Tigers Acquire Cabrera, Willis From Marlins in 8 Player Deal
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The Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins pulled the trigger finalizing a deal which had been in the works for a couple of days which sends offensively talented 3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera and enigmatic lefthander Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers in exchange for six roster and minor league prospects.
I held off writing about this deal until was reported as finalized. Fresh in my mind were the premature reports of a Yorvit Torrealba deal with the Mets which was close, but went south. Torrealba ended up re-signing with the Rockies for $7 million for 2 years.
It is for this reason that I am staying clear of today’s reports of a preliminary 2 year deal worth $36.2 million between free agent centerfielder Andruw Jones and the L.A. Dodgers. That would be a free agent blockbuster if it happens, but there’s no use writing about it until it’s a done-deal.
But getting back to Cabrera and Willis.
Cabrera who along with 34 homers, 119 RBS and .320 BA, has had defensive flaws at 3rd base committing 42 errors while being part of 71 doubleplays in 2 and a fraction seasons. Willis, who had fine seasons in 2003 and 2005 but who slumped in 2006 and 2007 garnering an Adam Eaton-esq 5.17 ERA in 2007 and allowing 29 homers with a 10-15 season mark, and Cabrera were both coveted by the Tigers in their move to run at the 2007 Division Champion Cleveland Indians for the 2008 AL Central crown.
AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick provides background on why the Tigers made the deal for Yahoo sports;
The busy Tigers are building an awfully powerful team.
The Tigers finalized their big trade with the Marlins on Wednesday, an eight-player swap that sent both coveted All-Stars from cash-strapped Florida to go-for-broke Detroit.
The Marlins received a package of six players, including two highly rated prospects: left-hander Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin. The teams reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday, with the deal subject to both sides being satisfied after exchanging medical records.
The Tigers also sent catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern to Florida in a huge trade that developed quickly…
“The inclusion of Dontrelle was not something at the outset that we had considered,” Florida president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said. “We recognize the market value for both players.”
Detroit president Dave Dombrowski didn’t intend to pursue the pair until he received a surprise phone call at home two days before Thanksgiving from owner Mike Ilitch, who read in a newspaper that Cabrera was available.
“I just wanted to kind of mention his name, that he seems like he’d be a great player for us,” Ilitch said, according to Dombrowski.
We made this trade to win now. It’s obvious,” Dombrowski said.
Tigers closer Todd Jones was more emphatic.
“Wow. Those moves put us over the top,” he wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
The Tigers reached the World Series in 2006, then went 88-74 this season and finished eight games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.
Cabrera and Willis can become free agents after the 2009 season, but the Tigers hope to keep them long term.
“I have been on the trading block for so long,” Willis said. “It’d be mentally draining.”
Cabrera, one of the game’s top sluggers, joins an imposing lineup that includes Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Guillen, Ivan Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco. The Tigers also acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria, a five-time All-Star, in a trade with Atlanta this offseason.
Lefthander Dontrelle Willis adds to an already dominant rotation; three left-handed pitchers — Willis, 43 year old Kenny Rogers and Nate Robertson — along with right-handers Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman.
The deal apparently makes 3rd baseman Brandon Inge a trade candidate. But as far as the Phillies are concerned, Inge seems not a fit, although he would be an improvement over Wes Helms.
Fitzpatrick also provides background from the Marlins’ persepective;
Cabrera and Willis were the last players left from Florida’s 2003 championship team, both called up from the minors during the season.
Unable to secure a new ballpark, the Marlins keep shedding players when they are due to earn huge salaries. Cabrera made $7.4 million this year and Willis $6.45 million. Both were eligible for arbitration and likely to receive raises.
“We received some terrific players in this trade, and we’re confident they will make a positive impact,” Florida owner Jeffrey Loria said in a statement. “Although we cannot ignore the economic realities we face, which will change the moment we are in a new facility, our determination to win on the field remains as steadfast as ever.”
The Marlins had been shopping Cabrera since the general managers’ meetings last month.
At $1,325,000 next year, Miller immediately became the highest-paid player on the Marlins.
“This is not woe is the Marlins,” Beinfest said, mentioning Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla and others still on the roster. “We have really good players.”
Beinfest sounded happy with the package of prospects his team received.
“We’ve built some pitching depth,” he said. “These guys are all legitimate.”
The bottom line on this deal has put Detroit in a position to run at Cleveland and Boston for the division and league crowns while the Marlins have some building and seasoning to do.
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