Miguel Cabrera confirms move to 3rd base in 2012

[kalinecountry]

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2012/01/detroit_tigers_miguel_cabrera.html
Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera confirms shift to third base in 2012.
from Mlive

Miguel Cabrera told Marfamata that he was aware of this possibility five days ago and spoke with Jim Leyland about moving to 3B.

 

[biggunsbob]

He better go on weight watchers.. But then who cares if he has 3 errors a game if your team is up 10 -4...

 

[tomdalton22]

Yuck! The good news is I think we can expect about the same result as last year...about 95 wins. The bad news is the Tiger's defense just went from bad to worse.

 

[michiganmania]

Defensively there is no way we can leave Young in LF...We are going to need some serious speed in LF to snatch up ground balls in the large gap between SS and 3B if we want to try to hold runners back...Miggy is just too big and I would not imagine he will have the range that is required for a solid defensive 3rd baseman.

 

[lions2011]

Leyland won a world seriies with Bobby Bonnila at 3rd base in 1997.

 

[biggunsbob]

Defensively there is no way we can leave Young in LF...We are going to need some serious speed in LF to snatch up ground balls in the large gap between SS and 3B if we want to try to hold runners back...Miggy is just too big and I would not imagine he will have the range that is required for a solid defensive 3rd baseman.

I am not worried about it till the world series in 2012 or when Victor comes back.

 

[jared]

Well, Fielder and Cabrera are about a wash at 1b defensively if you use the UZR/150 as a guide. Miggy was-4.1 there last year, while Price was -5.2. Slight downgrade.

At 3b, we all remember how bad Miggy was in '08, but keep in mind that he played there all of 116 innings (not games, innings), which is not exactly a huge sample size. Historically, he's been fair to slightly below average at the position, which is about how he plays at first. I don't think is defense at first base has been an issue.

I guess the question is, would you rather have Prince's bat at first, or Brandon's glove at third? I know my answer.

Having said that, I am concerned that after this season, this signing becomes highly unattractive. There is no where for Vmart to play when he's healthy. What makes this deal make sense to me is that there should be a revolving door at DH. That all ends next year. Who's getting traded?

 

[Thumb]

Defensively there is no way we can leave Young in LF...We are going to need some serious speed in LF to snatch up ground balls in the large gap between SS and 3B if we want to try to hold runners back...Miggy is just too big and I would not imagine he will have the range that is required for a solid defensive 3rd baseman.

Well if they are dead set on Cabrera being our 3rd baseman, than DY likely becomes our DH (yuck!) and some platoon of Kelly/Dirks/Raburn is in LF.

But IMO if the Tigers really wanna get serious, they will cut both DY and Inge, sign Damon on the cheap to DH, bring up Worth to platoon with Santiago at 2B, let Raburn have LF, and keep him off the infield.

 

[Thumb]

Well, Fielder and Cabrera are about a wash at 1b defensively if you use the UZR/150 as a guide. Miggy was-4.1 there last year, while Price was -5.2. Slight downgrade.

At 3b, we all remember how bad Miggy was in '08, but keep in mind that he played there all of 116 innings (not games, innings), which is not exactly a huge sample size. Historically, he's been fair to slightly below average at the position, which is about how he plays at first. I don't think is defense at first base has been an issue.

I guess the question is, would you rather have Prince's bat at first, or Brandon's glove at third? I know my answer.

Having said that, I am concerned that after this season, this signing becomes highly unattractive. There is no where for Vmart to play when he's healthy. What makes this deal make sense to me is that there should be a revolving door at DH. That all ends next year. Who's getting traded?

VMart is a DH, and at this time the DH slot is still open, even for next season, so I don't see what you're saying about nowhere for him to play?

Assuming of course the Cabrera 3B experiment works out, Vmart's position is well protected.

 

[tomdalton22]

Well, Fielder and Cabrera are about a wash at 1b defensively if you use the UZR/150 as a guide. Miggy was-4.1 there last year, while Price was -5.2. Slight downgrade.

At 3b, we all remember how bad Miggy was in '08, but keep in mind that he played there all of 116 innings (not games, innings), which is not exactly a huge sample size. Historically, he's been fair to slightly below average at the position, which is about how he plays at first. I don't think is defense at first base has been an issue.

