8A - Thursday, December 6, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
igers swap for star Marlins duo
I
I
DETROIT (AP) - Jim Leyland
isn't good at waiting to open his
presents.
Unfortunately for him, he won't
+ a chance to play with his new-
s to ys until spring training - two
ong months after Christmas.
t)o Wednesday, Leyland's
r tinit Tigers completed a block-
er trade with the Florida
r1 ins, adding two of baseball's
bi test young stars to one of the
vort's deepest rosters.
t troit got starter Don-
le Willis and third baseman
llyuel Cabrera from Florida in
hatge for six prospects, most
tottably outfielder Cameron May-
bit and pitcher Andrew Miller.
"It's almost like walking past
lie Christmas tree four days
bftlre Christmas with all the
i sents there, but you can't
unwrap them," Leyland said. "It's
been mind-boggling."
Leyland's biggest problem,
other than patience, might be fit-
ting Cabrera into a lineup that
already includes hitters like
Magglio Ordonez, Gary Shef-
field, Placido Polanco and Curtis
Granderson.
Cabrera played 248 games in
leftfield and another 100 in right
during the first three years of his
career, but has only played third
base in the last two years.
The Tigers are set in right with
Ordonez, but Cabrera could see
some time in left in place of the
anticipated Jacque Jones/Marcus
Thames platoon.
"I'll do whatever they need,"
Cabrera said. "That could be third
or it could be left - I'll be ready."
The obvious solution would be
for Cabrera to replace Brandon
Inge at third. Inge is considered
one of the American League's best
defensive third basemen, and is a
favorite with 'Tigers fans, but hit
just .236 last season.
Leyland and team president
Dave Dombrowski said Wednes-
day that they had been so busy
putting together the trade that
they hadn't even had a chance to
think about Inge's future.
"It came so fast and is such
a dynamic trade really for both
teams that when we leave this
press conference, we'll prob-
ably go up to our room and see
which is the best way to go for
the Detroit Tigers," Leyland said
while announcing the trade with
Dombrowski and Marlins presi-
dent Larry Beinfest.
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was left for Inge by the Associated
Press. The seven-year veteran,
who was a catcher until 2004,
could get some time backing up
Ivan Rodriguez, and has played
all three outfield positions.
Things are much simpler when
it comes to a spot for Willis. After
Detroit sent pitching prospect
Jair Jurrjens to Atlanta as part
of a package for Edgar Renteria,
Miller was the favorite to land the
fifthspotiinDetroit's rotation.
Now, though, it will be Willis
joining Justin Verlainder, Jeremy
Bonderman, Kenny Rogers and
Nate Robertson.
"Those four guys are all very
talented, and they are all differ-
ent kinds of pitchers, so I'm look-
ing forward to picking all ofitheir
brains," Willis said. "You've got
four young guys and one timeless
guy in Kenny Rogers."
Snow was falling in Detroit
when the trade was officially
announced, but Willis wasn't
going to let that ruin his vacation
in sunny Mexico.
"Iknowwhatthefweather canse
like tip there -thse first time l ever
saw snow was when I was playing
for Kane County in the Midwest
League," he said. "I'm going to
a great team, so I'm not worried
about a little cold weather"
for more information call 734/615-6449
The University of Michigan College of Literature,
Science, and the Arts presents a public
lecture and reception
Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland should be looking forward to next season. His Tigers
traded for two All-Stars, Florida's Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, on Wednesday.
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Thursday, December 6, 2007
4:10pm
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