After speaking with Jim Leyland in recent days, Mets manager Terry Collins said he would be surprised if his mentor returns to the dugout again.
The 68-year-old Leyland announced Monday he was stepping aside after eight years as Tigers manager, but would remain with the organization in an undefined capacity.
“I think he will enjoy helping out and having a role in the organization that will allow him to go see his son play,” said Collins who, at 64, now becomes the oldest manager in the majors.
Leyland’s son, Patrick, is a 21-year-old first baseman who spent last season playing for the Single-A Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn League.
Collins’ friendship with Leyland spans more than two decades. Collins was managing the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate and impressed Leyland with the manner he had run spring training during the 1990 lockout. The next season, Leyland asked Collins to join the Pirates as the bullpen coach. It was Collins’ start to a major league career that has also included managerial stints with the Astros and Angels.
Leyland has a 1,769-1,728 lifetime record with one World Series title and three pennants to his credit, but what sticks with Collins is the fact his friend chose to remain in Pittsburgh for four seasons, beginning in 1993, when the Pirates were in clear rebuilding mode after winning three straight NL East titles.
“You look at it, and just because his record isn’t maybe what the great managers should be, people better remember it’s all about the loyalty Jim had,” Collins said.
“He could have left the Pirates several times, after that great run they had in 1990, ’91 and ’92. He could have gone out and helped other places, but he stayed there, to build up the Pirates. He was just such a loyal guy to the Pirates, and they gave him the chance to manage. It was the first team to give him a chance and he respected that.”
Leyland won a world championship with the Marlins in 1997 and had two World Series appearances with the Tigers.
“You talk to any of his players, and I don’t care if it’s the biggest stars or 25th players on any of those teams, and the respect people have for him is second to none,” Collins said. “I think he’s got to be remembered as one of the great people’s persons there ever was.”
Collins said he spoke to Leyland when the Tigers visited Citi Field in August and received no indication Leyland was close to exiting the dugout. But the tenor of the conversation was different last week, when Collins spoke to Leyland.
“He has such great respect for the game itself, and what it meant to him that he felt when he couldn’t give back what he should, I’m not surprised he stepped down,” Collins said.