***Officialish Detroit Tigers Thread*** (2 Viewers)

[Greco]

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports Penny has agreed to a one-year deal worth $3 million with Detroit.

 

[igbomb]

Tigers, Ryan Raburn agree to two year deal

I look forward to Raburn getting the chance to be an every day left fielder. Of course, I am aware of a very vocal segment that think the guy is terrible. To them I say "suck it".

 

[Greco]

Tigers, Ryan Raburn agree to two year deal

I look forward to Raburn getting the chance to be an every day left fielder. Of course, I am aware of a very vocal segment that think the guy is terrible. To them I say "suck it".

remember that time, in minnesota, when he turned a bloop single into a triple in the 10th inning of game 163? that was neat.

 

[igbomb]

Tigers, Ryan Raburn agree to two year deal

I look forward to Raburn getting the chance to be an every day left fielder. Of course, I am aware of a very vocal segment that think the guy is terrible. To them I say "suck it".

remember that time, in minnesota, when he turned a bloop single into a triple in the 10th inning of game 163? that was neat.

There is no doubt that he needs defensive work, but every time he strings together some plate appearances, he rakes. I just hope he gets his 200 PA before they start mixing and matching in the outfield this year.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Tigers, Ryan Raburn agree to two year deal

I look forward to Raburn getting the chance to be an every day left fielder. Of course, I am aware of a very vocal segment that think the guy is terrible. To them I say "suck it".

I'm hoping that Casper hits well enough to win that spot and make Ryan a backup.

 

[Greco]

Zumaya 1yr./1.4 mil

Zumaya avoids arbitration

 

[igbomb]

Anyone know when regular season tickets go on sale?

 

[skillz]

So, the Tigers sign Galarraga and then hours later outright him to Triple A to make room for Penny on the roster.

Does that mean he is done as a Tiger, or does he have an option left to go back down to the minors? I would think he will be back in the rotation at some point during the regular season if he sticks around. Between Coke's unprovenness as a starter and Penny's injury history he should still get a shot at making some starts.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Anyone know when regular season tickets go on sale?

This is a good question. I see nothing at Tigers dot com about when individual game tickets go on sale. The Orioles tickets go on sale on January 29th, and they open at home vs the Tigers and I'll be there with any luck.

So, the Tigers sign Galarraga and then hours later outright him to Triple A to make room for Penny on the roster. Does that mean he is done as a Tiger, or does he have an option left to go back down to the minors? I would think he will be back in the rotation at some point during the regular season if he sticks around. Between Coke's unprovenness as a starter and Penny's injury history he should still get a shot at making some starts.

Apparently they are gonna trade him, but I agree with you about Penny and Coke. I like the Penny signing a lot, as it seemed almost risk free...until now. I guess Dombrowski thinks they have enough depth with Oliver and the other kids to make this move, but I don't see them getting a lot back. Why not just use him as long relief while you see what Penny and Coke can do? Makes no sense but I'm guessing it has to do with the relative strength of the youngins.

 

[skillz]

Anyone know when regular season tickets go on sale?

I suspect this date will be announced pretty quickly after Tigerfest on Sat. (and their final big push for selling season tickets and mini plans)

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I read somewhere Galarraga could be later trade bait in a package for teams looking for a 5th starter themselves.

 

[Gopher State]

—RHP Brad Penny reportedly has agreed to a one-year contract with the Tigers calling for a $3 million base salary, with the chance to double that through incentives. Though widely reported, Detroit had not announced it through the weekend pending his passing a physical. Penny, who will be 33 this season, has seen his seasons shortened by injuries in 2008 and 2010 but he twice won 16 games for the Dodgers (2006-07). Penny posted a 3.23 ERA in nine starts for St. Louis last year before an upper back strain in May sidelined him for the remainder of the season. If healthy, he becomes the favorite to join Detroit's rotation as the fifth starter.

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

 

[Doctor Detroit]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

105+8=113Just heard of the Pavano signing. Gonna be tough for Twins fans to figure out how they finished third with such an expanded payroll compared to prior years. Good luck with that.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

105+8=113Just heard of the Pavano signing. Gonna be tough for Twins fans to figure out how they finished third with such an expanded payroll compared to prior years. Good luck with that.

March is the perfect time of year to talk #### for a Tigers fan.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

105+8=113Just heard of the Pavano signing. Gonna be tough for Twins fans to figure out how they finished third with such an expanded payroll compared to prior years. Good luck with that.

March is the perfect time of year to talk #### for a Tigers fan.

I actually have done this once in the past twenty years, but this year feels like a winner. We'll discuss sides in B-more.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

We'll discuss sides in B-more.

Max's>hi

 

[Limp Ditka]

this year feels like a winner.

 

[Gopher State]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

105+8=113Just heard of the Pavano signing. Gonna be tough for Twins fans to figure out how they finished third with such an expanded payroll compared to prior years. Good luck with that.

DD the biggest issue with the Twins is the inexperienced infield, other then Justin at 1B, and they loss some good bullpen pitching. I like the Penny signing even at 6M if he hits all his goals. The only thing going for the Twins is with the outdoor ballpark, tickets will be impossible to get after May, so they make money even with the high end payroll.I agree this is the year of the TIGER, some nice signings, maybe you guys can beat the Yankees, in the playoffs, we know the Twins can't. Goodluck should be a fun year.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

So Penny could cost the tigers as much as 6M. I thought I read some where the tiger payroll could be as high as 108M this year, any truth to that amount

Right now they are at $106.1MM with Penny but that is down from $128MM last year. Considering that I think this team is at least a little better than last year's team (I actually think it's about ten games better), it's a step in the right direction. Don't look now, Minnesota is trying to catch up ($105MM projected opening day payroll).

Twins are projected at around $113MM with Pavano, slicknuts. Still a couple of arb cases coming too.I like the Penny signing, btw.

105+8=113Just heard of the Pavano signing. Gonna be tough for Twins fans to figure out how they finished third with such an expanded payroll compared to prior years. Good luck with that.

DD the biggest issue with the Twins is the inexperienced infield, other then Justin at 1B, and they loss some good bullpen pitching. I like the Penny signing even at 6M if he hits all his goals. The only thing going for the Twins is with the outdoor ballpark, tickets will be impossible to get after May, so they make money even with the high end payroll.I agree this is the year of the TIGER, some nice signings, maybe you guys can beat the Yankees, in the playoffs, we know the Twins can't. Goodluck should be a fun year.

Who is this bobo?

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

so they are gonna retire sparkys number next year? seems kinda lame, should of did it when he was alive so he could of been there.

 

[meeka]

I read somewhere Galarraga could be later trade bait in a package for teams looking for a 5th starter themselves.

They just announced that he is being sent to Arizona for a couple of pitching prospects. They must be pretty confident in their young arms to send away a pitcher like AG when you are throwing Coke and Penny out there as your #4 and #5.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

I read somewhere Galarraga could be later trade bait in a package for teams looking for a 5th starter themselves.

They just announced that he is being sent to Arizona for a couple of pitching prospects. They must be pretty confident in their young arms to send away a pitcher like AG when you are throwing Coke and Penny out there as your #4 and #5.

Oliver or Turner (or both) will get chances at that rotation too,Armando is a nice guy and all but he is what he is

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Got tickets for three of the six Tigers games in Baltimore this year. Will likely go to at least one other but will wait to find tickets.

 

[Gopher State]

Looks like that locks up 3rd place for you guys. Congrats

Minnesota can't continue their smoke and mirrors campaign and our starting pitching>your starting pitching. The middle infield defense has the chance to be epic bad, but they are more likely to be solid and the line-up is exponentially better than a year ago with VMART, Peralta instead of Laird and Everett. I expect them to win the division this year.

 

[meeka]

Great! Miggy with a DUI.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

 

[meeka]

 

[igbomb]

I really like this part:

"Police say he didn’t comply with several orders to get into the patrol vehicle. The arresting deputy said he lifted Cabrera’s left hand to gain pain compliance and Cabrera then “pushed off the vehicle into me,” according to the report.

