Sources: Marlins, Tigers talking blockbuster

Santa sure has! HE SURE HAS!

Ohios#1TigerFan wrote:

Santa Has Come early this year!!! With Cabrera now manning 3rd, and Rabelo gone....this brings to mind MANY questions:

1. Where does Inge play? Backup catcher?
2. Does this leave Inge open as trade bait?
3. Does this make Inge Super-Sub again?

For those who don't like the fact we traded a LOT of prospects...keep in mind....the 2 players we just aquired are young and have many good years left in them. We also still have a fairly well stocked farm system. The Tigers can Win NOW AND be contenders for years to come.

Eat your heart out Steinbrenner! The Tigers are on the Prowel!

I completely agree there with every point! GO TIGERS!

We will see what the plans for Inge are. My guess would be your #3. Or they will move him to left.

mrsrabelo wrote:

I bet you 10 bucks that 2008 is going to be another 2004!

Wasn't 2004 a GOOD thing after the disaster of 2003??

Our turnaround in 2004 was like, 25 games to the plus!!

I would take a 25 game boost next year.....anytime!!

tigersaint wrote:

I would take a 25 game boost next year.....anytime!!

I'll take a 10 game boost!

Scouting Report

Warning: 10 Minutes long

MIDDAY UPDATE: Tigers looking at trades of Inge, possibly Thames, Durbin
Team still waiting for medical records in Marlins trade

December 5, 2007

By JON PAUL MOROSI

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – When the clock struck noon in the Eastern time zone, the dais in the media room at the Opryland Hotel was empty.

The Tigers and Florida Marlins were still waiting on medical records this morning, before formally announcing a blockbuster trade that seized the spotlight at baseball’s winter meetings on Tuesday night.

Detroit has agreed to a trade with the Marlins that will bring third baseman Miguel Cabrera and left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers for a package of six prospects headlined by outfielder Cameron Maybin and left-hander Andrew Miller.

Detroit has tentatively agreed to include catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handed pitchers Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop in the deal.

Meanwhile, Tigers officials have begun planning their next moves. They are gauging interest in third baseman Brandon Inge, who will likely be traded, and have started looking for ways to improve their catching depth.

Rabelo, who spent this past season in the majors, was expected to start at Triple-A Toledo in 2008 if Vance Wilson made a complete recovery from elbow surgery.

Outfielder Marcus Thames and right-handed pitcher Chad Durbin may also be traded, in order to free up money on the club’s expanding payroll.

12:58 p.m., from Amy Nelson
• Since news broke of the Marlins-Tigers blockbuster, Detroit left-hander Andrew Miller has not heard a word from anyone in the Tigers' organization. One of Miller's agents ran into Jim Leyland in the hotel lobby Tuesday night, and Leyland told him the deal wasn't anywhere close to getting done. What is unclear is whether any of the eight players involved have to physically be examined, which is why the trade could be held up. So far, Miller and his agents have not been told anything. Word is that the deal might not be completed until after the winter meetings -- unless there are other factors preventing it from getting done.

Miller, in fact, is working out at the Tigers' spring training complex in Lakeland, Fla. He met with the trainers this morning, had his sore left knee worked on, and is now out playing golf with some of his teammates. Late in the season, Miller had an MRI on his left knee, where it turned out there was some mild cartilage damage. He's been rehabbing it ever since. Since he's officially still a Tiger, he wasn't denied treatment.

bobrob2004 wrote:

Well he seems excited! I wish he wasn't as modest though. Here's how he should've answered a few of those questions:

"Some say you should have been an All-Star last year, how do you try to improve on last year..."

-Well, I should have been an All Star last year. I was robbed of a gold glove and silver slugger, too. Ichiro isn't bad but he's the most overrated player in the league. It's total bull **** that Rollins won an MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver slugger. He deserved none of them - I was better than him in all areas. Don't worry Tiger fans, I'll be even better next year. Watch out Chief Wilson, your record (36 triples) is going down!


"You think the Tigers are the best team in the AL?"

-What the hell kind of stupid question is that? We're basically the 1927 Yankees competing against the Florida State League. If we don't win the World Series it'd be the biggest update in history. I'd bet my life on it.

Disgusted youtuber...



You can't help but laugh at him!

Wow, lotsa stuff goin' on.....

bobrob2004 wrote:

Disgusted youtuber...



You can't help but laugh at him!

Did he really just compare Miguel Cabrera to BRANDON INGE?!?!?!!?



Since when can NL guys not hit AL pitching? The only reason AL/NL matters is because for pitchers there's an extra hitter to face. In about half a season's worth of ABs against the AL Cabrera has 16 HR and is batting around .300. Tough to judge by that but what the heck. While we're at it, he's batting .500 against the Yankees in his career (5-10).

