LAKELAND, Fla. -- This is one number put up by Miguel Cabrera that is not subject to debate. The Triple Crown winner agreed Friday to the richest contract in American sports, a $292 million, 10-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. "I want to finish my career here. I have worked hard to get better, and Detroit is like a house for me," Cabrera said. Cabrera has won the last two AL MVP awards, both times beating out Angels phenom Mike Trout in votes that set off heated disputes in the baseball world. Those in Cabreras corner claimed his fearsome hitting stats and triple-digit RBIs were worthy. Those touting Trout argued he was a better all-around player and pointed to the value of his WAR, sabermetric for wins above replacement. Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski and manager Brad Ausmus stood by Cabrera, flanking him for the announcement at the Tigers spring training complex. "Hes on track to be one of the greatest players in the history of baseball," Dombrowski said. "Hes done a lot for the team and a lot for Detroit." Cabrera was due $44 million over the final two years of his $152.3 million, eight-year contract. The new agreement incorporates that money and adds $248 million over the following eight years. Cabrera turns 31 next month and has helped the Tigers win three straight AL Central championships. A slugger with power to all fields and still very much in his prime, he is among seven players to hit at least .320 with 365 homers and 1,260 RBIs, joining Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Albert Pujols and Stan Musial, according to STATS. "Good for him," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "He plays in another stratosphere." The deal came shortly before opening day in Detroit, on Monday against Kansas City at Comerica Park, and soon after Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer turned down the teams long-term contract proposal. The Tigers are again among the favourites to go far this season. Cabrera won a World Series ring with the Marlins as a 20-year-old rookie and is trying to bring a title to Motown for the first time in three decades. Cabrera will make $43,195 per plate appearance under the deal, based on his yearly average of 676 plate appearances during six seasons with the Tigers. Thats higher than the average U.S. yearly wage of $42,498 in 2012, according to the Social Security Administration. The contract also includes $30 million options for 2024 and 2025 that would become guaranteed if Cabrera finishes among the top 10 in MVP voting in the previous season. Cabreras new deal will raise his career MLB earnings to $413.2 million, including the $1.8 million signing bonus he got as a 16-year-old with Florida in 1999 when Dombrowski oversaw the move by the Marlins. Cabrera was acquired by Detroit in a December 2007 trade. An eight-time All-Star, Cabrera has a .321 career average with 365 homers and 1,260 RBIs. He played 148 games last year despite a sore back and left hip flexor, a strained lower abdomen, shin trouble and a groin tear that hampered him in the post-season and led to off-season surgery. His body might get more of a break this season. Hes moving across the diamond, shifting from third base back to his previous position at first base after Prince Fielder was traded to Texas. Cabrera takes over baseballs highest-paying contract from Alex Rodriguez, who agreed to a $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas that started in 2001, was traded to the Yankees after three seasons and then signed a $275 million, 10-year deal with New York in December 2006. Cabreras average of $29.2 million is second only to the $30,714,286 that Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw averages under the $215 million, seven-year deal he agreed to in January. A steady presence in the lineup -- Cabrera has played 157 or more games in eight of the last 10 seasons -- he hit .348 with 44 homers and 137 RBIs last season to win his second straight MVP award. In 2012, Cabrera put together baseballs first Triple Crown since 1967, hitting .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs. Dombrowski started talking with Cabreras agents, Fern Cuza and Diego Bentz of Relativity Sports, at the end of last season. Detroit also had been negotiating with Scherzer, and those talks broke off last weekend after the pitcher didnt accept an offer for $144 million from 2015-20; he can become a free agent after the World Series. Cabrera was aware his deal was cause for celebration in his native Venezuela, a nation troubled by turbulent politics and economics. "I dont think I can do much. They are going through such hard times," Cabrera said. "We have had struggles down there, and they are trying to do their best." Aiming for its first World Series title since 1984, Detroit agreed last March to a $180 million, seven-year contract with ace pitcher Justin Verlander, the 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner. Verlander didnt sound envious of Cabreras even greater riches. "He deserves it," Verlander said. "He is the best player on the planet. He wants to stay in Detroit, and I couldnt be happier for him. That means we are staying together for a long time and can be Tigers for life." Outfielder Torii Hunter said theres no reason Cabrera cant remain an All-Star through the end of the deal. "The way Miggy composes himself, you need to see how hard he works behind the scenes," Hunter said. "Hes up at 6:30 a.m., hes running, lifting weights. I got my 2,000th hit last year, then I find out that Miggys only 30 and hes