According to multiple sources (including Peter Gammons) the Detroit Tigers have ironed out a trade with the Florida Marlins that will bring them Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis In return, the Marlins will be getting three minor league prospects as well as Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and catcher Mike Rabelo.
As mentioned earlier, Maybin and Miller were the Tigers top draft picks in 2005 and 2006 respectively and Miller was previously thought to be untouachable. However, putting Cabrera in a lineup that already features Garry Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez and newly acquired Edgar Renteria and Willis to an already potent rotation was apparently too good for the Tigers to pass up.
Cabrera moving was one of the proverbial "dominoes" that would supposedly set of a string of other deals so check back often as events unfold.
Update: ESPN finally got the story up. Apparently that link on the home page is to an old story about the Yanks and Twins.
Update 2: Fox Sports is now reporting the deal and ESPN got the story linking to the correct article. What a trade!
Update 3: Peter Gammons says the three minor leaguers are all right handed pitchers. The trio includes "Eulogio De la Cruz (3.62 ERA in the minors with a blazing fastball), Dallas Trahern (13-6 between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo) and Burke Badenhop (12-6 between Lakeland and Erie)."
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Boy, the Tigers really acquired some serious talent in this winter meeting. I have to admit to being a Marlins fan and I knew somebody was going to pick up Dontrelle after his lackluster season in ‘07 but I had no guess that the same team would get Cabrerra as well.
Looks like the Tigers are getting ready to be a powerhouse in ‘08.