than catcher or shortstop or starting pitcher, the general manager is the single most vital asset in baseball, the person with the greatest ability to make and break an organization. “But I had been the one that coordinated all of the information about the players involved in the moves, and I agreed with every one of them”.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity, and honored and grateful to Mr. Ilitch for having the faith and trust in me to run the ballclub in our continuing pursuit of a World Series championship”, Avila said in the statement. “We’re not going to be in cost-cutting mode”.