gonna get 4,000 hits and 600 homers. Thats something." Ausmus, the Tigers rookie manager, smiled during the news conference. "Im not going to complain," he said. "Who would when you have the best player in the game?" Coach Factory Outlet . Park, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the event, won his morning heat with a time of 3:46.68, but was subsequently disqualified for leaving his block early. Coach Outlet . Schneider displaced Luongo as Vancouvers starting goaltender in the first round of the playoffs as the Canucks were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings. After the season ended, Luongo said he would accepted a trade if the team asked him to waive his no-movement clause. [url=http://www.official-coach-shop.com/]http://www.official-coach-shop.com/[/ur... . Manager John Farrell said the addition of McCoy -- who can also play in the outfield if needed -- gives the Blue Jays some middle infield depth. Second baseman Kelly Johnson is nursing a tender hamstring and shortstop Yunel Escobar has had a tight left groin over the last few days. UFA, Russia -- Canadas chances for a gold medal at the 2014 world junior hockey championships could be affected by a four-game suspension to defenceman Griffin Reinhart. The International Ice Hockey Federation reviewed a minor penalty to Reinhart for high-sticking U.S. forward Vince Trocheck in Thursdays semifinal and handed down supplementary discipline Friday after a hearing. The Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman will miss Saturdays bronze-medal game against Russia. Reinhart must serve the remaining three games at his next IIHF event, which would be the next world junior championship. Hockey Canada is appealing the suspension believed to be the longest in the tournaments history. Reinhart, 18, is eligible to play for Canada again in 2014. The Canadian team will want his experience in their lineup in Malmo, Sweden. Whats more, should Reinhart play for the NHLs New York Islanders next season, the Islanders might not want to make Reinhart available to the Canadian team if he has to sit out three games. "Especially playing against Russia tomorrow, I wanted to be a part of that game, the last game of the tournament, so its really devastating for me," Reinhart said Friday after practice at Ufa Arena. "That leads into next year too if I get the opportunity to play. Id be a big part of next years team hopefully and to be out for some of that as well, thats definitely a big loss." Reinhart was guilty of carelessness with his stick and was lucky he didnt receive a double minor in the second period Thursday. But he didnt appear to deliberately swing his stick at Trocheks helmet. "As I explained in my review today, as I was tripping I kind of lost balance and my stick rode up his stick and made accidental contact to the head," Reinhart explained. "The referees on the play thought it was a two-minute penalty, a two-minute minor, and I agreed with that. "The suspension of four games is definitely a bit of a shock to me, but (theres) nothing I can do about right now." Reinhart, six foot four and 202 pounds, has 12 penalty minutes in 31 WHL games this season. Hes the third Canadian player to get suspended at the 2013 world junior hockey championship. Boone Jenner was suspended for three games on the eve of the tournament for a late hit during an exhibition gaame.dddddddddddd JC Lipon sat out one game for getting his elbow high on a Slovak player. Hockey Canadas senior director of hockey operations accompanied Reinhart to the morning hearing with the IIHFs disciplinary committee, comprised of former NHL referee Dan Marouelli, who is a Canadian, and Jeff Sauer of the United States. "Griffin stated his case and said all along it was an accident, I believe it was an accident, the four officials on the ice believed it was an accident," Scott Salmond said. "Theres no question in my mind well appeal. "Thats the harshest suspension in the history of this event." Salmond believes the penalty is out of proportion compared to the one-game suspension given to Russian forward Valeri Nichuskin. He was given a major and a game misconduct for checking Canadian defenceman Tyler Wotherspoon from behind during their preliminary-round game. "I fully respect the fact players have to be responsible for their actions and for their sticks," Canadian head coach Steve Spott said. "The hit we took in the Russian game on Tyler Wotherspoon, thats a deliberate act and an intent to injure. "What Griffin Reinhart did was an accidental use of his stick. If thats a four-game suspension, I see the game completely differently than people making those decisions." Hockey Canadas appeal will be handled at an IIHF council meeting later this month, Salmond said. "Were trying to get some consistency and understand one game, two games, four games," he said. "All Im asking for is some consistency." When forward Jonathan Huberdeau was suspended for four games in the Canadian Hockey League, he served the fourth during one of Canadas pre-tournament games in Finland because the IIHF recognizes CHL suspensions. The reverse is not true in Reinharts case. The suspension must be served during an IIHF event, and neither CHL nor international exhibition games count towards it. "Were not talking about just a young player who is going to serve (a suspension) in what could be one of the most important games of his life tomorrow," Salmond said. "To say hes going to serve the next three next year and not in an exhibition format, but in an IIHF championship format . . . thats a harsh penalty." ' ' '