SO YOU WANT TO BE THE GM?

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Once again, readers get a chance to make their own decisions about the Tigers.  So You Want to Be the GM? offers you that opportunity.

The segment tests our readers in determining how they would handle decisions as the General Manager.   So here is your next assignment.    Let’s get to it!

(Comments may be extended for this segment, but please do not exceed 8 sentences in your response. )

As GM of the Tigers, what do you view as the biggest organizational problem?

Please participate in the survey in order to state your case.   Don’t forget to come back and check the results and include your comments that support your choice.

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20 thoughts on “SO YOU WANT TO BE THE GM?”

  1. Went with “player development”. A team of Detroit’s market size must grow its own talent because it can’t afford to buy top free agents or keep quality players on the payroll when they become eligible for free agency. So what’s needed is a steady stream of talent moving up the pipeline. Why does nobody in this organization understand that?

    Liked by 4 people

    • I absolutely agree, McWatt, but that was my dilemma, because, the lack of training and coaching is just the most obvious symptom. The biggest problem is the complete lack of vision and accountability in upper management.

      Liked by 3 people

      • I pondered that too, John. And Holly and Kurt never give us an “all of the above” choice. My reasoning was that with great player development this team could win in spite of the other things.

        Liked by 2 people

      • I experienced the same dilemma, which is why I chose personnel–as in personnel at the top of the organization. You have to have the proper raw material to develop in the first place, so I would throw “player evaluation” in there along with “player development” as keys to the Tigers future.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. I voted for “the right personnel” because it can encompass the other choices (aside from the owner). That being said, I’m curious as to why the owner was one of the choices since there isn’t a GM in existence who could do anything about it even if they wanted to…

    Liked by 1 person

  3. This one is a no brainer…Chris Ilitch, although probably a fair businessperson, has proven time and time again, that he is incompetent as a sports team owner. In all his years as the owner of the Tigers and Red Wings, he has only made 1 good move…the hiring of Steve Izerman as GM of the Red Wings. Other than that one hiring, he has pretty much destroyed these 2 great teams.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. I think you could have even said “pick all that apply”. And one could have even chosen all of the above, just don’t try to make it an op-ed for either major Detroit paper. I chose player development because that’s the one that I believe is unimpeachable. James McCann for one, was James McCant here. Ownership is wishy washy. Al Avila is working on his poker face and is still just beyond the 1,0 point. The right personnel is a by-product of lousy player development.

    Liked by 3 people

  6. It is hard to put clear demarcations between player development, ownership, personnel, and culture. They are all planets in the same constellation; their gravitational fields interact as one organism.

    Liked by 3 people

    • But Tiger density approaches “black hole” proportions. It’s sucked in the local media. Meanwhile TT and its intrepid followers boldly dart dangerously close to taunt that misguided mass.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. I voted “Culture” because it has direct effect on most of the other choices. Player development and everything else outside of ownership is determined by the environment throughout the organization. Look what 15 years of J Leyland has done to everything related to the on-field product.

    Liked by 4 people

  9. I chose player development because it includes having the right personnel. You need competent coaching and training staff to develop players, and I’m unconvinced that such people exist thru-out the Tigers system.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. I voted for Ownership. If a good owner is in place, he may not know baseball but would be smart enough to hire a GM and other organizational people to implement the rest. Improved culture, personnel, player development, etc. would follow as it all starts at the top.

    Liked by 3 people

    • I considered that. But I keep coming back to Tom Gore. A new owner doesn’t necessarily improve anything. And as the GM, I am not voting to replace the Owner because then I would also be replaced. The question was “As the GM…” and not what “I the Fan…” think is the problem. LOL. Hence, I voted with the majority and went with player development being the biggest problem. Um, as the GM, without there being a President, is that on me or is it on the President/Owner?

      Liked by 2 people

  12. I voted other: owner, GM, and Jim Leyland. Maybe that firmly puts it on the owner upon further thought. Regardless, they are all responsible for the current state of the franchise.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Culture for me. Almost went with Ownership, and decided it was kind of a ‘chicken or egg’ proposition. I guess an effective owner wouldn’t necessarily have to create the Culture, but he’d sure have to recognize what it needs to be, demand it, and support the folks he puts in place to get it. Everything else on the list would be an output of the right Culture. Is AJ the right guy to be the catalyst for the? I’m optimistic, but there are still a few too many members of the old guard in place for me to feel confident.

    Liked by 2 people

  14. If I was the GM the first thing I would do is fire the current GM, second fire all the scouts and hire all the ones from other organizations who do far better in finding/drafting & get rid of Littlefield as well and get rid of most of the minor league coaching staff since they don’t seem to have been able to install fundamentals in most of the guys on the current roster (nothing like leading the majors in strikeouts) and I’d tell CI to sell the team to someone who cares about baseball

    Liked by 1 person

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