Tigers sign Fielder, Romero for infield TIGERS, from Page 1D reportedly received $800,000 for him. Why did he go to Japan? "I wasn't getting enough playing time, and it frustrated me," Fielder said. Fielder signed a two-year contract with Hanshin, but an escape clause allowed him to return to the major leagues after one season. After failing in earlier attempts this winter to sign free-agent first basemen Pete O'Brien and Kent Hrbek, Lajoie courted Fielder vigorously when he learned he was available. "There were other teams interested in Cecil, and we wanted to make sure our offer was competitive," Lajoie said. "Cecil showed he could hit with power with the Blue Jays, but he didn't get a lot of playing time. When he went to Japan, he played regularly and put up some good numbers. At 26 years old, I think he could be just coming into his own." Fielder said he expects his second tour in the American League to be a lot more satisfying than the first. "Mr. Lajoie always let me know that he was interested in me that - the Tigers needed right-handed power," Fielder said. "I think I'm going to get a chance to play. They wouldn't have tried to sign me if they weren't happy with what they thought I could do.' Infielder r Tony Phillips and outfielder Lloyd Moseby, a former teammate of Fielder's at Toronto, signed with the Tigers as free agents in December. The Tigers finished last season with a first base platoon of Dave Bergman and Gary Ward. Bergman, a left-handed hitter who recently signed a two-year contract, likely will share time at first and as a designated hitter with Fielder. But the acquisition of Fielder leaves Ward's status with the Tigers in jeopardy. It didn't help Ward, 36, when he rejected the Tigers' latest contract offer. Romero, 32, is an 11-year major league veteran who has played every infield position. Romero hit .209 in 61 games with the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox last season. He started his major league career with the Brewers in 1980 and played for the Boston Red Sox from 1986-1989 before returning to the Brewers. B Newest Tigers: Cecil Fielder (left) and Ed Romero. HOW THEY LINE UP POS PLAYER 1B Cecil Fielder, Dave Bergman 2B Lou Whitaker * 3B Tony Phillips ' SS Alan Trammell LF Tracy Jones, Rob Ritchie CF Lloyd Moseby RF Chet Lemon, Larry Sheets C Matt Nokes, Mike Heath * Whitaker and Phillips might swap positions. By the numbers Cecil Fielder's 1989 stats with Hanshin Tigers: G AB H HR RBI AVG 106 NA NA 38 81 .302 Ed Romero's combined 1989 stats with Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers: G AB H HR RBI AVG 61 163 34 0 9 .209 The Times reported that Romero signed for $350,000. The Tigers also signed outfielders Sheets and Tracy Jones to one-year contracts: Sheets for $670,000, a $10,000 raise, and Jones for $375,000, a $75,000 raise. Both aren't eligible for arbitration, but five Tigers still are pitchers Jack Morris, Edwin Nunez and Jeff Robinson, catcher Matt Nokes and Ward. The deadline for filing for arbitration was moved from Monday to noon today because of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday observance.