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Jim Leyland's remarkable career to be chronicled on MLB Network
The next time we see legendary baseball manager Jim Leyland in the dugout, he’ll be calling the shots for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. That honor is one of countless accolades he’s earned over his career, which now spans 54 remarkable years.
You could definitely say Leyland has lived his life in baseball. In fact, his life will be the subject of the next edition of MLB Network Presents, titled “Jim Leyland: A Life in Baseball.” The show will be hosted by Bob Costas and will first air at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
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As with previous episodes of this fascinating documentary-style series, you’ll get more than the baseball side of Leyland’s life. Though that’s obviously the focus, it’s important to know what shaped his life and his love for the game.
Leyland, 72, is considered by many to have a Hall of Fame résumé. His managerial career spanned 22 seasons, and had some interesting twists and turns. He’s spent his first 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and his final eight with the Detroit Tigers, earning AL Pennants in 2006 and 2012. In between, he served as the Florida Marlins skipper for two season, winning his lone World Series in 1997, before spending one season with the Colorado Rockies in 1999.
Overall, Leyland won 1,769 games, good for 16th all-time.
To get a better feel for what made Leyland tick, we’ll hear from many notable people who worked with him and many star players who played for him. That includes a truly rare national interview with Barry Bonds, whose rookie season in 1986 was also Leyland’s first as a manager.
We’ll also hear from Dave Dombrowski, Leyland’s former general manager in both Florida and Detroit, along with former coaches Gene Lamont and Rich Donnelly. They shed a light on Leyland’s demeanor and his ability to change the culture for struggling franchises, such as he did in Pittsburgh, Florida and Detroit.
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When it comes to teaching baseball and motivating players, you won’t find anyone more dedicated or effective than Leyland. But that’s only part of what makes his story so interesting.
To find out the rest, tune into MLB Network on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 9 p.m. ET. At the very least, it’ll be an hour that gets you pumped up even more for Leyland’s role with Team USA and the season that lies ahead.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
