No clue, but I would bet the job is appealing enough where they should be able to land someone good if they do it right. I don't have much faith that will actually happen. I'm sure they'll just try to hire someone from a good org and try to copy them, because Ilitch has no clue how to do anything else unless Yzerman falls into his lap.
I would like to submit my resume for this now open position. I am cheaper than Avila and can also pick from lists. When do I start
It wouldn't have done anything to fire him before the draft is or deadline, other than make me happier he's gone a little sooner. The interim wasn't coming up with a new draft board or trading our shitty players
Unfortunately at this point I feel like I do when Lions have changed regimes recently. Good because the clowns needed to go but not optimistic because the main clown is still in charge replacing them
Have the local media hacks chimed in yet? I’m sure they’re all saying it was the right move, after not commenting on it for last 5 years.
So Ilitch is saying it was Avila’s decision to shred payroll and trade Verlander/JD for garbage returns?
I want MG2 and Vinegar Strokes to give me lists. I’ll need you to call all of their coaches to find out how often they need naps tho
I think Avila being Millen level bad is overblown but I am definitely glad he is gone. I wonder if the skubal thing actually had some legs but illitch wouldn’t let him do it
Record wise, I don't think it's overblown. The difference is Millen tried doing stuff and it all blew up in his face. Avila sat there and did nothing for most of the last 7 years, and somehow everything he did still blew up in his face.
Because I enjoy looking at this sort of thing, since Isaac Paredes hit his 13th HR on July 2, he's hit .179/.275/.253 for an OPS of .528 over 26 games. Basically his worth was propped up by a 2 month stretch where he was on a 50+ home run pace, but still hitting and getting on base at low rates. Since he stopped hitting dingers, he's been very bad. Like worse than Jonathan Schoop.
From Stavenhagen's most recent piece... Candidates I’m saving a definitive list of candidates until it can be something more than pure speculation. Consider these simply some names that jump to the top of my mind: Brandon Gomes (Dodgers general manager), Alex Slater (Dodgers assistant GM), Dana Brown (Braves VP of scouting), Pete Putila (Astros assistant GM), Matt Arnold (Brewers GM) and Randy Flores (Cardinals assistant GM). The idea of hiring a young executive from a winning and forward-thinking organization seems like the type of move that could benefit the Tigers. Theo Epstein and Jeff Luhnow are the most fun to talk about, but I’m not sure either one is realistic. You can bet more names will surface in the days and weeks ahead.
One name I haven't seen mentioned that I think could be a candidate is Josh Byrnes. He was GM with Arizona (2006-10) and San Diego (2011-14). He's been with the Dodgers since he was fired from SD in 2014 as one of their top guys under Friedman. He hired Hinch to manage in Arizona in 09 (he and Hinch were fired on the same day in 2010), and then hired him to the Padres' front office when he was there.
Also not mentioned on that list is former Tigers' great Will Rhymes, who is LAD's VP of player development.
Think quite the opposite. Millen inherited a meh Lions team with really not a ton of great assets. Was there 7 years, team sucked whole time and made terrible roster decisions and sucked at drafting outside of Calvin Johnson Avila inherited a slumping Tigers team 1 year removed from a division title with multiple assets to move. He got nothing for those assets, team is awful, made no quality moves and thus far appears to have drafted like shit and doesn't have a Calvin Johnson pick thrown in. Honestly Avila has done nothing redeeming in 7 years. Millen didn't either, but Avila is clearly on that same level
I just don’t think the assets he had were that good at the time. As good as JD is he was still a rental bat that gave away runs in the outfield. Even if you think he should have gotten like 30% more at the time it’s still starting from a mediocre base. JV is a little more interesting, he was only like 5 starts past thinking we couldn’t even find someone to take his salary. It’s actually kind of bad luck they got the trade in with seconds to spare. If he continued to pitch well probably could have gotten more in the off-season. Regardless I definitely don’t think Avila was a good GM or anything and am glad he was fired
Verlander is one of the best pitchers in history and I couldn’t name one player from that deal. That’s indefensible
I’m still cracking up at Ilitch throwing Avila under the bus yesterday, when it was likely at his direction to cut payroll. better yet he clarified his progress comment from July, and said he was talking about progress from the prospects, then proceeded to name 4 guys off an index card, one of which wasn’t even on the team at that point (Garrett Hill )