MLB Rumors: First 3 moves new Detroit Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg should make
The Detroit Tigers on Thursday announced the team's 20th general manager in club history is Jeff Greenberg. Greenberg was the Chicago Blackhawks' assistant GM but got his start in baseball. This marks the first time since 2002 that Detroit has a President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, when Randy Smith was the general manager and Dave Dombrowski was the President of Baseball Operations.
According to the team's press release, prior to joining the Blackhawks, Greenberg spent 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, including his final three seasons as an Assistant General Manager. He also held roles as Director of Pro Scouting and Baseball Operations, Director of Baseball Operations and Assistant to the General Manager. While with the Cubs, Greenberg played a key role in creating the systems and strategies that helped the Cubs scout and develop talent, leading to five postseason appearances during his tenure, including the 2016 World Series championship.
“It’s an extraordinary honor to take on this role with one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball,” said Greenberg. “Throughout my conversations with Scott, Chris Ilitch and the rest of the team with the Tigers, it became clear that this organization is headed in a great direction with an incredible culture of development and innovation that I’m excited to be part of. Another constant message in those conversations was that Tigers fans want to see winning baseball deep into October. I’m excited to get to work with our front office on off-season and longer-term plans to make that our reality.”
With the front office staff now firmly in place, here are the first three moves Greenberg should make as the team's new general manager.