--RHP Jeremy Bonderman threw off the mound Feb. 2 for the first time in eight months and said, "It felt good. Barring a setback, I'll be at full strength when camp breaks in April." Bonderman threw nothing but fastballs his first time and reported more feeling in his hand and fingers than before his June surgery to remove first a blood clot and then a right rib. "I was throwing and felt great. That's enough for me," Bonderman said. "It felt so good to get away from the regular rehab stuff and just throw," he said. "I don't know what's next; whatever they want. I don't really know about any schedule, I just know I'm throwing again." Bonderman was limited to just 12 starts before the surgery was necessary.

--LHP Dontrelle Willis has impressed new pitching coach Rick Knapp with his condition and his stuff in workouts in advance of when pitchers and catchers are required to report to spring training this weekend. "The workouts and throwing have been very good," Willis said after a bullpen session. "My knee (injured in April) feels good again and everything feels strong." He said he's enjoyed getting to know Knapp during his sessions. "At Minnesota, they take pride in throwing strikes," Willis said. "Rick has come in and told me to be myself and to attack the strike zone, have fun. He likes the shape I'm in and my strength." Knapp, for his turn, says he does "not want to take his personality away. And he has certain mechanical things that he has to do. Dontrelle is in very good condition."

--IF Jeff Larish knows he has a battle in front of him to make Detroit's Opening Day roster but has been buoyed by the way the veterans helped him during his two trials with the club last season. "I never thought there was a chance to be up in the big leagues last year with the group of guys that they had," Larish said. "But in my very brief time, I've learned that you never know what's going to happen. I try not to think about that stuff too much and just go about my business and control what I can control. That's great to be considered in that. It's an honor. But whether that happens, I guess that's up to me." He impressed Manager Jim Leyland with his work ethic and attitude, plus his success as a part-time player (5-for-11 as a pinch-hitter and 7-for-16 as a substitute). "I was blown away, to be honest with you, with the amount of guys that would go out of their way to help me out," Larish said. "I mean, talking to (Gary) Sheffield, (Curtis) Granderson, (Brandon) Inge, (Carlos) Guillen, (Placido) Polanco, Magglio (Ordonez) -- all those guys, they've got their jobs to do, and for them to take time out of their preparation and all the commotion that they have to deal with to come and be proactive about helping me, I can't even describe the feeling you get as a young player."

--RHP Eddie Bonine cleared waivers Feb. 4 and his contract was assigned to Triple A Toledo. Bonine was invited to train with the Tigers as a non-roster invitee. Bonine was on Detroit's 40-man roster but was designated for assignment when the club signed free agent RHP Brandon Lyon. No team claimed him on waivers so the Tigers and Bonine were able to agree on his returning to Toledo. He was 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts for the Tigers last season when Detroit was short of starters.

BY THE NUMBERS: 10 -- Approximate percentage reduction in the Detroit payroll from last season to this. The Tigers have fewer than a handful of players on the 40-man roster to sign and once they're in the fold Detroit will have committed roughly $125 million toward the 2009 roster -- including $1.2 million for RHP Rick Porcello, who won't make the team out of spring training. It will be the second largest payroll in club history but down from last year's $138 million.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "My staffs, they're all different. There are guys that you can get on. There are guys you have to go out and kind of cradle. They all have different personalities. There are some guys you can go out there and make them smile and kind of get them on track again. That's my job, to get to know them on and off the field. I'm better off doing that." -- New Detroit C Gerald Laird on his first priority this spring -- getting to know the Tigers' pitchers.