Jeremy Bonderman

If nothing, this was a sign of trust in Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman.

Because what the Tigers did on Tuesday—dealing left-hander Nate Robertson to the Florida Marlins for left-hander Jay Voss—was nothing short of a release.

Did anyone really think otherwise?

The Tigers are paying $9.6 million of his $10-million salary this year and are virtually giving the payroll-sensitive Marlins the left-handed starter that they desperately needed.  

When you commit $64 million dollars to three pitchers over the span of two years, there are certain expectations that need to be met.

Take a look at the San Francisco Giants. Their three headed monster of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito are making $54.05 million collectively in 2009 and 2010. Last year they won a combined 39 games in 98 starts and struck out 586 batters in 635 innings pitched. Those numbers are produced by, what some regard, the best top end rotation in the league.

It’s been just two days since the start of spring games, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some story lines already forming. Let’s take a look at a few stories from yesterday’s games that are certainly worth noting for fantasy owners:

Nice opening outing for Detroit's Jeremy Bonderman, striking out three over two shutout innings (he also allowed a hit and a walk). He started the game against Toronto, so he faced the likes of Aaron Hill, Adam Lind and Vernon Wells.

For now, the rehab road has ended for Jeremy Bonderman, who will be handed the ball on Monday night to make his first major league start in over a year.

That road started almost a year ago when Bonderman underwent two surgeries: one to remove a blood clot from his pitching shoulder and another to remove a rib to alleviate symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Bonderman came into spring training this year attempting to claim a spot in the Tiger rotation, but wasn't healthy enough to continue. After some time off, after that bend in the trail, the rehab road continued.

The July 31 trade deadline is still two months away, a relatively small blip on the radar screen, to be sure, but the trade winds seem to always blow in baseball.

The Detroit Tigers, who many presumed would be weak in starting pitching, may soon have a surplus of hurlers ready, willing, and able to take the ball every fifth day. As a result of this reversal of fortunes, the Tigers may be in the rare position of “selling” at the deadline while remaining a strong playoff contender.

For the throngs of Tiger fans and critics alike, today's game was for you. 

For the talking heads and assorted prognosticators who have predicted another disappointing season in Detroit, today's game was for you.

For those who called for Jim Leyland to run for governor three years ago and are now calling for his head, today's game was for you.

And for those that think the city of Detroit is a walking corpse, today's game was for you.

At no time over the past couple seasons have the Tigers needed a victory more.