Jim Leyland will return as Detroit Tigers manager in 2013
Jim Leyland has decided to manage the Detroit Tigers for at least one more season. He has signed a one-year contract for 2013, the organization announced Tuesday morning.
That’s great news for the team he led to the World Series this year and two American League pennants in his seven seasons with the club.
“Jim is as fine a manager as there is in baseball, he has done a fantastic job for the organization, and we are thrilled to have him back managing the Tigers in 2013,” Tigers president and General Manager Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jim and his ability to lead our club on the field. I am confident that you will not find a harder working or better prepared manager in the game.”
The Tigers clinched their second straight American League Central title in the final week of the regular season, then went on to beat the Oakland Athletics, three games to two, in the division series and sweep the New York Yankees in the championship series before coming up empty against the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
Leyland, 67, leads all active managers with 1,676 wins and is 15th on the all-time list. He has been a major league manager for 21 seasons, winning the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997 and earning manager-of-the-year honors three times.
He served under a one-year contract this season — his choice — and hadn’t indicated whether he’d be back again until Tuesday.
“Detroit is a tremendous baseball town, and I couldn’t dream of a better place to manage,” Leyland said in a statement. “The support of [team owner Mike Ilitch] and Dave is second to none and gives this club an opportunity to win every year. Tigers fans and the people of Michigan have supported us so well during my time here, I can’t even begin to express how much that means to me.”
ALSO:
World Series draws record-low ratings
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
