Omar Infante, former utility man of the Detroit Tigers, was traded to the Cubs and Jacques Jones will put on a Detroit uniform next year.

“Our scouts really like him and how he fits because he’s a left-handed hitter that can play all three spots in the outfield,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said in a telephone interview. “But I think it was a great trade for both teams because Infante can really help a National League team because he can play short, second, third and in the outfield.”

Leyland’s right, the Tigers got the best out of this trade. Jones will likely not get a full time gig in Detroit with Granderson, Magglio Ordonez, Marcus Thames and Gary Sheffield already signed up for next year, but he’ll succeed part time. He’ll be 33 next year, beginning to enter the twilight of his career. But this is a Detroit team that will be built to win next year. I always thought Infante was not really a spectacular player, but who knows maybe Chicago will catch lightning in a bottle with him and get a starting shortstop of him. Infante struck out just 29 times last year, a good sign.