Tigers Acquire Cabrera, Willis For Six Players

UPDATE, 12-4-07 at 6:04pm: Jon Paul Morosi reveals the three remaining players, and they’re all pitchers: Burke Badenhop, Eulogio de la Cruz, and Dallas Trahern.  Based on Kevin Goldstein’s Tigers prospect list, the team surrendered its #1, 7, and 11th ranked prospects. Miller’s not on the list due to big league experience but he’d be third if he was. 

Morosi also notes that Marcus Thames, Brandon Inge, and Chad Durbin are now on the block.

Baseball Prospectus’ Nate Silver weighs in on the big trade here.

FROM 12-4-07 at 5:30pm:

ESPN’s Peter Gammons is reporting that the Tigers have acquired Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and three minor leaguers.

This is what the hot stove league is all about, unexpected massive eight-player blockbusters.  All the talk was that the Tigers would have a quiet Winter Meetings.  Instead they traded for one of the best hitters in the game, adding an immediate 5-7 wins in the process.  Swapping out Willis for Miller will probably be a push in 2008 before things swing toward the Fish.

Maybin and Miller are both elite prospects; it seems packaging Cabrera with Willis was the only way they could get both.  Interestingly, it seems like Sports Review Magazine may have scooped this trade way back at 9:52am CST.  I am surprised this link didn’t get in my hands until now.