11:38am: Via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links), general manager Al Avila has issued the following statement regarding Ausmus: “I spoke to Mr. Ilitch today and to Brad and I can reconfirm that our evaluation is ongoing and decision has not been made.” A decision on Ausmus will be made by season’s end, Avila adds.
7:40am: The Tigers are planning to fire manager Brad Ausmus at season’s end, according to Bernie Smilovitz of WDIV-TV in Detroit. Per Smilovitz, new general manager Al Avila wants to bring in his own manager to give the organization a fresh start. Ausmus, notably, was a hire of former GM Dave Dombrowski, who was dismissed in August and quickly landed in Boston as the Red Sox’ new president of baseball operations. Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is among the candidates being discussed internally as a potential replacement in 2016, according to Smilovitz.
The Tigers are currently a surprise last-place team in the American League Central, with a record of 64-76. Part of the reason for that standing, of course, is the decision by the since-dismissed Dombrowski to sell at the deadline, moving the likes of David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria in a trio of trades for younger talent. However, even at the deadline, the Tigers were a disappointment, having fallen well behind the division-leading Royals and sitting two games below .500 entering the final day of the non-waiver trade deadline.
As George Sipple the Detroit Free Press notes in reporting that he, too, has also heard Ausmus will be ousted at season’s end, Avila said at the time he took over as GM that Ausmus would manage the club for the remainder of the 2015 campaign: “He’s our manager for the rest of the season for sure. I have all the confidence in him. I think he’s done a good job,” said Avila at the time. “…I do have all the confidence in the world in Brad Ausmus and his staff right now.”
If the Tigers have indeed made up their mind on Ausmus, it would seem only fair to the skipper and the team to make a move more immediately. Waiting until season’s end to do so would almost certainly create an uncomfortable atmosphere in the clubhouse and put Ausmus in an extraordinarily difficult position for the season’s final few weeks. An interim manager from the current staff could certainly be named — such is often the case in these situations — before searching for a permanent replacement this winter.
For his part, Ausmus tells Chris McCosky of the Detroit News that he “[hasn’t] been told anything” by the Tigers yet. Last week, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that Ausmus’ job did appear to be in jeopardy, adding that owner Mike Ilitch was skeptical about hiring a rookie manager from day one.
The Tigers and Nationals are similar…..
Both ownerships spent huge for years on veteran players to get over the hump and win a WS. They even made trades with one another. And they both had FO’s that made the mistake of bringing in guys they liked that they thought had “leadership qualities” to come manage their contending teams. Unfortunately, neither manager had paid any dues, they had never managed a professional game or professional players. Most FO’s regard managers today as middle-management that they give directions to daily. So they look for managers they’re comfortable with. Unfortunately, they often overlook the fact that the players need to respect and play for the mangers, and that the managers need to be able to run a game.
Armus had to know he would leave at seasons end when Dombrowski was fired. And Matt Williams has to have known for weeks now that the Nationals cannot sell him to their season ticket-holder base and players in 2016.
Can’t imagine manager changes before the end of the season, but it’s clear both Ausmus and Matt Williams will be gone next year. Would like to see Randy Knorr get the nod for Nats’ skipper. He’s a fan and player favorite and eminently eligible now.
I like Randy as well. He should have gotten the job in the first place.
MLB managers have a minimal impact on their clubs success, especially in comparison to other professional team sports. There are plenty of HOF managers who struggled when they skippered clubs with inferior talent and a number of lesser known ones who won championships with great rosters.
The exception to my premise might be in the case of a manager who loses control of a clubhouse. In that instance, a cancerous situation can develop which can lead to a downward spiral. This can happen with less ‘accomplished’ managers but also with ones who won in previous situations, like Bobby Valentine (Mets/Red Sox) and Terry Francona (Red Sox/Red Sox).
Btw-Managers don’t necessarily have to have previous experience to be successful. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny would be a good example, especially in comparison to Brad Ausmus. Both were accomplished defensive catchers and regarded as bright baseball minds with definite futures as MLB managers.
Matheny actually had even less previous experience managing than Ausmus. After his playing career, Matheny coached Little League Baseball. The Cardinals hired him to manage following the 2011 season in spite of having no previous professional experience. In each of his first three seasons, he led the club to at least 88 wins and a playoff and National League Championship Series (NLCS) appearance, becoming the fifth manager in MLB history to do so. The 2015 Cardinals currently have the best record in MLB despite losing their #1 starting pitcher and top hitter for much of this season and are primed for another deep run in the playoff. No doubt, Matheny has done a fine job as manager in St.Louis since taking over for HOF skipper Tony La Russa but it is the Cardinals organization that keeps that team atop the the standings each year with the skipper being just a small part of the overall equation.
