Mike Ilitch turned 86 years old on July 20. Before two weeks had passed, the owner of the Detroit Tigers was planning a major change, a surprising change, at the top of the team’s baseball operations. He was going to fire Dave Dombrowski, who for 14 years had run his baseball team, initially as president and CEO and then general manager, too.
When the Tigers announced Ilitch’s decision last Tuesday, they didn’t say why the 59-year-old Dombrowski was being fired. Ilitch, who seldom speaks or appears in public, was quoted in the news release, but he didn’t give a reason for his decision.
In a telephone interview Thursday Dombrowski said he didn’t know the reason for Ilitch’s decision. “He doesn’t owe me an explanation,” said Dombrowski, who sits atop the short list of baseball executives with class.
I don’t know Ilitch’s reason either, but I have a theory and I related it to Dombrowski. It’s linked to the owner’s birthday. Recognizing his mortality and running out of time, Ilitch wants to win the World Series and if Dombrowski couldn’t do it in 14 years, he was going to give someone else a chance to do it.
“It very well could be,” Dombrowski said. “I know that’s his ultimate goal and I feel bad that we haven’t been able to do it for him and for the fans, too.”
I frankly don’t care if the Tigers win the World Series for Ilitch, but I do care if Dombrowski gets another job.
“I want to stay in the game,” he said. “I enjoy it. That’s my ambition.”
Given his record of success in Florida and Detroit – a World Series championship, two American League pennants and four consecutive division titles – Dombrowski will have no trouble gaining high-level employment.
On the other hand, the trend today is to hire young Ivy League-type executives, with or without baseball experience, who are immersed in analytics and metrics and whatever other kinds of –ics the can create. Nevertheless, Dombrowski should be as seriously sought as the highest-paid free agent.
The Boston Red Sox, whose president and CEO, Larry Lucchino, is stepping down either with his own feet or with a shove from above, would be the most obvious landing spot for Dombrowski. Using an on-field analogy for an off-field position, this would be like the Angels losing Albert Pujols and having Giancarlo Stanton drop in their lap.
The Red Sox, however, have said they are happy with their general manager, Ben Cherington, and Sam Kennedy, their chief operating officer, will replace Lucchino as chief executive officer.
Remember, though, that this is a team that is on its way to a second successive last-place finish and third in Cherington’s four-year tenure as general manager.
Meanwhile, what about the idea I heard a couple of months ago that Lucchino was being pushed out?
Lucchino did not return a call to comment on that possibility, not that he would acknowledge it if it were true, but I got comment from another Lucchino, Larry’s older brother Frank, who is a long-time judge in Pittsburgh.
“Four friends of Larry’s have died in the last three, four months,” Frank told me. “I said, ‘Larry, how many more notices do you need?’ Larry’s going to be 70 a month from today. It’s time for him to enjoy his 70s.”
As for the Red Sox, Frank said, referring to their principal owner and chairman, “He remains good friends with John and Tom. I’m not aware of anyone pushing him out. If there was any push, it was coming from his family, primarily me.”
So if Boston isn’t a likely destination for Dombrowski, let’s look at some other teams that need or may need someone of Dombrowski’s position and stature. I see at least half a dozen possible landing places:
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Talk about being pushed out, Paul Beeston is ending his second tenure (this time seven years) as president and CEO, though apparently not of his choosing. Concurrently, if Toronto doesn’t prevail in the American League East or at least win a wild-card spot, Alex Anthopoulos could be out after six years as general manager.
The Blue Jays have had only two winning seasons and no post-season appearances in Anthopoulos’ first five years. Their absence from the post-season pre-dates Anthopoulos. The Blue Jays haven’t appeared there since they won the World Series in 1992 and ’93, the longest stretch any of the 30 teams has had without playing in the post-season.
Toronto’s ownership hasn’t indicated what moves it might make, but Dombrowski could serve in the same roles he had in Detroit.
Dombrowski, whose Tigers went from a 43-119 record in his second season, 2003, to the World Series in 2006, would seem to be a terrific choice for the Blue Jays, unless ownership prefers native Canadians, which Beeston and Anthopoulos are.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Doug Melvin is 62 and in the last year of his contract as Milwaukee’s president of baseball operations. No decision has been made, at least publicly, and speculation has been widespread that Melvin will not retain his position, either by his decision or that of the owner, Mark Attanasio.
Dombrowski could very well be a leading candidate for the job if it becomes available.
(LOS ANGELES) ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Jerry Dipoto lost his job as general manager in a power struggle with long-time manager Mike Scioscia earlier this season. Bill Stoneman, who had served as the Angels’ general manager for the first eight years of this century and was now a senior adviser, stepped in as acting general manager. He is not expected to continue acting beyond this season.
The Angels don’t need a president, but they could attract Dombrowski by offering to make him president of baseball operations. That’s a title that has sprung up in recent years and is held by Melvin, Theo Epstein of the Chicago Cubs, Matt Silverman of Tampa Bay, Jon Daniels of Texas, John Hart of Atlanta, Walt Jocketty of Cincinnati, Andrew Friedman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Michael Hill of Miami and Mike Rizzo of Washington. Tony La Russa has a similar role with Arizona but with a slightly different title, chief baseball officer.
SEATTLE MARINERS
There has been no indication, only speculation, that General Manager Jack Zduriencik could be in trouble. The Mariners are well on their way to their fifth losing season in Zduriencik’s seven years despite their franchise record $120 million payroll, 12th highest in the majors.
Z’s case is not helped by the lack of offensive production by Robinson Cano, to whom the general manager gave a 10-year, $240 million contract.
The Mariners have been one of this season’s most disappointing teams after compiling an 87-75 record last season and missing the second wild card by a game.
MIAMI MARLINS
Having made their general manager, Dan Jennings, their manager, the Marlins figure to restore Jennings to his front-office position and name a new manager or find a general manager.
Under Jennings, the Marlins have done nothing to encourage owner Jeffrey Loria to keep him in the dugout. They had a 16-22 record when Mike Redmond was fired and have a 27-46 record since. Who’s to blame, Jennings for putting the Marlins together or Jennings for managing them?
Dombrowski was their general manager before, in the 1990s, and constructed their 1997 World Series championship team. Even though he did that under a different owner, he might not want to subject himself to the Marlins’ pattern under two owners of dismantling the team after winning the Series.
COLORADO ROCKIES
Jeff Bridich, the Colorado general manager, is one of the new breed of general managers, a Harvard graduate, named last October at the age of 37.
With the team in last place in the National League West after finishing fourth last season, the owners might wonder if Bridich is up to the task. If so, they could put Dombrowski in the position of president of baseball operations.
ATLANTA BRAVES
When John Hart, a veteran but supposedly retired general manager, agreed to run the baseball operations, he reportedly did so reluctantly, accepting the job because his close friend, John Schuerholz, the Braves president, asked him to.
If Hart, a year into the job, should be ready for legitimate retirement, the Braves could offer his job to Dombrowski.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Unlike Hart, who had served many years as general manager, Tony La Russa is in his first year in the front office and seems to be enjoying the novelty after 33 years as a major league manager.
However, if he should decide he would like to try retirement, Dombrowski could be available to the Diamondbacks.
Wherever he should wind up, Dombrowski will wind up in a good position. He is too good to have anything but the place and position he wants.