Former Alabama catcher Alex Avila will be in the starting lineup for the Detroit Tigers when the 2012 World Series begins tonight. Avila, who played for the Crimson Tide from 2006-08, will be batting eighth and playing catcher for the Tigers, who take on the San Francisco Giants in the best-of-seven game series.

Avila, who was the American League Silver Slugger at catcher and an All-Star Game starter in 2011, makes his World Series debut after the Tigers swept the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series earlier this month.

In the series against the Yankees, Avila hit .250 (3-for-12) with a home run, a double and an RBI against the Yankees. He is hitting .227, going 5-for-22 in the postseason. During the regular season, Avila played in 116 games, posting a .243 average with nine home runs and 48 RBI.

In three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Avila played in 178 games, 173 as a starter. He posted a career .303 average with 36 home runs and 165 RBI when in an Alabama uniform. In 2008, his last season in Tuscaloosa, he had a .343 average with 17 HR and 62 runs batted in.