Tigers rebuilding efforts bear fruit in crowded outfield Following is the fourth in a series of weekly stories on MLB.com examining each Major League club, position-by-position. Each Wednesday until Spring Training camps open, we'll preview a different position. Today: Outfielders. DETROIT -- The Tigers' outfield was already looking crowded heading into Spring Training before interest in Magglio Ordonez picked up. One more signing, and i t could become an overflow. No other area of Detroit's roster better reflects all the phases of rebuilding this club has overtaken over the past several years. The list of contestants in cludes the longest-tenured and highest-paid active Tigers player, one of the fi rst major free agent signings following the 2003 season, a leadoff man who was on pace for a modern bunt singles record before injuries and arbitration put hi m on the brink of being non-tendered, and a fourth outfielder who topped 20 hom ers his rookie season and nearly hit .300 the next. Throw in the Tigers' top position prospect, mix with one of the fastest players in baseball, add a former top prospect who became a useful fifth outfielder la st year and top it with three waiver claims from last fall. The result will be quite a gathering next month in Lakeland as president/GM Dave Dombrowski and ma nager Alan Trammell try to sort that group -- all of them with valuable strengt hs, yet all of them with lingering questions -- into three starters and likely two reserves. Most of those questions over the last few years have revolved around Bobby Higg inson, now entering his 11th season -- and quite possibly his last -- in Detroi t. His lucrative contract, one of the main reasons he wasn't dealt as his strug gles continued, expires at year's end. He's been in both physical and statistic al decline each year since his 30-homer season in 2000. Though his .246 average , 24 doubles, 70 walks and 64 RBIs last year were actually improvements over 20 03, they're not where he or the team wants them to be. That's why Higginson's starting job is at risk this year more than at any point in his career, regardless of whether Ordonez and his power production come to town. Injuries to Higginson, Rondell White, Alex Sanchez and Dmitri Young have allowed Craig Monroe to rack up 872 at-bats over the last two years, and he's t aken advantage of it. Despite a drop, his .293 average showed he can finally hi t right-handed pitchers and lefties alike, while his 72 RBIs reflect the kind o f production Detroit wants out of corner outfielders. Trammell told reporters at TigerFest last Friday that Monroe will earn more pla ying time this year. Moreover, his talk with Monroe left the young slugger opti mistic that he could finally become an everyday player. Most likely, that will come at Higginson's expense. When healthy, White, one of the first free agents to choose the Tigers in '03, can produce numbers like Monroe did in 2004. White was on pace for far more aft er a torrid opening month, but a prolonged slump and nagging injuries slowed hi m so much that by season's end, his .270 average and 67 RBIs were actually some what disappointing -- including to White. Already well-traveled, White is calling this a critical year for him as a contr act season. He wants to stay in Detroit, but Monroe's progress, Magglio's court ship and the general direction of the team might work against him despite his v alue to the lineup as a right-handed slugger. But then, all those factors were supposed to work against Sanchez this offseaso n. His first-half performance, from his well-placed bunts to his speed, electri fied Detroit enough to overlook his struggles to learn how to work counts as a leadoff hitter and when not to try to steal a base. Once hamstring and quadrice ps injuries derailed his summer, those criticisms became outright doubts. By De cember, Sanchez was a "yes" answer from free agent Steve Finley away from losin g his job. Instead, Finley chose Anaheim, and Detroit eventually decided Sanchez was bette r than what was left on the market. But with a one-year contract, speedy Nook L ogan backing him up and top prospect Curtis Granderson potentially a half-seaso n away at Triple-A Toledo, Sanchez's ticket out of town could be punched sooner rather than later. A poor Spring Training might spell the end for Sanchez. How Ordonez would further unsettle this whole mix could be witnessed in the nex t couple weeks. But regardless, the Tigers want more production out of their ve teran outfield for the money. They're hoping pure competition helps bring that out. --

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