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It's the initial ascent from the deepest depths, the first move by a submarine as it leaves the ocean floor. Nonetheless, owner Mike Ilitch senses that the Tigers have started to move up.
As he talked about his ballclub Wednesday, Ilitch twice said he was excited.
"When I get excited, that's good," he said, although he didn't elaborate
on what he meant by "good."
Ilitch spoke from the far right of the dais at a Comerica Park news conference. He could look at the four people on his left and feel excited. On his immediate left sat Dave Dombrowski, the president and general manager who aggressively has put into action Ilitch's desire to add free agents.
To Dombrowski's left sat the three free agents secured this off-season: outfielder
Rondell White, second baseman Fernando Vina and right-handed reliever Al Levine.
The signing of Levine, unlike those of White and Vina, didn't become public
until Wednesday.
The Tigers want more news conferences like this. Dombrowski continues his search
for a shortstop and starting pitcher. Ilitch suggested that the Tigers would
add more players after next season (when Damion Easley's big contract leaves
the club's books).
Ilitch seems more comfortable with the combination of his front office, manager
and coaching staff than at any time in his 11-year, dramatically unsuccessful
reign as owner. Dombrowski's fire stokes the front office; Al Kaline and Willie
Horton are club advisers; Alan Trammell and the spirit of '84 are in the dugout.
"We have the foundation to build the Tigers' tradition the way it's supposed
to be built," Ilitch said.
Then Ilitch got going full speed, saying the Tigers now approach the Red Wings
in one sense: "I get the feeling we don't have any turmoil now. We've got
leadership in the clubhouse and management where I can tell the people care.
We're getting closer and closer to a strongly overused word -- the family-type
team. . . . This is the first time that I've got the feeling of team and the
organization really coming together."
Last off-season, Ilitch let the Tigers ignore free agents. The club fielded
many of its top minor leaguers and came within one loss of the Mets' post-1900
mark of 120 losses. Yet Ilitch sounded happy that Dombrowski & Co. now know
what's in the farm system. The owner said that the organization was "coming
together now . . . all of a sudden it's not so complicated."
Like any Tigers fan, Ilitch could feel good at the sight of new, qualified players.
The question is what prompted Vina, White and Levine to come aboard here at
the 119-loss depths.
"I'm excited about the challenge," said Vina, who spent the past four
seasons on the contending Cardinals. "I don't think we're that far off.
If they can just add a few more pieces, you'll be amazed at how quickly things
can change."
Levine said: "They're headed in the right direction. I heard great things
about the organization and the coaching staff."
If White thought much about how the Tigers did this past season, he's apparently
over it. "You've got to go into spring training feeling like you've won
100 games," he said.
NOTEBOOK: The Tigers appear to be close to signing free agent Mike Difelice
to be their backup catcher. Difelice played this past season for Kansas City,
appearing in 62 games and batting .254 with three homers and 25 RBIs. He started
one-third of the Royals' games at catcher and made only two errors all season.
. . . Ilitch indicated the Tigers would have raised their five-year offer to
shortstop Miguel Tejada from $45 million to $60 million if Tejada had negotiated
with them. Tejada left the A's and signed a six-year, $72-million contract with
the Orioles. . . . The Tigers are believed to have interest in free-agent right-handed
starter Rick Helling. . . . Levine, an eight-year veteran, has been primarily
a middle and set-up reliever. "He will be used in a lot of ways,"
Trammell said. Last season with Tampa Bay and Kansas City, Levine yielded a
batting average of .137 with two out and runners in scoring position. Levine
signed a one-year contract with a second year at the !
club's option. . . . To make room for the new players, the Tigers took left-hander
Andy Van Hekken and catcher-outfielder Ben Petrick off the 40-man roster. The
club hopes to sign both to minor league contracts and invite them to spring
training.