— Jim Leyland managed a World Series champion in 1997, and managed a 108-loss team the following season.
So he’s all too familiar with both sides of the equation, a juggernaut and a rebuilding team, from his time with the then-Florida Marlins. Obviously, the contender is more fun. But the rebuilding often is all too necessary.
That’s how he views the Tigers these days.
“They’re going to go through some growing pains here,” Leyland said of the Tigers. “But I think the trades were really good. I’ve seen a lot of the players that they’ve traded for.