Brandon Inge might just have a point
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 20, 2012 12:39 PM EST
in Detroit Tigers Analysis
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PrintPeople get a little too crazy about Brandon Inge I think. He just completely drives people off the deep end. Whether they feel like he's the second coming of Brooks Robinson or whether they act like he's never made a good play or good hit in his life, people really like taking a strong opinion on Inge.
Of course, when Inge seems to compare himself to Babe Ruth, well, I can see their point.
He's in the news again today, as he said he intends to prove to the Tigers he should be the starting third baseman -- sans Don Kelly.
The Detroit News quotes:
"I love Kelly, I really do, but I'm not looking to platoon. I want to play every day."
And you know what? I don't disagree. I want my team's athletes to want to play every day.
But in the case of Inge ... I don't want him to play every day.
Thankfully manager Jim Leyland cuts to what counts.
"I hope he can play every day at third, because if he is, it means he's producing.
"But he has to produce."
So I just hope here Leyland's philosophy of production is one with high expectations.
Because last year's .197 average (.265 on-base percentage, .283 slugging) isn't going to cut it. Frankly, 2010's .321 OBP and .397 slugging doesn't make me feel a bunch of warm fuzzies, either.
The thing about Inge is that he actually can hit can his reasonably well against left-handed pitchers. Even with a down year last season, his three-year splits are a .345 OBP and .460 slugging average. If he can repeat that in 2012, I'll take that.
But he can't be giving away all those at-bats against right-handed pitching -- and that's what he does. For his 3-year splits, he has a .292 OBP and .346 slugging average against right-handers.
That's why a platoon at third base isn't the worst thing in the world. However, you'd really like to see the Tigers find a better candidate than Don Kelly, whose 3-year .292 OBP, .391 slugging splits are only marginally better than what Mr. Inge did while struggling.
So to conclude, Inge can be a productive member of a platoon; he shouldn't be playing every day. But if the best platoon mate Detroit can put at third is Don Kelly, then Inge might just have a point.
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we seriously just need to get a series of sick children
to ask him to play better every day of the season.
I Like Pie
End of season profile . . .
“80 Juvenile Cancer Patients & How They Made Inge Break Bonds’ Record”
Whatever
As long as Inge can produce 1 WAR this season, I’ll survive. If he can produce 2 WAR by some miracle, I might sacrifice a goat in thanks.
"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz
"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching
by David Tokarz on Jan 20, 2012 12:57 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
He won't do that batting vs RHP's, and he won't do that being limited to batting against only LHP's
Betemit did extremely well for the Tigers last year in a platoon with Inge, despite his horrible defense, hitting .292 .346 .525 .871 for the Tigers, and .285 .343 .452 .795 for the season. He’s cheap, and DD didn’t even make an arbitration offer. He’d be a last resort in my book, but a clear upgrade over Kelly. Then use Inge as a defensive replacement in late innings with a lead.
At this point, though, I’m all Inged out.
"King of Minutiae"
The numbers Betimet put up last year were incredibly unsustainable
2010 Austin Jackson kind of unsustainable
Betemit's splits
2010: .297 .378 .511 .889
Career: .269 .336 .448 .784
Better than Kelly, who is better than Inge.
"King of Minutiae"
There are two sides to the game
When you combine Betimet’s marginally better offensive production with his abysmal defense, he really doesn’t look like an upgrade to me. Even with a .390 BABIP last year Betimet was a 1 win player.
I see it differently
If we were talking about an average guy at 3B, that would be one thing. But this is Brandon Inge. And Don Kelly. Kelly was an 0.6 WAR player, and Inge was a negative 0.4 WAR player. Use Inge strictly against LHP’s and he improves. Put him in as a defensive replacement with a lead late in the games, and the defensive pitfalls are minimized. I like Don Kelly, but he’s not a starter by any stretch of the imagination.
But then, I’d have taken Delmon’s money, and Dotel’s money, and given it to Aramis Ramirez. 3 years, $ 12 mil per.
