Detroit Tigers: 3 things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

Detroit Tigers fans should be thankful for A.J. Hinch.

The Detroit Tigers faithful should be enthralled with their situation in the dugout. Skipper A.J. Hinch was a downright phenomenal hire. It was a massive step in the right direction when the Tigers brought him in under the Al Avila era. At the same time, no one wants to step into a rebuild and have a long road ahead, especially a World Series-winning manager.

But Hinch has stepped in and been exactly what the Detroit Tigers needed. Ron Gardenhire's time in Detroit may not have yielded the best results, but he had scraps to work with. But besides Gardy, the Tigers' management situation has been less than ideal since Jim Leyland's days. Hinch's taking over was like restoring the Tigers with a good manager.

Hinch knows what he's doing and handles things well with the Tigers players, staying in control of the clubhouse and keeping things real with them. He's shown to be the kind of manager who will come out and tell you like it is, shooting you straight with a more blunt attitude. For Detroit, it's good to have someone like that as these younger players get to the MLB level and start carving out their careers.

While plenty of folks have their gripes with the Tigers, Hinch is the guy that Detroit needs, and as long as he is in the Motor City, Detroit fans should be happy. Hinch is certainly a reason to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.