Dontrelle Willis Instead of Kenny Rogers?

With Kenny Rogers' agent, Scott Boras, insisting that his client is going to test the open market, rather than immediately come to terms with the Detroit Tigers, Dave Dombrowski has apparently decided to call his bluff and pursue another starting pitcher.

The Detroit Free Press' Jon Paul Morosi (to whom Big Al gave rightful props yesterday for his coverage of the GM meetings in Orlando) is reporting that the Tigers are looking into what it would take to acquire Dontrelle Willis from the Florida Marlins.

Last season, Willis posted a 10-15 record and 5.17 ERA, along with 146 strikeouts and 87 walks in 204 innings.  For his career, he is 68-54 with a 3.78 ERA in 162 starts.

With salary arbitration, Willis would likely cost the same in salary for next season ($7-8 million), but as Morosi acknowledges in his article, Florida likely wouldn't make it easy to trade for him - especially when they don't really have to.  Also questionable is whether the Tigers have the sort of prospects the Marlins might be looking for, after giving up Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez in the Edgar Renteria deal.  

So let's put it to you, the people.  Is this a deal you'd like to see the Tigers make?  Would you prefer Dontrelle Willis over Kenny Rogers, if that's what it came to?  Are you happy that Dombrowski isn't just sitting back and letting Boras play his super-agent games?  This chess match between general manager and agent could certainly make the off-season interesting.