The Detroit Tigers heard the cries of their fanbase on Wednesday. The team fired executive vice president and general manager Al Avila. It ended a tumultuous end to a seven-year stint at the head of the front office for the MLB's first Cuban-born general manager.
The only winning season the Tigers had under Avila came in 2016. The Tigers finished 86-75, but missed the postseason by 2.5 games. 2016 saw Michael Fulmer win the American League Rookie of the Year, and a torrid final six weeks of the season by big free-agent signing Justin Upton.
Besides that, the Tigers really didn't come close to winning under Avila. It seemed as if the franchise was turning a corner last season when they finished third in the division with a 77-85 record.
Tigers owner Chris Ilitch even declared the team's rebuild over prior to this season. And yet, here we are, with Avila gone and the Tigers in the cellar of the American League.
It would take days to list what went wrong for this organization. Instead, let's take a look at what could come next. With that in mind, here are three candidates to replace Avila as Tigers general manager.
3 best candidates to replace Al Avila as Tigers GM
1) Randy Flores, St. Louis Cardinals director of scouting
The Cardinals hired Flores in August 2015, after the team moved on from disgraced director of scouting Chris Correa. And the Cardinals have had success in the drafting department in recent years. Flores is also a former player, having won the World Series with the Cardinals against the Tigers in 2006.
Under Flores, the team has most recently landed infielders Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker. The two have risen the minor league ranks and become some of the best prospects in baseball.
What allows the Cardinals to land these players is an open-minded approach to the draft. It's something the Tigers have lacked for years.
“What we learned is that you can adapt if you are willing and open-minded to whatever scenario that particular year presents,” Flores said of his MLB draft process.
“It’s a willingness by the staff, from the analytics staff to the boots-on-the-ground scouts, to not try to steer the boat before seeing where the water takes you,” Flores said. “That’s our job when we pick typically about where we pick — to be able to react to the moving, breathing thing that is a draft in real time.”
The open-minded approach to the draft can be expanded to other areas of player movement. The Tigers have shown very little creativity in terms of player movement, which has set them back.
Flores brings a fresh approach to the front office the Tigers desperately need. And the Tigers would be wise to give Flores a look during their search.
2) Dana Brown, Atlanta Braves vice president of scouting
The Braves named Brown the VP of scouting in 2019. Since then, he has helped the organization bring in bright young stars and build a World Series championship team.
Brown was the driving force behind the team drafting outfielder Michael Harris II, pitcher Spencer Strider, and infielder Vaughn Grissom. He also scouted the highly-touted prospects the Braves used to acquire first baseman Matt Olson in a trade with Oakland.
“I remember Dana telling me he was a top-five high-school bat in the draft — he wrote it in his report as well — and that we had to take him,” Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said of drafting Harris II. “He wasn’t highly touted at all and Dana wanted to take him in the third round. I remember asking him if he was sure we needed to take him that high and he was adamant.”
Anthopoulos said Brown was the same way with Strider as well. Strider and Harris II have firmly placed themselves in the National League Rookie of the Year race this year. And have contributed to the team's run to defend the World Series they won last year.
“I’ve been with him a long time and when he’s that convicted I stay out of the way,” Anthopoulos said of Brown.
Brown's eye for talent can bring a jolt in the arm of a Tigers system that desperately needs quality depth and top-end talent.
3) Theo Epstein, former Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs general manager
This would be the splash hire for Tigers owner Chris Ilitch. Epstein, now a consultant for Major League Baseball, is one of the most decorated executives of the 21st century.
Epstein began his career with the San Diego Padres but rose to prominence after being named as GM of the Red Sox ahead of the 2003 season. His acquisitions of Nomar Garciaparra, Curt Schilling, and Bill Mueller especially helped the club as they broke the “Curse of the Bambino” and won the World Series in 2004.
Epstein built another championship team in Boston, as the club defeated the Colorado Rockies in 2007 for their second title during his tenure.
In 2011, Epstein left the Red Sox for the Cubs. The Cubs named him the president of baseball operations, with Jed Hoyer working under him as general manager.
It took three years for the Cubs to make the playoffs, advancing to the 2015 NLCS before losing to the New York Mets. The next season, Chicago would break the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” and win their first World Series since 1908.
Epstein has a proven track record of rescuing historic franchises that have fallen on hard times. He would also bring a level of excitement to the city it hasn't seen in a long time.
There is no more qualified candidate for the role than Epstein. And there may not be a better candidate than him out there as well.
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