Nate Robertson has always believed he belongs in the Tigers’ starting rotation. He was battling to resume that role this spring when a sprained left thumb late in training camp relegated him to the bullpen. In late August, after recovering from elbow surgery, he became a starter once more.
        Now a pelvic inflammation has knocked Robertson out of the rotation again, at least for the rest of the regular season. Robertson will be replaced by Eddie Bonine, who began the season in the Tigers’ bullpen but spent most of the year at Triple-A Toledo.
        No one, least of all Robertson, knows what the future now holds for the 32-year-old left hander who is signed through 2010 and scheduled to make $10 million next year.
        Jim Leyland admitted Monday that Nate was not pleased when the Tigers’ manager gave him the bad news.
        “Nate’s kind of upset,” Leyland said. “And I don’t blame him. I feel bad for him. I know he’s worked hard. But I’m kind of in no-man’s land here. I don’t know when that thing is going to flare up again. If I start him and he only goes two innings, that leaves us in a bind.
        “If this was April or May, you could fool around a little bit. But not now. I can’t send him out there, worrying if he’s going to hurt that thing again. I get paid to make the tough decisions around here and I’m doing the best I can.”
        Robertson declined to comment on Monday’s demotion. “I don’t have any control over anything,” he said.
        “I’ve been doing a pretty good job of starting for about six weeks,” Robertson added. “I didn’t think this was going to knock me out of the rotation the rest of the year.
        “But there doesn’t need to be a big issue made of this. I need to come here and do whatever I can to help. There’s nothing more to say. We’re trying to get in the playoffs.”
        Leyland said he believes Robertson can be a asset as the Tigers’ third left hander in the bullpen.
        But that is hardly what Robertson wants -- or what the Tigers are paying him $7 million this season to do