DETROIT -- Fifteen years after Ramon Santiago received his first callup by the Tigers, he got the call again. This one left him overjoyed, too.
Santiago had stopped in Lakeland, Fla., last Spring Training and talked with general manager Al Avila about a coaching position in the organization. The combination of age and injuries were telling him his playing career was just about over, having been out of the Majors since 2015, and the 38-year-old was looking for a way to stay involved in the game.
"I wanted to give it a first try with the Tigers," he said, "because the Tigers are the team that gave me my opportunity [as a player].