2012 Lineups

Anyone who payed any attention to the Tigers last season knows that the starting lineup on any given night was anything but predictable. This season lines up to be more of the same. Looking at the depth chart on MLB (which I touched up a bit) leads to a mind boggling set of combinations:

1B: Fielder, Cabrera, Kelly
2B: Raburn, Inge, Santiago, Kelly
3B: Cabrera, Inge, Kelly, Worth
SS: Peralta, Santiago, Worth
LF: Young, Dirks, Kelly, Raburn
CF: Jackson, Dirks, Kelly
RF: Boesch, Dirks, Raburn, Kelly
C: Avila, Laird, Santos
DH: Young, Cabrera, Fielder, Raburn

Assume Santos is in the minors barring injuries (Inge could catch in a serious emergency). If I were in charge, the lineup I'd play every night (injuries and opposing pitcher aside) would be:

Jackson (8)
Boesch (9)
Cabrera (5)
Fielder (3)
Young (0)
Avila (2)
Peralta (6)
Santiago (4)
Dirks (7) 

This depends on a ton of factors, though.

• Jackson had a rough 2011 (.249, 180+ Ks). If that continues, I see an 8 or a 9 spot in his future.
• Raburn is doing well in Spring Training, but was incredibly streaky and undependable in 2011. However, he and Inge seem to have naked pictures of someone important, because they played way more than they should have last season. I'd rather play Santiago most nights over Raburn. 
• Can Cabrera play 3B every day? Chances are good that he'll see some time at DH and Inge or Kelly will play third.
• Can Avila get his swing back after tanking late and especially in October? 

There's a mess of talent on this team, I can't wait to see what they do.