There’s been some speculation that the Tigers will fire Jim Leyland if they don’t make the playoffs, and yesterday the 67-year-old manager told reporters that he hasn’t talked about his contract status with the team and doesn’t want to until the season is over:
Here’s more from Leyland, via Anthony Odoardi of MLB.com:I don’t think about that. I think about beating Oakland. That’s not going to have any effect on me. I think about beating the Oakland Athletics tonight and get into the playoffs. That situation will take care of itself at the proper time, and now, obviously, is not the proper time.
If I had information for you, I would give it to you, but I have none. I haven’t discussed my situation with anyone nor has my situation been discussed with me. And I don’t want to discuss my situation with anyone nor do they want to discuss it with me right now. We’re trying to win a division.
Leyland’s contract status was actually a popular topic way back in spring training, when he discussed it with reporters on March 30 and then ended the media session by saying: “But that’s the end of that stuff for the whole year. I’m not talking about that.”
And that’s mostly been true. Until now, at least.
This is Leyland’s seventh season as Tigers manager and his record with Detroit is 597-523 (.533) with two playoff appearances, including an American League title in 2006. This year, however, the Tigers were picked to win the AL Central by just about everyone and instead sit 3.0 games back of the White Sox at 78-69 for the league’s seventh-best record.
