Middlebrooks, who has played exclusively at third base this spring, appears to have the inside track at winning the starting third base job while Yangervis Solarte is more likely to assume a platoon role, the Union-Tribune reports. Middlebrooks is batting .333 with two home runs and seven RBI this spring wile making all of his appearances at the hot corner. Coming into camp it looked like he would have an uphill battle at unseating Solarte for the third base job, but Middlebrooks has played well enough in the field and at the dish to become the likely candidate to win the starting role.