I’d have traded for Scutaro, signed Kelly Johnson, inquired on overpaid Orlando Hudson, and several other moves, too. It depends how much suckage you can tolerate. DD has a high pain tolerance, apparently. That, or he’s working on a secret plan.
"King of Minutiae"
How do you know
he didn’t try to trade for Scutaro? Or offer Johnson a contract that he turned down so he could accept arbitration? or that he didn’t inquire on Hudson? or that he didn’t try and get Ramirez and was turned down?
You don’t know that, you are assuming all of that.
by wilsonm24 on Jan 20, 2012 8:37 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Gotta agree with wilson here
We don’t know what DD has been doing this offseason. He could be sitting on a beach drinking mai thais with his other finger in his nose, or he could be blowing up the other 29 GMs’ Blackberries (I assume they still use Blackberries? This is probably incorrect but whatever, I don’t need statistics to know things) on a daily basis. DD has historically been one to play things fairly close to the vest, so it’s quite possible that he’s been hard at work this offseason and hasn’t had anything materialize yet.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 20, 2012 8:48 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I too agree with Wilson
Just because we don’t hear about things doesn’t mean they didn’t happen. Dombrowski is not stupid. He knows the needs and who to talk to about them.
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 20, 2012 8:51 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Thought Dave said he didnt inquire on K.Johnson
3 yrs 18 mil would surely have got it done….guy is no world beater…but even in his down years he contributes over 2WAR…. & we have absolutely no MI prospects that he would be holding back…I just see 2b bein another area of concern nxt year…& id rather give kj 18 mil than Brandon Phillips 50 mil nxt year
by Wolverine119 on Jan 21, 2012 1:58 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Just because he said he didn't
Doesn’t mean he didn’t
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 21, 2012 2:05 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I bet that Kelly Johnson wanted a lot more money
3 year / $18 million probably wasn’t even in his ballpark. He had a terrible year and didn’t get the long-term contract that he wanted. That’s why he took arbitration, where he’ll probably get $7 Million and then he’ll back on the FA Market next season.
If he repeats what he did in 2010, he’ll probably get a 4 or 5 year deal for $50 million.
If he repeats what he did in 2011, he’ll probably get nothing but 1 year deal, if he gets any interest at all.
He stunk real bad last season. He’s a patient hitter, that relies on OBP, but his OBP was just .304. That’s Failsauce.
It appears that Kelly Johnson avoided arbitration.
The Blue Jays and INF Kelly Johnson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.375 million contract.
Johnson batted just .222/.304/.413 in 613 plate appearances last year, but he smashed 21 home runs while tallying 58 RBI and 16 stolen bases. He should remain a valuable fantasy second baseman this upcoming season. Jan 17 – 1:38 PM
He was still worth 2.2 WAR...not a bad floor
No extra charge for the ryhme
by Wolverine119 on Jan 21, 2012 6:12 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yes, but he probably deserved to be benched
He scored that high mostly due to the volume of games he played. Most of RAR was due to Fielding, Replacement value, and Positional value. He had a -3.0 for his Hitting. Any middle infielder that plays at least 150 games is almost guaranteed a positive WAR. If he played DH, his WAR would of been in the negative.
Defensively, his career UZR/150 is -0.6 at 2B. So you might not be getting above average defense from him either.
I think it’s unwise to give a multi-year contract to guy that had a .222 Batting Average and .304 OBP last season. We already got guys that can do that. Kelly Johnson will be 30 years old soon, so maybe he’s already in the decline. He’s a huge gamble for sure. I’m sure that’s how Dave Dombrowski saw it and just about every other GM that was looking for a 2B. We’re not the only team that passed on him. Even Toronto wouldn’t give him a multi-year deal.
And both of you are also wrong
because Wilson is wrong, and you’re wrong to agree with him. I am assuming nothing about what DD has done or tried to do.