The Cardinals are an exception as they have a system of play that goes back to when Branch Rickey instituted it. Metheny was a part of it when he played, and he’s fit in. He’s been very good at bringing young players along. But his in-game management still leaves a lot to be desired – which is where his inexperience in managing shows. The last 2 years in the playoffs have had Cardinals fans shaking their heads.
As far as managers having minimal impact – nothing could be further from the truth. Although many of the new wave GM’s want to micro-manage what goes on on the field, it’s still the manager that players report to. A manager and his coaching staff can develop a player (players years ago started being promoted to the majors with holes in their games) or they can ruin him. They can demand fundamental play – Gerardi, Scioscia, Bochy, Buck – or they can look the other way – Ventura, McClendon, Asmus, Williams.
If you think a manager has “minimal impact”, go talk to Cubs fans about Joe Maddon.
You, I and any number of knowledgeable baseball fans can manage a baseball game strategically as well as a professional. In comparison, very few fans, if any would have that expertise to manage an NFL game. This is one of the reasons that makes baseball so appealing to me and others, the ability to second guess managerial moves, lineups, etc.
Many of us who are ‘professional’ managers in other endeavors also have the ability to manage people who work under them.
I’m not suggesting that the appointment of a manager has no impact on a teams performance, just that it is minimal in comparison to other sports. A ‘great’ NFL head coach generally has far more impact on the performance and W-L outcome of his team and can also enjoy similar success when taking over another based on systems, play-calling, etc. in comparison to a MLB manager. Baseball is the most individual based professional team sport and less reliant on the managers ability than more team oriented sports that rely to a greater degree on the head coaches input to win games.
Respect is a huge part of being a manager and I’d imagine the people you manage at work respect you because you have been in the field, if you have not played at the highest level or put a large portion of your life in the minor leagues,why would a pro baseball player listen to any thing you have to say? This is why Dan Jennings was viewed as a dumb decision.
There is so much to managing a baseball game that it’s impossible to write it all. You start with the fact that pitchers get lactic acid buildup which has to be broken down before they pitch again. Knowing how to manage it for each pitcher is difficult, and fans know nothing about the players daily condition at all, nor their tenancies to build it up.
I’ll stop here. The joy of baseball is that it’s an incredibly complicated game that looks so simple – which allows anyone to be an expert. Football has always been a coaches game as the coach determines who does what on the next play – particularly who gets the ball – and has unlimited substitution. Basketball is no longer a coaches game on the processional level, most players listen to the coach only when they want to. I’m not qualified to speak on hockey.
In addition to what Maddon has done with the Cubs, I’ve watched Francona with the Indians. The same front office (Shapiro and Antonetti) have given him the same caliber of players that they gave Wedge and Acta the previous 11 years. Francona has at least gotten those players to be a top 2nd-tier team where they can vie for a wild card spot by beating the daylights out of the crummy teams. Under Acta and Wedge, that team would be trying to stay out of last place. Any Twins fan can discuss the difference in the way the Twins are playing under Molitor (a sensational rookie manger) compared to they way they played under Gardenhire – who for some reason Tigers fans want.
I’m biased in saying this but the Orioles winning in recent years was due to Buck Showalter, when they won it was a lot of how Buck managed the talent not solely talent alone. Managers impact their teams in a huge way, an incompetent manager can wreck a great team (Nationals), a great manager can turn a group of good players into a great team(San Francisco).
How long will it take Brad Ausmus to find a new managerial job?
Majors, minors, or with Preller?
He’s an ex-catcher that it was thought would work well with the pitchers he was given. No. He’s shown he can’t run a game. And like the ownership, the players like him, but don’t respect him.
He either needs to go to the minors and learn to be a manager, or move back into a front office.
Like Marriage , it’s a 7 year Itch !
Quoting from another comment (about Amaro):
END OF A ERROR.
The soap opera continues. A quick recap:
1. DD uses his excellent sales skills on Ilitch to convince him that is it OK for a teenager (Ausmus) to drive a Ferrari (the Tigers) in 2014.
2. Ilitch allows DD to pick his manager with deep reservations.
3. When Ausmus fails in the playoffs by pitching Verlander in game 2 instead of Price and being blindly loyal to Joba and not allowing Anibal to continue for another inning… Ilitch wanted another manager. Again he got convinced to keep the teenager as a driver.
4. Ilitch had enough in 2015 and fired DD because of Ausmus.
Ausmus will be better the second time around, benefiting from the on the job training he got from the Tigers.
It didnt matter weather Ausmus started Price in game two or three of the 2014 ALDS, in a 5 five game series Price was only going to get one start no matter what.
If Price pitches game 2, the Tigers win game 2 (the final score was 7-6 in game 2, Price gave up 2 runs in game 3). It would have been 1-1 going to game 3 with an extra two days of rest for Sanchez (their only good reliever at the time) to pitch another inning if needed in game 3.
