"Press him about why he is turning down interviews for a potentially better job, and Al Avila will admit, at one time, he wanted to be his own boss.

He aspired to be a general manager with all the freedom and authority to craft at Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Arizona a championship big-league baseball franchise.

But he is remaining in Detroit. By his choice, and by contract language the Tigers vice president and assistant general manager approved, Avila has denied competing clubs any shot at approaching him, even as the Angels and Mets have sought to talk with him, just as the Mariners and Orioles in previous years discussed with him their vacant general manager openings."