Detroit Tigers: High Expectations in 2017 from Infield Veterans

‘Tis the season for Top 10 Lists and several Detroit Tigers players are appearing on them. Despite comments that the Tigers are an old team, it’s the veterans who are appearing on several lists.

Despite comments that the Detroit Tigers are an old team, it’s the veterans who are appearing on several lists.

In three of ESPN Senior Writer Buster Olney’s 2017 Top 10 lists, three veteran Tigers are making appearances.

Ian Kinsler

Ranking at the highest of the three lists is Ian Kinsler. In Olney’s list of the ten best second basemen, Kinsler ranks third. Considering who is on the list, this is an honor. In the hearts of Tigers fans, Kinsler is the best second baseman in the league, but Olney’s top two are quite good, too. Petite Jose Altuve plays like he is twice his height and Robinson Cano is a tough competitor.

According to ESPN’s rankings of second basemen in 2016, Kinsler actually had the fourth highest WAR of 6.1 with Brian Dozier earning a 6.6. Kinsler scored more runs, had more hits, and had a higher batting average than Dozier. For 2016, Olney placed Dozier in the ninth spot. Altuve’s WAR in 2016 was 7.7 and Cano’s was 7.3.

Tigers fans who watch Kinsler make playing second base look easy know that he is practically ageless. But, of all of the statistics that prove Kinsler is playing his best baseball, this prove it: “Kinsler has 63 defensive runs saved at second base since 2009, the most in the majors in that span by a wide margin.”

Miguel Cabrera

There were a few years when Miguel Cabrera topped every single list, but now the aging veteran has some competition, especially at first base. Now, Miggy sits in the fifth spot on Olney’s Top 10 list of first basemen. According to Olney, the top four first basemen are Freddie Freeman, Joey Votto, Anthony Rizzo, and Paul Goldschmidt. Olney used fWAR to rank these players, but had he just used WAR, Cabrera would be in the third spot behind Freeman and Rizzo. It is difficult to imagine Cabrera not being the best at anything he does, but unfortunately, Miggy’s dWAR is what brings him down on the list. In 2017, he had a -1.5 dWAR with seven errors and a .995 fielding percentage.

After seeing Miggy in person at TigerFest, he looks like he has lost some weight. This should make him more mobile at first, hopefully increasing his WAR for 2017. It should also take some pressure off of his injury-prone ankles and knees – helping him get around the bases with more speed. His off-season training videos on social media show that he is dedicated to bettering his performance in 2017. Could another Triple Crown season be in the works for the best hitter in baseball?

Justin Verlander

More from Detroit Tigers News

• Detroit Tigers: Victor Reyes finding ways to get the job done
• The Detroit Tigers must cut their losses and release Jonathan Schoop
• Detroit Tigers: Garrett Hill’s new role and changed delivery are excellent
• Detroit Tigers: Joe Jiménez has rebounded in 2022
• Detroit Tigers: Is it finally time to move the fences in at Comerica Park?

Rounding out the veteran infield positions is Justin Verlander. Olney placed Verlander in the lucky seven spot in the top 10 starting pitchers in the entire MLB. The seven pitchers who rank ahead of Verlander have earned the spots. From the top spot down, Olney chose Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Madison Bumgarner, Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, and Noah Syndergaard. Considering that the top three are all NL pitchers, this list puts Verlander in the top three in the AL. Verlander’s 2016 was his best in several years. He should have won the AL Cy Young with his top numbers in strikeouts (254) and WAR (6.6). He ranked second in innings pitched and he led the AL with the lowest WHIP of 1.00.

As one of the top competitors in the game of baseball, Verlander should perform at least in a similar fashion, if not better in 2017. He also looks physically fit and ready to show up in Lakeland in a few weeks.

Next: Prospects Cracking Top 100 List

Coming into 2017, these veterans look poised to lead the Detroit Tigers to the top of the MLB. Knowing that the Tigers have respect from a national sports writer, it provides solace for fans who also see the greatness in Kinsler, Cabrera, and Verlander.