updated 4:20 p.m. ET Dec. 5, 2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Dontrelle Willis was on vacation in Mexico when the blockbuster deal was completed, and Miguel Cabrera was home in Venezuela.

Their next stop is Detroit, where the busy Tigers are building an awfully powerful team.

The Tigers finalized their big trade with the Marlins on Wednesday, an eight-player swap that sent both coveted All-Stars from cash-strapped Florida to go-for-broke Detroit.

“I was caught off-guard,” Willis said on a conference call. “When I heard where I was going, I was eager and excited.”

The Marlins received a package of six players, including two highly rated prospects: left-hander Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin. The teams reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday, with the deal subject to both sides being satisfied after exchanging medical records.

The Tigers also sent catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern to Florida in a huge trade that developed quickly and took the spotlight away from the Johan Santana sweepstakes at baseball’s winter meetings.

“The inclusion of Dontrelle was not something at the outset that we had considered,” Florida president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said. “We recognize the market value for both players.”

Detroit president Dave Dombrowski didn’t intend to pursue the pair until he received a surprise phone call at home two days before Thanksgiving from owner Mike Ilitch, who read in a newspaper that Cabrera was available.

“I just wanted to kind of mention his name, that he seems like he’d be a great player for us,” Ilitch said, according to Dombrowski.

“Well, he would be,” Dombrowski remembered replying.

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The clubs touched base a little bit Monday night, then Florida approached Detroit on Tuesday morning. The Marlins told the Tigers they could have both stars for those six players, then Detroit called back later in the day and agreed.

“We made this trade to win now. It’s obvious,” Dombrowski said.

Tigers closer Todd Jones was more emphatic.

“Wow. Those moves put us over the top,” he wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

The Tigers reached the World Series in 2006, then went 88-74 this season and finished eight games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.

Cabrera and Willis can become free agents after the 2009 season, but the Tigers hope to keep them long term.

“I have been on the trading block for so long,” Willis said. “It’d be mentally draining.”

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Cabrera, one of the game’s top sluggers, joins an imposing lineup that includes Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Guillen, Ivan Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco. The Tigers also acquired shortstop Edgar Renteria, a five-time All-Star, in a trade with Atlanta this offseason.

The 24-year-old Cabrera made 23 errors at third base this season and has been criticized for his conditioning. He’s said he’s been working out this fall in Miami and Venezuela.

“I want to be in the best shape of my life,” Cabrera said.

To make room for him, it appears Detroit could trade third baseman Brandon Inge or left fielder Marcus Thames. Cabrera played the outfield in 2004 and 2005.

“We didn’t talk yet about that. I will play left field, third base, whatever they want. I can’t wait to go to spring training to see what they want to do,” Cabrera said.

Willis, the 2003 NL Rookie of the Year, is coming off a down year in which he went 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA.

“I had to battle through some injuries. I had to still pitch,” the effervescent left-hander said. “It was a combination of a lot of things. Toward the end, I started to feel a little better to get my command back.”

Willis will be part of a solid rotation with Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman as Detroit loads up for another run at the World Series after losing to St. Louis in five games in 2006.

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