DETROIT -- When Brad Ausmus was a player -- which wasnt that long ago -- the mental aspect of the game always came pretty easily. Adam Frazier Jersey . "I always enjoyed the cerebral part," Ausmus said. "It was much more difficult to hit -- that was the part of the game I didnt really enjoy." Perhaps it was inevitable that Ausmus would become a manager, and hell have that chance now. The Detroit Tigers hired the 44-year-old former catcher to replace Jim Leyland at the helm of the three-time defending AL Central champions. Ausmus has little managerial experience, and the Tigers will entrust him with a talented roster that is expected to keep right on winning. "Im well aware that you dont generally get dropped into a situation like I will be this coming season," Ausmus said. "I understand Im very fortunate. That being said, Im not taking anything for granted. No details will be glossed over. Im not assuming anything going into the job." Ausmus, who worked in the San Diego Padres front office as a special assistant to the general manager, emerged as Detroits pick less than two weeks after Leyland stepped down. He takes over a team that has reached the AL championship series three straight years and should be well positioned for another big season in 2014. The Tigers lost to Boston this year in the ALCS. "Were not going to re-invent the wheel here. This is a pretty darn good team," Ausmus said. "I think I would be foolish to come here and try to make sweeping changes." Ausmus managed Israels team for the World Baseball Classic, but hes inexperienced as a manager compared to some other potential candidates. Ausmus played in the majors from 1993-2010. The Tigers also interviewed Padres bench coach Rick Renteria and Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Tim Wallach -- as well as Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said hed planned to interview former Cincinnati Reds star Barry Larkin, but Larkin decided not to interview because he wasnt in a position to make the time commitment necessary for the job. If continuity was Detroits main concern, McClendon may have been the choice, but the Tigers acted a bit more boldly in hiring the Dartmouth-educated Ausmus, whose name also recently surfaced in connection with the Chicago Cubs job. "When we interviewed, we were -- not just me -- taken back at how impressive he was," Dombrowski said. "It really became quite clear for us, that he would do an outstanding job for us. It was probably not where I started, but its where we ended, and we feel very good about that." There will be one important holdover on Detroits coaching staff. Leylands bench coach, Gene Lamont, will remain in that role. Ausmus agreed to a three-year deal with a club option for 2017. Lamont agreed to a two-year deal. Ausmus is 24 years younger than the man hes replacing, and he inherits a roster with a high payroll and several big names, including Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Hell have a chance to win right away, and hell have to deal with high expectations. "Anybody you hire has some risk attached to it," Dombrowski said. "Even a veteran manager that you bring in with a new club, where they are in their life, theres risk attached to that." The contrasts with the 68-year-old Leyland are obvious, and Ausmus will have to prove he can guide this star-studded team through the inevitable rough patches -- but it wasnt long ago that Ausmus was on the other side of that player-manager relationship. He played in 1,971 games with four different teams. He played for the Tigers for part of the 1996 season, and again from 1999-2000. "Ive got to be me," Ausmus said. "Jim Leyland -- great, Hall of Fame manager. Im not going to be Jim Leyland. I would never make an attempt to be Jim Leyland. Im going to be who I am." Detroit is one of at least three teams with first-time major league managers who should have a chance to win right away in 2014. The Washington Nationals hired Matt Williams to replace Davey Johnson. The Cincinnati Reds, who fired Dusty Baker after a 90-win season, went with pitching coach Bryan Price as their new manager. Ausmus is the latest former player to take over a contending team with little managerial experience. Mike Matheny succeeded Tony La Russa in St. Louis after the Cardinals won the World Series in 2011, and Matheny reached the NL championship series in 2012 and won the National League pennant this year. Former New York Yankees star Don Mattingly is the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team the Cardinals beat in the NLCS this season. "I was just playing the game three years ago," Ausmus said. "I have a pretty good understanding of how the locker room dynamic is." Dave Parker Jersey . The Cubs made the moves before Thursdays game against Arizona. They promoted left-hander Zac Rosscup and right-hander Neil Ramirez from Triple-A Iowa and optioned righty Blake Parker to their top minor league team. Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . Hazard lasted just 18 minutes in Tuesdays contest before being substituted with the calf problem, and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes he will be without his star winger for at least the next two weeks. http://www.piratesrookiestore.com/Pirates-Chad-Kuhl-Kids-Jersey/ . - The Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract.Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jodie Meeks scored 20 of his 34 points in the second quarter and made a career-high nine 3-pointers to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 109-86 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Andre Drummond contributed 17 points and 22 rebounds, and D.J. Augustin added 11 points and 10 assists off the bench. Detroit has won three straight games, all of which coming without forward Josh Smith, who was released and has since signed with the Houston Rockets. The Pistons set a franchise record with 17 triples in a win over Cleveland on Sunday, then registered 14 shots from beyond in this one, led by the 9-of-11 effort from Meeks. Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy returned to Orlando after spending five seasons leading the Magic, highlighted by a trip to the NBA Finals in 2008-09. He took the past two years off before accepting the position in Detroit. Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 16 points and Tobias Harris deposited 15, while Nikola Vucevic had 10 points and five rebounds. Final Score: Atlanta 109, Cleveland 101 Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Paul Millsaps 26 points and nine rebounds helped the Atlanta Hawks take down the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-101, on Tuesday. Jeff Teague gave 23 points and 11 assists and Kyle Korver made five 3- pointers en route to 19 points for the Hawks, winners in seven of their last eight games. Clevelands loss came despite 35 points and nine assists from Kyrie Irving, who had missed the previous two contests due to a bone bruise in his left knee. Tristan Thompson added 18 points and 13 boards for the Cavs, who were without LeBron James and lost Kevin Love to an injury. James celebrated his 30th birthday in street clothes. He was a late scratch with a sore left knee. Love, meanwhile, had seven points on 1-of-8 shooting before departing with back spasms. Final Score: Brooklyn 96, Chicago 82 Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Brook Lopez had 29 points and the Brooklyn Nets routed the Bulls 96-82 to snap Chicagos seven-game winning streak. Brooklyn outscored the Bulls 31-14 in the seccond quarter and never relinquished the advantage in the second half, leading by as many as 23 in the fourth. Ivan Nova Jersey. The Nets had dropped 12 of their last 14 games at the United Center coming in. Joe Johnson posted 20 points and 11 rebounds for Brooklyn, which has won five of its last six games on the heels of a three-game losing streak. Joakim Noah tallied 12 points and 12 boards, while Mike Dunleavy netted 23 points for the Bulls. Derrick Rose had just four points on 2-of-15 shooting in defeat. Final Score: Memphis 95, San Antonio 87 Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Conley filled the stat sheet with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists to guide the Memphis Grizzlies to a 95-87 win over the short-handed San Antonio Spurs. Marc Gasol chipped in 17 points and nine boards for the Grizzlies, who exacted a bit of revenge on the Spurs. San Antonio snapped Memphis franchise-record 22-game home winning streak on Dec. 5. The teams then played a triple-overtime thriller won by the Grizzlies, 117-116, on Dec. 17. Tayshaun Prince totaled 12 points for the Grizzlies, who have won back-to-back contests following a four-game skid. The Spurs, who played without Kawhi Leonard (bruised right hand) and Tony Parker (strained left hamstring), lost for the seventh time in nine games. Marco Belinelli and Cory Joseph each had 18 points for San Antonio. Tim Duncan chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds. Final Score: New Orleans 110, Phoenix 106 New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Tyreke Evans scored 24 points with eight rebounds and was instrumental down the stretch to help the New Orleans Pelicans in a 110-106 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Jrue Holiday had 21 points with six assists and Anthony Davis contributed 19 points and season- high 18 rebounds for the Pelicans, who have won two of their last three. Goran Dragic paced the Suns with 22 points, Eric Bledsoe tallied 21 points with eight assists and Gerald Green scored 17 off the bench. 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