It is tough to believe that someone once wanted to trade Miguel Cabrera. The Marlins were so desperate to rid themselves of the Dontrelle Willis contract, that they unloaded Miguel Cabrera as part of a package for 5 different players in return from Detroit. It will go down as one of the worst trades in MLB History by the time it is all said and done. Cabrera has evolved into the best Right Handed Batter in this generation. He only gets better each year that passes by.
How All Of The Tigers Hitters Were Acquired:
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
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The Tigers have built a winning tradition on the backs of former Marlins.
1st it was GM Dave Dombrowski, then Jim Leyland, before the club pulled off the biggest trade in the modern day franchise – by landing Miguel Cabrera for not much in return as it stands now.
This started a string of roster moves that enabled this club to have a great run of success since 2006.
Back in 2003, the ‘Motown Boys’ had to win their last game of the year to avoid the worst season ever for losses by an MLB squad – with 119 losses.
The team drafted Justin Verlander the next year – and traded for future ALL – Star Carlos Guillen.
With a horrific lineup from the 2003 campaign, the Tigers GM, inked Free Agents Ivan Rodriguez and then Magglio Ordonez in subsequent years.
Guys like Gary Sheffield and Placido Polanco were also mainstays on the club for different stints of the lineup.
The pursuit of the club’s offense led them to a 2006 World Series Appearance. The club lost to the Cardinals, and Dombrowski continued to build.
Prior to the 2008 year, the team traded for Miguel Cabrera, and the franchise would start a new era of dominance in the AL Central.
Torii Hunter was one of several Free Agents the club has signed over recent seasons to great value in return – including Victor Martinez, Joaquin Benoit and Jhonny Peralta The team will also hope Jose Iglesias has a great defensive career in Michigan once he comes back from injury at Shortstop – as he will forever be compared to Avisail Garcia in Chicago.
Victor Martinez and Prince Fielder inked Free Agent deals in back to back years of 2011 and 2012, and 2013 saw the club bring in Torii Hunter for veteran experience.
The club has made 3 straight ALCS appearances – and lost another World Seres in 2012, but the mission continues to go on in Detroit.
Mike Illitch has been forthright in his wish to win a title before he exits this earth.
After several playoff exits, the brass changed the culture of the club by dealing Fielder to the Rangers for 5 tool player Ian Kinsler.
To accentuate the need for speed, the Tigers also inked CF Rajai Davis to a 2 Year pact.
The emergence of J.D. Martinez (signed as a Free Agent earlier this year) also afforded the club to trade Austin Jackson in a package to secure 2012 Cy Young Winner David Price.
When you look at the 1 – 9 starting lineup, it is a nice collection of internal players, traded for players, or Free Agent brought into the fold.
This teams offense has a nice variety of speed and power, which should help them score runs at Comerica Park.
Cabrera’s trade represents the biggest Roster Tree of the current team.
For those that have never seen one of our Roster Trees, we go over how all of the players were acquired.
It works like 6 degrees of separation. By searching back to the origin of all the way back until a player is signed, drafted or purchased.
It totally gives you an idea on how the franchise has fared.
The Hitters In 2014 (Date Of Birth/or Age) (Pos) Roster Tree
Alex Avila (1/29/87) C: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 5th round of the 2008 amateur draft.
Ian Kinsler (6/22/82) 2B: November 20, 2013: Traded by the Texas Rangers to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder and cash.
Prince Fielder (9/19/84) 1B: January 26, 2012: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers. (9 YRs/$214 MIL).
Miguel Cabrera (4/18/83) 3B/1B/DH: December 4, 2007: Traded by the Florida Marlins with Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers for Dallas Trahern (minors), Burke Badenhop, Frankie De La Cruz, Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller and Mike Rabelo.
Cabrera with the Tigers: 6 YRs: .325/.405/.551 – with 244 HRs and 821 RBI in 3394 AB. He has won a Triple Crown, led 19 Statistical Categories, and has won 2 straight AL MVP’s.
He has also hit 30+ HRs and driven in 100+ RBI in all 6 years in Motown. Cabrera had his highest OPS of his career in 2013 (1.078). He only seems to get better each season. He signed an 8 year extension for $240 MIL, with 2 Vesting Option for 2023 and 2024.
To revisit this trade for analysis click here.
Dontrelle Willis (32) SP/RP: June 1, 2010: Traded by the Detroit Tigers with cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Billy Buckner.
Willis was a flame out in Detroit, and he cost the organization almost $30 MIL in total team salary from 2008 – 2010. D-Train was 2 – 8, with a 6.86 ERA – carrying over 101 IP (He also had a WHIP of 1.931 – Yikes). The LHP has since retired from baseball in 2014.
Billy Buckner (31) RP/SP: July 25, 2010: Released by the Detroit Tigers. Never pitched in the Majors for the Tigers.
