Dombrowski Out As Tigers Gm, Avila In

[hewettbr]

Nathan's 2 yr. 20 million dollar deal is done but they still have to pay him a 1 million dollar buyout.
50 million sounds about right but indications are team is going to reduce payroll somewhat. They will need to spend 20-30 million just to get 2 decent starters and a couple of relievers. Not sure they can afford Cespedes even if he is willing to return. Mets will make big offer, among others.

By the way Tigers are starting Matt Boyd tonight, MLB debut. Hope they're not rushing him. He's not near as ready as Norris.

The mets will have t resign him by 3 days after the world series is over. Otherwise they can not resign him until may 15th 2016. its a clause in his contract that led to trading him to keep a better chance of signing him.

[Smirnoff]

Nathan's 2 yr. 20 million dollar deal is done but they still have to pay him a 1 million dollar buyout.
50 million sounds about right but indications are team is going to reduce payroll somewhat. They will need to spend 20-30 million just to get 2 decent starters and a couple of relievers. Not sure they can afford Cespedes even if he is willing to return. Mets will make big offer, among others.

By the way Tigers are starting Matt Boyd tonight, MLB debut. Hope they're not rushing him. He's not near as ready as Norris.

Probably want to see "what he's got" [[Boyd) to keep or trade, so do we......

[Lowell]

What if, just what if, the Tigers, now with no expectations or pressure, caught fire, squeaked into a wildcard birth and then went on a miracle roll? The two rookie lefties they got for the for-real lefty who have been impressive turn out to be genuine, Miggie returns to the line-up rested and hungry, Victor with Miggie to protect him returns to full form, Rondon solidifies and Wilson who has been impressive all season becomes a slam-door closer. There is a lot of talent on that team but it just seems the dots have not connected. They have the second highest batting average in the league, they just haven't been able to string the hits together.

Now who would get the credit for that scenario?

Oh and I did I ever tell you about unicorns someone spotted grazing in the outfield over night?

[Danny]

Good riddance to bad rubbish! Now the Tigers can go back track, hopefully win the next years World Series.

[401don]

First off, I would like some of what Lowell is smoking. Secondly, it appears initial reports were wrong and that Dombrowski was clearly fired and not in a classy manner. How could Ilitch hire Avila, Dombrowski's right hand man for yrs., tell him to keep quiet and not fire Dombrowski for 3 more days? Best scenario I've read is that Ilitch values loyalty to a fault. So much so that he probably heard/read rumors that Dombrowski wanted to explore other opportunities at the end of the season, as is his right, and got pissed and made the change.
Tigers are going to need to hire a president. Baseball teams are far larger, more complex corporations than in the past. It's not ideal for Avila, as vp of baseball operations, to report to Mike Ilitch and not the new president. Therefore Chris Ilitch will probably be named president, which is not ideal either as he won't have the experience or the time.

[emu steve]

First off, I would like some of what Lowell is smoking. Secondly, it appears initial reports were wrong and that Dombrowski was clearly fired and not in a classy manner. How could Ilitch hire Avila, Dombrowski's right hand man for yrs., tell him to keep quiet and not fire Dombrowski for 3 more days? Best scenario I've read is that Ilitch values loyalty to a fault. So much so that he probably heard/read rumors that Dombrowski wanted to explore other opportunities at the end of the season, as is his right, and got pissed and made the change.
Tigers are going to need to hire a president. Baseball teams are far larger, more complex corporations than in the past. It's not ideal for Avila, as vp of baseball operations, to report to Mike Ilitch and not the new president. Therefore Chris Ilitch will probably be named president, which is not ideal either as he won't have the experience or the time.

I'm with you, 401don.

Avila may help in the player acquisition area [[esp.) being of Latin [[Cuban) birth, etc. He'll probably talk to FAs in Spanish and Scott Boras will say, W*F, and demand that he be allow to bring a Spanish translator. Lol.

As far as Chris Ilitch being made President, probably no surprise. He will become more like the NYY where they changed direction some after George S. died and Hal Steinbrenner took over. If not Chris who? Tigers will remain in the family and Chris has become a very big part of the Ilitch empire.

Yes!!!! Mike Ilitch is an excellent owner but demands loyalty. If media reports are correct, Ilitch made Scherzer made a very nice offer and was put off when Max did not accept it. Some thought that Max burned his bridge by not accepting it and his departure was pretty well to be expected.

I do wonder if Avila goes heavy into Latin [[e.g., Cuban) players. As much as Dombrowski has an excellent pres/GM, Avila might have some real negotiating advantages.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

First off, I would like some of what Lowell is smoking. Secondly, it appears initial reports were wrong and that Dombrowski was clearly fired and not in a classy manner. How could Ilitch hire Avila, Dombrowski's right hand man for yrs., tell him to keep quiet and not fire Dombrowski for 3 more days? Best scenario I've read is that Ilitch values loyalty to a fault. So much so that he probably heard/read rumors that Dombrowski wanted to explore other opportunities at the end of the season, as is his right, and got pissed and made the change.
Tigers are going to need to hire a president. Baseball teams are far larger, more complex corporations than in the past. It's not ideal for Avila, as vp of baseball operations, to report to Mike Ilitch and not the new president. Therefore Chris Ilitch will probably be named president, which is not ideal either as he won't have the experience or the time.