The deputy then delivered 3-4 knee spikes into Cabrera’s left thigh muscle. Cabrera fell into the vehicle, according to police."

http://www.freep.com/article/20110217/SPOR...|text|FRONTPAGE

 

[tikitime]

I like the part of the story where he was drinking from the bottle in front of the officer.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

What a ####### idiot. Well he's getting suspended for this, nice job Miggy.

He'll probably get away with the charges, they always do.

 

[Da Guru]

I like the part of the story where he was drinking from the bottle in front of the officer.

I find it hard to believe he was drinking scotch out of the bottle. Miggy is a tequila man. At least it was a decent single malt.On another note..Why do people who make 20 million a year drive anywhere when drinking?? Limos, Metro cars, cabs, pay a buddy 500 to take the rap.Hell I took a Metro car home from a Thursday afternoon Tiger game because I was too smashed to drive. Met at Nemos at noon, ended up at Chelis. Cost me 100.00..or saved me 10K.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

I've already heard of conspiracies on the radio here in MI. Some stating that there may have been someone else with Miggy that ran off. Saying that Miggy wasn't telling the cop "I'll kill him" but was talking about someone else who may have left the scene. Could Miggy be covering for someone else who was driving?

Anyone else hear these conspiracies?

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I've already heard of conspiracies on the radio here in MI. Some stating that there may have been someone else with Miggy that ran off. Saying that Miggy wasn't telling the cop "I'll kill him" but was talking about someone else who may have left the scene. Could Miggy be covering for someone else who was driving?Anyone else hear these conspiracies?

Even if not true, this may be his best defense. "Um I met this guy and I let him drive my car and then the engine blew up and he ran away. Made me so mad I had to walk away and crack open a fresh bottle".

 

[Da Guru]

I've already heard of conspiracies on the radio here in MI. Some stating that there may have been someone else with Miggy that ran off. Saying that Miggy wasn't telling the cop "I'll kill him" but was talking about someone else who may have left the scene. Could Miggy be covering for someone else who was driving?Anyone else hear these conspiracies?

Even if not true, this may be his best defense. "Um I met this guy and I let him drive my car and then the engine blew up and he ran away. Made me so mad I had to walk away and crack open a fresh bottle".

Dave Dombrowski enjoys scotch...just saying

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I've already heard of conspiracies on the radio here in MI. Some stating that there may have been someone else with Miggy that ran off. Saying that Miggy wasn't telling the cop "I'll kill him" but was talking about someone else who may have left the scene. Could Miggy be covering for someone else who was driving?Anyone else hear these conspiracies?

Even if not true, this may be his best defense. "Um I met this guy and I let him drive my car and then the engine blew up and he ran away. Made me so mad I had to walk away and crack open a fresh bottle".

Dave Dombrowski enjoys scotch...just saying

If Dave was not there, I'd hate to think it was a gift.

 

[Greco]

.320/40/150 he can drink and beat sunday school teachers and i wouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[skillz]

The way I see it all they will probably need to do is put Miggy in rehab for 30 days. That will still give him a few games at the end of ST and he'll be ready for the regular season. At that point, they just have someone drive him around and babysit him a la Josh Hamilton while he continues his recovery.

Sounds strange but best thing that could've happened is for this to go down now. He'll get treatment and have his head on straight for the regular season. Most likely play with a chip on his shoulder too. If this had happened during the regular season it would have been an absolute disaster for the Tigers.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Tigers are celebrating 75 years in Lakeland for spring training, the longest partnership of its kind in baseball. Wish I was there.

In other news...

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Miguel Cabrera met with his Detroit Tigers teammates for the first time this spring and said he felt welcome.

"I appreciated all that, what they did to me," Cabrera said. "I'm comfortable with these guys. I love these guys. They've always been good to me, so now I've got to do a lot of good things for them. Right now I'm going to prepare very hard and get ready to win games."

