DETROIT -- Some free agent signings make a splash. Others fill pure baseball ne eds. Infielder Ramon Martinez fit the latter for the Tigers. With a one-year, $1,025,000 contract announced on Tuesday, the Tigers addressed a major part of the utility void created when Brandon Inge became Detroit's re gular third baseman. The 32-year-old Martinez will help back up Inge at third b ase, Carlos Guillen at shortstop and Omar Infante at second base. "I think with Brandon being our third baseman and pretty much us coming to the conclusion that that was happening, it's a situation where we really do need tw o utility men," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "We like R amon Martinez. He's established. He can play all three infield positions really well. With him being a right-handed hitter and Jason Smith batting left-handed , it's a good fit." Versatility and steady defense are the major assets with Martinez, who has play ed every infield position as well as left field at some point during his six-ye ar Major League career between the Giants and Cubs. He hit .246 with 15 doubles , three home runs and 30 RBIs in 260 at-bats over 102 games for Chicago, where he made $900,000 last year. For his career, Martinez boasts a .268 batting average with 26 home runs and 17 0 RBIs over 578 games. His most extensive playing time came with San Francisco in 2001, when he played in 128 contests and garnered 391 at-bats. In Detroit, he'll complement Smith to provide insurance for an infield mixed be tween youth and injury risk. The Tigers struggled down the stretch last Septemb er after Guillen suffered a season-ending ACL tear, forcing Infante to shift ba ck to shortstop and Smith to play regularly at second base. Asked at season's e nd whether Inge could be used at second base in 2005, manager Alan Trammell sai d yes. That, however, was before Inge picked up a starting role. With Eric Munson non- tendered last month and Inge signed to a one-year, $1.35 million deal, the form er catcher turned super-utility man became a likely everyday player at the hot corner. Dombrowski cautioned that Inge will still have some flexibility. He'll continue working behind the plate, at least in Spring Training. Still, the Tigers conti nue to test the free-agent market for a catcher to serve as Ivan Rodriguez's pr imary backup. One player who definitely won't fit into the utility void is Fernando Vina, las t season's Opening Day second baseman whose season ended with potentially caree r-threatening hamstring and knee injuries. Dombrowski confirmed Vina won't be r eady for the start of the upcoming season but declined to elaborate further. -- 意者可回信 正式交易時請用ATM轉帳 --

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