The Detroit Tigers, as many teams heading to the playoffs typically do, stocked their depth chart during the second half of this season in case of a rash of injuries.

On Aug. 23, the Tigers signed eight-year veteran infielder Kevin Newman, who had been released at the start of the month by the Los Angeles Angels. But even for a Tigers team that struggled to find production from its infielders all season, there wasn't much appealing about calling up a guy who batted .202 in 57 major league games this year.

Newman, once a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, has put together a decent journeyman career for himself. But he's reached the point where every opportunity to join a major league roster could be his last, and he clearly knows it.

On Thursday, Newman elected minor-league free

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