The reports do not align, however, since Avila was told he would become the next Tigers General Manager on Saturday and Dombrowski was not aware he was being dismissed until Monday or Tuesday.
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Dombrowski was with the Tigers for almost 14 seasons. But Dombrowski was in the last season of his contract, and says there were no talks to renew. But his abrupt exit – accompanied by a somewhat cryptic explanation from the team – was unusual. Avila’s son, Alex, catches for the Tigers. “I feel this is the right time for the Tigers to move forward under new leadership”. A message was left with Dombrowski seeking comment.
“I thought he was great again tonight”, Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Really that’s a question more for him”.
Dombrowski said he spoke with Ilitch a short while later, and the team had simply gone in another direction.
What will the August 31 waiver trade deadline bring for the Tigers?
Detroit has won four consecutive division titles, a streak that seems nearly certain to end this year. The Tigers were close to winning a title, but even when they had the superior roster, they lost 8 of 9 games they played in the World Series. The Blue Jays traded him and two other players to Detroit last week for former AL Cy Young Award victor David Price.
The 59-year-old Dombrowski was the GM for the Montreal Expos and Marlins before moving to Detroit, and is likely to draw interest from teams around the majors. Dombrowski had accomplished exactly what he wanted to, adding minor league depth in exchange for impending free agents, however according to Henning, IIitch was not pleased with the situation.
The AL Central leaders, though, would like to salvage a split of this 10-game road trip Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. “He’s done a fantastic job for this organization”. About the only thing Detroit didn’t do during his tenure was win the World Series, which the Tigers still haven’t done since 1984. Westhoff, who worked under Dombrowski for a short period in Florida, has been with the Tigers since 2002.
“This does not mean we have given up on this season”, Avila said. “We were sellers at the deadline, but we still have a good enough nucleus to win this season. But as time went by, the decision was made pretty late, to be sellers”, Avila said.
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“Just to make my point correctly here, I will report to Mr. Ilitch”, he said. “We’re not going to be in cost-cutting mode”. Bream also spent three years as a player in the Tigers’ farm system, including a 30-game stint with the Toledo Mud Hens in 1997.
