--UTL Jeff Larish made Detroit's opening-day roster (at the expense of UTL Ryan Raburn), and manager Jim Leyland intends to use him more than just occasionally. "I like him a lot," Leyland said. "He's studious and he pays attention. You always worry about young guys sitting too much, but I'll get him in there." Larish, 26, batted .260 in 42 games with Detroit last season. He can be used at the corner infield and outfield spots along with DH. He provides Detroit with needed punch from the left side of the plate and is a patient hitter, too patient sometimes. "It's hard to hit with two strikes on you all the time," Leyland said. "Going back to last year, I think I gave pitchers too much credit," Larish said. "Yeah, they're more consistent up here, but they do make mistakes. It's about capitalizing on mistakes."

--RHP Jeremy Bonderman remains in Florida on the disabled list, trying to regain his low-90s fastball in a slower than expected recovery from two surgeries last season. "Bondo's really handling it great," manager Jim Leyland said. "I've had a conversation with him and he had the approach and maturity you like to see. He knows it (pitching strength) will come back. We're not gonna rush it." Said Bonderman: "I can't put a timetable on any of it. When I'm ready, I'm ready. It's going to be a little bit. I'm not going to come up if I ain't right." The Tigers want to see more stamina and a much better fastball before they bring Bonderman back. "I need to do what's best to get my arm right," Bonderman said. "Little steps. I'll get there eventually."

--RHP Joel Zumaya, beginning the season on the disabled list while his right shoulder gets healthy, hopes he can return to the Tigers' bullpen before April turns to May. "It's just a matter of getting over a hump," Zumaya said. "I threw two innings the other day and was just fine, with my velocity in the high 90s (mph). My arm is feeling great." The Tigers want to see Zumaya throw without ill effects on back-to-back occasions -- with velocity -- before bringing him back to Detroit.

--LHP Dontrelle Willis finished spring training on the disabled list after a blood test disclosed an anxiety disorder the organization said is treatable. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that," GM Dave Dombrowski said when asked what the treatment would be. "But in order to place someone on the disabled list, it has to be an accepted medical condition -- or else the commissioner's office would not accept it. And they've accepted this." After a discussion with team doctors, Willis said, "I'm always an amped-up guy, but they've seen something in my blood work they didn't like seeing. And if they don't like it, I don't like it. I've been feeling good, but we have to fix it before it gets worse. ... I want to be OK. I have kids. I just want to be fine." Said Dombrowski: "We know it can be corrected." Willis was returned to Detroit before the Tigers left for more examination. The Tigers owe Willis $10 million this year and $12 million next season, some of which could be recovered through insurance.

BY THE NUMBERS: 36.1 -- Millions in salary the Tigers are paying to three players not on their opening day active roster. Released DH Gary Sheffield is owed $13.6 million after signing with the New York Mets for the major league minimum; RHP Jeremy Bonderman, currently on the disabled list recovering from last year's shoulder surgery, is being paid $12.5 million; and LHP Dontrelle Willis is getting $10 million. Willis is on the disabled list with an anxiety disorder.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Are we right? I think so. If we aren't, I'll be wrong. The easiest thing is to say they are not ready. But with the stuff they showed, they deserved to be on the team." -- Manager Jim Leyland on his decision to put Detroit's last two first-round draft choices, RHP Rick Porcello (2007) and RHP Ryan Perry (2008) on his opening-day roster.