Tigers plan to hire Ron Gardenhire as manager, report says

The Detroit Tigers have reportedly picked Ron Gardenhire as the team's next manager.

Gardenhire was also a candidate in Boston, where Houston Astros bench coach Alex Cora is thought to be the leading candidate.

The 59-year-old Gardenhire was the bench coach this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. According to MLB.com, Gardenhire emerged as frontrunner for the position after he was interviewed by the Tigers Tuesday in Detroit. He's one of 10 managers in baseball history to win at least 1,000 games with one team. He was sacked after the 2014 season.

Gardenhire's predecessor, Brad Ausmus, was given the reins to a star-studded team of veterans after wowing the Tigers' front office, including then-general manager Dave Dombrowski, with a superlative interview back in 2013.

The Tigers are on a rebuild after trading their long-time players - starting pitcher Justin Verlander and Justin Upton.

Al Avila wanted a candidate with previous managerial experience.

Gardenhire managed the Minnesota Twins for 13 seasons.

We've compiled reaction, so let's see what the people are saying, starting with ESPN baseball analyst Dan Szymborski, known for his statistical projections, who isn't ecstatic about the move for the Tigers. Gardenhire was seen as a seasoned, battle-tested option in this regard.

He was named AL Manager of the Year in 2010 and guided the Twins to six American League Central Division titles from 2002 to '10, including an ALCS appearance in 2002.