04/19/24
November 03, 2013
Brad Ausmus Is Your New Detroit Tigers Manager: Former Tigers catcher Brad Ausmus has never been a manager — in the major leagues or the minor leagues. But all signs pointed this morning that Ausmus would become the Tigers’ next skipper.
Hopefully, Ausmus will motivate the Tigers in ways that Leyland did not, or maybe could not.
Like YYM, I was quietly pushing for LaRussa. But I knew there was as much chance as Bill Cowher coming to manage MLB.
posted by roberts at 06:33 AM on November 04, 2013
Remember that whole "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach?"
Worst career OPS+, minimum 7000 PA:
Rk Player OPS+ PA From To
1 Alfredo Griffin 67 7331 1976 1993
2 Ozzie Guillen 69 7133 1985 2000
3 Larry Bowa 71 9109 1970 1985
4 Roy McMillan 72 7653 1951 1966
5 Don Kessinger 73 8530 1964 1979
6 Brad Ausmus 75 7102 1993 2010
7 Aurelio Rodriguez 76 7085 1967 1983
8 Royce Clayton 78 8164 1991 2007
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 11/4/2013.
Please note that #2, #3, #4, #5, and now #6 are/were MLB managers after their playing careers were done.
(tip of the baseball cap to a commenter on baseballthinkfactory.org for pointing this out)
posted by grum@work at 09:29 AM on November 04, 2013
One theory about the marginal players tending to become managers is that since they get to ride the bench and spend a lot of time watching, they learn a lot about how to run a game. Catchers seem to be particularly good at this. They know about handling pitching. They are the only player on the field who is looking at the other 8 on defense, have the responsibility of not only calling the pitch and location of the pitch, but also making sure the location will result in a ball in play into the teeth of the defense. A reserve catcher is quite likely to understand the game quite well.
posted by Howard_T at 05:57 PM on November 04, 2013
Thank god they didn't hire Dusty Baker.
I was holding out a faint hope that Tony LaRussa would decide to give it one last hurrah but it looks like that was not meant to be.