Lightening rod Brandon Inge has ignited another firestorm by asking management if he could try out to be the Tigers' regular second baseman.
Considered to be the best all-around athlete on the team, Inge has never lacked confidence or bravado during his 11-year career in Detroit. He’s a media darling and well respected by his teammates.
It’s the Detroit fans who appear equally divided on the merits of Inge as an essential part of the team. You love him or you hate him; he’s either a high-performance vacuum on the diamond or a clueless strikeout machine at the plate.
Wherever you stand on Inge, you have to admit he has a talent for grabbing the headlines on a team whose roster has three of baseball’s biggest names: Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Prince Fielder.
So forgive me if I’m a bit miffed at the outrage being leveled at Inge. What do you expect? This is a player who has never shied away from speaking his mind or backing down from a challenge.
Several years ago when he was Alan Trammell’s bench coach, Kirk Gibson could not say enough positive things about Inge. Gibby stressed that Inge was athletic, had a settling presence in the clubhouse and cared about the community where he played and lived.
According to Gibson, Inge had earned the respect of his teammates because he would do anything for the Tigers. At a time when Detroit was floundering as the American League’s bottom feeder, Inge was telling the whole planet that he wanted to spend his entire career in Detroit.
But loyalty can only take you so far.
Inge is a .235 career hitter with 139 home runs, 587 RBI and an OBP of .305. Last season, he spent time in Toledo and finished the year hitting .197 with three home runs, 29 RBI and an OBP of .265.
Some of his detractors maintain that he hasn’t been the same player since his 2009 appearance in the All-Star Game, where he failed to hit a single home run in the Home Run Derby. Others wonder if he’s ever been a player at all.
All I know is that Ryan Raburn is scheduled to be the Tigers' everyday second baseman, which sends chills down my spine. And for whatever reason, Detroit’s hierarchy has deemed Ramon Santiago not-an-everyday player.
If Inge were asking to compete against Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia or Ian Kinsler, then I’d understand the anger. But Raburn and Santiago?
Inge might find playing second base a tougher adjustment than he anticipates. Turning a double play might prove to be his downfall.
If he’s able to prove he’s still a defensive gem and can find even the slightest semblance of a batting stroke, though, it just might work.
After all, it’s only spring training and hope springs eternal during this time of year.
At least that’s what Inge wants us to believe.
