BREAKING: Jim Leyland Stepping Down as Tigers Manager
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
After coming up short on claiming a World Series title in the Motor City, Jim Leyland is stepping down as the manager of the Detroit Tigers. FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal had this tweet…
Sources: Leyland stepping down as #Tigers manager. Told team after end of ALCS. Team has called news conference for 11:30 AM ET.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 21, 2013
Rosenthal also tweets that Leyland informed the team that is was time for “someone younger to do the job”. He adds that Leyland is 68.
The Tigers is the fourth organization in which Leyland has been at the helm. His first managerial stint was in Pittsburgh, where he managed for 11 seasons and guided the Pirates three consecutive NL East titles, but never a postseason berth. His record there was 851-863.
Next was Florida and the Marlins. Leyland was their skipper for only two seasons (146-178), but the first of those two resulted in the 1997 World Series Championship. That was followed by the one year in Denver watching over the Rockies (72-90).
After taking seven years away from the game, Leyland returned to take over for Alan Trammell. In Leyland’s first season as the Tigers manager, he lead them to the World Series where they would be defeated by the St.
Louis Cardinals, four games to one.
Over the past three seasons, the Tigers claimed the AL Central title, advanced to the World Series last year, but could never grasp that elusive World Championship. While in Detroit, Leyland’s record for those eight seasons was 700-597 (.540).
Through his four stops as a manager, Leyland’s overall record is 1,769-1,728 (.506).