I guess the question is, would you rather have Prince's bat at first, or Brandon's glove at third? I know my answer.

Having said that, I am concerned that after this season, this signing becomes highly unattractive. There is no where for Vmart to play when he's healthy. What makes this deal make sense to me is that there should be a revolving door at DH. That all ends next year. Who's getting traded?

Look at Miggy's 3B defensive numbers in 06-07 with FL. He was at the bottom of MLB defensively. I would venture to guess that in the past 4 years with the extra lbs and not playing there he hasn't improved

 

[motownwebguy]

I don't see Miggy lasting at 3B beyond 2012. When Delmon seeks free agency, we just may see Miggy moved to LF.

Alot depends on Castellanos' progress at 3B in 2012. If young Nick fails to hold 3B, he may get shifted to the outfield too.

I just don't see Miggy long-term at 3B. He won't last long there. Too many holes in his glove and his range is sub-par.

 

[kingofdetroit57]

I don't see Miggy lasting at 3B beyond 2012. When Delmon seeks free agency, we just may see Miggy moved to LF.

Alot depends on Castellanos' progress at 3B in 2012. If young Nick fails to hold 3B, he may get shifted to the outfield too.

I just don't see Miggy long-term at 3B. He won't last long there. Too many holes in his glove and his range is sub-par.

Why not stick him in RF if 3B doesn't work? Maggs was able to play it here for several seasons, so I don't see why Miggy couldn't. When VMart is gone in 3yrs, then you use Miggy and Fielder at 1B/DH on a 50/50 basis.

 

[Mitchrapp]

He's a professional baseball player. It'll work. He's better there than all of us. And in case you missed, JL won a WS with Bobby "Brick" Bonilla.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I don't see Miggy lasting at 3B beyond 2012. When Delmon seeks free agency, we just may see Miggy moved to LF.

Alot depends on Castellanos' progress at 3B in 2012. If young Nick fails to hold 3B, he may get shifted to the outfield too.

I just don't see Miggy long-term at 3B. He won't last long there. Too many holes in his glove and his range is sub-par.

Why not stick him in RF if 3B doesn't work? Maggs was able to play it here for several seasons, so I don't see why Miggy couldn't. When VMart is gone in 3yrs, then you use Miggy and Fielder at 1B/DH on a 50/50 basis.

Because we already have a RF. Not sure I want BB moving all over the place.

 

[kingofdetroit57]

Mitch[/color]]

Why not stick him in RF if 3B doesn't work? Maggs was able to play it here for several seasons, so I don't see why Miggy couldn't. When VMart is gone in 3yrs, then you use Miggy and Fielder at 1B/DH on a 50/50 basis.

Because we already have a RF. Not sure I want BB moving all over the place.

I'd personally rather have BB in LF than DY out there given the choice.

 

[turok]

biggunsbob[/color]]He better go on weight watchers.. But then who cares if he has 3 errors a game if your team is up 10 -4...

Prince, from what I've read from some posts online tonight, has become a vegetarian since '07, dunno if that is really true yet, but if so, I hope that doesn't mean that he eats cakes instead of steaks..lol.

 

[tigers99888]

Th only positive from this is that Sandoval was 17.9 UZR/150 last year which means that a fatbody is capable of playing 3rd base defense decently..
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

 

[buddyboy2121]

Th only positive from this is that Sandoval was 17.9 UZR/150 last year which means that a fatbody is capable of playing 3rd base defense decently..
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

Sandoval lost like 40 lbs before last season. If Miguel lost like 20 lbs i think he would be able to do something similar and have more range because he is taller. I'm excited to see the death row of Cabrera, Fielder, and V-Mart

 

[tigers99888]

Th only positive from this is that Sandoval was 17.9 UZR/150 last year which means that a fatbody is capable of playing 3rd base defense decently..
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

Sandoval lost like 40 lbs before last season. If Miguel lost like 20 lbs i think he would be able to do something similar and have more range because he is taller. I'm excited to see the death row of Cabrera, Fielder, and V-Mart

He was still a big body last year, but I agree Cabrera will have to lose weight if he wants to be atleast average defensively at the spot..

 

[turok]

Inge super-subs on the bench and comes in late to play 3rd when the Tigers are up by 2 runs or more....so whats the problem @ 3B again?