Infielders Report

Every role is big on the team. This year the Tigers have been much better defensively thanks to their infield.

It's given the Tigers a better chance to win ballgames. Inge is producinglike an All-Star but Polanco is producing like a dud.

The Tigers will need a lot more from their infield as far as offensive production is concerned over the next few months. They must get on base so Cabrera can drive them in.

It all starts with Polanco. The Tigers have a lot of minor league infield players that are playing well throughout the organization. We'll take a look at a few.

Brandon Inge (Age 32) 2009 Salary (6.3 Million)
Current 09 Stats .273 AVG 13 HR 40 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .273 AVG 35 HR 108 RBI

Inge is having his best season as a major league player this year. Inge is producing power numbers like a top five third baseman in the league. No one has seen this from Inge throughout his MLB career. He has changed his swing some and it is wreaking havoc on AL pitchers this year. Defensively he is as good as they come down at third base, his range is phenomenal along with his tremendous arm. Inge has been the best infielder on the Tigers this season. He has also produced the best power numbers on the team. Inge is making a bid for an All-Star reserve spot at this years Midsummer Classic. If he gets that average up to .290 and continues this power surge their is no reason why he won't be suiting up for the AL team in St. Louis.

Glaring stats-Tied with Granderson for the most home runs on the team this season (13). Leads the team in rbi's at 40. Has struck out 59 times which is the most on the team. Was batting .327 back on April 27 and hit seven home runs in that very same month. Inge is batting .367 against left-handed pitchers this year. Has hit seven home runs in 49 at bats against left handed pitching. That means he has hit a home run every seven at bats against southpaws. Inge has hit 11 home runs during night games this season.

Grade: A. Inge has had a terrific season. Can he continue to play this well over a course of 162 games? That is the question, I think he can, this season Inge looks like a different player.

Miguel Cabrera (Age 26) 2009 Salary (14.38 Million)
Current 09 Stats .329 AVG 11 HR 39 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .329 AVG 30 HR 108 RBI

Cabrera got off to a terrific start this season which in turn was much different than last season. Over his career, he has been known as a slow starter, but once the summer comes around. Look out. Cabrera can slug it with the best of them. Cabrera is a prototypical cleanup hitter and if the Tigers can get more runners on (Polanco) he will have more rbi's. Cabrera is the most feared hitter in this linuep but is currently not getting the protection in the order in which needs to be at his best. Ordonez needs to start living up to his contract and driving the ball in the outfield.

Glaring stats- Cabrera was batting .406 back on May 5. Leads the team in slugging percentage at .535. Leads the team in hits this season with 70. Second on the team in doubles (11) and in rbi's (39). Third on the team in home runs (11).

Grade B+. Cabrera is doing his best to represent the Tigers in the All-Star Game. He is going to have to get hot to do so. Cabrera is the best hitter on the team and can do the most damage. How much damage is the question? They will need him to play like an All-Star this summer in hopes of making a push towards October.

Ramon Santiago (Age 29) 2009 Salary (825,000)
Current 09 Stats .287 AVG 4 HR 21 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .287 AVG 18 HR 92 RBI

Santiago has thrived this year in sharing shortstop duties with Everett. Leyland has done an excellent job putting Santiago in positions where he can succeed. In very limited at bats, Santiago is putting up very nice numbers. If you add up both Santiago and Everett's numbers they will match any AL shortstop out there. So this tandem has worked so far this season both offensively and defensively.

Glaring stats-has hit the same amount of home runs (4) this year as last season. Santiago is batting .308 versus right-handed pitching this year. Santiago is batting .385 this season at home. During day games he is batting.429 while in night games he is batting .182.

Grade B+. Santiago has had a very good year. He is doing what is asked of him, taking advantages of the opportunities given, and performing on the baseball diamond.

Adam Everett (Age 32) 2009 Salary (1 Million)
Current 09 Stats .272 AVG 2 HR 24 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .272 AVG 7 HR 82 RBI

Everett is a classy baseball player. He is good in the clubhouse with leadership, he is a veteran who knows what it takes to win from his time with the Houston Astros. When he was in his prime with his double-play partner Craig Biggio in Houston they were one of the best duo's in baseball. Everett just know how to play the game, he has been a cheap addition to the Tigers. He is living up to his contract and that is great to see during this time in the economy.

