Philadelphia Phillies Boss Gives Thoughts on New Hall of Famer

Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies, has a reason to travel to Cooperstown, New York, for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony the following year.

Jim Leyland’s election on Sunday means that Dombrowski, who managed two different teams in the past, will be inducted in July of next year.

Extremely happy for him. So worthy,” Dombrowski told the New York Post on Sunday during baseball’s Winter Meetings in Nashville.

On the ballot for this year’s Contemporary Baseball Era Committee induction, which was set aside for managers, umpires, and executives who have made contributions to the game, Leyland was the only finalist to obtain the required 75 percent of the vote.

The other finalists included umpires Ed Montague and Joe West, executives Hank Peters and Bill White, and former managers Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, and Lou Piniella.

Leyland played for 22 seasons, beginning in 1986 with the Pirates of Pittsburgh. In addition, he was the manager of the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, and Florida Marlins. His record reads 1,769–1,728.

Dombrowski and Leyland’s relationship dates back to the 1980s, when Dombrowski was the White Sox’s third base coach and Leyland was assistant general manager.

In 1997, Dombrowski appointed Leyland as manager of the Florida Marlins, and he led the team to their first World Series victory. After the season, the Marlins destroyed the team, and Leyland departed following the 1998 campaign. Dombrowski left after the 2001 season and moved to Florida.

In 2006, Dombrowski brought Leyland back to Detroit, where he guided the Tigers to two World Series appearances. While Dombrowski left the Tigers in 2015 to join the Boston Red Sox, Leyland stayed with the team through the 2013 season.