LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers' run for what could be their first winning season in a dozen years officially starts here.

After an offseason of signing, waiting, then signing again, the new-look Tigers finally get back to work. Pitchers, catchers and third baseman Brandon Inge -- who's still working out as a catcher to keep his old skills fresh -- formally report to Tigertown throughout the day Thursday ahead of their first team workout Friday.

The procedure is pretty much symbolic, with players officially unloading items into their clubhouse lockers and checking in with manager Alan Trammell and the coaching staff. It's the first real sign that the 2005 season isn't that far away.

Trammell had it on his mind last week when Magglio Ordonez was introduced as the newest Detroit slugger. He and many of his coaches filed into their spring homes Wednesday evening.

Unofficially, many pitchers and position players have been working out at the team complex for the last several days. Starting pitchers Mike Maroth and Jason Johnson live within a short drive in Orlando and Tampa, while outfielder Bobby Higginson has a new home in Lakeland. Others have been filing in from their winter homes over the past week.

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But the most intriguing faces on hand Thursday will be the closers, new and old. Troy Percival, who signed a two-year contract last November to take over stopper duties, will begin his first Spring Training in anything but an Angels uniform. It will also mark his first camp in Florida rather than Arizona.

Meanwhile, Ugueth Urbina rejoins the team after missing the final month of last season to deal with his mother's kidnapping in his native Venezuela. Percival's signing pushed Urbina from closer to setup man, and while he expressed through his agents a willingness to take on the new role and an expectation to report to camp on time, Tigers officials did not talk directly with him this offseason while he was in Venezuela.

A year after Ivan Rodriguez's arrival in his trademark Bentley was the headline event when camp opened, his new backup Vance Wilson will make his first appearance Thursday. So will hard-throwing reliever Kyle Farnsworth, acquired by trade from the Cubs merely eight days ago.

For the most part, they come into camp knowing their roles. Detroit's rotation of Maroth, Johnson, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and Wilfredo Ledezma is set. So are all but one of the six spots in the Tigers' bullpen.

Two pitchers fighting for that lone opening, ironically, are all too familiar with Lakeland after spending most of the past year here. Both Fernando Rodney and Chris Spurling suffered torn elbow ligaments last Spring Training that required Tommy John surgery, and both did most of their rehab work in Lakeland over the winter. They'll compete with Franklyn German, Mike James, Craig Dingman and Jason Grilli, among others.