Leyland takes reins in Detroit

Jim Leyland's baseball career has come full circle.

The Detroit Tigers yesterday hired Leyland as their manager to replace Alan Trammell, who was fired a day earlier after three seasons.

Leyland, 60, started his baseball career as a catcher in the low minors for the Tigers. He guided the Florida Marlins to their 1997 World Series win, but has not managed since 1999 with Colorado.

''That passion that Jim Leyland has had throughout his career is back within him to manage," Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said. ''The decision to name one of the top managers in the game of baseball in recent time, to bring him back to this organization, is a very big day for our franchise."

Leyland was a two-time NL Manager of the Year with Pittsburgh, where he won three division titles on teams that featured Barry Bonds. Leyland resigned after only one season in Colorado, and a 72-90 record, saying he shouldn't have taken the job and wanted to spend more time with his family. He left with $4 million and two years left on his contract.

Hart steps down

John Hart stepped down as general manager of the Texas Rangers after a four-year stint in which he couldn't duplicate the success he had in Cleveland.

Hart's resignation came two days after the Rangers finished 79-83, their third losing season in four years under Hart and their fifth since winning their last AL West title in 1999.

Hart, whose teams won six division titles in his last seven years in Cleveland (ending in 2001), will be replaced by assistant general manager Jon Daniels, who will become the youngest GM in baseball at 28. Hart will remain a team consultant.

Almanzar suspended

Rangers righthander Carlos Almanzar will be suspended for the first 10 days of the 2006 season for breaking the rules on performance-enhancing drugs. Almanzar, 31, pitched in six games for the Rangers before being placed on the disabled list in May with right elbow inflammation. Players can be tested while sidelined with an injury, said baseball spokesman Pat Courtney. Baseball has suspended 10 major leaguers this season for performance-enhancing drug violations, including four-time All-Star Rafael Palmeiro of the Orioles. Almanzar is the second Texas pitcher to be suspended. Righthander Agustin Montero was suspended April 20 . . . Two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez says he told congressional investigators that he thinks Palmeiro ''has always been clean." A release issued by Gonzalez's agent, Alan Nero, said Gonzalez spoke by telephone to lawyers from the House Government Reform Committee about Palmeiro and answered all of their questions. ''I told the committee that I have never seen Raffy use steroids," Gonzalez said of his former Texas teammate. ''In our time playing together, I never even heard any rumors that he was using steroids. So far as I know, and believe, Raffy has always been clean." . . . Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro has promised that the Indians will make their best pitch to retain righthander Kevin Millwood. They only hope it's high enough. Shapiro said the Indians will offer a multiyear contract to Millwood, the AL's ERA champion who is eligible for free agency following the World Series. Millwood signed a one-year, $7.25 million deal last winter. ''We will make a very competitive offer to Kevin Millwood," Shapiro said. ''We will step beyond our comfort zone." Shapiro's pledge was a bit surprising since Cleveland's track record for re-signing its own high-profile free agents is abysmal. But Shapiro expects Cleveland's payroll -- which was $42 million in 2005 -- to rise next season, and that owner Larry Dolan will allow him to make a legitimate run at the 30-year-old Millwood, who finished with a 9-11 record. ''Do I think he wants to sign back here? Yes," Shapiro said. Last week, Millwood said he and agent Scott Boras will seek at least a three-year deal . . . The Rockies exercised their option on outfielder Matt Holliday for next season and declined their option on veteran catcher Todd Greene. Holliday hit .307 with 19 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a team-high 14 steals in his second major league season. Greene (.254, 7 homers, 23 RBIs) missed 65 games with a right hamstring injury.