5 Tigers Storylines That Have Nothing To Do With Brandon Inge

By: Jeff Riger

Detroit Tigers spring training has been a joke. Usually during the spring you get to read about players not previously known, watch if your favorite minor leaguer will make the team and track how the vets whip into shape just in time for opening day. However this year, everything was different! Brandon Inge ruined spring training.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming Inge personally, I'm blaming people like myself, the media! Since the spring has started every story line has been about #15. From wanting to play 2nd base to starting the real season on the DL, we collectively know way too much about the most polarizing man in Detroit sports history. And, I for one am sick of it. I can't take much more. What's next? Live reports from head trainer Kevin Rand's office as to how Inge's groin is healing by the minute? It all has been way too much.

You have heard this before, but I will say it again...

In what other baseball city is there this much talks about the 25th man on the roster? Of course the answer is NOWHERE!

So I have decided to try and start a new trend. Below I have listed the top 5 Tiger storylines that have absolutely nothing to do with Inge.

This is going to be tough, but it's worth a shot.

5. Reliving 2008?

I know nobody wants to hear this right now, but I can't shake the same feeling I had back in 2008, when Detroit went out and got Miguel Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Dontrelle Willis and Jacque Jones. That season, Detroit finished with a 74-88 record and came in last place in the A.L. Central. The Tigers started that year losing their first 7 games and were never able to rebound despite having a very talented group.

Of course, I'm probably not being exactly fair comparing the two teams considering the Tigers pitching staff and stars this season seem superior than the team they had back in '08. However, if Detroit gets off to a rough start, and the competition is great, early with the likes of the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays and Rangers on the schedule, expect people like me to automatically compare 2012 to 2008. I don't think it will happen, but I also did not think that Inge would turn into the most hated man ever to walk the streets of Downtown Detroit.

OK, I'm, sorry; I know I said I would keep Inge out of this. It won't happen again, I promise!

4. The People's Choice

I figured I would throw all the generic storylines that everybody has already broken down way too much in the same category here. How will Miggy do at 3rd base? Can Prince Fielder hit in the American league? Will Prince and his father Cecil ever reconcile? All of the following are the questions we all have been hearing for the last 2 months, really ever since signing Fielder as a free agent.

So let me go on the record early!

I believe that Cabrera will play damn near the entire season at third and I don't think he will cost the Tigers as much defensively as everybody else thinks he will. I know he got hit in the eye fielding a ground ball in the spring and apparently now that means that he can't play the position, but I think that's hogwash. That's right, I really did just type hogwash, people need to bring that word back, it's very underrated. Anyway, as I was saying... Miggy will be fine at third. I believe no active third basemen, not even Inge, there I go again, would have made that play in Clearwater. Granted some might have been able to get out of the way of the ball, but nobody would have snagged it and threw it over to first. No way! One play does not tell the entire story about Miggy at third.

Cabrera is the type of guy that will work on his defense, he did it at first and I believe he will do it at third as well. Now, he won't be winning any gold gloves anytime soon, but he doesn't have to. Make the plays that he is capable of and then go to the plate and mash. That is all he has to do, and he is fully capable of it.

As for Prince, I do wonder if he will hit in a different league? However, he hit every season he played with the Brewers so I am going with blind faith that he will do the same in Detroit. It's also a good thing that the Central division really doesn't have a bunch of talented lefties, which means Prince will be facing a ton of right handed pitching, something he loves and in turn Detroit fans will love as well.

As far as Prince's dad, I will say it! I think they work things out. I'm rooting for them! I just wonder how many times, Prince will have to answer questions about it?

3. Who is the DH?

I don't pretend to know the solution to this question. I think the answer is a lot of players. We already know that Cabrera, Fielder, Delmon Young and everybody else really does not want to be this year's designated hitter. And, I don't blame them. People think being a DH is easy, but I feel the exact opposite. I remember when Gary Sheffield was a Tiger and he was forced to DH. She hated the position and struggled because being in the field was not keeping him engaged in the game. I think a lot of other players go through the same thing. Look at Cabrera's DH numbers. They are awful! The same could happen to Young if he were to be forced to play DH every game. Plus Young is just that, way too young to be an everyday designated hitter.

We do know that Ryan Raburn will DH later today. So if Raburn, a guy that will play second base against Right handed pitching is DH'ing against a lefty, then I assume we will see a lot of others DH against righties. Again, I believe no Tigers will DH more than 2 games in a given week, meaning it will be a potpourri of Detroiters that will DH throughout the course of the season. In fact, I predict that every positional player throughout the course of the year will see his name penciled in at least once at the DH spot. Maybe even Inge will get a shot at the position! Now that would be fun!

2. 5th Starter

I have to admit...

The competition for the teams 5th starter has bored the daylights out of me. From Jacob Turner, to Andy Oliver to Duane Below, I just can't force myself to care.

By now you know that Drew Smyly has won the position, at least for now. Detroit won't need the services of Smyly until the middle of the month because of so many off days at the start of the season. So, in the meantime, Smyly is in Toledo getting a chance to pitch every 5th day. Whoopee! You know as well as I do that when the time comes to use a 5th starter, that it might not actually be Smyly, it could be one of the above names or somebody completely different.

This I know...

Whoever that 5th starter actually turns out to be won't be the difference between the playoffs and going home in early October.

1. JV

I can't wait to see Justin Verlander take on Jon Lester later today! Do you remember last season and how every time Verlander toed the rubber it turned into must see TV? Well it's already starting!

The only question I have about Verlander is what now is acceptable to Tiger fans? After winning 24 games plus the Cy Young and MVP, Detroit fans are going to expect greatness every time JV takes the mound. And, they should! Hell, I think if Verlander gives up a hit before the 5th inning today then fans might feel ripped off. Of course that is absurd, but it's where the expectation level is now with one of the greatest in the game.

I expect JV to win 20 games again! That is obviously a lot harder then he made it look last season. I don't think it's fair of me to expect 20, but I can't help it! What about you?

HAPPY OPENING DAY EVERYBODY! Enjoy the season; it should be filled with plenty to talk about. Hopefully the majority of that talk has nothing to do with Inge. Unfortunately you know that will not happen!