Tigers still see role for Brandon Inge, but will he accept it?

Detroit— So where does this all leave Brandon Inge?

The longest-tenured Tiger has been through this before. Pudge Rodriguez booted him from behind the plate. Miguel Cabrera displaced him at third. And now Cabrera has taken his spot again, via Thursday's signing of free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

"He's not the happiest camper," manager Jim Leyland said during the press conference introducing Fielder. "But he certainly understands."

The Tigers also understand this: They're likely to keep 13 position players, and right now there are four candidates for the final three spots. Inge, Don Kelly, Andy Dirks and Clete Thomas. The locks are Fielder, Cabrera, Ryan Raburn, Ramon Santiago, Jhonny Peralta, Alex Avila, Gerald Laird, Delmon Young, Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch.

After the press conference, Leyland spoke at length about Inge's potential role. And Leyland said he believes the veteran still has one with the Tigers, whether it's playing occasionally in the outfield, or entering late in games to play some second base, or even shortstop.

That could be valuable during interleague play, when Leyland will occasionally use a double-switch.

Inge, of course, also could get some starts at third, particularly on a day when a groundball pitcher such as Doug Fister or Rick Porcello is starting for the Tigers. Inge remains a slick fielder, and defense is at a premium these days. The hot corner usually gets a workout.

But Leyland made this clear, too: The Tigers have no plans to use Inge as a late-inning defensive replacement for Cabrera. Taking Cabrera's bat out of the lineup is not an option.

"People are going to scratch their heads. There's going to be a ball go by this season that might end up costing us a game that maybe Inge would've got to," Leyland said. "But maybe we've got a three-, four-run lead because that guy's playing there."

That's not to say Cabrera can't play third. That was his predominant position with the Marlins.

While many fans and analysts underestimate Cabrera's athleticism, Leyland doesn't. The manager understands why many are skeptical, but said they might not be had the Tigers continued to play Cabrera at third for more than 14 games after he was acquired before the 2008 season.

"It won't be as good as Inge — it won't," Leyland said, flatly. "But he's got as good of hands as we got on the infield, and he's got a better arm than most anybody that we've got."

When asked if there was any truth to the rumblings the Tigers considered moving Cabrera to left field, Leyland said, "I don't think that's going to happen."

As for Inge, 34, Leyland spoke to him recently after word leaked in the media that Fielder had signed and Cabrera was moving to third.

Leyland apologized to Inge for not hearing it first from the ballclub.

And he said he wants Inge back. Whether Inge is willing to return as a reserve remains unclear.

"He can be a key piece, if he's willing to accept that and that's what he wants to do," Leyland said. "Now, I don't blame him if he doesn't want to do that. He wants to play. He's worked his (butt) off this winter. He could bounce back and really do well."

Inge is entering the final year of his contract, and a bounceback season — Inge batted .197 with little power during that tumultuous 2011, during which he briefly was demoted to Triple A — could earn one more multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that Inge — a fan favorite and a lightning rod, all at once — could request to be traded to a team that could use him as a starter. If Inge goes to spring training with the Tigers and performs well, other clubs looking to fill a void could take notice. In that scenario, the Tigers probably would listen, even though any deal likely would require them eating some of his $6 million salary.

Inge, who lives year-round in Metro Detroit, hasn't yet had any talks with Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski, nor have his agents.

"Probably the best thing is to let him come to spring training, let him play well, and let's see what happens from there," said Dombrowski, who, like Leyland, also sees a spot for Inge with the Tigers. "He's an important part of our club at this point."

tpaul@detnews.com

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