The Tigers today made a series of front office contract extensions and promotions, most notably a new four-year deal for team President, CEO & GM Dave Dombrowski that keeps him with the club through '15. Duane McLean was promoted to Exec VP/Business Operations, and the team extended manager Jim Leyland through next year. The Tigers also gave new contracts to four other members of the baseball operations staff, including VP and Assistant GM Al Avila.
The moves reflect a vote of confidence by Owner Mike Ilitch in the current executive leadership, particularly as the club now sits in first place in the AL Central and Comerica Park attendance has shown strong improvement in recent weeks after an early-season lull. The unresolved contract status of Dombrowski and Leyland beyond this year had been something of an issue early in the season and during Spring Training. Negotiations toward the Dombrowski extension began to escalate around last month's All-Star Game.
"I always felt things would work out, and I always hoped I would stay here," Dombrowski said this afternoon. "And continuity in an organization is extremely important if you have good people, which we obviously believe we do." Dombrowski has been with the Tigers since '01, McLean since '03.
