» Tigers’ Multi-Year Deal Puts Cabrera in Exclusive League

Tigers’ Multi-Year Deal Puts Cabrera in Exclusive League

The Detroit Tigers and their new third baseman Miguel Cabrera reached agreement on Monday to a $152.3 million, 8-year deal, pending Cabrera’s passing the normal physical before an agreement can be finalized.

Cabrera’s deal puts him in exclusive territoryas one of the five highest paid players in baseball.

AP sports writer Larry Lage reports for Yahoo sports;

Cabrera agreed on Jan. 18 to an $11.3 million salary for this season. The new deal adds $141 million over the following seven seasons.

Cabrera will earn $15 million in 2009, when he would have been eligible for salary arbitration. He will average $21 million annually over the next six seasons, when he would have been eligible for free agency.

Cabrera’s average salary of $19,037,500 will be the fourth-highest in the major leagues behind those of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million), New York Mets pitcher Johan Santana ($22,916,667) and Boston left fielder Manny Ramirez ($20 million).

His deal will be the fourth-highest package. Rodriguez is starting a $275 million, 10-year contract, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is entering the eighth season of a $189 million, 10-year deal and Ramirez is in the final guaranteed season of a $160 million, eight-year contract.

Florida sent Cabrera and [Dontrelle] Willis, the last players left from the Marlins’ 2003 World Series championship team, to Detroit for six prospects. Cabrera made $472,000 two years ago and $7.4 million last season, when he was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Two years ago, Cabrera hit a Marlins-record .339 while joining Pujols, Rodriguez and Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg as the only players to hit 25 homers and 50 doubles in a season before turning 24.

He followed that up with career highs in homers (34) and RBIs (119) last season.