JIM LEYLAND

Jim Leyland became the third Detroit Tigers manager to win more than one American League pennant with the team.

Leyland's team swept the New York Yankees in the best-of-seven ALCS to capture the 2012 pennant. The Tigers also won the 2006 pennant under Leyland.
Hughie Jennings managed the Tigers to pennants in 1907, 1908 and 1909.
Mickey Cochrane was the manager of pennant-winning clubs in 1934 and 1935.
Jennings' teams did not win a World Series.
Cochrane's 1934 club lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic, and his 1935 team beat the Chicago Cubs for Detroit's first World Series title.
Leyland and Jennings are the only managers to take the Tigers to the post-season three times.
Detroit's other pennant-winning managers: Del Baker (1940), Steve O'Neill (1945), Mayo Smith (1968) and Sparky Anderson (1984).

Since major-league baseball went to a division format in 1969, the Detroit Tigers have qualified for post-season play six times, in 1972, 1984, 1987, 2006, 2011 and 2012.

Jim Leyland

The Oakland Athletics are the Tigers' most frequent opponents in those playoff years.
The ongoing best-of-five ALDS, which Detroit leads 2-0 as the scene shifts to the West Coast, is the third time the Tigers and A's have locked horns since 1972.
Oakland won the AL pennant by defeating the Tigers 3-2 in what was a best-of-five series in 1972.
The Tigers won their most recent pennant in 2006 by sweeping the Athletics 4-0 in a best-of-seven ALCS.
The New York Yankees are the only other team Detroit has met more than once in post-season play since '72.
The Tigers beat the Bronx Bombers best-of-five series in 2006 and 2011, both under current manager Jim Leyland.
Detroit's other post-season opponents since 1972: Royals (1984 ALCS), Padres (1984 World Series), Twins (1987 ALCS), Cardinals (2006 World Series) and Rangers (2011 ALCS).

Joaquin Benoit

Jim Leyland believes in Joaquin Benoit.
"No, not at all, I'm not concerned," the Detroit Tigers manager said after reliever Benoit's rough outing in Game 2 of the ALDS against Oakland. "He's our guy. I totally believe in him."
Benoit, 35, pitched an adventuresome eighth inning Sunday, allowing two earned runs on two hits as Detroit fell from a 3-2 lead to a 4-3 deficit.
One of the runs allowed by the right-handed Benoit was a home run by left-handed-swinging Josh Reddick, Oakland's leading home run hitter during the regular season.
Benoit's tendency to give up home runs soured Tigers fans on him during the second half of the regular season.
But Leyland remains in the 6-foot-3 Benoit's corner.
"I totally believe in our entire bullpen," Leyland said as the Tigers, who rallied to win Game 2 5-4, exhaled with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series that resumes Tuesday at Oakland. "And that's not going to change. That's our team. That's what we are, that's who we are. And Benoit was fantastic 14 hours ago (in Game 1).
"So, no, I don't have any questions about that whatsoever."
Benoit allowed one hit, but no runs, in the eighth inning, in relief of Justin Verlander, in Game 1 Saturday.
Benoit allowed four home runs before the 2012 All-Star break, 10 following it as the Tigers won the AL Central Division championship.

Jim Leyland

Ladies and gentlemen, your Detroit Tigers are first in the American League Central and, along with the Oakland Athletics, first to appear on MLB Network.
Game 2 of the Detroit-Oakland American League Divisional Series will be telecast by Major League Baseball's in-house television station beginning at noon Sunday, MLB officials said Friday.
Fans should check local cable or satellite TV listings to confirm whether they have MLB Network as part of their viewing choices.
The game will not be available on standard providers like Fox Sports Network, TBS or FOX.
It will be broadcast on the radio by the Tigers' flagship station, WXYT (97.1-FM).
The Athletics-Tigers game will be the first post-season contest shown live by MLB Network.
Right-hander Doug Fister is manager Jim Leyland's scheduled starter for the AL Central-champion Tigers. AL West-champion Oakland will counter with left-hander Tommy Milone.
MLB Network is scheduled to telecast a divisional series game Wednesday, Oct. 10. Four games are scheduled for that day, including Game 4 of the Detroit-Oakland series, if necessary.