Rogers Asks Tigers For Time To Learn His New Job: Player-Agent

DETROIT (AP) _ Kenny Rogers is representing himself in negotiations with the Detroit Tigers and hopes the team will be patient with him as he learns his new craft. <br/><br/>Rogers and Tigers president

Tuesday, November 20th 2007, 12:43 pm

By: News On 6

DETROIT (AP) _ Kenny Rogers is representing himself in negotiations with the Detroit Tigers and hopes the team will be patient with him as he learns his new craft.

Rogers and Tigers president Dave Dombrowski had a talk Monday aimed at bringing the pitcher back for a third season in Detroit.

``I did speak with Dave just to let him know I need to get up to speed on my new job, so I need some time to do so,'' Rogers wrote Tuesday morning in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Agent Scott Boras had been representing Rogers, who made it clear throughout the year that if he chose to pitch again he wanted to do it in Detroit. The 43-year-old left-hander indicated last week that he still hoped to wear a Tigers uniform in 2008.

The team wants Rogers back, too.

``We have an interest in having Kenny pitch for the Tigers, and we had a conversation yesterday,'' Dombrowski said Tuesday. ``I'll leave it at that.''

If Rogers re-signs with Detroit, it might be the last significant move the club makes in what already has been a busy offseason.

Shortly after the season, the Tigers exercised their option on catcher Ivan Rodriguez's contract. Then they traded for shortstop Edgar Renteria and outfielder Jacque Jones and re-signed closer Todd Jones.

Rogers was 3-4 with a 4.43 ERA in an injury-shortened season for the Tigers after helping them reach the 2006 World Series.

He was limited to 11 starts after having surgery before the season to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder and repair arteries. He went back on the disabled list later in the year with inflammation in his elbow.

For the first time since 2001, he did not win at least 13 games.

The Tigers gave Rogers a $16 million, two-year contract before the 2006 season. He put together a third straight season with an All-Star appearance and added a Gold Glove award, helping the Tigers reach the World Series for the first time since 1984.

Over 19 seasons, Rogers is 210-143 with a 4.43 ERA. He is a four-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner.