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30 in 30: Oakland Athletics

OAKLAND ATHLETICS Manager: Bob Geren, 4th season (226-259) 2009 record: 75-87, 22 games back in AL West 2009 hitting leaders: HRs -- Jack Cust, 25; RBIs -- Kurt Suzuki, 88; Average -- Rajai Davis, .305 2009 pitching leaders: Wins -- Brett Anderson, 11; Strikeouts -- Anderson, … Continued

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Tom Gage: 1. This might get you through the snow this week: The Tigers' equipment truck leaves for Florida on Friday. 2. Good move, Tigers: Inviting Andres … Continued

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Lynn Henning: I think if it were only an issue of a one-year contract, the Tigers and Johnny Damon by now might … Continued

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$80 million man

Is it a smart decision by the Tigers to sign Justin Verlander for $80 million over five years?

   

  

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Major League Baseball
Tom Gage

If Tigers sign Johnny Damon, Carlos Guillen's role would change

But for all this talk about Damon, whether it leads anywhere or not, isn't a likely offshoot getting lost in the shuffle? - 02/09/2010

Baseball: Roundup

Omar Vizquel will wear Luis Aparicio's 11 with White Sox

Omar Vizquel has worn 13, but in Chicago, that number belongs to manager Ozzie Guillen, who wasn't about to relinquish it.

The Chicago White Sox are taking Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio's number 11 out of retirement for newly acquired 11-time Gold Glove winner Omar Vizquel. - 02/09/2010

Tom Gage

Marcus Thames left Tigers No. 1 on an important list

Detroit -- You, too, Marcus. - 02/09/2010

Reports: Ex-Tiger Marcus Thames signs with Yankees

Marcus Thames will make $900,000 with the Yankees if he makes the team, according to reports.

Thames was released by the Tigers after the 2009 season. He hit .252 with 13 homers and 36 RBI in 258 at-bats last season. - 02/08/2010

Fox Sports Detroit to show 156 Tigers games this season

Rick Porcello and the Tigers will be on Fox Sports Detroit four times during spring training.

All but one of the Tigers' 162 games will be on television this season -- the second game of the season on Wednesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. at Kansas City. - 02/08/2010

Tom Gage: Sunday commentary

Justin Verlander's signature was his vote of confidence in Tigers

Justin Verlander will earn $20 million in each of the final three years of his contract.

Verlander didn't understand the Curtis Granderson deal. He thought highly of Edwin Jackson. Along with having to wave good-bye to Placido Polanco and Fernando Rodney, he paused like everyone else did and asked, "What's going on?" - 02/06/2010

Lynn Henning: Tigers Insider

Twins' roster should motivate Tigers to pony up for a hitter

The Tigers are flush with pitching, but still will need the runs someone like Johnny Damon could produce. He has a .288 lifetime batting average and has scored 1,483 runs over 15 seasons.

Can the Tigers out-pitch the Twins in 2010? Or even the White Sox, who themselves have a nice staff? It's a tough challenge when a team still must score runs to win. - 02/06/2010

Bob Wojnowski

Spending shows Ilitch wants to keep Tigers competitive

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch agreed to pay Justin Verlander $80 million over the next five years.

The Tigers are still willing to pay -- for the right player at the right price. Ilitch still will gladly peel off the dollar bills, and that remains one of his best traits. - 02/05/2010

Verlander: 'I love Old English D'

Justin Verlander: "I feel like this organization wants to win and that they put this team into position to win year in and year out."

Justin Verlander, who led the majors in strikeouts with 269 as he rolled up a 19-9 record in 2009, agreed to a five-year contract. It is the second-largest guaranteed contract in Detroit Tigers history. - 02/05/2010

Lynn Henning

Justin Verlander's big deal makes Granderson trade even more puzzling

Justin Verlander will be paid $20 million in each of the final three years of his new contract.

Verlander looked happy and prosperous Thursday as he showed in a dark suit, shirt and tie, the kind of attire a man tends to wear after signing a five-year, $80 million deal. - 02/05/2010

Tom Gage

Justin Verlander: Now let's win a World Series

Justin Verlander will make $20 million in each of the last three years of the contract; plus a $500,000 signing bonus and $6.75 million this season; and $12.75 million next season.

Verlander can't leave on his own volition now until after the 2014 season. It's a ton of money, $80 million. Actually, it's much more than a ton. - 02/05/2010

Tom Gage

For Tigers, signing ace Justin Verlander was a no-brainer

Justin Verlander has agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract, according to an Associated Press report.