Dallas Trahern (28) SP: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 34th round of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft. Has not played in the Majors.
Burke Badenhop (31) RP: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 19th round of the 2005 amateur draft.
Badenhop appeared in 250.1 IP – from 2008 – 2011, with a 13 – 15 record, and a 4.34 ERA out of the Bullpen. He was traded for Jake Jeffries (TB) – who is still in the Minor Leagues.
Frankie De La Cruz (30) RP: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2001.
De La Cruz only appeared in a handful of games for Florida before the Padres purchased him
Cameron Maybin (27) CF: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (10th pick) of the 2005 amateur draft. November 13, 2010: Traded by the Florida Marlins to the San Diego Padres for Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb.
Maybin slashed .257/.323/.714 – with 12 HRs and 43 RBI – over his 499 AB from 2008 – 2010 – before his trade (listed up one line).
Mujica was subsequently flipped to St. Louis for a Minor League (Zack Cox). Ryan Webb was one of the better Relief Pitchers in the NL – with a 2.91 ERA in over 80 IP in 2013. He and Cox, are all that is left of Maybin, who was the main piece in the Cabrera trade.
Andrew Miller (29) SP/RP: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 2006 amateur draft.
Miller was only with the Marlins briefly, posting a brutal 5.89 ERA (10 – 20 Record), in 220 IP from the Pen and Starter positions. He was since traded to the Red Sox for a player that no longer is with Miami (Dustin Richardson.)
Miller has carved a nice role with the 2013 AL World Series Champs (Boston) – where he has played the last 3 years, putting up a 4.24 ERA in 136 IP. His ERA has dropped from 5.54 in 2011, to 3.35 in 2012, to 2.64 in 2013.
Unfortunately he ended this year on the DL – and is missing the playoffs.
Mike Rabelo (34) C: Only played awhile for the Marlins, before being released. Actually signed back with the Tigers in 2010 – before being released from the organization – while playing with Toledo.
Safe to Say, this is one of the most lopsided trades in MLB History.
Andy Dirks (1/24/86) OF: June 5, 2008: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 8th round.
Torii Hunter (7/28/75) OF: November 16, 2012: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers. (2 YRs/$26 MIL).
Don Kelly (2/15/80) OF/1B/3B: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 8th round of the 2001 amateur draft. He played a few other spots in his career, before re-signing as a Free Agent prior to the 2009 year.
Jose Iglesias (1/5/90) SS/3B: July 30, 2013: Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the Boston Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Tigers sent Avisail Garcia to the Chicago White Sox. The Detroit Tigers sent Brayan Villarreal to the Boston Red Sox. The Chicago White Sox sent Jake Peavy to the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox sent Cleuluis Rondon (minors), Francellis Montas (minors) and Jeffrey Wendelken (minors) to the Chicago White Sox.
Avisail Garcia (6/12/91) OF: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2007.
Brayan Villarreal (5/10/87) RP: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2005.
Andrew Romine (12/24/85) SS: March 21, 2014: Traded by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to the Detroit Tigers for Jose Alvarez.
Jose Alvarez (5/6/89) P: November 8, 2012: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.
Nick Castellanos (3/14/92) 3B: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (44th pick) of the 2010 amateur draft.
Rajai Davis (10/19/80) OF: December 11, 2013: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers. 2 YRs/$10 MIL.
J.D. Martinez (8/21/87) OF; March 24, 2014: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.
Eugenio Suarez (7/18/91) SS: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 2008.
Ezequiel Carrera (6/11/87) OF; January 9, 2014: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers.
Bryan Holaday (11/19/87) C: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 6th round of the 2010 amateur draft.
Danny Worth (9/30/85) INF: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2nd round of the 2007 amateur draft.
Tyler Collins (6/6/90) OF: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 6th round of the 2011 amateur draft.
Victor Martinez (12/23/78) C/DH/1B: November 26, 2010: Signed as a Free Agent with the Detroit Tigers. (4 YRs/$50 MIL).
www.baseballreference.com – the source behind all roster transactions.
Victor Martinez has thrived offensively in Detroit hitting behind Miguel Cabrera. Aside from the 2012 injury where he missed the whole season to a broken ankle. V-Mart’s 3 Slash Line for the Tigers is .317/.370/.486 – with 49 HR and 252 RBI in 1522 AB for the squad. 2014 is the last year of the 35 year old’s 4 YRs/$50 MIL deal, and he will be on the open market after this campaign. This was another good reason to bring in David Price by trade to win the elusive World Series. There is no guarantee the Tigers could afford to bring him back for 2015 or beyond. Martinez’s back at an ALL – Star caliber clip at the end of last year, and all this season has also compensated for the team losing Prince Fielder.
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