Marlins' pact with Tigers made official
Cabrera, Willis head to Detroit for six highly regarded prospects
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

NASHVILLE -- All the formalities are now in order, and the biggest deal thus far at the annual Winter Meetings is now official.

Less than 24 hours after reaching agreement on a blockbuster eight-player trade, the Marlins and Tigers announced Wednesday that Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera are headed to Detroit for a package of six highly regarded young players.

For Willis and Cabrera, it will be a chance to unite with some familiar faces in another league. For the Marlins, it marks another influx of promising new talent.

In return, the Marlins are receiving outfielder Cameron Maybin, lefty starter Andrew Miller and four prospects, in exchange for the final two players from the Marlins' 2003 World Series championship squad.

Included in the deal are catcher Mike Rabelo, and pitchers Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop.

The trade became a reality after the necessary paperwork and medical reports were completed. That took from early Tuesday night until mid-afternoon Wednesday.

In Detroit, Willis and Cabrera will rejoin a few of their former teammates. Ivan Rodriguez was on Florida's 2003 World Series championship team, while closer Todd Jones was with the Marlins in 2005.

"They've got a lot of [Marlins] alumni," said Willis, who is vacationing for a few days in Mexico. "They've got some good guys over there, some good veterans I've played with."

While he is moving on, Willis said he will become a Marlins fan from a distance.

"I'm very happy with the time I've spent in Florida," Willis said. "They have some great players in Florida. I'll be rooting for those guys."

For Willis, this is the second time in his professional career that he has been traded. As a prospect for the Cubs in 2002, the D-Train was dealt to Marlins shortly before Opening Day.

"Like I said the whole time, it's all a business," Willis said. "I have been on the trading block for kind of a world record for the last three years. They found a deal suitable for both sides, so I'm happy to go over there and try to do my thing."

The Tigers swooped into the sweepstakes for Cabrera and Willis on Tuesday and put together a package of players that the Marlins felt too tempting to pass up.

While the Marlins are dealing two of the most popular players in team history, they are bringing in six top-flight prospects. Three of them are likely to be on the Opening Day roster.

What this trade does is address several of Florida's needs. The Marlins headed to the Meetings hopeful of acquiring a starting pitcher, a catcher and a center fielder.

Maybin and Miller were both first-round Draft picks of the Tigers, Maybin in 2005 and Miller in 2006. Both have tasted the Major Leagues. Rabelo, meanwhile, becomes a candidate to start at catcher.

Maybin and Miller clearly are the centerpieces.

Maybin, 20, made his debut in August and appeared in 24 games, hitting .143 with one home run in 49 at-bats. However, he made a rapid rise through the Tigers system, batting .304 with 10 homers in 83 games for Class A Lakeland before making a brief stop at Double-A Erie.

Maybin immediately becomes the front-runner to be the Marlins' starting center fielder.

Miller, 22, made 13 starts for Detroit last season, going 5-5 with a 5.63 ERA. In 78 Minor League innings in 2007, he allowed 71 hits and struck out 61 batters. He was drafted out of the University of North Carolina.

The left-hander has a strong chance to begin in the rotation.

Trahern, a right-handed starter, pitched for Team USA this fall. De La Cruz, who possesses a 100-mph fastball, is considered a candidate to either start or relieve.

"I'm pretty excited," Trahern said. "I love the Tigers organization, but this is a new door opening for me. But I haven't heard anything yet. I'm a little surprised by this. I wasn't aware of this. I wasn't aware that we were in the Cabrera/Willis talks."

Badenhop, another right-handed starter, was selected as the Tigers' Organizational Pitcher of the Year by MILB.com.

Cabrera and Willis were both rookies on the Marlins' 2003 title team. Both are eligible for arbitration through the 2009 seasons. Cost has become a concern for Florida, making the two All-Stars expendable.

Cabrera is a four-time All-Star who comes off a season in which he batted .320 with 34 home runs and 119 RBIs. The 24-year-old made $7.4 million this past season and he is in line to earn more than $10 million in 2008.

Willis is coming off a 10-15 season with a 5.17 ERA. While the D-Train, who made $6.45 million in 2007, is coming off his worst season, he compiled 205 1/3 innings, marking his third straight 200-plus-inning season.

Willis, who turns 26 in January, is Florida's all-time leader in victories. The left-hander, who won the 2003 National League Rookie of the Year Award, has a 68-54 career mark with a 3.78 ERA. In 2005, he became the Marlins' first, and only, 20-game winner, as he topped the Major Leagues with a 22-10 mark while posting a 2.63 ERA.

Willis was an All-Star in 2003 and '05.

"I was very proud and happy about my time in Florida," Willis said. "[Team owner Jeffrey] Loria was wonderful to me and the opportunity was great, but at the same time, I understand it's a business. I'm also happy I'm wanted somewhere other than Florida. I'm going to go out there and do the best I can for the team I'm with now."