"King of Minutiae"
What we do know
is that DD did not offer arbitration to Betemit, and didn’t make an offer to Kelly Johnson (he said he didn’t). After that, we have no idea, as I’ve said, what other clubs are asking for and what DD was willing to give up for some of these players. I assume non of that.
"King of Minutiae"
As a matter of FACT, I'm assuming nothing
You said I was assuming these things. I just said what I would do. We have no idea what DD has tried to do.
Hence, you are wrong.
"King of Minutiae"
Well
you have said repeatedly that DD is being negligent, you don’t know that he isn’t trying so you are just assuming he is being negligent.
I have not said that DD has been negligent this off season
I’ve said that certain things would be negligent, but the off season is not yet over, and he could even make a move during the season. I am assuming nothing about what DD is trying to so. He was my executive of the year last year. He is nothing if not thorough. Negligent would be letting Inge and Kelly start the season in a platoon at 3B, both of them doing about what they’ve both done in their careers vs RHP’s, and not making any moves- (even Betemit as a last resort).
I just finished writing an entire article on this topic. The headline was posed in the form of a question- are the Tigers being complacent or just confident? It’s posed that way precisely because we really don’t know.
There are several factors at play here, starting with a 15 game margin last year, continuing with a total lack of any exciting moves by division rivals, and ending with apparently few real options that jump out at you. I am assuming nothing about what DD has tried to do, other than what we know. Declining Betemit, not offering Johnson, not offering to A Ram, paying Delmon $ 6.75 million… these things we know.
"King of Minutiae"
I get you
but just because we didn’t offer contracts to certain players doesn’t mean we didn’t inquire after them. He might have called agents and got feedback on what they were asking for and decided that it wasn’t worth making the offer because we were never going to get near it. Inge doesn’t exactly have a peaceful history when the Tigers upper brass has made it known that they are looking to replace him. If DD would have made an offer to a FA 3B (or tried to get a trade going for one) and it leaked out then Brandon would have been all in a huff, by not even bothering with the offer that was just going to get rejected anyways (hypothetically) he kept things fairly peaceful in the clubhouse and in the papers.
So even if we go through the whole year of Inge/Kelly at 3B (god I hope not) and they put up the exact same numbers as last year it isn’t because DD was negligent, it is because for whatever reason (financially, personally, or whatever) those players would not work in Detroit.
A very reasonable viewpoint
especially if the lineup is producing enough to win the division. I would find it difficult to believe that there were NO third basemen available all season, though. We’re still a long ways from negligence, here.
I would also be very disappointed, and surprised, to learn that DD did not make a move for fear that Inge would throw a hissy fit. But the day they acquired Betemit and sent Inge to Toledo was a glorious day in Tiger history. I’m not sure he got the message until that very day.
"King of Minutiae"
To get ARam we probably would of had to beat the Milwaukee's offer
That deal was 3 years / $36 with a 4th year mutual option.
ARam is 34 years old and has averaged 118 games per season over the last 3 years. I think this contract has Carlos Guillen all over it and that the Brewers will be stuck without a high dollar 3B for most of those 3 seasons. When ARam is healthy, they’ll be stuck with his terrible defense and poor baserunning. As you would put it, “he is not an infielder”. He should be a DH.
by Keith-Allen on Jan 20, 2012 11:58 PM EST up reply actions
Love the rants TD
Id have passed on hudsen…aram..Boston would want @ least a Crosby for scutaro…so pass….but I would have offered matching 3 year 18 mil contracts to dejesus & kelly Johnson…non tendered don kelly..traded Delmon..tendered betimit…dejesus raburn platoon looks like 4 war to me…kelly needs no platton…so worth is ur MI and no need to bring santiago back…so minus 9 mil for dy & santiago..add 12 for dejesus & johnson…your team is 3_4 wins better for 3 mil…that leaves third as ur only black hole..but no team is perfect…& that one is fiscally responsible
by Wolverine119 on Jan 21, 2012 3:06 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Johnson signed a 1 yeah 6.375 Mil deal
Why would he sign a 3 year at less per year coming off a down year…
also
the splits the pitcher will have to do to avoid his errant throws to first
"I'm a simple man. I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food" - Ron Swanson
by rock n rye on Jan 20, 2012 4:30 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
Inge should be effective in a platoon system
Inge plays against LH and if he gets hot let him play against RH. This gives Kelly a chance let see what he can do. If it does not work out then do a trade.