Some signings have to happen. No ifs, ands or million-dollar buts. Getting Verlander to agree to a comfortably long contract was one of those signings. - 02/04/2010

Tony Paul: Baseball Insider

Francisco Liriano of old might be back for Twins

Elbow problems have hurt Francisco Liriano the past two seasons, when he went 11-17 with a 5.21 ERA.

Liriano, the Twins' ace-in-waiting, seems to be ready to reemerge as a dominating force following a dominating stint in winter ball. - 02/04/2010

Source: Tigers, Justin Verlander agree to $80M deal

Justin Verlander won a career-high 19 games with a career-best 3.45 ERA last season. He is 65-43 with a 3.92 ERA in four full seasons with the Tigers.

Verlander has agreed to a five-year contract worth $80 million, the Associated Press reported. The length of the contract covers Verlander's final two years of arbitration eligibility. - 02/04/2010

Lynn Henning

Tigers' attraction to Johnny Damon could heat up as camp nears

Johny Damon is a career .288 hitter.

A general rule in life, equally true in baseball, is that two parties with common needs and mutually attractive goods can probably make a deal. - 02/02/2010

Dombrowski: Tigers 'not close' to signing Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon hit 77 homers in four seasons with the Yankees.

He'd like to come here, but the Tigers say they are not on the verge of signing free agent Johnny Damon. "We're not close to making any kind of deals at this point," GM Dave Dombrowski said. - 02/02/2010

Tigers' issues in full bloom as spring training nears

The Tigers expect second baseman Scott Sizemore to uphold the hitting part of his assignment, but fielding as well as his predecessor, Placido Polanco, won't be so easy.

The Tigers will be on the field this month -- Feb. 19 for pitchers and catchers, Feb. 23 for position players. It seems light-years closer today than it did even on Friday. That's the difference, though, between February and January. - 02/02/2010

Johnny Damon wants to be Tiger

Free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon has won World Series rings with the Yankees and Red Sox.

Johnny Damon, the free-agent outfielder who helped the Yankees to a world championship in 2009, would be happy to talk with the Tigers. - 02/02/2010

Melvin Mora agrees to one-year deal with Rockies

Melvin Mora hasn't been to the playoffs since he was a 27-year-old rookie with the New York Mets in 1999. A year later, he was shipped to Baltimore at the trade deadline.

Spending the last 9 1/2 seasons in Baltimore and watching the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox annually battle for playoff spots left Melvin Mora with one big wish. - 02/02/2010

A's acquire Willy Taveras from Reds

Orlando Cabrera smiles at a news conference with Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty.

The Reds sent center fielder Willy Taveras to the Oakland Athletics on Monday as part of a four-player deal, then agreed to a $3.02 million, one-year deal with Cabrera. - 02/02/2010

Jon Miller receives Ford C. Frick Award

Jon Miller, who has spent parts of five decades as the voice of five major league baseball teams, was selected Monday as the 2010 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. - 02/02/2010

Lynn Henning: Tigers

Let's face facts: Tigers can't afford not to add another bat

Ryan Raburn hit .291 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs in 2009, numbers that might make him a valuable trade chip if the Tigers go looking for a left-handed bat.

Perhaps they can make Ryan Raburn part of a trade ahead of Opening Day that sends Raburn and an excess pitcher (Bobby Seay, Jeremy Bonderman?) to a National League club in exchange for a left-handed bat. Raburn, with his improving offense and ability to play multiple positions, could be a hit in the NL. - 01/30/2010

Tom Gage: Tigers Insider

Tigers' 2010 schedule easier on the travel than recent seasons

After the July 13 All-Star Game, the Tigers don't play again until July 16, in Cleveland.

Do you have your Tigers pocket schedule yet? If you do, you could be sitting at the kitchen table with the schedule in hand, thinking, "Not bad at all." As opposed to some of the monsters they've recently had. - 01/30/2010

$75M a good start in negotiations with Justin Verlander

Last season, Tigers ace Justin Verlander was 19-9 with a 3.45 ERA and a major league-best 269 strikeouts to just 63 walks.

It's exactly where talks with Justin Verlander should start -- and are starting. Five years, $75 million. But it's probably not where they are going to end. - 01/30/2010

Tigers' open house targets potential season-ticket buyers

Tigers fans look for a seat to pick out at Comerica Park on Saturday.

People looking to purchase Detroit Tigers season tickets got a free look at where they could sit during the annual Select-A-Seat Open House. - 01/30/2010

Tom Gage: Tigers Insider

Tigers' 2010 schedule easier on the travel than recent seasons

After the July 13 All-Star Game, the Tigers don't play again until July 16, in Cleveland.

