George Lombard wanted the Detroit Tigers' manager job.
He went to three World Series in five years as the Los Angeles Dodgers' first base coach, winning a championship in 2020, and felt prepared for the next step in his career. The Tigers loved his interview, but general manager Al Avila picked AJ Hinch, fresh off a year-long MLB suspension.
Still, Avila's front office crew didn't forget about Lombard. Neither did Hinch, who faced Lombard in the 2017 World Series. That year, the Houston Astros — amid the sign-stealing plot that got Hinch suspended — won the title in seven games.