Changes, they’re a-coming.
On Monday afternoon, Tigers bench coach Gene Lamont was told he would not be returning to the team next season. Perhaps the decision comes as no surprise to most, with the arrival of new manager Ron Gardenhire, who will surely want to construct a new coaching staff that meets his personal needs.
It certainly didn’t come as a surprise to Lamont, who took the news like a pro, saying, “[Gardenhire] doesn’t need somebody like me. Ron doesn’t need an older bench coach like me.” Yet, that note of sadness in his words hit like a sucker punch, a stark reminder that this rebuild isn’t just about the players.