I picked this up from The View From the Bleachers but it looks like the Tigers shored up their outfielder by trading Omar Infante to the Cubs for Jacque Jones and cash.  Jones looks like he’s on the downswing but he’s also been sort of the odd man out in the Cubs outfield.  He’s been surrounded by trade rumors pretty much since he got to Chicago.  He had an off year in 2007 but he was a solid 20 homer/75 RBI guy orior to that and he’s a career .280 hitter.  His upside is probably his 2006 season but I’d be happy with what he gave the Twins back in 2005.

I’ve always been a big fan of Omar Infante but it just didn’t seem like it was going to work in Detroit.  He had a breakout season in 2004 when Fernando Vina went down with an injury and he earned the starting second base job in 2005 but he struggled early.  He then lost his job when the Tigers traded for Placido Polanco and since then, he’s spent time both in the minors and as a utility player (he can play outfield and infield).  He fell out of favor last year and the Tigers eventually went with Ramon Santiago down the stretch and after they signed Santiago yesterday, it was probably just a matter of time before Infante was gone.

Still, Infante is only 25 and while that breakout season is three years removed, it’s there.  I don’t know what the Cubs have planned for Infante but you wonder if Alan Trammell’s presence on the team had anything to do with this deal.

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