Detroit Tigers lose top scout Mike Russell; hire Dave Littlefield to fill position

The Detroit Tigers have lost their top scout Mike Russell, according to Jason Beck…

Russell has accepted a job to be special assistant to De Jon Watson, Senior VP of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Russell has been with the Tigers since 2002 and has worked with Detroit GM David Dombrowski since 1996 when both men worked in the Florida Marlins front office. Russell was a key component in acquiring much of the Tigers current talent, including Miguel Cabrera.

But Russell’s former job wasn’t vacant for long as just hours later former Pittsburgh Pirates GM Dave Littlefield was hired to fill the position. Littlefield was assistant GM to Dombrowski with the Marlins from 1999 to 2001 before he became Pittsburgh’s GM, holding that position from 2001 to 2007; he worked as a scout for the Chicago Cubs this past season.