Cabrera, who was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Feb. 16, did not play in the Tigers' 17-5 win over Florida Southern College on Friday. Cabrera did some hitting and fielding drills but wasn't available for the game and is not expected to travel to Dunedin, Fla., for Detroit's Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It isn't known when manager Jim Leyland will put Cabrera into the lineup and Leyland has dodged most questions about Cabrera. He did say that he expected Cabrera to be in the lineup when the Tigers open the regular season in New York on March 31.

When the slugger who finished second in the AL MVP voting last year after hitting .328 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs spoke with the media Friday he spoke about his weight, not his pending arraignment on March 16.

"I feel good. Everybody worries about my weight and what I do during the offseason, but right now I feel good," Cabrera said. "I'm not worried about being overweight. I worked hard in the offseason so right now I'm just worried about baseball and getting ready for the season."

Cabrera said that he is ready to go and that the Tigers are a formidable team with him surrounded by Victor Martinez and Magglio Ordonez in the lineup.

"If we're healthy, we're going to be very good, very dangerous," Cabrera said. "If our pitchers, our staff, can be healthy, I think we've got a good chance to win. We've got to go out there and compete. All day I saw a lot of good things, so the most important thing is to compete."

The Tigers scored in every inning except the eighth against Florida Southern, a Division II team based in Lakeland, and led 5-0 after three innings.

Top prospects Andrew Oliver and Jacob Turner both pitched two scoreless innings and Daniel Schlereth, Ryan Perry and Enrique Gonzalez combined for four more before the Mocs scored five in the ninth.

"We didn't want to score that many runs," Leyland said. "We just couldn't help it."

Brennan Bosch, competing for the starting job in left field, hit a long three-run homer, and Audy Ciriaco added another for the Tigers.

NOTES: The win sent the Tigers record to 22-1-2 against FSC since the series began in 1979. The Tigers agreed to terms with INFs Scott Sizemore and Danny Werth, OFs Clete Thomas and Casper Wells on Thursday. Thirty-five players on the 40-man roster are under terms. Phil Coke, who is making the transition from setup man to starter will start for the Tigers against the Blue Jays on Saturday, followed by Duane Below, Alberto Albuquerque, Brad Thomas, and Robbie Weinhardt. Toronto will use Brett Cecil, Scott Richmond, David Purcey, Will Ledezma, Jesse Carlson, Mike Hinkley, and Luis Perez.

Couple of notable notes in there.

 

[skillz]

Tigers are celebrating 75 years in Lakeland for spring training, the longest partnership of its kind in baseball. Wish I was there.

In other news...

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Miguel Cabrera met with his Detroit Tigers teammates for the first time this spring and said he felt welcome.

"I appreciated all that, what they did to me," Cabrera said. "I'm comfortable with these guys. I love these guys. They've always been good to me, so now I've got to do a lot of good things for them. Right now I'm going to prepare very hard and get ready to win games."

Cabrera, who was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Feb. 16, did not play in the Tigers' 17-5 win over Florida Southern College on Friday. Cabrera did some hitting and fielding drills but wasn't available for the game and is not expected to travel to Dunedin, Fla., for Detroit's Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It isn't known when manager Jim Leyland will put Cabrera into the lineup and Leyland has dodged most questions about Cabrera. He did say that he expected Cabrera to be in the lineup when the Tigers open the regular season in New York on March 31.

When the slugger who finished second in the AL MVP voting last year after hitting .328 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs spoke with the media Friday he spoke about his weight, not his pending arraignment on March 16.

"I feel good. Everybody worries about my weight and what I do during the offseason, but right now I feel good," Cabrera said. "I'm not worried about being overweight. I worked hard in the offseason so right now I'm just worried about baseball and getting ready for the season."

Cabrera said that he is ready to go and that the Tigers are a formidable team with him surrounded by Victor Martinez and Magglio Ordonez in the lineup.

"If we're healthy, we're going to be very good, very dangerous," Cabrera said. "If our pitchers, our staff, can be healthy, I think we've got a good chance to win. We've got to go out there and compete. All day I saw a lot of good things, so the most important thing is to compete."

The Tigers scored in every inning except the eighth against Florida Southern, a Division II team based in Lakeland, and led 5-0 after three innings.