Agree
I think Inge might be a better player when platooned because he seems to wear down. I heard him interviewed on the Huge Show yesterday. He said he’s stronger now than in the past. He didn’t offer any excuses about last year other than his mono. Huge pointed out that he hit around .278 after he came back from Toledo and .333 in the playoffs (7 for 21). I’d like to see him elevate his game for the whole season though.
by Parrothead Mike on Jan 20, 2012 2:34 PM EST reply actions
Sorry, but I am going to keep it simple.
Inge is just plain junk. Try to make yourselves think differently but its a fact. Junk.
President of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club.
I agree...
He has just not been the same since his knee surgeries, b4 that, ya he was a descent player, now, I think he’s better off platooning in between Toledo. & he’s as disillusioned as Dumbrowski, if he can even mention his name in the same sentence as Babe Ruth, he’s not even close to as good as his bat boy, ya he makes some good plays, but even since his knees went bad, that even deteriorated, ya he looked a bit better after goin down 2 Toledo, but was still inconsistent, I was glad 2 c him do some things in the playoffs, but 2 me it’s 2 little 2 late….we need a better 3rd basemen & not Kelly either.
.800 OPS vs. lefties is definitely not junk.
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 20, 2012 3:48 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
C'mon Kurt......
Forget all the fancy shmancy stats. When it comes down to it, quite simply, he just doesnt produce and/or get on base enough to justify keeping him around. Especially at 4+ million a year.
President of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club.
I'm confused
forget the things that show he has some value?
"I'm a simple man. I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food" - Ron Swanson
by rock n rye on Jan 20, 2012 4:23 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
how else can yo show he has no value than to ignore things that show value?
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 20, 2012 4:35 PM EST up reply actions
inge supporters
this is why tigers haven’t won squat since 1984…people loving mediocrity…inge is a weak link..by any alphabetical combination…deal with it kurt
by paul wall 1962 on Jan 20, 2012 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
don't even go there paul
if you read what I write, listen to the podcasts, the message is consistent. If you don’t like the fact that Inge can hit left handers, get over it and don’t make a spectacle of yourself.
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 20, 2012 5:53 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
The Tgers were 67-35 during the regular season where Inge made an appearance
Coincidence? I think NOT!
Best band of all time. In my opinion, of course.
by SonataArctica on Jan 20, 2012 5:56 PM EST up reply actions
only time inge hits an...quit living in the past manybody is when the bases are empty...save for the occasional hit
by paul wall 1962 on Jan 20, 2012 6:54 PM EST up reply actions
only time he hits
are when the bases are empty..or when the tigers are so far behind there is no pressure….
by paul wall 1962 on Jan 20, 2012 6:55 PM EST up reply actions
Except for the times he doesnt...
.325 career average with the bases loaded
last year in late and close situations (PA in the 7th or later with the batting team tied, ahead by one, or the tying run at least on deck) .325 average, .429 on base percentage
Sources: Career, Clutch stats
Look I’m not arguing that Inge is and MVP All-Star candidate, all I’m saying is the Tigers are paying his salary regardless of where he is so they might as well use him in situation where he can help the team win.
"I'm a simple man. I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food" - Ron Swanson
The stats you love and the way you use them tell only part of the story.
Thats like saying “This car gets fantastic gas milage”…….if we could get it to run.
President of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club.
"fancy shmancy stats"
ha. don’t you throw those numbers with which I cannot argue about at me!
