Evolution of the Tigers since 2006 rebirth

CATCHER -- PUDGE RODRIGUEZ (2004-08): Rodriguez was the man whose surprise signing in February 2004 signaled that a franchise had bottomed out and was headed steadily north. He was vintage Pudge in 2006: .300 batting average in 136 games, .769 OPS, made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove. He stuck with the Tigers until midseason 2008, when he was traded to the Yankees ahead of closing his career with the Astros, Rangers, and Nationals.

BRANDON INGE (2008): From 2001-2012, Inge’s meanderings from catcher, to third base, back to catcher, and ultimately to third base, are a story as unique as his colorful place in recent Tigers history. But he worked just long enough at catcher in 2008, 60 games, to have temporarily re-established himself as a starter once Rodriguez was dealt to New York. He played left field, center field, third base, as well as catcher in 2008, then was restored at third base for the duration of his time with the Tigers, which ended in 2012 (when he also played six games at second base). He twice hit 27 home runs (2006 and 2009), but he also struck out 150 and 170 times (2007 and 2009) and finished with a .233 batting average, which helped explain his polarized relationship with Tigers fans.

GERALD LAIRD (2009-10, 2012): The Tigers badly needed a catcher at the end of the 2008 season and essentially stole Laird, then a backup with the Rangers, in a deal for two Tigers prospects: Carlos Melo and Guillermo Moscoso. Laird never hit as the Tigers had hoped (.225 in 135 games in 2009, .207 in 89 games in 2010), but he was solid, and exceptional in the clubhouse. The Tigers thought so much of him they brought him back in 2012 after he had left for a one-year, free-agent deal with the Cardinals. He finished his career with the Braves and Diamondbacks.

ALEX AVILA (2009-15): Got a shot a year out of college, in 2009, and had a .965 OPS in 29 games. Two seasons later he was an All-Star starter (.295, .895 OPS). And then came a recurring sequence of hammerings behind the plate that steadily diminished his offense. An expert defender and pitch-caller who was one of the team’s best clubhouse citizens. Gradually was replaced in 2015 by James McCann as a starter and departed via free agency for the White Sox.

JAMES McCANN (2015-present): Was the Tigers’ top draft pick in 2011. Hit better than anticipated as a rookie and at age 25 could be on the verge of an All-Star career.

FIRST BASE -- CHRIS SHELTON (2006): Shelton had arrived in 2004 as a Rule 5 pick, grabbed from the Pirates, and through 2005 (.299, .870) and early 2006 (record April) looked as if he would perpetually haunt Pittsburgh. But then Shelton spun to Earth, rapidly, as Sean Casey arrived at midseason to give the Tigers a home-stretch and playoff lift. The red-headed wunderkind spent all of 2007 in the minors. He was traded to Texas and two years later, at age 29, he was gone from the big leagues.

SEAN CASEY (2006-07): Came to the Tigers in a July deadline trade with the Pirates (for Brian Rogers) and became a Tigers idol as he cemented his reputation as “The Mayor” for his adroit clubhouse ways. Also brought a nice left-handed bat to the lineup (.296, .746 in 143 games) in 2007. He signed with the Red Sox as a free agent ahead of 2008, his final year in the big leagues.

MIGUEL CABRERA (2008-present): Has become one of the five greatest Tigers hitters ever, and is headed for Cooperstown once a long and extraordinary career ceases. Cabrera moved to first base from third base in 2008, his first year after dropping anchor in Detroit and, apart from a return to third during the 2012-13 seasons, he has been the Tigers’ primary first baseman. Because of his extraordinary bat, has never gotten the credit on defense he deserves.

PRINCE FIELDER (2012-13): The Tigers were reeling in January 2012 after it was learned Victor Martinez was gone for the year with a shredded knee. On came Fielder, thanks to Mike Ilitch’s offer of a nine-year, $214 million contract. Fielder was the hitter the Tigers needed during Martinez’s hiatus and helped push them to the 2012 World Series. He stuck at first base for one more season, 2013, as the Tigers pushed to win for Ilitch a World Series. But Fielder collapsed during the postseason, his contract was one of baseball’s most costly and cumbersome, and he was dealt that fall to the Rangers.

