One day after learning he had lost his job as starting second baseman, Damion Easley has asked the Detroit Tigers to trade him.

	Damion Easley Second Base Detroit Tigers Profile
	2002 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 85 8 30 29 1 .224

Tigers manager Alan Trammell decided Saturday that he would start the season with the young combination of Ramon Santiago at second base and Omar Infante at shortstop because he likes their "energy and enthusiasm."

Easley said Sunday he was blindsided by the news.

"It was like I got a jab right between the eyes," Easley told reporters. "You're kind of in shock when you get news like that. I've been a starter in the major leagues for 10 years, and I don't think I've done anything to say I've lost the job.

"Granted I haven't had the greatest spring. But I haven't been terrible, either."

Easley, 33, is hitting .265 with a team-high three homers. Infante is batting .205 and Santiago .238.

"I understand how he feels," Trammell said Sunday. "It was a tough decision because of the human factor, but it won't be the last tough one."

As the Tigers attempt to build for the future, Easley said he respects Trammell's decision but "that doesn't mean I agree with it."

Easley also knows it might not be possible for Detroit to trade him. Including a $1.3 million buyout in his 2005 option year, the Tigers owe Easley $14.7 million on the remainder of his contract -- money teams would be hard-pressed to take on unless they were able to move a big contract in return.

In the meantime, Easley told reporters he will continue to be supportive and help the team where and when he can. He met with Santiago, 23, and Infante, 21, on Sunday morning and told them to make the most of their opportunities.

"I was in a similar situation with the Angels," Easley said. "They said they wanted a new look and put me at second base in place of Harold Reynolds, who had been around like 12 years. I was just a young kid, and that man took me everywhere and watched out for me."