DETROIT (AP) -Jim Leyland gathered the Detroit Tigers for a meeting in Houston before they traveled home to open the season Monday against the Kansas City Royals.
Detroit’s manager did not share his entire message with reporters, but did discuss some of what he said as it related to owner Mike Ilitch spending about $135 million this season.
“This isn’t one of those teams, `I can’t believe we didn’t pick up this player, or this guy.’ We’ve got no excuses,” Leyland said Sunday morning. “It’s all about us because the main man has done everything and more that you could ask.”
The Royals, meanwhile, will have to hope their relatively low payroll allows them to be competitive.
Kansas City’s only significant addition on the field in the offseason was signing free agent outfielder Jose Guillen to a $36 million, three-year deal.
“I think Guillen is going to be huge, and so does everybody else,” said right-hander Gil Meche, who will make his second straight opening day start in Detroit. “I know as a pitcher, I’m glad I’m not facing him again.”
The Royals hope Guillen will lift their offensively challenged team that hit a league-low 102 homers last season. He has had at least 20 home runs four times in the past five seasons and had 99 RBIs in 2006 with Seattle.
Kansas City also hired a new manager, putting Trey Hillman in charge of a team in the majors for the first time after he was one of the most successful managers in Japan.
Hillman takes over a team with only one winning season since 1994 and four straight last-place finishes in the AL Central.
“It’s not something we’re proud of,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “I think guys are committed to winning. In some cases, they’ve been embarrassed by what’s happened, the lack of success in the past.”
Perhaps Kansas City can look to the Tigers for inspiration.
Detroit was coming off its 12th consecutive losing season just two years ago, then played in the 2006 World Series and challenged for a spot in the playoffs deep into September last season.
Unlike the Royals, though, the Tigers have an owner willing and able to spend with the big spenders – Boston and the New York Mets – and behind only the Yankees.
Detroit closer Todd Jones, in his second stint with the franchise, said Ilitch is living up to his promise from a decade ago.
“Mr. Ilitch always said, `Boys, as soon as you get one player away I’ll give you everything you need.’ The problem was, we never were one player away,” Jones said. “We had players on the teams I played with that thought they were good that wouldn’t make this team.”
Detroit’s lineup looks impressive from top to bottom, highlighted by the middle of the order: Gary Sheffield, AL batting champion Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera.
The Tigers made many moves in the offseason, refusing to be content with merely being good. Their biggest one was adding Cabrera along with starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis from Florida for six prospects.
Ilitch signed to Cabrera a $152.3 million, eight-year contract – the fourth-largest package among current major leaguers – before one at-bat in Detroit.
Obviously, the Tigers are hoping the 24-year-old Cabrera will keep up the production he had with the Marlins.
Cabrera has averaged 32 homers and 115 RBIs while hitting .318 the previous four seasons, putting up gaudy numbers in those categories matched by just Albert Pujols and Vladimir Guerrero.
“When you get a player like him, your job as a manager is to basically stay out of the way,” Leyland said. “But it’s also your responsibility to make sure they become the best player they can be.”
Even though the Tigers seem to have a powerful lineup, their bullpen seems shaky without injured right-handers Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney.
“If we’re going to be good, the bullpen has to come through and I think they’re very capable,” Leyland said. “If they’re successful, we’ll be successful. If they’re not, it’ll be a little rough.”
Notes: Detroit RHP Justin Verlander will make his first opening day start. … The Royals put RHP Luke Hudson (shoulder) on the DL. … The Tigers placed Zumaya (shoulder), Rodney (shoulder) and RHP Jordan Tata (hand) and catcher Vance Wilson (elbow) on the DL.
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