Dear Detroit Tigers: Please leave Brad Ausmus and Al Avila in San Diego

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Before getting started, let me begin by saying a couple of things.

First, this is a piece I’ve thought about writing for some time now but I have tried to be patient before putting it out there. Now is the time.

Second, despite the title, I AM NOT placing 100% of the blame for the Detroit Tigers struggles on manager Brad Ausmus and/or general manager Al Avila. In fact, most of the blame (at least 75-85% in my opinion) goes squarely on the players. Afterall, they are the ones that have failed to get it done in between the white lines time and time again this season.

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That being said, it is time for Chris Ilitch and the Detroit Tigers not only to fire Brad Ausmus but it’s also time to fire Al Avila…before it is too late.

As noted earlier, the fact that the Tigers have not played up to expectations this season has much more to do with guys like Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler, and Justin Verlander than it does Ausmus or Avila. The Tigers, heading into Saturday night’s game against the San Diego Padres, are tied for last place in the American League.

Let me repeat that.

Our Detroit Tigers, a team with multiple Hall of Fame players and some pretty good young talent to go along with them, are in DEAD LAST PLACE IN THE ENTIRE AMERICAN LEAGUE! That is unacceptable.

Though Brad and Al may not be the ones most responsible for the joke the Tigers are this season, there is little question that they are doing their jobs poorly.

One of Avila’s biggest mistakes was retaining Brad Ausmus for the 2017 season. Instead of cutting ties, Avila decided to let Ausmus manage for the remainder of his contract rather than firing him. That right there tells us exactly how much faith Al had in Brad going into this season. If he believed in Ausmus, like he claims to, he would have extended him.

Is Brad Ausmus the worst manager in baseball? Probably not, but he has never been the right guy in Detroit. He should have never been hired to manage a team that was on the verge of doing great things. The former MLB catcher has clearly been in over his head from the get-go. It’s past due that he hits the road. Now.

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Speaking of in over his head, that sums up Al Avila perfectly since taking over for Dave Dombrowski as GM of the Tigers. Sure, Avila probably knows baseball pretty darn well, but he clearly does not know how to build a winning baseball team.

Not only did Al retain Ausmus for a lame duck season but he traded away Cameron Maybin when the Tigers did not have capable CF to replace him! Those moves, coupled with the fact that the Tigers are still paying Mike Pelfrey ($8 million), Francisco Rodriguez ($6 million), and Mark Lowe ($5.5 million), three players who are no longer on the team, is more than enough reason to prove that Al Avila is not cut out for his job.

Wait, did you read over that too quickly? That’s right, thanks to Al Avila, 9.5% of the Tigers ENTIRE PAYROLL is going to three players could not cut it in Detroit.

I am going to be completely honest. When it was announced that Ausmus would be back for the 2017 season, I was scared (and pissed). But what really scares the hell out of me is the chance that Al Avila could be in charge of rebuilding my favorite team, especially when he will have to be extra smart about the money he spends and where he spends it. Paying $8 million for Mike Pelfrey was insane and everyone seemed to know it except for one person. Al Avila.

So, Chris Ilitch, (and keep in mind that I have a bone to pick with you too at a later time), if you happen to read this before it’s too late, do us Tiger fans a big favor.

LEAVE BRAD AUSMUS AND AL AVILA IN SAN DIEGO!

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https://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-tigers-news/ddrysdale/brad-ausmus-im-not-comfortable-unless-ass-hot/94074/

https://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-tigers-news/ajreilly/why-ill-always-be-a-tiger/94068/

2 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve been saying this same thing the past week. Ausmus was the worst type of manager to manage the Tigers veteran ballclub. The players have tuned him out completely the past month.
    Oh, they say and act respectfully of each other, but you can see the indifference to his managing, lack of, Castellanos has a completely emotionless face, Miggy is fed up, and Al Avila was always a # 2 guy in GM circles. I’m afraid Chris Ilitch will retain Avila, If Chris Ilitch is smart and has a pair, he will or should be looking for a new GM. Dombrowski was great despite his couple of warts, this guy Avila opens his mouth early and says he is trading whomever…..what GM with a brain is going to tell the world what his plan is??!!??
    How is he going to get anything of value when all the GM’s know his plan?
    They will and probably did offer him bones, instead of the prospects he was looking for.
    That is why nothing materialized.
    Now brainless Al Avila says the same thing again!!
    I wonder if Chris Ilitch is as interested in the Tigers and Red Wings as he is Little Caesars?

    • I agree! If you look back at his record the last 3 years, it has consistently gotten worse at this point the last 3 years. There is way to much talent on this team to be this bad. That being said, why in the heck would you move Maybin when you knew darn well that Jacoby was not even close to being ready to play at this level. While I love Victor it is time for departure. Someone has to hit a home run in order for him to score from 2nd. How many runs has this cost us so far? And lets keep throwing k-Rod out there even after he whines about coming into a game even in a mop up roll when he has proven he can’t even do that. So glad to hear we released him even though they said he was a great mentor. The more I write the more pissed I get.

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