Tigers Deny Mets Request to Interview Al Avila

The New York Mets reportedly formally asked permission to interview Tigers Assistant GM Al Avila for their vacant GM spot this weekend. According to the Bergen Record, the Tigers denied the request.

Speculation is that the Mets have all but decided that Sandy Alderson is the man for the job, but they have yet to interview a minority candidate for their opening, as required by MLB. Avila, who is of Hispanic decent, would fulfill those requirements, but this feels like a token interview to me. The folks at Hardball Talk had the same thought, and I’m guessing the Tigers did as well by denying the Mets request.

Avila has previously been granted permission to interview for several other openings and was a finalist for both the Seattle and Arizona jobs in the past, so it’s not as if the Tigers have a history of preventing Avila from trying to progress his career.

In other news, TigsTown has some free content today covering many changes with the organization’s minor league coaches.

In the wake of former Director of Player Development Geln Ezell’s departure following the draft in June, the Tigers have promoted former field coordinator Mike Rojas to the job. Rojas had been a finalist for a coaching job on the major league club last offseason, which ultimately went to Tom Brookens.

Mark Anderson’s piece also tells us that the entire MudHens staff, lead by manager Larry Parrish, will be intact, unless of course Leon Durham is hired away for a vacant major league hitting instructor’s gig. Phil Nevin and Andy Barkett will each return as manager for Erie and Lakeland, respectively.

There will be a change at the helm at West Michigan, however, as Joe DePastino will become the organization’s roving catching coordinator. DePastino suffered through West Michigan’s first losing season since 2004. He will be replaced by former Tiger Ernie Young.