Why Brandon Inge Will See More Time at Third Than Miguel Cabrera

Since the Detroit Tigers announced the signing of Prince Fielder last week, the team, the fans and even the city have been on cloud nine. Who can blame them? Adding a player like Fielder bolsters an already-potent lineup and greatly increases Detroit's chances of reaching the World Series for the first time since 2006.

It's a happy time—so happy that even Jim Leyland cracked a smile.

In fact, the only person that isn't cracking a smile is the Tigers' embattled veteran third baseman Brandon Inge. He had been preparing for 2012 as a comeback type of year. He had a good chance of being in the lineup every day as the Tigers third baseman.

After being sent down to the minors in 2011, he responded by posting a .314 average in the month of September and had some key hits during the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Inge, his dream season appears to have been crushed—like so many baseballs—by Fielder (indirectly). The Tigers have announced that Fielder will start at first base. Tigers All-Star Miguel Cabrera would move to third base.

Effectively, this makes Inge the odd man out.

If you listen to Leyland and the Tigers, you'd think that the decision to move Cabrera to third was a no- brainer. In fact, the Tigers are now saying that Cabrera's embracing the move to third like a long-lost brother. As reported by Tom Gage of the Detroit News, the Tigers even say that they wouldn't have signed Fielder if Cabrera was not on board.

I sense some major athlete coddling going on here, folks.

Let's be honest, Cabrera is no Brooks Robinson. Despite Leyland's confidence about Cabrera's ability to be successful at third, the Tigers must have serious concerns. Just look at his numbers (from Michael Rosenberg's article on freep.com):

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Cabrera played third base in 2003 and in 2005-07, though not exclusively. His fielding percentages at third those years, in chronological order: .986, .971, .957, .941. Notice a trend there? As Cabrera gained weight, his fielding got worse. In 2008, the Tigers put Cabrera at third for 14 games. He made five errors. He is older, bigger and slower now.

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In my opinion, the Tigers are knee-deep in "Operation: Keep Cabrera Happy." There's too much hope and positivity going around right now. No one wants to rock the boat. 

The reality is this: There's no way Cabrera can play a full season at third base. I'm not the only one who thinks so according to ESPN's Buster Olney. That's why I believe Brandon Inge just needs to be patient. 

The Tigers will be calling his number soon enough. Who else is going to play third when they move Cabrera to DH?

No, I did not plant a bug in Jim Leyland's office. No, I did not wiretap Dave Dombrowski's phone. I'm simply exercising common sense and looking at the Tigers' history with Cabrera.

After signing him in 2008, the Tigers proclaimed that Cabrera would be their third baseman for eternity. Five minutes later they moved him to first. What's changed—besides his waistline?

He couldn't play third base then and he surely cannot play it now.

Not to mention everything the Tigers have been through with Cabrera. It's great that he is pursuing recovery now—he should really be applauded for that—but he hasn't exactly been the most reliable guy over the last two years.

Yet, the Tigers are willing to let the season ride on his ability to lose weight and master a position he hasn't played in four years? Sorry, I don't buy it. It's all lip service to me.

Cabrera makes the most sense as the Tigers DH. Everyone knows it but no one wants to say it. For now, the Tigers are content with going along with this Cabrera-plays-third pipe dream. Who does it hurt? Inge?

Who do you think the Tigers care more about upsetting? Their best player coming off an MVP-caliber year, or a utility infielder who struggled to hit over .200 for most of the year?

In my opinion, the Tigers will continue to endorse Cabrera as their third baseman going forward. They may even start the year with him there. At some point though, Leyland will sit him down and have a man-to-superstar talk with him. In the best interest of the team, Cabrera will move to DH.

Then Inge, like the proverbial cat with nine lives, will return to reclaim what—in his mind—is rightfully his.