Baseball: Tigers steal the show
The Detroit Tigers reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday to acquire All-Stars Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Florida Marlins for a package of six players, an unexpected blockbuster trade that developed quickly at the winter meetings.
In a huge deal that took the spotlight away from Boston’s pursuit of Johan Santana, Florida gets lefty Andrew Miller, outfielder Cameron Maybin and four other prospects from the Tigers, a baseball official with knowledge of the talks said on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been finalized.
Willis was on vacation when he heard the news.
“I’m in Mexico right now with my family. I’m kind of busy,” he told the Associated Press.
The Marlins also receive catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern. The players involved must pass physicals for the deal to be completed.
“It’s very serious, but nothing is finalized yet because some issues need to get worked out,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland told the AP.
Florida didn’t even approach the Tigers until Tuesday morning. The Marlins told the Tigers they could have both stars for those six players, then Detroit called back about two hours later and agreed, the baseball official said.
Detroit had not been considered a contender for Cabrera or Willis, who both can become free agents after the 2009 season.
Cabrera, an All-Star in each of the last four seasons, would join an imposing lineup that already includes Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco. The Tigers also acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria, a five-time All-Star, in a trade with the Atlanta Braves this off-season.
“I’m glad we’re in the other division,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “That lineup just got scary.”
Willis, the 2003 N.L. Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star, is coming off a down year in which he went 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA. He will be part of a solid rotation with Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman as Detroit tries to reach the World Series for the second time in three seasons.
Boston, meanwhile, was focused on Santana, the Minnesota Twins’ two-time Cy Young Award winner. Finding the price too high, the New York Yankees ended their efforts to acquire the 28-year-old left-hander.
Boston had offered the Twins packages built either around pitcher Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, but not both.
“I know there’s a lot of speculation that we’re close to something big,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. “Until we reach an agreement, then we’re not that close.”
In other news:
“Power-hitting former Seattle Mariners outfielder Jose Guillen and the Kansas City Royals reached a preliminary agreement on a $36 million, three-year contract, a deal subject to him passing a physical.
“N.L. Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres reached a preliminary agreement on a $52 million, three-year extension through 2012, a deal subject to a physical.
“Reliever Will Ohman and infielder Omar Infante were dealt to the Atlanta Braves from the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Jose Ascanio.
“Denny Bautista was acquired by the Tigers from the Colorado Rockies for Jose Capellan in a swap of right-handed pitchers.
“The Yankees reached a tentative agreement to trade Tyler Clippard to the Washington Nationals for Jonathan Albaladejo in an exchange of young pitchers.
News organizations join Hearst suit
Seven media companies, including the Associated Press, filed papers with a federal appeals court in support of Hearst Corp.’s fight to get the names of Major League Baseball players implicated in a steroids investigation.
The names of almost two dozen baseball players appear on a federal agent’s application to raid the home of a former New York Mets clubhouse employee and admitted steroids dealer Kirk Radomski last year.
The players, whose names are blacked out on the affidavit, are alleged to have purchased steroids from Radomski, who pleaded guilty to drug distribution and is expected to be sentenced to prison early next year by the same federal judge handling the Barry Bonds perjury case and all related steroids cases.
Three added to Frick ballot
Former Cincinnati Reds pitcher and radio announcer Joe Nuxhall, who died last month, will join Oakland’s Bill King and ESPN’s Joe Morgan on the ballot for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award, given annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
Also on the ballot are Tom Cheek, Ken Coleman, Dizzy Dean, Tony Kubek, Graham McNamee, Dave Niehaus (Seattle Mariners) and Dave Van Horne, who were selected by the Hall’s research committee.
The winner will be announced Feb. 19 and honored during induction weekend July 25-28 in Cooperstown, N.Y.