FanHouse MikeIllitch

There aren't very many parts of the United States who are feeling the crunch of our struggling economy more than the city of Detroit, and as a result, odds are there are going to be a lot more empty seats at Comerica Park this season than there have been in recent years. This isn't good news for a team with the fifth highest payroll in MLB at just over $115 million.

$15 million of that is going to Miguel Cabrera, who is in the second year of a eight-year $153 million contract. According to a report on ESPN if the Tigers fall out of contention, they might consider trading Cabrera to provide the team some financial relief, but general manager Dave Dombrowski says there's no way in the world that's going to happen.

The next time you see the Tigers playing a baseball game, things could be a lot different than the last time they played one. Carlos Guillen will not be at shortstop, but at first base where he'll be replacing Sean Casey. Joel Zumaya could be closing instead of setting up for Todd Jones. When you look behind the plate you may not see Ivan Rodriguez there as he waits to see if the Tigers will pick up his option.

One thing that won't change is that Jim Leyland will be managing the team, something he's hoping to do past next year.

Leyland, who indicated last week that he would like to continue as manager beyond next season, met with president and general manager Dave Dombrowski on Monday.

There was no announcement of an extension, although that could change once Dombrowski discusses the matter with owner Mike Ilitch this week.

"I'm not looking to go anywhere," Leyland said. "I'm looking to be the manager of the Detroit Tigers. It's just a matter of what Dave thinks, what I think and what Mr. Ilitch thinks."

Leyland reportedly only wants a one-year extension, because at 62 he's not sure how much longer he really wants to manage.

I don't see this extension not happening within the next week or two, Leyland's performance has more than warranted one. The Tigers may not have made the playoffs this season, but Leyland was one of the biggest reasons they reached the World Series last year, and he's helped turn what had become a perennial loser back into a good baseball team. Baseball matters again in Detroit, for the first time in a while, and Jim Leyland has a lot to do with it.

The Tigers haven't been eliminated from the post season yet, but chances are they'll be sitting at home watching this October. One more win by the Yankees or loss by the Tigers will make it official. So it's hard to blame the players for looking to next year, specifically closer Todd Jones.

Jones is a free agent at the end of the season, and he made it clear after Detroit's 2-0 loss to the Twins on Monday night that he wants to stay in Detroit, and he's not going to try and screw the organization out of any extra years.

"I've got 15 years in the big leagues, I live in Alabama, and I've got plenty of money," Jones said, speaking in the Tigers clubhouse before Monday night's game at Comerica Park, which saw the Twins beat Detroit, 2-0. "I'm not like other players who are bottom-line.

"I can't look at Dave Dombrowski (Tigers president and general manager) and Mr. Ilitch (Tigers owner Mike Ilitch) and sign a deal I know I can't finish. I'll be 40 next year. I'm realistic. Nobody knows what I'm gonna do."

Since Jones only wants a one-year deal, it increases the likelihood that the Tigers will bring him back. Jim Leyland went on record yesterday saying he wants Jones back as well. The question going into next season though would be what role would Jones play?

He was the full-time closer this season, but how much longer do the Tigers want to wait before they move Joel Zumaya into the closer's role? Young arms that throw 100MPH typically don't last very long, so the quicker Detroit moves Zumaya into the closer spot the better.

Still, having Jones around next year in case Zumaya is still dealing with control issues would be a nice backup plan. I've never understood how Jones gets the job done, but the man does it. You see him come to the mound, and he strikes no fear in you, yet somehow five pitches later he's shaking hands with Ivan Rodriguez in front of the pitcher's mound.