SECOND BASE -- PLACIDO POLANCO (2006-09): The Tigers got Polanco in spontaneous, and fortuitous, fashion in June 2005 after Ugueth Urbina nearly punched his way off the Tigers team charter and was traded a day later to the Phillies. Polanco became a quasi-MVP for the Tigers during their 2006-09 run as he stroked base hits galore and played a deft second base. Was allowed to chase free agency at the end of the 2009 season. Reasons were never made clear and had nothing to do with financials, but Tigers decided Polanco was a free man.

RAMON SANTIAGO (2006-13): He was the kind of substitute infielder you might have ordered from Amazon. Sturdy, skilled, indispensable. And he started his share of games at second base and shortstop. He was a switch-hitter with fast hands in the field and an angelic clubhouse presence. It seemed for the longest while that Santiago might be as permanent as Comerica Park. Such was his value, and his endearment to a team that appreciated him on all levels. But his time ran out after the 2013 season and Santiago headed off to free agency and to a new job with the Reds.

WILL RHYMES (2010, 53 games): The Tigers began paying a price for saying farewell to Placido Polanco and handing second base in 2010 to a rookie (Scott Sizemore). Rhymes, though, joined the team later in 2010, fresh from Triple A, and played well, then won an Opening Day job in 2011. He had a .594 OPS in 29 games for the Tigers in 2011, then had a short stint with the Rays in 2012 that wrapped up his big-league life.

SCOTT SIZEMORE (2010, 40 games): He was a decent Tigers prospect who might have had a longer career had his body cooperated. But a rookie who was supposed to have been the answer after Placido Polanco departed got hurt in the 2009 Arizona Fall League, then faded after beginning the 2010 season as a Tigers starter. He was dealt to the A’s early in 2011.

RYAN RABURN (2011-12): Among the more perplexing of Tigers players during the past decade, Raburn couldn’t seem to string together April-to-autumn productivity, which is why he became more of a part-time answer at various positions. His shifts included 88 games at second base in the 2011-12 seasons. He exited Comerica Park at the end of the 2012 season and signed a free-agent deal with the Indians.

OMAR INFANTE (2012-13): The Tigers happily brought him back for a second stint in Detroit when they got him from the Marlins, along with Anibal Sanchez, in a July 2012 deal. Infante was smooth, steady, got his share of big hits, and was a low-maintenance answer at a position that had been in flux since Polanco’s exit. The Tigers had ideas of re-signing Infante when he left for free agency in 2013, but he signed with the Royals as the Tigers dealt Fielder and brought in Ian Kinsler.

IAN KINSLER (2014-present): Has been one of the best all-around players wearing a Tigers uniform the past two seasons. Does everything well. Rarely is hurt. An invaluable return on a trade the Tigers, because of Prince Fielder’s vast contract, were fortunate to have made.

THIRD BASE -- BRANDON INGE (2006-12): Although he had been trained as a catcher, Inge, after three seasons behind the plate, became a fulltime third baseman in 2005 as his range, footwork, and arm made him a plus-plus defender at a position that had long tortured the Tigers. He also mashed 27 home runs in 2006. But after Cabrera arrived in December 2007, Inge became more of a catcher / super-sub before the Tigers decided they were better with him at third. He struck out too often, his batting average spiraled downward, and he got on the wrong side of a sputtering fan camp, all before the Tigers released him in April 2012.

MIGUEL CABRERA (2012-13): Along with a certain flair for hitting, detailed in the Tigers’ first-base chronology, Cabrera was an easy answer at third base when Fielder came aboard in January 2012. Cabrera, of course, was a third baseman when he stormed the big leagues as a rookie in 2003.

Nick Castellanos, 3B, age 24, R-R, 6-4, 210: He went through the worst hitting slump of his life last season, to the point where he was benched for three games, and came through it a smarter, better hitter. He was one of the team’s most consistent hitters in the final three months and continued to show improvement at third base. He has lost some of his upper body bulk, which has increased his mobility and agility in the field.

