Trade Recap- The MoTown Monster

The News
The Detroit Tigers and the Florida Marlins completed an 8- player trade sending Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. In what has been a busy off- season Detroit packaged six prospects centered around top 10 prospects LHP Andrew Miller and OF Cameron Maybin. The deal also included catcher Mike Rabelo, and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern. The Marlins refused to let Detroit discuss a contract extension with either Cabrera or Willis as part of the deal. Both are arbitration eligible and under control for two more years. Cabrera seems more likely to get a big offer this winter than Willis. The Tigers have put together a formidable team with a potential starting lineup of Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria, Pudge Rodriguez and Jacque Jones and a rotation with Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis. Detroit will likely look to trade 3rd baseman Brandon Inge, and have been reportedly talking with the New York Mets about a potential trade including catcher Ivan Rodriguez and newly acquired Dontrelle Willis.

Fantasy Outlook
In Florida Andrew Miller will slide right into the starting rotation, he projects to be a top of the rotation starter, but he struggled in his brief time with the big league club last season. Like most young players Miller will likely have an up and down season with some gems sparkled throughout, he is someone to target with a late round flier. Cameron Maybin is perhaps one of the most promising young outfield prospects in the game. In brief time last season Maybin showed great athleticism and showed power with a home run off the ageless wonder Roger Clemens. Maybin is likely a year away from being major league ready, but with Florida desperate in center field, Maybin will likely play right away. Maybin will eventually be a special player with both power and speed, but at the young age of 21, he likely will struggle at the plate.
In Detroit, Miguel Cabrera immediately becomes a top 6 pick. He joins a loaded lineup that will only boost his production in RBI's and runs scored. Last season in a Marlins lineup that was in flux all season Cabrera had a career high in home runs- 34 and runs batted in- 119, this year he will be primed to best both those numbers. Dontrelle Willis goes from the National League to the American League, while Dontrelle is a very entertaining player to watch and he may rack up good win totals, he is not an ownable fantasy player. Willis puts up numbers right in line with Livan Hernandez, he is an innings eater that wins games, but Willis had an ERA of 5.17 last season and a WHIP at 1.60. It is likely that Willis could start the season well with American league hitters still adjusting to his emphatic delivery, but as in the National league the hitters will catch on, and Willis really doesn't have over powering stuff.