Last year Verlander won 24 games. How many over or under 24 will he win in 2012? Or will he tie last year?

 

He won't match his otherworldly season of 2011. Instead, he'll win a routinely amazing 21 games while still dominating most outings. At least one loss will be because of the ... ahem ... defensive deficiencies on the left side of the infield. But more important than Verlander — who will have a great season — is whether Doug Fister will continue his outstanding pitching. If he doesn't, this rotation is very, very average after Verlander. —Bill Shea

 

Justin Verlander had one of the greatest seasons in history for a pitcher.... No, he does not equal or surpass 24-wins. I'll say 21 (team has too much offense for him not to be close to 20, but can Valverde really be perfect again?) and in the mix for another Cy Young Award. —Matt Shepard

 

Justin Verlander is the dreamiest dreamboat in dream town, but 24-win seasons aren't easily repeated. Verlander will be a Cy Young contender again, but with something like 21-22 wins. —Jeff Wattrick

 

Verlander wins 19, goes 19-11. —Alan Madlane

 

He will be under this year, I say two under last year. He will win 22 games only because the bullpen will blow a few. —John Bennett

 

Under by two (22). —Devin Scillian

 

He'll win 19; five under. —Craig Fahle

 

Verlander will only win 22 games, I think. —Danny Methric

 

He'll tie. —jessica Care moore, poet

 

Justin Verlander will win 29 games ... 1 for every year of his age. —Charlie Langton

 

How long will Cabrera last at third base?

 

Cabrera isn't a great third baseman, but I don't think he's the liability people think. He has a career .951 fielding percentage at third. The league average is .955. His range factor/9 is 2.55 and the league average is 2.70. I think those defensive numbers are sufficient to ensure a bona fide triple crown threat keeps his job at third for the entire season. —Jeff Wattrick

 

Until he botches a routine play that costs Verlander a victory. It would be easy to make a Happy Hour/Townsend Hotel joke here, but he's behaved himself so far, so let's cut him some slack. —Bill Shea

 

Jim Leyland is stubborn. Cabrera will play third base the whole season unless he gets hurt or unless Fielder gets hurt at 1st base in which case Cabrera will play first base. —John Bennett

 

We'll put up with the shortcomings all year, except for late game defensive substitutions. It'll be worth it because he and Fielder are going to make it look like batting practice this year. —Devin Scillian

 

Miguel Cabrera will be your starting third baseman all year (he'll get some rest). I mean, it was his natural position and he's worked hard at it. —Matt Shepard

 

Cabrera ends up moving over to DH late in a lot of close games, making way for Danny Worth at 3B, but lasts the year. —Alan Madlane

 

Not long. I predict he will blow it out there. —Celeste Headlee

 

He'll make it the full season. —Craig Fahle

 

Cabrera will move to catcher since catchers wear masks. —Charlie Langton

 

The whole season. —jessica Care moore, poet

 

 

Will Brandon Inge still be a Tiger in the fall?

 

Yes, but he may get to take another all-expense-paid trip to exotic Toledo at some point. It's possible he could be traded under some bizarre circumstances that I cannot quite imagine, but Detroit would have to agree to eat most of his $5.5 million salary for that to happen. If a petulant attitude erupts, he could get his outright release, but for now he's insurance in case Cabrera is a total bust at third. Odds are, he'll be on the roster in the fall, to the delight of pundits and sports talk radio callers across the region. —Bill Shea

 

Ideally, he'll no longer be a Tiger by Opening Day. A legitimate Major-League veteran should be able to hit above the Mendoza Line in spring training. Ramon Santiago is a better defensive second baseman. At this point in their respective careers, he's a more reliable hitter than Inge. It's safe to say Santiago will hit .250 playing second base. The last time Inge hit about .250 was 2006. —Jeff Wattrick

 

My hat is off to Inge. I've watched him play for years and he's always been a dedicated, reliable Tiger. But he's not looking good in spring training and I think he won't play in the fall. —Celeste Headlee

 

Brandon Inge will not be a Tiger this fall. Brandon Inge will not be a Tiger by the all-star break. If Jim Leyland weren't so stubborn, Brandon Inge would not be a Tiger on Opening Day. —John Bennett

 

Brandon Inge will not be with this team in the fall ... not sure he'll be with this team in the spring or summer. —Matt Shepard

 

Inge is back from another stint in Toledo on Sept. 1. —Alan Madlane

 

Alas, I fear not. —Devin Scillian

 

No. —Craig Fahle

 

Inge will move to third since Cabrera is catching. —Charlie Langton

 

 

Prince Fielder had 38 home runs last year. How many home runs over or under 38 will he score in 2012? Or will he tie last year.

 

On paper, the Tigers' lineup is as potent as any in baseball, and Fielder should at least match his home run output. With Cabrera hitting in front of him, and Delmon Young after him, he could hit 40 or more homers for the first time since 2009. His career-high of 50 in 2007 is certainly possible. —Bill Shea

 

Personally, I'd like to see him hit at least 52 homers in the Old English D. Just to stick it to his old man. But I'll settle for 40. I think he's got a 40-home run season in him. —Jeff Wattrick

 

Prince Fielder will tie last year's number of 38 home runs. He's got the short porches in Comerica Park, Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park just to name a few, something he didn't have in the National League. —John Bennett

 

My hat is off to Inge. I've watched him play for years and he's always been a dedicated, reliable Tiger. But he's not looking good in spring training and I think he won't play in the fall. —Celeste Headlee

 

Fielder hits 31, as he has to learn all the new pitchers in the new league. —Alan Madlane

 

Fielder will hit 40 dingers, mostly on the road. —Danny Methric

 

I like 40 — a good, round number and reachable with protection around him in the lineup. —Devin Scillian

 

He'll be two over! —jessica Care moore, poet

 

Prince will hit 33 homers — five less. —Craig Fahle

 

Prince Fielder will hit 214 home runs — one for every million dollars of his contract. —Charlie Langton

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