Raburn-Santiago '12
The more you overanalize stats...
The more watered down they become. Again, every little stat only tells just a bit part of a hitter. When you break down stats as far down as you people have, you may make a point on one stat but all the other stats you are so proud of only show the lack of hitting he really has done. The best way to judge a hitter is by looking at the picture as a whole. The more you keep it simple, the better one can judge a hitter. And the big picture is that Inge is just not a good hitter. Plain and simple. Yea, I can argue those numbers.
President of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club.
And the more you use lots of words to say the same thing
The more watered down they become. It goes both ways.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 20, 2012 7:19 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
you are missing the point
the point of the article is that Inge can be useful when used against left handed pitching. Kurt never said he was a great hitter in general the stat he used was a general stat in relation to left handed pitching.It is very relevant because he was talking about using Inge in a platoon. Its not like he was using a stat such as he hit .379 against left handed White Sox pitchers in day games
"I'm a simple man. I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food" - Ron Swanson
Yeah, forget all the fancy shamcy stats...
And go by what your GUT tells you! Go by how you FEEL, not by what the numbers actually say!
/MLive’d
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
by jhitts08 on Jan 20, 2012 5:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I go by what my eyes tell me when I watch him play
But if you all want to praise what he cannot get done, knock yourself out. I see strikeouts and fly balls to shallow left field. When it comes down to it, the batting average still tells the story as well as any other stat. But again, If you want to root for someone who its occasionally, have at it.
President of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club.
This coming from the president of the "Bring back Neifi Perez" fan club
I love it.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 20, 2012 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm not an Inge fan
Or at least, I’m not a rah-rah Inge guy.
It is true: He mostly sucks.
Would I prefer an upgrade? Abso-friggin-lutley.
But, as Kurt pointed out, he hits lefties well. And if that’s what we’re dealing with, and it’s our only option to platoon him, then I can deal with him hitting lefties because he CAN DO THAT. It is provable, by basic stats like “BS VS. LHP”. That’s not a sabermetric stat.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Inge vs LHP's
2011: .245 .339 .378 .717
2010: .254 .331 .486 .817
3 year: .247 .345 .460 .805
Playing slightly above average defense, these numbers are fine vs lefties. But Inge vs RHP’s or Kelly starting are not viable options, IMO.
"King of Minutiae"
by Tigerdog1 on Jan 21, 2012 12:51 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
FWIW- Inge vs RHP's
3 years- .223 .292 .346 .638
2011- .170 .220 .228 .448
2010- .245 .317 .364 .681
Herein lies the problem. That, and the lack of anyone decent to hit vs RHP’s
Kelly vs RHP’s, 3 years: .250 .299 .398 .697 (250 PA).
"King of Minutiae"
Inge vs LHP's, RHP's, cont'd
vs RHP
Car— .223 .291 .362 .652
2011- .170 .220 .228 .448
2010- .245 .317 .364 .681
2009- .225 .298 .377 .675
2008- .196 .310 .347 .657
2007- .209 .281 .340 .621
2006- ..256 .318 .473 .791
Granted, we don’t need to post these numbers to know that Inge has been awful vs RHP’s for a long time, but it drives home the point.
You have to go back to 2006 to fine Inge hitting RHP’s at any sort of decent level. I can’t imagine why anyone would expect a miraculous improvement this year.
vs LHP’s
Car .265 .342 .458 .800
2011- .245 .339 .378 .717
2010- .254 .331 .486 .817
2009- .243 .361 .493 .854
2008- .232 .281 .439 .720
2007- .333 .419 .505 .924
2006- .243 .301 .436 .737
Here, it is entirely possible that last year was just an off year. He’s had them in the past, but using him vs LHP’s and as a late inning defensive replacement like they did after he was recalled in 2011 worked like a charm, IMO. But that was platooning with Betemit and the Tigers obviously didn’t want to bring Wilson back. If all else fails, I would.
