But the expectations of the trade were completely different.
After the trade, every major publication picked Detroit to win the World Series. This was the deal that put the Tigers over the top. The Kitties wound up dead last. I'm not saying it was the trade that did them in -- but the expectation was both MCab and Dontrelle were the "missing pieces." Far from it.
Was MCab due to be a free agent? I know Detroit signed him to a long term deal -- that was what had to be done to ice the deal.
I think the Fish did OK in this deal -- its always a gamble to trade established players for prospects. Florida was faced with the prospect of rebuilding without Cabrera either way. They attempted to get some value for him.
I also think they fleeced the Tigers as far as Willis was concerned. The Fish had to know he was totally washed up.
And is the jury still out on all of these prospects? what has happened to Trahern? Badenhop has a lot of promise and is doing well from what I can see. I guess when I look at the rest of the group, DeLa Cruz is gone, and Maybin, Miller, and Rabelo have been disappointments.
I have a bit of trouble feeling bad for the fans of the Fish when they have won two world titles in such a short time span, current mismanagement notwithstanding.
Yeah, the Tigers expectations were nowhere near met. Cabrera was only up to his 2nd time in arby when the Fish trade him, and then spent more than his salary with the Tigers on the damned Manatees (male tub of lard dance team).
Maybin and Miller were the best prospects in the deal, and neither is very good at all. Maybin has more holes in his swing than 3 Ugglas, and now scouts put Miller's ceiling as middle/back rotation. Badenhop has about a 15-pitch duration, and the scouts put his ceiling at being a middle reliever, and he and his high WHIP and BAA are expected to be sent down again when Miller comes back or Vandern Hurk comes off DL next week. Trahern has trouble getting his WHIP to consistently stay below 2, walks every 8th guy he faces, can't even average 5 IP per start, and is currently on his 4th stint on the DL since the trade. De La Cruz was released. Rabelo will likely never again wear an MLB uniform unless there is a rash of injuries - he not even on the Marlins depth chart, is unprotected, and still nobody wanted him in Rule 5.