SHORTSTOP -- CARLOS GUILLEN (2006-07): Another of those most-important Tigers figures from the past decade. He was supposed to have been dealt from Seattle to the Indians ahead of the 2004 season for Omar Vizquel. But when Vizquel flunked his physical, Guillen stayed with the Mariners -- until the Tigers landed him in a one-sided trade that led to a long-term deal with Guillen and helped turn them into a contender. He had slowed at short and by 2008 began an infield rotation that saw him play all infield positions, as well as left field. He retired at the end of the 2011 season.

ADAM EVERETT (2009-10): The Tigers needed a glove-guy at shortstop in 2009 and settled on Everett, who was just fine. He played a handful of games for the Tigers in 2010 before getting his release.

JHONNY PERALTA (2010-13): Another of former front-office chief Dave Dombrowski’s heists, Peralta was thieved from the Indians in a midseason swap (2010) that sent a forgettable trade chip, Giovanni Soto, to Cleveland. Peralta was simply a solid, everyday player. He never got hurt. He hit the ball and created runs. He compensated for sparse range by handling whatever was hit his way. He was later shackled by a 50-game suspension for getting caught with performance-enhancers, but the Tigers, in one terrific and inexpensive trade, bought three years of stability at shortstop. The Tigers traded for Jose Iglesias in the summer of 2013 and began preparing for life without Peralta. He became a free agent later that year and signed with the Cardinals, where he’s playing as neatly as he did in Detroit.

JOSE IGLESIAS (2013-present): Iglesias was an All-Star in 2015, at the age of 25. He batted .300. And this a year after he missed the entire season with leg fractures. Strangely, he seemed to be treated coolly by fans, perhaps because James McCann called him out last summer for not handling a ground ball with the energy McCann believed necessary. The fact is, Iglesias is a gifted playmaker who can look like a wizard thanks to his fast hands and soft glove. He will be here for several more seasons unless the Tigers, perhaps, make a move toward young Dixon Machado.

ANDREW ROMINE (2014-present): Fans would have been excused two years ago for thinking in ho-hum ways about a Tigers-Angels trade. Detroit was looking for help at shortstop and sent one Jose Alvarez to the West Coast in exchange for Romine, who has since played in 203 games for the Tigers and done a slick job, particularly in being flexible. He’s a switch-hitter who doesn’t give away at-bats. And he plays shortstop deftly, as he plays second base, third base, and even the outfield.

LEFT FIELD -- CRAIG MONROE (2006-07) Monroe was a Randy Smith acquisition, and a good one, as a former Tigers GM fetched Monroe from the waiver wire in February 2002 ahead of a six-season run that saw Monroe belt 101 home runs, 28 of them in 2006. He was dealt to the Cubs in late 2007 in a waiver trade that ultimately sent reliever Clay Rapada to the Tigers. Monroe had later stretches with the Twins and Pirates before calling it quits in 2009. He now works on Tigers telecasts.

MARCUS THAMES (2006-09): It’s easy to forget how many of the Tigers’ prime-time players during the past decade were essentially thieved. Dave Dombrowski’s front office signed Thames as a minor-league free agent in late 2003. Dividends soon rolled, highlighted by a big 2006 (26 home runs, .882 OPS in 110 games). He wasn’t a great defender, but it was his bat the Tigers loved, as well as a clubhouse presence, and he frequently was the DH during his Detroit tenure. He signed a free-agent deal with the Yankees in the autumn of 2009 and finished with the Dodgers in 2011.

Ryan Raburn is hitting .206 this spring training with no homers and five RBIs. He figures to primarily be a backup in the outfield, but has played in the infield over his career.