Glaring stats-has already surpassed his rbi total from last season with the Minnesota Twins. Everett was batting .311 on May 21. Everett is batting .333 against left-handed pitching. While he is batting .411 in day games and during night games he is batting .175.

Grade B. He has a good season thus far. Hopefully this duo of Everett and Santiago can continue to play well and push each other to get the maximum performance out of their bodies everyday.

Gerald Laird (Age 29) 2009 Salary (2.8 Million)
Current 09 Stats .221 AVG 2 HR 14 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .221 AVG 6 HR 42 RBI

Laird is doing about what I expected him to do when they signed him this offseason. He is a very good defensive catcher, throws out a lot of would be base stealers, and calls a good game behind home plate. One thing he doesn't do so well at is hit the baseball. He doesn't have much power and at times he doesn't make contact with his bat. Is he an everyday catcher? Well Texas didn't think so and I don't either. I feel Laird is a very good backup catcher. He is having an opportunity this year to start and really isn't taking advantage of it offensively.

Glaring stats- Laird was batting .195 back on May 15. Laird has yet to hit a home run at home. During the month of May Laird had a .178 batting average.

Grade: C. Admirable pretty much sums up Laird's play this year. He isn't the biggest problem in the lineup but then again he is no Pudge Rodriguez offensively. He must pick it up over the summer months in hopes to get his average to climb to the .240 range.

Placido Polanco (Age 33) 2009 Salary (4.6 Million)
Current 09 Stats .249 AVG 1 HR 24 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .249 AVG 3 HR 68 RBI

Polanco is not having a typical year. His average is way down from past seasons. This is very strange to see from a player who is a career .300 hitter. It's Polanco free agent year as he will be just that during this offseason. Maybe he is trying too hard and feeling the pressure of struggling now after a few months of play. He just needs to go back to the basics of what made him a .300 hitter. The Tigers need him to bat .300 out of the No. 2 hole in the lineup. They need to runners on base when Ordonez and Cabrera come up to bat. All too often this year the runners haven't been on base.

Glaring stats-was batting .273 on May 7 and has dropped 24 points since. Polanco is batting .314 versus left-handed pitchers. Polanco has only been above .300 for three days in early April. Leads the team in doubles with 16 this season.

Grade: C-. It's do or die time for Polanco. He will not be resigned to the Tigers during the offseason if he continues to play at this level. The Tigers need more out of him and he knows it. Polanco must play better over the next couple months.

Dane Sardinha (Age 30) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Current 09 Stats .097 AVG 0 HR 3 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .097 AVG 0 HR 31 RBI

Sardinha is a Triple-A catcher at best. I'm not trying to rip on the guy, I'm just being real. He can
throw well and call a good game but that is about it. He is one of the worst hitters in MLB currently and yes that includes pitchers throughout the league. His career average currently stands at .125. So every time you see Sardinha collect a hit-act surprised because you will be.

Glaring stats- has 10 career hits in 80 career at bats during his big league career. Has never hit a home run in his MLB career. Sardinha has not collected a hit on the road or during a night game this season. While he is batting .273 at home this season.

Grade: D+. Offensive production has not been there, I feel it's only a matter of time before Dusty Ryan gets promoted to the big league club. He is performing well down in Toledo and his number will be called very soon.

Matt Treanor (Age 33) 2009 Salary (750,000)
Current 09 Stats .000 AVG 0 HR 0 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .000 AVG 0 HR 0 RBI

Treanor was supposed to be the backup catcher heading into this season. Until he got injured that is, he is out for the entire season now due to injury. He signed a one-year deal with the Tigers and don't expect him to get resigned. This was the first of many disappointments for the Tigers this season.

Glaring stats-only had 13 at bats this season and did not collect a hit during the 2009 season. Only played four games this year.

Grade: D-. We'll see what the backup catcher's position looks like the rest of the season. I expect a change coming with Ryan up and Sardinha back down to the Toledo Mudhens.