"King of Minutiae"
if he starts off the season hitting like 2011, I think he'll just be released
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 21, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
I would hope so
but I also think that JL will give him every opportunity to land the job full time. Give him enough rope. The question is what they’ll do if he puts up something like his career stats against RHP’s. I don’t see the need to find out at this point, and if there is any realistic alternative, I would hope DD is on it.
"King of Minutiae"
3B for the Tigers in 2012 is the black hole of suck
Biggest opportunity to improve the team, by far.
Even with Victor out for the year, 3B is STILL the biggest opportunity.
A platoon of Inge/Kelly is marginal at best with the glove, and subterrainean with the bat. Their combined OPS will be lower than a pregnant snakes belly in a wagon rut. So low, it’ll make Tom Cruise look tall. So ugly, Quasimoto will be jealous. We’re talking loooooooooooow.
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
by Singledigit on Jan 20, 2012 4:00 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
Black hole of suck
"King of Minutiae"
Yeah ... what he said
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
Inge's Offense
In 2010 Inge was a 2 win player, not great, not even good, but at least he was average. In 2011 he fell off a cliff. The biggest difference for him between 10 and 11 was the drop in BABIP from .305 to .256. This doesn’t necessarily mean Inge got unlucky, a major reason that league average BABIP stays at .300 is selection bias against players who don’t have the skill to hit at or around .300 BABIP. Maybe Inge has lost that skill. If we look at Ing’s batted ball data we see that Inge’s IFFB% more than doubled from 2010 to 2011, from 7.4%, to 16.5%, and his HR/FB rate was cut in half, the lowest rate of his career. As Brandon actually hit more Line drives in 2011 than 2010 It looks like the drop in BABIP was almost entirely the result of this ridiculously high IFFB%. If these IFFBs were bad luck, or a correctable mechanical problem, Brandon could see a resurgence as a league average-ish player, if Inge has simply no longer able to him major league pitching then he will continue to suck. Personally, I think a 120% increase in the number of IFFBs year over year, has to be at least partially luck-driven.
I, for one, hope Inge plays every day
Because it probably means he’s producing like it’s the first half of 2009.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 20, 2012 7:22 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I could think of more scenarios of where he sucks but continues to play
It’s been like that for a while now.
by NintendoPlaystationNumbers on Jan 20, 2012 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
Personally
I hope he plays everyday so we can continue to read, everyday, that DD is negligent and 3B is a black hole of suck. And that we should have traded no one of value to teams that have no reason to trade valuable pieces of their teams to us.
Because I will really miss reading that.
by wilsonm24 on Jan 20, 2012 8:48 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
You also forgot that we didn’t sign free agents who didn’t wanna play for the tigers.
by syper17 on Jan 20, 2012 9:17 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions 1 recs
Inge has played many, many times when he wasn't producing
and he doesn’t have to play particularly well to outplay Don Kelly.
"King of Minutiae"
if inge could
at least hit .250 with around 15 hrs and 70 rbis…id be ecstatic
by paul wall 1962 on Jan 21, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
Gotta go with Kurt on this.
If Inge plays, and especially hits, well enough to demand more time at third, then the Tigers have a free upgrade at third. Hell, yes there are better third basemen that we would all love to see the Tigers pick up, but there may just not be anyone out there that can be acquired without selling the farm. If a trade is not made for someone clearly better, I am OK with letting Brandon show us what he has left in the tank. Donny’s value is that he can play anywhere, and can platoon with a right-hander like Inge, but I think we have seen his potential (same with Brandon, no doubt, but the 2009 Brandon was able to play well enough in ’09 to make it to the All-Star game).
by knucklescarbone on Jan 20, 2012 10:00 PM EST reply actions
The people that thinking that Inge's defense is average at best
It should be average at worst. Inge has never played below average defense. NEVER. There isn’t a fielding metric that would prove otherwise. His quality has been trending downwards, but he still never played defense below average.
by Keith-Allen on Jan 20, 2012 11:43 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Almost forgot to say
Great article. Nice job Kurt.
