The Tigers announced Monday morning that they have extended the contracts of manager Jim Leyland and general manager Dave Dombrowski. Leyland’s contract was extended through the 2012 season while Dombrowski’s contract was extended through the 2015 season. Both were on the final year of their current contracts.
In addition to Leyland and Dombrowski, the team also extended the contracts of assistant GM Al Avila (father of Tigers catcher Alex Avila), special assistant David Chadd, VP of player personnel Scott Reid and legal counsel John Westhoff.
Tigers owner Mike Ilitch said he is confident in Leyland who is in his sixth season as the Tigers’ manager while Dombrowski is in his tenth season with the Tigers.
The Tigers currently enjoy a four game lead over the second place Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. Under Leyland the Tigers have an overall record of 485-442 which includes an AL Championship and World Series appearance in 2006.
Despite the lead in the Central, this comes as a surprise I’m sure to some Tigers fans considering the second half collapses that Tigers have gone through under Leyland and Dombrowski.
This move is also somewhat understandable considering it eliminates a distraction for Leyland, Dombrowski and the rest of the team as they head down the final stretch of the season. Tigers fans also need to keep in mind that the team is in first place, a position that many experts thought they wouldn’t be in this season.
Source: MLBTradeRumors.com