A big deal: Cabrera gets $152m from Tigers
Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers have reached a preliminary agreement on a $152.3 million, eight-year contract, according someone familiar with the deal.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday because the contract was not yet final. The third baseman must pass a physical before the agreement can be finalized.
Cabrera agreed Jan. 18 to an $11.3 million salary for this season. The new deal adds $141 million over the following seven seasons.
Cabrera will earn $15 million in 2009, when he would have been eligible for salary arbitration. He will average $21 million annually over the next six seasons, when he would have been eligible for free agency.
Cabrera's average salary of $19,037,500 will be the fourth-highest in the major leagues behind those of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million), Mets pitcher Johan Santana ($22,916,667) and Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramírez ($20 million).
Cabrera averaged 32 homers and 115 RBIs while hitting .318 the past four seasons for the Marlins. The only players to at least match him in their averages in all three categories over that four-year span were Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero, according STATS LLC.
The four-time All-Star was criticized by some last year for his weight, but reported to camp with the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., after dropping some pounds. He drew rave reviews for his conditioning from teammates.
In other Tiger news, center fielder Curtis Granderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of broken finger and will miss Opening Day. A finger on his right hand was broken Saturday when he was hit by a fastball from Philadelphia Phillies lefthander Travis Blackley in the fourth and final inning of a game called because of rain.
Capuano out again
Milwaukee Brewers lefthander Chris Capuano was told he has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and will probably need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.
The 29-year-old Capuano injured his elbow in an exhibition game last Monday against Seattle. He had an MRI Thursday and team physician William Raasch confirmed the diagnosis of a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
"I composed myself mentally for it," Capuano said. "It's very daunting to consider going through a rehab considering I just rehabbed all winter, trying to get my [right] shoulder strong [after labrum surgery]."
Capuano will get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews in the next couple of days. Andrews performed Capuano's first elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2002, when he was pitching in Arizona's farm system.
Rolen hurt, Reed cut
Scott Rolen broke a finger during a fielding drill in Dunedin, Fla., and the Blue Jays' new third baseman might not be available for Opening Day. Rolen was taking grounders in the morning on a back field when a ball hit him on the fingernail. "It ripped his nail completely off his finger," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. Rolen also broke the bone above the top knuckle on his right middle finger. It's unclear how long he will be out . . . Toronto also released outfielder Reed Johnson, effectively giving the starting left fielder's job to Shannon Stewart. Johnson, who was hitting .289 with three doubles and three RBIs, had spent his entire career with the Blue Jays. "I don't have any hard feelings," Johnson said. "I don't have much of a choice right now except to move on. It's really all I can say." . . . Francisco Liriano's fourth start of spring training was encouraging for the Twins. Hoping to break camp with the team 15 months after elbow surgery, Liriano pitched four hitless innings in Minnesota's 3-1 victory over the Orioles in Fort Myers, Fla. The lefthander struck out five and walked two in a scoreless outing.
Pitching in
Rick VandenHurk made a solid case for a spot in the Marlins' rotation while Tim Redding injured his back while trying to establish himself as a bona fide option for the Nationals' starting five. VandenHurk allowed two runs - one earned - and four hits over four innings of Florida's 4-2 win over Washington in Jupiter, Fla. His only trouble came in the fourth inning when he made two errors on a bunt by Redding - the play in which Redding was hurt. "I picked it up and bobbled it. Those are just given outs, so you've just got to get it," VandenHurk said. "That's a very bad play on my part because they cannot happen." Redding believed he was injured either while trying to beat the tag or when he made a dash for second after a ball flew past first . . . Lefthander Mike Hampton, attempting to come back from two elbow injuries, put together another solid start when he gave up two runs in six innings to help the Braves beat the Astros, 4-2, in Kissimmee, Fla. . . . Tim Lincecum, who has been slowed by a mildly strained right groin and is penciled in as the Giants' No. 3 starter, pitched six innings and struck out seven in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz. . . . The Rays beat the Reds, 10-9, in Sarasota, Fla., for a franchise record 15th win of the spring.
