| The Detroit News
And now, it’s time to get serious. It’s time for the Tigers, who haven’t contended for anything in four years, to start aligning legitimate pieces. They didn’t gain much clarity during the shortened pandemic season, and the rebuild didn’t get any smoother. But the next move by GM Al Avila is a big one, ready or not.
The Tigers are looking for a manager, and all they can offer is hope and market-value dollars. Avila has to look everywhere — yes, even at the tainted duo, A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora, who were suspended for their roles in the Astros’ cheating scandal. This is not the time to take the cheap or easy path.
The Tigers are still at least a year from possible contention, and with the financial uncertainty after a fan-less season, they might be a year from significant free-agent signings. I know, not what anyone wants to hear. The lack of a minor-league season robbed the Tigers of valuable development time, and no one’s sure what next season will look like.
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The rebuild didn’t accelerate in 58 games, but it didn’t stall either. Guys like Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Willi Castro and Jeimer Candelario had their moments. But now, in the likely absence of other major moves, Avila has to get this one right. He talked Friday about putting together a long list and whittling it to two or three in a search that could go into November.
Hinch would be a terrific hire under normal circumstances, but he wouldn’t be available under normal circumstances. He was fired in January and suspended for a year after the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal was revealed. He’s only 46, has a World Series ring from his five seasons in Houston, and if the Tigers are uncomfortable with the optics, perhaps it’s time to get a little uncomfortable. MLB’s investigation concluded Hinch didn’t approve of the sign-stealing but didn’t do enough to stop it. Cora was the bench coach in 2017 and considered by some to be more culpable for the scheme. Someone will hire Hinch, and perhaps Cora, although they aren’t off suspension until after the World Series.
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“I have them on my list,” Avila confirmed Friday, and he should. Hinch has connections to the Tigers, knows Avila and worked with Kirk Gibson in Arizona. He also played 27 games as a catcher on the Tigers’ 119-loss team in 2003. (OK, not a selling point). He has said he wants to manage again, and he might be inclined to rehabilitate his reputation in Detroit while helping rebuild.
“At this point, I can’t say I’ve eliminated anybody,” Avila said. “Obviously the cheating scandal is not a good thing. They’re serving their suspensions, and once those are over, they’ll be free to pursue their careers.”
Not a chance
In my mind, the only candidates that should be eliminated are ones with backgrounds similar to the Tigers’ past two managers. Brad Ausmus, hired by Dave Dombrowski, was supposed to be the young, sharp guy who could milk a couple more years out of an aging team. Ron Gardenhire was the inverse, the aging guy brought in to guide a young team to respectability.
From opposite ends of the candidate spectrum, neither was viewed as an obvious long-term solution. Ausmus arrived with no notable managerial experience, or even coaching experience, and Detroit was not the place to learn on the job.
Gardenhire stepped down for health reasons after doing what he was hired to do — provide steadiness and professionalism. Although his retirement with a week left was a surprise, there’s a chance it was going to be a mutual decision anyhow, with no talk of a contract extension.
Avila has to find somebody in the middle, respected enough to make tough decisions, communicative enough to connect with young players. Current interim Lloyd McClendon will be on the list but you get the sense he’s a fallback, fair or not.
Avila said the only candidates he’d eliminate are those without any coaching or managerial experience, like former players. When asked which traits he preferred, he laid out some pointed guidelines, suggesting the transition won’t be easy and a strong voice is needed.
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“Most important, he has to have tremendous leadership qualities,” Avila said. “In today’s world, we hire psychologists and psychiatrists and they do a fantastic job. But at the end of the day, the manager can’t just hand over certain things like that. He has to be engaged, involved. He needs to be able to motivate players and discipline players.”
In other words, not too soft, not too hard. Not a pushover, not a detached dictator. The Tigers could use a Jim Leyland, but there aren’t many Jim Leylands left.
Among the names generally assumed to be on Avila’s list: McClendon, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, former Marlins and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, former Marlins manager Mike Redmond, White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing, Royals third base coach Vance Wilson.
There will be challenges, such as when DH Miguel Cabrera pushes to return to first base. He delivered a nostalgic reminder of his power late in the season but hit only .250.
“I miss a lot playing first base,” Cabrera said. “I hope they can give me more time to play first. I need to be in the field.”
That request will come, and when it does, the manager has to be the one to convey the club’s concern. The Tigers are paying Cabrera for three more seasons and he’s 13 home runs shy of 500. He has a unique personality and deep pride that have to be handled appropriately, but his history of injuries make it hard to justify a return to the field. When Avila talks about a manager’s ability to motivate, he might have someone like Cabrera in mind.
“I want a (manager) that can look at a player, properly evaluate that player, and be able to manage that player accordingly,” Avila said. “I personally would love to see (Cabrera) back at first base, but I don’t think I’d risk making him the everyday first baseman again.”
Risk management
Risk management and psyche management are huge parts of being a manager. There are lots of intriguing prospects in the organization still finding their way and building their confidence, and Avila mentioned two in particular — infielder Willi Castro and outfielder Daz Cameron. There are established pitchers (Matthew Boyd, Spencer Turnbull) and younger pitchers (Mize, Skubal, Michael Fulmer) that must be handled differently, especially with innings limits.
With the plunge in MLB revenue and so much unknown, the Tigers might not be as active on the market. Avila landed nice bargains last offseason — Austin Romine, Jonathan Schoop, C.J. Cron — but all were on one-year deals. They’re not ready to stop adding stopgaps, but Avila warns of limitations.
“As far as free-agency, I really can’t sit here and tell you what we’re gonna do, or even how much we’re gonna spend, if we’re gonna spend,” he said. “Because at this point, we’re still evaluating where we came from and where the league is going.”
The Tigers didn’t go far in a short amount of time, although they were more competitive, finishing 23-35. The next batch of help must come from within, and also from a new manager. Gardenhire may have gotten the most out of what he had, but the Tigers need a guy now who will get more out of what they have. Hard to find, admittedly. The best candidate — Hinch — comes with scars, although scars can fade.
It wasn’t necessarily a wasted season because the Tigers found a couple pieces and eliminated a couple others. And it can still be a productive year if Avila finds a manager who can adapt to an ever-changing environment, someone with the experience and temperament to tackle a task that won’t get any easier anytime soon.
bob.wojnowski@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @bobwojnowski