Top prospects Andrew Oliver and Jacob Turner both pitched two scoreless innings and Daniel Schlereth, Ryan Perry and Enrique Gonzalez combined for four more before the Mocs scored five in the ninth.

"We didn't want to score that many runs," Leyland said. "We just couldn't help it."

Brennan Bosch, competing for the starting job in left field, hit a long three-run homer, and Audy Ciriaco added another for the Tigers.

NOTES: The win sent the Tigers record to 22-1-2 against FSC since the series began in 1979. The Tigers agreed to terms with INFs Scott Sizemore and Danny Werth, OFs Clete Thomas and Casper Wells on Thursday. Thirty-five players on the 40-man roster are under terms. Phil Coke, who is making the transition from setup man to starter will start for the Tigers against the Blue Jays on Saturday, followed by Duane Below, Alberto Albuquerque, Brad Thomas, and Robbie Weinhardt. Toronto will use Brett Cecil, Scott Richmond, David Purcey, Will Ledezma, Jesse Carlson, Mike Hinkley, and Luis Perez.

Couple of notable notes in there.

Wow, didn't realize Wil Ledezma was still pitching. That name is a blast from the past. It will be interesting to see who Leyland goes with in the four man rotation to start the season. I am guessing he will let Coke pitch from the pen and have Penny start, but who knows. I bit the bullet and got a 15 game ticket package this year with my brother so I am drinking the kool aid for the 2011 season.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

I bit the bullet and got a 15 game ticket package this year with my brother so I am drinking the kool aid for the 2011 season.

 

[MAC_32]

Got tics to game #2 vs. the Royals the first weekend, I'm good with either Scherzer or Porcello. Should be a good time.

Completely unrelated, was doing some reading this morning for my dynasty league's, I like what I'm reading about our farm system re pitching. Not just Oliver, Turner, and Crosby but the guys behind them too. I think we may be able to fix our problems in the INF and corner OF sooner rather than later once these guys are ready to be flipped, I'll be rooting heavy against Texas and their arms on the farm in hopes Michael Young is available again in July.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

sorry guys I just returned from a 2 week bender on the treasure coast of FLA with Miguel. UGH

 

[skillz]

Zumaya already having arm troubles. And, in other news grass is still green and the sky is still blue.

 

[Da Guru]

Zumaya already having arm troubles. And, in other news grass is still green and the sky is still blue.

Sharp pain where the screw was inserted. This may be the end for Joel.

 

[MAC_32]

Re-upped MLB.com subscription and have adjusted my schedule to ensure I'm home by 7:05 each week night

I'm a lot more optimistic about this team this year than I usually am, our decisions at 2nd base still piss me off though.

 

[skillz]

Penny looked really good last night. I hope he comes through since I am not sold on Coke being a starter this year.

 

[Limp Ditka]

http://detnews.com/article/20110309/SPORTS0104/103090424/1129/rss15

oof

Bar manager: Cabrera threatened to kill patrons on night of arrest

Frank Donnelly / The Detroit News

During his arrest for drunk driving last month, Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera told police to shoot him, according to a police report released Wednesday.

When deputies told Cabrera to drop to his knees so they could handcuff him, he said, "(expletive) shoot me. Kill me," according to the report, which was posted by thesmokinggun.com.

Cabrera continued to curse at the officers.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked. "I'm Miguel Cabrera. I play for the Detroit Tigers. You don't know my family."

Cabrera, 27, was arrested Feb. 16 in Fort Pierce, Fla., and charged with driving under the influence and two counts of resisting arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are misdemeanors.

In another document released Wednesday, the manager of a bar described a run-in he had with Cabrera shortly before the arrest.

Cabrera walked into the Cowboys Bar-B-Q & Steak Co. after last call and was asked to leave, bar manager Fletcher Nail said in a statement to police.

The ballplayer ignored the manager and walked up to a table of strangers and began talking to them, said Nail.

When Nail again asked him to leave, Cabrera patted a bag on his shoulder and leaned down close to the manager's face.

