Brad Ausmus will remain as manager of the Tigers, the team has announced. New GM Al Avila says Ausmus’ recent work with young players was a key reason the Tigers decided to keep him, according to MLB.com’s Jason Beck (on Twitter). Avila says Tigers ownership allowed him to make the decision, writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. There have, however, not been any extension talks between the two sides (Twitter links). Ausmus is currently under contract through 2016, with a team option for 2017.
“On Friday afternoon, I met with manager Brad Ausmus and during our discussion I told him I wanted him to continue as manager of the Tigers in 2016,” said Avila in a statement. “It is my belief, and our collective belief within our baseball operations department, that Brad is the right manager for this team given where the team is, at this point in time, and for us to achieve our goals in 2016.”
As recently as last week, it had looked like the Tigers would fire Ausmus at the end of the season. Reporting earlier this month had suggested the Tigers had already decided to fire Ausmus, but Avila said in response that no decision had been made.
Ausmus is 162-153 in almost two full seasons on the job. That includes a 90-win performance in his first season and a 72-81 record this year. It’s been a tough season for the Tigers, who released longtime GM Dave Dombrowski from his contract in August and traded key veterans David Price and Yoenis Cespedes in July.
Going forward, the Tigers still have a core expensive veterans in Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Victor Martinez and Anibal Sanchez. Of those players, the only ones who have contributed at levels befitting their contracts are Cabrera and Kinsler. The Tigers are currently in last place, and they likely won’t be expected to contend in 2016, either, so Ausmus’ most important role with the Tigers could be helping them develop younger players like James McCann, Anthony Gose, Jose Iglesias and Daniel Norris.
What a joke. Effectively committed to being terrible next year. Needed a fresh start with a new manager.
It’s odd that they would be compelled to announce they weren’t firing their manager.
Not odd at all considering the media circus the last few weeks after “unnamed Tigers sources declare that Ausmus will be fired” followed by the DAILY barrage of reporter questions.
They don’t have to say anything. It’s like me calling you into my office to tell you you’re not fired.
If you are not in Detroit, you would not understand. Numerous articles about how unprofessional the Tigers are because they wouldn’t just fire Ausmus when the unnamed sources report came out.
The reality is they did not make a decision on him, but the public perception was terrible. Especially on the heels of losing Dombrowski presumably BECAUSE he hired Ausmus.
They said that they would reassess at every position in the organization at the end of the season… His job was not secure for next year, so I don’t think it’s too crazy for the Tigers front office to say they’ve liked his work and hope that he continues as manager
They said they’d review his performance at the end of the season, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to me.
The Tiger’s horrible play this year is not his fault. Hard to win when you don’t replace Scherzer and Porcello when it was the bullpen that needed an upgrade, which it still does.
Good move.
The question is NOT how he did in his 2 year on-the-job-training program. It did not go well in year 2.
Take the emotion out of it and think about how he will do the NEXT few years. He is a super smart analytical mind that lacked experience. He now has that experience.
Lost in the #AusLoss hashtag is the fact that he was able to manage Iglesias and JD Martinez into AS caliber players and he was able to find what looks to be a 10 year 2-way catcher in McCann.
Remove all the injuries from 2015 and get 3 good pitchers and lets see what happens.
I’m pretty sure Iglesias and Martinez both did the work to become All Star caliber players and neither was managed into it.
Where is your “teenager driving a new car” metaphor?
The metaphor came from one of the articles about what Ilitch thought of Ausmus.
I do feel a lot better about things now that I see that Avila has a backbone.
Their core of expensive All Star players haven’t contributed to their contract level because the have all lost extensive time due to injury, except for Kinsler. When healthy, they have been worth every penny. It’s a little misleading to leave that out.
The Tigers owner fully expects them to contend next year.
They are set at every position except LF in 2016. Not many team have so FEW position player holes. They can totally focus on getting a few pitchers… get everyone healthy, and let us see what happens!
Yea, I don’t get the they won’t likely be expected to contend in 2016. Why not? Everyone seems healthy now except Sanchez and even the bullpen is shaping up.
Realistically they will have to sign 1, if not 2 starters. It will be an uphill task, but I am excited to see how this new front office deals with it.
Absolutely correct on the pitchers. They will have $40 million to do it. The offense doesn’t need much. They will finish first or second in BA.
I would edit your comment by saying “it is very misleading to leave that out.”
# 1 item to address is the Bullpen!
Your not going to get 3 new frontline starters. Hopefully Sanchez is healthy and Norris performs up to expectations. Hurts to lose Price but 200 mil doesn’t grow on trees. Learn from Yankee mistakes. Farm systems needs rebuilding.
As far as baseball minds Leyland knew his stuff. Sure Asmus knows the game well also. We need a manager that breaths a bit of fire not guy that says that’s ok we will get them tomorrow or next week. If guys in the pen can’t pitch, get ones that can, or hire a new coach. Jones knows his stuff, but get out there an talk In a timely fashion, not after your 5 runs down.
I’m happy for Brad. He’s gotten nothing but a bad wrap since coming to Detroit. He was left with a injury prone team with a lot of stars at the the top, but weak depth to replace them. He was stuck with the worst bullpen in baseball to boot. If you look at what he actually could control, I think he’s done a fine job. I’m impressed that our team still has such great chemistry considering how disappointing the team was this year. I love his work with Mcann. He is loved by the players and the front office, and I’m glad he’s being given another shot.
Your assessment is a good one. The staff should get credit for the way the players have stuck together, accepted responsibility and not turned on each other. I was also impressed the way the veterans stood up for them to the press and fans when the word was they were all certainly getting fired. They didn’t have to say anything.
I would have liked to have seen a change made, myself. I don’t care for how Ausmus uses the bullpen. However, due to the circus that was made of “sources” saying that he would be fired at the end of the season, it was the proper move to make this decision to keep him, public. Unfortunately, there really wasn’t a replacement available out there to really entice them to make a change.
Why anyone would take this to mean that they won’t contend next year, simply confuses me. Kansas City will be without Holland and Gordon, and payroll will stifle their attempts to replace them. It will come down to where the injuries happen, as it always does. Detroit is due to be healthier, next year.
Exactly. I’d be okay if they found an upgrade from brad, but I don’t think anyone that good is available. It’s not like francona or maddon are on the market.
Looks like old Bernie Smilovitz of Detroit’s Channel 4 (WDIV-TV) has some explaining to do after he wipes off the egg on his face.
I felt a change was necessary because of all the pratfalls during the season. I surmised he was losing control of the team by observing the actions of the players. Now it is apparent that those observations were wrong and/or the players have now taken complete responsibility for the team’s failure. Looks like the majority of the players have come to bat for their manager. That is a great step in building a solid foundation for 2016. I hope he is right and am excited about what Avila will do this winter to help get the Tigers back to their winning ways.
It’s a bold move by Avila and sounds like he has the support of ownership. In Mr. Illich’s quote stating,”lets move forward”, I hope he means “here are the $$$ needed to plug the holes and build an winner”.
If they get some pitching this winter, there is no reason that they will not contend for the title next year.
Hi, I’m Paul