Jim Leyland Steps Down As Detroit Tigers Manager, Ends 22-Year MLB Career

Jim Leyland will not return for another tour of duty during the 2014 MLB season after announcing that he will step down as manager of the Detroit Tigers.

In a news conference in Detroit on Monday, the 68-year-old manager said that "it was time" for him to step down, saying that he made the decision in a meeting with Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski.

According to Leyland, he spoke to Dombrowski Sept. 7 when the manager said that the Leyland will return next season. In that meeting, Leyland reportedly told Dombrowski that he believes he should not continue managing the squad next season.

"The fuel was getting low, and that's the way it went," said an emotional Leyland in the news conference as reported by ESPN.

Leyland led the Tigers to two World Series appearances and helped the squad bag three division titles in his eight seasons with the club.

The Tigers looked poised for another title run, but their season ended on Saturday after losing in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. According to the Detroit Free Press, the players were told of Leyland's decision after that game.

"This one hurt bad, because I thought we let one get away. We did it collectively, there's no one culprit. This is one that's going to stick with me," said Leyland on their painful loss to the Red Sox in the ACL series.

Leyland, who had a winning record in seven of his eight seasons with the Tigers, will not leave the club completely as he confirmed that he will stay in another capacity, while also declaring that the Tigers will still be a force to be reckoned with next season.

"I'm not totally retiring today. I just don't want to be in the dugout anymore," Leyland said. "I truly think this is going to be a very good team next year. This job entails a lot more than people think."

In his 22 years of managing in Major League Baseball, Leyland amassed a 1769-1728 or a .506 percentage during his stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockets, and the Tigers.