It absolutely matters v. being down 0-2 with a miserably imploded and tired bullpen which actually forced Price to keep pitching in game 3.
Price knew he had to go 8 innings in game 3 because of the bullpen misery of game 1 and 2. If he only had to worry about 6 or 7 innings, he might have been willing to not allow Delmon Young to beat him and sacrificed his pitch count.
Oh please. Not only are you blowing the Price start way out of proportion, you’re also completely reaching in suggesting that the decision was Ausmus’ alone.
Who else’s decision would it be?
Normally, the best pitcher, pitches game 1.
The second best pitcher, pitches game 2. etc.
Ausmus went off the board with putting JV in there for game 2.
If it was someone else’s decision, then Ausmus did not convince whoever that was that it was the wrong decision. That is still on him.
I also listed Joba (pitching too much) and Sanchez (not pitching more) as reasons. No comments about that?
Are you the Detroit Sports Rag author that started this rumor? You’re really pushing this narrative hard.
I am not the author. I completely agree with the premise that DD got fired because he hired and retained Ausmus though. Why is that such a stretch?
I reeeeeeally hope the Tigers don’t hire Gardenhire. Bud Black would be the better option, IMO.
“…I do have all the confidence in the world in Brad Ausmus and his staff right now.”
Well, that’s a lie. He’s getting fired.
Avila’s keeping it classy letting Smilovitz know of Ausmus’ dismissal before Ausmus has even been notified! Does Avila do break-ups via text message too?
Brad better go back to modeling , because he no major League Manger !
I wouldn’t count the Red Sox out as a landing spot. Dombrowski might want to bring in someone new and Farrell’s situation might mean it’ll be easy for everyone to have him take his salary and sit out for the season. Also Ausmus supposedly had a great interview with Henry and company a few years back when the Sox were looking for a new skipper, so he could be welcomed into the fold.
I hope they don’t consider him as an option. He is not a very good manager. To me, he would be a downgrade from Farrell (who doesn’t make the best decisions either).
Doesn’t sit well for the new GM to have these kinds of reports coming out. If Ausmus is going to be fired, let him go now. Avila can save face and start his rebuild now.
As for Ausmus, it might do him some good to look for a job as a bench coach before taking the reins as a manager again.
I could see Ausmus as a bench coach, learn some more from a better strategist and hope he gets another shot later on. Just speculating but Ron Wotus might finally get a manager’s job(he’s earned it) and maybe Ausmus takes his seat next to Bochy, he’d be learning from one of the best.
Either the media jumped the gun or this was a classless move by Avila. Unless you can point to game decisions that caused a teams downfall or a general lack of team discipline on and off the field, a Manager does not deserve to be fired. I think the Tigers on-field talent just fell short, again. The same cannot be said of Matt Williams…he has made some monster errors…in my opinion.
There are media in Detroit that reported Asmus was getting let go after the season within a few days of Dombrowski getting fired. This is only the last report of many.
Why would Avila leak it? What does he have to gain?
These kinds of leaks are common and start the ball rolling for many different things . . .it lets potential candidates know that “a spot will be open soon, so don’t go signing until we talk” and it sets the tone for future discussions on the old “we’re going in a different direction” theme.
Most of the potential candidates are ‘soon to be fired at the end of the season” managers. There did not have to be a leak to know Asmus was gone at the end of 2015.
Why recycle Gardenhire? It is a safe pick but what is the upside? If Smoltz were willing I’d be talking to him, he would be a huge help to Sanchez and Verlander, I’d imagine he could help the bullpen as well.
The most important move Al Avila will do in the next 3-4 years will be the hiring of a new manager for 2016. It will be the beginning of the new face and direction of baseball in Detroit. Who he hires will have a very important role as to which possible FA will consider Detroit this winter.They will be signing multi-year contracts and desire a team they feel confident is going in the right direction. Detroit also has no FA next year to replace and the farm system is not going to have many,if any trade chips. Most of the weaknesses Detroit needs to fix,should be fixed this winter. A bumper crop of FA SP,a major need in Detroit, is available this year and very few next year.
It is going to be a very interesting winter in Tigertown.
The White Sox should be doing the same thing with Ventura, but the inept management wants to drive this team into the ground, then they want to get a shovel.
Under Dombrowski, there just weren’t any leaks. It was surprising if a trade rumor even got out. Other than the press release about their offer to Scherzer (Illitch influenced?), the team conducted itself with class. It would be to Avila’s best interest to use this blatant disregard for the rules that had been set, to reinforce the importance of working for the best interest of the organization. Leaks will not be tolerated. To do nothing about this situation, would lead him to the same situation which reportedly seems to be Ausmus’ undoing, those working for him not respecting him.
Ooops! Guess an e-mail went out before it should’ve.
Don’t worry, Brad! Just a rumor. By the way, can we schedule a meeting for the day after the season ends?