Phil Garner, who managed the Tigers for two-plus seasons in the early 2000s, including when the ballclub moved into Comerica Park, has died.
The Milwaukee Brewers announced Garner’s death Sunday. They said he died Saturday, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Garner was 76.
“Phil never lost his signature spark of life he was so well-known for or his love for baseball, which was with him until the end,” Garner’s son, Ty, said in a statement Sunday.
The Tigers held a moment of silence for Garner before Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park.
Garner managed 15 seasons in the major leagues, including with the Brewers (1992-99), Tigers (2000-02) and Houston Astros (2004-07). He led the Astros to the franchise’s first World Series appearance, in 2005.
He had a career managerial record of 985-1,054, including 145-185 with the Tigers. Garner is one of 59 men to manage at least 2,000 games in the major leagues.
One of 39 managers in Tigers history, Garner took over the historic franchise as it was entering a new era, moving from Tiger Stadium into $300-million Comerica Park and with a new star on the roster in slugger Juan Gonzalez. The Tigers won the first game at Comerica Park, 5-2 over the Seattle Mariners on April 11, 2000, and Garner had the Tigers hovering around the fringes of contention for the American League wild card for much of the 2000 season, before they faded and finished 79-83.
The Tigers, with Gonzalez gone and a team ERA over 5.00, finished with a 66-96 record in 2001, Garner’s ninth consecutive losing season, between the Brewers and Tigers.
Garner was fired six games (and six losses) into the 2002 season, along with the team’s general manager Randy Smith, as new Tigers president Dave Dombrowski decided to clean house. Garner was replaced by bench coach Luis Pujols the remainder of 2002, before Tigers legend Alan Trammell was hired before the 2003 season.
Garner got another shot to manage when he took over the Astros midway through the 2004 season, and saw them go 48-26 down the stretch to win the wild card back when the Astros were in the National League. The next year, the Astros — with a roster that included future Hall-of-Famers Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, and another future Tigers manager in Brad Ausmus — won the wild card again and made the World Series, losing to the Chicago White Sox in four games.
Garner was one of two men to manage the Tigers and the Astros, the other being current Tigers manager AJ Hinch, who dedicated Sunday’s 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins to Garner. Hinch said Sunday that Garner was one of the first people he met after getting the Astros job before the 2015 season. He also said the two spoke before Hinch accepted the Tigers job before the 2021 season.
“Even though his time in Detroit didn’t go good, he was a big advocate of the city,” Hinch said Sunday. “So, to his family, I am with you and glad we could have a scrappy win today for a true gentleman of the game.”
An infielder who had the nickname “Scrap Iron” for his gritty style of play, Garner played in the major leagues from 1973-89, winning a World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. He was a three-time All-Star as a player, and also played with the Oakland A’s, Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. He finished with a .260 average and 109 career home runs. He took on leadership roles with the Major League Baseball Players Association as a player, with the union on Sunday “he never hesitated to take a principled stand.”
A Tennessee native who also starred in football in high school, he played baseball at the University of Tennessee.
Garner died three days after Davey Lopes died at 80. Lopes managed the Brewers after Garner, from 2000-02.
“He was a very highly respected and beloved individual,” the Brewers said in a statement about Garner on Sunday, “who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor.”
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Phil Garner, former Tigers manager, dies at 76
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
