Tigers sacrifice defense for offense

• The Tigers finished 27th in the majors in defensive efficiency
• Cabrera moved to third to make room for Fielder
• Infante was picked up at the trade deadline

DETROIT -- Jim Leyland admitted as far back as spring training that defense was not going to be the Detroit Tigers' strong point in 2012.

"We're sacrificing some defense for offense, it's no secret," the veteran manager said in March, referring to moving first baseman Miguel Cabrera to third base to make room for first baseman Prince Fielder, who was signed to a nine-year, $214 million contract as a free agent last winter.

"We feel what we gain offensively will make up for what we might lose defensively."

The Tigers finished 27th in the major leagues during the regular season in defensive efficiency, a metric that determines the numbers of balls in play that are turned into outs. Only three teams were worse by that measure -- the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies.

However, the Tigers defense has been a pleasant surprise in the postseason as Detroit has outlasted the Oakland Athletics in five games in the American League Division Series and swept the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

The Tigers will open play in the the World Series next Wednesday night at either the St. Louis Cardinals or San Francisco Giants.

Second baseman Omar Infante and shortstop Jhonny Peralta, in particular, have turned in a number of defensive gems.

Infante has long had the reputation of being a good defensive player and that was part of the allure of acquiring him and right-hander Anibal Sanchez from the Miami Marlins in a late-July trade. Some scouts feel Infante has the best hands of any middle infielder in the major leagues.

Peralta is a different story. He began his career as a shortstop with the Cleveland Indians but defensive deficiencies caused a move to third base.

The Tigers moved him back to shortstop two years ago and he has been below average at the position. However, he has looked like a Gold Glove winner in October.

"Peralta, for whatever reason, is moving better," Leyland said. "He seems lighter on his feet than he has all year."

Peralta credits Tigers first base coach Rafael Belliard, who was an outstanding defensive shortstop during his playing days, with helping him with positioning and footwork.

"I don't have the range that other shortstops do but I try to make up for it by doing other things right," Peralta said.

The Tigers are doing a lot of things on defense and that is part of the reason why they have a chance to win their first World Series title since 1984. Detroit has made four errors in nine postseason games, two by Fielder and one each by Infante and Sanchez.

"I don't really have a clear answer as to why we're playing better defensively but we are," Leyland said. "Maybe the focus is better at this time of year, I just don't know."