Major League Baseball

Tigers fire pitching coach Knapp, promote Jones

Published Jul. 3, 2011 6:12 p.m. ET

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The Detroit Tigers have fired pitching coach Rick Knapp.

The relatively surprising move was made after Detroit beat the San Francisco Giants 6-3 Sunday.

Bullpen coach Jeff Jones was promoted to replace Knapp, who was in his third season with the Tigers. Mike Rojas becomes the team's bullpen coach after working as its director of player development.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland says Knapp is the first coach that's been fired from his staff during a season. Leyland says he and team president Dave Dombrowski made the mutual decision because something needed to be done.

Dombrowski says the Tigers have not pitched as well as they're capable of this season, insisting Knapp doesn't deserve all of the blame.

Detroit's pitching staff has a 4.39 ERA.

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