Pros and Cons: Brad Ausmas returning as Tigers manager

Detroit Tigers General Manager Al Avila announced that highly unpopular manager Brad Ausmas will return for the 2016 season on Saturday. This comes as a surprise to most after reports of Ausmas’s dismissal surfaced about two and a half weeks ago. This also came as a surprise for the fact that when team goes from division champions to cellar dwellers, you expect a move. Here are the pros and cons to Brad Ausmas returning as Tigers Manager.

Pros

I thought I’d start off positive, to combat the negativity surrounding Ausmas’s reign. The Tigers and their players have a security blanket now. They know that they won’t be searching for a new head honcho. No rumors about this guy coming in or that guy or his brother. Another pro is that these players won’t have to adapt to a new coaching style. These guys know how Ausmas works and what he wants out of his guys for nine innings. Another thing that is good about this has nothing to do with Ausmas: the Tigers offseason. Expected to be an active player, the Tigers should be bringing in the guys that could bring the team to the top in 2016.

Cons

Now that the obvious reason of “they’re last” is out of the way, allow me to present the cons. The players have almost no faith in the organization, let alone the manager. Second Baseman Ian Kinsler was even quoted mid season as saying “The organization believes we are out of it.” Ausmas is seemingly confused when it comes to handling the bullpen. Only two relievers have put together a solid season: Blaine Hardy and Alex Wilson. The rest is a train wreck, with closer Neftali Feliz being the worst and former closer Bruce Rondon having been sent home due to a lack of effort.

Ausmas hasn’t been the best manager, some argue he’s the worst, but there is some upside to his return.