Dontrelle Willis News

They currently have 44 protected players between the 40 man roster and disabled lists.

In a career that has been mired with injuries and instabilities, the Marlins are foremost trying to establish some consistency with Andrew Miller.

The Mariners are off the hook on their $16 million mistake after Seattle catcher Kenji Johjima relinquished the remainder of his salary so he could return home and finish his career in Japan.

The Kenji Johjima news was barely 10 minutes old on Monday when the first email came: "Do you think Carlos Silva would opt out of his contract, too?" It's nice pipedream, but don't hold your breath on Silva relinquishing the $24 million still owed him by the Mariners through 2011.

David Dombrowski has been President/GM of the Tigers for eight baseball seasons, and just what has the team accomplished? One playoff appearance.

After the Tigers ' loss to the Twins Tuesday, Jim Leyland has been on blast from talk radio callers who are disgusted with the fact that he wouldn't pinch hit for Gerald Laird with the bases loaded in extra innings of Tuesday's one-game playoff.

It's Mike Ilitch's call now. After all, it's his wallet and he can do whatever he wants.

Coming off a disappointing season in 2008, this year's version of the Detroit Tigers seemingly bounced back as the cream of the Central Division crop.

There are many questions surrounding the personnel decisions for the Tigers. How would you handle the major ones and would it hamper the Tigers' ability to sign other free agents? The biggest question, of course, is the one we can't answer.

Everyone wants to blame the manager. Everyone always wants to blame the manager.

Forget, for a moment, that Miguel Cabrera apparently got into a physical altercation with his wife.

Many Detroit Tigers fans seem inoculated to pennant fever this year, despite the team leading the American League Central for four-and-a-half months.

In 2008, Justin Verlander could never seen to regain the form that won him rookie-of-the-year and made him one of the top young pitchers in the game.

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland sat behind his desk before Saturday's game without answers to two questions: Will , who has been pitching over pain in his left knee most of the season, be able to pitch Tuesday in the opener of the series with Kansas City? And, who will take 's spot in the rotation Wednesday? "There are issues with Washburn," ...

Sure, the Detroit Tigers have issues. But they're not the only ones. Pitcher likely will start Sunday as the Tigers were forced once again to change their starting rotation.

Jim Leyland is out of answers. Not only did his division-leading Detroit Tigers drop a fifth straight game to the last-place Kansas City Royals , 11-1 on Tuesday night, he has to fill another spot in his patchwork rotation.

Still a comparatively young franchise, the Marlins already have a distinguished history that includes two World Series championships and a long list of All-Star-caliber players.

Ryne Sandberg has added to his managerial portfolio by guiding Double-A Tennessee into the Southern League playoffs.

Dontrelle Willis' 2009 season is over, at least in terms of game competition. Though the Tigers recalled the left-hander from his Minor League rehab stint, they did not activate him from the 15-day disabled list.

When the Marlins traded Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers for Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin last offseason, they hoped Miller and Maybin would come along well by now.