Hit the nail on the head. It's more to it than being reported, Dombrowski really must have pissed Mr I off about something.

[emu steve]

Pivoting back to my post, I wonder if the Tigers will morph into a Midwestern version of the N.Y. Yankees.

When George Steinbrenner was alive [[and well) the Yankees had a virtual unlimited budget and then exceeded it. They sacrificed their farm system for expensive, win-now players.

When Hal Steinbrenner took over he re-oriented the ship and now the Yankees actually will not trade top prospects.

I suspect Chris [[Ilitch) will re-orient the Tigers more like what Hal Steinbrenner did in N.Y.

Someone in the front office must realize that it is better to pay Norris pennies than pay a #3 pitcher 15M per season.

As has been mentioned before, the Tigers finally have more 'financial sanity' on their team. They have players with huge contracts, some with moderate contracts, and some kids with budget contracts...

[emu steve]

What if, just what if, the Tigers, now with no expectations or pressure, caught fire, squeaked into a wildcard birth and then went on a miracle roll? The two rookie lefties they got for the for-real lefty who have been impressive turn out to be genuine, Miggie returns to the line-up rested and hungry, Victor with Miggie to protect him returns to full form, Rondon solidifies and Wilson who has been impressive all season becomes a slam-door closer. There is a lot of talent on that team but it just seems the dots have not connected. They have the second highest batting average in the league, they just haven't been able to string the hits together.

Now who would get the credit for that scenario?

Oh and I did I ever tell you about unicorns someone spotted grazing in the outfield over night?

I don't think this scenario is very likely [[as Lowell would attest), but it is possible that the Tigers could catch fire and be very competitive [["in the race").

What would become interesting if Mike I. tells Avila, "We're 'in the race'. Look at the waiver wire for pitching." Maybe some struggling teams might want to do a waiver trade to dump salary. [[Tigers have already dumped 35M in salary so adding salary wouldn't be a problem).

[Dbest]

I think DD got Peralta off waivers, that season was toast as well.

[stinkytofu]

It's pretty damn sad that Ilitch fired DD over the phone. Even if Ilitch has physical limitations, bring DD to your place or have Chris deliver the news. DD did a ton of great things for the organization and was just slapped away.

[emu steve]

I think DD got Peralta off waivers, that season was toast as well.

I like a LOT of what Dombrowski did in July:

Peralta, Infante, Sanchez, Fister, Price, Iglesias, etc.

[[Price, Sanchez and Fister are 3/5th of a good starting rotation).

[401don]

It's pretty damn sad that Ilitch fired DD over the phone. Even if Ilitch has physical limitations, bring DD to your place or have Chris deliver the news. DD did a ton of great things for the organization and was just slapped away.

To make matters worse, apparently Dombrowski was in the clubhouse and his son on the field when he answered his cell phone. Castellanos consoled his son who was in tears. My fondest memory of Dombrowski will be how he stood all day on the cement floor at Comerica greeting fans during Ernie's viewing.

[Smirnoff]

It's pretty damn sad that Ilitch fired DD over the phone. Even if Ilitch has physical limitations, bring DD to your place or have Chris deliver the news. DD did a ton of great things for the organization and was just slapped away.

Owners showed NO class, empathy, or respect to a 14-year loyal subordinate who make them "tons" of dough & turned the losing franchise into winners. New direction, right, from somebody cut from the same mold.....sorry, just smells, bad.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

What if, just what if, the Tigers, now with no expectations or pressure, caught fire, squeaked into a wildcard birth and then went on a miracle roll? The two rookie lefties they got for the for-real lefty who have been impressive turn out to be genuine, Miggie returns to the line-up rested and hungry, Victor with Miggie to protect him returns to full form, Rondon solidifies and Wilson who has been impressive all season becomes a slam-door closer. There is a lot of talent on that team but it just seems the dots have not connected. They have the second highest batting average in the league, they just haven't been able to string the hits together.

Now who would get the credit for that scenario?

Oh and I did I ever tell you about unicorns someone spotted grazing in the outfield over night?

This would turn out to be a "storybook scenario" however, it won't happen with Ausmus steering the ship.

[emu steve]

I think Henning nailed it: Ilitch wanted Dombrowski to be buyers [[using players in the minors). Dombrowski indicated that there were few good chips to get what was needed. Ilitch then agreed to be sellers. Dombrowski sold. Ilitch fired Dombrowski.

It appears that Ilitch might have been surprised how the farm had been completely cleaned out of good prospects.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opi...itch/31327673/