Major League Baseball

Trading Cabrera makes financial sense for Tigers

Published Nov. 16, 2009 11:04 p.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

Thinking out loud:

If the Tigers are willing to trade right-hander Edwin Jackson and center fielder Curtis Granderson to reduce payroll, why wouldn't they be willing to trade first baseman Miguel Cabrera, their highest-paid player?

Thinking out loud some more:

If the Red Sox were willing to offer first baseman Mark Teixeira $170 million for eight years last off-season, why wouldn't they be willing to absorb most or all of the $126 million that Cabrera is guaranteed over the next six years?


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I've even got a possible trade in mind — Cabrera for Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, third baseman Mike Lowell and a prospect, either first baseman Lars Anderson or right-hander Stolmy Pimentel.

Lowell, who would need to move to first or become a DH, is not an ideal fit. But his salary would be part of the price of doing business, just as it was when the Red Sox acquired him along with pitcher Josh Beckett from the Marlins in Nov. 2005.

If one year of Lowell at $12 million didn't help the Tigers, two of Papelbon for $20-plus million in arbitration at least would give them one of the game's best closers short-term. Anderson could be the long-term answer at first if he rebounds from a disappointing 2009, while Pimentel is one of the Sox's top pitching prospects. And the financial relief — oh boy.

The Tigers' savings would amount to nearly $100 million — and they would gain nearly $60 million more in flexibility after next season, when the contracts of right fielder Magglio Ordonez, third baseman Brandon Inge and pitchers Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson expire.

The Red Sox, subtracting the present and future salaries of Papelbon and Lowell, would get Cabrera for just over $16 million per season. They would need a short-term closer until Daniel Bard was ready to claim the role. But there are plenty of such pitchers available.

The proposal is just a thought; I'm not suggesting such a concept has been discussed, even internally. The Red Sox could include different prospects. The Tigers could pull in a third club to help address their needs at shortstop and catcher. But if I were Tigers general manager David Dombrowski or Red Sox G.M. Theo Epstein, I would at least give the idea some consideration.

The notion is not much of a leap for either club.

Two months ago, the Tigers never would have considered moving Cabrera.
But then they narrowly missed the postseason, helping create their current financial predicament.




On the final weekend, with so much at stake, Cabrera came home drunk and got into a fight with his wife, according to police. It is not known whether he was driving, but he registered a 0.26 blood alcohol content, more than three times above Michigan's legal driving limit.

Cabrera apologized to his teammates before the Tigers' loss to the Twins in the tiebreaker before the AL Central title. Two days later, Dombrowski said, "I feel confident that he is going to address the issues he needs to address to take care of the problems that he has."

If that is the case, then Cabrera's transgression might prove a blessing, a turning point in his career. But I'm guessing the Tigers are still livid with Cabrera for being so irresponsible.

What a world.

The Tigers are talking about trading two of the game's best people, Granderson and Jackson, in part because their best and highest-paid player almost certainly was hung over for one of the biggest games of the season — a 5-1 loss to the White Sox in which Cabrera went 0-for-4 and stranded six runners.

If the Tigers unloaded Cabrera for Papelbon and Lowell, they could keep Granderson and Jackson and do plenty else with the money they would save, addressing any number of needs.

The Tigers could not replace Cabrera's production, but they could solve first base with little problem, signing someone like free-agent first baseman Nick Johnson for one season, possibly to share time with Lowell, as they await the developments of Anderson and/or power prospect Ryan Strieby.

Of course, there is one major flaw in my argument: If Cabrera is such a problem, if trading him is such a great idea, why would the Red Sox even want him?

Maybe they wouldn't after what happened at the end of last season. But the Red Sox keep trying to acquire a first baseman in his prime — Teixeira a year ago, the Padres' Adrian Gonzalez this off-season. Cabrera, 26, is three years younger than Teixeira and a year younger than Gonzalez.

Both Teixeira and Gonzalez are considered to have impeccable character, but perhaps Cabrera would benefit from a change, particularly if he is serious about addressing his off-field issues.

The scrutiny of fans and media in New England generally forces Red Sox players to be accountable (Manny Ramirez was a notable exception). The Tigers maintain a strong contingent of Cabrera's Venezuelan countrymen, including the highly respected Carlos Guillen. Cabrera still strayed, but the Red Sox's one Venezuelan player, catcher Victor Martinez, undoubtedly would be a positive influence, though he is under contract for only one more year.

Cabera for Papelbon, Lowell and a prospect.

Just thinking out loud.

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