DON KELLY (2009-14): It’s difficult to slot into one position one of the most remarkable all-purpose players in Tigers annals. A one-time Tigers prospect transformed himself from a marginal candidate to an extraordinary fill-in player who, at one time or another in the big leagues, has played all positions, including pitcher. But it was as an outfielder and substitute at third base that Kelly particularly excelled. His first-inning homer in Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS against the Yankees was huge, as was his walk-off sacrifice fly that helped the Tigers beat the A’s in the 2012 ALDS. His six-season run in Detroit ended after the 2014 season when Kelly said yes to a free-agent invitation from the Marlins.

DELMON YOUNG (2011-12): Young arrived via an August 2011 waiver trade with the Twins (Cole Nelson, Lester Oliveros) and helped the Tigers win a division, as well as a division series against the Yankees (three home runs). He also got the winning double in the 12th inning of the opening 2012 ALCS game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Never the easiest man to oversee on a big-league roster, Young got into a fracas outside the team hotel in New York in April of 2012 and was allowed to seek employment elsewhere at the end of the season.

ANDY DIRKS (2011-13): Dirks was one of those occasional Tigers position prospects who makes it to Detroit and sticks for multiple seasons. He was a handy lineup addition, given his left-handed bat, which he swung for appreciable power, as well as for his flexibility in playing anywhere in the outfield. He had a tough time staying healthy. Back surgery in 2013 pretty much ended his Tigers days. He was off to new paths that might or might not eventuate in another big-league job.

QUINTIN BERRY (2012): What a lift Berry gave the Tigers after he was signed in November 2011 as a minor-league free agent. He played in 94 games in 2012, started in 70 -- mostly in left field -- and batted .258 with 21 stolen bases. He was snatched from the waiver wire by Kansas City in 2013, later joined the Red Sox in time to win a World Series ring, then signed with, in order: the Orioles, Red Sox (again), Cubs, and Angels.

MATT TUIASOSOPO (2013): Always in big-league baseball, there are bounce-around guys who have just enough clout to earn new life with new teams. The Tigers liked Tuiasosopo’s athleticism and power and thought enough of him to sign him as a free agent and give him a shot with the big-league club in 2013. He played in 81 games, hit seven home runs, and had a .765 OPS. He returned to free agency at the end of the 2013 season and has since been the property of a half-dozen additional clubs.

RAJAI DAVIS (2014-15): One of the best free-agent bargains the Tigers have made. For a relatively low $5 million per season, the Tigers got two years of standout labor from Davis, who also worked in center field. Became a free agent last autumn and signed with the Indians.

YOENIS CESPEDES (2015): He arrived in Detroit in a December 2014 deal with Boston that also netted Alex Wilson in exchange for Rick Porcello. Cespedes performed to the Tigers' high expectations of him, hitting just under .300, with 18 homers and 61 RBI in 102 games in Detroit. But the Tigers' belief that it would be too difficult to bring him back at a reasonable cost led to a deadline deal with the Mets for the pitcher who is now Detroit's No. 1 prospect, Michael Fulmer.

TYLER COLLINS (2014-present): Collins’ left-handed bat not only helped the Tigers shore up their outfield in 2015, but he proved helpful as the Tigers patched-up at designated hitter during Victor Martinez’s month-long stint on the disabled list.

CENTER FIELD -- CURTIS GRANDERSON (2006-09): Pick one player who most embodies a Tigers team’s 2006 breakthrough, in performance and in presence, and Granderson probably wins. He was a leadoff batter with home-run muscle. He played, often brilliantly, in center. He ran the bases and lit up Comerica Park with his energy and charisma. He was a stunning billboard player and personality during the height of Detroit’s baseball renaissance. It required an immense package to pry Granderson from the Tigers in December 2009. But the Tigers got their price, including Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson and Phil Coke, in a whopping three-way trade involving the Yankees and Diamondbacks.

AUSTIN JACKSON (2010-14): Looked as if he would be a long-term All-Star after the Tigers snared him in the Granderson deal. His early seasons with the Tigers, while choppy, tended to be trademarks of a talented player who would only get better. But he began something of a slide in Detroit, offensively and even defensively, that proved mystifying. He was dealt in a July 2014 deadline swap that sent him to the Mariners. Jackson continued to dip and last season played with the Cubs. He remains a free agent with no excess of interested suitors.

