It was a big decision, but it didn't take that long to reach, after all.
The Detroit Tigers are bringing catcher Pudge Rodriguez back for the 2008 season.
The decision came down to whether the Tigers would pick up the $13 million option on Rodriguez's contract for 2008, or buy him out for $3 million.
Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski and team owner Mike Ilitch discussed the issue last week, and afterward it appeared that a decision had not been made. But it had.
Acting on the probability that the Tigers would not be able to replace Rodriguez with a productive free agent, they had no alternative other than to bring him back for a fifth season in Detroit.
He's coming off what Dombrowski labeled last week as a solid season.
"Pudge remains a quality major league catcher and we expect him to be a key player for our club in 2008," Dombrowski said Tuesday in a press release.
Rodriguez batted .281 with 11 home runs and 63 RBI in 129 games in 2007. He struck out a career-high 96 times and walked just nine times.