Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup

By C. Trent Rosecrans

Last week we all wondered how the Tigers would replace the injured Victor Martinez in the lineup -- today we got our answer.

Prince Fielder immediately restores some roar to the Tiger lineup and makes a nice 3-4 combo with Miguel Cabrera, forming perhaps the most feared duo in baseball. And in 2013 you have a 3-4-5 of Cabrera, Fielder and Martinez -- all for the low, low price of $346.5 million (or $69.3 million pizzas from Little Ceaser's) for all three over the course of their contracts.

So, if Fielder signing with the Tigers is the biggest surprise of the day, how about this for the second-biggest shock? The move means Miguel Cabrera is likely headed back to third base. Yep, the bad defensive first baseman will now be a horrendous defensive third baseman (much to the chagrin of Justin Verlander, Doug Fister and Co.).

That means the rumors of the Johnny Damon return to Detroit make a little more sense, with the Tigers no longer needing a slugging DH. For now, though, I'll make my lineup with Don Kelly as the DH, knowing that the Tigers could still add a stopgap DH type, like Damon.

Prince to Tigers
Heyman: Ilitch is terrific owner Knobler: It's like going home for Prince Martinez out, could miss '12 season Free Agent Tracker Would You Rather Have: Pujols or Fielder? Cabrera or Gonzalez? \| Verlander or Halladay?

Here's a too-early, first-stab at the new Tiger lineup:
1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Don Kelly DH
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Alex Avila C
9. Ryan Raburn 2B

This, of course, could change at a moment's notice, but it also keeps the door open for a seemless transition when Martinez returns from his knee injury. Or the Tigers could realize that Cabrera at third base is a terrible idea and then they'll be overloaded with first basemen and designated hitters. Whatever happens, Mike Illitch is going to be signing some big checks and Verlander should have more run support.

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Crackbaby Since: Oct 8, 2006	Posted on: January 26, 2012 12:33 pm Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup It just would not be a thread without random douche Yankee fan spouting off about how the Tigers "overpaid", but, then again, who better to comment on such things? [ Reply to Comment ]
redwingfan_138 Since: Jun 19, 2011	Posted on: January 25, 2012 12:39 pm Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup Oh my... the tigers and white sox are no where near the same team in terms of talent. The twins are always more of a threat than the white sox, dunn and konerko are both in their 30's and it looks like Dunn may have been juicing or has lost his swing. The white sox no longer have buehrle ass or a bunch of their other pitchers from last year. Its blasphemous to try to say the white sox will finish anywhere near the top of that division, its between the twinks and the tigs for the central. As always we will watch the Bo-sox and Yanks and now the Rays destroy themselves during the regular season and slide into the playoffs comfortably to vulture on their carcass' [ Reply to Comment ]
N8Harrison Since: Sep 25, 2008	Posted on: January 25, 2012 12:08 pm Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup Come on Trent! 1. Avila in the 8th spot, I think you need to check his numbers from last year because he can offer a little more protection for DY than Don Kelly! 2. I also think that the process of Miggy playing 3rd will be a slow one, giving him more games at 1st and Prince DHing. [ Reply to Comment ]
airkoz2 Since: Jan 25, 2012	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:38 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup For the sake of the writers argument of moving Miggy to third, (which has been confirmed by him via twitter) the change should be Kelly to left because Young is the worst looking 26 year old when it comes to the art of RUNNING! [ Reply to Comment ]
chiguy190 Since: Jul 30, 2009	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:30 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup Ignorance is bliss... Tampa is broke because they don't play near their fanbase, their stadium sucks, and it's hard to access. Get them into Tampa proper, and it's a different story. They'll never be the Yankees or Red Sox or Cubs or Angels or Dodgers, but they can reach at least middle of the league status. [ Reply to Comment ]
chiguy190 Since: Jul 30, 2009	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:26 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup They have 6 guys who have 20+ homer potential. Yeah, they may not manufacture runs, but they'll put them up in bunches with no problem. Knocking the third best lineup in the league from last year is a tough task... [ Reply to Comment ]
MillPounder Since: Mar 7, 2008	Posted on: January 25, 2012 11:02 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup Don Kelly would play 3B in that lineup... Fielder or Cabrera at 1st and DH Obviously the guy who wrote this article didn't watch the Tigers last year. Agree with you Sparty [ Reply to Comment ]
cjw23 Since: Jan 25, 2012	Posted on: January 25, 2012 10:37 am tigers get a fielder. miguel,and fielder will share dh,firstbase role. kelly and inge will share 3b, if tigers look like they need a 3b later in the year they will trade prospects . inge u have a 50 game try-out , good luck you will need it . oh and a word to inge, you better start hitting the ball to all fields , and moving the base runners along, that will take pitch recognitionand a hitters instincts. so get mean inge get mean.. [ Reply to Comment ]
sdg77459 Since: Sep 28, 2010	Posted on: January 25, 2012 8:50 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup I believe we will certainly see Damon sign with the Tigers by the end of the week. The Tigers need Peralta and Avila to repeat their last year's performance. Otherwise, the Tigers have two of the best hitters in baseball at 3 and 4, but not much else when it comes to competing with big hitting teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and Rangers. Let's not forget that if Adam Dunn returns to his norm, then the White Sox will have Konerko and Dunn with similar power numbers to Fielder and Cabrera. Which means that I would certainly not lock the Tigers in to a playoff spot based on the Fielder signing. [ Reply to Comment ]
MLB_DOT_CZ Since: Feb 25, 2009	Posted on: January 25, 2012 7:04 am Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup Can Tigers still sign Cespedes ? That would be awesome. [ Reply to Comment ]

Oh my... the tigers and white sox are no where near the same team in terms of talent. The twins are always more of a threat than the white sox, dunn and konerko are both in their 30's and it looks like Dunn may have been juicing or has lost his swing. The white sox no longer have buehrle ass or a bunch of their other pitchers from last year. Its blasphemous to try to say the white sox will finish anywhere near the top of that division, its between the twinks and the tigs for the central. As always we will watch the Bo-sox and Yanks and now the Rays destroy themselves during the regular season and slide into the playoffs comfortably to vulture on their carcass'

Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup

Ignorance is bliss... Tampa is broke because they don't play near their fanbase, their stadium sucks, and it's hard to access. Get them into Tampa proper, and it's a different story. They'll never be the Yankees or Red Sox or Cubs or Angels or Dodgers, but they can reach at least middle of the league status.

tigers get a fielder.

miguel,and fielder will share dh,firstbase role. kelly and inge will share 3b, if tigers look like they need a 3b later in the year they will trade prospects . inge u have a 50 game try-out , good luck you will need it . oh and a word to inge, you better start hitting the ball to all fields , and moving the base runners along, that will take pitch recognitionand a hitters instincts. so get mean inge get mean..

Prince adds new look to Tigers' lineup

I believe we will certainly see Damon sign with the Tigers by the end of the week. The Tigers need Peralta and Avila to repeat their last year's performance. Otherwise, the Tigers have two of the best hitters in baseball at 3 and 4, but not much else when it comes to competing with big hitting teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and Rangers. Let's not forget that if Adam Dunn returns to his norm, then the White Sox will have Konerko and Dunn with similar power numbers to Fielder and Cabrera. Which means that I would certainly not lock the Tigers in to a playoff spot based on the Fielder signing.

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