ANTHONY GOSE (2015): Until further notice, Gose has settled down center field, although the Tigers are keeping an open mind as Cameron Maybin arrives. Gose was on the flip-side of a Dave Dombrowski acquisition in December 2014 when the Tigers, in fact, paid steeply (prized prospect Devon Travis) for a centerfielder whose batting numbers suggested he’d be more of a utility man. But Gose is only 25, and after batting a somewhat surprising .254 in 2015, the Tigers believe he’ll do steadily better.

Magglio Ordonez

CLETE THOMAS (2008-12): He found his way onto the roster as the Tigers broke camp in 2008 and ended up working for the Tigers off and on through 2012: 145 games, mostly in the corner outfield spots, and most often in right field. He hit seven home runs and batted .284 as a rookie, but never quite clicked thereafter. He was grabbed off the waiver wire by the Twins in April 2012 and played part of the next two seasons there. He has not played in the big leagues since.

BRENNAN BOESCH (2010-12): Boesch’s three seasons for the Tigers were both exhilarating, and frustrating, not only for the Tigers, but for a true California gentleman who looked at one time as if he could be, in manager Jim Leyland’s words, “a monster.” He arrived as a rookie in April 2010, got a double in his first at-bat, and hit 30 home runs during his next two seasons, which included losing the second half of 2011 to a wrist injury. He never got back on track and was released during 2013 spring camp. He has since played occasionally for the Yankees, Angels, and Reds.

AVISAIL GARCIA (2012-13): He came to Detroit with a heavy pedigree and, early on, looked as if his wide palette of skills might make him a Tigers fixture. Garcia was only a youngster when he arrived, 21, but his ability to play center field as well as right field made him an important part of the Tigers’ 2012 stretch run. He remained on the fast track until he was dealt in July 2013. He became part of a three-cornered deadline deal that brought Jose Iglesias to Detroit and sent Garcia to the White Sox, for whom he still plays.

TORII HUNTER (2013-14): The Angels did Detroit a favor when they decided against making Hunter a qualifying offer following the 2012 season. The Tigers needed a right fielder, desperately, and might have forfeited a draft pick so badly did they want Hunter. He filled in admirably for two seasons and handed the Tigers a lovely return on their $26 million investment. He returned to free agency following the 2014 season and signed a one-year deal with his original club, the Twins, before retiring.

J.D. MARTINEZ (2014-present): Might be the biggest Tigers steal since 1960, when they pilfered Norm Cash from the Indians for Steve Demeter. Al Avila, now the Tigers GM, had known of Martinez since their common days in Miami. When the Astros – who these days don’t make a lot of mistakes – cut him loose during spring camp, the Tigers jumped. He has since hit 61 homers and cracked an All-Star team in two seasons with Detroit.

DESIGNATED HITTER -- GARY SHEFFIELD (2007-08): The Tigers knew, even after their 2006 World Series cameo, they needed another big bat. They got it in a prospects-heavy trade with the Yankees for Sheffield. He had a terrific start to 2007, then hurt his shoulder in a collision with Placido Polanco. He was never the same. The Tigers bought him out of his final contract year ($14 million) in 2009. He played that season for the Mets and then retired.

AUBREY HUFF (2009): The Tigers thought they had a serious left-handed bat for the playoff stretch when they got Huff in an August waiver trade with the Orioles. He instead flopped: .189 in 40 games, with a .567 OPS. The Tigers finished in a tie with the Twins and lost a playoff seat in a 163rd-game playoff. Huff was allowed, with no hesitation, to pursue free agency.

JOHNNY DAMON (2010): Damon was still on the free-agent block in February 2010 when his agent, Scott Boras, called Tigers owner Mike Ilitch and convinced him the Tigers needed Damon’s bat and savvy. And they did. Damon played some outfield, worked as a designated hitter, and batted .271 with a .756 OPS in 145 games. The Tigers missed the playoffs in 2010, and tried to trade Damon to the Red Sox in a deadline deal. He balked (contract provision) and that autumn welcomed free agency.