George Sipple

Detroit Free Press

Former Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland never agreed with those who saw the American League Central as a weak division in recent years.

Leyland, who is heading to Kansas City to attend the first two games of the World Series, made the point again in a phone interview with the Free Press on Monday afternoon.

The Tigers won the AL Central for the fourth consecutive year before losing in three games in the AL Division Series to the Baltimore Orioles. The Kansas City Royals finished second in the AL Central, won a wild-card game against the Oakland Athletics, swept the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS and swept the Orioles in four games in the AL Championship Series.

"I think it looks great for our division," Leyland said of the Royals advancing to the World Series.

"Everybody criticizes the Central Division all the time. I mean, Minnesota was in the playoffs when we were (managing), along with us. Cleveland was in the playoffs when we were there, along with us. … Kansas City and (Detroit) were both in it again, two teams from the Central Division. One is going to the World Series. We went twice.

"I think people need to get off picking on the Central Division. I think this is kind of proof in the pudding. 'Hey, wait a minute. Maybe the Central Division is better than we think it is.' I'm happy for the Royals. I'm proud of them."

Leyland said maybe people will now stop talking about the Central as a weak division.

"Cleveland and Chicago have a good team on the field now," Leyland said. "Kansas City is really good. Minnesota is kind of rebuilding, it looks like. I don't know what approach they're going to take. The Tigers are really good. Kansas City is really good. I mean, it's pretty good.

"I'm tickled for the Royals. Obviously, being an American League guy, I'm pulling for them."

Leyland, now a special assistant to Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski, said he plans to return to Detroit after he returns from Kansas City.

NEW SCOUT: The Tigers announced the hiring of David Littlefield as a major league scout today. Littlefield, 54, replaces Mike Russell, who left to join the Arizona Diamondbacks as a special assistant to the senior vice president of baseball.

Littlefield has spent more than 25 seasons working in Major League baseball, including the past seven as a major league scout for the Chicago Cubs. Prior to joining the Cubs in 2007, Littlefield spent seven seasons as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. And before he joined the Pirates, he was the assistant general manager to Dombrowski with the Marlins.

Littlefield began his MLB career with three seasons in the Tigers organization as an area scout and East Coast scouting supervisor.

"He's a real bright guy," Leyland said of Littlefield. "I think him and Dave (Dombrowski) go back a ways. (Littlefield) is a terrific evaluator and has had general manager experience, so that is a great addition."

NOTEBOOK: Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez finished runner-up to Chris Young of the Seattle Mariners for American League comeback player of the year by the Sporting News. Young received 49 votes, while Martinez received 22 in voting by some American League players.

Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.