The Tigers interviewed Yankees hitting coach Marcus Thames for their vacant managerial position last week, Jason Beck of MLB.com tweets (and as Tony Paul of the Detroit News previously reported). Thames joins Dodgers first base coach George Lombard as known candidates to succeed Ron Gardenhire, who retired as the Tigers’ skipper in the second half of September.
Like Lombard, Thames was a member of the Tigers during his playing career. In fact, Thames spent the majority of his career in Detroit, where he suited up from 2004-09. His time as a major leaguer, which he also spent with the Yankees, Rangers and Dodgers, ended in 2011.
Dating back to 2014, Thames has worked for the Yankees in both the minors and the bigs. He joined their major league coaching staff as the hitting coach prior to 2018, and though it’s difficult to quantify the impact he has made, the Yankees’ offense has been rather successful on Thames’ watch. In three years under his tutelage, the club ranks first in the league in runs and wRC+.
Why?
Ugh… Because the Yankees offense has been great under his watch
Why not?
Ausmus 2.0
No more ex-players, get real. Tigers need someone who’s managed before.
this will confuse the announcers who call Eric Thames “Marcus” even more.
I got confused myself…
Hope he doesn’t go, love him as Yanks hitting coach
If he serves as Manager and batting coach, that all but guarantees “Leave ’em Loaded” Lloyd McLendon won’t be back!
Let him go. His hitters always choke in the clutch
His mantra must be “home run or bust “ and they take it quite literally
That was literally Marcus’ game with the Tigers. When he connected it was awesome. Unfortunately there could be rather long stretches in between.
Country Strong!!
Definitely do not see him as the Tigers choice. These interviews early are just feeler meetings most of the time. I highly doubt Thames is the guy at the end of the day.
However, I am a Royals fan. I would be totally fine with them hiring a rookie manager with that roster.
Marcus Thames is not going to get this job. Avila knows that he needs a hit here and Mott another bust, so he will end up paying whatever it takes to get one of either Cora or Hinch to manage this club. I truly think it will go like this:
White Sox – Tony LaRussa
Red Sox – Alex Cora
Tigers – AJ Hinch
Just an opinion but I can see that shaking out
LaRussa?
Really?
Baseball has better candidates to fulfill Baseball’s version of the Rooney Rule. Why not interview Willie Randolph. I think ARod would be a great manager but he doesn’t want to deal with all the traveling. Yankees should consider ARod as GM. Thames did nothing to improve the Yankees hitting. They all still strike out too much.
Still don’t see the Tigers choosing one of the cheaters. Freddie Gonzalez, or Rich Renteria seem better choices.
A solid choice and a great baseball mind who will be perfect and get the best out of the youth movement and also the veterans is John Smoltz. He knows the game, the game inside the game and would bring so much value and he’s from Michigan so maybe a homecoming
I’d rather see someone with some managerial success in the majors…..nothing against Marcus.
the correct answers here are fredi gonzalez or ron washington.