"You don't know me," Cabrera told him. "I will kill you. I know all of you, and I will kill all of you and blow this place up."

Another witness, an agent with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who was at the bar, told investigations that the ballplayer threatened him and Nail.

Cabrera said "he had a gun in his bag for us," said the agent.

The police reports released thus far don't indicate that Cabrera was found with a gun.

After the arrest, Cabrera said he made a big mistake and asked for forgiveness. During a press conference Feb. 24, he apologized to the arresting officers and thanked them for the way they handled the incident.

He will deal with alcohol-related issues by following a plan devised by the baseball commissioner's office and the players' union. But the plan's specific measures weren't disclosed.

When he was arrested, Cabrera reportedly was belligerent and uncooperative with officers. According to an arrest report from the Port St. Lucie Sheriff's Department, a deputy had to handcuff the first baseman and then apply several "knee spikes" to his left thigh in order to get Cabrera into the back of a police vehicle.

Cabrera reportedly swore at the deputy several times and repeatedly said, "Do you know who I am?"

Police said Cabrera smelled strongly of intoxicants, had blood-shot eyes and reportedly took a drink from a bottle of James Buchanan's scotch whiskey in front of deputies.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110309/SPORTS0104/103090424/Bar-manager--Cabrera-threatened-to-kill-patrons-on-night-of-arrest#ixzz1G9YrAvdh

 

[Da Guru]

http://detnews.com/article/20110309/SPORTS0104/103090424/1129/rss15

oof

Bar manager: Cabrera threatened to kill patrons on night of arrest

Frank Donnelly / The Detroit News

During his arrest for drunk driving last month, Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera told police to shoot him, according to a police report released Wednesday.

When deputies told Cabrera to drop to his knees so they could handcuff him, he said, "(expletive) shoot me. Kill me," according to the report, which was posted by thesmokinggun.com.

Cabrera continued to curse at the officers.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked. "I'm Miguel Cabrera. I play for the Detroit Tigers. You don't know my family."

Cabrera, 27, was arrested Feb. 16 in Fort Pierce, Fla., and charged with driving under the influence and two counts of resisting arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are misdemeanors.

In another document released Wednesday, the manager of a bar described a run-in he had with Cabrera shortly before the arrest.

Cabrera walked into the Cowboys Bar-B-Q & Steak Co. after last call and was asked to leave, bar manager Fletcher Nail said in a statement to police.

The ballplayer ignored the manager and walked up to a table of strangers and began talking to them, said Nail.

When Nail again asked him to leave, Cabrera patted a bag on his shoulder and leaned down close to the manager's face.

"You don't know me," Cabrera told him. "I will kill you. I know all of you, and I will kill all of you and blow this place up."

Another witness, an agent with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who was at the bar, told investigations that the ballplayer threatened him and Nail.

Cabrera said "he had a gun in his bag for us," said the agent.

The police reports released thus far don't indicate that Cabrera was found with a gun.

After the arrest, Cabrera said he made a big mistake and asked for forgiveness. During a press conference Feb. 24, he apologized to the arresting officers and thanked them for the way they handled the incident.

He will deal with alcohol-related issues by following a plan devised by the baseball commissioner's office and the players' union. But the plan's specific measures weren't disclosed.

When he was arrested, Cabrera reportedly was belligerent and uncooperative with officers. According to an arrest report from the Port St. Lucie Sheriff's Department, a deputy had to handcuff the first baseman and then apply several "knee spikes" to his left thigh in order to get Cabrera into the back of a police vehicle.

Cabrera reportedly swore at the deputy several times and repeatedly said, "Do you know who I am?"

Police said Cabrera smelled strongly of intoxicants, had blood-shot eyes and reportedly took a drink from a bottle of James Buchanan's scotch whiskey in front of deputies.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110309/SPORTS0104/103090424/Bar-manager--Cabrera-threatened-to-kill-patrons-on-night-of-arrest#ixzz1G9YrAvdh

No biggie..I have a couple of friends who are the same way. Great guys until they get a belly full of booze..then they want to destroy the planet.