Comerica Park has been open for a little more than a year and Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch is already contemplating changes to the field.

Ilitch said Tuesday that he developed everything in Comerica Park except the size of the field and the $75 premium seats.

"I had no idea the fences were going to be shaped like they were," Ilitch said. "I was told they were going to be 10 feet deeper down the alleys, five feet deeper down the lines and 410 feet in center field. I said, 'Well, that sounds fair enough for the park.' I had no idea how it was going to be shaped."

Since opening last season, Comerica Park has been one of the best stadiums for pitchers in the league. Entering Tuesday, the Tigers and their opponents had hit 28 homers in 20 games in Detroit compared to 51 in 21 road games.

Ilitch decided against moving in the fences after last season, but may change his mind after this year.

"I'm going to wait this last year and see if they're going to work to our advantage," he said. "The word 'fair' keeps coming up in my mind. Is it fair to have hit a ball almost 400 feet to get a home run to left-center field?

"It's a pretty tough decision, but I'll make it this year so it's not a controversy anymore one way or another... I'm not blaming anybody for it because it might turn out to be a good thing, I don't know."

Ilitch also disagreed with reports that the team has cut its payroll and said his children, Denise and Chris, will not be candidates to replace team president John McHale Jr.

Ilitch made the comments while addressing the departure of McHale, who resigned Tuesday to become the chief operating officer of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Tigers' payroll on opening day was $49.8 million, 20th out of 30 teams, according to a study by The Associated Press. That figure included base salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses, with money deferred without interest discounted to present-day value.

Using the same method, the commissioner's office calculated Detroit's payroll last year at $60.6 million. Some teams, however, use different accounting methods.

"There have been no cuts in our payroll at all," Ilitch said. "Our payroll is around $60 million."

Denise and Chris Ilitch moved to the front of the Tigers' media guide this year when they became presidents of Ilitch Holdings Inc. The corporation includes the Detroit Red Wings and Little Caesar Enterprises.

However, Ilitch was quick to say, "Denise and Chris are not running the Tigers."

Ilitch said he wanted Denise and Chris to become more familiar with his businesses as he approaches retirement, but said he believes they have been subject to unfair criticism.

"They became targets and that hasn't been very fun," Ilitch said. "I wouldn't wish that on them. There's no way I'd want them to take that abuse and step into something without much experience."

Ilitch said he does not know for sure if he will hire a president to replace McHale.

He may decide to have an upper management structure similar to the Red Wings, which have Jim Devellano as senior vice president and Ken Holland as general manager.

Randy Smith is currently the Tigers' vice president of baseball operations and general manager.

Ilitch said he knows the qualities he's looking for if he decides to hire a new president.

"Somebody that has strong administrative skills, that can handle the press real well and knows baseball too," he said. "That's a real package."