Reversal of fortunes

DETROIT — Jim Leyland got out of managing in 1999 because he didn't have the energy to put out ego-related fires during his only season with the Colorado Rockies.

Now, he's back — and so are the Detroit Tigers.

Leyland had enough passion to rip into the Tigers with a profanity-laced tirade April 17 after a lopsided loss to Cleveland because he was upset with their lackluster effort.

Detroit won 12 of 16 games after Leyland lashed out and was off to one of the most surprising starts in baseball with a 19-10 record entering Friday's game at Minnesota.

The last time the Tigers had a team this successful at this point was 1984, when they went on to win their fourth World Series title.

"Leyland does a good job of nipping problems in the bud, before they become a big deal," Detroit closer Todd Jones said. "And what he said in here a couple weeks ago is a good example of that."

Leyland characterized what he did as "nothing," adding it was an everyday duty he didn't do often enough with the Rockies.

"I put out a big fire in Colorado, but I didn't put out all the little ones that led to the big fire," Leyland said.

Leyland wanted to get back into the dugout because his burnout-induced resignation in Colorado — with two years and $4 million left on his contract — stuck in his craw, as the 61-year-old skipper says.

His reputation as one of the best managers around seemed secure after leading Florida to a World Series title in 1997 and Pittsburgh to three straight division titles in the early 1990s while picking up two NL Manager of the Year awards.

After the year in Colorado, though, Leyland didn't feel comfortable with how his managing career apparently had ended. It gnawed at him even while he enjoyed a leisurely life in Pittsburgh, where he scouted games for the St. Louis Cardinals and hung out with his wife and kids.

So he signed a three-year contract in October to replace the fired Alan Trammell and accepted the huge task of turning around a Tigers team that had averaged 100 losses since 2001 and was coming off its 12th straight losing season.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski says Leyland has more hop in his step than he did when they won a championship together in Florida, and the straight-shooting manager guarantees his energy level will not subside.

"I'm going to be into it all year, and they're going to get the best I got," Leyland said. "Whatever that's worth, that's what it is.

"But I'm not going to make myself miserable."

What's the most enjoyable part about managing again?

"Winning them games," he said quickly. "That's what it's all about."