DETROIT -- Damion Easley became the most expensive player cut loose in baseball history when the Detroit Tigers released him Friday with $14.3 million still owed on his contract.

	Easley

The 33-year-old infielder is in the fourth season of a $29.9 million, five-year contract. The Tigers must pay him $6.5 million this year, $6.5 million in 2004 and a $1.3 million buyout of an $8 million team option for 2005.

"It's a very tough decision for everybody involved,'' Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said. "He's a quality individual. He's done a lot for the organization. It's a lot of money.''

Easley was bumped from his starting job last Saturday when Tigers manager Alan Trammell decided to use youngster Ramon Santiago as his starting second baseman this season.

"It's definitely not a proud day, I can say that,'' Easley said. "It's somewhat of a relief to know what my fate was. I knew it wouldn't be able to work out. I knew that 100 percent they were going to let me go.''

Detroit obtained Easley in a July 1996 trade with the Angels and he was an AL All-Star in '98.

Easley was Detroit's regular second baseman through 2001, but injuries limited him to just 85 games last year, when he hit .224 with eight homers and 30 RBI in 304 at-bats. Easley hit .256 (10-for-39) with spring with three homers and five RBI.

The record for the most money owed to a released player was set just last Saturday, when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays cut Greg Vaughn, who is guaranteed $9.25 million this year.

Easley is the first major leaguer released with more than one year left on his contract since the California Angels cut pitcher Jim Abbott, a former Michigan star and Flint native, in 1997. Abbott had two years and $5.6 million left on his deal.

In other moves Friday, the Tigers optioned outfielder Andres Torres to Triple-A Toledo. Outfielder George Lombard was claimed off waivers earlier in the day by Tampa Bay.