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Omar Vizquel threw out the first pitch at an Indians game in 2013.

(Tony Dejak, Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Change has been the order of the offseason for the AL Central champion Detroit Tigers.

Jim Leyland stepped down as manager and Brad Ausmus replaced him on Nov. 3. First baseman Prince Fielder and the $168 million left on his contract was traded to Texas for second baseman Ian Kinsler. Two-time AL MVP Miguel Cabrera will move from third base to first base to replace Fielder. Doug Fister, 32-20 in 2 ½ seasons with the Tigers, was traded to Washington for prospects. Free agent closer Joe Nathan on Wednesday signed a two-year $20 million deal with a club option for a third year.

All that and the winter meetings don’t start until Monday.

But it was one of the more subtle changes the Tigers made that no doubt pulled the hardest on the heartstrings of Indians' fans -- they hired Omar Vizquel as their first base coach.

Vizquel entertained Indians’ fans at shortstop for the prime cut of a 24-year career that should one day put him in Cooperstown. It was OK when the Indians didn’t pick up his option after 2004 and he moved on to San Francisco, Texas, Chicago and Toronto because they’d claimed squatter’s rights to their favorite son a long time ago. Now he’s working for the all-powerful Tigers, who have won the Central for three straight seasons, thumping the Indians in the process.

The hiring was over almost before it began.

“I was in Venezuela working with the Caracas club in November when Jerry Dipoto my general manager with the Angels called me,” said Vizquel.

After retiring as a player following the 2012 season, Vizquel went to work for the Angels as a roving minor league instructor.

“I called the Indians first, but they didn’t have an opening,” said Vizquel.

Vizquel, 46, loved his job with the Angels. He learned how a minor league system works and got a taste of evaluating players, but it wasn’t the 24/7 grind of being a player or big league coach. He had free time during the season to spend with his family. He even got to manage seven games – four at Class AA and three at Class A.

“I went 4-3,” said Vizquel, whose goal is to manage in the big leagues. “I think I did a good job.”

But when Dipoto called Vizquel and told him the Tigers were interested in hiring him as their first base coach, he was surprised.

“I told him, “I’ve never coached first base, but I probably should talk to them,’’ ‘ said Vizquel. “Jerry gave me permission to talk to them.”

Rapid-fire phone interviews with GM Dave Dombrowski and Ausmus followed. Just like that, Vizquel had the job.

“It was very cool,” he said. “It happened in two days. I think I had some good references from Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez.”

Cabrera, Martinez and Vizquel are from Venezuela. Martinez and Vizquel played together with the Indians.

As the Tigers’ first base coach, Vizquel will work with the infielders and be in charge of the Tigers’ baserunning.

“I’ll also work on our bunting, but I don’t think we’ll be doing much bunting,” he said with a laugh. “This is a power hitting team.”

The trade of Fielder, the free-agent defection of shortstop Jhonny Peralta and Cabrera's move from third to first means the Tiger infield can no longer be called ponderous. Shortstop Jose Iglesias, acquired from Boston last season when Peralta served a 50-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, and Kinsler will give Detroit one of the better double play combinations in the big leagues. Prospect Nick Castellanos will replace Cabrera at third.

The quick hands and feet of Iglesias, 23, were on display in October during the ALCS in which the Tigers lost to Boston.

“I think he’s one of the top shortstops in the league,” said Vizquel. “It’s going to be a pleasure to watch him make plays every day. My job will be to try and keep him on track. Sometimes young guys get off track.

“It would be great to see him win a Gold Glove.”

Vizquel knows something about Gold Gloves. He won 11 of them, eight with the Indians.

In January, Vizquel said he’d visit Castellanos in Miami to get to know him and watch him workout. While he was in Caracas, Vizquel worked with a couple of the Tigers’ minor league infielders.

Vizquel doesn’t have any direct links to Ausmus, so he didn’t get the job because of whom he knows, but what he knows.

“We played against each other in the big leagues and in winter ball,” said Vizquel. “We’ve talked a couple of times this offseason. I just want to try and do the best job I can for him and help the Tigers continue their winning tradition.”

As a player Vizquel often talked about managing after he retired, but in those conversations the path from big league player to big league manager was a one step process. He views it differently now.

“You have to pay your dues and I think that’s what I’m doing,” he said.

The Indians and Tigers will play each other 19 times in 2014. The Tigers went 15-4 against the Tribe last season. Adding more pain to that lopsided result was the fact that the Indians finished just one game behind the Central champion Tigers.

Now the sight of Vizquel in a Tiger uniform has been added to the rivalry. Win or lose, that must be considered a plus.