Tigers Acquire Cabrera and Willis

The first blockbuster trade of the offseason saw the Detroit Tigers acquire Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera has been on the block the entire offseason, but it was expected he would land in Anaheim, not Detroit. The Tigers sent highly rated prospects Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin, as well as four others to the Florida Marlins. Miller and Maybin could turn into excellent players for the Marlins, but this is a brillant trade for a team that is built to win NOW!

Cabrera turns a very good lineup into a lethal one. Cabrera could stay at third base, but I think the best move for Detroit would be to move him back into the outfield. Brandon Inge at third is better than a potential platoon of Marcus Thames and Jacque Jones in left. In any event, Cabrera has been one of the best offensive threats in baseball the last few years, and now being sandwiched in a potent lineup like this, he will only get better and better.

That sexy lineup (arguably the best in baseball) would look like this:
CF-Curtis Granderson
SS-Edgar Renteria
RF-Magglio Ordonez
LF-Miguel Cabrera
DH-Gary Sheffield
1B-Carlos Guillen
C-Ivan Rodriguez
2B-Placido Polanco (Could flip with Renteria)
3B-Brandon Inge

Willis had a down year last year going 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA, but there has to be a happy medium between that and his 2005 season (22-10, 2.63 ERA). I do think though if Dontrelle was going to be traded to an AL team, Detroit is about the best place he could have ended up. He could have been pounded in the AL East, and he would get little run support with the Angels. Willis will also pitch in a park that is about as pitching friendly as Dolphins Stadium, and will be the third or fourth starter behind Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, and possibly Kenny Rogers. He doesn't have to be the ace of the staff meaning that should take some of the pressure off of him knowing there are other starters in the rotation that can pick up the slack should he struggle a little.

Look at the sexy rotation:
SP1-Justin Verlander
SP2-Jeremy Bonderman
SP3-Kenny Rogers
SP4-Dontrelle Willis
SP5-Nate Robertson

If Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney can stay healthy in the Tigers' bullpen, this team on paper looks like the first or second best team in baseball. Should the Red Sox get Santana that will tip the balance of power in their direction, but this Tigers team looks really, really good. Great trade!

Pat Morgan