Late Dodgers-A. Jones deal perks up near-quiet Day 3

All of which combines to make the blockbuster Detroit-Florida deal, in which the Tigers acquired Cabrera, a four-time All-Star third baseman, and Dontrelle Willis, a two-time All-Star pitcher, for a package of six prospects that includes pitcher Andrew Miller, outfielder Cameron Maybin and catcher Mike Rabelo, an awe-inspiring event.

Not only because the mega-swap, formally announced on Wednesday, makes Detroit scary-good on paper and may position the Marlins for another World Series in, oh, a few seasons ... but because GMs Dave Dombrowski and Larry Beinfest actually were able not only to accomplish something few other GMs have this week, but they were able to complete the swap after less than 24 hours of conversation.

"Maybe it's because we gave up too many players," the Tigers' Dombrowski joked.

Seriously, he said, "when we think it's a good deal to make, we make it. We have a lot of people involved (on the baseball management side), people who have worked together for a long time, and other people sprinkled in, and we debate. It stays in the room.

"I know the thought process, and I agree with it to an extent, that you can't give up prospects. I don't necessarily agree, though -- if you don't give players up, you're not going to get players. I don't know where this thing started that you get good players and don't give good players up.

"You've got to give something to get something. I hope Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller have long and prosperous careers. I hope I'm watching Miller and Maybin playing in All-Star Games down the road. I hope the same with Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez (whom Dombrowski traded to Atlanta for shortstop Edgar Renteria last month)."

One reason for the sluggish market could be that seven of the 30 clubs have changed point men for personnel moves since last year's winter meetings, and five of those seven are rookie GMs.

Dombrowski wasn't buying that, noting that he made deals when he was a young GM, too.

"You have to realize that criticism comes with the job," he said. "If you trade a young player, there are going to be times when you get criticized. I hope Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller are good players, because that means you have good, young players and people will trade with you.

"And I hope Willis wins 20 games and Cabera has MVP-type numbers."

Given the multi-millions involved in today's game, of course, GMs aren't completely on their own. Detroit added roughly $20 million in payroll by acquiring Cabrera and Willis, and that all started just before Thanksgiving. Tigers owner Mike Ilitch phoned Dombrowski one day and told the GM he had been reading that Florida was peddling Cabrera, and was that something that would make sense for Detroit?

Dombrowski told Ilitch that, sure, there would be some interest on his part, and the owner replied that "that's the type of guy that really, if there's something you can do, maybe we push our situation and see if we make it work."

Both in dollars and in prospects, Dombrowski did that.

As he said, what's perhaps most important in playing "Let's Make a Deal" is keeping an open-mind and having the ability to be creative.

He noted that his seven-year-old son Landon last year one day said, "I wish the Tigers would get Albert Pujols."

Dad's reply?

"That's great," Dombrowski said, chuckling while recalling the conversation. "Then he said, 'You should trade Ramon Santiago to get him.'

"Now I have a deference to Ramon Santiago. I like Ramon Santiago. But I said, 'Landon, if you can make that trade, go ahead and make it.'"

So far, Pujols has remained a St. Louis Cardinal.

But given the way these winter meetings have slowed, we may need to bring Landon Dombrowski into the suites of some of these clubs, hand him the telephone and tell him to go for it.