Jim Leyland is the new darling of MLB, as is his team, the Detroit Tigers. They are both good for baseball.

Leyland left baseball after managing Pittsburgh, Florida (to a World Series ring), and Colorado. He was burned out. He had young kids at home after marrying later in life.

He also had grown tired of players who wouldn’t play or listen.

Between his departure from managing and his re-entry this year, he worked as a special scout for the Cardinals and his dear friend, St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa. They chat often, exchanging stories and talking baseball.

Leyland missed the game and the daily contact with baseball people. He was in the stands for most Pirate home games; that is still his hometown.

He has regained his bounce, winning doesn’t hurt that. He is less uptight and more patient with everything and everybody surrounding the game.

He has become the favorite quote maker for the baseball media. We chatted this week at Yankee Stadium.

“If anyone had told me in spring training that we [the Tigers] would have this record to start September, I’d have told them to put the filter back on their cigarette,” says Leyland.

On the White Sox label as a team playing small ball, Leyland says, “That is the biggest bunch of BS going. Yeah, they play small ball once a game, once a week, after they’ve had three-run homers from [Jim] Thome and [Jermaine] Dye and [Paul] Konerko. What a myth.”

When big, lumbering Tiger Sean Casey ran into a Yankee first baseman on a close play, Leyland said of Casey, “I can guarantee you he isn’t going to be Arthur Murray on the weekends. He may be a star, but he won’t be on that show where they dance.”

When Leyland put power hitter Craig Monroe in the No. 1 spot for a couple of games, he announced his lineup to the gathered media and said, “Here she is, boys, totally open to second guessing.” Monroe hit a game-winning home run on Tuesday in the ninth inning with two out.

On Thursday afternoon during the game against the Yankees, Leyland became involved in one of baseball’s all-time funny moments. Arguing from the dugout with the home plate umpire about the strike zone in the top of the seventh, he continued the argument on the field between innings.

Just then the recording of “God Bless America” by Kate Smith started. Leyland took off his hat, got in line with two umps and his catcher, and stood quietly. As soon as the song ended, he turned to the plate ump and picked up where he left off, namely wanting to know why has was being tossed from the game.

I speculated that while all were standing during the song, the plate ump passed the word down the line to Leyland that if the song ends in, “My home sweet home,” you are history.

After the game Leyland said, “That was kind of embarrassing. I would never disrespect such a moment.” When a writer said it was really kind of funny, Leyland smiled and found it easy and comfortable to be the subject of a humorous moment.

Winning, a new self-perspective, and joy in one’s work will do that for you.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.