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Cabrera, Tigers open season with much anticipation

Mar 31, 2008 - 12:52 PM Kansas City (0-0) at Detroit (0-0) 1:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) - The Detroit Tigers begin a season with high expectations when they host the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

The 2006 American League champions missed the playoffs last season but made a pair of big offseason moves, acquiring shortstop Edgar Renteria from Atlanta and slugging third baseman Miguel Cabrera along with pitcher Dontrelle Willis from Florida.

Cabrera, who hit .320 with 34 home runs and 119 RBI last season, signed an eight-year, $152 million contract with Detroit on Tuesday.

The additions to an already strong lineup make the Tigers co-favorites - along with the reigning division champion Cleveland Indians - to win the Central. Detroit, which was the wild card team in 2006, has not captured a division crown since 1987.

However, the Tigers will start the season without center fielder and leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a broken finger. Granderson batted .302 with 23 home runs and 23 triples last season

Justin Verlander, who went 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA last season, is the Opening Day starter for Detroit. He has a career mark of 6-0 in eight starts against the Royals.

The 25-year-old righthander will be opposed by Gil Meche, who gets his second straight Opening Day assignment for the Royals. The righthander went 9-13 with a 3.67 ERA in 2007 in the first season of a five-year, $55 million contract for Kansas City.

Monday marks the major league managerial debut of Kansas City's Trey Hillman, who spent the past five years managing the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, where he won back-to-back Pacific League titles in 2006 and 2007.

His success in Japan followed an 11-year stint as a manager in the New York Yankees' minor league system. Hillman takes over a Royals team that has finished in last place for four straight seasons.