Tigers Fire Trammell, Pursue Leyland

Soon after Alan Trammell was fired Monday as manager of the Detroit Tigers, Jim Leyland was en route to the Motor City as the leading candidate to replace him.

Dave Dombrowski, Tiger president and general manager, planned to have interviewed Juan Samuel and Bruce Fields -- coaches under Trammell -- before discussing the opening with Leyland.

“I am driven to move quickly because I think there could be a lot of interest in Jim Leyland,” said Dombrowski, adding that his search could end today.

Trammell was fired after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993. The Tigers were expected to be close to .500 but fell short with a collapse toward the end of the season and finished 71-91.

“I thought we responded to everything well except for this last month,” Trammell said last week. “I think, looking back, it is fair to say that we hit a wall.”

The Tigers were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell. The most valuable player of the 1984 World Series, who had one year left on his contract, did not return a message Monday seeking comment.

Leyland, a former Florida, Pittsburgh and Colorado manager, told Associated Press that the Tigers called him Monday morning to set up an interview with him that evening.

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The Oakland Athletics offered a new contract to Manager Ken Macha, though it’s still unclear whether he will return for a fourth season in 2006.

Macha, whose A’s missed the playoffs for the second season in a row, has said he is interested in returning to Oakland if the situation is right.

He met with General Manager Billy Beane on Monday to discuss the season and Macha’s future before parting ways for the winter.

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Kenny Rogers will not return to the Texas Rangers, who are cutting their ties with the pitcher best remembered this year for throwing a tantrum and shoving two television cameramen. The 40-year-old left-hander will become a free agent.

Rogers’ agent, Scott Boras, didn’t immediately return a phone message.