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Dombrowski fired, Dumb Ass Al Avila Fired Now DD back to World Series

For 6 years Al Avila had David Chadd, Dave Littlefield, and Dombrowski who many called old school,
DD has now hired Sam Fuld to be his GM and today Anirudh Kilambi who was a prominent member of the TB front office to be a AGM..
it screams what a joke the last 5 years before Hinch were.
 
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https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/11/17/back-to-the-future-part-four/
BACK TO THE FUTURE ? PART FOUR.
Totally Tigers

Today, let?s conclude the discussion that helps explain the Tigers? rebuild and sheds more light about what may be expected down the road.

We want to know exactly how all of this is going to play out. We want to know about the team?s priorities, timeline and when that championship roster will finally be completed.

We want to know when the Tigers will be contending again.

We wonder why it took so long to finally hire a competent manager who could effectively harness the talent he was given. And why it has taken so long to start saying ?buh-bye? to members of the decades-old clique.

In Parts One and Two, we started to get some logical explanations. I wrote about the need to go back in time and analyze the ownership under both Mike Ilitch and his son, Chris.

In Part Three, we looked at Dave Dombrowski?s legacy and the early years of Al Avila?s reign as his successor.

If you didn?t read them ? or need to review the issues ? here they are again because it?s important to know both owners and their GMs in order to help us understand why the present and future are playing out in the manner that they are.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/11/22/pipeline-problems-2/
PIPELINE PROBLEMS.
Totally Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are spending this off-season on free agents and trades as they try to fill the many holes they have. Catcher?. Starting pitchers?..shortstop?. outfielder?.

So what else is new? For decades, this has been their m.o. .

Yes, this is a team that has improved over the last year but when you scratch just below the surface, there?s not a whole lot there.

Certainly there?s no depth.

But will there ever be?

How many years has this team not had a decent catcher, shortstop, centerfielder?.? Heck, they didn?t even have a full-time first baseman anywhere on their roster or in the minors for the 2021 season.

And this is the most concerning issue for the organization. An issue that is going to shorten their life span and keep them from being consistently competitive if not addressed quickly.

The lack of player development.

For decades, the Tigers have had a highly unsuccessful program to develop and promote solid players. Dave Littlefield, VP Player Development (and recently demoted) held the position for 7 years. Before him, there was Glenn Ezell who lasted 3 years and left the Tigers in the middle of the draft. There is some controversy as to whether he resigned or was fired.

And from 2010 until 2014, I can?t find any documentation that proves someone else was assigned that job. After Ezell left, Dave Dombroski said that Al Avila would take over that slot until they found someone new.

But did anyone within the Tigers establish anything within that field that could be considered decent quality? How many solid players with lasting careers did they bring through the system?

I count only two. Nick Castellanos and Justin Verlander.

Two successful home-grown players since 2004.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/11/26/saturday-survey-6/
SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers

A general manager in baseball is the figurehead of an organization. In most cases, they have a team of people to advise them on what decisions to make. Some, but not all, also allow department heads to make decisions.

The Tigers? GM, Al Avila, has been in the position since 2015. He oversaw one year of the team attempting to get back to the playoffs. A year in which he signed Jordan Zimmermann. At the time, the Tigers did not have an analytics department.

Since the end of 2016, the Tigers were in tear-down mode as salary dumps, presumably ordered by ownership, ruled the day. Very few, if any, of the trades were deemed to be successful.

Behind the scenes, the Tigers were building an analytics department which was a stated priority for Avila.

After the 2020 season, the Tigers turned a corner. They had a huge hit in the selection of Akil Baddoo during the Rule 5 draft. Avila hired A. J. Hinch and allowed him to hand-select his own coaches. The team performed much better, having winning months since May 8th but still finishing below .500 and ending up in third place.

And in September, the Player Development department was significantly revamped with important new hires and turnover. The organization updated its personnel, strategy and player development methods.

Recently, the Tigers signed a new starting catcher and rotation pitcher in moves considered to be solid.

So how do you feel about Al Avila now? Are you more confident about his decisions?

How would you rate Al Avila as a GM today?

1. Pretty good.

2. Looking better.

3. Still have concerns.

4. Below average.

VOTE
 
Sam McMillan, catcher in the Tigers system, has retired.
McMillan was the 5th round pick in Avila's somewhat infamous 2017 draft, a high schooler the Tigers paid above-slot value after going cheap with their 2nd and 4th round picks.
 
Since 2017
Al Avila GM record
284-447 .388 winning %
63-99 average

Al still has a job..

Someone might say; "Let's not forget the huge contract hell he was handed by Dombrowski".

Only Miggy, and it's been nearly seven years. Pretty weak excuse, and even taking that into account he's done an abysmal job.

Avila took over with Verlander, JD Martinez, and Castellanos. After 7 years those would still be our best 3 players and he got nothing for them.
Worst GM in baseball.
 
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