Today, the Detroit Tigers announced that their new head coach is going to be AJ Hinch. AJ Hinch was a backup catcher for the 2003 Detroit Tigers and became the team's latest manager.
Today's announcement comes exactly one year after the Houston Astros lost in Game seven of the World Series against the Washington Nationals. Hinch played 27 games for the Tigers and then-assistant GM Avila in 2003 after Detroit purchased his contract from Cleveland at the end of Spring Training.
Hinch is coming off his one-year suspension from baseball for his involvement in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Hinch finished with a 481-329 record in five seasons as Astros manager. He won 101-plus games in each of his final three seasons, and he never finished with a losing record.
Add in two years as D-backs manager in 2009 and '10, and Hinch owns a 570-452 record in seven Major League seasons. He helped turn a collection of talented Astros prospects into a perennial contender.