Ausmus Frustrated He Was Mistaken For "Arrogant" During Time With Tigers
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Over four seasons as Tigers manager, Brad Ausmus was criticized for a number of things -- his bullpen management, his loyalty to veteran players and his lack of fire and brimstone, to name a few.
He was also accused, at times, of being stuck-up.
In his interactions with the media, Ausmus, a Dartmouth grad with a proclivity for sarcasm, could come across as something he wasn't. His most infamous moment came when he jokingly said he beats his wife to cope with losing.
In a recent interview with Katie Strang of The Athletic, Ausmus, whose contract wasn't renewed by the Tigers after the 2017 season, acknowledged his playful tone was sometimes misunderstood.
"I think sarcasm doesn't play well with the media...People think I'm being arrogant when I'm really just joking."
This disconnect seems to be something he regrets.
Asked if it was frustrating that his personality didn't come through, Ausmus said, "Yeah, a little bit, because I'm not really an arrogant or egotistical person at all. I have a very dry sense of humor and I like to make jokes. If people don't get it, they take it the wrong way."
Ausmus wouldn't say whether he feels he was treated fairly in Detroit, but agreed that the media was supportive more than not.
He said he "never really got that feeling" that people were calling for his head.
Since parting ways with the Tigers, Ausmus, 48, has been living at home in Southern California with his wife and two daughters. He told The Athletic he has decided to take a year away from the baseball diamond.
Still, he intends to manage again, where his carefully-crafted media persona will come back under the microscope.