In Minors

Jeff Larish (Age 26) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Current 09 Stats .216 AVG 4 HR 7 RBI
Numbers in the Minors .296 AVG 2 HR 5 RBI

Larish has been with the Tigers this season for quite a few games. He didn't get as many at bats as he would have liked. That was in part to has average and his strikeout numbers. Their is no secret that Larish has struggled with breaking balls at the big league level. He is a dead fastball hitter and until he corrects his deficiencies he is going to be on the outside looking in with the Tigers. Larish had a terrific college career with the Arizona St. Sun Devils. He was a highly touted prospect coming out of college, but just has never lived up to those expectations. You only get so many chances and then teams decide to leave you alone. Larish must correct his swing and when given another chance take full advantage of it. Because it could be his last with the Detroit Tigers organization.

Brent Dlugach (Age 26) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .284 AVG 6 HR 26 RBI

Dlugach is the starting shortstop for the Toledo Mudhens. He is having a pretty solid season. He is someone to keep an eye on down at Triple-A Toledo especially with Iorg struggling at Double-A Erie. Dlugach may get an opportunity to showcase his skills come September.

Dusty Ryan (Age 24) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .246 AVG 7 HR 21 RBI

Ryan got off to a horrendous start this year with the Toledo Mudhens as their starting catcher. He was batting around .180 for the entire month of April. That is why the Tigers chose to go with Sardinha over him as the backup catcher in the big leagues. Ryan has taken notice since then and has really picked up his offensive numbers. I still feel that Avila is the catcher of the future but Ryan is the backup. Ryan is better than both Laird and Sardinha offensively. He could make a large presence in the Tigers lineup especially at this time when they are struggling so much. Look for him to get a callup very soon.

Don Kelly (Age 29) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .339 AVG 3 HR 22 RBI

Kelly has been a prototypical Triple-A player he gets called up to the big leagues every once and a while but never stays. He produces in Triple-A but struggles to find consistency at the major league level. Kelly brings versatility to any lineup because he can a play a number of positions from third base, second base, first base, and any of the three outfield positions. Kelly may get another shot in the big leagues, but his time is limited as he is 29 years old.

Cale Iorg (Age 23) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .215 AVG 5 HR 15 RBI

Meet Iorg one of the most highly touted prospects in the Detroit Tigers organization currently. Iorg is proclaimed as the future Tigers shortstop. Not if he continues to struggle at the plate. Iorg has great range and a terrific arm. Although, he is going to have to find his swing to get promoted. Iorg still has some time as he is very young. I feel the Tigers would like to see him as their everyday shortstop in two years. Let's hope Iorg finds his swing for the rest of the summer.

Scott Sizemore (Age 24) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .306 AVG 9 HR 33 RBI

Sizemore plays second base currently with the Erie Seawolves at Double-A. Sizemore has had a spectacular season at that level. You would think with these numbers he will get promoted to Triple-A soon and compete with Dlugach. There is always competition going on as no spot is safe especially in the minor leagues where you are just a number as a prospect.

Alex Avila (Age 22) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .295 AVG 5 HR 26 RBI

Avila is the future of the Detroit Tigers at the catchers position. He doesn't really have too much competition within the Detroit Tigers organization. Ryan is very good offensively and has a lot of power. Avila has it all though, solid power, great average, calls a great game, and is excellent defensively. He is young and just needs time to mature at the minor league level. I look for Avila to be the everyday catcher at the start of the 2011 season. He should get called up in September of this year and may see time with the big league club next season. Avila is the real deal and could have a very good career at the major league level. I compare him to Yadier Molina catcher of th St. Louis Cardinals except for the fact that Avila bats left-handed.

Ryan Strieby (Age 23) Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in Minors .289 AVG 14 HR 43 RBI

Strieby is a first baseman with the Erie Seawolves. If you are looking for power, you have it with Strieby. He was named the best power hitter in the Detroit Tigers organization by Baseball America. He was also named the 2008 Detroit Tigers minor league player of the year. He hit 29 home runs last year homering in every 14.52 at bats at the Single-A lakeland. Look for him to get promoted to Triple-A very soon.