Cabrera, meanwhile, is the only Florida player to be selected to four All-Star Games. A budding superstar, the Venezuela native became the third-fastest player in MLB history to reach the 500-RBI mark in 2007. The slugger has a .313 career batting average, along with 138 home runs and 523 RBIs.

He established career highs with his 34 homers and 119 RBIs this past season. Cabrera has driven in more than 112 runs in four straight seasons.

In 2003, Cabrera was a 20-year-old who batted cleanup in the World Series.

For weeks, the Marlins had been in intense talks with the Angels and Dodgers regarding Cabrera. And on Monday, the White Sox became a factor in the Cabrera chase.

By late Tuesday morning, however, the Tigers had emerged as the front-runners by showing interest in both Florida stars.

Cabrera's bat now will fit in the middle of the Tigers' order, which includes slugger Magglio Ordonez. The two natives of Venezuela are close friends.

"It's great to have him," Ordonez told LasMayores.com in Spanish. "At this moment, he is the best Venezuelan player in baseball. He is a fighter, a competitor. He knows how to win.

"This makes our team much better. Last year we lost because we had too many injuries. With Miguel and Dontrelle, we are going to be the favorites to win the division."

It's official!!!!!

bobrob2004 wrote:

12:58 p.m., from Amy Nelson
• Since news broke of the Marlins-Tigers blockbuster, Detroit left-hander Andrew Miller has not heard a word from anyone in the Tigers' organization. One of Miller's agents ran into Jim Leyland in the hotel lobby Tuesday night, and Leyland told him the deal wasn't anywhere close to getting done. What is unclear is whether any of the eight players involved have to physically be examined, which is why the trade could be held up. So far, Miller and his agents have not been told anything. Word is that the deal might not be completed until after the winter meetings -- unless there are other factors preventing it from getting done.

Miller, in fact, is working out at the Tigers' spring training complex in Lakeland, Fla. He met with the trainers this morning, had his sore left knee worked on, and is now out playing golf with some of his teammates. Late in the season, Miller had an MRI on his left knee, where it turned out there was some mild cartilage damage. He's been rehabbing it ever since. Since he's officially still a Tiger, he wasn't denied treatment.

This is pretty up if you ask me. The poor boy thinks he's still a Tiger... now I'm pissed. And who knew he hurt his knee?????

bobrob2004 wrote:

Disgusted youtuber...



You can't help but laugh at him!

omg... I feel his pain :haha:

LOL!

NASHVILLE -- Owner Mike Ilitch sparked the Tigers' trade for Orlando Cabrera and Dontre Willis with a Thanksgiving-week call to Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers president and general manager.

The trade was finalized Wednesday with the Tigers sending super prospects Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller, along with catcher Mike Rabelo and three minor-league pitchers, to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Cabrera
and Willis.

"Mr. Ilitch called me at home and said he had been hearing Miguel Cabrera's name," Dombrowski said Wednesday at baseball's Winter Meetings, at the Opryland Resort and Convention Center. "Was there any interest on our part?

"If it was something we could do," Dombrowski quoted Ilitch as saying, "maybe we could push our situation and make it work."

It was the clearance Dombrowski and the Tigers needed to loosely inquire
about Cabrera late Monday night. Willis was also mentioned and the names of Maybin and Miller were discussed. By early Tuesday morning, Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest had sent Dombrowski a list of four additional players Florida would want in any deal for a superstar hitter, Cabrera, and an established left-hand starting pitcher, Willis.

By mid-afternoon, the deal had been agreed to in principle. Once medical examinations were completed, the deal was done, and announced formally at 4 p.m. (Detroit time) today.

Ilitch Wants that WS Ring!

And the 2008 Tigers will get it for him!

gogetemtigers wrote:

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Ilitch led way to deal with Marlins

Lynn Henning The Detroit News

NASHVILLE -- Owner Mike Ilitch sparked the Tigers' trade for Orlando Cabrera and Dontre Willis

These moron writers? We got ORLANDO Cabrera??? That sucks!

I do think you are right. In Sept. when I read the article that Ilitch wanted the ring bad, people said I was crazy, he would never put up the money for that to happen. Well, the article was true, but I never though he would pull Yankee like deals. Even the Yankees are amazed (and worried) at the power the tigers have!

Question??, wasn't our teams problem going into the meetings to get some better bullpen power???????

I like the new players, but I still miss the good players he shipped off.

Thats Lynn Henning for you, he does not even know the players names!

Speaking of Illich, PLEASE find a way to buy the Lions, too Hell, you can sell the Red Wings to Ford (I've seen them win 3 times) just PLEASE find a way to buy the Lions!

After the Tigers win the World Series this year the Lions are the one team that hasn't won it yet in my lifetime...

Ford will never sell!

NEVER!

HEY FORD:

Sell the Lions!