RSS
Meet Brandon Inge, latest scapegoat for Tiger fans
Tigers' third baseman Brandon Inge is having an awful season. He is hitting .209 with one home run and 12 RBI. He is batting .118 with runners in scoring position. He signed a two-year contract for more than $5 million per season during the winter. The performance hasn't matched the contract. There is no defending his play this season. It has been subpar.
What I take exception with is the perception Inge is the only problem with the Tigers. A lot has gone wrong the last three games, all losses. Inge has only been part of it.
I was on Twitter (patcaputo98) throughout the Tigers-Red Sox game last night, and on radio after the game - and it was a constant blast on Inge. He wasn't why they lost. He had two hits.
It's gone the complete opposite of 2009 when Inge got off to a fast start, was voted to the All Star team in the late ballot and was the poster child for wonderfulness in this town.
He wasn't that good. At the time, I said he would be hitting .250 by the end of the season. I was wrong. He hit .230.
Inge was going to find his level. In that case, he wasn't as good as his mid-season numbers suggested - and there would be a period that evens them out over a 162-game schedule.
This season, it's likely Inge's numbers will rise at some point. His average year is 15 home runs and 70 RBI. He'll probably hit .230 to .240. He doesn't hit for high average. He generally makes close to 20 errors in a season, although he did better in that regard last season, but has been more error-prone so far in 2011.
He has struggled, but so has much of the bullpen and several other hitters. Inge is not the only issue, just part of it. Yet, the majority of the fan venom has all been directed at Inge.
And by the way, the Tigers aren't in bad shape. They did lose three games in a row, and the two in Boston were amazingly frustrating. But they are only 1.5 games behind in the wildcard race heading to Pittsburgh, which has been floundering. If they win a few games this weekend, they'll be fine.
The Indians are starting to slide, but the White Sox are beginning to play well. Seems to me like the American League Central will ultimately be a two-team race between the Tigers and the White Sox.
What I take exception with is the perception Inge is the only problem with the Tigers. A lot has gone wrong the last three games, all losses. Inge has only been part of it.
I was on Twitter (patcaputo98) throughout the Tigers-Red Sox game last night, and on radio after the game - and it was a constant blast on Inge. He wasn't why they lost. He had two hits.
It's gone the complete opposite of 2009 when Inge got off to a fast start, was voted to the All Star team in the late ballot and was the poster child for wonderfulness in this town.
He wasn't that good. At the time, I said he would be hitting .250 by the end of the season. I was wrong. He hit .230.
Inge was going to find his level. In that case, he wasn't as good as his mid-season numbers suggested - and there would be a period that evens them out over a 162-game schedule.
This season, it's likely Inge's numbers will rise at some point. His average year is 15 home runs and 70 RBI. He'll probably hit .230 to .240. He doesn't hit for high average. He generally makes close to 20 errors in a season, although he did better in that regard last season, but has been more error-prone so far in 2011.
He has struggled, but so has much of the bullpen and several other hitters. Inge is not the only issue, just part of it. Yet, the majority of the fan venom has all been directed at Inge.
And by the way, the Tigers aren't in bad shape. They did lose three games in a row, and the two in Boston were amazingly frustrating. But they are only 1.5 games behind in the wildcard race heading to Pittsburgh, which has been floundering. If they win a few games this weekend, they'll be fine.
The Indians are starting to slide, but the White Sox are beginning to play well. Seems to me like the American League Central will ultimately be a two-team race between the Tigers and the White Sox.
Labels: Brandon Ige
posted by Pat Caputo at
10:31 AM
8 Comments:
It is a downer when Inge comes up to the plate with a man on 3rd and one out.
But you're right, there's 4 other guys that don't produce with men in scoring position.
The biggest frustration is that Inge does that stupid smile on his face after he bounces weakly to the infield.
You think Pete Rose would have done that?
Show some madness, frustration - shake your head .... anything.
So, Pat, he hits 0.235, has 25-30 errors, 12 HR and 50 RBIs.
$5 million? Would you pay that?
I like to see D Kelly get a few more starts at 3B. Everyone think Benoit was a bad signing, which I think he will pitch good
eventually, this contract for two years is not too good.
Inge is an outmaker, Book. He has to launch a HR once in a while, to earn some respect. He's not doing that.
That was too much contract, if Dombrowski gave him 2 years at $5M. But Inge deserves to get booed if he's not producing.
Take extra BP, and do something. Complacency don't get it. I just smell a player who signed his last Tiger contracts, knows it, and is now preserving himself to move on to another team.
My concern with Inge is that he's starting to get up there in age (34) and he was only an average starter to begin with. If he has any decline in his skills at all he's not going to be worthy of starting on a contending team. And so far it's seemed like his skills are starting to decline.
Pat,
Avila played 3B in college before switching to catcher. Would it be impossible to get him some work at 3B and catch Martinez? Maybe the Tigers can trade for a decent back up catcher cheaper than getting David Wright. Catching Martinez more often would open up more DH AB's for Ordonez when he comes off the DL. You know Ordonez will be in the lineup, so it would be good to get Inge out of the lineup so there aren't 2 dead spots.
In 2009 Inge had the nice start, then got a bit derailed by injuries which contributed to his poor 2nd half. Tigers knew what they were getting in Inge when they resigned him and with his offensive shortcomings he's slotted appropriately low in the order. Choosing bat over glove at SS, they chose the opposite at third. He has all the intangibles...plays when hurt, standup guy, long history with the team, plays the game right, scrappy player. These all make him a coach's player and a guy who is likely to be overvalued when in the decline phase of his career. Not sure why the fan venom...maybe the usual detractors have just wanted him to be replaced for such a long time that his slow 2011 start has incited louder criticism. Tigers should be looking to upgrade at third, but agreed, his performance so far is a minor problem.
I have never understood the fans love affair with Inge. He is a .230 hitter who strikes out way too often. He gets a contract extension and they let Polanco go?? Explain that to me, please.
Pat, I agree with you about Inge. The Tigers are fully capable of going to the playoffs with him at 3rd. Unfortunately, the collapse of Benoit has left the team with no reliable set-up man, and the rest of the bullpen is also imploding as a group. This is what needs to be fixed. Good luck with that! I think we're looking at "wait till next year".in May.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home