Do you have your Tigers pocket schedule yet? If you do, you could be sitting at the kitchen table with the schedule in hand, thinking, "Not bad at all." As opposed to some of the monsters they've recently had. - 01/29/2010

Bob Wojnowski

Austin Jackson fielding a tough position for Tigers

Austin Jackson: "The main thing I heard was, 'You got big shoes to fill.' But I heard that with the Yankees also."

Gulp. Welcome to town, Austin Jackson, and before you play in your first major league game, have you thought about being the Tigers' leadoff hitter, center fielder and important new cog in a suspect offense? - 01/29/2010

Call 'em the Connecticut Tigers: Class A team moving from N.Y.

Ramon Santiago played for the Oneonta Tigers in 1999.

After drawing fewer than 700 fans per game last year, the Oneonta Tigers are moving to Norwich, Conn. The move ends Oneonta's 44-year link with the New York-Penn League. - 01/29/2010

Chat replay: Lynn Henning on the Tigers

Detroit News sportswriter Lynn Henning hosted an hour-long talk about the Tigers from noon-1 p.m. Friday. - 01/29/2010

Lynn Henning

Johnny Damon: Too expensive, too old for Tigers' needs

Johnny Damon hit .282 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs for the Yankees in 2009.

Two, three, or more years ago, the Tigers would have at least kicked the tires on Johnny Damon, a currently unemployed outfielder who has been one of the game's better hitters during the past decade. - 01/28/2010

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Exhibition Schedule

Tigers' 2010 spring training games

All games 1:05 p.m. unless noted; x-split squad for opponent; y-split squad for Tigers)

  • Tues. March 2, Florida Southern, at Lakeland
  • Wed. March 3, Toronto, at Dunedin
  • Thur. March 4, Toronto, at Lakeland
  • Fri. March 5, Houston, at Lakeland
  • Sat. March 6, Baltimore, at Lakeland
  • Sun. March 7, Toronto, at Dunedin
  • Mon. March 8, Atlanta, at Lakeland
  • Tues. March 9, Washington, at Viera
  • Wed. March 10, New York Yankees, at Lakeland
  • Thur. March 11, Philadelphia, at Clearwater
  • Fri. March 12, x-Philadelphia, at Lakeland
  • Sat. March 13, y-New York Yankees, at Lakeland
  • Sat. March 13, y-New York Mets, at Port St. Lucie
  • Sun. March 14, Tampa Bay, at Lakeland
  • Mon. March 15, Toronto, at Lakeland
  • Tues. March 16, Philadelphia, at Clearwater
  • Wed. March 17, Pittsburgh, at Bradenton
  • Thur. March 18, Houston, at Lakeland
  • Fri. March 19, y-New York Yankees, at Tampa, TBD
  • Fri. March 19, y-Atlanta, at Disney World, 6:05 p.m.
  • Sat. March 20, Philadelphia, at Lakeland
  • Sun. March 21, New York Yankees, at Tampa, TBD
  • Mon. March 22, Toronto, at Dunedin
  • Tue. March 23, Washington, at Lakeland, 6:05 p.m.
  • Wed. March 24, no game
  • Thur. March 25, y-Toronto, at Lakeland
  • Thur. March 25, y-Washington, at Viera 7:05 p.m.
  • Fri. March 26, Atlanta, at Disney World
  • Sat. March 27, New York Yankees, at Lakeland
  • Sun. March 28, New York Yankees, at Tampa, TBD
  • Mon. March 29, Toronto, at Dunedin
  • Tue. March 30, Baltimore, at Sarasota
  • Wed. March 31, Pittsburgh, at Lakeland
  • Thur. April 1, y-Atlanta, at Lakeland
  • Thur. April 1, y-Houston, at Kissimmee
  • Fri. April 2, Milwaukee, at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m.
  • Sat. April 3, Milwaukee, at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m.

Extended coverage

Columns

Tom Gage
If Tigers sign Johnny Damon, Carlos Guillen's role would change

But for all this talk about Damon, whether it leads anywhere or not, isn't a likely offshoot getting lost in the shuffle? - 02/09/2010

Lynn Henning
Twins' roster should motivate Tigers to pony up for a hitter

Can the Tigers out-pitch the Twins in 2010? Or even the White Sox, who themselves have a nice staff? It's a tough challenge when a team still must score runs to win. - 02/06/2010

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