Victor who?
For the past week, Tigers fans have been in mourning because of the freak knee injury that is expected to sideline Victor Martinez for the 2012 season.
One massive Prince Fielder contract later and Martinez has faded into oblivion.
Once Jim Leyland found out about the signing — he didn't know the news until well after it broke on Twitter, according to Peter Gammons — he could stop worrying about how Brennan Boesch or Alex Avila were going to protect Miguel Cabrera in the lineup. Fielder then Delmon Young can handle that job.
Last season, playing every game, Fielder hit .299 with 38 homers, 120 RBIs and drew 107 walks. In the past three years, playing in 485 out of a possible 486 games, he's hit .287 and averaged 39 homers, 115 RBIs and 110 walks.
Pitchers aren't going to be walking Cabrera to face that. As a matter of fact, Fielder received 32 intentional walks last season — the most in the National League — while Cabrera got 22.
So, instead of being a worse team because of Martinez's injury, Mike Ilitch's determination to win a World Series means the Tigers are suddenly a better team. Significantly better.
But, and you knew there was going to be a but, are they good enough?
Going into the offseason, the Tigers knew they had significant holes they needed to fill if they wanted to compete with the Rangers and the AL East's big three. They needed a leadoff hitter, they needed a second baseman, they needed a third baseman, and they needed a fifth starter.
They still don't have any of these. Or, to be more accurate, they have too many of them. They've got Brandon Inge and Don Kelly at third, Danny Worth, Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago at second, and the entire Toledo Mud Hens pitching staff waiting to audition for the fifth-starter spot.
But there's a possible solution for two of those spots — former Tiger Johnny Damon. He's still a free agent, and there's no reason for the Tigers to stop spending money now. They could sign Damon and make him the everyday leadoff hitter. He's a DH, but the Tigers and Cabrera have already reportedly talked about moving him back to third base.
That would give the Tigers a lineup that looks something like this:
1) Johnny Damon, DH
2) Jhonny Peralta, SS
3) Miguel Cabrera, 3B
4) Prince Fielder, 1B
5) Brennan Boesch, RF
6) Alex Avila, C
7) Delmon Young, LF
8) Ryan Raburn, 2B
9) Austin Jackson, CF
That's the best offensive lineup in baseball, but it will give the pitching staff nightmares. Avila and Jackson are quality defensive players, and Peralta had a good year last season, but the rest of that defense is below-average or worse.
There are other options, of course. The Tigers could sign Juan Pierre, play him in left field and make Young the DH. However, there's a significant chance that Cabrera isn't going to be able to handle third base, which would mean he and Prince would trade time between first and DH.
Today's move doesn't guarantee the Tigers an American League pennant, much less a World Series, but it certainly makes the offseason a lot more interesting. And if Mike Ilitch is this ready to spend big money to win a championship, there could be moves left that we haven't even considered.
After all, who woke up this morning expecting "Fielder, 1B" to be back in the Tigers lineup for the first time since 1996?
