The Detroit Tigers were one of the best teams in the American League in the second half of the 2000s and the first half of the 2010s.
With players such as Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Placido Polanco, Curtis Granderson and many others, the Tigers won two pennants and reached two additional AL Championship Series from 2006 to 2013.
The man in the dugout for all those years was none other than Jim Leyland, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame a few months ago through the Contemporary Era Committee.
The Tigers will honor Leyland this year by retiring his number.
“One of the highest honors for one of the most successful managers in franchise history. We will retire #10 on August 3 recognizing Jim Leyland’s contributions to the club and the game of baseball,” they announced via Twitter.
One of the highest honors for one of the most successful managers in franchise history.
We will retire #️⃣🔟 on August 3 recognizing Jim Leyland’s contributions to the club and the game of baseball. pic.twitter.com/eQ4vHhDLoD
Leyland will become the 20th manager in the history of MLB to have his number retired by a team.
Walter Alston, Sparky Anderson, Lou Boudreau, Bobby Cox, Whitey Herzog, Gil Hodges, Dick Howser, Fred Hutchinson, Tom Kelly, Tony La Russa, Tommy Lasorda, Billy Martin, Danny Murtaugh, Johnny Oates, Frank Robinson, Red Schoendienst, Casey Stengel, Joe Torre, and Earl Weaver are the others so yes, Leyland is now in pretty good company.
With the Tigers, he won 700 games and lost 597, for an excellent .540 winning percentage.
Even if he couldn’t win the World Series with the Tigers, he is considered a legend in Detroit and some of his former players love him and are eternally grateful for his help.