Inge and DD
The idea that Inge is an everyday player is only in his mind and I agree with Kurt I want all my players to believe that way. DD and JL know that Inge isn’t capable of being any more than he has already show in the past. Inge is who he is and will never be more than that. Kelly is a great untility player but that is all he will ever be. The idea that DD isn’t looking to upgrade at 3rd or 2nd or both is silly. He knows what he has and what he needs. With the loss of Vmart he also knows that it changes everything. Against tough left handed pitchers the last line up DD or JL wants to see is one that has Inge, Santiago, and Laird at the bottom of the order. I expect DD to come up with something better than that. It probably won’t be that huge mega trade every fan is dreaming of. Just me but I think DD is thinking of plugging holes as best he can and see where the team is at the trade deadline.
Don't disgrace Brooks Robinson.
To mention Brooks Robinson in reference to Inge..means you must have not seen Brooks play. The comparison is not even close. Inge was okay for a few years, but now he is no better than your average 3B with them bum knees. All you stat men are crazy. Inge pretty much sucks when it comes to hitting when your team NEEDS it. RaBuM is even worse. Stats are senseless most of the time. Watch a team play all the time tells you his value more than anything else. Ex. RaBum put up good numbers in the 2nd half of both 2010 and 2011 but in 2010 we were already out of race because he COULD NOT hit when his team needed it in 1st half. So his stats for that year are VERY misleading. Kirk Gibson won the NL MVP with 76 RBI’s because he hit when his team needed it. Inge and RaBum get a big hit every once in a while but neither would be starting on any other team in MLB. That’s a fact.
for the love of god
stop using “RaBuM”. We get it. it’s a pum.
by lesmanalim on Jan 21, 2012 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
I think this article is right on the money
and most people get the point.
To those who understand, no explanation is necessary.
To those who don’t, no explanation is possible.
Nothing like a Brandon Inge article to get the blood circulating!
Works every time. Now back to Cespedes.
"King of Minutiae"
Never, ever write about Inge again
It’ll preserve your sanity.
I'm owner/editor of The Wayne Fontes Experience a deputy editor at Bless You Boys, host the Bless You Boys Podcast and co-host The Knee Jerks podcast.
if there's one thing this thread did, it's prove my lede paragraph correct
by Kurt Mensching on Jan 21, 2012 1:33 PM EST up reply actions
I gotta admit, some of y'all certainly get wound up
I gotta find a way to continue writing 3B will be a “black hole of suck” while displaying the wry smile on my grill.
Don’t ever discuss religion, politics, or Brandon Inge at the dinner table.
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
I would like to think that I was fairly tame
Most of my comments this thread are simply to contradict the… less accurate ideas.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 21, 2012 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You don't think every person thinks the same about their own comments?
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
You forgot to link the Cool Hand Luke clip
Negative recs.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 21, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
What we have here is...a failure to comprehend logic.
Anyone who thinks Brandon Inge can reproduce his 2006 season spends a night in the box.
Anyone who makes a dumb comment spends a night in the box.
Anyone who gives Kurt a headache spends a night in the box.
I'm owner/editor of The Wayne Fontes Experience a deputy editor at Bless You Boys, host the Bless You Boys Podcast and co-host The Knee Jerks podcast.
Negative recs
I love those cute rec’y thingies.
Do ya suppose someone sits at their ’puter and delightedly exclaims “Hey look Ma, I got a REC!”
Somebody pass the hard boiled eggs.
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
Actually...
Do ya suppose someone sits at their ’puter and delightedly exclaims "Hey look Ma, I got a REC!"
Yeah, it's pretty much my life goal.
by Rob Rogacki on Jan 21, 2012 3:39 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
A man's gotta know his limitations
Use the force, Cool Hand Luke.
If your parents didn't have any children, chances are you won't either
I'm just trying to improve my ratio
and this thread didn’t help one bit. Guess I’ll have to think up something else to tell mom this week.
Rooting for Tiger stripes, not pinstripes
by JerseyTigerFan on Jan 21, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Man, I picked a good time to quit
"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz
"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching
by David Tokarz on Jan 21, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
Doubtful
"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz
"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching
by David Tokarz on Jan 22, 2012 1:30 AM EST up reply actions
RaBum
Didn’t I get booted for stuff like that? I too have a very low opinion of his playing abilities but I have refrained from using names for him
Nick Castellanos can hit right handed pitchers
Vs righties he had .320 Avg, .374 OBP, .826 OPS
Vs lefties he had .286 Avg,. .345 OBP, .734 OPS
Perhaps he’ll be part of this 3B platoon sooner rather than later.
Ya gotta believe that's the long term plan
How long- no telling, but not this year.
Not 20 yrs old yet, and hasn’t played above low A ball.
"King of Minutiae"
You never know.
Spring Training is usually the 1st big step. If he impresses Leyland and DD, he’ll stay in camp and get a good long look. He likely start the year at A+ Ball in Lakeland. If everything goes perfect and he’s scorching A+ pitching, then might get his cup of coffee in late June when the Tigers play at Tampa Bay. That’s the only time this season we play in the state of Florida, so they might do something special like that for his MLB debut. His family is there in Florida and I’m sure he’ll have a huge entourage in Lakeland by then. Once that party is over, he’ll head north to Erie, or Toledo (or maybe even Detroit) to finish up the regular season.
If things go well, I think he’ll at least get called up in September. Miguel Cabera and Delmon Young, made their MLB debuts at 20 years old. If Castellanos is the superstar that he’s supposed to be, then he’ll be here much faster. I don’t see the Tigers being too conservative with promotions.
I am not saying it never happened....
but I would be really surprised if they bring a guy up to the majors just to show him off to his family and then after that series (that he was in just to show him off to his family) then send him back down to the minors. If they think he is ready, they will bring him up no matter where they are playing and they will keep him up for more than a three or four game series.
That's basically what a cup of coffee is
It might also save them a plane ticket , if he flew back with the team to Detroit.
It wasn't just to show him off to his family either
It’s more of a perfect timing thing. The Tigers will be there in Florida. He’ll be there in Florida. It only makes sense that they take a look at him while they are in the vicinity. Give him a taste of the majors before they send him North.
Tampa is not a logical time to call up nick
They would have to add him to the 40 man which starts his options.. If they wanna get a look at him they will in spring or DD will fly to where he is playing. I doubt they will waste an option on him to save $400 on a plane ticket.
by syper17 on Jan 21, 2012 7:46 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
"then he’ll be here much faster."
I didn’t mean faster than Cabrera or Young. Just faster than what most people are saying, like his ETA being 2015.
I Wonder How Tigers History Will Look At Inge
fifty years from now, that is assuming that it will look at him at all. LOL
Third base isn’t getting any easier to master
Probably just another in the long line of mediocre Tiger third basemen
and our all time strikeout king. We haven’t had much success at that position. Kell was the best, and he was only around five years.
"King of Minutiae"
fryman
travis was good..but better for the indians
by paul wall 1962 on Jan 22, 2012 12:35 AM EST up reply actions
Travis is probably the second best 3B in Tiger history
Again, a sign of how weak that position has been. Trav is by no means in any HOF conversation.
"King of Minutiae"
3rd Base
Believe me I have been around this long. George Kell was the last great 3rd baseman the Tigers had. There have been many many good 3rd baseman thru the years, Wertz, Rodriquez, Brookens, and Fryman. All very good defensive players who hit @.250. The thing that sticks out in my mind about these players though is that they didn’t strike out much, they put the ball in play. It was a very different game back then though. They played a more funamental type game. Inge was a very good athelete when he got here. The problem with that was that he automatically had that " I have arrived" attitude.
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